20 December 2021 - Liz Phair - Never Said

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.  

Actually, what she said verbatim, to Rolling Stone in 2010, was:

“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.

17 December 2021 - Pink Floyd - Fearless

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.  

16 December 2021 - Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet

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.

15 December 2021 - Transvision Vamp - (I Just Wanna) B with U

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.  

14 December 2021 - Fiona Apple - Paper Bag

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.

13 December 2021 - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message

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. 

10 December 2021 - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?

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.