Hot 100 #29

I couldn't find even a half-decent band with 29 in their name, so here's a picture of Carrie Fisher, because... well, do I need a reason?

OK then, a reason.

Carrie Fisher - Sonnet 29

Taken from Rufus Wainwright's album of Shakespeare Sonnets, Take All My Loves.

Onto the business at hand then: what did you have for me this week?

Let's start with last week's winner, Douglas, who found himself struggling a little this time...

"I can offer little new regarding the 29s from my own corpus of beloved songs and artists, despite having scoured through some 2500 LPs, 500 CDs, and a few thousand files on the hard drives and mp3s."

Blimey - that's dedication.

"So I hit the search engines, and came across a few songs that were new to me, with 29 in the title, including:"

"29" by Loic Nottet (who, despite being a young male Belgian singer, here most puts me in mind of Adele)

I can definitely hear that. "Loïc Nottet", on the other hand, is an anagram waiting to happen.

"Ryan Adams - 29 (an artist entirely on my periphery, and who, on the strength of this song, seems likely to remain there)"

Ryan Adams made two or three excellent albums early in his career, although he lost his quality control over the years and has recently been dragged into a bit of a #metoo scandal, so he loses points for that as well.

"And perhaps the best of the 3, Gin Blossoms - 29, who at very least fit in some nice jangly guitars into a pretty decent tune with some appropriately wistful lyrics."

Yes. I'm rather fond of the Gin Blossoms also, so that would be my winner from your selections.

Over to Martin, who ticked quite a few off my list...

Steve Earle & The Dukes - No. 29

Robert Plant - 29 Palms

"A double-whammy in Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney for the lyric..."

On July 29th at 5.29am...

ELO - Last Train To London

It was 9:29, 

9:29 back street, big city

"Chattanooga Choo-Choo by, well, loads of people references "Track 29", I think."

Yes, it does. Loads of people, but only one...

Glenn Miller - Chattanooga Choo Choo

From one Glenn to another Glen...

"I'm A Lazy Sod by The Sex Pistols starts..."

You're only 29, got a lot to learn.

"And because it's you, Rol, doesn't Bruce have a song called Highway 29?"

You mean this one?

Bruce Springsteen - Highway 29

Speaking of Steve Earle (as Martin did way back when), Lynchie was quick to offer this...

Steve Earle & The Dukes - Billy Austin

My name is Billy Austin

I'm Twenty-Nine years old...

Charity Chic was quick to second that, adding, "the live version on Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator is up there with the best of his songs..."

Steve Earle & The Dukes - Billy Austin (Live)

Lynchie also suggested a couple more that had made my (not so) short list...

Hank Snow - There's A Little Box Of Pine On The 7:29

Tom Waits - $29.00

Then came Alyson, who's petitioning for a return of Randy Tuesdays or Kenny Wednesdays. One thing at once, eh? I'm still not back up to full steam. She did have this to offer though...

"A date this week rather than a time but Chicago did an anti-war kind of song called Someday (August 29, 1968) - Included is real audio of the crowds at an infamous demonstration."

Never heard that before, but I did like it. I always enjoy early Chicago when they had a brass section.

Martin stole many of Rigid Digit's suggestions this week, but RD did dig out the following...

"Simultaneously the best and worst album ever released..."

"From it, Pachuco Cadaver opens with the philosophical line:"

A squid eating dough in a Polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous

"Fanciful nonsense?"

I've to admit, RD, I tried very hard with TMR back in the day, but couldn't ever find my way into it.

"But the 29 bit comes later:"

Got her wheel out of a B-29 Bomber, Brody knob amber

Spanish fringe 'n talcum tassles forever amber

Yeah, I'm still not convinced.

Your second suggestion though, was on my list...

Nick Lowe - Marie Provost

Mary Provost did not look her best

The day the cops bust into her lonely nest

In the cheap hotel up

On Hollywood West July 29

And that was it for your suggestions this week. What furballs did my hard drive cough up?

Cherry Poppin' Daddies - 2:29

King Creosote - February 29th

Frank Sinatra - The Lady From 29 Palms 

Seals & Crofts - 29 Years From Texas

Irving Fields Trio - Cha Cha No. 29

Johnny Paycheck - 11 Months and 29 Days

Chumbawamba - Smash Clause 29!

Baader Meinhof - GSG 29

Marc Cohn - 29 Ways

Something Happens - Room 29

The National - 29 Years

Robert Palmer - 29 Ways (To My Baby's Door)

Golden Earring - Cell 29

And then there was this, which I'm very surprised nobody suggested. A worthy runner-up this week...

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - 29

I'm less surprised nobody predicted this week's winner though. It has featured on this blog previously, but probably isn't that well known in the real world.

I still love it...



28? I've a feeling this one might be tough.

My Top Ten Carrie Fisher Songs

I don't really want to turn this blog into an obit list: the world is forcing that upon me. I've had no time to catch my breath after my tributes to Rick Parfitt and George Michael, but I still wanted to write something for Carrie Fisher, because she was my first real heroine. I was six when I saw Star Wars for the first time and Carrie taught me from a very young age that girls can be just as tough and heroic as boys (arguably more so, because they have to fight against centuries of patriarchal oppression while they're doing it... and when your dad's Darth Vader, they don't get much more patriarchal or oppressive). But Princess Leia was never Dale Arden. She never screamed for the chistle-jawed hero to come save her. She stood up to Vader, acted tougher than Luke from the outset, and took none of Han's bullshit. Of course, Carrie was much more than Leia: but she'll always be Leia to me.

Here's ten songs in tribute...


10. Carrie Fisher - Princess Leia Life Day Song

George has tried his best to bury the ill-advised Star Wars holiday special, and having sat through it once on a dodgy pirate copy many years ago, I can understand why. It's still arguably a better piece of entertainment than Chapters I, II or III... and Carrie does her very best to keep a straight face while singing the awful lyrics that have been scored over John Williams' classic theme.

9. Jimmy Buffett - I Love The Now

Who knew Carrie was a parrothead? Turns out she co-wrote the lyrics for this lesser-known Jimmy Buffett tune...

8. Harper Simon - The Shine

...and also contributed lyrics to Harper Simon's The Shine. (I understand her ex, Harper's Dad, might have had a hand in this one too. But more of him later.)

7. Debbie Reynolds - Tammy

Sadly, we must also take a moment to remember Carrie's mum, who died just a day after her daughter. Although mostly known as an actress, she started out as a nightclub singer and had a number of hit records from the musicals she appeared in during the 50s.

6. Eddie Fisher - On The Street Where You Live

And a nod to her dad, who died a few years back, but was a huge teen idol in the 50s and sold more pre-rock 'n' roll pop singles in the first half of that decade than just about anyone else.

5. blink-182 - A New Hope

Princess Leia, where are you tonight?
And who's laying there by your side?
Every night I fall asleep with you
And I wake up alone

And even though I'm not as cool as Han
I still want to be your man
You're exactly the kind of
Alderranian that I need

'Nuff said.

4. Neon Neon - I Told Her On Alderaan

 Super Furry Star Wars fans pay tribute to Princess Leia's home planet.

3. Paul Simon - She Moves On

The first of three from Carrie's former / only husband. They were apparently together (on and off) for many years but only stayed married for 11 months. I guess this one was written when it was finally over.

I know the reason I
Feel so blessed
My heart still splashes
Inside my chest, but she
She is like a top
She cannot stop
She moves on

2. Paul Simon - Renee & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War

I used to work with a DJ who always said "stupid name for a dog" when he played his song.

Recorded while Paul & Carrie were together: she appears in the video, though it's pretty hard to tell because it's appropriately surreal.

1. Paul Simon - Hearts & Bones

The big one that Paul wrote about his relationship with Carrie. A classic.

One and one-half wandering Jews
Returned to their natural coasts
To resume old acquaintances
Step out occasionally
And speculate who had been damaged the most
Easy time will determine if these consolations
Will be their reward
The arc of a love affair
Waiting to be restored
You take two bodies and you twirl them into one
Their hearts and their bones
And they won't come undone

Let's hope this is the last one of these I have to write in 2016...