September 12, 2008 Earworm

We come back from a day of remembrance for a national disaster - but to be fair, I hear that her first interview wasn't as bad as expected - with a typical devil may care, "NEXT!" attitude, and slide into the weekend. Pulp's "Party Hard" will be my theme for today and I will not think too much about how that's no longer as easy as it once was.

Have a great weekend.

September 11, 2001

September 10, 2008 Earworm

With twenty days left until the release of "The Power Of Negative Thinking: B-Sides and Rarities", the long awaited Jesus and Mary Chain box, I've been humming the menacing "Just Out Of Reach" all day.

No surprise there...

from the sofa: 'Love the hat, homie

Sarah got your hoodie?

September 09, 2008 Earworm

As recipients of my countless compilations can confirm, Blancmange's "Game Above My Head" has stayed high on my hit parade for twenty-five years. When I first discovered it, in an extended version on the flip side of the "Waves" twelve inch, I took it as another tale of the shock of finding yourself in love and not quite believing the dialog of seduction. But the arrival of "Mange Tout", the band's second album, presented an abbreviated mix sandwiched between "Don't Tell Me" and "Blind Vision" that highlighted a consistent lyrical theme of searching for some kind of truth amongst the din. That, and frequent references to being elevated in some manner made my draw drop one day as it occurred to me that I could easily imagine the words found in "Game Above My Head" coming from the mouth of a pissed off Jesus as he sees just how skewed his message has become in the minds of so many.

Or it's just a great, moody pop song by two guys who's use of guyliner in the 80's rivaled my own. And one of them was really cute...

September 08, 2008 Earworm

Bessie Banks had a long career that never quite reached the peak that those that know of her feel she was due. In fact, her biggest claim to fame may be as another Red Bird/Blue Cat victim - along with Evie Sands - who had her best moments swiped out from under her by British Invaders. In Bessie's case, The Moody Blues went with "Go Now" and launched a career that many wish had never happened. As their cover climbed the UK chart and received a US release, her label re-released the original here in the states but it was too late.

Maybe if they had flipped the record over for the throbbing "It Sounds Like My Baby", things would have been a whole lot different. If "Go Now" is the brush off, "It Sounds Like My Baby" is the come on, and the aching has relocated somewhere decidedly south of the waistline. From the sound of it, Baby has no idea of what is about to corner him, but I'm pretty sure he's going to enjoy it.

Bessie would find some success in the seventies and time has proven her victorious in the cover wars, abetted by legions of record geeks who have added a preamble to either side of this 45: "Yes, but have you ever heard this?"


*fun fact*

After mentioning my love of "It Sounds Like My Baby" on Spectropop, I got a message from Al Kooper telling me that he played piano on the demo.

Earworm CD; July 2008

Truth or Consequences
01. My Friend John - The Fratellis
from the 2008 Island album, "Here We Stand"
02. Shake That Rat - Nick Lowe
from the 1977 Radar EP, "Bowi"
03. 10:20 - Ben Bernanke and George Bush
excerpt from 2008 installment of "The Daily Show with John Stewart"
04. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
from the 1981 Modern album, "Bella Donna"
05. When I Needed You - Supergrass
from the 2008 Astralwerks album, "Diamond Hoo Ha"
06. Wind Falls For Rain - The Sleepy Jackson
from the 2003 Astralwerks album, "Lovers"
07. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
from the 2005 Island album, "Hot Fuss"
08. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
from the 2008 album, "Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends"
09. Nuts - Rev. Jesse Jackson
excerpt from 2008 Fox News installment
10. Written In The Stars - Paul Weller
from the 2002 Island album, "Illumination"
11. The Way of the Crowd - Dan Folger
from 1967 single Elf 90.004
12. It's A Laugh (single mix) - Hall & Oates
from 1978 single RCA 11371
13. A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing) (dance mix) - Romeo Void
from 1984 12" single Columbia/415 44-05103
14. Just A Fool - Jerry Ganey
from 1966 single Verve 10454
15. Red Tide - Foxboro Hot Tubs
from the 2008 Warner Bros. album, "STOP DROP AND ROLL"
16. I Know You'll Be There - Shelley Fabares
from 1964 single Vee Jay 632
17. Strange Way (single edit) - Firefall
from 1978 single Atlantic 3518
18. Thank You Too - My Morning Jacket
from the 2008 ATO album, "Evil Urges"
19. Never My Love (stereo single version) - The Association
from 1967 single Warner Bros. 7074
20. Just Like Him - P.J. Proby
from 1964 single Liberty 55757 (b-side)
21. Can I Get To Know You - Betty Everett
from 1964 single Vee Jay 599 (b-side)
22. More Than I Can Bear (remix) - Matt Bianco
from 1984 single WEA YZ34T
23. Far Too Hard - Dead Or Alive
from the 1984 Epic album, "Sophisticated Boom Boom"
24. Something I'd Heard Long Ago - Evelyn Keyes
excerpt from the 1941 film, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan"
25. Only You - Yaz(oo)
from the 1982 Mute album, "Upstairs At Eric's"

Earworm CD; June 2008

We Still Need Seven Words
01. Wild Willie West Show - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
02. Sugar Sugar - The Archies
from the 1969 single Calendar 1008
03. Your Complexion - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
04. All Or Nothing - Small Faces
from 1966 single Decca UK F12470
05. Very Temporary - Bob Mould
from the 2008 Anti album, "District Line"
06. Bulletin - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
07. Bo Diddley Is Jesus - Jesus And Mary Chain
from 1987 single Blanco y Negro NEG 24T
08. Dig, Lazarus, Dig!! - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
from the 2008 Mute album, "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!:
09. Santa Clara - The National
from the 2008 Beggars Banquet EP, "The Virginia EP"
10. He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - Grizzly Bear
from the 2007 Warp EP, "Friend"
11. Feels Like Heaven - Fiction Factory
from the 1984 Epic album, "Throw The Warped Wheel Out"
12. Told You So - Depeche Mode
from the 1983 Mute album, "Construction Time Again"
13. There's Something Going On (single edit) - Frida
from 1982 single Atlantic 89984
14. The Circle Is Small - Gordon Lightfoot
from the 1978 Warner Bros. album, "Endless Wire"
15. Heart Songs - Weezer
from the 2008 DGC album, "Weezer"
16. Newscast - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
17. Folksinger - Brendan Benson
from the 2002 Startime album, "Lapalco"
18. Bad Breath - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
19. Let Me In - The Sensations
from 1961 single Argo 5405
20. Let The Water Run Down - P.J. Proby
from the 1965 single Liberty 55806 (b-side)
21. Truth or Penalty - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
22. Long Time No See - Tracey Dey
from 1963 single Vee Jay 506
23. I Can't Go On - Charlie Rich
from 1966 single Smash 2102
24. Give Her Up (Baby) - Jessica James and The Outlaws
from 1966 single Dynovoice 213
25. Beggin' - 4 Seasons
from 1967 single Philips 40433
26. A Set Of Golf Clubs - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"
27. This Time, Baby - Jackie Moore
from 1979 12" single Columbia 23-109924
28. We Never Play It - George Carlin
excerpt from 1967 RCA album, "Take Offs and Put Ons"

Earworm CD: May 2008

We're Lost?
01. (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am - Nancy Wilson
from 1964 single Capitol 5198
02. Grade School - Helena Bonham Carter
excerpt from 2002 film, "Fight Club"
03. Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
from 1967 Reprise album, "Axis: Bold As Love"
04. Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby - Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, & Gillian Welch
from the 2000 Lost Highway soundtrack album, "O Brother, Where Art Thou"
05. The Youth - MGMT
from the 2007 Sony album, "Oracular Spectacular"
06. Rocky Took A Lover - Bell X1
from the 2005 Universal UK album AND 2008 Yep Rock US album, "Flock"
07. Blinded By The Stars - The Pernice Brothers
from the 2003 Ashmont album, "Yours, Mine, & Ours"
08. Bleed - The Negro Problem
from the 2002 Ariel Flipout album, "Joys and Concerns"
09. Believe In Me - Nick Heyward
from the 1995 Epic UK album, "Tangled"
10. I Just Wasn't Meant For These Times - The Beach Boys
from the 1966 Capitol album, "Pet Sounds"
11. Salome - Old 97's
from the 1997 Elektra album, "Too Far To Care"
12. Why Not Me - The Judds
from the 1984 RCA/Curb album, "Why Not Me"
13. The Man With The Cigar - Herman's Hermits
from 1966 single UK Columbia DB7791 (b-side)
14. Rockferry - Duffy
from the 2008 Mercury album, "Rockferry"
15. You Can't Come Home Again (If You Leave Me Now" - P.J. Proby
from 1967 single Liberty 55974 (b-side)
16. Left, Right and Center - Lord Large featuring Dean Parrish
from 2006 single Acid Jazz AJX185CD
17. This Ain't A Drive-In - Linda Darnell, Thelma Ritter, Connie Gilchrist
excerpt from 1949 film, "A Letter To Three Wives"
18. Sherry - 4 Seasons featuring Frankie Valli
from 1962 single Vee Jay 456
19. Jerry - Tracey Dey
from 1962 single Vee Jay 467
20. Push Push - Austin Taylor
from 1960 single Laurie 3067
21. NoHo - Christina Ricci and Gaby Hoffman
excerpt from 1999 film, "200 Cigarettes"
22. Party Train - Love Tractor
from the 1986 Big Time album, "This Ain't No Outer Space Ship"
23. Can You Feel It - The Jacksons
from the 1980 Epic album, "Triumph"
24. 4 Minutes - Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
from the 2008 Warner Bros. album, "Hard Candy"