Snapshots #432: Jewellery Songs

It’s time to get your bling on – just like Mr. T!

 

15. Prince - get on top!

“Get on top” comes from the Prince song Cream.

Cream - Badge

Yes, a badge can be considered jewellery. I asked the AI.

14. When your briefs fail, they’re probably just tangled up.

“Briefs fail” was an anagram.

Labi Siffre – Watch Me

Yes, a watch can be considered jewellery. I asked the AI.

13. Sleepy summit.

Zzzzz, top.

Picture from the ZZ Top cameo in Back to the Future Part 3.

ZZ Top – Pearl Necklace

12. I bought a Joni Mitchell album and a U2 album, and played them back to back.

The Joni album was Blue. The U2 album was Boy.

Blueboy – Candy Bracelet

11. Have you ever heard the Egg Eye LP? It caused quite a stir.

“Egg Eye LP” was obviously an anagram.

Peggy Lee – Baubles, Bangles & Beads

10. What is The Matrix?

The Grid - Crystal Clear

9. Hartman was a cold, hard, determined fellow.

Dan Hartman was a Steely chap.

Steely Dan – Green Earrings

8. Cancel?

Culture Club - The Medal Song

7. Frasier & Niles.

The Cranes – Jewel

6. Mr. T led a charmed life, in minus 50 conditions, with his bird of prey.

Lucky, without L, with a T… and a buzzard. Whatever.

Tucky Buzzard – Gold Medallions

5. All I really want to do is be an Old Man… or a New Man.

 

Gary Oldman & Gary Numan want to join The Byrds.

Gary Byrd & The GB Experience - The Crown

4. After a while, Ms. Turner would only perform in Stadiums.

Tina Arena - Chains

3. Ancient Biblical leader is all back to front.

King Solomon in reverse.

Solomon King – She Wears My Ring

2. He used to lisp severely until they straightened him out.

“Lisp severely” was an anagram.

Elvis Presley - Good Luck Charm

1. That time you finished a bottle of WKD in LA, and it was No Good.

No, it’s not Tony Hadley.

WKD in LA, and it was No Good.

kd lang – Miss Chatelaine

Bling yourself back here next Saturday for more jewels!

Celebrity Jukebox #58: Dave Ball

I can just about get my head around stars of the 60s passing away. Even those who were big in the 70s, especially the ones who've had a hard paper round. But whenever we lose someone from the 80s... I feel like the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is walking over my grave.

Dave Ball - Strict Tempo

Quite often, on my way to work, I pass the blue plaque below, and every time I do, one particular tune pops into my head...

You probably think it's this one, but it's not.

Soft Cell - Tainted Love 

Although there's no denying that's a top notch cover version, and one of the defining pop songs of the 1980s.

Oh, and it's not this one either...

Soft Cell - Sex Dwarf

I know what you think of me. It's OK. 

But have you seen my records? This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses, Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, The Germs, Section 25, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby, PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, The Human League, the Normal, Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Joy Division, 10cc, Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel, Soulsonic Force ("just hit me"!), Juan Atkins, David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil! Scott! Heron!, the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines, the Swans, the Soft Cell, The Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics...

LCD Sound System - Losing My Edge

So it's over

You're lying in a coffin of clutter

Your father and your sister, your drummer

Are sorting through your Soft Cell tapes

And lifesaver collection

And you wonder

You wonder if you could've done better

You wonder if you should've surrendered

Before you learned that

Nobody actually wants a fucking martyr

Amanda Palmer - Olly Olly Oxen Free

Dave Ball died earlier this week, aged just 66, after just completing a new Soft Cell album with Marc Almond. In his own heartbroken tribute, Almond said, "It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Of course, Dave Ball will be remembered not just as the less flamboyant one in Soft Cell. But I'll let those who know more about dance music comment on his other projects. Although I will say that I always quite liked this one back in the day... the banjos did it for me, as well as the reference to a classic DC comics character...

The Grid - Swamp Thing

Rest in peace, Dave. You're gone far too soon.

Oh, and that song which always pops into my head when I see the blue plaque?

This one, of course...