The late, great Carrie Fisher introduces our Top Ten Carrie songs. Yesterday's image of Sissy Spacek would have been an extra clue for anyone who remembers her break-out performance.
What about Edward G, indeed? Bogie gets name-dropped all over the place, but I'm struggling to find another mention of Edward G. Robinson in a pop song. Unless you know different...
Tom Waits, meanwhile, mentions Jimmy not once, but twice...
Younger Younger 28's were a fine choice to illustrate this week's post. Imagine The Human League Meets Pulp Meets Shampoo. Thanks to Jim in Dubai for recalling them and suggesting their excellent b-side Karaoke Queen (linking to another blog for that one as I couldn't find it on youtube). I was always fond of We're Going Out as well. They should have been massive.
I've a feeling you may have suggested that 30 posts ago too.
Meanwhile, last week we had Lloyd Cole fretting over getting ready to turn 30. Martin also reminded us of this, which could well pop up again in 5 posts' time...
"And my personal favourite (even if it is atypical), from the pen of Ray Davies, Low Budget by The Kinks, which has this:
Even my trousers are giving me pain,
They were reduced in a sale so I shouldn't complain.
They squeeze me so tight so I can't take no more,
They're size 28 but I take 34."
Do you know what? I'm not sure I've ever heard that before. And if you hadn't told me it was the Kinks, I might have thought it was AC/DC. It's great though!
The Swede found slim pickings in his own record collection this week. His only offering was a bit of a surprise too...
"'Never Be the Same Again' by Puressence features the lines '...you're feeling lots of pain again, December 28 again, your famous boxing day again...' December 28th? Boxing Day? What's that all about? Great song though."
"Other than that," he adds, "I need to invoke the "50 Words For Snow" card again...
28: Robbers Veil
Yes, you can always rely on Kate Bush for redemption.
Meanwhile, Alyson was in an existential mood this week...
"Alicia Keys has a song called 28 Thousand Days which is apparently the average lifespan so we should pack as much in as we can. Scarily I've had nearly 22,000 days already so I'd better get a wiggle on."
Don't worry, Alyson, you don't look a day over 21,999.
"'22 Grand Job' by the Rakes, love that song and it's pure energy, and before it comes up again in 6 weeks' time for obvious reasons it could get a little preview here for the line
But he's only 28, no more 22
Shorter post than usual this week because Douglas was on holiday. Let's scrape the bottom of my barrel before we get onto the serious contenders...
The Beta 58s welcome us to the latest number on our countdown... proof that punk isn't dead, but it hasn't grown any more braincells.
Straight on to your suggestions for this week...
C started the ball rolling, bringing back a band from last week...
You had Blondie for 59 - you can have them again for 58 with I'm On E:
I gave my car to a guy named Vinnie I feel like gassin' my feet They've totalled your bill and you skipped a beat I used to have a car of my own Twenty eight or fifty eight
That was the b-side of Denis, in case anybody was wondering. Wonder if it'll return in 30 weeks time?
Rigid Digit was on fire this week with 4 top suggestions...
And yes, you would be right. It's not acceptable. For all the reasons. Your second offering wasn't much better, although you did note that it was "a bit heavy on the guitar solo noodling side".
I'd still rather listen to that than New Order though. I will horrify many of you by saying I'd rather listen to If You Leave Me Now than New Order too. I'm sorry. Old scars run deep.
And while I'm in the business of horrifying you all... and comparing Mancunian icons with cheesy American rockers, here's two suggestions my music library threw up this week...
Out of the frying pan And into the fire 58th variety Out of the frying pan And into the fire Mother had her son for tea
Yeah, there was a bit of sarcasm there, the idea that Siouxsie could restore sanity to anything.
The Swede was late this week, claiming "C got there before me" (not sure if that was Blondie or Siouxsie) "so all I can offer is Ronsard '58 by Serge Gainsbourg." That is actually in my record collection, though I'm worried I'll have to have it deported after Brexit.
All of which brings us to this week's winner, which was firsted by Rigid Digit and seconded by South West Correspondent. I have to admit, I haven't listened to The Bends in ages, so I'd forgotten how good this track was... it has a great opening line too! ("I get home from work and you're still standing in your dressing gown".)
The troubled words of a troubled mind
I try to understand what is eating you,
I try to stay awake but its 58 hours since I last slept with you
Next week is an easy win for me. I know exactly who the winning artist will be. Less easy to decide which song though...
Your suggestions, as always, will be gratefully received...
I think I beat you on a couple of these this week: at least identifying the song, anyway. Which is good, because I don't like them to be too easy. That said, the clues in question were particularly obscure. And on one, I didn't give you enough info...
10. This reluctant replacement is more suited to a crown than a flat cap...
7. Don't pay the ferryman: being seen coming out of one of their gigs takes the biscuit.
Damn it: I edited the original clue down and dropped the bit that referred to the actual song so both clues only refer to the band. In which case, you all get 10 bonus points for my stupidity.
The clue originally began: Please believe that it's true...
(Second mistake in two weeks. Must try harder in future.)
Yes, Charon was Ferryman of the river Styx into Hades. A coin was placed in your dead mouth to pay him.
1. In pop's parallel universe...they were desperately seeking a home.
Mark 'E' Everett's dad, Hugh Everett II, was the American physicist who came up with the notion of parallel universes, the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics.
Desperately Seeking Susan, of course.
A combined effort from C & The Swede: teamwork pays off.
