Sunday, July 26, 2009

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 26th July '09 - Kajagogoo - Too Shy

Late again but what the heck...I'm still on holiday. In Canada right now and still having a great time.

The song this week reminds me of the amazing time I had with my friend Jonathan in Long Beach. It was the first song that I ever really loved (when I was 3) and i enjoyed dancing away to it at a bar with my friend on Tuesday night!!

This band were huge when I was 3 and hardly around by the time I was 4 but I loved them all the same and I'm so excited about seeing them live for the first time in September!!

Please enjoy....one more week of holidays and then normal service will resume (ie I'll be on time and have more to say for myself!!)

Kajagoogoo - Too Shy

Tongue-tied,
I'm short of breath,
Don't even try
Try a little harder
Something's wrong,
You're not naive,
You must be strong
Ooh, baby, try

Hey girl,
Move a little closer.

You're too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush

Modern medicine falls short of your complaints
Ooh, try a little harder
You're moving in circles, won't you dilate
Baby try
Hey girl, move a little closer
'Cause, you're

You're too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush

Too Shy

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 19th July '09 - David Essex - Stardust

A little late this week but I've been living it up in LA with not a whole lot of internet access.

This weeks song is one that, when people see the artist in question, they might initially dismiss it as 'naff' but - at least in his early days - he was anything but. David Essex is someone who's music I didn't really think a whole lot to until I saw the movie's 'That'll Be The Day' & 'Stardust' when they came out on dvd a few years ago. I got them, initially, because they featured the late Who drummer Keith Moon but I ended up discovering many David Essex songs that were anything but the cheesy pop I had heard previously. I then went on to listen to more of what he released in the 70's and found it to be really enjoyable. This one, however, is my favourite.

The title track from the movie 'Stardust' the track is a brooding track that sums up the downside to success and a track that is a real counterpoint to the optimism of 'Gonna Make You A Star' I hope you appreciate it as much as I do.

David Essex - Stardust

Ah look what they've done to the rock'n'roll clown
Ah rock'n'roll clown, look he's down on the ground
Well he used to high fly but he crashed out the sky
In a stardust fling, hey rock 'n roll king is down

Roll on up, won't you come and take a look at me
Roll on up, come one at a time, and see me
See my painted-on grin as a stand up to sing
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down

But he's the leader of the band
He is a lonely man
Don't you wanna take his hand
Yes you know you can, can, can

Well he used to high fly but he crashed out the sky
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down

(sorry the video only has still photos but I couldn't find a performance one that was suitable)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 11th July '09 - Phantom Planet - California

This week's song has been stuck in my head for very good reason....I'm off on holiday on Thursday and California is indeed where I'm heading. I will state for the record, however, that this song does pop into my head quite frequently regardless of holiday plans as I do love it.

Although the song was used as the theme tune to the teen-drama/soap 'The OC' (forgive me for not knowing exactly what to class it as, I've never seen it!) I first discovered it by chance when flicking through the music channels and spotting the video and being struck by the fact that their drummer looked just like Keith Moon, the original drummer from The Who who died in 1978. As it turned out, though there could've been a chance of him being related to Keith because Keith's daughter has lived in LA for many years and is old enough to be the guys mother, their drummer at the time was actually actor & musician Jason Schwartzman (who I featured a couple of weeks ago) and he's related to the Coppola family. Still, if they make a movie of the life of Keith Moon - something they keep talking about - then I think he'd be ideal as long as he could do the accent.

Anyway, I digress. This 'Keith Moon' moment made me watch the entire video and I fell in love with the song. California - Los Angeles especially - is one of my favourite places in the world to be and I always enjoy going back there (next week will be my fifth visit there) so this song evokes so many memories of the place for me. LA is somewhere I feel truly at home and so the song's essence of 'we've been off having fun but we can't wait to get home' strikes a chord with me.

From this one song I began to explore their music further. I was sad to hear Jason, by then, had left to pursue his acting career (though now he does his own music I'm glad as I realy like his stuff a lot) but his departure didn't spell the end for the band and they released two more albums after his departure as well as three when he was with them and all are well worth a listen in my opinon. The band, however, are currently on haitus as they decided, after 15 years together, they just wanted to try out other musical avenues. They have said that they haven't 'split up', though, and will produce more material together in the future.

Anyway, I love this song and I hope that you will love it too....next entry will actually be from California so see you next time!! xxx


Phantom Planet - California

We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for number one
California here we come
Right back where we started from

Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California!
Here we come!

On the stereo
Listen as we go
Nothing's gonna stop me now
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Pedal to the floor
Thinkin' of you more
Gotta get us to the show
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California!
Here we come!




California - Phantom Planet

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 04th July '09 - The Jeevas - Once Upon A Time In America

A bit late this week as I went to see Blur in Hyde Park yesterday (they were glorious...though Damon needs to ditch the gold front tooth thing as it looks stupid) and then spent time in London today with my friend whose place I stayed at last night.

This week I've had a song wedged in my head by the band who were formed out of the ashes of now re-formed 90s indie-pop band Kula Shaker. The Jeevas were fronted by Crispian Mills and made a couple of really great albums before he got Kula Shaker back together.

Crispian was often mocked by the press and public for his 'hippy' tendancies but, once you got past all that, I think you'll find he's actually a really great and descriptive songwriter. Someone who can paint a picture in a few words (something I feel is key to writing great songs - though not the be all and end all of it).

I only discovered The Jeevas because I wanted to know what Crispian was doing musically as I didn't believe that Kula Shaker would have split and then he'd have disappeared forever but I have a sneaking suspicion that The Jeevas past many by which is, in my opinon, a great shame.

I now look forward to the fourth Kula Shaker album (the last one, 'Strangefolk', was fabulous) and to seeing what Crispian comes up with next.

I would also like to add that this song was not a deliberate choice for todays date...merely a fortunate coincidence...enjoy!

The Jeevas - Once Upon A Time In America

Sometimes its hard to be there,
Sometimes its hard to lie,
'Cos I've seen right through the country,
And through the all-seein' eye,
And through the all-seein' eye.

Oh there was a man he sang so pretty,
He loved me for two thousand years,
Why'd he come to New York City?
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Well he said, you'd all come back again,
He said "Its hard to see",
We belong to all God's countries,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

They found a piece of paradise,
And built a city there,
They didn't want to see the future,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Well he said, we'd all come back again,
This is the land of the free!
We belong to all God's countries,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
America

He said you'd all come back again,
This is the land of the free!
We longed to walk God's countries
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America