A post

Song of the day: A band - "No Reaction"

I posted this track a couple of years ago but was told by the Blog Police at the time that something in the post was a big no-no. It was the first such notice I'd ever received, and I removed it instantly hoping that I'd never receive another email that scared the heebie jeebies out of me.

However, I'm feeling particularly brave today, and I really want to share this song with you, so I had another look at the contents of the original post. I've modified what I think may have been the contentious bits and I'm going to try one more time. So, fingers crossed and on to the post...

If there's something I'm a complete sucker for, it's a jangly drone. For those of you who are interested in the fiddly details (if you're not a guitarist, you've probably already lost interest in this paragraph): a jangle is usually based around a G chord on the guitar (G major is the jangliest key of all – just ask The Byrds or Big Star); and a drone is when you keep playing the same high notes (or repeat a sequence of high notes) but move the lowest note.

Drones: I love 'em. Jangle: Love it. Jangly drone: Oh, man...

For today's song, non-power-pop artists A band quite kindly supply an excellent jangly drone in "No Reaction" (it happens at 1:18 and at 2:43, with a variation of it at the start):

this band - "No Reaction" (1979)

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"No Reaction" appears on the band's second album, Head Injuries (1979).

(Incidentally, if you're a guitarist you would have noticed that the main jangly drone in the song centres around A minor 7 and E minor 7. I just want to reassure you that you aren't going mad because you didn't hear G major in amongst all that jangle. Mmm, jangle...)

As a bonus, here's a live version that appears on the audio extras part of the band's Best Of Both Worlds DVD (2004). The band simply roars:

this band - "No Reaction" (live) (1982)
(Saturday Night at The Capitol, 27 November 1982)

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G major. Yum.

Song of the day: Chocolate Starfish - "You're So Vain"

Well, why not?

Chocolate Starfish - "You're So Vain" (1994)

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And the original:

Carly Simon - "You're So Vain" (1972)

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Chocolate Starfish on MySpace

Song of the day: Ratcat - "Yes I Wanna Go"

As a corrective to yesterday's song by the inimitable imitable Miley Cyrus, here's the cheerful and noisy (and Australian) Ratcat:

Ratcat - "Yes I Wanna Go" (1991)

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Musical coincidences # 106

The marvellously helpful Power Population (Hi, Ppop!) alerted me to today's coincidence.

Survivor's "High On You" starts with a synthesizer doing this:

Survivor - "High On You" (1984) (excerpt)

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Now, Power Population reckons – and I agree wholeheartedly – that it sounds like...

Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - "Who Loves You" (1975) (excerpt)

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Yep.

Here are the full versions:

Survivor - "High On You" (1984)

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Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - "Who Loves You" (1975)

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Song of the day: Miley Cyrus - "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

It is with a great deal of reluctance that I present today's song to you. The 14-year-old in the household (Hi, Natalie!) insisted on me putting it on this blog. I told her that I wasn't interested in putting a Miley Cyrus song – any Miley Cyrus song – on the blog, as Miss Cyrus and her music aren't what I'd call power pop. (And it's not what I'd call Australian, either.) I also appealed to the youngster's sense of decency by stating: "But people who read this blog are going to hate it."

Unfortunately, the 14-year-old in the household wouldn't have any of it. She employed pester power for a couple of weeks, and I resisted as long as I could, but as the pester power increased I thought to myself "Well, maybe if I put it on the blog she'll stop pestering me to put it on the blog," and "Maybe people reading this blog won't even notice it. It's only one song out of a few hundred on the blog. And you never know – maybe nobody will visit the blog that day."

So, it is with great reluctance that I present to you today's ditty:

Disclaimer: I haven't heard it. And you don't have to either. You're under no obligation whatsoever to play it. At all. Ever.

Miley Cyrus - "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (2008)

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And here's the original:

Cyndi Lauper - "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" (1983)

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I was trying to think of something positive to say about Miley's version, but the only thing I could think of was that Miley Cyrus' name has two "y"s in it, one more than Cyndi Lauper. I can't think of anything else.

By the way, Wikipedia reckons that the song "gained recognition as a feminist anthem". Whenever I listen to it I must admit that I don't think of feminism at all. I just think of Cyndi Lauper running around in her video dressed in clothes that hurt my eyes.

Song of the day: Matt Finish - "You Get So"

The title of yesterday's song reminded me of this:

Matt Finish - "You Get So" (1981)

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Thanks, Research Turtles, for reminding me of that Matt Finish track. The thing I like most about "You Get So" is the instrumental break in the middle (2:20 - 2:48). It's a drone – I love drones – and it reappears near the end of the song to fade it out (from 3:26 onwards). Magnificent.

Matt Finish official website
Matt Finish on MySpace

Song of the day: Research Turtles - "You Are So"

Before I start this post properly, I just want to point out that the above picture is of the Research Turtles.

(Note to self: Who else would it be, you fool? The Research Turtles are playing the Song of the day today.)

I pinched that photo from the Contact page on the band's website. When I saw that photo I noticed something about the chap standing at the front in the photo: his feet are missing. And then I noticed that everyone else is missing their feet, too. Does it mean that because the guy in front doesn't have any feet, the rest of the band decided in an act of solidarity that they're all going to go without feet? Or does it mean that the band are subtly letting you know that they like the movie Footloose?

Those may all be perfectly valid questions (or not at all), but they're getting in the way of the purpose of today's post which is to highlight the Research Turtles' latest music. Now on to the proper post...

The Research Turtles have a new album coming out (in two parts), but if you follow my friend Stonefish's blog you'd know that already, as Stoneward mentioned the band's latest endeavours a couple of days ago. And I'm glad Stoney-onio already posted something about the RT's, because the Stonester has saved me a whole lot of typing by filling you in on all relevant Research Turtle details, as well providing a mini-critique of the first part of their new album. (Thanks, Stoneissimo!)

For his blog post, Stonecraft played you "Bugs In A Jar", the single from the RT's album. Stonehenge liked it. Unfortunately, I didn't because it reminded me too much of Coldplay's "Yellow". (I don't want to hear any song that reminds me of Coldplay's "Yellow".) I much preferred the other tracks on offer. Stonesthrow wasn't too keen on "You Are So", but it was my favourite by far. Ah, the variety of musical tastes:

Research Turtles - "You Are So" (2011)


Research Turtles official website
Research Turtles on MySpace
Research Turtles on Facebook

Musical coincidences # 105

This coincidence, like the one yesterday, was suggested by Mr. Fabulous who reckons that these two tracks sound alike:

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Born On The Bayou" (1969) (excerpt)

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k.d. lang - "Just Keep me Moving" (1993) (excerpt)

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Maybe. But to me, that Creedence track sounds more like this...

Jellyfish - "He's My Best Friend" (1993) (excerpt)

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Here are the full versions so you can decide for yourself what sounds like what (or not):

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Born On The Bayou" (1969)

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k.d. lang - "Just Keep me Moving" (1993)

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Jellyfish - "He's My Best Friend" (1993)

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Song of the day: The Sports - "Who Listens To The Radio?"

Yesterday's track about listening to the radio reminded me of this:

The Sports - "Who Listens To The Radio?" (1978)

Update: Unfortunately, Blogger has let me know in no uncertain terms that something in this post is infringing on some kind of copyright. Exactly what that something is I don't know, as Blogger doesn't actually tell you which part of the blog is the naughty part. My guess is the MP3s so I've removed them. Hopefully, I won't get another notice from Blogger about whatever it is in this post that's bothersome.



By the way, The Sports re-recorded the song in 1979 (and dropped the question mark). Here 'tis:

The Sports - "Who Listens To The Radio" (1979)

Update: See above.

Musical coincidences # 104

I want to thank Dr. Keats Mr. Fabulous for reminding me of one of the most obvious musical coincidences available to human ears, and one that I had completely forgotten about until Mr. Fabulous reminded me. (Thanks, Mr. F!)

Now to the coincidence. It has been said that this...

Sweet - "Blockbuster" (1973) (excerpt)

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...sounds like this...

David Bowie - "The Jean Genie" (1973) (excerpt)

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I'd agree with that.

Apparently, all parties involved say that it's pure coincidence. I'd also agree with that. 1973 was the height of glam, after all, and most glam songs had simple riffs and even simpler footstomping beats. Like those in "The Jean Genie" and "Blockbuster".

Blockbuster Trivia (and this is extremely trivial): that Sweet song is known nowadays as "Blockbuster", but it was released in 1973 as "Block Buster!". However, as it has been listed as "Blockbuster" on pretty much every compilation album it's appeared on since 1973, it is invariably called "Blockbuster".

Sweet - "Blockbuster" (1973)

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David Bowie - "The Jean Genie" (1973)

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Song of the day: Cheap Trick - "On The Radio"

Today I have a hankerin' for playing you a song from my all-time favourite* power pop album, Cheap Trick's Heaven Tonight (1978).

Which song to choose, though? Hmm. While I'm making up my mind, I'll play you track 7:

Cheap Trick - "On The Radio" (1978)

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Nope. I still can't make up my mind. Isn't it horrible when you love every song on an album and can't choose just one to let people know why you love that album? Grrr.

Cheap Trick official website
Cheap Trick on MySpace
Cheap Trick on Facebook

(*Although I'm not much of a list person – I don't go in for those things you read that rank things in order, like Top 500 Rick Astley songs, or Top 20 Songs of 1897, or Top 34 Albanian Go-Go Tunes etc – I have no hesitation in naming Heaven Tonight as my all-time favourite power pop album. It used to be the Raspberries' Best until I realised that technically it's not an album because it's a compilation of singles and album tracks, and that's not really the same as an album album.)

Musical coincidences # 103

Speaking of Badfinger (I mentioned them in yesterday's coincidence), this coincidence involves them again. And a slide guitar.

I know this is a very tiny coincidence (it's only about four notes) but it's bugged me for ages, ever since I first heard the newer of the two songs.

Jellyfish's "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (1993) starts with a slide guitar doing this:


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That always – and I mean always – reminds me of the start of Badfinger's "Day After Day" (1971):


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Here are the full versions:

Jellyfish - "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (1993)

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Badfinger - "Day After Day" (1971)

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Song of the day: Johnny Farnham - "Everything Is Out Of Season"

Here's a little ditty from 1973* that I find catchy and quite groovy:

Johnny Farnham - "Everything Is Out Of Season" (1973)

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And here's the original:

The Fortunes - "Everything Is Out Of Season" (1972)

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John Farnham official website

The Fortunes official website

(*Mmm: 1973)

Musical coincidences # 102

Today's coincidence isn't exactly musical – it's lyrical.

You're no doubt familiar with this line in The Beatles' "Help!" (1965):


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Well, so is Badfinger:

Badfinger - "Because I Love You" (1981) (excerpt)

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Here are the full versions:

The Beatles - "Help!" (1965)

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Badfinger - "Because I Love You" (1981)

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Song of the day: Justin Kline - "How I Became The Wind"

I've already played you a few songs by today's artist, but I'm in the mood to play you another one.

Here's American multi-instrumentalist / writer-of-horrendously-catchy-songs Justin Kline with a track from his latest album, Triangle / Six Songs*:

Justin Kline - "How I Became The Wind" (2010)

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Justin Kline official website
Justin Kline on Facebook
Justin Kline on MySpace
Justin Kline on Twitter

(*Have you bought your copy of Justin's album yet? What do you mean "No, I haven't."? It's only $10. What's stopping you? Oh, I see. Well, maybe you can save up for it. Or maybe someone can buy it for your birthday. What's that? You haven't even heard of Justin Kline? Well, he's an American musician who writes horrendously catchy songs...)

Song of the day: Spiderbait - "Calypso"

Here's one of Australia's nastiest* bands with one of their least nasty songs:

Spiderbait - "Calypso" (1996)

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(*Their lyrics are vicious.)

Musical coincidences # 101

I couldn't get a hold of the MP3 of one of the songs on offer today, so I'm afraid that you'll have to be content with the full versions of each. But for this coincidence that's no big problem because there are no three-second sections to ponder or any hidden bass riffs etc – it's simply a matter of listening to both tracks. You'll hear the similarity in no time:

Charles Jenkins - "Across The Nullarbor" (2009)

Dragon - "Get That Jive" (1977):

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Song of the day: John Paul Young - "Yesterday's Hero"

This here blog has been going a couple of years, and I've discovered that I have never played you today's song. That's dreadful. (Not the song, the fact that I've never put it on the blog before. Inexcusable.)

John Paul Young - "Yesterday's Hero" (1975)

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or


By the way (you may already know this), the Bay City Rollers covered "Yesterday's Hero":

Bay City Rollers - "Yesterday's Hero" (1976)

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And a band called Words covered the Bay City Rollers version of "Yesterday's Hero" on a Bay City Rollers tribute album*:

Words - "Yesterday's Hero" (1999)

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And...

There's another version of "Yesterday's Hero". It was recorded by the singer/actor Paul Nicholas for a 1979 movie called Yesterday's Hero. The movie was written by Jackie Collins, and it stars Ian McShane, Suzanne Somers, Adam Faith, as well as the aforementioned Mr. Nicholas. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this.

I couldn't find an MP3 or video of Paul Nicholas performing "Yesterday's Hero" (I wouldn't have minded hearing it, but I'm not prepared to go rent the video just to hear Paul Nicholas warble one song). However, I did find this video of Paul performing one of his other recordings:



(*That makes me wonder if:

1. the Bay City Rollers didn't write enough of their songs to fill a tribute album; or

2. maybe the band who recorded the tribute didn't know that "Yesterday's Hero" wasn't a Rollers original.

But if Option 2 was the case, wouldn't that tribute band have done at least a bit of research beforehand and found out that "Yesterday's Hero" wasn't an original Rollers song?)

Song of the day: You Am I - "Making Time"

Just over a week ago I played you You Am I's version of an Easybeats song ("She's So Fine") that was recorded live in 1996.

I thought You Am I did such a splendid¹ marvellous job on that song that I want to play you another cover version they recorded live (at the same gig). This time they chose a song from obscure² English 60's band The Creation:

You Am I - "Making Time" (Live At Wiseold's) (1996)

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Here's the original:

The Creation - "Making Time" (1965)

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You Am I official website
You Am I on MySpace
You Am I on Facebook

Unnecessary Text Formatting Aside: I'm toying with using numbers instead of asterisks for my pointless footnotes. If you feel strongly either way – and there's absolutely no reason why you would, unless you were a pedant like me – then let those feelings be known and tell me why either method is totally right or totally wrong.

(¹I've just noticed that I've been using the word "splendid" way too often in the last few days. I guess "splendid" was Word of the Week in the Peter household. I think I'll make "flibbertigibbet" next week's overused word.)

(²I'd never heard of The Creation before, but if you have then feel free to ignore the word "obscure" in that sentence.)

Song of the day: The Corner Laughers - "Transamerica Pyramid"

I had planned on gettin' back to some Australian songs, but this turned up in my electronic travels and I couldn't resist it:

The Corner Laughers - "Transamerica Pyramid" (2011)


Tomorrow we'll have an Australia song. Sort of. (It's an Australian band playing a song from England.)

The Corner Laughers official website
The Corner Laughers on MySpace
The Corner Laughers on Facebook

The difference between The Zombies and The Who

The Zombies - "Road Runner" (1965)

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The Who - "Roadrunner / My Generation Blues" (1975)

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And the original:


Bo Diddley - "Road Runner" (1960)
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Song of the day: Rob Bonfiglio - "That's Alright"

I think it's time for a non-Australian artist.

Here's American Rob Bonfiglio (sorry, I'll clarify that: his name's Rob Bonfiglio, not "American Rob Bonfiglio") with a splendid, splendid piece of bona fide power pop:

Rob Bonfiglio - "That's Alright" (2008)

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Maybe from now on I can call him Rob Bonafide* instead.

That track appears on Rob's 2008 album, Bring On The Happy. I think it's well worth buyin'. The album is moderately difficult to find (it took me a while to find it), but currently your best option (you are going to buy it, aren't you?) is CD Baby where they're selling it for $9.97. Bargain!

To help you make up your album-buying mind, here's another track from Bring On The Happy:

Rob Bonfiglio - "What You Need" (2008)

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And another one:

Rob Bonfiglio - "Blow Me Away" (2008)

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What's not to like?

Rob Bonfiglio on MySpace
Rob Bonfiglio on Facebook

(*Note to self: That is a really bad joke, Peter.)

Musical coincidences # 100

Woohoo! 100 coincidences! Woohoo!

To celebrate the monumental-to-no-one-but-me centenary of Musical coincidences on this blog, I want to present to you a song that contains one of the most brazen rip-offs surprising coincidences I've ever heard. And it's all thanks to Mr. Fabulous who let me know about it. Thanks awfully, Mr. Fabulous.

I'd like to preface the following musical shenanigans with what I think may be a new musical rule:

One person's verse can be another person's chorus (and vice versa*)

Lily Allen - "Not Fair" (2009) (verse)

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The Statler Brothers - "Flowers On The Wall" (1965) (chorus)

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Easy.

Here are the full versions:

Lily Allen - "Not Fair" (2009)

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The Statler Brothers - "Flowers on The Wall" (1965)

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(*No pun intended. Well, maybe a little.)

Song of the day: Paul Kelly And The Coloured Girls - "Darling It Hurts"

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Here's Paul Kelly with his punniest song:

Paul Kelly And The Coloured Girls - "Darling It Hurts" (1987)

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Splendid.

Paul Kelly official website
Paul Kelly on MySpace

Musical coincidences # 99

Today's coincidence comes yet again from one of Mr. Fabulous's suggestions.

Australian 80's rock band Uncanny X-Men released their first single, "Pakistan", in 1982. The melody in the verse starts off like this:

Uncanny X-Men - "Pakistan" (1982) (excerpt)

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I have a feeling that whoever wrote that song may have heard this at some time when they were a kiddy:

The Monkees - "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (1967) (excerpt)

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Thanks for pointing that out, Mr. Fabulous. I would probably have never known otherwise.

Here are the full versions:

Uncanny X-Men - "Pakistan" (1982)

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The Monkees - "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (1967)

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