It’s hard to believe The Beatles graduated from wanting to hold your hand in 1963 to this just four years later. No matter what is written about career progression and evolution, nothing beats this metamorphosis.

As much a product of the times as the synth and mullet was to the ’80s, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ (Wikipedia page) was nonetheless revolutionary. The Beatles were always slightly outside the whole ‘hippie’ developments of the 1960s, and yet they led the trend for all other bands to follow.

Obviously based on concepts and ideas developed by Lennon in the midst of an LSD trip, the song juxtaposes Olde Englishe whimsy with a surrealism that rivals Picasso and Dali, and was to be taken to its logical conclusion with ‘I Am The Walrus’. In Strawberry Fields (in reality a Salvation Army house in Liverpool), reality is just another side of the the illusion, yet there’s “nothing to get hung about”. The lyrics resemble the random, idiosyncratic conversation that takes place on such drugs. On a couple of occasions, Lennon tries to make a point about growing up, togetherness and society, but then backs away with a carefree “It doesn’t matter much to me”.

Musically, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is a revelation, quite unlike anything the Beatles had heretofore recorded. Although 1966’s Revolver album had given us songs like ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, with ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ Lennon left us in no doubt as to what he’d been taking.

The intro starts with a mellotron, and the song is composed in an unusual key with some unorthodox chords - quite difficult to play on the guitar. Certain chord progressions are avoided, leaving the listener with a sense that things really are not quite what they seem. Several elements of the song - the softly-played guitar, Ringo’s phased drums, vari-speeded multiple takes and Lennon’s breathy vocal - all contribute to a feeling of time slowing down slightly…

‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ has, of course, long since become a standard. I think I first heard it sung in a playground when I was four or five. It says a lot about the Fab Four that such a subsersive song can be accepted so readily into popular culture. But listening to this song with fresh ears is a real revelation, and if you’re one of those people who say they’re “not that gone on The Beatles”, then maybe it’s time you had a fresh listen to this (nice video too).

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

Now fifties music isn’t my “bag” at all, but having recently re-visited David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, I found myself cheerfully humming this unsettling Roy Orbison piece on a regular basis. Released in a time before JFK regretted a visit to Dallas, and pretty much pre-Beatles, this is one of the few American pop songs of the era that I rate.

And I’m not sure if I’d have listened as closely had I not seen the disturbing and brilliant Blue Velvet, had not watched the villainous Frank Booth (the frankly crazy Dennis Hopper) clench his teeth and contort his face while listening to this song.

Blue Velvet focuses on the dark side of a suburbia that could have been set in the ’50s or the ’80s (it came out in 1986). Cars show off their chrome, and the music is decidedly doo-wop, but there’s a cynicism there that could only have come from “the mullet decade”. It’s like an America that has gone backwards, and the cultural reference points are beehive hairdos, oversized Buicks and Roy Orbison.

For its time, the song’s structure is very innovative. It comes together in two or three pieces that are not repeated, giving the piece an orchestral feel that is made more apparent by the gushing strings. Yet there’s something very restrained about it. Orbison cannot have the woman he wants in his waking hours - but wait until the “candy-coloured clown they call the Sandman” sends him to sleep, and then he can possess her.

The use of the song in the film is a famous moment in indie film, and one that was pretty much improvised by Dean Stockwell: karaoke to the song with a torch as a microphone, giving Stockwell’s face a ghostly glow. It’s a bravura performance, and one that obviously affects Frank deeply, while Kyle MacLachlan wonders how he got invited to the house party from hell.

Here’s the video of the complete scene, culminating in the abovementioned performance of ‘Blue Velvet’. Listen closely at the start of the video - it’s a great ad for obscure American beer Pabst Blue Ribbon, and one of those silly scenes from movies that always gets me chuckling.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

The Late Late Show is a very long running tv show in Ireland. For over 30 years Gay Byrne was the host and regardless of what people say about the program, and it does vary greatly from person to person but one thing that is undeniable is that it did do a lot to increase people’s awareness of local musicians, I know I was introduced to Mick Flannery, Jack L and Sinead O’Connor this way.

Today’s song features a marvellous duet between Christy Moore and Shane McGowan during an episode aired in 1994 when there was a special tribute to Christy Moore who is a famous Irish folk singer and is largely responsible for keeping traditional Irish folk music in the mainstream for the last 30 years. Shane McGowan probably needs no introduction.

Spancil Hill is a traditional song written in the 19th Centuary and reflects on life in Ireland in that time whereby many family members went abroad to look for work thus leaving family and friends at home. Some never came home again. In the subject of the song, he dreams of coming back home to see what the place would be like and wondering what it would be like to meet those neighbours and friends again.

The sharing of verses between Moore and McGowan is amongst the best duets I have heard either live or on an album and they complement each other so well. What probably helps a lot is the fact that these two were used to singing the old folk songs. I actually remember this recording all those years ago. You can check the video here. Doesn’t Shane McGowan looking really young? By the way the guy shouting approval at the end is Gay Byrne.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

I always overplay my favourite songs, but this song is different. This song will always be a five-star to me. Always.

Coming from the Spirit of Eden album, a record that I have considered my favourite for a couple of years now, this gem of a song was released as the only single from an album that would never appeal to the masses.

If you don’t know about Talk Talk, read their Wikipedia biography. If you’re still reading, you’ve likely heard the song already. If not, here’s a YouTube clip of the video. This is one of the least likely candidates for a single ever, and that’s why I love it so much.

First thing you’ll notice – doesn’t sound like an ‘80’s tune. Rippling cymbal swooshes, an echoed guitar entrance, a bit of piano. Hollis’ unmistakeable voice doesn’t enter until nearly a minute in, and he’s telling us he’s “seen heroin for myself”. Details are shady on whether this is autobiographical, and I don’t want to know. Hollis paints a beautifully solemn picture of tragic wasted youth, decay, and ultimately death, and that’s all that matters.

The song ends with redemption, Hollis intoning “Spirit – How Long?” over one of the most beautiful soundscapes I’ve ever heard – soft cymbals, brush drums, distant acoustic guitar, muted piano and a children’s choir.

I initially wrote a much longer post about this song, but had to edit it down. As with all the best music, words don’t do justice. Listen now. If you like this, I strongly recommend Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock, and Mark Hollis’ eponymous solo album. Apparently he’s now retired – such a loss to true music lovers the world over. Here’s the link to the video on YouTube, because my words could never do this song (and the whole Spirit of Eden album) justice

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

I love the title of this song - at some stage wouldn’t everybody like to know what the hell is going on in someones mind when they come out with, what one would perceive to be, total madness. I had one of these occasions at work the other day and I went walking away in disbelief shaking the head which in turn reminded me of this song that was written and performed by Vashti Bunyan in the late 60’s. she could probably be favourable be compared to Joanna Newsome, although for some reason she always reminds me of Robin Hood and Sherwood forest.

I’m guessing when she wrote the song she was probably infatuated with some person, This I get from listening to the first few lines

‘I’d like to walk around in your mind someday
I’d like to walk all over the things you say to me
I’d like to run and jump on your solitude
I’d like to rearrange your attitude to me’

The song also reminds me of the film starring Mel Gibson called What Women Want whereby he knows what women are thinking. Anyway the song is a very folky and mellow song reminisicant of a lot of the folk songs that came out at that time. The arrangment largely consists of an acoustic guitar melody with some nice string work and harmonica action thrown in, which really add to the soft and spongy Bunyan voice. She has the kind of voice that would make ( me, at least) want to find out more about the person owning it. Check out a live version taken recently.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

I confess. I’m including this song primarily because of one line in this song.

Beefheart is an unusual character, and that’s putting it very mildly. His Trout Mask Replica album (sure, you’d know from the title) is one of the strangest I’ve ever heard, and puts Tom Waits to shame for sheer guttural weirdness.

Big cymbal crash, and then the kind of music you’d hear Jabba the Hutt’s house band play on Return of the Jedi. One of the guitars plays the same dumb riff pretty much through the whole song, while the other one appears to undergo electroshock therapy. I don’t hear much of a bass. As an instrumental, it sounds like a band on either speed, or LSD, or (most likely) way too much of both.

Over that, and keeping absolutely no time whatsoever with the music, Beefheart roars, snipes, and coughs lyrics about some girl who has gone crazy from dancing. He throws out some great lines, the second best of which is

“I knew you were under duress, I knew you were under your dress”

Very cute. The rest of Trout Mask Replica is very similar to this, and is very much an acquired taste. But Tom Waits has cited this as a major influence on his classic Swordfishtrombones album - he had to, it was so obvious.

And the best line? It’s the one where he growls:

“You were afraid you’d be the Devil’s red wife”

Listen to the video on YouTube and you’ll understand. Always brings a chuckle.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

After seeing the film about Bob Dylan at the weekend called I’m Not There, I decided to post about this song today. The film itself was pretty good but only in terms of the direction the Director chose to take in making and protraying Dylan in the film. Six different actors were used to protray Dylan at various stages of his career, including Cate Blanchett who gave a great performance.

Personally I would prefer No Direction Home but mainly because it gives some great archive footage of the great man himself. What this film did do however, was introduce a few new Dylan songs that I have never heard of before including Tombstone Blues and today’s song Pressing On which appears on the album Saved which was the second album by Dylan that dealt with Gospel music after he became a Born Again Christian. If this song is anything to go by then I will definitely be checking out both Gospel albums that he released in the late 70’s / early 80’s. Here is a link to a video of the song.

By the way, the soundtrack to the film I’m Not There is absolutely fanastic! It consists of a large number of today’s best musician’s doing covers of Dylan songs and they generally don’t consist of his famous songs. It is really interesting to see other interpretations of the great man’s work and is definitely well worth checking out.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

Having seen Control there for a second time, I’ve come to the conclusion that Joy Division are possibly the best English band of them all. Certainly, they’re a huge influence on all those bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Editors, and…spleh, I can’t remember any others, but there’s loads. Any band that uses metronomic drumming, angular guitar riffs and a singer who peddles in a vague sense of impending doom – they’ve followed the Joy Division path.

Anyway…Joy Division only had two albums and a few singles before Ian Curtis departed this life of his own hand. ‘Transmission’ is one of those singles, and it’s always been one of my favourite JD tunes. It’s not on either album (not sure why that is, but The Jam and The Beatles had non-album singles too), so you’ve got to hunt it down on a best of. It’s well worth it.

A ghostly burr opens up proceedings, before the bass gets stuck into the riff. When the drums come in, spacey and echo-y yet precise, there’s an almost military march feel. The guitar riff is one of the first bits of guitar-jiggery that I learned, way back in the mid-‘90’s. Curtis’ voice is, as ever, perfect. “Dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio”. Indeed. Here’s a great video (with a quick John Cooper Clarke poem beforehand) one of the few I’ve seen of Joy Division, performing ‘Transmission’ on a TV show. If you like it, check out their two albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer. Word of warning: don’t listen to the last few songs of Closer if you’ve been drinking gin. Apart from that, knock yourself out.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

Very busy today, so I’ve got to keep this one short. Bowie’s Low album is one of my favourites, as much for the atmospheric instrumentals as for the off-kilter pop songs like ‘Sound & Vision’ and ‘Be My Wife’.

Closing side one (if you had an LP or, in my case, as cassette of this), ‘A New Career In A New Town’ is a world-class slice of thumping drums, keyboard noodles and plaintive harmonica from Bowie. The song is heavily treated by producer Brian Eno’s tomfoolery - his fingerprints are all over the Low album, but especially on the instrumentals.

At this point in time, Bowie was trying to overcome a cocaine addiction, and decided that leaving Los Angeles and moving to Berlin (described in the ‘Station to Station’ [see previous post on this song] symbolism of the previous album) would be a good idea. While the song title seems hopeful, and the music optimistic and propelling, there’s something slightly numb and distant about it, like it’s being discussed while drunk. While you couldn’t call an instrumental piece autobiographical, the title pretty much gives it away.

If you like ‘A New Career…’, you should also like ‘Speed of Sound’, the instrumental that kicks off Low. These are two of my favourite musical pieces, and the experimental avant-garde pop explored on the Low album would come to be very influential on groups such as Joy Division, The Cure, and a host of other post-punk, new wave bands, all the way up to Nine Inch Nails.

Here’s a nice video with the song ‘A New Career…’ - the guy who made the video has moved to Milton Keynes. Now there’s a town I’d never have connected with Bowie. Nice video though.

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites

For a long time I used to think that this song was written by Jagger and the Rolling Stones because if you listen much to the early music by the band then you couldn’t help but hear this song as it’s probably one of their most successful hits during their years with Decca Records, all before that the infamous cocksucker blues song. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that a friend enlightened me as to who done the original.

To me, the song represents what early rock and roll was all about with the rhythm dominating the song from start to finish with little emphasis on chord changes or chord progressions. The song stands the test of time and is as good today as it ever was back in the day. If you ever get the chance please, please check out Buddy Holly you won’t regret it - the man’s a complete legend.

Here’s a link to the song to get you started. This song is probably the most covered song by any rock artist in the 60’s and 70’s .

Add to Digg, del.icio.us, etc.

Hide Sites