We were listening to Sam CD #94 in the car for the first time on Saturday, and as soon as this tune came on, Sam said:
"This is the band that lives across the road from Auntie Mags."
Auntie Mags isn't an actual auntie, but a friend of Louise's, one of the special kind who gets awarded honorary auntie status. She lives in Sheffield, and true enough, her house is just across the road from a rather unprepossessing 4 bedroom detached property owned by Mr. Phil Oakey. He's had it for years, and we've no idea how often he actually lives there, or how many other houses he owns, but I guess it's his hometown base. In fact, the only information Auntie Mags (who also shares a local with Richard Hawley, "a very nice man") has to reveal about the Oakey residence is that "he always keeps his curtains closed". Well, he would, wouldn't he? He's only human... and I imagine many of his neighbours keep feeling fascination about just what he gets up to in there. I mean... is there still any love action?
I like Sam's idea that the whole band lives there though, Monkees style. They could do a pop band remake of Man About The House with Phil playing the Richard O'Sullivan role and Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall replacing Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett. Maybe former members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh could be the annoying neighbours next door who can't resist the temptation to peep over the garden fence.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the excellent Fallover 24, with their superb tune, Pessimistic Man. What finer tune could there be to issue in another bumper edition of our countdown?
Bumper being the operative word, let's crack on with your suggestions and see if anyone guessed my "obvious" 24...
First out of the gates this week was Charity Chic, certain that he'd backed the odds on favourite...
I'll save everyone the bother this week as there can only be one winner.
It may please you all to know that they were the first three on my list. Which isn't in any order other the order I think of them or find them on my hard drive.
Jim in Dubai also reminded us of the Yachts' cover of 24 Hours From Tulsa, which featured on this blog just a few weeks back.
Martin then returned to point out that there are "shed load of different songs called "24 Hours", so take your pick from (amongst others)..."
Jim also suggested the band at the top of the page, and Twenty 4 Seven - I Can't Stand It which brings back the true horror of the charts in my teenage years. Thanks for that, Jim. I haven't slept for a week.
Now, last week, those of you who were paying attention will have notice a new rule which was imposed upon this quiz as we get nearer #1. A new rule which will henceforth be known as "The Lime Green Rule"...
Oh, one final thing. Unless they're amazing suggestions, I'm going to stop allowing lyrical 24s (and so on) as we get nearer number one. Let's face it, there are way too many. So you'll have to be really persuasive if you want to sell me on a lyrical reference from now on. Sorry.
First to fall foul of this rule was Lynchie (who did later realise his mistake) when he suggested...
'Cause for twenty-four years I've been living next door to Alice
The thing is, I really like this song. However, it has been forever tarnished in my mind by the band re-recording it with Roy Chubby Brown as (Who The Fuck Is) Alice? Which is right up there in my mind with Lindisfarne's Fog On The Tyne featuring Gazza. I'm not linking to either of those debacles though, no matter how much it upsets George, who appears to be a fan.
George did redeem himself with his next idea though...
Someone else who ignored the Lime Green rule was Rigid Digit, but fortunately both his real suggestions have featured previously back in week #36, so go find them there. In desperation he adds...
...or, how anything by Status Quo - lifted from 12 Gold Bars Vol I and Vol II
(2 lots of 12 are 24 - is that the sound of a barrel being scraped?)
Definitely. However, just to keep you and Jez happy...
Next up was Douglas, limiting his own suggestions this week...
Firstly, Lana Del Rey's song "24" is actually quite lovely in her fragile sad kind of way. I know there is a lot of feeling that she went off the rails after the stellar Born to Die album, with her quest for fame and newfound penchant for explicit lyrics, but this one is back to form, I think. Sounds a bit like she's auditioning for a Bond film end-credits theme.
That one wasn't. But at least it's from the Syd era.
And I know it breaks your No lyrics" rule but sure the "Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go...I wanna be sedated" lyric is so iconic and so close to being in the title that an exception could be made...?
That was also on the list. But not the winner, as Douglas himself guessed.
I feel these are getting less and less "obvious", though some are decent enough songs. But what is left? I think we are all going on strike if it turns out to be the awful Bruno Mars song I came across in my digging that I won't even mention by name...
I had no idea of the track Douglas was referring to, so I had to go investigate.
All of which leads us back to Nigel Blackwell, who's having a bit of trouble down at the 24 Hour Garage. (Presumably this was soon after visiting Argos to record this: Half Man Half Biscuit - £24.99 from Argos.)
Take it away, Nige... start doing what you can to wind up that guy behind the counter!
I’ll have ten Kit Kats and a motoring atlas
Ten Kit Kats and a motoring atlas
And a blues CD on the Hallmark label
– that’s sure to be good
Far fewer 23s to choose from, but the Lime Green Rule still applies. Let's see what you can come up with...
I spent quite a bit of time recently putting together a Warren Zevon ICA which will run over at The Vinyl Villain sometime soon. I explained why I felt the need to do this in the intro to that post, so I won't say anymore for the time being, although one song I mention but don't include is this, the best cover of a Prince single ever recorded. Notice how carefully chosen those words are. I didn't say "best cover of a Prince song" since I'm sure we can all name a song or two that Prince handed over to someone else to do a better job of... but covers of his hits are harder to love, mainly because tracks like Little Red Corvette, U Got The Look and Gett Off are so uniquely Prince, nobody else can touch them.
Here's the original of what is arguably his greatest pure pop song. (There's an extended intro on the video which doesn't add much, to be honest.)
It's a brave band that tries to cover that, so points for bravery must go to R.E.M.'s Mike Mills, Bill Berry and Peter Buck, leaving their usual frontman by the pool and roping in Warren Zevon to deliver a unique interpretation.
"You can't improve on perfection", as Charity Chic remarked, showing his admiration for the movie Chicken Run last week. True enough. But you can have a damn fine stab at it...
If you're feeling Wild At Heart this Saturday morning, it's probably because you're waiting for the National Treasure that is Saturday Snapshots. Work out the ten Face/Offs below to reveal title and artist of a top tune. They all certainly Kick Ass...
10. Poet stuck in the bog? Typical human being.
9. A couple, in three movements? Child's play!
8. Labelled middle-class? No worries.
7. Too much superglue.
6. Ode to a Phoenix, from a menacing anchorman.
5. Last dingo does Alan Partridge impression.
4. Second Goddess, electric smut.
3. I am the... opposite of Frank Black. You are... the only one in the race.
2. Creepy, kooky dad in police custody.
1. Jill and Sam's other halves enjoy sliced fruit in a tent.
Be quick with your answers. The easy ones will be Gone in 60 Seconds!
