9 December 2021 - The Traveling Wilburys - Handle With Care

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.

8 December 2021 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

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.

7 December 2021 - Nouvelle Vague ft. Julie Delpy - La La La

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.

 

6 December 2021 - Plastic Bertrand - Ça Plane Pour Moi

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. 

3 December 2021 - Nirvana - You Know You're Right

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.

2 December 2021 - P!nk - Just L!ke F!re

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.  

1 December 2021 - Katy Perry ft. Juicy J - Dark Horse

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.