he had the nerve and he had the blood....

Earworms of the Week

I hope you'll forgive me if I seem a little distracted: I've just discovered that the person at work who I always privately use as an example of someone who - lovely person though they are - is completely ill-equipped for a role at the level above me, is in fact on the development programme for the level above that.  That's the actual leadership team.  I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry.  It probably explains a lot about my department, to be honest.  My brilliant career, eh?

Ah.  Music.... soothe my troubled brow.

“That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” – The Smiths

Well, although this sums up almost perfectly what I think about the bombshell above, I've actually had this stuck in my head all week... since I used a lyric as a post-header, in fact.  I love the Smiths, as you know, and this song appeared on the compilation that got me into the band in the first place.  The song appears on "Meat is Murder" - a fine album - but as I usually listen to "The Queen is Dead" or "Strangeways Here We Come" or "Hatful of Hollow", and as it features quite a long way down the "Alecya Smiths" playlist that I put together for a certain someone and listen to all the time, I don't actually get to hear it all that often.  I know I always say that I've come to appreciate Johnny Marr's role in the band all the more as I've got older, this one is all about Morrissey's genius with a lyric.  Actually, thinking of Smiths albums that I don't listen to all that often, I really need to get their debut out again.

“Substitute” – The Who

I think the first time that I heard this song was watching "Our Friends in the North" when it's used to soundtrack Daniel Craig's character as he struts his way down a street in Soho.  I loved it then, and it remains my favourite song by The Who by an absolute country mile.  I just can't help escaping the impression that Pete Townshend is a bit of a cock, and it kind of ruins them for me.  I'm not at all sure about Keith Moon's air of "I'm mad, me" either.  You can try too hard, I think.

“Trash” - Suede

Yeah, thanks to Mark's review the other day, I've been on something of a Suede kick.  I don't think anything really matches up to the brilliance of their first two albums, but this is a great record, with some of the most quintessential Brett Anderson lyrics.  Litter, motorways, the plastic glamour of the urban council estate.... all present and correct.

"Carol Brown" - Flight of the Conchords

I know they're a comedy act and that this is a comedy song, but it's just PERFECT, isn't it?  Sad, playful and really a very accomplished piece of song writing.  Would you like a little cereal?

"Fool's Gold" - Stone Roses

You know, there was a short time.... and it was certainly well over by the time Second Coming finally came out... when the Stone Roses were just perfect.  I'm sure if you blinked, you might have missed it... and personally, I couldn't stand them when this came out... but damn, they had something.  Attitude, swagger, but most importantly they had the songs.  This still sounds good today.  The flared trousers and tie-dyes... less so.  Especially not on middle-aged scallies trying to recapture their youth.

"Dakota" - Stereophonics

The Sterophonics annoy me.  I think principally this is because they showed so much early talent.... "Local Boy In The Photograph" is a great song off a very good debut album.... and then they settled for trad rock, middle of the road, unchallenging rubbish.  Kelly Jones may well point to the number of records he sold and the gig tickets he sold, but we all know that he took the easy path and didn't really challenge himself to find out how good a songwriter he could have been.  I'm sure he probably doesn't care.  This record is like a beacon in the dark; it's a great track... but it just serves to highlight again what could have been.  Lazy band.  Such a shame.

"Lose Yourself" - Eminem

Marshall Mathers was many things, but for all the drama and feuds and bad jokes, on some of his songs it's hard to ignore just how talented he was, pure and simple.  This is one of them.  Great record. I've put this on my running playlist on the assumption that it will prove motivational, but it hasn't actually come up yet except when I'm listening to the playlist in the car.  Time will tell, probably.  Knights of Cydonia is my favourite pick-me-up song, followed by almost anything by Metallica (and, oddly, King Creosote and Jon Hopkins), but I'm always on the lookout for a song that will encourage you to pick up those weary legs halfway around a long run.

"Jet" - Wings

Pretty sure Linda has been switched off on the harmonies here.  Listening to it the other day, the thing that really struck me was how like the Beatles some of those backing vocals sounded like.  Well, as Alan Partridge always said:  Wings. the band the Beatles could have been.

"Werewolves of London" - Warren Zevon

Because his hair was perfect and you'd like to meet his tailor.  Ah-oooooooo!

“If You Could Read My Mind” – Johnny Cash
“Tennessee Stud” – Johnny Cash

The first because it is a heartbreaking cover of a heartbreakingly beautiful song.  The second because it reminds me of a sleeper train we took in Vietnam with a few bottles of booze and a pack of cards.   Marissa didn't have much Johnny Cash on her iPod, but she did have this.  I had loads on my iPod, obviously.

Right.  That's enough.  Have a good weekend, y'all.  See you on the other side.