Saturday, March 26, 2011

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 26th March '11 - Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

I don't have too many strong recollections of actually liking the music in the 80's as a child, but as an adult I'm starting to appreciate it more and more. One song I've been listening to a lot lately has been 'Smalltown Boy' by Bronski Beat.

Formed in 1983 by Jimmy Sommerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek, though bands with an openly gay image - all three members were gay - was becoming the norm, Bronski Beat were one of the first bands to tackle gay issues.

Peaking at number 3 in the UK singles chart, the bands debut single 'Smalltown Boy' tells the story of a young man in 80's Britain struggling with both family and society rejection for being gay.

In England & Wales gay sex was illegal until 1967 when it was decriminalise and the age of consent was placed at 21. In 1994 that age limit was brought down to 18 but was only brought in line with the straight age of consent, 16, in 2000. In Scotland it was illegal until 1980 when the age of consent was placed at 21 until 2000 when they joined England & Wales in making it 16. In Northern Ireland is was illegal until 1982 when the limit was set at 21. This was reduced to 17 in 2001 and then finally brought down to 16 in 2008. All this shows just how oppressed gay people would have felt at the time and how slow we have been in giving them some semblance of equality, though there is still plenty more we have yet to do.

Aside from the politics this is a catchy and memorable song and, despite the original line-up splitting in 1985 with Jimmy going on to have success with The Communards and then as a solo artist, it hasn't lost a single bit of it's quality over the years and is a classic song. The video also brings back so many memories of how the UK looked when I was a kid.

Hope you all enjoy the song and I'll catch you all next week!

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

You leave in the morning
With everything you own
In a little black case
Alone on a platform
The wind and the rain
On a sad and lonely face

Mother will never understand
Why you had to leave
But the answers you seek
Will never be found at home
The love that you need
Will never be found at home

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.

Pushed around and kicked around
Always a lonely boy
You were the one
That they'd talk about around town
As they put you down

And as hard as they would try
They'd hurt to make you cry
But you never cried to them
Just to your soul
No you never cried to them
Just to your soul

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.

Cry , boy, cry...

You leave in the morning
With everything you own
In a little black case
Alone on a platform
The wind and the rain
On a sad and lonely face

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.
Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away.


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 20th March '11 - Jedward - Lipstick

If anyone had told me, even a few weeks ago, I'd be blogging about Jedward I'd have laughed in their face but all that changed when I checked out the video for their Eurovision entry 'Lipstick' when it was put up on perezhilton.com. I was just curious to see how naff it was only to be confronted by what is a seriously good pop track.

For those of you reading this who are unfamiliar with the phenomenon of Jedward they are identical twins John and Edward Grimes who became popular when they appeared in 2009's UK series 'X-Factor'. With their big blonde quiff's and their slightly dodgy/comical performances, though they finished sixth in the show, they had developed a real cult following. In their penultimate week they performed a mash-up of Queen & David Bowie's 'Under Pressure' and Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby' which, with a guest appearance on the track by Vanilla Ice, went on to be their first single and it reached number 2 in the UK singles chart.

Since then they have gone on to sign a three year album deal with Universal, performed a massive 75 date tour of Ireland which had originally just been a 27 date tour but was extended due to the extensive demand. They also performed a further 48 date tour of both the UK and Ireland. Despite dividing opinion with people either loving them or hating them they have certainly surpassed my expectations for how their careers would progress.

Last December it was announced that Jedward would be competing for the right to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. They beat off the national competition and will now go on to the semi-finals on May 12th to see if they make it through to the finals on 14th May. I really hope they make it through as the song is brilliant and I'd love to see how well they'd do in the main competition. If they make it through to the final I'm definitely voting for them!

Hope you all enjoy it and I'll catch you all next week!!

Jedward - Lipstick

You say you’re on it but you just don’t know
You’re spending money like you’re on death row
You must be mis-educated
By all the guys that you’ve dated
You think I’ll take the bait but I don’t think so

Ohhhh
Am I headed for a car crash?
Ohhhh
Just about to meet my match, she takes the
Ohhhh
I’m about to fall in head first
Sisters let me tell you how it works

HEY!

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey

Oooohh, Oooohh

You look at me and I got you in mind
I come on over see what I could find
No appetite for delusion
How can I win when I’m losin’
You’re saying yes when it is no, no, no, no

Ohhhh
Am I headed for a car crash?
Ohhhh
Just about to meet my match, she takes the
Ohhhh
I’m about to fall in head first
Sisters let me tell you how it works

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey

It’s not that I don’t wanna play (play, play)
And then I didn’t look your way (way, way)
It’s not like every girl’s the same (same, same)
You gotta know just how to treat this miss
Or she will be dismissed

Heyyyyy

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey
Check my collar, collar, hey, hey, ey

Here I come
Here I come
dum da dum da dum da dum
Here I come
Here I come
dum da dum da dum da dum

Hit and run
Hit and run
dum da dum da dum da dum

Then I’m gone
Then I’m gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 12th March '11 - The Darkness - Friday Night

For the last week I have been awash with happiness and joy at the pending return of The Darkness. I'd always held out hope that the fuzzy & adorable drummer boy, the sexy stone god, the tache-bearing legend and the catsuit wearing genius would return, and it seems my faith in that hope was not in vain.

Now the wheels are in motion and the Darklings are regrouping in readiness for the return of the mothership it made me reflect on those happy, heady days of '03 & '04. From cooking my left shoulder to a crisp at Knebworth in '03 after losing my friends and the sunblock just so I could be near the front for The Darkness's support slot when I went to see Robbie Williams (I didn't mind where I was for his set after that!!). Seeing Justin 'flying' round the ceiling at Wembley Arena in '04. All the meet-ups with fellow Darklings. Getting dressed up and all OTT for a TV taping thing - I don't even remember what it was for now - which took place at the top of a very tall building near Earl's Court and standing on a balcony with other Darklings from all over the UK looking out at the view of London at night. So many happy times.

My favourite moment of all, however, has made the choice for this week's song so simple. In December of '03 I went to see The Darkness play at Brixton Academy. That night was the first time I had met up with fellow Darklings and so I was a bit shy and nervous at first but, before I knew it, I had been incorporated into the plans for 'Friday Night'.

The plan, admittedly, was quite simple. At the appropriate moments during the song items relating to the lyrics would be lobbed at the stage (thankfully they decided not to lob anything related to the line 'archery on Thursday' as it could've proved painful). So we were split into groups and given our specific 'props'. I was in the 'ping-pong' group while the other group were armed with playing cards (I think there was a group armed with shuttlecocks too but don't quote me on it!). It was so much fun feeling like part of a little 'gang' and, as we scattered ourselves around the venue and awaited our moment it left me feeling excited and full of joy. Now every time I hear the song it always reminds me of that fun night.

I look forward to what the future brings in this second coming of The Darkness and can only hope for more happy memories to come along with it.

Hope you all enjoy this weeks song and I'll catch you all next week!!

The Darkness - Friday Night

Hey you!
Do you remember me
I used to sit next to you at school
We indulged in all the extra-curricular activites
We weren't particularly cool

Monday cycling
Tuesday gymnastics
Dancing on a Friday night
I got Bridge Club on Wednesday
Archery on Thursday
Dancing on a Friday night

Hey you!
Could you ever fall for me
The way I fell for you
And do you dwell upon the thoughts that I occupy
Or do you give yourself things to do?

Monday rowing
Tuesday badminton
Dancing on a Friday night
I got ping pong on Wednesday
Needlework on Thursday
Dancing on a Friday night
With you, with you

Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday
Dancing on a Friday night
Let the music smother me
Whole weekend recovery
Dancing on a Friday night

See the lady I adore
Dancing on the dancing floor
Dancing on a Friday night
God, the way she moves me
To write bad poetry
Dancing on a Friday night
With you.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 5th March '11 - Gin Blossoms - Follow You Down

Formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona and taking their name from the caption of a photo of W.C. Fields, Gin Blossoms had a series of minor hit singles in the UK in the early to mid 90's. Last year I blogged about their first hit, 'Hey Jealousy' http://songstuckinmyheadthisweek.blogspot.com/2010/08/song-stuck-in-my-head-this-week-30th.html, and now this week it's the turn of their last hit 'Follow You Down'.

After the release of their second album 'New Miserable Experience' in 1992 the band suffered the loss of former songwriter and band member Doug Hopkins. The album was a success and so, after touring and promoting it, the band took their time to re-group and decide where to take things from there. There had always been the assumption that if Hopkins could conquer his alcohol problems he would return to the group. His suicide put an end to that notion and it took until 1996 for the band to come back with their third album 'Congratulations, I'm Sorry'.

'Follow You Down' was the lead single to be released from the album. Though the single 'Til I Hear If From You' was released the previous year (lifted from the soundtrack to the film 'Empire Records') it wasn't originally on the album and only appeared at a later date.

Reaching number 15 on the US Billboard 100 and number 30 on the UK top 40 Singles Chart, 'Follow You Down' was written just before the end of the recording of 'Congratulations, I'm Sorry' when band member Jesse Valenzuela came up with it one night. Not only was it a popular song but the following year, shortly before the band split up, it won an award from the American Society of Composers and Publishers as one of the most played songs in 1996 on US radio.

I've always liked the music produced by the Gin Blossoms and this song is no exception. Having had it come up on my lastfm player a couple of times it was already in my head but, to top it all off, a talented young man by the name of Chris Hepworth played it at the acoustic night I go to on Sunday nights which just reaffirmed it's position in this blog.

I hope you all enjoy is and check out more of their material. I'll catch you all next week!!

Gin Blossoms - Follow You Down

Did you see the sky
I think it means that we've been lost
Maybe one less time is all we need
I can't really help it if my tongue's all tied in knots
Jumping off a bridge, it's just the farthest that I've ever been

Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
Anyplace but those I know by heart
Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
I'll follow you down, but not that far

I know we're headed somewhere, I can see how far we've come
But still I can't remember anything
Let's not do the wrong thing and I'll swear it might be fun
It's a long way down when all the knots we've tied have come undone

Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
Anyplace but those I know by heart
Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
I'll follow you down, but not that far

How you gonna ever find your place
Running in an artificial pace
Are they gonna find us lying face down in the sand
So what the hell now, we've already been forever damned

Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
Anyplace but those I know by heart
Anywhere you go, I'll follow you down
I'll follow you down, but not that far
Follow you down
Follow you down, but not that far
Follow you down