'Candy Says' is the opening track of the eponymous album by The Velvet Underground and is about the transexual, Candy Darling, who was part of Andy Warhol's Factory. I first remember hearing the song, however, as the b-side to the Blind Melon single 'Change'.
I have often felt that Blind Melon were overlooked musically because of the huge commercial success of the song 'No Rain' as well as lead singer Shannon Hoon's friendship with Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose. However, by the time of their second album 'Soup' they were starting to experiment with their sound and veering away from the alt rock style that they'd had on their first album.
Sadly we'll never know where they could've gone from there as Shannon Hoon died of an overdose in October '95, just 13 weeks after the birth of his daughter Nico Blue and now they seem to be nothing more than a vague memory to the majority of people which I feel is a shame.
ThIs cover version of 'Candy Says' is just brilliant in my mind and what makes me even happier is that, when searching for a video or audio track on youtube to accompany this blog I found the actual footage of them recording the version I have on my cd single from all those years ago which was only put online in the last week so I do hope you all enjoy it!!
Blind Melon - Candy Says
Candy says I've come to hate my body
And all that it requires in this world
Candy says I'd like to know completely
What others so discreetly talk about
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
Candy says I hate the quiet places
That cause the smallest taste of what will be
Candy says I hate the big decisions
That cause endless revisions in my mind
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 20th February '10 - The Humblebums - Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway
A few years back when Led Zeppelin had their big one-off reunion gig where the tickets were over £100 each before they even made it to e-bay I was going round telling people that, quite honestly, the only one-off reunion gig I'd pay that kind of money for would be The Humblebums. 'The who?' you might ask and I'd point out that The Who were a different band from the 60's who I blogged about a few weeks back (lame joke I know but I couldn't help it).
The Humblebums were, in fact, a Scottish folk group from Glasgow. The band line up was Tam Harvey on guitar, Billy Connolly on banjo, guitar and vocals and then joining them slightly later was Gerry Rafferty on vocals.
They recorded so many brilliant, yet not very successful music and that means that they have been greatly overlooked in the grand scheme of thing which I think is such a shame.
My dad saw them live back then and I grew up listening to their music. If I could just have the one chance to hear and see them perform live then it would be amazing....though I know the chances of that are even slimmer than Led Zep doing another of their one-off gigs (and the chances of that are pretty remote) so all I can do is enjoy the music and try to share it.
The song I've got for you is one of Gerry's compositions but Billy's ones are fantastic too and not all humorous and jokey as you would perhaps expect from a guy who went on to be an internationally successful comedian.
I hope you enjoy it and check out some of their other songs!!
The Humblebums - Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway
The coat she wore still lies upon the bed
The book I gave her that she never read
She left without a single word to say
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
She always wanted more than I could give
She wasn’t happy with the way we lived
I didn’t feel like asking her to stay
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
Daddy never knew just what she’d seen in me
Daddy didn’t like my hair
Perhaps if we had talked, he’d have seen something in me
But Daddy didn’t really care.
To tell the truth I didn’t have the nerve
I know I only got what I deserved
So now she’s taken leave of me today
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
Daddy never knew just what she’d seen in me
Daddy didn’t like my hair
Perhaps if we had talked, he’d have seen something in me
But Daddy didn’t really care.
The coat she wore still lies upon the bed
The book I gave her that she never read
She left without a single word to say
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
The Humblebums were, in fact, a Scottish folk group from Glasgow. The band line up was Tam Harvey on guitar, Billy Connolly on banjo, guitar and vocals and then joining them slightly later was Gerry Rafferty on vocals.
They recorded so many brilliant, yet not very successful music and that means that they have been greatly overlooked in the grand scheme of thing which I think is such a shame.
My dad saw them live back then and I grew up listening to their music. If I could just have the one chance to hear and see them perform live then it would be amazing....though I know the chances of that are even slimmer than Led Zep doing another of their one-off gigs (and the chances of that are pretty remote) so all I can do is enjoy the music and try to share it.
The song I've got for you is one of Gerry's compositions but Billy's ones are fantastic too and not all humorous and jokey as you would perhaps expect from a guy who went on to be an internationally successful comedian.
I hope you enjoy it and check out some of their other songs!!
The Humblebums - Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway
The coat she wore still lies upon the bed
The book I gave her that she never read
She left without a single word to say
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
She always wanted more than I could give
She wasn’t happy with the way we lived
I didn’t feel like asking her to stay
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
Daddy never knew just what she’d seen in me
Daddy didn’t like my hair
Perhaps if we had talked, he’d have seen something in me
But Daddy didn’t really care.
To tell the truth I didn’t have the nerve
I know I only got what I deserved
So now she’s taken leave of me today
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
Daddy never knew just what she’d seen in me
Daddy didn’t like my hair
Perhaps if we had talked, he’d have seen something in me
But Daddy didn’t really care.
The coat she wore still lies upon the bed
The book I gave her that she never read
She left without a single word to say
Her father didn’t like me anyway.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 13th February '10 - Rick Astley - Cry For Help
Rick Astley may be renowned for his 'cheesy' 80's pop (courtesy of 80's production team Stock, Aitken And Waterman) but even my dad is first to admit that Rick Astley had, and still has, one hell of a great voice.
After leaving the creative stranglehold of Stock, Aitken And Waterman he didn't fare quite so well, which I always thought was a shame, but he did have one last big hit in 1991 with the track 'Cry For Help' which is my favourite of all the songs he recorded.
Reaching number 7 in both the UK and US singles charts I always felt that not only was it a great showcase for his great singing voice but also it showed that there was so much more to him as a person than the formulaic pop-by-numbers of the Stock, Aitken And Waterman 'machine'. However, as he had no more success after musically I can only assume that people just didn't want to hear what he was really capable of - even the 'Rickrolling' phenomenon of recent years featured his old hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' from his Stock, Aitken And Waterman days.
This song is great though and I hope you all enjoy it!!
Rick Astley - Cry For Help
She's taken my time
Convince me she's fine
But when she leaves
I'm not so sure
It's always the same
She's playing her game
And when she goes
I feel to blame
Why won't she say she needs me
I know she's not as strong as she seems
Why don't I see her cry for help
Why don't I feel her cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
I wandered around
The streets of this town
Trying to find
Sense in it all
The rain on my face
It covers the trace
Of all the tears
I've had to waste
Why must we hide emotions
Why must we never break down and cry
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
No need to feel ashamed
Release the pain and
Cry for help
Cry for help
Is all I need
All I need
Is a cry for help
Cry for help
Is all I need
All I need
Is a cry for help
Why must we hide emotions
Why can't we ever break down and cry
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
I will be there when you cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
I will be there when you cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
After leaving the creative stranglehold of Stock, Aitken And Waterman he didn't fare quite so well, which I always thought was a shame, but he did have one last big hit in 1991 with the track 'Cry For Help' which is my favourite of all the songs he recorded.
Reaching number 7 in both the UK and US singles charts I always felt that not only was it a great showcase for his great singing voice but also it showed that there was so much more to him as a person than the formulaic pop-by-numbers of the Stock, Aitken And Waterman 'machine'. However, as he had no more success after musically I can only assume that people just didn't want to hear what he was really capable of - even the 'Rickrolling' phenomenon of recent years featured his old hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' from his Stock, Aitken And Waterman days.
This song is great though and I hope you all enjoy it!!
Rick Astley - Cry For Help
She's taken my time
Convince me she's fine
But when she leaves
I'm not so sure
It's always the same
She's playing her game
And when she goes
I feel to blame
Why won't she say she needs me
I know she's not as strong as she seems
Why don't I see her cry for help
Why don't I feel her cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
I wandered around
The streets of this town
Trying to find
Sense in it all
The rain on my face
It covers the trace
Of all the tears
I've had to waste
Why must we hide emotions
Why must we never break down and cry
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
No need to feel ashamed
Release the pain and
Cry for help
Cry for help
Is all I need
All I need
Is a cry for help
Cry for help
Is all I need
All I need
Is a cry for help
Why must we hide emotions
Why can't we ever break down and cry
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
I will be there when you cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
Somebody please hear me cry for help
All I can do is cry for help
All that I need is to cry for help
I will be there when you cry for help
Why don't I hear her cry for help
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 05th February '10 - The Who - I'm One
Tomorrow night The Who will be performing the prestigious half time show at the Super Bowl. Anyone who knows anything about me will know I love The Who. Having seen them nine times thus far (four of which were in the US) I can say I've never been disappointed by them as every performance has been outstanding. Because of them I have met so many wonderful people from all over the globe who have become some of the closest friends I have and who I could have a whole blog dedicated to the wonderfulness of each of them if I wanted to. To know them and be part of the big Who-fan family means a lot (if you're reading this and know what I mean then you know how much love I have for you).
Over the last 46 years since they first formed they have made some of the most classic rock tunes ever heard. From 'My Generation' to 'Baba O'Reily' to 'Won't Get Fooled Again' (as well as plenty more in between) they have songs which mean so much to so many. At the Concert For New York in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks they were the only act to not get a standing ovation at the end of their set, simply because the audience were on their feet the entire time...and the songs they sang were not mournful of the loss to the city but resilient in the face of that loss and you got the sense that this resilience was so important to those in attendance that night.
They also have, over the years, created two well loved rock operas. 'Tommy' is the more famous of the two with the performance of it at Woodstock in 1969 being seen as one of the key moments in the legendary festival. The second, and the one I've always loved that bit more, is 'Quadrophenia'.
Set in early 60's England and telling the story of a teenager called Jimmy and his life, 'Quadrophenia' produced what I feel are some of Pete Townshend's finest songs. Not only do they describe the split-personalities of Jimmy well but they also tell the story with such strong narrative that you don't necessarily need to have a visual to accompany it in order to follow the story.
Of all the songs from 'Quadrophenia' the one I associate with and love the most is 'I'm One'. As someone who has often struggled to fit in socially and who really never fitted in at school it's the kind of song that makes me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I don't have to 'fit in' with the rest of the world as long as I'm being me and that, in life, there are plenty others like me and I'm not alone. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of Who fans that I know have felt exactly the same about themselves too and that the song probably means the same to them as it does to me....and maybe it might resonate with you too.
Hope you enjoy it!!!
The Who - I'm One
Every year is the same
And I feel it again,
I'm a loser - no chance to win.
Leaves start falling,
Come down is calling,
Loneliness starts sinking in.
But I'm one.
I am one.
And I can see
That this is me,
And I will be,
You'll all see
I'm the one.
Where do you get
Those blue blue jeans?
Faded patched secret so tight.
Where do you get
That walk oh so lean?
Your shoes and your shirts
All just right.
But I'm one etc.
I got a Gibson
Without a case
But I can't get that even tanned look on my face.
Ill fitting clothes
And I blend in the crowd,
Fingers so clumsy
Voice too loud.
But I'm one.
I am one.
And I can see
That this is me,
And I will be,
You'll all see
I'm the one
I'm the one
I'm the one
Over the last 46 years since they first formed they have made some of the most classic rock tunes ever heard. From 'My Generation' to 'Baba O'Reily' to 'Won't Get Fooled Again' (as well as plenty more in between) they have songs which mean so much to so many. At the Concert For New York in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks they were the only act to not get a standing ovation at the end of their set, simply because the audience were on their feet the entire time...and the songs they sang were not mournful of the loss to the city but resilient in the face of that loss and you got the sense that this resilience was so important to those in attendance that night.
They also have, over the years, created two well loved rock operas. 'Tommy' is the more famous of the two with the performance of it at Woodstock in 1969 being seen as one of the key moments in the legendary festival. The second, and the one I've always loved that bit more, is 'Quadrophenia'.
Set in early 60's England and telling the story of a teenager called Jimmy and his life, 'Quadrophenia' produced what I feel are some of Pete Townshend's finest songs. Not only do they describe the split-personalities of Jimmy well but they also tell the story with such strong narrative that you don't necessarily need to have a visual to accompany it in order to follow the story.
Of all the songs from 'Quadrophenia' the one I associate with and love the most is 'I'm One'. As someone who has often struggled to fit in socially and who really never fitted in at school it's the kind of song that makes me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I don't have to 'fit in' with the rest of the world as long as I'm being me and that, in life, there are plenty others like me and I'm not alone. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of Who fans that I know have felt exactly the same about themselves too and that the song probably means the same to them as it does to me....and maybe it might resonate with you too.
Hope you enjoy it!!!
The Who - I'm One
Every year is the same
And I feel it again,
I'm a loser - no chance to win.
Leaves start falling,
Come down is calling,
Loneliness starts sinking in.
But I'm one.
I am one.
And I can see
That this is me,
And I will be,
You'll all see
I'm the one.
Where do you get
Those blue blue jeans?
Faded patched secret so tight.
Where do you get
That walk oh so lean?
Your shoes and your shirts
All just right.
But I'm one etc.
I got a Gibson
Without a case
But I can't get that even tanned look on my face.
Ill fitting clothes
And I blend in the crowd,
Fingers so clumsy
Voice too loud.
But I'm one.
I am one.
And I can see
That this is me,
And I will be,
You'll all see
I'm the one
I'm the one
I'm the one
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)