A lot of people think that this song contains a bagpipe solo. It does not. A combination of two guitars - one played with an EBow - and its recording on a Synclavier generated that bagpipe-like sound.
Co-written by Steve Kilbey - yep, two days of him in a row - and Karin Jansson, the song gets its title not from a group of stars, but from an Amsterdam music club. It was well recevied at the time of its release, and remains their signature song today.
In the absence of the Synclavier, you can hear in this 2011 live recording that those bagpipes are really guitars.
Steve Kilbey - of The Church - and Donnette Thayer - of Game Theory and an absolutely lovely human being - were Hex, an atmopheric duo. This song, from their 1989 eponymous self-titled debut, is likely their best known.
The song, co-written by the duo and produced by Kilbey, featured a sparse keyboard and guitar arrangement with electronic percussion that didn't overpower Thayer's dreamy voice. It is a work of underappreciated art, and I hope my short description of it gives it just a little more attention.
Liz Phair's first single, in 1993, was this complete denial. If you believe the lore, this was the response to The Rolling Stones's song "Tumbling Dice", but really, it was a Girly-Sound rerecording. If you don't know what Girly-Sound was, go here and read all about it - but it was basically Liz Phair's pre-major label mixtapes). Originally titled "Clean", it was rewritten to be the fifth track on Exile In Guyville, a track number Phair considered to be the most important.
The song was about the rumors that travel throughout the music scene, but in a broader sense, it DOES make sense to be the female mirror for "Tumbling Dice", as it is a woman's take on not being accountable - by keeping her mouth shut.
“Never Said” was one of those times where I was showing I could be just as unaccountable. “Tumbling Dice” is really about, again, I’m picturing all the guys from Urge Overkill, hey man, you may get to go home with me tonight, you may not. I may show up at the bar and be available, and I might not. You gotta roll me and see how it’s going to roll. I was playing that same game. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I never said nothing, you can’t pin that on me.” I was playing the female version.
The song itself is great. It's a fun romp about keeping your damn mouth shut that endures to this day.
Because I know you're interested, here's the Girly-Sound version.
For a while, Phair performed this song live in this manner with a key change in the middle of the second verse. I always loved this version - it kind of amped up the indignation and desperation that the lyrics were trying to capture.
The fans of the Liverpool Football Club contributed to this recording. That's them singing "You'll Never Walk Alone", an unofficial anthem of the club, in an on-field recording. It's the type of thing that could give you goosebumps. And does, for me, every single time.
The song itself is a great illustration of how innovative and ground-breaking the band actually was. Nick Mason's ecclectic drumming, Roger Waters's odd guitar tuning, Richard Wright's orchestral piano, and David Gilmour's quiet vocal, with practically Sisyphythian lyrics, all combine for a unique, compelling, and inspiring song.
Although only released as a B-side, "Fearless" has become a fan favorite song, and is my favorite Pink Floyd song. It is not, however, a song they performed live - save for some dates by Roger Waters in 2016, nearly 50 years after its release.
This is a song that was scheduled for Maple Leaf March and got bumped for a lesser known artist. I still wanted to share it with you, though, so I saved it. I didn't want it to wait until March. The song is good on its own, and doesn't need to be Canadian to be good.
By the time the fifth single from the album Jagged Little Pill, this song, was released, a lot of people thought they knew what to expect from Alanis Morrissette.
Boy, were people way off base.
The video itself is a closeup of Alanis's face, never changing focus no matter how much she moves. But, really, given how bankable she was at that point, her face was all MTV needed to make this a huge hit song, hitting #1 on the pop chart in the US and also becoming her first #1 adult contemporary song. It would also be one of the biggest hits of the year in her native Canada.
The song is considered to be one of the first pop culture uses of the term "friend with benefits". I don't know about that, but I do consider it to be a sweet - one of the sweetest ever written - soft song that still resonates a quarter century later.
Transvision Vamp were a huge band in the UK, and this was a huge hit for them. They did not catch fire stateside as much, but they still had their fans.
Including me.
This was the lead single from their third and final album, Little Magnets Versus The Bubble of Babble. I swear, we aren't just stacking up the ridiculous album titles here. The song itself, co-written by lead vocalist and self-proclaimed loudmouth Wendy James, is a relatively sweet love song that is unexpected from a band known for a fair bit of anger. It was NOT a song I enjoyed when it came out, but it has grown on me of late.
On a personal note, this album was purchased by me in August 1992 at a little record store in Northampton, MA called Main Street Records. This was an important place for me in my teen years, as I bought a lot of independent music and import vinyl there - by a lot of bands you've seen me post about frequently. Main Street Records helped mold me into the music fan I stil am today. I didn't expect that visit in 1992 to be my last one to the place - but it was, as it has since closed.
This song, the debut single from Fiona Apple's second album, When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right, is a true story of the artist mistaking a paper bag for a bird.
You bet I posted this for that album title.
That, and it is a bluesy song in a Beatles vein that shows Apple's true musical depth. It is quite possibly the coolest song she ever wrote.
Unfortunately, I wore out my keyboard typing out that album title, so that's all I'm gonna say about this one.
When did hip hop turn from being all about which MC was the best and get into political messaging?
I'd argue that this happened with Grandmaster Flash and "The Message", written in response to the state of the group's neighborhood. It is considered to be one of the most important singles of early hip-hop music, as it moved the genre from boasting to social commentary, paving the way for the likes of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions. The song also moved the emcee to the front and center, and not the DJ, as had been previously commonplace.
The song was and is a critical darling, and was also a commercial success.
From the 2005 album Naturally, this is probably the best known song by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Written by Bosco Mann, it has a classic 60s funk/soul feel, but retains a modern sensibility.
Lyrically, the song is about a woman waiting for her man to come back to her. Jones sings it with soul and with heart - a true throwback. Musically, the Dap-Kings bring a huge sound, not unlike the old time Memphis soul.
This live performance only serves to amp up the funky soul of the tune.
What happens when five legends of rock get together and write and perform a love song about being hurt in the past and talking about those feelings with a new love?
You get this song, a classic of modern music and a big hit in 1988. Initially recorded on acoustic guitars with a drum machine backing, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison produced a masterpiece, primarily written by Harrison and released as a throwaway European B-side. Clearly, the song became a lot more than that.
Part of the story of this song is absolutely the video. Singer and principal songwriter Karen O cries during the video, for a song written about her relationship with Angus Andrew from the Liars. He was supposed to come to the shoot, and was quite late - so when he showed up, it was an emotional moment.
But really, like all of these songs on this blog, it's about the song. And this one is a mostly vague, emotional tour de force, with the strong anguish and outpouring declaration of an unequaled love serving as the chorus.
The song's title is a mystery. Some thing it's an abbreviation for "My Angus Please Stay", and others think it's a allusion to the places they visited on tour. I don't think it matters. I think it's a great song.
If you know who Nouvelle Vague are, then you know they're best known for their covers.
This isn't a cover. It's a collaboration they did with actress Julie Delpy. "La La La" is a sweet song about holding onto a real love - without airs or pretense - and realizing how lucky one is to be in this situation. Delpy's delivery is deadpan and beautiful in a song that comes off as a slightly gimmicky throwback to an older time.
In 1978, Plastic Bertrand - the nom de stage of Belgian personality Roger François Jouret - had a worldwide hit with this nonsensical French language song. The song is something of a fever dream - it's pseudo punk/early new wave with lyrics that don't match either genre, as they are both disjoined and way too chipper.
That's it. That's the post. Just listen to the song and dance.
Our third HoF inductee was Nirvana. And this is probably the last Nirvana post we will ever make, because we did such a complete job covering them last year.
You see, because they were a short-lived band, due to the untimely death of Kurt Cobain.... well, they aren't making any new music. But this song was released in 2002, eight years after Cobain's death. It was the last song the band ever recorded, in 1994. You can hear the anguish in Kurt's voice throughout.
Our 2nd HoF !nductee was P!nk. And P!nk has been busy.
Th!s song, a 2016 Grammy nom!nee, is P!nk's most recent Top 10 h!t !n the US as of th!s wr!t!ng. A t!e !n to the D!sney f!lm Al!ce Through The Look!ng Glass, the v!sual !s very Wonderland-y.
Mus!cally, !t's P!nk. C'mon now. Sure, she has a b!t of a breakdown partway through, wh!ch !s atyp!cal for her mus!cally. Lyr!cally, !t's P!nk, wh!ch means you can count on a lot of empowerment throughout. The song does not d!sappo!nt on that front, br!ng!ng a really pos!t!ve message.
Last week, we inducted our fourth Hall of Fame artist - INXS. For the rest of this week, I figured we could revisit the other three, because each of them had deeper catalogs than this little blog could tap into during just one week.
We start with the original, Katy Perry, who has also been the most active in releasing music. This song came soon after her HoF induction, in 2013. Co-written by Ms. Hudson, the song has elements of pop, but also trap and hip-hop. Lyrically, it's full of clichés - cold, unfeeling, and still full of passion despite the clichés.
The song ended up being one of her biggest hits - and gave Juicy J his first #1 in the US.
Did you know that "Thriller" did not win Best Video at the MTV Video Music Awards?
No, no.
That honor went to "You Might Think", a video that was one of the first to use computer graphics. The song, written and sung by Ric Ocasek, is a straightforward love song - and the song was one of their biggest hits to date, so the sweet lyrics resonated with a worldwide audience.
A lot of you are travelling home today from your Thanksgiving festivities. Please travel safely.
I decided to provide you with a classic Velvet Underground song for your travelling pleasure. In its best known version, it is a haunting instrumental classic, written by Lou Reed. It gives the feeling of riding into the sun - not into the sun per se, but more into the sunSET to start anew, brighter.
In this rare vocal version, Lou Reed punctuates that feeling with words specific to New York City, which is what a lot of their music was about - but it can apply to any city. Or even small town.
"I was writing lyrics like 'Baby Don't Cry' and 'Beautiful Girl' and lyrics just about how wonderful it is to have something else in your life besides yourself to worry about and think about." - Andrew Farris
This, the fifth single from Welcome to Wherever You Are, was also penned by Andrew Farris, this about his infant daughter. His quote says everything that needs to be said there.
(by the way, if you're looking for the third and fourth singles, we posted them previously in 2012 and on Monday)
This song, the second single from Welcome To Wherever You Are, was wholly written by Andrew Farris as a sweet love song for his six year old daughter, who, not shockingly, he missed when he went on tour. Backed by the Australian Concert Orchestra, the song is about choosing love, even when far away, in the face of adversity.
As has become customary for this little blog that could, when there's a Hall of Fame artist, we give you a little extra, for the loyal readers.
Thus, "Heaven Sent", the first single from what was considered something of a comeback album, the band's eighth (save for their live album, Live Baby Live) and in my opinion, their high water mark, Welcome To Wherever You Are.
This is a high water mark on an album that is already a high water mark. It's a pretty typical INXS song - Michael Hutchence frequently goes to the megaphone vocal trope, as he does on this song, and it's straight-ahead pop-rock - but it is the band at their happiest. They clearly enjoyed making this song, which is lyrically about the beginning of a life-altering love.
This was a song that became a live staple throughout the 1990's for the band. At their last show ever, in Pittsburgh, they performed what has become my favorite version of this song. Hutchence sings the song with more passion and energy than even the original recording - or any pther live version. The rest of the band matches his vigor here.
I had way too much material for just one Hall of Fame week. This is why I'm posting on the weekend.
And I couldn't ignore the biggest INXS anthem of all. Initially not a big hit song, this has become one of their most played and most popular. And it's for good reason - the song is so uplifting and sweet. Opening with one of the most iconic synth solos of the 1980's, it erupts quickly into a full band showcase.
The song is about a love that was lost and found again. I like to think of it as the reclamation of a relationship after a breakup, or maybe finally finding that love after failed attempts. The resolution of happiness and execution of bitterness in the lyrics is referring directly to that love, and the pleas to not change are a wonderful reminder and acceptance to love those who we love just as they are.
Of course, because Michael Hutchence is no longer with us, there were a finite number of times he performed this song. This performance, from September 27 1997 in Pittsburgh PA, is sad in hindsight, knowing that it was the final time he'd sing the song - he would be dead exactly two months later. Still, even though it's only audio, you can hear his stage presence, even in his exhaustion.
In 2011, Kirk Pengilly and Andrew Farris - not typically lead vocalists - took the vocal duties for a slower, deeper version of this song they co-wrote. It is a fitting tribute.
Right now, most of you are wondering what the hell this is.
This was the debut single by INXS in 1980. Notice the more new wave sound - a little more punk-edged. Originally only released in Australia, their debut album, which featured this song and many others written by all six members of the band, made it internationally in 1984, after the band started having some hits in Europe and the US.
This song wasn't a hit. It was six guys looking for a sound. It is frantic and fun and simple.
This song isn't one I had ever really enjoyed by INXS. It is NOT a song I really enjoyed all that much. It's not bad, mind you - but modern Vienna waltzes weren't my thing in the 1980s. It was a pretty big hit, and one that was inescapable in 1988, between radio and heavy MTV rotation.
But then, I got a girlfriend, and of course the song took on a new meaning. The girlfriend and I didn't last forever, but the song resonated for our time together. It's a classic love song for the ages, with a great arrangement by Andrew Farris.
The song also resonated again in 1997, when INXS lead vocalist and lyricist for this song, Michael Hutchence, passed away. The five remaining members of INXS, as well as Michael's brother, Rhett, served as pallbearers. What song played as they carried the coffin from the cathedral? This one.
So, at the end of the day, because of its romantic meaningfulness and its meaningfulness to fans of INXS, it grew on me. I hope it grows on you, too.
The band's first US Top 10 hit, "What You Need" hit #5 on the Billboard charts. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farris under record label pressure - they were looking for a hit. The men delivered in a big way.
Lyrically, the song is a pep talk. It's literally JUST a pep talk. Musically, the six-piece all have their featured moments in a high-energy way. Visually, the video is done using a rotoscope animation technique.
In 1997, INXS lead vocalists Michael Hutchence died in what appears to have been an accidental suicide. After a few years of hiatus, they did what any normal band would do in their circumstance.
That, of course, is hold a reality television competition to find a new lead vocalist. And they found a vocalist that had a similar bravado to Hutchence - a homeless man from Toronto who went by the name J.D. Fortune (it wasn't his real name).
This song, the only top 40 hot of the J.D. Fortune era, was co-written by Andrew Farris and several of the contestants, includin Fortune. In my opinion, it absolutely holds up against the hits from 1980s-era INXS.
I'm not one to bury the lede. This was INXS's biggest hit. The opening single from the Kick album in 1987, the Andrew Farris/Michael Hutchence classic about living in the moment was a #1 hit around the world and set the band up for superstardom.
More than that, it moved the band a little away from the rock band mentality and more into a zone where it was OK to use electronic instruments to augment their sound. It made them a richer, deeper, and, ultimately, more popular band.
The song is more about the video, which won 5 MTV Video Music Award. It was directed by Richard Lowenstein and used photocopied images to accomplish the visual effects.
I'm pleased to induct Australian icons INXS into the Wicked Guilty Pleasures Hall of Fame. This week will feature a LOT of INXS.
Why are they the choice this year?
Because they released in a relatively short time so many iconic songs and videos. Were they particularly highbrow? No. They're a band that did release more complex and nuanced music than it might have looked on the surface, but still was mass-market sexy.
Their 1992 album, Welcome To Whereever You Are, came at the start of the tail end of their time as a prominent band, but did account for several singles and went platinum in its own right. It is my favorite INXS album, for a lot of reasons. The songwriting was top notch. Michael Hutchence had reached the pinacle of maturity in his performance.
This video was never released in the States, and, well, it's something else. The song was the 4th single from the album, Written by Hutchence and Andrew Farris, the song is cool and sexy, with all six musicians getting their due, but no one dominating. It is a perfect encaptualation of the genius of INXS.
INXS famously found a new lead singer after the death of Michael Hutchence on a reality TV show. We'll talk a lot more about that over this week, but I wanted to touch on this because it's relevant. New vocalist JD Fortune came with a slightly different bravado, but still held his own with this song.
The Flaming Lips are not a band that you would necessarily associate with the word "accessible" or "popular", and yet their 2002 single, which singer/songwriter Wayne Coyne considers to be the best the band has ever written, is exactly that.
The song, with lyrics by Coyne, was written in response to fellow bandmember Steven Drozd trying to kick his heroin addiction. It concerns the fragility of life - and the beauty within it despite and because of that. The song is absolutely beautiful.
The song is one that they preform live often, and is a crowd pleaser. The band clearly appreciates how much the crowd is pleased.
You probably only know one Proclaimers song, and it's this one. It is their biggest worldwide hit, and it was a slow burn. Originally released in 1988, it was fairly successful at the time. It was MORE successful in 1993, when it was featured in the movie Benny & Joon and rereleased.
Written by the Reid twins (who are The Proclaimers), the song is about the willingness to travel long distances to see the one you love, no matter what, because being by their side is the most important thing. It is this purity of message - the sweetness of this song - that makes it one of my true favorites. It's this I wanted to share with you today.
Carole King was - is - a prolific songwriter who could sing. She released her second album, Tapestry, in 1971, and it became a worldwide sensation. Winning several Grammys, it also spent 15 weeks on top of the Billboard Top 200 album chart, the longest any woman has held the spot.
This song, a highlight of Tapestry, was a top 20 hit for her in October of that year. Supported by James Taylor on guitar, the song is very straight-forward about missing someone who isn't there. However, the song isn't just about physical, but also emotional distance. It's a song full of meloncholy on several levels.
All these years later, she still performs the song. Here she is, with James Taylor, in 2013, at the Boston Strong concert, doing an earnest and possibly too chipper version of the tune.
She was one of the first artists I felt like I was "too old" to enjoy, a sentiment I have CLEARLY overcome. But, in 2001, I was in a place in my life where that was a reality.
In 2021, I realize that that is not a sentiment anyone should have.
Especially with this song! It's a brilliant pop-rock masterpiece, co-written by Branch, dealing with the early throes of falling in love - or so it's been intepreted. Branch herself has said that the song is ambiguous on purpose, leaving its meaning to the listener to determine. Combined with her earnest performance, it ended up being a top 20 hit and one of her biggest worldwide.
Written by George Harrison as a tribute to his then-wife, this was considered by John Lennon himself to be the best song on the Abbey Road album. The 1970 promotional film that followed (and is today's post) was recorded after John Lennon announced his departure from The Beatles - the four members are filmed at their homes with their respective wifes and edited together.
The song itself is on its surface a straightforward love song - the narrator is complementary towards the source of his affection. However, the bridge brings the straightforward love to reality - that there is a lot of things unknown for the future, but lovers will still strive together towards an unknown goal. The guitar solo after that bridge by Harrison is considered one of the greatest of all time.
In 1995, Alaska native Jewel Kilcher dropped her last name and her debut album, Pieces of Me. The album was a hit and generated several singles. This, her 2nd single from that album, would prove to be the biggest hit of her career, reaching #2 on the US Singles chart.
The song itself seems like a sad song - it is clearly narrated by a woman struggling with a breakup she doesn't want or now regrets. It can, however, be interpreted as happy - she's getting on with her life despite these feelings, while not losing the emotion that seems sad but is more hopeful.
Under the Lakuna name, Newport, RI graphic artist David Narcizo has done some music - along with his wife, Melissa - that is more audio experimentation and less traditional music, but using obscure sound samples and tape loops still make for excellent and entertaining sound.
This song, from 1999's Castle of Crime, is perhaps Lakuna's best known song. It builds from a very industrial opening into a creamy melodic center, with a stark finale.
This 1984 song was Foreigner's biggest hit in the United States AND the UK, the two home countries of the band. Lead singer Lou Gramm hails from the greatest city in America, Rochester, NY. I'm not at all biased.
Gramm's soulful voice is what makes this such a great song. It's clearly a love song - but it's a deeper love song, which goes right to the fear of that initial love - not being sure if you can face the heartache and pain that could happen, but at the same time, love finds the narrator. Backed by the New Jersey Mass Choir, the song gets a larger-than-life feeling that matches the subject matter.
Well, the chorus is, anyway. But haven't we all been there? Our heart is broken, and we're missing someone terribly, and we're trying not to miss them, and we're insisting that we are fine and don't miss them.
Well, John Waite really was missing his lover in this 1984 #1 hit. There is, after all, a storm raging through his frozen heart.
John Waite extended his lie by including Alison Krause on a rerecorded version in 2007. It hit #34 on the Country Charts.
"Mrs. Robinson" may be the song most associated with the Mike Nichols film The Graduate, but it wasn't the song used in the iconic final scene. That song was the first Simon and Garfunkel #1 hit, "The Sound Of Silence", which Nichols convinced the duo to rerecord for the soundtrack. Paul Simon wrote the song in the echo of his dark bathroom - hance the sound of silence.
The song is sad and stark in its imagery, while retaining a harmonic beauty. It picks up tempo as it roles along, ending with an abrupt deadening in tempo.
In context, here is that last scene of the movie. The song is slightly different in this version, and it matches the feeling of the scene - the unknown, not knowing what's next, the good and bad of the reality of what just happened hitting you. There's some excitement to this, and at the same time, fear.
This single was released TWICE - once in 1982, and once in a remixed form in 1984, when it became a top 10 hit. Written by the three sisters, it's a song about.... being excited. What did you think I was going to say?
In all seriousness, it's a sexually charged song, which was atypical for a girl group in the early 1980s. This video is for the 1982 release, but is the gold standard, featuring all three sisters getting ready for a formal event. It also matches the lyrical content of the song.
You all came for the Jessie Spano version. I know this. Here it is.
Remember when life was simpler? Remember when songs were written just to show off a sweet new stereo?
Well, that's exactly why Steppenwolf wrote and performed this song. Sure, there might have been some drug references in there, but at the end of the day, it was a song about a sweet new stereo.
In 1991, my friend Heather Deane and I went to see the DiVinyls. I wrote pretty extensively about that nine years ago.
What I left out of my original telling was the opening act, School of Fish. They are the band that really made Heather's ears right, literally for days. Weeks, even.
This song was one of their biggest "hits" back in the day, getting some significant MTV Buzz Bin airplay. There's a little blast from the past for y'all. Written by Josh Clayton-Felt & Michael Ward, the song is a trippy straight-ahead rock song that brings the listener through a psychedelic journey of.... well, three strange days, I guess.
In 1978, Dr. Hook (which was the name of the BAND) released what would be their biggest hit worldwide and one of their biggest in the United States. Their look really gave away their easy listening/country crossover song, but for this single, penned by Even Stevens, the traditional sound gave way to one that was a little more disco-tinged.
The song sounds like it's sweet - and in some ways, it is - but it's really about jealousy. It's about the lingering self-doubt that comes with dating someone who is better looking than you.
Wesley Stace is a British folksinger and author of four novels. You might not know his name as a musician, though, because most of his music is under the stage name John Wesley Harding. This was his debut single, from his debut album Here Comes The Groom.
The song, as the rest of the album, draws comparisons to Elvis Costello - and since a couple of The Attractions make up part of his backing band here, that's understandable. Lyrically, the song compares the attrocities of human behavior to, well, the devil. It is a brilliant and sardonic take on the subject.
