Some top tunes currently on the Five-Centres jukebox:
(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls/k d lang Quite a beautiful version of a song it took me ages and ages to like. Only when I saw the dreadful film from which it comes, sung by Dionne Warwick there, where the song is played over almost every scene, that it embedded itself in my brain and refused to go away. So when I chanced upon the kd version that was it - it even kept me awake at night. I dismissed kd lang as a lowercase professional lesbian dullard years ago, however after hearing this tune I was captivated. The album Drag from which this song comes is a masterpiece.
Hot Child In The City/Nick Gilder A US number one from the mid-Seventies, another song it took me ages to like, it's a nice hot day easy rocker you can just see being big in the US. Never did anything here.
The Great Dominions/Teardrop Explodes A big production of a big song about big things (Dominions - I'm thinking Canada). Julian Cope at his mournful best. I'm alternating between this and Sleeping Gas.
L'heure Ou Je M'eclpise/Guy Chambers & Sophie Hunter I'm a huge fan of breathy French vocals like this. Downloaded the album The Isis Project from whence this came, but I'm slightly put off by the fact that Guy Chambers made this record as an 18th birthday present for his daughter, who was four at the time. I'm sure she'll be thrilled.
Anchorage/Michelle Shocked I've listend and listened to this song but there aren't so many clues as to what it's ACTUALLY about. Old friends who've perhaps fallen out get in touch and reminisce and catch up on each others lives. But what's the subtext? There must be one. The only song of hers I like.
John Barleycorn Must Die/Traffic The whole album's fab, but this title track really suits Steve Winwood's voice. Who'd have thought Traffic would go through a folk phase and be successful with it. One of the best folk albums of all time.
Up In A Puff Of Smoke/Polly Brown The former lead singer of Pickettywitch turns out this chugging, engaging, pop classic that never got the attention it deserved. A top 20 hit in the US, but not much here. I think it may have been used in part on Alan Freeman's Pick of the Pops, for songs that were 'going up, going up, going up, up, up'! She did of course have that disease where you're allergic to the 20th century and lived in a bubble. Shame, as things couldn't have been better in the 21st.
Claudy Banks/Shirley Collins and the Albion Band From the No Roses album, she has a voice that sounds so rural and natural. This track is my favourite. It almost makes we want to cry, like a lot of folk music. But in a good way. With joy.
Where's The Playground Susie?/Glen Campbell It's Jimmy Webb! It's Glen Campbell! Here we stand, in a box of sand! What more can I say?
8 comments:
I hate to say this, but Anchorage is one of my most hated songs ever. Sorry.
Well if we all liked the same things the world would be very dull indeed.
But that aside, do you have any idea what's really about, Rich?
That Polly Brown track is utterly terrific, and one of those that's perennially on my internal jukebox, despite being really obscure. Another one is Overnight Sensation by The Raspberries, fronted by Eric Carmen. Like Nick Gilder, did nothing here, but it's gorgeous harmonies and knowing lyrics make it one to download if you can.
I like the Raspberries' Go All The Way. Powerpop at its best.
The subtext of Anchorage is quite clearly lesbianism, but where Leroy fits in to the picture has so far eluded me. Leroy sounds like a complete arse, by the way.
I did think that but wasn't sure. So basically her ex-partner now lives in Anchorage with a bloke. That clears that one up then.
Leroy says 'hello', but the way.
I think Leroy's done quite well for himself, he's converted a lesbian AND pulled a bird in Alaska, which famously has a much higher proportion of men to women. The smug bastard.
Sorry but you are wrong about Polly Browne she is fine...not suffering from any allergies. It was Sheila Rossall from NEW Pickettywitch who had the total allergy syndrome. Alas she died very recently at the age of 57.
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