August 15, 2008 Earworm

Call me good. Call me bad. Call me anything you want to, baby, but I'm stuck on eighties dance pop for Fridays and if it happens to be by a dubious teen idol or two, it's even better.

So, if you're gonna do it, do it right, and Wham's "I'm Your Man" is the winning ticket for today. I know, I know, it's a paint by numbers Motown pastiche but it adds up to pure mindless joy that immediately gets a foot tapping. Plus, when you factor in George Michael's subsequent career in Park Services, there is practically a novel to read between each line: my favorite is "I'll make you reach..."

Have a great weekend and should you find that your tapping foot gets you in any trouble, just tell 'em you have a wide stance.

August 14, 2008 Earworm

Two years of this and only one Smiths song? How is that possible?

Okay, I'll pull "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" from the top of the deck since it popped into my head this morning. Besides, why not belatedly celebrate Scotland's repeal of Section 28 eight years and eight weeks ago, un-corking a trickle of common sense that spread, albeit slowly, through out the UK.

The title, supposedly modeled on Communist slogan "Workers of the world, unite!" is allegedly a more commercially acceptable way of uniting the shirtlifters of the world. Of course none of this has been confirmed - or has it - because it's Morrissey and we all know how elusive he can be. But, since the release of the single perfectly coincided with the controversy of the United Kingdom's attempt to legislate local morality by making it illegal to intentionally promote homosexuality - homosexuality just happened to have a new album coming out at the time, as I recall - and since Morrissey is such a smart-ass, I'm pretty sure the sun was shining out of his behind as his little joke crept up the UK charts.

"Shoplifters Of The World Unite" was yet another perfect Smiths twelve inch, coupled as it was with the whip crack of "London" and the hysterical and lovely "Half A Person"; a threesome that seems a perfectly reasonable explanation for the urge I still have to have hug the Presley as Floyd The Barber-clad sleeve to my chest whenever I hear any of them. That the A-side continued in the band's T Rex-mania - this time "Children Of The Revolution" which, in itself, confirms that the joke is absolutely funny still - that started with "Panic" and that it sounded nothing like "Ask" only added to it's already incalculable value.

August 13, 2008 Earworm

Carl Wilson's "I love you" at the end of "Please Let Me Wonder" traveled 25 years into the future - and possibly to infinity and beyond - to open "Please Don't Go" by KC & The Sunshine Band, providing nifty bookends to a relationship. As the intonation is nearly identical, I doubt that it's a coincidence.

If the Beach Boys personified fun in the sun in the sixties, KC and The Sunshine Band were the after the sun went down equivalent for the seventies. "Get Down Tonight" began their chart run with a number one hit extolling the getting down done once the boogie shoes were kicked off and, in a perfect way, "Please Don't Go" ended their chart run with a number one hit begging the shoes not to start walking. It has often been thought of as the last number one single of the seventies but, alas, that would have been just a bit too neat of an ending. That honor, not lacking it's own neatness, goes to "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" which "Please Don't Go" did unseat for one week, becoming the first number one of the eighties for one week before that blasted "Escape..." rose up again.

As for the song... well, it certainly has weaknesses but the sum of its parts overcomes KC's wobbly vocal and its weirdness makes it far more interesting than... say, "Escape...", and I'm pretty sure those Heaven 17 boys were impressed. The funky bassline sounds like the only organic thing in a mix full of odd noises, the synthetic strings are gorgeous, and whatever that phasing thing is at the end always makes me think of metallic lovebirds that morph into flying hearts that promptly break in two and float off into space which makes me as weird as this record. Regardless, it's a nice trick to offer up a futuristic vision while begging someone no to give up their past.

August 12, 2008 Earworm

We all know that The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" was inspired by The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" and in turn, "Pet Sounds" inspired the envelope pushing of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" yet I can't help but wonder if side two of "Today!" - as well as the finer points of "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)" didn't give the fab four a little incentive as well. And with all the praise deservedly heaped upon '66's "Pet Sounds", it's easy to overlook the fact that Brian had begun lining that gilded cage back in '64 with the shockingly honest "Don't Worry Baby".

"Today!" consisted of three previously released singles, an embryonic "Help Me, Ronda", and two new tunes packed into side one for an old-fashioned Beach Boys romp in the sun but, as fun as that may be, it's side two where things get interesting, kicking off with the gorgeous tremble of "Please Let Me Wonder". It aches with anticipation, aided by a guitar riff that tips it's hat to The Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me". The bass line throbs with expectation and Brian Wilson sings as tenderly as one can without resorting to whispers, asking so many questions without once using the appropriate punctuation. It's 'will you go with me' sans the 'yes' or 'no' boxes, 'will you marry me' before buying the ring, and 'will you sleep with me' minus the awkward condom wrapper. If you haven't succumbed at this point, Carl's 'I love you' should seal the deal nicely even if you are actually looking over his shoulder at Dennis.

August 11, 2008 Earworm

Other than the fact that he helped build the house of Stax by writing and producing most of the songs that shaped that label's legend, created the look of the gold draped gangster while most of its progeny were still in diapers playing with their Fischer-Price "My First Concealed Weapon", gave voice to the only adult in South Park who had as much common sense as the children and still found time to offer up his Chocolate Salty Balls freely, and that he not only re-wrote the rules of pop music - and Bacharach-David's "Walk On By" - to fit his vision of soul, what else can be said about Isaac Hayes?

Oh, he was a Scientologist. Let's all hope that that turned out as he hoped.

Isaac Hayes
August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008