Name That Tune: Our Top Ten Adam Songs

There really was only one Adam who could illustrate the Top Ten Adam Songs that you have helped me compile over the last week. Jim in Dubai was surprised by how many Adam Ant songs he had in his collection... but there's no such thing as too many Adam Ant songs, surely? And I know this is after he lost his Ants, but I still don't think it gets better than this...



There were, of course, other Adams in contention, including Adam Faith, Adam Green, a couple of Beastie Boys and Adam's House Cat... though I'm afraid to say that surnames are not allowed (those darned rules!) so no room for Bryan or Ryan, Tony or Rick... and definitely no room for Adamski, sorry to John Medd. I'm afraid Killer still gives me nightmares, John, and you did no favours by suggesting it was a "banger" since that term should only be used for sausages and fireworks. At least you didn't say it "dropped" in 1990... that really would have got you a three post suspension.

However, the idea of this series is that I collate ten tunes which have Adam in the title or the lyrics... from your suggestions, and my own. Nobody actually suggested any lyrical Adams this time, though you could have had...

Harry Belafonte - Man Smart, Woman Smarter

Garden of Eden was very nice

Adam never work in Paradise

Eve meet snake, Paradise gone

She make Adam work from that day on

Different times, folks.

There are a couple more to follow, but what about the Runners Up?

The Swede suggested...

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Tony Adams

...which is a top tune, but (under the rules) would only fit into the Top Ten Tony Songs... which I've already done. Although maybe it's time for a second volume?

Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple

Nice. Another Adam's Apple made the cut though.

Alyson was next...

You know I love old musicals and in Call Me Madam one of Irving Berlin’s songs is Mrs Sally Adams. All about a wealthy widow turned socialite. It won’t be in your Top Ten and probably breaks a rule with the extra ‘s’ but enjoyed watching the clip from the film with a young Donald O’Connor and Ethel Merman in fine fettle (she reminded me of Rizzo from Grease).

Mrs. Sally Adams

An enjoyable clip, Alyson, but disqualified on the same grounds as The Swede's first suggestion.

Finally in today's runners up, we have  Rigid Digit , who says...

Oo - another opportunity to plunder the depths of my brain and record collection for things!

Aerosmith - Adam's Apple

Blink 182 - Adam's Song

Two fine tunes, RD, but not quite good enough to make the ten. One of your others did though, so stick around.

And here's the rest of the scrapings from my own hard drive...

Eddi Reader - Adam

Billy Idol - Adam In Chains

Bob Seger & Laura Creamer - Adam & Eve

Paul Anka - Adam & Eve

That's groovy.

Julian Cope - Adam & Eve Hit The Road

Ben & Jason - Adam & Lorraine

Josh Ritter - The Temptation of Adam

Violent Femmes - Adam Was A Man

And let's not forget this little beauty, which teased the series last week...

Half Man Half Biscuit - Adam Boyle Has Cast Lad Rock Aside

But what of the winning ten?

Here they are...


10. The Sun and the Moon - Adam's Song (Pour Fenella) 

Brian kicks us off with this lost jangly classic from a band that obviously listened to too many Smiths records. Didn't we all?

Some ex-Chameleons there from 1988.

Ah, well, that explains it.

9. LYR - Adam's Apple

A brand new one next, from my old local pal The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, and his new band LYR. I will feature their new album again soon, because it's a belter.

8. Elvis Presley - Adam & Evil

For anyone who's missing Elvis Fridays.

7. Jesse Garon and the Desperadoes - The Adam Faith Experience

I appear to have a song called The Adam Faith Experience by Jesse Garron & the Desperadoes from the Big Gold Dreams boxset, says Charity Chic. And Brian had it too. Now I want it!

6. They Might Be Giants - XTC Vs. Adam Ant

Thanks to Walter for recalling this one. Lots of Adam Ant songs mention Ants, but none mention Adam.

If you can't decide between XTC and Adam Ant, don't worry... They Might Be Giants have the answer.

XTC versus Adam Ant

Content versus form

Fighting for their place in rock and roll

There is no right or wrong

Just when you think it's finished

With XTC on top

Ant music, like a phoenix

Flies back up the charts

XTC versus Adam Ant

Only one will survive

Beatle-based pop versus new romantic

History will decide

XTC versus Adam Ant

I can't tell you why

Even the singer from Bow Wow Wow

Can't make up her mind

XTC versus Adam Ant

Time is marching on

XTC versus Adam Ant

There is no right or wrong

There is no right or wrong

There is

No right

Or wrong

5. Momus - Adam Green

Jim in Dubai kicked us off with this one, which he explains thus:

A great song by Momus from his album where people paid money to him to have a song written about them to help him pay some legal bills I believe, this one obviously came from a Mr Adam Green.

I did wonder if the Adam Green in question was George's favourite Adam Green (from The Moldy Peaches)...

Adam Green - Hairy Women

...but I suspect, after listening to the track, that it was Adam Green the cartoonist.

Still, thanks for making me aware of that album, Jim. I like some Momus, but hadn't come across that before.

4. Weezer - Thank God For Girls

There will be plenty of people who tell you that Weezer haven't been any good since (insert early Weezer album here, probably Pinkerton). To those people, I ask them again to listen to this.

God took a rib from Adam

Ground it up in a centrifuge machine

Mixed it with cardamon and cloves

Microwaved it on the popcorn setting

While Adam was like, "Ooh ooh! That really hurts!”

Going off into the tundra

So pissed at God

And he started lighting minor forest fires, stealing osprey eggs

Messing with the bees who were trying

To pollinate the echinacea, until God said

“I'm a smite you with loneliness

And break your heart in two!”

And Adam wept and wailed

Tearing out his hair

Falling on his knees, looked to

The sky and said, “Thank God...!”

3. Jackson Browne - Song For Adam

Also suggested by Walter and Rigid Digit, who obviously share the same record collection.

Great choice though.

Now the story's told that Adam jumped

But I've been thinking that he fell

2. Billy Bragg - A Lover Sings

Adam & Eve crop up in lots of songs because they were the first lovers... and it didn't end too well, did it? Still, they did inspire Billy to write one of his very best love songs.

Walking in the park, kissing on the carpet

And your tights around your ankles

Late at night a lover thinks of these things

Adam and Eve are finding out all about love

Teresa and Steve are finding out all about love

1. Bruce Springsteen - Adam Raised A Cain

As was traditional on the Hot 100, The Swede was first in... and he hit the nail on the head with his first guess. No surprises, really. I'll try to be less predictable in future weeks...

I know George doesn't like Bruce, but maybe I can tempt him with this Biblical epic...?

(Probably not.)




Thank you for your participation. I thought it might take a couple of weeks to get this feature going, but most of you stepped up to the challenge immediately.

They won't all be as easy as Adam though. Take next week... we're sticking with the letter A, and a name that's close to all our hearts. The only snag? One song will dominate our thinking. It's the obvious Number One, but can we find another nine to back it up? That is your challenge. Remember, lyrical references are allowed... but no surnames.

NEXT WEEK: OUR TOP TEN ALISON 

(OR ALLISON & ALYSON*! Alternate spellings are allowed.) 

SONGS

(I'll even allow abbreviations such as Allie... though this won't always be the case.)

(*Although Alyson may consider this the only true spelling?)

Get your thinking caps on... and join me back here next Tuesday.