Following on from Terence Stamp, it seemed logical to remain
in the swinging sixties with his former partner in crime, Julie Christie. The
ladies often do better than the gents in this feature, and Julie certainly
racks up more mentions than Terry… although they do both feature in one of the best songs of the 60s, which I'd completely forgotten until Rigid Digit reminded me on Monday...
Terry meets Julie Waterloo Station Every Friday night But I am so lazy, don't want to wander I stay at home at night
After that, anything else will be an anti-climax. Still, there's some great tunes about Julie on her own. So let's crack on with them, shall we?
We begin with a song about Julie’s breakthrough role in
Billy Liar, named after that movie’s star…
Now Gina in the King’s Road
In a raincoat shimmering white
Hands thrust in her pockets
Like Julie Christie might
Half-Japanese are an American art-punk band who have been
going almost half a century. This was their debut single, released in 1975, in
which Julie keeps company with a curious collection of ladies, most notable
Yoko Ono, Shelley Duvall and Angela Bowie… it's an absolute racket.
She talks like Julie Christie
Implied sex and foreign intrigue
It’s the accent that really gets me
She laughs to make me smile
France Gall was the first singer Serge Gainsbourg ever wrote
for. Here she takes a swing at the swinging 60s, trying to settle the old
argument of which was the swingingest: England or France? (This one wasn't written by Serge. Clearly, he would know the answer.)
At which point we arrive at the songs named after Julie
Christie. Of which, I think I found more titular mentions than for any other
Celebrity Jukeboxer so far. We begin with Philadelphia’s Bill Ricchini…
You look just like Julie Christie
And I feel just like Terry Stamp
I like that one. Would have included it in my Terence Stamp Jukebox on
Monday, but I guess I felt Bill was being a bit greedy, trying to feature here twice in one week.
Lorraine Bowen could well be described as a Billy Bragg
protégé – Bill encouraged her to go solo following her time in two 80s bands,
See You In Vegas and The Dinner Ladies. This is one of her most-loved tunes…
And another couple of lost gems from the 80s that I can find very
little info on… don't believe anyone who tells you that you can find out everything you want to know on the interweb.
Following the break-up of All About Eve in the early 90s,
lead singer Julianne Regan led another band called, less memorably, Mice. She
doesn’t sing on track 7 of their debut album though: it’s an instrumental.
Another instrumental, though different instruments were
used, comes from French composer André Popp’s 1974 album, in which every track
was dedicated to a different screen siren.
My choice for today was obvious from the start. It may be from a band you know as well as any of the last few (though god knows I've featured them enough here over the years), but if that's the case, I highly recommend you acquaint yourself with the work of Shirley Lee and Spearmint as soon as possible. Here's one good reason to do so...
She looks like Julie Christie And she's blotted out my past She had it all laid out for me I never stood a chance We took the essence of Felt and Vic Godard And we blasted into space And then we showered down on everyone The whole soppy human race
"Wondering who else is going to pop up in this series now," said Alyson in last week's comments. "I know of one song where Peter Lorre is mentioned but surely there can't be many more. Maybe time to prove me wrong."
Well, I do like a challenge. And Casablanca was on TV this weekend... though Lorre has a better role in The Maltese Falcon, in my humble opinion. He and Bogie were mates, apparently.
Let's see if I can find the song Alyson was referring to...
You wake up in the morning and you're feelin' blue
Because Vicki is gone and your money is too
She's more sinister than Peter Lorre
And this is just two of 8 million stories
Probably not the one Alyson was referring to though. Are there any songs actually named after Mr. Lorre? Turn out: yes... this one even has 80 views on youtube!
This one, however, actually comes from my own record collection...
Peter Lorre, Peter Lorre
He's a brick, he's a brick
You can count on him in trouble
Even if it's really thick
Any crisis, he'll be there
Like a little squidgy bear
Peter Lorre, Peter Lorre
He's a brick
Peter Lorre, Peter Lorre
Runs a nightclub way downtown
Peter Lorre, Peter Lorre
Always wears a evil frown
Don't spit on his shoes
Or mess up his hair
Or he will shoot you dead
And go back upstairs
A real gentleman
Never bad and never rude
Never mad and never crude
Just like Sydney Greenstreet
Just like Sydney... Green...street
In any crisis he'll be there
Like a little squidgy bear
That's Peter Lorre, not Sydney Greenstreet
You know I'm going to declare that today's winner, don't you? Even though it's not the song Alyson was referring to. Let's call that a worthy runner-up...
On a morning from a Bogart movie
In a country where they turn back time
You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre
34 is a band, straight out of Kansas City, Missouri, one of those metal bands whose singer is in desperate need of a packet of Fisherman's Friends. Hear them roar here.
The number 34 proved to be another tricky one on the countdown, but as always you did your best to furnish me with suggestions.
Lynchie kicked off this week with a good ol' boy...
And it's up against the wall, redneck mother Mother who has raised her son so well He's 34 and drinkin' in a honky tonk Just kickin' hippies' asses and raisin' hell...
Those bloody hippies, eh?
YouTube tells me that was "made famous by J.J. Walker". I suppose that depends on your definition of the word "famous".
Next to arrive last week was Douglas, still perturbed that I hadn't chosen either Bruce or Billy last week (I know, it kills me too) who decides to go a little off the beaten track this week as a result. I'll let him explain...
Monsters of Folk were a sort of one-off supergroup of Americana folk-rock greats, made up of Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and M. Ward. They take turns songwriting and taking lead vocals, and though I love the album, it is as a result a little uneven...like they haven't fully learned each other's strengths and are in a bit of a tug of war for the reins. But there are some fantastic moments in there, including this song:
Pain was hunting me down but I gave him the slip then I fell in love with identical twins They lived 34 summers between the two of them I gave one my ego, I gave one my id Yeah, I gotta get back to my pretty little twins Don't ever buy nothin' from a man named truth Don't ever buy nothin' from a man named truth I'll tell you right now that it ain't no use Don't ever buy nothin' from a man named truth.
Pretty deep that. Shame I'm so shallow. Luckily, Douglas had that covered too with his second suggestion...
...doin' 34 shows every day And every time it's the same Look at those hippos, they're wigglin' their ears Just like they've done for the last 50 years.
Next through the doors was Martin, who offered a couple more lyrical suggestions that he wisely assessed would be in my own library...
In a week of slim pickings though, it was C who provided our salvation, with a classic Lieber/Stoller composition. C originally suggested the version by The Searchers, but then wisely directed us to the original by The Clovers. I'm rather partial to the version by The Coasters too.
I took my troubles down to Madame Ruth You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine Selling little bottles of Love Potion Number Nine
33 next week. Should be a little easier, given revolutions per minute. What have you got for me?
These Renaissance girls know what they're saying There are whispers at night in the halls of paintings You think you're the first one to come untethered But we've been watching you forever
A former student used to tell me (every lesson) that I looked like the lead singer of P!ATD, to the point that he started calling me Brendon. I don't see it myself, but I've been called far worse things.
How many lovers does it take To put a light bulb into a socket? Why did Mona Lisa smile? I have the answer written down in my pocket.
But it's not as creepy as that might sound...
I know why Mona Lisa smiled Da Vinci must have been a really funny guy And laughter is the only way into my heart
1. Elton John - Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters
For all his latter-day sins, early Elton takes some beating...
I could probably have stretched to another ten. The Manics would have got in here had they not thrown acid all over the painting. Which one leaves an enigmatic smile on your face?
George tried his best, checking into all the London prisons he could think of... but old lag Martin had already done time with this bunch so he recognised their mugshots immediately.
4. Syd was pretty tough - and loaded!
Syd Barrett.
Tough = strong.
If you're loaded, you have "LOADSAMONEY!" (You had to be there. Yes, I bought that. Listen musos - William Orbit was involved in that, so it must have been cool. I was 16, OK? Give me a break.)
Despite an initial confusion with the footballer (!?!) Earl Barrett, George nabbed this one.
3. German stone guy makes a Take That song even worse.
Stein is German for stone.
Take That did Bad For Good (possibly Gary Barlow's finest hour, though I prefer Robbie Williams' solo version: you have to stick with it past the first 50 seconds. I saw him do that live. Twice. One time, he rode a toilet round the stage while doing it. Don't tell me Robbie Williams isn't great. I won't believe you.)
In my humble opionion, Jim Steinman is one of the greatest songwriters ever to have set foot on this planet.
I've been very much enjoying the series Feud: Bette & Joan which ran on TV over Christmas. Great to see 60s America recreated so faithfully and the performances by Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange and Alfred Molina were terrific. Stanley Tucci was hilarious as Jack Warner too. Of the two, Sarandon's Bette Davis probably comes out best, being shown as both the better actress and the more sympathetic human being (most of the time).
Not done an Actory Top Ten for awhile, so here's ten songs about Bette and her films...
Well, we've got to start with this one, haven't we? As seen in Feud, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? was the film that cemented the rivalry between Bette and Joan.
Some debate on t'internet as to whether Rod's song has anything to do with the movie... and quite a lot of old Rod The Mod fans bemoaning his 80s ouvre, of which this is seen as a particularly irksome entry. You can have the Belle & Sebastian version if you prefer. Or perhaps a completely different Baby Jane from Dr. Feelgood.
There's an argument to be had that Brian Fallon hasn't had an original idea in his life, but everybody loves Noel Gallagher for the same crime, so cut The Gaslight Anthem a break...
Stay the same, don’t ever change 'Cause I’d miss your ways With your Bette Davis eyes And your mama's party dress
Not the first time Al has cropped up here name-dropping famous actresses. Probably won't be the last.
When you were just a kid you loved To go to movies in the afternoon And so you left the factory And got a job in the projection-room Bette Davis plays Ran away with the passing days You'll be a movie-star Next time
You're my Bette Davis I'm your Cary Grant Let's make love all night don't get up at the prohibition The big depression's over lets have a drink to them We'll stay young forever living in our silver screen romance
(It's gonna be harder to do my Cary Grant Top Ten now.)
Turns out Iggy was part of the whole #metoo movement almost 40 years before the rest of the world. This is from 1980!
I'm wondering fellas if you've heard the news The chicks are sick and tired of being abused Now I saw all this on the wide screen You know that chick Bette Davis split right out of the scene
Leave your Dire Straits prejudices at the door, please.
Sociologists invent words that mean 'Industrial Disease' Doctor Parkinson declared 'I'm not surprised to see you here You've got smokers cough from smoking, brewer's droop from drinking beer I don't know how you came to get the Bette Davis knees But worst of all young man you've got Industrial Disease
Nothing to do with the movie, more about the year Davd Gedge spent in South Africa as a child and his memories of Apartheid. Of course, All About Eve also gave its name to these guys. Bette's legacy lives on!
Cinderella, she seems so easy "It takes one to know one," she smiles And puts her hands in her back pockets Bette Davis style And in comes Romeo, he's moaning, "You belong to Me I Believe" And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend.
You better leave" And the only sound that's left After the ambulances go Is Cinderella sweeping up On Desolation Row.
1. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
The obvious #1, though I'm sure it'll be shunned as "too 80s" by many. You may prefer Jackie DeShannon's original... though it's a VERY different song. For a hipper "indie" version, try the Sexton Blake cover or this rather over-produced version by My Gold Mask. I'm sure it's been covered by a dozen other people, but those are the only ones to make it into my collection.
Kim Carnes is worth another post sometime though. Known to most people in the UK as a one hit wonder, her career actually stretches from the late 60s through to the present day, and her Best Of collection shows a lot of interesting work over that time. Try Gypsy Honeymoon as a taster, it might change your idea of her.
Think I can't follow that with a Joan Crawford Top Ten. Go on, dare me!
Another new feature. I pick a famous actor or actress, then find ten songs which
link to them one way or another... and try to explain the link in as
few words as possible.
We're starting with Humphrey Bogart because he is a legend. Not the greatest actor ever, but certainly one of the greatest movie stars. This guy had charisma, attitude, presence by the bucketload. He was a tough guy, sure, but he knew how to take a beating too. And while the kids of today probably wouldn't even know his name, the songwriters of yesterday couldn't stop writing about him. I could probably have made this a Top 20, just from songs that mention him by name (I won't be as direct with every star I choose), and I didn't even have to go to Nik Kershaw.
Anyone who doesn't dig Hall & Oates, well... when you're slapped, you'll take it and like it.
We've seen a million faces All staring at you and me But just like Humphrey Bogart said Before he passed out on his bed Here's looking at you kid And the rocky road ahead
Probably one I should haved saved for volume 2 of My Top Ten Stalker Songs...
Sure I'm alright No I'm not very cold Every now and then I can feel the subway heat So go on inside I'll leave you alone Anyway Bogart's on in the window down the street And I gotta do something
But there's always someone who's gotta spoil it for the rest of the gang You're such a little Bogart and I'm sorry but you just can't hang
Why don't you pass it around Don't bring the party down If you don't pass it around We'll run you right outta this town
I had to Urban Dictionary this one...
"To keep something all for oneself, thus depriving anyone else of having
any. A slang term derived from the last name of famous actor Humphrey
Bogart because he often kept a cigarette in the corner of his mouth,
seemingly never actually drawing on it or smoking it."
On a morning from a Bogart movie In a country where they turn back time You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre Contemplating a crime She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running Like a watercolor in the rain Don't bother asking for explanations She'll just tell you that she came In the year of the cat
Definitely Al's finest moment. (I wonder if I could have managed a Peter Lorre Top Ten?)
1. Bertie Higgins - Key Largo / Casablanca
Two for the price of one. Another couple I owe to Wogan, I suspect. No idea how else I'd remember these songs. The interweb informs me that "Bertie Higgins is one of China's most requested American entertainers". Good for him.
We had it all Just like Bogie and Bacall Starring in our old late, late show Sailing away to Key Largo...
If you think I've missed any obvious ones out... they might crop up in volume two of this series... so you might be able to guess who's coming next.
Feel free to leave a comment, but remember: people lose teeth talking like that. If you want to hang around, you'll be polite.
