Saturday Snapshots #37 - The Answers

Always a good idea to take the lens cap off before you take a picture, Eric.

What a Strange Brew there was in this week's pile of Snapshots. Well done for guessing them - you all did Wonderful Tonight (well, yesterday morning). By my reckoning, it was a dead heat between Lynchie and Alyson this week, with 3 points each... though I'm tempted to award the tie-breaker to Lynchie for his amazing claim to fame at being the first journalist to ever write about The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. (And that is why you ought to have your own blog, Lynchie.)


10. Rabbits in discount top hats for lil' Jeff and Bev.

Pulling a rabbit from a discount top hat would be a Cheap Trick.

Jeff Lynne & Bev Bevan were founding members of ELO.

Cheap Trick - ELO Kiddies

9. Aston Mastermind in a muddle over cold-blooded murder.

"Aston Mastermind" is an anagram of Stina Nordenstam. Yes, Martin, I've started doing anagrams now... but only when I can't think of any other clue!

Stina Nordenstam - Winter Killing

8. Kiefer, Angus and Rossif come over all wobbly when hugged by a Scottish queen.

Angus and Rossif are the brothers of Kiefer Sutherland.

If you come over all wobbly, you might quiver.

Mary Queen of Scots.

Sutherland Brothers & Quiver - Arms of Mary

7. It's going to be a fine day - not that the cantaloupes will see it.

A fine day will have no rain.

A non-seeing cantaloupe would be a Blind Melon.

Blind Melon - No Rain

6. A quiet explosion at the hairdressers.

A quiet explosion would go Shhh-boom!

The Crew Cuts - Sh-boom

5. Jacques gets wet at the end of summer.

Jacques Cousteau told many underwater adventures.

Cousteau - The Last Good Day of the Year

4. What a dunce cap has, in the castle of a conqueror, smashing an organ.

A dunce cap has a D on.

William the Conqueror built Warwick Castle (well, he told other people to build it).

Smashing an organ would make you a heartbreaker.

Dionne Warwick - Heartbreaker

3. An Idle God can't find his sunken ship - and he's looked literally EVERYWHERE.

Eric Clapton is known as "God" (only he knows why). He still can't remember to take his lens cap off before he takes a photo.

Eric Idle is just a very naughty boy... but if he'd lost his sunken ship, he would be wreck-less.

Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World

2. Threes. A Carol for Carol?

Three is a magic number.

A carol is a hymn.

The Magic Numbers - Hymn For Her

1. Join the line to the backwards toilet, shouting for a raincoat.

A backwards toilet (WC) would be a CW.

If you were shouting for a raincoat, you might be giving your mac a call.

A line of vehicles is called a... go on, you can do the rest.



I Feel Free to do this all again next Saturday, if you'll join me...

My Top Ten Prayer Songs

As it's Sunday, I thought we'd give praise via the medium of song...


10. Bloc Party - The Prayer

I'm sure Bloc Party fans will be most put out to see this at 10, especially considering some of the songs below. What can I say? I never claimed to know what I was talking about.

9. Duran Duran - Save A Prayer

Oh, give me a break, you'd only have moaned if I left it out.

Don't watch the video though, it'll only annoy you.

8. Billy Joel - Travelling Prayer

Not listened to this in years. It's bloody excellent.

7. Otis Redding - My Lover's Prayer

Now that's what I call a voice.

6. Cousteau - She Don't Hear Your Prayer

Cousteau: should have been massive.

5. Danny Wilson - Mary's Prayer

Scottish band Danny Wilson were originally called Spencer Tracy. Sadly, Tracy's estate objected, so they instead nicked their name from a character in an old Frank Sinatra movie. This was their biggest hit: the video has some serious quiff action going on, though not from lead singer Gary Clark.

4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Idiot Prayer

This prayer is for you, my love
Sent on the wings of a dove
An idiot prayer of empty words
Love, dear, is strictly for the birds

Happy Valentine's to you too, Nick.

3. Madonna - Like A Prayer

I only ever fancied Madonna when she had dark hair, pretty much for the duration of this, her best album (in my humble opinion). Of course, the fact that I was 17 at the time might also have had something to do with it. A couple of years later, she took all her clothes off... and I lost all interest.

2. Bon Jovi - Living On A Prayer

Tommy used to work on the docks...

When I came up with the idea for this Top Ten, I was pretty certain this would be Number One. Confound anyone who thinks I try too hard to be cool and indie when I compile these things. (I don't, I just pick the songs I love.) And I so wanted to give it to the Jove... but damn it, then I remembered...

1. Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer

Burt 'n' Hal. 'Nuff said.

See also the Gene cover version. Do not also see the Glee version or the one by Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen. (Yes, Maureen.)


 


Those were my favourite prayers. Which one makes you get down on your knees?

My Top Ten Peculiar Songs

So I have a new comic out.

You can read all about it here.

To celebrate: an appropriate Top Ten...


10. Tim Buckley - Ain't It Peculiar

Who knew Tim Buckley could be this funky?

9. Vinny Peculiar - Uniform

Couldn't find a whole lot of Vinny Peculiar on youtube, but I liked this Robert-Palmer-meets-Porridge video.

8. Willie Nelson & Emmylou Harris - My Own Peculiar Way

Because you can never have enough Willie.

(Oh, give me a break! I only did that gag to keep Steve happy!)

7. Hüsker Dü - It's Not Peculiar

The Hold Steady weren't just influenced by Bruce.

6. Man Like Me - Peculiar

These guys listened to way too much Talking Heads while in the womb. Still, nothing wrong with that.

5. Cousteau - Peculiarly You

The way you arch your back and comb your hair
The way you only come when no-one else is there
The way you look like you might know a secret
There's not a lot I can do, it's peculiarly you

Top youtube comment for this song: "This song is like seeing a beautiful woman in a way". So that's what Swiss Toni's doing these days.

4. Marvin Gaye - Ain't That Peculiar

Scrumptious. See also the Japan version, which you may prefer... if you're CLINICALLY INSANE. (No offense. There's nothing wrong with the Japan version. As an 80s artifact. But c'mon - it's hardly Marvin Gaye.)

3. Frank Sinatra - Life Is So Peculiar

About time we had a burst of Frank philosophy round here...

When I get up each morning, there's nothing to breathe but air
And when I look in the mirror, there's nothing to comb but hair
And when I sit down to breakfast, there’s nothing to eat but food
Life is so peculiar but you can't stay home and brood

2. Simon & Garfunkel - A Most Peculiar Man

As a lonely, confused and frightened twenty-something, I sometimes wondered if this was how I'd end up...

1. Mull Historical Society - Peculiar

If Department of the Peculiar had a theme song, this would be it.

Don’t make them laugh, or they will LAUGH at you…
Don’t piss them off, or they will piss on you…
Don’t make them crack !!
Or they will crack…you.... in 2 2 2 2……

So, those were the most peculiar songs I could find. Do you have a favourite peculiarity?