Celebrity Jukebox #72: Neil Sedaka

All I need to say about the late, great Neil Sedaka can be heard in the songs below...

Neil Sedaka - Oh! Carol

Neil Sedaka - Calendar Girl

Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Neil Sedaka - Laughter in the Rain

Tony Christie - Is This The Way To Amarillo 

If he'd only written one of those, his name would deserve to go down in legend... but he was a co-writer on all of them, and many more.

Here are a few lyrical tributes...

Diggin' a record on the juke box
I nearly makes me want to cry
You always thought it was a cracker
The one by Sedaka 'bout away to say goodbye

Not sure about rhyming Sedaka with cracker, guys.

Kenny - Julie Anne

Boulder Colorado one nine sixty five

In a four piece cover band, called Peter and the wolves

What we lacked in musical got skill

We made up raising hell

But peter's grandmother's

Uncle's friend

Knew neil sedaka's manager who said he would send

My funky little band on a national tour

So we waited by the phone

And we waited, and we waited some more

The Bacon Brothers - Almost Got Rich

(Yes, Kevin is one of the Bacon Brothers.)

And I'm a host when my best friends come over

And kinda a hostess when they've finally gone away

I can sing up a song just like Neil Sedaka

I've got it covered, I'm kinky, straight, and gay

Martin Mull - I'm Everyone I've Ever Loved

And finally, here's one for George... all 32 minutes of it...

Some men say he could fly some men say he could swim

Others say he could sing like Neil Sedaka

And all the girls in flushing would be amazed of him

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Billy The Mountain

We close the jukebox today though with one of my favourite Neil Sedaka songs, given a new sheen by another late great - Mark Lanegan.

Not Namesakes Tuesday: To Kill A Mockingbird

As George and Ernie are both out on manoeuvres, and because last week's bumper edition nearly finished me off, we're having a rest from Namesakes this week. All being well, it will return to bore you next Tuesday.

At the weekend, Louise and I went to see the new stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird. It was excellent. I've long been a fan of Aaron Sorkin's sparky, snappy dialogue, and he found some excellent ways to use the themes of the novel to say important (if ultimately futile) things about the state of America today. If it comes to your neck of the woods, I'd highly recommend going along to see it.

Here are some tunes related, in one way or another, to Harper Lee's famous novel...

Bobby Womack - Song Of The Mockingbird

Carly Simon & James Taylor - Mockingbird 

Del Amitri - Mockingbird, Copy Me Now

Grant Lee Buffalo - Mockingbirds 

Mark Lanegan - Mockingbirds

The Mockingbirds - You Stole My Love

The Noisettes - Atticus

Calexico - Scout

Tom Robinson - I Shall Be Released

Emergency Questions #8: Museum Trip

Mark Lanegan - Museum

Richard Herring's question of the week, from his excellent book Emergency Questions...

What's the best museum you've ever been to? 

Rich's answer to this is the Keswick Pencil Museum, which I have to say takes some beating. He's probably being sarcastic, although maybe not, because I'm sure he appreciates a good pencil like the rest of us. Having been there myself, I can highly recommend it.

Styrofoam Winos - Stuck In A Museum

The photo at the top of the page was taken in the Weston Park Museum in Sheffield, which was probably the first museum we ever took Sam to... but we still enjoy visiting it today. The woolly rhino is worth the price of admission on its own... or it would be, if admission wasn't free.

Aimee Mann - At The Frick Museum

Michael Knight - Fright at the Museum

A more local museum that we still pop into from time to time, even though it'll only kill half an hour or so is the Tolson Musuem in Ravensknowle Hall, Huddersfield. There are a few old cars, an old trolleybus and... best of all, a horse that has been cut in half to reveal its skeleton. From one side, it's a horse, from the other... brrr! 

Lonely Tourist - Museum of Childhood

Muse - Muscle Museum

The South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum has also become a regular summer stop for Sam and I. An excellent collection of old planes and helicopters, some that you can sit in and pretend you're a pilot.

Michael Hall - The Museum Of Giant Puppets, PA

Paul Weller - The Strange Museum

I like a museum that allows you to step back in time and see the world as it was in days gone by. One of the best of these is Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire; it's like wandering around an old village and you can go into the old shops, farm buildings and cottages and really feel like you've gone back in time.

Tiny Ruins - Me At The Museum, You In The Wintergardens

Finally, there's the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford - formerly known (back when I worked in the city) as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. They have lots of ever-changing interactive exhibits, but the best thing is the Hall of Mirrors. They were closed last year for extensive renovation, so I'm looking forward to seeing what's new in the summer holidays.

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Museum of Sex

Graham Parker - Museum of Stupidity

Having listed some of the best museums Sam and I have visited over the years, I still haven't answer Richard Herring's question. My favourite museum? Well, it'd have to be this one...

Do you know the history of the trench coat?
What it represents and who it's for?
What I want to know is who would want a coat
So close to the floor?
I went to the Trench Coat Museum to see 'em
A thousand different cuts
Like pelts from another dream
Stuffed and bursting at the seams
Cause I'm fishing for a theme
If it's somewhere in between
A day's honest graft and constantly fleeing the crime scene...

Do you have a favourite museum?

Snapshots Spillover: Even More Drunk Songs

As a quick follow-up to this weekend's bender, here's a hair of the dog that bit you...

Leigh Marble - Inebriate Waltz

Henry Vestine - Drunk

Banjo & Sullivan - I'm at Home Gettin' Hammered (While She's out Gettin' Nailed)

The Killers - Get Trashed

Billy Love - Juiced

Durry - Worse For Wear

Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia - Squiffy

Eric Burdon and War - Spill the Wine

Mark Lanegan Band - Bombed

Love Me Nots - Let's Get Wrecked

Frank Soda - Drunk And Disorderly

The Fall - Totally Wired

And, of course...

I'd just like to reiterate that I haven't had a drink in over twenty-five years, oshiffer, so this is all just vicarious boozing on my part...

Pleash drink responshibly. (Hic!)

Snapshots #337 - A Top Ten Resurrection Songs

For Easter Sunday, here's ten songs about coming back from the dead... along with a chap who's been resurrected many, many times over the years...

10. They grew up in the Concrete Jungle.

What else rose in a concrete jungle, but stone flowers?

The Stone Roses - I Am the Resurrection

9. Hooch & Walters.

Turner & Hooch, Frank & Walters...

Frank Turner - The Resurrectionists

8. Tight police department.

The Vice Squad - Resurrection

7. Steen, Donna, Forever, Edgar.

Springsteen, Donna Summer, Forever Autumn, Edgar Winter.

The Four Seasons - American Crucifixion Resurrection

6. TV channel that only shows Desperate shows about woodwind instruments.

Desperate Dan and Reed instruments are all you'll find on this network.

The Dan Reed Network - Resurrect

5. Heavy remains, horticulturist without the MDMA, Greg from the BBC.

A ton of ash, a gardener who's missing an E and Greg Dyke...

Ashton Gardner & Dyke - The Resurrection Shuffle

4. Heaven's Gate.

Heaven's Gate was a particularly nasty cult.

The Cult - Resurrection Joe

3. Bewildered Klan manager. 

"Klan manager" was an anagram...

Mark Lanegan - Resurrection Song

2. Oscar could have been a member.

Oscar was born to be Wilde... just like these guys.

Steppenwolf - Resurrection

1. Snooty email confusion.

"Snooty email" was an anagram...

Alison Moyet - Love Resurrection

Snapshots is reborn next Saturday morning...

Mark

I won't claim to big the biggest expert on Mark Lanegan's extensive body of work. I've got a Screaming Trees collection I haven't devoted the right amount of attention to, but I was taken with his solo work whenever I heard it and was especially fond of his collaborations with Isobel Campbell, updating the Lee & Nancy aesthetic for a 21st Century audience.

Still, at only 57, he's another one gone far too soon...

Saturday Snapshots #92 - The Answers

It's A Beautiful Day. You're at Home. You're Feeling Good. There's a picture of Michael Bublé on your computer screen and you're trying to pretend you're so cool that you don't even know who he is. Stop trying so hard to be cool and embrace the Bublé. You know you want to.

It was a full-on battle between Charity Chic, Lynchie and Walter first thing yesterday morning. Lynchie looked set to take the trophy with 3 points to CC's 2 and a half... until a last second equalizer from CC clinched the draw. Thanks, as always, for playing.


10. Mucking about leads to romance for sprite-like creature and chess piece.

A sprite-like creature would be elvin. (Elfin or elvish?)

Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love

9. Outdoor Master of Ceremonies: what a weirdo!

OMC - How Bizarre

8. Repetitive soup and shrieking sycamore wish the day away.

The lady is a Campbell.

The gent is a former Screaming Tree.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Saturday's Gone

7. Outlaw sweethearts find stardom with pudding & pie.

Georgie Peorgie, pudding & pie, kissed the girls and made them cry.

Stardom is fame.

Outlaw sweethearts were...

Georgie Fame - The Ballad of  Bonnie & Clyde

6. Pre-arrival dessert.

Blancmange - The Day Before You Came

Here's a question for you.

Why does it take him and hour and a quarter to get to work, but three hours to get home?

(How long does he spend in the Chinese takeaway?)

5. Hot rumours block authority.

Hot gossip, obviously.

Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control

4. Chess champion leaves Gordon a note.

Grandmaster Flash (Gordon's Alive!) leaves a message.

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message

It's like a jungle sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from going under

3. Fashionable local authority watches Germany unite.

Well done to C for spotting a not-immediately-recognisable Mr. Weller on the left.

The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down 

2. Southern climbers defy death with sad Spanish bum singer.

Jackie was a singer with a Spanish bum.

Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue

1. Prince's house is the Pitts. All things must end.

Prince lived at Paisley Park, but not with Brad Pitt.

Congrats to Chris for getting "the hard one". (Although Mr. Paisley is a favourite of mine.) I'll have a dig around for some Toby Keith in future week, just for Lynchie. Who says I don't do requests?

This video must be watched right until the end... for the full Hoff.

Saturday Snapshots will be back next week. Michael Bublé may not be.

My Top Ten Shotgun Songs

Lots of songs about guns in my arsenal... here's ten that come with a double-barrelled blast.


Special mention to Shotgun Jimmie.


10. Guns 'n' Roses - Shotgun Blues

One of those GnR stroppy songs where Axl gets all sweary and slags off his critics and anyone who ever let their dog crap on his lawn. But not half as good as Get In The Ring. I like the end though. 

9. Sheryl Crow - Shotgun

Sheryl goes country. See also Carrie Underwood - Cupid's Got A Shotgun & Miranda Lambert - Gunpowder & Lead... but Sheryl still shows them both how to shoot it.

8. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Shotgun Blues

I should be against adding artificial vinyl crackle to a song recorded in 2008, but this just sounds so old, nasty and dirrrrty, I can see why they did it.

7. Superman Revenge Squad -  Joe Concedes Ultimate Defeat By Blowing His Face Skywards With A Shotgun

'Nuff said?

No?

Even The Fonz must be afraid of what lies beyond
Even Steven Seagal must wake up in a cold sweat sometimes
Pondering the nature of time...
How it only seems to disappear
One day you're born 
And the next you're hearing voices from the corner of the old folks home
Was that a burglar?
Or something much more sinister?
Like the ghost of someone you used to know?
Maybe an ex-husband or wife, I dunno
But what they're saying is there's no room for you up there in heaven
You did those ouija boards when you where young
And you brought one or two records by Iron Maiden

6. Carole King - Smackwater Jack

A superb gunslinging western showdown between Smackwater Jack and Big Jim The Chief (not to mention Carole King and her lyrical partner Gerry Goffin), possibly my favourite song from Tapestry... I love a good story.  

You can't talk to a man 
With a shotgun in his hand

5. Elvis Costello - Shot With His Own Gun

Possibly not about a shogun, though it does have both in the title.Wonderful early Costello song though with some amazing piano playing from Steve Nieve.

On your marks, man, ready, set
Let's get loaded and forget

4. Roy C - Shotgun Wedding

Roy C gets marched up the aisle by an angry father when "the baby makes three". Later covered by Rod Stewart, who no doubt has been threatened with similar reprisals once or twice in his life.

3. Willie Nelson - Shotgun Willie

Willie Nelson with a shotgun is one scary prospect... especially if he's sitting around in his underwear.

Written, according to iffypedia, "on the empty packaging of a sanitary napkin while in the bathroom of his hotel room."

Well, you can't make a record if you ain't got nothin' to say...

I dunno about that, Willie... have you heard the Top 40 these days? (Token "sad old man" comment for this week.)

2. Billy Idol - White Wedding Pt. 1

There was a moment when I considered making this Number One. I do love me some classic Billy Idol. And you can't beat the bit in the video where he's singing with a tea towel on his head. Plus, without Billy, we probably would never have had Spike, my favourite character from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Also interesting to see Dexys, Tracey Ullman and the cast of Flash Gordon among the wedding guests. Billy certainly had some interesting friends. Then the bride starts wrecking her lovely red MFI kitchen with her bad dancing and Billy drives a motorbike through a stained glass window. Videos were so much more interesting in the 80s. (Bonus "sad old man" comment for this week.)

Hey, little sister - SHOTGUN!

1. Jr. Walker & the All-Stars - Shotgun

Classic Motown, with a cool Hammond organ and Walker's amazing sax playing. Doesn't get much better than this.





Which one gives you both blasts?