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BORN IN THE USA
Despite what some of our American cousins may think, America is not the centre of the Universe. But credit where credit is due: its influence on music cannot be challenged. So, falling on the 4th of July, it was only fitting that our show this week be dedicated to the ultimate musical melting pot – the old US of A.
The playlist is, I think, a balanced one. There are songs that celebrate America and some that are intent on a reality check. You can find that list and lots of links to further information at the BayFM site. Here’s one of my favourite tracks of the day:
Ah, bugger it, here’s another one!
Next week, the show will be on ARGUMENTS. Which means that the song could be about the subject or, more interesting of course, the song could take on the form of an argument. Love to see what you come up with. Get in contact!
Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM at the new time of Mondays 1–2pm, Sydney time
Also streaming via BayFM
Tragically also on Facebook and Twitter
Email me at: lyn.themeparkradio@gmail.com
SONGS ABOUT CONCERTS
There’s something about seeing an act in concert that, (if they’re good that is), makes you a fan forever. One of the first concerts I ever attended was by The Beatles. I know, I know, I’m showing my age! I had to get my Mum’s permission to go and, to be honest, we couldn’t hear a thing for all the screaming, much of which came from my best friend Helen. But we thought we were the ants pants and I’ve never forgotten that day.
So, it was fitting that SGT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND opened our show on CONCERTS. Check out this clip from the movie ‘The Beatles Yellow Submarine’ and you’ll have to agree it was a perfect kick off to this week’s program:
Every concert is unique of course, but LCD Soundsystem reckon that DAFT PUNK IS PLAYING AT MY HOUSE. Oh, if only it were true!
Now, that would be a hard gig to follow. For something completely different, look no further than Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band with THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE BY THE ‘BACHELORS’, a great piece of satire about performing on the English club circuit.
STAGE FRIGHT by The Band is a song that just may resonate with some of you. It tells the story of a performer who sings just like a bird but is terrified every time he has to get up in front of an audience. Here’s a clip from the film The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese in 1978. Rick Danko R.I.P.
Not shy at all are Dire Straits. SULTANS OF SWING is about a band blowing Dixie in double four time. A perfect concert song, if ever there was one. And here they are performing it live. Excellent. It’s the seminal concert at which they recorded the album ‘Alchemy: Dire Straits Live’. The album cover, btw, was taken from a painting by Australian artist Brett Whitely.
Wild Cherry’s PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC is autobiographical. The group were a rock band, but in 1975 were competing with Disco for their loyal followers attention. So they wrote a song to suit the times and it’s probably the most recognised funk song there is.
The lyrics of SMOKE ON THE WATER, by Deep Purple, tell a true story too. It was December 1971 and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were performing in concert at the Montreux Casino Theatre. In the middle of Don Preston’s King Kong synthesizer solo the place suddenly caught alight. Deep Purple were staying on the other side of the lake and witnessed the fire and the smoke on the water and the rest, as they say, is history.
Arguably, the most famous outdoor concert is Woodstock. And one of the most famous songs about that concert is Joni Mitchell’s WOODSTOCK. She wrote the song after being told about it by her then boyfriend Graham Nash. She wasn’t actually there herself. I prefer Matthews Southern Comfort’s version, which is probably heresy to all you Joni fans. But take a listen. I think its got a really relaxed tone to it that suits the material well. Some cool images of the Woodstock concert in this clip too.
David Bowie’s ZIGGY STARDUST is from the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders of Mars . A concert film of the same name was directed by D.A. Pennebaker in 1973. Here’s Bowie singing the song on the Jonathan Ross show in 2002. Is it just me, or does the Dude just get better and better?
Sadly all the soul legends referred to in Arthur Conley’s classic SWEET SOUL MUSIC are no longer with us. How good it would have been to see them all in concert. Arthur Conley passed away himself in 2003. Here he is, on the way to the Go-Go in 1966:
I do like to play a little country music now and again, and Johnny Cash’s song about THE NIGHT HANK WILLIAMS CAME TO TOWN fitted the playlist to a tee. As did Camera Obscura’s brilliant version of Abba’s SUPERTROUPER. But the finale of the show had to go to Jackson Browne’s ode to the hard-working roadie. THE LOAD OUT was a perfect finish to a show dedicated to concerts.
Next week’s show will be on SECRET VICES/GUILTY PLEASURES. I’ve been glued to the tele watching the Eurovision Song Contest this past weekend, so that’s my guilty pleasure at the moment. What’s yours? And have they written a song about it? Let me know!
Meanwhile, here’s this week’s complete playlist:
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
Daft Punk Is Playing At My House – LCD Soundsystem
The Bride Stripped Bare By ‘Bachelors’ – Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Stage Fright – The Band
Sultans Of Swing – Dire Straits
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple
Woodstock – Matthews’ Southern Comfort
Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie
Sweet Soul Music – Arthur Conley
The Night Hank Williams Came To Town – Johnny Cash
Super Trouper – Camera Obscura
The Load-Out – Jackson Browne
Next week: SECRET VICES
DARING TO BE DIFFERENT: Songs about homosexuality
Sexuality, as the openly gay Michael Stipe has said “is a really slippery thing”. He says he’s not homosexual or heterosexual, he’s just sexual. I call that covering all
your bases! With November 27th being Australia’s National Day of Action for Marriage Equality and December 1 being World Aids Day, it was a time for a show on HOMOSEXUALITY. I also wanted to pay tribute to a community who are still fighting for basic human rights. India held its very first gay pride march on the weekend after repealing laws against homosexuality only last year. In the US, only California allows same-sex marriages and in countries where these marriages are legal they don’t necessarily come with the right to adopt children. And in Australia our Prime Minister, Julia Guillard, shocked her (until now, anyway) supporters with her stand against gay marriage. So there’s obviously still a long way to go.
For the record I identify myself as straight so, just to give me some credibility, I invited two beautiful and brazen gay friends into the studio to help present the show: fellow BayFM announcers Tommy T-Jet from ‘All Things Camp’ and the lovely Lou from the Tuesday morning breakfast show, ‘Cock a Doodle Doo’.
We opened with a song for Tommy: Elton Motello’s JET BOY JET GIRL is a risque little number about a 15-year-old boy’s sexual relationship with an older man, who then rejects him for a girl. With its chorus of “ooh ooh ooh ooh, he gives me head,” it has been embraced as something of a punk gay anthem. Talking of punk, one of the best bands to emerge from the Queercore movement that started in the 80’s is Pansy Division. They have a huge repertoire of funny and pertinent punk songs about the gay experience and I played one of my faves, FEM IN A BLACK LEATHER JACKET. Part silly, part raucous, part earnest, you cannot ignore them, that’s for sure!
As far as I know Ben Harper is straight. And he’s a good example of your typical New Age Sensitive Guy with an evolved attitude about sexuality. He does a great acoustic number about a woman who leaves her abusive husband for a relationship with a woman. It’s called MAMA’S GOT A GIRLFRIEND NOW.
Marc Almond (ex-Soft Cell) takes Charles Aznavour’s WHAT MAKES A MAN and gives it a whole new meaning. Here he is appearing at the Royal Albert Hall:
I caught up with Melia and Nerida from Scarlett Affection at the Mullum Music Fest and among other things we discussed gay marriage from a straight girl’s point of view. As they quite rightly state, it’s all about love. We followed it with another sister act, the openly gay duo Tegan and Sara with I WAS MARRIED. This video clip was shot at their show at the Pumphouse Theatre in Calgary. Love, love, love Tegan and Sara.
Gay icon k.d. lang is a girl with an appetite and she blames it all on CONSTANT CRAVING. This video looks amazing as does k.d.
The Gossip’s lead singer Beth Ditto wrote STANDING IN THE WAY OF CONTROL as a response to the US government’s opposition to same sex marriage. Check this vid of them performing live and then try and tell me that Beth D. doesn’t absolutely rock! So good to see a young rock band with political attitude and a young woman not starving herself to death to fit the media’s idea of what’s sexy.
Jens Lekman is fed up with being a pretend boyfriend for his lesbian mate on A POSTCARD TO NINA. In this videoclip, shot when he performed live in Melbourne in 2006, his guitar died so he played the song on his ukelele while his band mates tried to sort out technical difficulties. Is he as cute as a button, or what?
Franz Ferdinand are, (I think) heterosexual but that didn’t stop them from playing the homoeroticism game on the track MICHAEL. Look, if its good enough for Bowie, then why not? Pete Shelley, on the other hand, isn’t shy about his sexual preference. The post-Buzzcocks pop single HOMOSAPIEN was banned by the BBC for its “explicit reference to gay sex”. Dear oh dear, when is the BBC going to get with the program?
Lou thought the list was getting a little male-dominated, so we couldn’t have that! She had a great suggestion – Ani DiFranco with BOTH HANDS. Following that I proved that Katie Perry is just another copycat. A cute copycat, but a copycat nonetheless. Jill Sobule’s I KISSED A GIRL was a hit way back in 1995. Check this out:
While I was at the Mullum Music Festival I spoke to volunteer David about his thoughts on AIDS and HIV awareness. His opinion is that there is a growing complacency within the gay community about safe sex and my guest presenter Tommy agreed with this. Yes, there is medication these days that can prolong your life but who wants to be on medication for the rest of their life? As with all diseases, prevention is always the best option.
A reminder that December 1 is WORLD AIDS DAY. The theme this year is TAKE ACTION. NO DISCRIMINATION. The aim is to encourage all Australians to be aware of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS; to take action to reduce the transmission of HIV by promoting safe sex practices; and to accept individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Bruce Springsteen’s STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA was written for the first mainstream film to confront HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. Philadelphia was released in 1993. It was inspired by the story of Geoffrey Bowers, an lawyer who in 1987 sued the law firm Baker & McKenzie for unfair dismissal in one of the first AIDS discrimination cases. Here’s Bruce baby with the official clip for the song which went on to win an Academy award:
I was feeling the need for an anthem and you can’t go past Gloria Gaynor’s I AM WHAT I AM. The song originally featured on the Tony award winning Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles. Here’s Gloria in 1984:
Next up it was the always briliant Scissor Sisters with TAKE YOUR MAMA. Apparently, the band took their name from a sexual position between two women. Lou refused to elaborate! Here are they are performing at the 2010 Brit Awards. So wish I had been in that audience!
Our Gig Guide was ushered out with the very silly, but quite infectious, GAY BAR from Electric Six. It seems that we don’t have any lesbian or gay bars up here in the Byron shire. According to my panel of experts its all a bit underground. Oooh.
Time to get a bit more serious with my favourite socialist, Billy Bragg singing TENDER COMRADE and then a request from one of our listeners, Ryan, was granted with The Lemonheads singing BIG GAY HEART.
I absolutely adore the Joan Armatrading song THE WEAKNESS IN ME. Hard finding a decent videoclip of her performing it, but here’s one where she’s accompanied by keboards only. It’s not a great quality video but had to include it. What a voice.
Before I knew it the two hours was up and it was time to close the show and it had to be with the polymorphously perverse David Bowie and QUEEN BITCH. The year was 1972. Not sure what I think of the introduction of Bowie as a ‘self-constructed freak’. I have the feeling that he might have enjoyed that!
Huge thank you to Lou and Tommy for their help this week and allowing me to be a gay for a day.
For more information on community based gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender health issues contact ACON via their website at: http://www.acon.org.au/ or use their Free Call number 1800 063 060.
Thanks to Tommy T-Jet for editing the opinion sections of the show. You can listen to us having a bit of a chat between songs at: http://soundcloud.com/tommytjet/theme-park-30th-november-2010-homosexuality
Next week I’ll be ushering in the Summer season with a show on the SUN. Please leave me a message here if you would like to request a track. Until next week, remember to love one another (anyway you like!).
Here’s the playlist:
Jet Boy Jet Girl – Jet Boy Jet Girl, Elton Motello
Fem in a Black Leather Jacket – The Essential Pansy Division, Pansy Division
Mama’s Got a Girlfriend Now – Pleasure and Pain, Ben Harper and Tom Freund
What Makes A Man – 12 Years Of Tears – Live At The Royal Albert Hall, Marc Almond
I Was Married – The Con, Tegan and Sara
Constant Craving – Live By Request, k.d. lang
Standing In The Way Of Control – Standing In The Way Of Control, The Gossip
Do You Come Here Often – Telstar The Tornados
A Postcard To Nina – Night Falls Over Kortedala, Jens Lekman
Michael – Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand
Homosapien – Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The 80’s, Pete Shelley
Both Hands – Ani DiFranco, Ani DiFranco
I Kissed A Girl – Hottest 100 Vol 03 [Disc 1], Jill Sobule
Streets of Philadelphia – Philadelphia Sountrack, Bruce Springsteen
I Am What I AM – I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor
Take Your Mama – Scissor Sisters, Scissor Sisters
It’s Alright – Shaming of the Sun, Indigo Girls
Secret Love – All Blues, Chet Baker
Gay Bar – Triple J Hottest 100, Vol. 11 [Disc 1], Electric Six
Tender Comrade – Workers Playtime, Billy Bragg
Big Gay Heart – Come On Feel The Lemonheads, The Lemonheads
The Weakness In Me – The L Word Full Soundtrack [Disc 2], Joan Armatrading
Queen Bitch – Hunky Dory, David Bowie
Next week: SONGS ABOUT THE SUN
GREAT INTRODUCTIONS
Ok, so there are intros and then they’re are great intros. What qualifies as great in my books? In this week’s playlist some songs feature opening segments that are totally independent from the rest of the track. Others just start with the main riff. Our opening song, INTRO/SWEET JANE is from Lou Reed’s live album Rock n Roll Animal, released in 1974, and it’s a terrific example of a great intro. The opening jam from guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner creates an air of anticipation for what is still to come. The quality of this video clip isn’t great but I had to include it because any chance to see Lou and the band performing in 1974 is worth the annoyance.
The Breeders, (what a brilliant name for an almost all girl band), was formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of The Pixies and Tanya Donnelly of Throwing Muses. Their most successful album Last Splash produced the hit single CANNONBALL and the outstanding part of that song’s intro is the bass line, performed by Josephine Wiggs. The music video was directed by Kim Gordon and Spike Jonze and its a doozy:
The opening salutation on Stevie Wonder’s SIR DUKE is not an introduction that blends into the song; those actual chords are never repeated. It’s a tribute to Duke Ellington and so the intro sets the tone for the piece as a whole, foreshadowing the looser, jazzier solos later in the song.
On Isaac Hayes’ brilliant funk version of the Dionne Warwick classic WALK ON BY the intro becomes a song within a song. On this clip Isaac performs live at Music Scene in 1969. OMG: Sex on a stick. But, about those girls dresses…..
The song ONE STEP BEYOND is from the Madness album of the same name. It was originally written and recorded by the Jamaican ska musician Prince Buster. The spoken line, “Don’t watch that, watch this” in the intro is from another Prince Buster song The Scorcher. Here they are at Glastonbury 2007 showing why they have such a great reputation for live performance:
One of the most recognisable intros in rock history is HOTEL CALIFORNIA from The Eagles. But when it comes to intros that get your attention and then drag you in, kicking and screaming, it has to be rock legends Led Zeppelin. IMMIGRANT SONG is famous for Robert Plant’s distinctive wailing cry at the beginning and the recurring staccato riff from Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and, (sigh), John Bonham.
The Rolling Stones’ GIMME SHELTER starts rather timidly, with Keith Richards’ set of wavering chords, but it soon builds into a crescendo dominated by the lead guitar line. Here they are performing live in Amsterdam, 1995 with Lisa Fisher on back-up. Watch until the end and get a little bonus from Charlie Watts.
SMOKE ON THE WATER from Deep Purple is known for Ritchie Blackmore’s instantly recognisable opening riff. The lyrics of the song tell a true story: on 4 December 1971 Deep Purple had set up camp in Montreux Switzerland to record an album using a mobile recording studio at the entertainment complex that was part of the Montreux Casino. On the eve of the recording session a Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention concert was held in the casino’s theatre. In the middle of Don Preston’s synthesizer solo on “King Kong”, the place suddenly caught fire when somebody in the audience fired a flare gun into the rattan covered ceiling. The resulting fire destroyed the entire casino complex, along with all the Mothers’ equipment. The “smoke on the water” that became the title of the song referred to the smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva from the burning casino as the members of Deep Purple watched the fire from their hotel across the lake.
It was difficult to pick from AC/DC’s repertoire of great introductions but I went with my all-time favourite, THUNDERSTRUCK. Angus Young gets the crowd going during this intro at Donnington 1991:
Derek & The Dominoes’ LAYLA has got to be one of rock’s definitive love songs. The introduction contains an overdub-heavy guitar solo, a duet of sorts between Duane Allman’s slide guitar and Eric Clapton’s bent notes.
A couple of controversial tracks followed, both with unique introductions. FIRESTARTER, by UK band The Prodigy, caught attention because the song was deemed, by some, to be violent. The video clip, directed by Walter Stern, further fueled these claims. Shot in stark black and white, in an used part of the London Underground, some television stations refused to air the clip. Which just makes me want to show it to you, even more! I think its brilliant.
The Prodigy are a hard act to follow but I think we succeeded with the compelling and dark Massive Attack track INTERTIA CREEPS. It’s from their excellent album Mezzanine.
When The Temptations’ PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE was released in 1972 it was 12 minutes long! Thankfully there is a shorter version that’s suitable for radio that keeps that amazing intro intact. It begins with an extended instrumental starting with a solo plucked bass guitar, backed by hi-hat cymbals. Other instruments including a blues guitar, wah-wah guitar, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, handclaps, horns and strings gradually join in.
In 1974 David Bowie became obsessed with soul music and it resulted in the album YOUNG AMERICANS, which he created with the help of the great soul singer Luther Vandross. Here’s the Thin White Duke on the Dick Cavett Show in 1974 with, amongst others, Vandross singing back-up! Loving the shoulder pads.
The Beatles track I FEEL FINE was the first recorded song to feature guitar feedback. The story goes that, while recording, John Lennon accidentally left his guitar too close to his amp, producing the interesting whine that’s in tune with the riff’s opening note.
As an intro to our Gig Guide, I couldn’t resist playing some of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I PUT A SPELL ON YOU. The demented opening and the cabaret style act, together with a cigarette smoking skull called ‘Henry’, laid the foundation for future ‘shock rock’ performers like Dr. John.
Another iconic opener belongs to the The Small Faces tune TIN SOLDIER. Here’s some rare coverage of the band with P.P.Arnold on Belgium TV in 1968. Go the Mods!
Quentin, from BayFM’s ‘Q’s Blues & Jazz’ suggested I do a show on Roads and Streets but I’d already done that quite a while ago. (I know, even I can’t remember what themes I’ve covered most of the time!). But she planted a seed that led me to Gerry Rafferty BAKER STREET and that consequently led to this week’s theme. So thank you Q! BAKER STREET has a stand-out opening with its prominent eight-bar saxophone hook, played by Raphael Ravenscroft.
As we headed for the close of the show, my favourite rock groups came to the fore. Pink Floyd’s MONEY had to be included for its distinctive opening of an impressive bass line and its seven-beat loop of money related sound effects.
While the Beatles may have been the first band to use feedback on a recording, the incredible Jimi Hendrix perfected the art. Again, which track to choose? FOXY LADY has always been a favourite and it does feature that almost excrutiating feedback at the beginning.
Our final track had me pushing up the sound and dancing out of the studio. Led Zeppelin seem to specialise in fantastic opening segments. A track that I absolutely adore is KASHMIR.
Next week we’ll be previewing the Mullumbimby Music Festival. Lots of great music and, I hope, an interview or two. Should be fun.
Here’s the complete playlist from this week’s show on Great Introductions:
Intro / Sweet Jane – Rock And Roll Animal, Lou Reed
Cannonball – Last Splash, The Breeders
Sir Duke – Songs In The Key Of Life [Disc 1], Stevie Wonder
Walk On By – Dead Presidents, Isaac Hayes
One Step Beyond – Total Madness: The Very Best Of Madness Madness
Hotel California – Hotel California, The Eagles
Immigrant Song – Rock 3, Led Zeppelin
Gimme Shelter – Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 [Disc 2], The Rolling Stones
Wipe Out – The Perfect Wave, The Surfaris
Smoke On The Water – Machine Head, Deep Purple
Thunderstruck – Razor’s Edge, AC/DC
Layla – Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and The Dominos
Firestarter – Fat of the Land, The Prodigy
Inertia Creeps – Mezzanine, Massive Attack
Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone – Motown: The Classic Years [Disc 2], The Temptations
Young Americans – Young Americans [Bonus Tracks], David Bowie
I Put A Spell On You – Replay/Gold – Vol 1 No 5, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
I Feel Fine – Beatles 1, The Beatles
Tin Soldier – The Best Sixties Album In The World Ever III-[Disc 2], The Small Faces
Baker Street – City To City, Gerry Rafferty
Money – Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd
Foxy Lady – Experience Hendrix: The Best Of Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix
Kashmir – Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin
Next week: MULLUMBIMBY MUSIC FESTIVAL PREVIEW
SONGS WITH HANDCLAPS
HANDCLAPPING is not only a very useful and easy accompaniment on a music track, it also nearly always signifies a certain level of enthusiasm and joy. And I reckon that’s exactly the kind of show we needed right now, with the weather being so dreary. Clapping is used as a percussion element in many forms of music including Gospel, flamenco, electronic and pop. Shirley Ellis’s 1965 soul hit THE CLAPPING SONG was our opener and it perfectly fitted my criterion for this week’s playlist, with its reference to a favourite childhood game full of happy memories.
Outkast’s song, about a relationship in denial, HEY YA! is a crazy mix of soul, rock and everything in-between, including a chorus of handclapping that recalls the girl groups of the 60’s, 70’s funk and even pop fare like Toni Basil’s Mickey. Check out the amazing Andre 3000 performing the song live at the Grammy Awards:
A couple of rock’n’roll icons who knew the value of a bit of handclapping were Eddie Cochran with his 1958 hit SUMMERTIME BLUES and Elvis Presley with RUBBERNECKIN’, released in 1969. Most songs written by the King of Rock n Roll had girls swooning and shaking and RUBBERNECKIN’ was no exception. A remix version, by Paul Oakenfield, was released in 2003 and managed to top the US charts. I chose to play the original, which also appeared in the King’s final feature film, Change of Habit. Here’s a clip from that film with loads of handclapping in evidence:
Contributing a little funk were The Meters with their HANDCLAPPING SONG and we followed with that great girl group, The Marvelettes, singing TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA. The Marvelettes were Motown’s first successful singing girl group recording on the Tamla label. They set the precedent for Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes.
If you’re after some God-fearing, gospel style clapping then there’s arguably none better than the Abyssinian Baptist Choir and SAID I WASN’T GOING TO TELL NOBODY. Sheer ecstacy for some but I get my thrills from singers such as Jenny Lewis and her band Rilo Kiley. They have a very simple yet effective song featuring handclapping, THE FRUG.
I don’t think Peter Noonan sang any of Herman’s Hermit songs without clapping along and CAN’T YOU HEAR MY HEARTBEAT is no exception. Check out the Noonan’s facial expression at 1:24. Love it that they didn’t take themselves too seriously.
Two more songs that feature a good dose of handclapping are DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD by Santa Esmeralda and Rose Royce’s original version of CAR WASH. Scottish folk/rock group Stealers Wheel’s song, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU, found a whole new audience when it featured in the Quentin Tarantino film Reservoir Dogs. I’d love to include a clip from this film but it just so happens that the song is the backdrop for the most confronting scene in the movie and I did want to keep things cheerful!
The Cars emerged from the New Wave movement of the late 70’s with a blend of punk minimalism, synth-pop and art rock. It’s hard to believe that it’s now ten years since lead singer and bassist, Ben Orr, died of pancreatic cancer. Here he is looking smoking hot on their 1979 release, LET’S GO.
One of the most creative and idiosyncratic musicians of the 1990s and 2000s is Beck with his collage of musical styles, ironic lyrics and quirky arrangements. Check out this clip of his song CLAP HANDS. Now this is what I call good dinner conversation.
The late country crossover artist, Eddie Rabbitt, has a great clappiing song that also pays tribute to the clapping of thunder. I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT was a perfect track to accompany our weather report.
HANDCLAPPING is a very convenient piece of musical improvisation and it comes in useful across all musical genres. It also makes for a pretty cheerful playlist. To further prove my point we included two tracks from 1982: John Mellencamp’s HURTS SO GOOD and Prince’s LITTLE RED CORVETTE.
With a name like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! it’s a given that this group would have to have a least one song with handclapping in their repertoire. The title CLAP YOUR HANDS has also been used by Aussie singer Sia. Here’s she is with her very quirky video clip:
When it comes to video clips, however, none does it better than Gorillaz. DIRTY HARRY is from their second album, Demon Days. Like the video for another of their tracks CLINT EASTWOOD, the video of DIRTY HARRY references the film of the same name. It’s the only Gorillaz music video, other than STYLO, to be filmed on location. For more info on Gorillaz go to: http://www.gorillaz.com For now, simply check out this brilliant piece of animation:
Canadian singer Feist had a huge hit with her handclapping song, 1234. It was actually written by Australian singer songwriter Sally Seltmann, who records under the name New Buffalo. They met while touring together in Canada.
The Romantics livened things up somewhat with WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU. It’s from their self titled album of 1980 and was also released as a single. Jimmy Marinos, the band’s drummer is the lead vocalist and it did particularly well in Australia, where it reached #2 on the Australian Singles Chart. A real party starter.
Mott the Hoople’s song, ALL THE YOUNG DUDES, was written for them by David Bowie and can be found on the 1972 album of the same name. It’s regarded as one of glam rock’s anthems. Despite this, it’s one of the few songs on the list whose lyrics aren’t upbeat. According to Bowie, the song wasn’t intended to be ‘glamorous’ at all and carries a darker message of apocalypse. See what handclapping does for a song? Changes the mood and therefore the intent of the song completely.
Massive Attack’s Heligoland LP boasts a huge slate of guest vocalists, none more sultry than Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval. “Sultry” is probably a nice way of describing the Toby Dye directed video clip of PARADISE CIRCUS. The clip is definitely for over 18s, so if you are interested I suggest you go to the Massive Attack Blog but this recommendation does come with a warning about explicit content. .
Less controversial were our next three songs starting with one of my favourites, Radiohead’s 15 STEP. We followed with The Clash and ROCK THE CASBAH and Queen with WE WILL ROCK YOU. Other than the last 30 seconds containing a guitar solo from Brian May, the song is generally set in a capella form, using only stamping and clapping as a rhythmic beat. Perfect for today’s theme.
We closed the show with one of the most inspirational songs that feature handclapping. GIVE PEACE A CHANCE celebrates what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday last Saturday.
If you would like to contribute to next week’s show, which will be on EYES AND SIGHT, I’d love to have your input. Just leave me a message in the comments area of this blog.
Here’s this week’s complete playlist:
The Clapping Song – The Best Of Shirley Ellis, Shirley Ellis
Hey Ya! – The Love Below, Outkast
Rubberneckin’ – Treasures 64 To 69 [Disc 1], Elvis Presley
Summertime Blues – Music From The Movies, Eddie Cochran
Hand Clapping Song – Struttin, The Meters
Too Many Fish In The Sea – The Big Chill, The Marvelettes
Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody – Shakin’ The Rafters, The Abyssinian Baptist Gospel Choir
Frug – Rilo Kiley, Rilo Kiley
Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat – Their Greatest Hits, Herman’s Hermits
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Tarantino Experience Take II, Leroy Gomez and Santa Esmeralda
Car Wash – Greatest Hits, Rose Royce
Rebel Rouser – Forest Gump Soundtrack, Duane Eddy
Stuck In The Middle With You – Reservoir Dogs, Stealers Wheel
Let’s Go – The Cars Greatest Hits, The Cars
Clap Hands – Guerolito, Beck
I Love A Rainy Night – Kick It Up, Eddie Rabbitt
Hurts So Good – American Fool, John Mellencamp
Little Red Corvette – 1999, Prince
Clap Your Hands! – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands – Clap Your Hands, Sia
Dirty Harry – Dirty Harry (Single), Gorillaz
1234 – The Reminder [Bonus Track], Feist
What I Like About You – Top Hits Of The 80’s (1980 [Disc 2]), The Romantics
All The Young Dudes – Rock Classics 60’s & 70’s Volume 2, Mott The Hoople
Paradise Circus feat. Hope Sandoval – Heligoland, Massive Attack
15 Step – In Rainbows, Radiohead
Rock The Casbah – Story of the Clash, Volume 1 [Disc 1], The Clash
We Will Rock You – News Of The World, Queen
Give Peace A Chance – Lennon [Disc 1], John Lennon
CHANGE
Theme Park is now in Drive Time! I’m very excited, (explanation points aside, can you tell?). To celebrate, the topic this week was CHANGE. There were songs about every possible variety of change: political, social, cultural, emotional, physical, even the kind you find at the bottom of your handbag when you most need it.
BayFM is now in its Winter season and with Theme Park’s new time of Tuesdays 4-6pm, you may have only just discovered us. So, if this is your first visit, the idea is not to find a list of the “best” songs on a subject, because “best” is boring and more or less just involves me reaffirming how great the Beatles, Radiohead and Roy Orbison are. No, what we’re trying to create is a thematically coherent playlist with a mix of genres, eras and moods. Some songs you’ll already know; some, maybe, you won’t, and hopefully each week we’ll rediscover the classics, and discover new music, together.
We opened the show with Michael Jackson’s MAN IN THE MIRROR. And what a great message it is: if you want to change the world then start with yourself and your attitude to those less fortunate than yourself. We followed with something a little less serious: the great Ella Fitzgerald with ANYTHING GOES from her album ‘The Cole Porter Songbook’. It was the first album she recorded for the Verve album in 1956.
John Mayer is in Australia at the moment and I’ll forgive his indiscretions in recent interviews because WAITIN’ ON THE WORLD TO CHANGE is such a great track. Here he is with an acoustic version of the song. Very nice.
We followed with the definitive cover of Bob Dylan’s ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER by Jimi Hendrix. Dylan wrote this song at a time that he was experiencing a complete life change, with two young children and a growing interest in the Bible. Hendrix’s version is so highly regarded that Dylan has been quoted as saying: “I liked Jimi Hendrix’s record of this and ever since he died I’ve been doing it that way… Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it’s a tribute to him in some kind of way.”
Everyone’s allowed to change their mind now and again. A couple of terrific songs about the subject are the Cardigans’ ERASE/REWIND and soul singer Tyrone Davis’ CAN I CHANGE MY MIND?
A completely different perspective on change came from the band Blind Melon. The track CHANGE is from their 1992 self-titled debut album and was the first written by lead singer Shannon Hoon, who struggled with a drug dependancy. The song encourages you to change your life when it gets too hard. Unfortunately Hoon found it difficult to take his own advice and he died in 1995, at 28, from an overdose. His grave is inscribed with words from the song.
Do you think money changes you? According to Cyndi Lauper MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING. Aretha Franklin, on the other hand, reckons MONEY WON’T CHANGE YOU. I think Aretha may have won that round.
Daniel Merriwether received a little bit of help from, rapper, Wale in the song CHANGE. The song and, in fact, the whole album was produced by wunderkid Mark Ronson. Rather than just play the official video clip, here’s a ‘making of’ that you might find interesting.
Country rockers, The Allman Brothers Band, sound as if they have hit rock bottom and are ready to do something about it in the very bluesy CHANGE MY WAY OF LIVING.
Another great rock group is Muse. The song FEELING GOOD is probably best known for Nina Simone’s outstanding recording. Here, Muse take the optimism of Simon’s standard to a whole other place.
We rounded out the hour with THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED. Recorded in 1971, it’s a poem and a song by Gil Scott-Heron, generally considered to be the father of hip-hop and neo soul.
I’M COMING OUT is a joyous disco number from Diana Ross. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, of the 70’s Disco band ‘Chic’, wrote and produced the track. Rodgers got the idea for the song when he went to a transvestite club in New York City. He went to the bathroom, and while he was standing at the urinal, he saw three men who were all dressed as Diana Ross.
I love my R&B. Anyone who saw Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Blues Fest a few years ago know what a dynamic group they are. A great song from them is SOMETHING’S CHANGED. We followed with A CHANGE IS GONNA COME. Sam Cooke’s Dylan-inspired, lump-in-the-throat protest song mourns both racial intolerance and his infant son’s fatal drowning. And it’s the most requested song in our list today.
Joni Mitchell’s song BIG YELLOW TAXI is about changes brought about by so-called ‘progress’; “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” Sound familiar? And a big shout out to everyone in Mullumbimby, while we’re on the subject of unnecessary change.
David Bowie’s song CHANGES is one you must have predicted. And I’m nothing, if not predictable. We followed with another very predictable track: THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’, although it’s not Bob Dylan but a wonderful version by Nina Simone.
Let’s talk physical change. Can you get any better than Lou Reed’s TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE? It’s from the Transformer album, recorded in 1972 and produced by David Bowie. “Plucked her eyebrows on the way, shaved her legs and then he was a she.” Yep, that’s what I call change.
Talking of changing teams, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood contributed a track from their Live From Madison Square Garden album, called, appropriately, TEAM CHANGES. And then it was time to head back to a song about political change: Tracey Chapman with TALKIN’ BOUT A REVOLUTION.
John Legend got some help from Snoop Dogg on I CAN CHANGE. That’s for the right girl, he asserts. Yeah yeah, heard it all before Johnny.
The Audreys do a gorgeous cover of the INXS song DON’T CHANGE. It challenges you not to change. Because you’re perfectly OK as you are, you know. The song is from the album, Between Last Night and Us. Here they are performing at Woodford Folk Festival, 2009:
We closed the show with a beauty: the Beatles and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. “Nothings going to change my world.” Well, maybe, but one thing I do know is that change is inevitable and while we might not appreciate it at the time, its all good.
Next week’s theme will be MORE CRED WHEN DEAD. Yes, every track will be from an artist who has passed on to that big disco in the sky and more than likely became more successful after they were gone. Big list to choose from, so inevitably there will be some omissions. But let me know your requests anyway. Love to hear from you.
Here’s this week’s playlist. From this week, I’ll include the album names as well. You can find all songs on iTunes.
Man in the Mirror – Bad, Michael Jackson
Anything Goes – The Cole Porter Songbook (CD1), Ella Fitzgerald
Waiting on the World to Change – Continuum, John Mayer
All Along The Watchtower – The Ultimate Experience, Jimi Hendrix
Erase/Rewind – Gran Turismo, The Cardigans
Can I Change My Mind – Billboard Top 100 Of 1969, Tyrone Davis
Change – Blind Melon, Blind Melon
Money Changes Everything – Twelve Deadly Cyns, Cyndi Lauper
Money Won’t Change You – Lady Soul, Aretha Frankin
Change – Love & War, Daniel Merriweather (and Wale)
Change My Way of Living – Where It All Begins, The Allman Brothers Band
Feeling Good – The Best of Muse CD2, Muse
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – The Breaks II, Gil Scott-Heron
I’m Coming Out – Floorfillers 80s Club Classics CD3 – Diana Ross
Something’s Changed – 100 Days, 100 Nights, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
A Change Is Gonna Come – The Man & His Music, Sam Cooke
Big Yellow Taxi – Ladies of the Canyon, Joni Mitchell
Changes – Hunky Dory, David Bowie
The Times They Are a Changin’ – Forever Young, Gifted & Black, Nina Simone
Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Transformer Lou Reed
Team Changes – Live From Madison Square Garden Cd1, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman
I Can Change feat. Snoop Dogg – Get Lifted, John Legend
Don’t Change – Between Last Night and Us, The Audreys
Across The Universe – Let It Be, The Beatles
Next week: MORE CRED WHEN DEAD
Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 4-6pm, Sydney time
Tragically also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maccalyn
WALKING & RUNNING
As a penance for my birthday indulgence last week, our theme this time was WALKING & RUNNING. ‘Cause a little bit of exercise never hurt anyone, now did it? Still, I think painting the town red must have still been on my mind as we opened the program with Lou Reed’s WALK ON THE WILD SIDE, from the 1972 album Transformer. It was produced by David Bowie who also sang backing vocals.
Here in Byron Bay, ‘doing the lighthouse walk’ is a daily excursion for some people. So, Kate Bush’s RUNNING UP THAT HILL was dedicated to them. It’s a great one to put on your iPod if you’re one of those mad people who walk or run as your preferred form of exercise.
Now you all know I love my Motown. So, WALK AWAY RENEE, released in 1968 by the Four Tops, was a given. As was NOWHERE TO RUN, a signature tune for Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, that was released way back in 1965. Check out this video clip from the same year. What to say about the back up dancers? OMG, the outfits, the dance moves!!!
Annie Lennox contributed WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS (ouch!) and then it was another true classic: Johnny Cash singing I WALK THE LINE and to round out the triple play beautifully, it was Fats Domino with I’M WALKING. Although it’s not the version we played on the show, take a look at this great clip of Fats Domino performing the song with Ricky Nelson. A great combination. And who is that saxophone player? Brilliant.
A little bit of UB40 followed with DON’T WALK ON THE GRASS and then it was Rufus Thomas with one of his biggest hits, WALKING THE DOG.
Empire of the Sun walked away with lots of awards for their debut album, WALKING ON A DREAM and the song of the same name was perfect for our show this week. As was Raphael Saadiq’s very suggestive, LET’S TAKE A WALK. Believe it or not this video, (like the song) was created in 2008. I’m loving the retro feel.
One for all the sleepwalkers – the brilliant R&B voice of Berna Dean singing I WALK IN MY SLEEP. Then it was Jimmy Rogers with WALKING BY MYSELF and a request from Judi, listening in Cairns: Patsy Cline’s I GO WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Did you know that John Lennon disowned the song RUN FOR YOUR LIFE from the Rubber Soul album? He eventually wrote a much more politically correct tune called JEALOUS GUY. But hey, we live dangerously at the Theme Park, so RUN FOR YOUR LIFE it was. We followed with Steve Winwood and the Spencer Davis Group’s very appropriate, (if you were one of the Beatles’ girlfriends anyway), KEEP ON RUNNING. Check out the very young Steve Winwood in this clip. So cute.
It’s impossible NOT to sing along to WALKING ON SUNSHINE by Katrina and the Waves. It’s such an optimistic, sunny song that suits the fabulous Summer weather we are having here in beautiful Byron Bay.
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES by Joe South and The Believers is a great song as is WALK ON from, none other than, Mr Roy Orbison. Then it was the incorrigible Tom Waits with WALKING SPANISH from my favourite album of his, Rain Dogs.
More R&B was on the agenda with the great Sam Cooke and I’LL COME RUNNING BACK TO YOU. He would have been 79 this week (January 22). Sadly he died at 33 years of age, in a shooting incident. He is quite rightly considered one of the pioneers and founders of soul music.
A couple of ballads that couldn’t be omitted from our show on WALKING & RUNNING are YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE by Gerry & The Pacemakers, (remember them?) and Dionne Warwick’s WALK ON BY.
Jack, in Sydney, requested WALK THIS WAY, from Run DMC and Aerosmith. Excellent choice. Love the combination of hard rock and hip-hop. There should be more of it, I say.
Then it was time for some Blues: One of my favourites from last year’s Byron Bay Blues Festival was Seasick Steve, so I was happy to play WALKING MAN from his album, I Started Out With Nothin’ And I Still Got Most Of It Left. Then it was John Lee Hooker with RUN ON and James Taylor covering Jnr Walker and the Allstars’ I’M A ROAD RUNNER.
Grace Jones is unique. She does an amazing version of WALKING IN THE RAIN, originally recorded by Australian band Flash and the Pan. You’ll find it on her Nightclubbing album, released in 1981.
A show on WALKING & RUNNING wouldn’t be the same without Creedence Clearwater Revival’s hit, RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE. Or The Modern Lovers’ ROADRUNNER. Or The Bangles’ WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN. But my favourite from this week’s show has to be an oldie but a goodie, Helen Shapiro’s WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS. Can you believe that she was only 14 when she recorded this in 1961? Wow.
Next week, the show falls on Australia Day so I have no choice but to play some of my favourite Australian tracks. Tune in then if you like your music homegrown or are hoping for some appropriate tunes to compliment your Australia Day party.
And in signing off, I offer you this wonderful piece of graffiti that came to my attention this week: “Be happy today. Why wait?”
Here’s this week’s playlist:
Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org