Howzat! Hope I didn't catch you out yesterday. As the new cricketing season gets underway, here are a bunch of songs about the gentleman's game...
15. Named after Big Daddy and one of the Majors.
Big Daddy's real name was Shirley Crabtree. Lee was one of the Majors. Shirley Lee was formerly the lead singer of Spearmint, but here he is with an excellent solo tune all about one of John Peel's favourite songs... which we'll come back to at the top of this countdown...
"In cricket, a bye occurs when the ball passes the batsman's wicket without touching their bat or person, and the batsmen score runs from that delivery."
5. Querying the identity of Number One.
I suggest you approach today's Number One act and ask him, "U Roy?"
Apparently, Sheila Ferguson reckons that King (formerly Prince) Charles ruined her love life. Men didn't ask her out because they knew she was the Prince's favourite.
I remember when we used to spend the day after Bonfire Night running around finding all the half-burnt fireworks from the night before and trying to set them off again. My childhood was a health and safety nightmare.
I'd much rather spend this morning playing you ten songs named after fireworks...
10. Get some more tissue for Marie McDonald.
Lulu was born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie. Tissue is another name for flesh.
There will be ten more bangers for you to identify next weekend.
(I use the word "bangers" to refer to fireworks and, against my better nature, a reference to that extremely unpleasant term that young people use to refer to a good tune. I feel quite ill for doing it, but a joke's a joke.)
"TV theme from the late 60s series about three 'swinging chicks' sharing a groovy pad in London."
I'm too young to remember that, but I bet it was groovy.
OK, deep breath everybody... here comes The Swede!
(I should add that I have edited The Swede's list this week, but only to remove the Christmas songs, because we're about as far away from Christmas as it is possible to get.)
More of an instrumental break, really, but I do love the album this comes from. I am not going to allow you The Stand Ins, Two & One over the next two weeks though.
You might not expect it of me, but I always loved the KLF. While most other dance music in the late 80s / early 90s made me want to put my head in the oven, Bill Drummond always made me smile.
I'll go for anything off Squeeze's Packet of 3 EP, though 'Cat on a Wall' would be my lead track. Doesn't count, you say? Breaking some sort of code violation? Can't you invoke a Mornington Crescent style override? Go on, you know you want to!
With only two weeks (three if I can be bothered with a zero postscript - the jury's still out) left, I'm feeling charitable.
By the way, if anyone wants to know what my hair looks like in Week 732 of Lockdown, I suggest you take a look at Tony Orlando in that video. I keep my chest hair under wraps though.
I also think that video was shot in Greenhead Park in Huddersfield.
All of which brings us to Douglas, who's still smarting that I compared one of his suggestions last time to his less than distinguished countrymen, Nickelback...
I will start by facetiously suggesting for your consideration a trinity of provocative suggestions that are designed to get revenge for your Nickelback allusion of last week, which on behalf of all Canadians I express offence taken at (but you knew that was coming because you were already ducking):
U2 - The Three Sunrises (who of course also have an album entitled "Three", don't they? Sure to get them extra points...)
Looked all over for that one, but couldn't find a link anywhere. It wasn't in my garbage disposal unit or the u-bend on my toilet, which seemed the most obvious places to look.
That, on the other hand, I had to look for, just to confirm my worst fears. On the positive side, the clip I found was less than a minute long and sing sang for almost half that time.
(I should clarify at this point that I don't hate Sting in the same way as I hate Bonio and The Hedge. I liked many Police songs and even the occasional sing solo tune - I featured my favourite in this week's Saturday Snapshots. Despite that, he's too easy a target for mockery.)
Oh, and in case you were wondering, here's another clip that's less than a minute long...
Phil Collins - Three Brothers(from Disney's Brother Bear soundtrack, no less, though sadly Phil does not actually sing on this one)
I'm sure many people will take issue with your use of the word 'sadly' there, Douglas... but anyway, onto your proper suggestions. Now you've had your revenge...
Now that I have got that off my chest,with greater seriousness, I would offer you a few better selections from what my hard drive pulled up in the following:
For those who do not know this last band, but may be fans of the late Lucksmiths, check them out. They are three of the four original band in Marty Donald, Mark Monnone and Louis Richter but with Noah Symons newly added on the drums. They have a more lo-fi chaotic sound than the polished harmonies of the Lucksmiths, but much of the same sophisticated and wry lyrics. Interesting.
You all realise at this point that I need to invite Douglas to contribute a Guest Post Thursday sometime soon, don't you? (Not just to stop him adding to my workload on the Hot 100, because, let's face it, there's only a couple of weeks of that remaining.)
Then, of course, the Canadian in me, still smarting from the mention of Chad Kroeger, would like to represent our country a lot more palatably with the consideration of:
(And while I'm cross-promoting, you should have been here a couple of Saturdays ago, Douglas, when it took everyone a bloody long time to guess The Tragically Hip on Saturday Snapshots... even with my hilarious 'dem bones; clue.)
And if you insist on the labelling Canada with the alt-rock/alt-metal brush, we have a band called Three Days Grace you should check out. Perhaps the following, which has garnered 264 million views on Youtube, would adequately express your thoughts on the genre:
You know what, I quite liked that. Although a little bit of research revealed that their current lead singer was in another band previously who were discovered and signed by Chad Kroeger. Small world, eh?
...And just to let you know that you are doing a good service to promote great music, a couple of weeks ago, Brian suggested the song "7 Compton Street" by a group I confess to never having heard of before, Me and Dean Martin. Your comment that they sounded a lot like the Smiths intrigued me and I gave the link a listen, and rather liked the track a goodly bit, leading me to check out whatever other selections were on Youtube, and eventually ordering a copy of the album "Let's Romanticise Our Youth". The shiny piece of vinyl arrived in the mail today, and it is turning on the table as I write. Very enjoyable. So in honour of the service you are doing, I propose that the band gets a second chance at stardom, from the same LP:
And they still sound like The Smiths. But thanks again to Brian. Speaking of whom...
Thanks for taking the time to type that, Douglas. This makes my day. Some stellar threes on this list. I especially wish I had been the first to suggest Wire, Orange Juice, Ian Dury and the Selecter. My winner, as suggested by Adam, would be Television Personalities with Three Wishes. Here are a few more I like...
Are ordinal numbers a rule breaker?(If they were, a third of the songs on this list would be gone.) If not, Ramones should take this thing with 53rd and 3rd.
Sadly though, that does fall foul of The Tom Robinson Rule, which we've done pretty well to avoid breaking this far this week.
OK, that's almost it for your suggestions this week. Here's a selection from my own hard-drive not mentioned above. We'll start with a very strong contender...
Finally, I'd just like to point of that the Tom Robinson Rule has prevented this from taking the trophy both this week and next. Damn that Tom Robinson Rule!
And for that, we have to go back to Martin, who began his suggestions this week thus:
I like how you teased De La Soul in your closing line, Rol, but that's just called "The Magic Number", isn't it, so I can't pitch that one.
What Martin appears to have forgotten, however, is this...
Which is a more direct cover of the original song (that De La Soul adapted), by Bob Dorough (also suggested by The Swede), which was originally written for an educational TV show called Schoolhouse Rock...
And so this week, we have not one winner... but three. Which seems rather appropriate.
You may have noticed that when I returned to blogging after my autumn break(down), I didn't restart Radio Songs, the series in which I told "memorable" stories from my radio "career". The main reason for this is that I'd just about passed the point at which radio was fun (the early years) and crossed over into a world of automated playlists, writing soul-destroying ad-copy for a living, and "Tim Allen". Although I've still got plenty of radio stories to tell - and I may tell them someday - I wanted to concentrate on happier memories for a while.
Hence this new feature, the Memory Mixtape. I want to write about my life (the interesting bits) before the memories get too blurry. And this is where I'll do that... accompanied by a tune that either reminds me of that time... or reminds me of the story because of its subject matter.
We'll start this properly tomorrow, but first... here's a song about memories by a very under-rated band.
They had the radio on in the operating theatre. On Monday evening, as our new baby son was delivered into this world, this is the song I was listening to...
Show me the wonder I have seen the purpose of the universe
If I'd written that into a story, it would have seemed too good to be true.
Obviously, I have no time right now for compiling Top Tens. So here's one I compiled earlier, to prepare us for our new arrival...
I always swore I'd never become a Dad-Blogger, and I won't, but I hope you'll indulge me these next few Top Tens. Your regularly scheduled dose of cynicism will return very soon. Until then...
Lead Decemberist Meloy ponders all the bits and bobs that going into creating a new life...
My darling, what wonder have we wrought here?
It's weird and it's wonderful, dear
An ankle, an earlobe, an elbow bone
It's weird how it wonderful grows
And it was only me and you
That made this three come out of two
Well, I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side
We stand in awe, we've created life
I don't know a whole lot about Creed, but you can't google-search "Songs About Becoming A Parent" without some wise-ass suggesting this. And rightly so.
If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he's not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open...
It might be fun to have a kid that I could kick around A little me to fill up with my thoughts A little me or he or she to fill up with my dreams A way of saying life is not a loss It might be fun to have a kid I could pass something on to
Something better than rage, pain, anger and hurt
See, Lou, this is why nobody invites you to parties anymore.
A man and a woman had a little baby Yes they did They had three in the family And that's a magic number
Originally written by Bob Dorough for an American kid's TV show, though the most famous version / adaptation is by De La Soul. Embrace covered the original though, keeping the multiplication tables... but also focusing on the lyric above. And now I understand it.
Billy will return on another list with a top song about his own father... but this one's more about how becoming a dad had a profound effect on his philosophy...
I used to want to plant bombs at the Last Night of the Proms But now you’ll find me with the baby, in the bathroom, With that big shell, listening for the sound of the sea, The baby and me
From the hospital that first night
Took a hour just to get the car seat in right
People driving all fast, got me kinda upset
Got you home safe, placed you in your bassinette
That night I don't think one wink I slept
As I slipped out my bed, to your crib I crept
Touched your head gently, felt my heart melt
Cause I knew I loved you more than life itself (life itself)
Then to my knees, and I begged the Lord please
Let me be a good daddy, all he needs
Love, knowledge, discipline too
I pledge my life to you
Paul Simon's written more emotional songs about being a parent, but I kind of like the cheek of this one. Because it's possible to feel like both Will Smith and Paul Simon at the same time...
Well, that was your mother
And that was your father
Before you was born dude
When life was great
You are the burden of my generation
I sure do love you
But let's get that straight
Because, after seeing what Louise has been through over this last week (and before): men have it easy.
Pray God you can cope. I stand outside this woman's work, This woman's world. Ooh, it's hard on the man, Now his part is over. Now starts the craft of the father.
I always liked this song, but I never really got it till recently. Written for Duncan Jones, the director of the excellent films Moon and Source Code, a long time ago... by his dad.
And if you ever have to go to school
Remember how they messed up this old fool
Don't pick fights with the bullies or the cads
'Cause I'm not much cop at punching
Other people's dads
And if the homework brings you down
Then we'll throw it on the fire
And take the car downtown
1. Brad Paisley - Officially Alive
It's no secret that I had some resistance to the idea of becoming a parent. As a younger man, it was a path I never saw myself taking. Even when Louise and I got together, it was something I struggled with. I've never been what you'd call kid friendly... so I just kept praying it'd be true what people say: "It's different when they're your own."
It’s not the double kick of an ultrasound
Or a piece of paper on file downtown
It takes more than a beat and a breath and a name
It’s when you’re so in love and so in pain
I wasn't ready for the emotions I'd feel during the pregnancy. The way it changed me. In the weeks leading up to the birth of our son, I listened to the new Brad Paisley album, Wheelhouse, a lot. And whenever this song came on... I couldn't help myself...blubbing like a baby.
Yeah, it’s a tragedy to go through history and simply just exist
You’re gonna realize how quick it flies by and everything you missed
And suddenly you’re standing there in scrubs
Love has found new flesh and blood
It’s a feeling you weren’t ready for
When you’re looking in eyes that look like yours
Parents! (I know there's a fair few reading this blog.) Which song most expresses the biggest change in your life?
Every now and then, I find myself rejoicing in the fact that myspace still exists. Couldn't find this one on youtube... but good old myspace - it's not just there for people trapped perpetually in 2005.
I think they’re fireworks, but they might be gunshots
They look like fireworks, but ring out like gunshots
I hope they’re fireworks, but they burn like gunshots
So bring on the fireworks
And let loose the gunshots
Download this excellent song for just fifty of your English pennies from Bandcamp. You know it makes sense.
OK, so strictly speaking Bonfire Night isn't in October. But if it was, this would be the perfect theme.
I always remember as a teenager finding November 5th a tremendously lonely night. One of those nights where all the cool lads with girlfriends hugged them in the light of the bonfire... and I just stepped closer and closer to the flames to keep warm. In 1990, I would be have been 18, so this record is pretty much bang on.
Look, I would post the Elvis Costello original, but I can't find a decent (non-live) version of it on youtube. Still, Nick Lowe also does a good job of Costello songs... and vice-versa.
You were the spice of life
The gin in my vermouth
And though the sparks would fly
I thought our love was fireproof
Sometimes we'd fight in public darling
With very little cause
But different kinds of sparks would fly
When we got on our own behind closed doors
Look, if you don't think Embrace are the very definition of the last three letters in their name, this song will prove you wrong. Why argue? 1.Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - Born On The 5th of November
Carter write a love song - shock! And it's really quite beautiful... but that's what fireworks are for.
There was November in your eyes
There'd be no pennies for the guys
There were fireworks over London
But you weren't among them anymore...
Those are the songs I'll be hearing as the fireworks erupt over Top Ten Towers tonight... but which one is your sparkler?
