No particular reason that I’m choosing this song today. Was just listening to a playlist & it came on, reminding me how much I love it. A quick check back through previous Song of the Day series to make sure I hadn’t already used it & here it is.
Got me a movie I want you to know Slicing up eyeballs I want you to know
Girlie so groovy I want you to know Don’t know about you But I am un chien andalusia
I am un chien andalusia I am un chien andalusia I am un chien andalusia
Wanna grow up to be Be a debaser Debaser Debaser Debaser Debaser Debaser
Got me a movie Ha ha ha ho Slicing up eyeballs Ha ha ha ho
Girlie so groovie Ha ha ha ho Don’t know about you But I am un chien andalusia
I am un chien andalusia I am un chien andalusia I am un chien andalusia
This song by Punk legend Tim “TV” Smith has been on my mind a lot this week. The general response from right-wingers to the UK government’s refusal to offer the poorest children free school meals, has been to bemoan & harass them for the crime of “owning an iPhone” or “smoking cigs”. Typical mean-spirited stuff from the Tories & their legion of trolls. This song, as well as the attached Another Angry Voice infographic, has formed my own personal resistance to this callous & brutal disregard for our fellow man.
And the car is of the road But I never had a car And I pay more for food ‘cos the supermarkets too far
It’s expensive being poor Because everything cost more Knocking on a closing door It’s expensive being poor Someone throw me down some crumbs I will eat them off the floor It’s expensive being poor But I look good when I get desperate
And the box is on the fritz It’s a black and white, or was I tried taking it to bits Now the picture’s just a grey fuss
It’s expensive being poor Because everything cost more Someone pick me off the floor It’s expensive being poor How can I live with what I did When the cinema is 6 quid’ It’s expensive being poor But I look good when I get desperate
Let the good times roll Into a bottomless hole With job friends and future My ideal home furniture Let the trumpets sound As my house falls down
And the dust begins to clear And I’m lying on the ground And I’m standing on a path In an unknown part of town And the path leads me away Over hills and out of sight In the blazing sun by day And the hanging moon by night And I wind up in a place Where I never have to count And I never see the waves As I push my leaking boat out
It’s expensive being poor Because everything hurts more Knocking on a bolted door It’s expensive being poor Someone throw me down some crumbs
I will eat them off the floor It’s expensive being poor But I look good when I get desperate
Check out the Spotify playlist.
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Another one inspired by Mark Fisher’s writings today. Just read his post about The Cure’s seminal trilogy of albums (Seventeen Seconds, Faith & Pornography) & this song gets mentioned quite a bit. It’s a great song by a great band & is one of the songs which helped to shape & define the angular, jerky nature of Post Punk & the ghostly ephemerality of Goth. Fisher, in his piece, also speculates about whether Robert Smith spectral, effect-laden guitar sound was also a key influence in the formulation of My Bloody Valentine’s dreamlike Shoegaze sound.
Come closer and see See into the trees Find the girl If you can Come closer and see See into the dark Just follow your eyes Just follow your eyes
I hear her voice Calling my name The sound is deep In the dark I hear her voice And start to run Into the trees Into the trees
Into the trees
Suddenly I stop But I know it’s too late I’m lost in a forest All alone The girl was never there It’s always the same I’m running towards nothing (Again and again and again and again)
And again
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This is the second (that I know of) collaboration between Wakefield alt-rockers The Cribs & Sonic Youth guitar wizard Lee Ranaldo. Unlike the top-notch spoken word Beat poetry of Be Safe however, Ranaldo brings noisy, fuzzy, melodic guitar to this exceedingly catchy song.
I also love the video’s aesthetic, which ties in somewhat to some of my current interests (ie. Hauntology).
Sometimes I think it’s strange I’ll never see you Then I realize I’ve been watching you my whole life in every Look I don’t recognize Every feature in my face with no relation From my mother’s side Shows where we came from
I was looking so hard I missed the sign that I’d been waiting for An obituary wrote in the local paper From a town that is no more Carrying this around gains nothing but I’m Fool enough to care Brave enough to try
I tried it You know I tried it I tried it
Are you a raw nerve like I am or are you more like The bathrooms in the park? Closed for the season every season Seen in the lighter’s spark The moment that the world began, it’s ending Captured by chance on a field recording
We caught it It’s not important
You wouldn’t love me Keep out of my way, I’m not in your way You wouldn’t love me Descend a marble staircase Slap me in my face I don’t know what I am
There’s a telegraph pole, reminds me of you Its shadow against the sky Buzzing in the night but no one gets through No longer on the line Messages unheard are staying that way Bouncing back like echoes in the valley
In the valley In the valley
You wouldn’t love me Keep out of my way, I’m not in your way You wouldn’t love me Descend a marble staircase Slap me in my face I don’t know what I am, ooh
I don’t know what I am, ooh I don’t know what I am I don’t know what I am
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Another one that came on the radio at work. I’ve never been a big fan of Kate Bush, but when I heard this again for the first time in years, it really hit me what a great song it is. Don’t really have much more to say about it than that. I’m just really digging it at the moment.
It doesn’t hurt me Do you want to feel how it feels? Do you want to know, know that it doesn’t hurt me? Do you want to hear about the deal that I’m making? You, it’s you and me
And if I only could I’d make a deal with God And I’d get him to swap our places Be running up that road Be running up that hill Be running up that building See if I only could, oh
You don’t want to hurt me But see how deep the bullet lies Unaware I’m tearing you asunder Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts
Is there so much hate for the ones we love? Tell me, we both matter, don’t we? You, it’s you and me It’s you and me, won’t be unhappy
And if I only could I’d make a deal with God And I’d get him to swap our places Be running up that road Be running up that hill Be running up that building Say, if I only could, oh
You It’s you and me It’s you and me, won’t be unhappy
Oh come on, baby Oh come on, darling Let me steal this moment from you now Oh come on, angel Come on, come on, darling Let’s exchange the experience, oh
And if I only could I’d make a deal with God And I’d get him to swap our places I’d be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problems
Say, if I only could I’d make a deal with God And I’d get him to swap our places I’d be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problems
So if I only could I’d make a deal with God And I’d get him to swap our places I’d be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problems Say, if I only could I’d be running up that hill With no problems
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Not really much to say about this one. I’ve been listening to New Order a lot recently & YouTube throws this one at me randomly quite a lot. It’s one of my favourite, if not my favourite, New Order songs. I recently shared this video on Facebook & posited the question, ‘does a more beautiful blending of melancholia and joy exist?’ If it does I’m yet to find it.
Heaven, a gateway, a hope Just like a feeling inside, it’s no joke And though it hurts me to see you this way Betrayed by words, I’d never heard, too hard to say Up, down, turn around Please don’t let me hit the ground Tonight I think I’ll walk alone I’ll find my soul as I go home Up, down, turn around Please don’t let me hit the ground Tonight I think I’ll walk alone I’ll find my soul as I go home
Each way I turn, I know I’ll always try To break this circle that’s been placed around me From time to time, I find I’ve lost some need That was urgent to myself, I do believe Up, down, turn around Please don’t let me hit the ground Tonight I think I’ll walk alone I’ll find my soul as I go home Up, down, turn around Please don’t let me hit the ground Tonight I think I’ll walk alone I’ll find my soul as I go home
Oh, you’ve got green eyes Oh, you’ve got blue eyes Oh, you’ve got grey eyes Oh, you’ve got green eyes Oh, you’ve got blue eyes You’ve got grey eyes
And I’ve never seen anyone quite like you before No, I’ve never met anyone quite like you before Bolts from above hurt the people down below People in this world, we have no place to go Bolts from above hurt the people down below People in this world, we have no place to go Bolts from above hurt the people down below People in this world, we have no place to go Bolts from above hurt the people down below People in this world, we have no place to go
Oh, it’s the last time Oh, it’s the last time Oh, it’s the last time Oh, it’s the last time Oh, it’s the last time Oh, I’ve never met anyone quite like you before Oh no, I’ve never met anyone quite like you before
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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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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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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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
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