Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Hot 100 #49


Many thanks to Jim in Dubai for suggesting this week's opening image and reminding us all of 90s Italo House band The 49ers... though, to be honest, I could have done without the reminder.

Far more interesting was Jim's second band-related suggestion, 49 Americans with the track Should Be More Ideal...


True enough, Alan... but at least it's not Italo House.

As for the 49ers... call me an old fogey, but I far preferred Douglas McClaren's latest, Canadian-themed suggested...

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - My Darling Clementine

In a cavern, in a canyon 
Excavatin' for a mine, 
Dwelt a miner, 49-er
And his daughter, Clementine.

I have to say I never knew Neil Young had recorded that... but it's a bloody marvellous version, so it is.

Speaking of Neil, Marie suggested this fine track from some old mates of his...

Crosby, Stills & Nash - 49 Bye Byes

Back to the 49ers... here's a couple more...

The Quireboys - 49er

The I.L.Y.s - 49er Lighter

The Swede, meanwhile, returned to Old Faithful...

Bob Dylan - The Days of 49

And then, on a different hard-drive, but the same theme...

Wilco - Bob Dylan's 49th Beard

(When you've got more than one hard-drive full of music, you may need to ask yourself if you've got enough. Or at least buy a bigger hard-drive.)

The Swede also kindly provided this week's (soulful) jazz suggestion...

The Lightmen - Luke 23 32 49

...which, he assures us, we'll be hearing from again (and again) in a few weeks times.


Lynchie was up next, with one song... and loads of artists...

Big Joe Williams - Highway 49

Bukka White - Highway 49 (couldn't find that version)

Eric Clapton (with Howling Wolf) - Highway 49

Omar and The Howlers - Highway 49

To which Rigid Digit added...

George Thorogood - Highway 49

Take your pick... I'm rather partial to the Omar & The Howlers version.

Of course, Chris Rea might have been in with a shout there... had he not got lost on the way...

Chris Rea - Somewhere Between Highway 61 & 49

Lynchie also suggested my favourite lyrical suggestion of the week, and I've got to admit I was sorely tempted to run with this one...

Bruce Springsteen - Cadillac Ranch

James Dean in that Mercury '49
Junior Johnson runnin' through the woods of Caroline
Even Burt Reynolds in that black Trans Am
All gonna meet down at the Cadillac ranch


That's not our only classic car this week though, because Swiss Adam had this one...
I love the bit in Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros song Johnny Appleseed where he sings 'there it goes, Buick 49....'
Can't argue with that - probably my favourite Joe Strummer solo track.


Later, after consulting his many hard-drives, Rigid Digit returned with these beauties...
Stiff Little Fingers - Gate 49 
The number of the Departure Gate at Heathrow songwriter Henry Cluney regularly walked through to get back home to Belfast 
10CC - Rubber Bullets 
Down at Precinct 49
Having a teargas of a time
Phil Lynott & Gary Moore - Parisienne Walkways 
I remember Paris in 49
The Champs Elysees, St Michel
And old Beaujolais wine
Some serious fretwankery going on in that last track.

OK, what did I have left? How about this lot...

The Jazz Butcher - Lot 49

Jonathan Wilson - 49 Hair Flips

Paddy McAloon - I'm 49

Only a couple of years to go that on last one.

Meanwhile, lyrically...

Billy Joel - Leningrad
I was born in '49
A Cold War kid in McCarthy time...
Kind of like Russians by Sting, but not as embarrassing. (I know some of you will debate that.)

And speaking of Billy Joel...

Tom T. Hall - Don't Forget The Coffee, Billy Joe

Well, they wonder why there ain't no rabbits left this day and time
To tell the truth I guess we ate 'em all in '49
Was that yesterday or was it over 20 years ago
"Don't forget the coffee Billy Joe"

The Who - Too Much Of Anything

I can't remember before '49
But I know that '48 was there

Brilliant mathematicians, The Who.

This week's winner though was correctly identified by The Swede. Proof, if further proof were needed, that Joe Walsh was far more interesting than the Eagles gave him credit for. Remember: this man ran for President against Ronald Reagan (even though he was too young at the time to have been elected).


I have an obvious cool answer and an obvious slightly-less-cool answer for 48... but I'm sure we'll find some others too. Over to you.


9 comments:

  1. Is the obvious cool answer Suzi Quatro "48 Crash"?

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  2. I missed out on your 49s, but my obvious choice for 48 would be '48 Hours' by the Clash.

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  3. If it isn't either George or C's suggestion, I want my money back.

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  4. '...we'll travel 'round from town to town, we'll visit every state, i'll repeat I love you sweet, in all the forty eight...' 'Let's Get Away From it All' by Ol' Blue Eyes.
    '...till their art falls out, the short answer's 48 hours...' 'The Dark Canuck' by The Tragically Hip.
    And this weeks obligatory Bob Dylan entry is from one of my favourite songs of his, 'Changing of the Guards'. '...she wakes him up, 48 hours later, the sun is breaking...'

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  5. Oh. I was going to go with Suzi Q and The Clash as well.

    So I'll pitch 4.48 Psychosis by Tindersticks instead which, as it turns out, is chock-full of numbers and so could feature here over and over again.

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  6. Yes it has to be Suzi with 48 Crash for me too.

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  7. The Clash - 48 Hours
    Suzi Quatro - 48 Crash

    and that's me out - the hard drive of my brain may need defragging

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  8. Snap it Around by 48 Chairs, featured on the recent Manchester Boxset, hadn't heard it before but a great tune.

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