My Top Ten Afternoon Songs

 

This week, ten very good afternoons.


10. Franz Ferdinand - Wine In The Afternoon

The b-side to one of my favourite FF songs, Eleanor, Put Your Boots On, this is all about being young, having no commitments, and being able to do whatever the hell you want...

Remember that?

9. Crash Test Dummies - Afternoons and Coffeespoons

If you're not up to wine in the afternoon and the inevitable snooziness that follows, perhaps a good cup of Joe is what you need. Courtesy of those 90s Canadians oddballs who brought you the colossal Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, here's their interpretation of T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

8. Panic At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon

Sounding more than a little like Sgt. Pepper's meets Jellyfish, the emo-kings show they can party so hard it affects their ability to tell the time.

7. Arctic Monkeys - View From The Afternoon

Alex Turner's grubby street poetry was at its very best on that first Monkeys album...

I want to see all of the things that we've already seen
The lairy girls hung out the window of the limousine
Of course it's fancy dress
And they're all looking quite forlorn in bunny ears and devil horns and how

6. Del Amitri - Before the Evening Steals the Afternoon

More lush romantic storytelling from the always-on-the-verge-of-heartbreak Justin Currie.

5. Luke Haines - Saturday Afternoon

Another top cut from Luke's tribute to 70s/80s Saturday afternoon wrestling, this will bring back glorious memories to anyone who grew up in that era. Give it a listen - it will remind you of your childhood.

4. Queen - Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon

In just over a minute, Freddie delivers a camp Noel Coward-esque romp that's as uniquely Queen as Bohemian Rhapsody... but a completely different direction. In running through his week day by deliciously detailed day, Fred beat Craig David to the punch by about two decades, and a lot more style.

3. Pulp - Acrylic Afternoons

Jarvis updates the theme of this week's number one with typically sleazy zeal...

On a pink quilted eiderdown
I'm gonna take your knickers down
Net curtains blow slightly in the breeze
Lemonade light filtering through the trees
It's so soft and it's warm
Just another cup of tea, please
One lump, thank you, that's, that's good, cheers...

Doesn't leave a lot to the imagination, does he?

2. The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

With tongue firmly in cheek, Ray Davies bemoans his huge tax bill and deserter girlfriend while lazing around in the garden of his very big house in the country.

See also Afternoon Tea in which Ray has been dumped by another girl (Donna) who's left him with only the price of a cup of tea.

1. The Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight

As I always say, if you're going to go down in the history of pop as one-hit-wonders, better make sure that one hit's a belter. The SVB's ode to post meridiem nookie takes some beating, with lush harmonies hiding the cheekiness of its lyrics. The band were originally known as Fat City and the husband/wife songwriting duo at its centre also co-wrote Take Me Home, Country Roads with John Denver. Afternoon Delight is one of those perfect pop songs that I never tire of hearing. It always makes me feel a little better when it comes on the radio... and the video proves you didn't have to be drop dead gorgeous to get on the radio in the 70s.

My motto's always been
'When it's right, it's right'
Why wait until the middle
Of a cold, dark night?




Which is your afternoon delight?