Category: Song of the Day

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Indie Rock Post Punk Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral): Killing Joke – Eighties

Day 5.

Famously the song that “inspired” Kurt Cobain to write the riff for the Nirvana hit Come As You Are, Eighties is a fearsome slice of Post Punk savagery. With the famous pummelling riff, the angular rhythms & the soaring chorus, Eighties was one of the essential building blocks of Alternative Rock as we know it today. Like yesterdays song, this came on randomly while I watched music videos on YouTube this afternoon. I instantly decided to feature it as tomorrow’s Song of the Day.

Eighties, I’m living in the eighties
Eighties, I have to push, I have to struggle
Eighties, get out of my way, I’m not for sale no more
Eighties, let’s kamikaze ’til we get there

And we sang
You do it this way

Eighties, by day we run by night we dance, we do
Eighties, I’m in love with the coming race
Eighties, I’ve got the best, I’ll take all I can get
Eighties, I’m living for the eighties

Eighties, I’m living in the eighties, I push
Eighties, I’m living
Eighties, I’m living in the eighties, I struggle
Eighties, I’m living

Eighties, I’m living
Eighties, I’m living in the eighties
Eighties, I’m living in the eighties, I push
Eighties, push, push, struggle

Eighties, I’m living
Eighties, eighties, I’m living
Eighties, I’m living in the eighties, I push

Check out some great music with the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist.

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Electronic Music Indie Rock New Wave Pop Post Punk Song of the Day Synth Pop

Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral): The Church – Under The Milky Way

Day 4.

Okay, okay. I missed a day (or 2) & I’m sorry. This song came on randomly after I was listening to New Order on YouTube the other day. It’s stunning, cinematic Synth Pop from the end of the ’80’s, with just enough Indie cool to keep it in the company of bands like Echo & The Bunnymen & the aforementioned New Order on many a mixtape. Also a great song for a movie soundtrack, as evidenced by its appearance in a pivotal scene of madcap time-travel yarn Donnie Darko.

Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty
Sound of their breath fades with the light
I think about the loveless fascination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Lower the curtain down on Memphis
Lower the curtain down all right
I got no time for private consultation
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

And it’s something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white
Leads you here despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

And it’s something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white
Leads you here despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight

Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find

Under the Milky Way tonight
Under the Milky Way tonight
Under the Milky Way tonight

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New Wave Song of the Day Synth Pop

Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral): Peter Schilling – Major Tom (Coming Home)

Day 3.

Having just begun watching the cold war spy thriller The Americans after reading about it in Mark Fishers book (see Day 1), I started to think of one of my other favourite Cold War spy thrillers, the excellent Deutschland ’83 & it’s fantastic sequel Deutschland ’86. I also discovered that the third series, Deutschland ’89, is also due to be released in the next month. I found this particularly exciting.

Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling is the opening credits theme tune of the Deutschland series; interestingly though, only for the English language (subtitled) version. The original German version of the show features Blue Monday by New Order as its theme tune. I find it amusing & interesting that the German release uses an English Synthpop song as its theme while the English release features a German Synthpop song. A nice bit of pleasing synchronicity.

Standing there alone, the ship is waiting
All systems are go, are you sure?
Control is not convinced
But the computer has the evidence
No need to abort

The countdown starts

Watching in a trance, the crew is certain
Nothing left to chance, all is working
Trying to relax, up in the capsule
“Send me up a drink”, jokes Major Tom
The count goes on

Four, three, two, one
Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Calling, calling home

Second stage is cut, we’re now in orbit
Stabilizers up, running perfect
Starting to collect requested data
“What will it effect, when all is done?”
Thinks Major Tom

Back at ground control there is a problem
Go to rockets full, not responding
“Hello Major Tom, are you receiving?
Turn the thrusters on, we’re standing by”
There’s no reply

Four, three, two, one
Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Calling, calling home

Across the stratosphere
A final message, “Give my wife my love”
Then nothing more

Far beneath the ship, the world is mourning
They don’t realize, he’s alive
No one understands but Major Tom sees
Now the light commands, this is my home
I’m coming home

Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Coming home

Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Coming home

Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Coming, coming home

Home
Home
Home
Home
Home
Home
Home
Home

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Indie Rock Pop Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral): The Cardigans – Erase/Rewind

Day 2.

At work we (sometimes) listen to Absolute Radio (or one of its decade themed sister stations like Absolute ’90’s) & today this song was played as I was leaving work, reminding me how great a band The Cardigans are & how great a tune this is.

This is a downtempo, sensual Indie Pop song with sonic features akin to genres as diverse as Alternative Rock & Trip Hop. Nina Persson’s saccharine vocals are particularly engrossing on Erase/Rewind, lending it a warm, inviting vibe.

The excellent video references sci-fi classics like 2001: Space Odyssey & the first Star Wars movie.

Hey, what did you hear me say
You know the difference it makes
What did you hear me say

Yes, I said it’s fine before
But I don’t think so no more
I said it’s fine before

I’ve changed my mind
I take it back
Erase and rewind
‘Cause I’ve been changing my mind
I’ve changed my mind

So, where did you see me go
It’s not the right way, you know
Where did you see me go

No, it’s not that I don’t know
I just don`t want it to grow
It’s not that I don’t know

I’ve changed my mind
I take it back

Looking for some great music? Here it is.

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Art Pop Experimental Pop Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral): Peter Gabriel – Games Without Frontiers

Day 1.

After a brief hiatus (& my first week back at work following furlough) I have settled on a new format for Song of the Day for going forward. Basically, this is just a roll of the dice. The songs are going to be ones I hear or think of throughout the course of my day. Songs heard on the radio, mentioned in a book or magazine or even spontaneously popped into my head. I may explain in the post why I’ve chosen it, if it seems interesting or will draw attention to other blogs or writers I want to promote. If I miss the odd day please bear with me. I’m calling this series Chaotic Neutral, hope you enjoy.

Today I am choosing Peter Gabriels sinister Cold War hit Games Without Frontiers. I am currently reading K-Punk, a collection of blogposts & magazine articles by the late culture writer Mark Fisher. Today I read this review of cold war thriller The Americans, in which he mentions this paranoid Pop masterpiece due to its appearance during the finale of the shows first season.

Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières

Hans plays with Lotte, Lotte plays with Jane
Jane plays with Willi, Willi is happy again
Suki plays with Leo, Sacha plays with Britt
Adolf builds a bonfire, Enrico plays with it

Whistling tunes, we hide in the dunes by the seaside
Whistling tunes, we’re kissing baboons in the jungle
It’s a knockout

If looks could kill, they probably will
In games without frontiers, war without tears
If looks could kill, they probably will
In games without frontiers, war without tears
Games without frontiers, war without tears

Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières

Andre has a red flag, Chiang Ching’s is blue
They all have hills to fly them on except for Lin Tai Yu
Dressing up in costumes, playing silly games
Hiding out in treetops, shouting out rude names

Whistling tunes, we hide in the dunes by the seaside
Whistling tunes, we’re kissing baboons in the jungle
It’s a knockout

If looks could kill, they probably will
In games without frontiers, war without tears
If looks could kill, they probably will
In games without frontiers, war without tears
Games without frontiers, war without tears

Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans frontières
Jeux sans

Looking for some great music? Roll the dice.

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Experimental Folk Indie Rock Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks): The Beta Band – Dry The Rain

Day 10. I’m not really sure how I feel about the movie adaptation of Nick Hornby’s The High Fidelity. I remember enjoying it somewhat, but the smug, salesman-like smarminess of the scene in which Dry The Rain by The Beta Band plays really grates on me. I guess it does highlight how amazing the song is, even if it does so in such an aloof & arrogant way. What did you folks make of this scene?

Dry The Rain was the lead track on The Beta Band’s 1997 debut EP Champion Versions (& later The Three E.P.’s). This acid-soaked, Psyche Folk melancholia was a blast of invigoratingly fresh air when it first emerged. It was millions of miles away from the late Britpop which was just about hanging on to relevance in 1997.

Late afterthought: While adding The Beta Band to the ‘tags’ on this post I was surprised to see I haven’t written anything about them before. Expect this to be addressed soon.

The scene

This is the definition of my life
Lying in bed in the sunlight
Choking on the vitamin tablet
The doctor gave in the hope of saving me
In the hope of saving me

Walked in the corner of the room
A junk yard fool with eyes of gloom
I asked him time again
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain the rain
The rain the rain the rain now

Dusty brown boots in the corner
By the ironing board
Spray on dust is the greatest thing
Sure is the greatest thing
Since the last since the last

Walked in the corner of the room
A junk yard fool with eyes of gloom
I asked him time again
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain the rain
The rain the rain the rain now

I asked him time again
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
The rain the rain the rain now

If there’s something inside that you want to say
Say it out loud it’ll be okay
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light

If there’s something inside that you want to say
Say it out loud it’ll be okay
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light

I Need Love, yeah
I Need Love

If there’s something inside that you want to say
Say it out loud it’ll be okay
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light

If there’s something inside that you want to say
Say it out loud it’ll be okay
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light

I need love
I need love

Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks) Spotify playlist.

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Indie Rock Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks): Pixies – Where Is My Mind?

Day 9. “Oooh. Stop!” Where Is My Mind? by the Pixies not only soundtracks the explosive finale of the psychological late ’90’s uber-thriller Fight Club (below) but it’s also a ridiculously good song that doesn’t really need an excuse to post about it. It’s a rare song (although, come to think about it, Pixies have quite a few) that doesn’t sound as if it was written & recorded so much as it was grown. It’s got an elemental, organic feel to it that is preciously rare in a way which I find difficult to explain.

Partly as a result of it’s inclusion in Fight Club & partly as a result of it’s inclusion on the genre-defining Indie Rock masterpiece Surfer Rosa, Where Is My Mind? absolutely writhes with the kind of cultural significance that that you could write entire series of books about. To attempt to get the importance of this phenomenal work of art, I have included below both the ending scene of Fight Club during which the song is utilised & an excellent live (TV) performance of the song by the band back in 1988, at the absolute peak of their powers.

Pixies, 1988, “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it.”

Ooh, stop

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
But there’s nothing in it
And you’ll ask yourself

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Way out in the water
See it swimmin’

I was swimmin’ in the Caribbean
Animals were hiding behind the rock
Except the little fish
But they told me, he swears
Tryin’ to talk to me koi koy

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Way out in the water
See it swimmin’

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
If there’s nothing in it
And you’ll ask yourself

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Way out in the water
See it swimmin’

Ooh
With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Ooh
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh

Looking for some great music? Why not check out the Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks) Spotify playlist?

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Electronic Music Metal Nu Metal Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks): Rob Zombie – Dragula (Hot Rod Herman Remix)

Day 8. Another one from The Matrix, Dragula by Rob Zombie was another Alternative night classic at the kind of nightclubs I used to frequent in my teenage years. The version used in The Matrix was the Rod Herman remix but for the video I have opted for the original version, not least because it has a really good video. I also failed to find the remix on Spotify, so the original version will be on the SPotify playlist too. I’ll include the remix YouTube link here.

The remix adds layers of electronic production to the track which nicely brings the song in line with the late ’90’s cyberpunk visions of The Matrix. I’m not sure but I also think our local Alternative Rock DJ’s played this version too, presumably The Matrix OST was a useful CD for any Alt/Rock DJ to own.

Superstition, fear and jealousy

Dead I am the one, exterminating son
Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze
Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry
While they slowly turn, conquering the worm

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool
Weak and what you need, nowhere as you bleed
Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat
Tender is the fur, dying as you purr

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
Burn like an animal

Dead I am the life, dig into the skin
Knuckle crack the bone, twenty one to win
Dead I am the dog, hound of hell you cry
Devil on your back, I can never die

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Do it baby, do it baby
Do it baby, do it baby
Burn like an animal

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Dig through the ditches
And burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula!

Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks) Spotify playlist.

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Metal Nu Metal Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks): Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove It)

Day 7. I suppose I’d never really thought of my generation (or age/year group) as having its own movie but 1after giving it some thought,The Matrix is definitely it. Released the year I turned 17, I remember going to see it with a group of friends, all baggy jeans, Korn hoodies & wallet chains. The soundtrack seemed to be tailor made to us too. My Own Summer (Shove It) can only be described as an anthem in the kind of circles I used to move in. The sinister, slow & incredibly heavy riffing of the verses & the explosive screaming of the chorus soundtracked many an alternative night in a local nightclub, headbanging to it at midnight, drunk on pound-a-pint lager.

Interestingly, Deftones are one of the very small number of Nu Metal bands which I still like & regularly listen to. I drifted away from it as a genre as I discovered Punk & rediscovered Indie Rock. They were radically different from the majority of Nu Metal bands. They had weird melodic sensibilities & inspirations which you didn’t really see in other Nu Metal bands. Things like The Smiths & Radiohead. You can hear it in the woozy, narcotic vocal melodies of the verses in My Own Summer (Shove It).

Favourite comment on the YouTube video:

Fun fact: That shark was a goldfish before this song started playing.

Hey you, big star
Tell me when it’s over

Hey you, big mood, guide me to shelter
‘Cause I’m through
When the two hits the six and it’s summer

Cloud, come (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Shove (shove it, shove it, shove it)
The sun (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Aside (shove it aside)

I think god is moving its tongue
There’s no crowd in the streets
And no sun in my own summer

The shade is a tool, a device, a savior
See, I try and look up to the sky
But my eyes burn

Cloud, come (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Shove (shove it, shove it, shove it)
The sun (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Aside (shove it aside)

Cloud, come (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Shove (shove it, shove it, shove it)
The sun (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Aside (shove it aside)

I think god is moving its tongue
There are no crowds in the streets and no sun in my own summer

Come (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Shove (shove it, shove it, shove it)
The sun (shove it, shove it, shove it)
Aside (shove it aside)

Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Spotify) playlist.

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Ambient Post-Rock Song of the Day

Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks): John Murphy – In The House – In A Heartbeat

Day 6. Attempting to stick to the two tunes per movie formula for now & choosing this absolutely huge piece of music from the introduction to 28 Days Later. In The House – In A Heartbeat is the kind of Post-Rock inspired thing which made this film stand out. Ostensibly an action film about zombies, the soundtrack & the acting gave 28 Days Later a distinct & contemporary (2002) vibe. The pretty melody building up into the intense, loud section is textbook Post-Rock & I remember wondering if this was a new Mogwai tune when I first saw the movie.

No lyrics for this one as the tune is 100% instrumental. Here’s some screenshots from the section of the film which this tune plays during.

Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Movie Soundtracks) Spotify playlist.

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