Yesterday, I gave you a photo of Kurt Russell, aka Snake Plissken in Escape From New York.
Today, I give you a photo of Sylvester Stallone, aka Lieutenant Marion Cobretti from the movie Cobra. Sadly, I couldn't find a picture of Cobra holding a camera, so you get Rambo holding a camera instead. Taking a shot at a Monarch, by the look of it. Rambo is terrified of butterflies, you know.
Anyway, here are ten songs about different types of snakes. Aficionados of 80s action movies get extra clues!
10. Devotees of 104.
104 is 10 to the power 4. Or 10,000. Devotees are maniacs.
I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time to see you laughing
And solving Snapshots in the purple rain.
Blimey - working out the scores from yesterday's quiz took a bit of work. I had to take my shoes and socks off. Lots of half marks flying around too, but as I write this it looks like a draw between Alyson and Rigid Digit... although nobody's solved #9 yet, so that could change.
Anyway, here are the answers...
10. My latest car has no gearstick and runs on flower power... but it wins the race and holds the secret to getting me a better job.
I loved the suggestion for this, from Happy Mondays to U2... I'd love to know how the clues led you to those guys. Bit obscure, but somebody gave me this song on a mixtape about 20-odd years ago and it's been a favourite ever since...
4. Frank smokes a joint with Strangers in the Night, headphones on.
In Strangers In The Night, Frank memorably sang "doobie doobie doo", which wasn't anything to do with drugs but might have inspired a ghost-hunting pooch.
There should be a question mark in that. But maybe the fact that there isn't... making it more of an imperative than a question... is actually quite apt.
This is one of those Top Tens I've been wanting to do since I started this blog... the only problem being, there are way too many songs about stalkers and stalking people to only choose ten. Because songwriters are a bunch of creepy, obsessive weirdos. So this is Volume 1... of, quite a few, probably. I have loads more saved up for future volumes, but feel free to make suggestions.
Let's start with the obvious one. Iffypedia says that this one song is "estimated to generate between a quarter and a third of Sting's music publishing income". Stalking pays for the Popo.
I don't know what's more creepy about this song: the lyrics or the bassline.
There are days when outside your window I see my reflection as I slowly pass And I long for this mirrored perspective When we'll be lovers, lovers at last
This is one of those amiable radio hits that everybody knows... but nobody really knows what it's about. I have to confess, I didn't realise just how creepy it was until recently.
Ladies... So this guy turns up from your past. You remember him, you act friendly towards him. But there was never anything between you. Except... he thinks there was. And there's no point trying to tell him otherwise...
But what a fool believes
He sees
No wise man has the power
To reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing...
Weirdly, there's another story connected to this song which makes those lyrics take on a different meaning entirely. When Michael Jackson claimed to have sung uncredited backing vocals on the track, the song's writers, Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, went, "Eh? We don't recall that, Michael..."
When self-confessed Springsteen obsessive Damon Gough sings, "strap your hands across my engines" in the opening verse of this stalker song, maybe it's time for Bruce to keep an eye out for a weirdy-beardy in a Benny hat who might be following him home...
If you think this is just a harmless, slushy soft rock ballad, then you've obviously never listened to the first verse in detail... or watched the ultra-creepy video in which lead singer Kevin Cronin goes all Norman Bates.... brrr.
You should've seen by the look in my eyes, baby
There was something missing
You should've known by the tone of my voice, maybe...
But you didn't listen
You played dead
But you never bled
Instead you lay still in the grass
All coiled up and hissing...
When he said that he loved you, he meant that he loved you FOREVER.
Originally by The Left Banke, yes, but for me, nobody beats Levi and the boys...
Just walk away, Renee You won't see me follow you back home Now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes For me it cries
Although Billy Bragg's completely different Version (with Johnny Marr on guitar) comes damned close. Luckily, Billy doesn't get arrested for stalking though, even when Renee starts going out with Mr. Potato Head. She cuts her hair and he stops loving her...
1. Soko - I'll Kill Her
Because stalking isn't just something men do. Don't mess with Soko's bloke: she'll keel you.
That's volume one done. There'll be another ten following very soon. You won't know where or when, but they will be coming after you...
