Thank you to Jim Adams, who tirelessly hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
The theme for this week is Seasons/Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I don’t think that many will have heard of the singer on my chosen song this week, and you’ll have to be alert to catch him because there are only 19 words in all!
The artist is a man who had a tragic accident in June 1973 that left him using a wheelchair, paralysed from the waist down, after an inebriated fall from a 4th floor window. He claims, ironically, that this accident probably saved his life, because he was, at the time, an alcoholic, often matching Keith Moon drink for drink.
Like Keith Moon, Robert Wyatt was a drummer. He was a founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole. After his accident he continued to play drums, adopting more of a jazz style, obviously not using his feet. Although, on reflection, he always did favour jazz.
This track is taken from the album Shleep, produced in 1997. I think you may find it different from your normal listening, but I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
The theme for this week is Freeze/Cold/Ice
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I’ve previously shared songs on SLS where I couldn’t find the lyrics. Never before have I offered a song by a group that doesn’t exist!
Well, there’s a first time for everything because Gorillaz are a British virtual band created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. The band primarily consists of four animated members: 2-D(lead vocals, keyboards, melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitars, occasionally keyboards and vocals), and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). Their fictional universe is explored through music videos, interviews, and other short cartoons. In reality, Albarn is the only permanent musical contributor, and often collaborates with other musicians.
In March 2001, Gorillaz played their first show at the Scala in London before embarking on a UK tour later that summer, with one date in Paris and two in Japan. During this tour the live band played behind a giant projector screen which covered the whole stage, on which was projected various visuals and images created by Hewlett. After taking a short break over the holidays, the tour resumed with a North American leg in February 2002
The song I’ve chosen, released in 2010, features Mark E. Smith of the Fall, and includes some Morse code at the beginning. After Mark asks “Where’s North from ‘ere”, the code answers “ Plastic Beach” which is the name of the album.
Apparently, Mark wanted to do his part facing north and asked ‘Where’s North from ‘ere?’ They left the words in!
Like ‘Punk’ on the first album, and ‘White Light’ on ‘Demon Days’, this is the album’s rawkus section of chaos. Every album’s got to have one.“ – band member Murdoc Niccals in an interview with NME
The song is Glitter Freeze – I hope you enjoy it.
There are very few lyrics, and, unless you want to analyse them in detail, they probably are purely incidental.
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
The theme for this week is Record/Juke Box/DJ/Radio. Not all of them, you understand, but pick any one, or combine any number!
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
It’s amazing how many song lyrics don’t actually make much sense. I dare say some are drug, or alcohol induced, or influenced. Often the writer, and certainly the critics, will wax lyrical about how there is a deep, or hidden , meaning to the words. Lots of baloney will be spoken about transcendental higher planes, or searching for a new, yet unattainable awakening!
Do we really care whether Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is about LSD?
I think not, so long as the music is enjoyable, and the words are lyrical, we are content to sit back and enjoy it.
The music I’m offering to you today certainly has lyrics that, for the most part, make no sense. What’s more, the writers admit that they make no sense. Read about the song, and what R.E.M said about “Radio Free Europe.” in the Songfacts information below.
Radio Free Europe is a radio network run by the United States government that broadcasts to Europe and the Middle East. The mission of the broadcasts is to promote democracy and freedom, but R.E.M. makes the point that this can easily cross the line into propaganda.
This song was R.E.M.’s first single, released in 1981 before they signed to a major label. A better-produced version was included on Murmur, the band’s first full-length album, in 1983.
There was a good reason for Michael Stipe’s infamously indecipherable lyrics on this song: he hadn’t finished them by the time they recorded it. In a 1988 NME interview, Stipe described the lyrical content as “complete babbling.”
R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe said in a 1983 interview with Alternative America: “We were all so scared of what the other one would say, that everyone nodded their head in agreement to anything to come up. The earlier songs were incredibly fundamental, real simple, songs that you could write in five minutes. Most of them didn’t have any words. I just got up and howled and hollered a lot.
That’s true. I’ve got to write words for ‘Radio Free Europe,’ because we’re going to re-record that for the album. It still doesn’t have a second or third verse. I think there are actually lyrics to every song on the EP.”
“This song was pivotal to the continuation of our career,” drummer Bill Berry explained in Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011. “Most fans may not realize that for two years before Murmur was released, we barely made financial ends meet by playing tiny clubs around the southeast. Our gasoline budget prevented us from venturing further. Put simply, our existence was impoverished. College radio and major city club scenes embraced this song and expanded our audience to the extent that we moved from small clubs to medium-sized venues and the additional revenue made it possible to logically pursue this wild musical endeavor. I dare not contemplate what our fate would have been had this song not appeared when it did.”
Stipe noted being apparently unaware of his own genius: “The guys always said I do something harmonically here that made them all go ‘whoa,’ because it was so advanced … or something, in the ‘straight off the boat’ part. I wonder if I tricked them by accident? I still have no idea what it is they’re talking about.”
The video for this song, directed by Arthur Pierson, was shot in the famed Paradise Gardens, a folk art sculpture garden crafted by artist Howard Finster in Pennville, Georgia. Finster, a Baptist minister, also painted the album art for R.E.M.’s second album, Reckoning.
Beside yourself if radio’s gonna stay. Reason: it could polish up the gray. Put that put that put that up your wall That this isn’t country at all
Raving station beside yourself
Keep me out of country in the word Deal the porch is leading us absurd. Push that push that push that to the hull That this isn’t nothing at all.
Straight off the boat where to go? Calling on in transit calling on in transit Radio Free Europe, radio
Beside defying media too fast Instead of pushing palaces to fall Put that, put that, put that before all That this isn’t fortunate at all
Raving station, beside yourself Calling on in transit, calling on in transit Radio Free Europe, radio
Decide yourself, calling all of the medias too fast
Keep me out of country in the word Disappoint is into us absurd
Straight off the boat, where to go? Calling on in transit, calling on in transit Radio Free Europe Radio Free Europe
Calling on in transit, calling on in transit Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe
Writer/s: BILL BERRY, PETER BUCK, MICHAEL MILLS, MICHAEL STIPE
Publisher: Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind
Here are a couple of other recordings of the song:
From Showtime’s Rock of the 80’s – Recorded live at the Palace – Los Angeles, CA – 1984
It’s time again, for Kat Myrman’s wonderful challenge, to write a story, inspired by her picture prompt, in 280 characters or fewer.
Here is this week’s prompt and my contribution.
Check out all the fabulously creative entries here and, if you’ve never had a go, why not try a story of your own? You may surprise yourself!
Photo by Tony Dinh at Unsplash.com
It was a huge turnout for the inaugural “Invisible Hot Air Balloon Convention.” The baskets had to be in the form of bird cages, but otherwise there were no restrictions.Balloons could be any shape and size, and colour. Everyone was ecstatic. Me, I just couldn’t see the attraction!
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
The theme for this week is Minutes/Hours/Days/ Weeks/Months. I think Jim left out the Seconds on purpose, just to make things more difficult!
I don’t know about everyone who participates in this great weekly music fest but, for me, it means I lose at least an hour when trying to choose what song I’m offering. I get rather carried away (some may say that I ought to be!) and spend ages listening to my own music, discovering other songs via linked videos, and looking up all sorts of facts about songs, groups, deaths, and so on. It is very addictive, but I have only myself to blame and, anyway, I thoroughly enjoy it!
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week I’m sharing a song, from the Ray Davies album, See My Friends. Anyone who knows Ray Davies will know that he formed The Kinks, in 1964, with his brother Dave. The group remained active for 32 years, then reformed in 2018 to produce a studio album. See My Friends was a single for the Kinks, released in 1965, and was probably the first pop song influenced by traditional music from the Indian Subcontinent.
The See My Friends album is a terrific mix of collaborations between Ray Davies and various artists ranging from Metallica to Paloma Faith. It was released in 2010. A list of tracks appears at the bottom of this post. Some of them, I’m sure, will be of interest. They really are a great mix of talents.
For your delight today I’ve chosen “Days/This Time Tomorrow” featuring Ray Davies (of course) and Mumford & Sons. I do hope you enjoy it.
Well, thank you for the days Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me I’m thinking of the days I won’t forget a single day, believe me I bless the light I bless the light that shines on you, believe me And though you’re gone You’re with me every single day, believe me Days I’ll remember all my life Days when you can’t see wrong from right You took my life but then I knew that Very soon you’d leave me, but it’s all right Now I’m not frightened of this world, believe me This time tomorrow, where will we be? On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea This time tomorrow, what will we know? Will we still be here watching an in-flight movie show? Leave the sun behind me and I’ll watch the clouds As they sadly pass me by, seven miles below me I can see the world and it ain’t so big at all This time tomorrow, what will we see? Field full of houses, endless rows of crowded streets I’ll leave the sun behind me and I’ll watch the clouds As they sadly pass me by, I’m in perpetual motion And the world below doesn’t matter much to me Thank you for the days (I’ll remember all my life) Those endless days (When you can’t see wrong from right) Thank you for the days (I’ll remember all my life) Those endless days (When you can’t see wrong from right) Thank you for the days (This time tomorrow) Those endless days (Where will you be?) Thank you for the days (On a spaceship somewhere) Those endless days (Sailing across an empty sea) This time tomorrow, where will we be? On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea
My thanks, as always, to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs. I see he’s added to his already heavy task this week by thanking, by name, each individual who contributed last week!
The theme for this week is School/Books/Learning. If you fancy sharing some of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries here.
Immediately, this week, I thought of “Another Brick In The Wall”, “Schools Out”, and many other well known school related songs.
Well, I’m not going to give you any of those. Instead, I’m going way back to 9 December 1957.
I was around then, but had little or no interest in pop music, charts, hits, girls, and definitely no interest in sex and drugs and rock and roll. It was an altogether more innocent time when Ricky Nelson sang “Waitin’ in School”. Some may recognise it from having heard it in the film “Pulp Fiction”.
I been a-waitin’ in school all day long A-waitin’ on the bell to ring so I can go home Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone “Hello, baby, let’s get somethin’ goin'”
Headin’ down to the drugstore to get a soda pop Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes
Well, it’s a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes Three, four, get out on the floor Five, six, come get your kicks Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six I’ve been a-waitin’ in school all day long A-waitin’ on the bell to ring so I could go home Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone “Hello, baby, let’s get somethin’ goin'”
Headin’ down to the drugstore to get a soda pop Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes
Well, it’s a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes Three, four, get out on the floor Five, six, come get your kicks Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
Well, it’s a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes Three, four, get out on the floor Five, six, come get your kicks Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
You gotta move, start rockin’ baby A rockin’, rockin’ baby Gonna rock all night, rock all night Just wait ‘n’ see
Ricky Nelson was, at one time, considered a very strong contender to eclipse Elvis Presley. Sadly, like so many stars, he died young. You can hear more about him by following the link below.
Thank you to Jim, who who has now adopted the fabulous Song Lyric Sunday, taking over from Helen Vardati who started this amazing weekly chance to share lots of favourites, and some not so familiar songs.
Helen rightly says SLS is a community, and no longer belongs to her, and Jim agrees that he does not own it, he just hosts it, and very well too if I may say so!
I know that we all hope to see Helen back in the blogging world as soon as she is ready. Thank you so much, Helen, for creating, and developing Song Lyric Sunday.
The theme for this week is Occupation and you can find all the great entries here.
I haven’t a single song in my collection that has the word occupation in its title, and anything that I could find online just would not do.
I have, therefore, gone with my occupation for over 28 years and offer, for your enjoyment, Soldier’s Song, issued in 1980 by The Hollies. This song was written by Mike Batt, who created The Wombles! Such a pity that he is remembered more for that, than for all the fantastic songs he wrote, and for all his great musical productions.
Soldier’s Song is Bitter Sweet and tells the story of a young soldier, going off to war, who is taken in by a more mature lady. She takes pity on him and wishes to “make a man of him” before he dies in battle. He doesn’t die, and returns, only to find that the lady has been raped and killed in the drunken rampages of his fellow victors.
Lyrics
The smoke was slowly rising as the light began to fade There were fires on the skyline from some distant border raid There I was riding out at seventeen to join my first brigade Many years ago
And I chanced upon a farmhouse where the woman took me in She gave me food and wine she gave me shelter from the wind She delayed me from my regiment and service of my king Many years ago
She said, “Soldier before I lose you to the fight Oh, my soldier, I’ll make a man of you tonight” She took me over in the fading fire glow On that wild and misty night she was my woman
When I rose next morning I was gone before she stood Tore myself away from there and left without a word The sound of distant infantry was the only sound I heard On that morning
And in that day I aged ten years and died a thousand deaths I learned the feel of frozen steel and fear within my breast But the lesson I’ll remember till they lay me to my rest Keeps returning
She said, “Soldier before I lose you to the fight Oh, my soldier, I’ll make a man of you tonight” She took me over in the fading fire glow On that wild and misty night she was my woman
And when the dice of war were thrown and victory was won My drunken young compatriots went out to have their fun And there was no single house they didn’t burn or overrun on that evening
And I rode out to that place again as hard as I could ride But I found her by the cradle on that lonely mountainside In the hands of those brave friends of mine she suffered and she died Many years ago
“Soldier before I lose you to the fight” She said, “Soldier I’ll make a man of you tonight” She took me over in the fading fire glow On that wild and misty night she was my woman
Jim Adams continues to look after Song Lyric Sunday, giving us the chance to share lots of favourites, and some not so familiar songs.
The theme for this week is Harmony/Melody/Music and you can find all the great entries here.
Some will have not heard this one before. It is a song by the Bee Gees, written in 1968 and released in 1969 on their album Odessa. It was never released as a single but appeared on many compilation albums and was a hit in Japan (which probably explains the video footage). The album was not a great success when released, and the group’s fortunes declined soon after, although later the album received positive critical reviews and came to be regarded as their most significant release in the 60’s.
Andy Gibb‘s 1974 group, was named Melody Fayre after this song, which is, of course, called Melody Fair.
LULU, who was married to Maurice Gibb from 1969, until their divorce in 1973, also recorded this song. Here she is singing it, to my mind, not quite as effectively!
It’s time again, for Kat Myrman’s wonderful challenge, to write a story, inspired by her picture prompt, in 280 characters or fewer.
Here is this week’s prompt and my contribution.
Check out all the fabulously creative entries here and, if you’ve never had a go, why not try a story of your own? You may surprise yourself!
photo by Skeeze on Pixabay.com
Darling
Great idea but, as codes go, rather complicated. Understand that each love heart represents a letter of the alphabet and further variation is provided by the colour of the heart.
This message of 57 characters is now down to 40. The dog ate the rest!
Please Text me, or Call me
(280 characters) and I bet some of you counted the love hearts!
Thank you to Jim Adams, who tirelessly hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
Photo by Tony Dinh at Unsplash.com
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs.
Photo by Matthew Henry at Unsplash.com
My thanks, as always, to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday, and gives us the chance to share lots of favourite, and some not so familiar, songs. I see he’s added to his already heavy task this week by thanking, by name, each individual who contributed last week!
Thank you to Jim, who who has now adopted the fabulous Song Lyric Sunday, taking over from Helen Vardati who started this amazing weekly chance to share lots of favourites, and some not so familiar songs.
Jim Adams continues to look after Song Lyric Sunday, giving us the chance to share lots of favourites, and some not so familiar songs.
photo by Skeeze on Pixabay.com