Friday 5 February 2016

press your space face close to mine, love...

Earworms of the Week

"Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" - Rupert Holmes

I don't suppose I'm the only person who finds the lyrical content of this song a bit dubious. Just because the person he meets in that bar turns out to be his girlfriend, does that make the mutual deception acceptable, even if they discover so many wonderful shared new interests?  I say no.... but the song is utterly irresistible in any case.  And now I want to watch that film too.

"Montague Terrace (In Blue)" - Scott Walker

In the end, my choir solo try-out was postponed, but I have been thinking about songs that might suit my voice for the next opportunity.  Much though I'd love to give it a go, I don't think I dare attempt a Scott Walker.... his honeyed baritone might be a little bit of a stretch for me.  I think I might retreat back to the safety of early Johnny Cash.  Scott 1, 2, 3 and 4 are pretty much my go-to records for immaculate vocal performance, to be honest. Cash seems a little bit more of an attainable target.  If you can sing that deep - and I can - why not?

"Popcorn" - Heavy metal stylee

Worth it just for his facial expressions.

"All My Life" - Foo Fighters

As I ran to work in the dark the other morning, I was listening to BBC 6Music.  It wasn't a particularly pleasant morning and I wasn't feeling great.... so it was something of an unexpected motivational boost to discover that Chris Hawkins was asking for listeners' suggestions of "songs with shouting" and I tuned in just in time to hear him choose the winner.  From all the various nominations, he chose to play this record.  An excellent choice, I'm sure you will agree.  It put a very welcome spring into my step, anyway.  Still my favourite of theirs, I think.

"The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)" - Flight of the Conchords

I actually saw a greetings card that has the line:
"You're so beautiful.
Like a tree.  Or a high class prostitute"
Clearly it's a steal from Flight of the Conchords... but they totally don't bother with a credit.  Pretty classless, but obviously I wasn't going to pass this up, and bought it anyway.  These guys are geniuses.  I actually listen to their albums all the time: not only are they funny, but they're also full of really, really good songs.  This was from the first episode, for goodness sake!

In the whole wide room.....

"Chim-Chimney" - Dick van Dyke

Of all the things that I learned this week, I think my favourite was the fact that, if you use your finger to draw -2 -2 x = on a piece of paper (or your pillow or something), then it sounds like the first line of this song.  It really does too.  Try it.  And now try and think how you would tap out the rest of the song.

- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
= + 1 = + 1

- 7 2 + 7
= x + 2 +
= 2 + 2 1
= x + 2 +

- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +

- 7 2 + 7
= x + 2 +

- 7 2 + 7
= x + 2 +
= 7 7 2 +
= x + 2 +
= x - 7
- 2

- 2 - 2 x =
= x + 2 +
= x + 2 1
= x + 2 +
1 2 = x 1 =

That's how.

You're welcome.

"I Dreamed a Dream" / "One Day More" - Les Miserables

I've not seen this or listened to the songs, but damnaggit if I'm not thinking about giving it a watch.  I used to like rock music, you know.  Bloody choir.

"Zach's Song" - School of Rock

Well, it was on telly the other night, and obviously I couldn't just channel hop past it.

"Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye

...even if I think that watching Jack Black might be directly responsible for the arrival of this song into my internal jukebox.  I'm trying very hard to make it the Marvin Gaye version and not Black's version from High Fidelity.  Really tryin', baby....

"Oh You Pretty Things" - Peter Noone
"Moonage Daydream" - David Bowie

Peter Noone - off of Herman's Hermits - had a UK No 12 hit in 1971 with "Oh You Pretty Things". Listening to his clean-cut version. With the lyrics inspired by the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, it's hard to imagine that Noone had much of an idea of what he was singing about. It doesn't sound like he does, anyway. Bowie's own version only came later, and not surprisingly it's much better.  The Bowie song I've been really singing all week is "Moonage Daydream" though (another song from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, you'll notice...)

I'm an alligator, I'm a mama-papa coming for you
I'm the space invader, I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you
Keep your mouth shut,
you're squawking like a pink monkey bird
And I'm busting up my brains for the words

He really was from another planet, wasn't he? Totally made by that Mick Ronson riff, mind you....

Right.  Done, done and onto the next one.  Have a good weekend, y'all.  See you on the other side.

1 comment:

  1. Moonage Daydream was the song i played for my daughter when she said she wanted to hear something on the day he died - she like a good 'rock out' song [favourite current Beatles' tune: "Hey Bulldog"] and that one really does cover a lot of quality David bases. plus that solo is a proper face-melter.

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