Another Day #13: International Noise Awareness Day

Welcome to International Noise Awareness Day, a day which seeks to highlight the detrimental effects of living in a noisy place. Now obviously, I like a bit of noise from time to time, but just imagine if every second of every day sounded like a mash-up of these...

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Makin' Some Noise

Streetband - Loud Music

AC/DC - Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

Pixies - Planet Of Sound

Public Enemy featuring Anthrax - Bring The Noise

Slade - Radio Wall Of Sound

Buzzcocks - Noise Annoys

The Runaways - Queens Of Noise

Meat Loaf - Everything Louder Than Everything Else

Sometimes, you just need a bit of peace and quiet, yeah?

Loud environments don’t just overwhelm the ears. They can raise blood pressure, disturb sleep, and even slow down how well children learn. Many studies warn that constant noise wears down both the body and mind.

Today then is a day to turn the volume down and enjoy something a little gentler on the ears...

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence

Josh Rouse - Quiet Town

Jim Weatherly - Where Peaceful Waters Flow

Kings Of Convenience - Winning A Battle, Losing The War (from the album Quiet Is The New Loud)

The Association - On A Quiet Night

Title Fight #4: Angels, Bubbles & Bologna

Yes, that is Joan Jett. Yes, that is Mike Tyson. Best of friends, apparently. To the point that Mike used to insist that Joan called him up before every boxing match to ensure success. She was his good luck charm. The first time that didn't happen - in his bout against Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990 - he lost. 

Seems only appropriate that we kick off this week with a little Joan...

1. The Runaways - Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin

One of those song titles that reeks of sleazy rock & roll excess, just like the Runaways themselves. It prepares you for a debauched grindhouse B movie of a record, and the lyrics deliver that in spades. Jim Steinman would be proud.

2. Shirley Ellis - Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce About Above The Water?

A top notch suggestion from Ernie, although one that does beg the unfortunate question: which one of them farted? And I say that as someone who loathes fart jokes. 

Shirley Ellis recorded 3 albums then retired from the music business in 1968. I'm hoping she made enough money from The Clapping Song to keep her in the manner she deserved.

3. Norma Tanega - Walkin' My Cat Named Dog

When I feature an artist who's never appeared on the blog before, I like to to dig into their biography and find an interesting fact or two to enliven my leaden prose. Where do you start with Norma Tanega? She worked in a mental hospital and sang for the patients. She had a 5 year relationship with Dusty Springfield. After she stopped performing as a solo artist, she played percussions in bands called Baboonz, hybridVigor, and Ceramic Ensemble. Her song You're Dead (a comment on the competitive nature of the music industry) is used as the theme tune to What We Do In The Shadows. 

Even today's song has a wonderful story behind it. Tanega's New York apartment building wouldn't allow dogs, so instead she got a cat, called it Dog, and took it for walks on a lead. In 1966, Walkin' My Cat Named Dog reached the exact same position in both the US and UK charts: #22. It remains her most popular song, though title-wise, I was also tempted to go with A Street That Rhymes At 6am. 

4. The Isley Brothers - Cold Bologna

Hear me out on this one. On the surface, Cold Bologna isn't as eye-catching as most of the other titles in this series, but it is an excellent example of a title that doesn't set you up for something you're not going to get. If you call a song Cold Bologna, then I expect that song to be about a rather unappetising sandwich filling. And that's just what the Isleys deliver here... whilst also giving us a tragic metaphor for poverty and the class system filtered through the eyes of a child.

Talkin' bout that
Cold bolonga and mayonnaise and bread
If it wasn't for cold bologna by now
Y'all know I would've been dead

It also helps that I'm a big fan of words like "bologna" which don't sound anything like they're spelled. And the fact that "baloney" has a second connotation too... perfect.

5. Dougie Poole - Nothing On This Earth Can Make Me Smile

As usual, we close with a contemporary smash... although it sounds like it could be from an early 70s singer-songwriter. Jim Croce or even John Denver spring to mind. Dougie Poole is an alt-country singer from Brooklyn, once called "the patron saint of millennial malaise", which is a sobriquet to save for your tombstone if ever there was one. 

Which is your favourite title and which is your favourite tune? Do they match?

Snapshots #265: A Top Ten Fireworks Songs

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.

Flesh For Lulu – Roman Candle

9. House bird for a couple who are Long & Little, and from the Hills. 

Little John and Long John goes to Beverly Hills to meet some Housemartens.

John & Beverly Martyn – Traffic Light Lady

8. Proby bangs the wall.

PJ Proby is a Harvey Wallbanger.

PJ Harvey – Fountain

7. A bit like gnus.

Gnus are like Wildebeest, or Wild Beasts...

Wild Beasts - Catherine Wheel

6. At the heart of all curmudgeons. 

Found in the centre of "all curMUDgeons" is some MUD.

Mud - Rocket

5. Cruise, like 7.

Tom Cruise and a Buffalo, which is a bit like a Gnu or Wildebeest.

Buffalo Tom - Sparklers

4. Named after their “dreary hometown”. 

Portishead – All Mine

The firework in question is a Mine. Go look it up.

3. Never known to gather a handmaid.

Elizabeth Moss stars in The Handmaid's Tale. A Rolling Stone never gathers her.

The Rolling Stones - Jumping Jack Flash

2. Cuddle!

Embrace - Fireworks

1. The Corrs, Janet Jackson, Del Shannon 

All the above sang about Runaways.

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.)

My Top Ten Bonfire Night Songs

Remember, remember, the 5th of November... with 10 songs about bonfire night.

10. My Life Story - November 5th

Jake Shillingford: should have been bigger than the Gallaghers. Was always far more interesting.

9. Ryan Adams - Firecracker

Well, everybody wants to go on forever
I just wanna burn up hard and bright

8. Jonny Cola & The A Grades - Fireworks / Gunshots

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.

7. Tom Robinson - Looking For A Bonfire

Nowadays he's a 6Music DJ playing great records. Back then, he just mad them.

6. Picture Centre - Fireworks October 1990

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.

5. John Mellencamp - Cherry Bomb 

 In which JCM models his haircut on JBJ. It must be 1987.

See also same title / different song by Ash or The Runaways (with Joan Jett). Both fine records, but JCM just about edges it for me.

4. Skint & Demoralised - Fireworks

How can you not love a band called Skint & Demoralised? Especially when they make records as wonderful as this. Go press play now.

3. Nick Lowe - Indoor Fireworks

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

2. Embrace - Fireworks

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?