Celebrity Jukebox #133: Gene Hackman

The Reaper's been busy again.

If I'd had time, I'd have paid individual tribute to each of the following over the past couple of weeks...

Rick Buckler

The Jam - A Town Called Malice

Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Michelle Trachtenberg

Buffy - Once More, With Feeling - Dawn's Ballet / What You Feel

Henry Kelly

Shed Seven - Going For Gold

The biggest name we've lost recently though is Gene Hackman, along with his wife and his dog. As I write, the true story of their tragic end has yet to be revealed, but I don't want to dwell on that. I just want to remember Lex Luthor, Popeye Doyle, Sheriff "Little" Bill Daggett, Captain Frank Ramsey and, best of all, the heroic sacrifice of the Reverend Frank Scott in The Poseidon Adventure.

On the television, a ship was sinking

It seemed so real, but it was just a movie

Made by Irwin Allen, boy, what a relief

And on the ship was Ernest Borgnine

Brave in the face of certain death

He played a cop on a pleasure cruise

Along with his wife, an ex-prostitute

Of course, Shelley Winters

She was on the ship

She was good, too, but she died

As did Gene Hackman, a preacher

Who gave his life so that others could live

He died shouting "How many more lives?"

Killdozer - Man Vs. Nature

I didn't need to dig far to find a song or two in tribute...

Snapshots #204: A Top Ten Songs Named After Famous Actors

Lights, camera, action!

This week's Snapshots brought together ten male Hollywood stars... I'm saving the female actors (or actresses, as we used to call them in the old days) for another time. But not next week. It'll be when you least expect it.

Meanwhile, here are the leading men...

10. The beginning and ending of Stig of the Dump.

St...ump.

Lights! Camel! Action!

Bushes that refuse to burn

See these sandals hardly worn

Raining blood, raining bread

The night we painted Egypt red

Then Charlton Heston put his vest on...

Stump - Charlton Heston

9. Get a loan to build your new privvy.

You need a John Grant, mate.

I got to meet him once, and he was really, really cool.

And when I think about everything's that he's been through,

I wish he'd call me on the phone and take my ass to school.

John Grant - Ernest Borgnine

8. Experts on fairy chimneys.

These are fairy chimneys, also known as hoodoos...

Gene must have made thousand films

He's kissed a thousand girls

And made a thousand kills

And let's not forget he took on Superman!

Hoodoo Gurus - Gene Hackman

7. Often found in crowds.

The madness of crowds...

He picks up useless paper

And puts it in my pocket

I'm trying very hard to keep my fingers clean

I can't remember tell me what's his name

Madness - Michael Caine

6. Known to wage warefare.

Guerrilla warfare.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad

I got sunshine in a bag

I'm useless, but not for long

The future is coming on

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

5. An intense tie.

Anagram!

I keep falling in love

And you're breaking my heart

I know that it's wrong

But where do I start?

It's the end of the day

I'm here alone

And you're so far away

Saint Etienne - Jack Lemmon

4. Adam Sandlers.

Adam Sandler was in The Waterboy.

Cowboy hat, man that ain't no topper

His suit's as slick as a lick by Cropper

He's dressing like a Carnaby Street pill-popper

Dennis Hopper!

The Waterboys - Dennis Hopper 

3. Every bird struck.

Anagram!

Bullet was my favorite movie that I'd ever seen

I totaled my go-cart trying to imitate that chase scene

That Duster had six hubcaps, know what I mean

And I love the way they all flew off when it landed in that ravine

Drive-By Truckers - Steve McQueen 

2. Associated with tramps and babies.

Lady & The Tramp.

Babies go gaga.

Every John is just the same

I'm sick of their city games

I crave a real wild man

I'm strung out on John Wayne

Lady Gaga - John Wayne

1. Where... dare?

Where Eagles Dare, of course!

Well, talk about a low-down bad refrigerator

You were just too cool for school

Sock hop, soda pop, basketball and auto shop

The only thing that got you off was breakin' all the rules

The Eagles - James Dean

Put your vest on again next Saturday morning for more snapshots...

My Top Ten Isolation Songs

Inspired by Swiss Adam's excellent Isolation Mixes, here's ten songs about keeping your distance. I make no apologies for the fact that the Number One song appeared here just a couple of weeks ago.


10. Teri Nunn - Dancing In Isolation

Stop dancing in isolation

9. The Hoodoo Gurus - Isolation

You from me isolation!

Quarantine, Isolation! Refugee, isolation!

Apathy, isolation! 

8. Toto - Isolation

I'm stranded here in a dream and there's no ticket back

I feel a cold wind blowin', my future looks black

7. John Lennon - Isolation

The sun will never disappear,

but the world may not have many years.

Isolation.

(I'm a fan of the Mercury Rev version.)

6. Joy Division - Isolation

In fear every day, every evening

5. John Mellencamp - The Isolation of Mister

I always felt like sorrow was a lesson

I always felt I needed to feel the pain

I thought happiness was a transgression

And I just took it as it came

I never wanted to say too much

To other people I did not understand

4. The Chameleons - Soul In Isolation

Oh, when you think of it, when you think of it

We're all souls in isolation

Alive in here, I'm alive in here

I'm alive in here

3. Iggy Pop - Isolation

Got a lot to do

Got a lot to say

Got a life to live

Here I stand

In isolation

2. The Darling Buds - Isolation

Silence

Does it ever get that good?

1. Warren Zevon - Splendid Isolation

Cool live version, different to the album version I posted recently. Just for variety.

Don't want to wake up with no one beside me

Don't want to take up with nobody new

Don't want nobody coming by without calling first

Don't want nothing to do with you