Notes: We open with The Beautiful South and (1) Everybody's Talkin', a sensitive remake of the wonderful Harry Nilsson original. The song found fame in the soundtrack for the Oscar winning ‘Midnight Cowboy’ with Dustin Hoffman and a young Jon Voight (now best known as Angelina Jolie’s dad!). I love Paul Heaton’s voice on this track, so simple and clear. I saw him and The Housemartins at a college gig in Durham way back when. (2) I Can’t Decide by the fabulous Scissor Sisters. I suspect that secretly every guy wants to be Jake Shears. Sooooooo cool. Anyway, this was the soundtrack to an epic Dr Who episode (not cool!) in which David Tennant and John Simm (ok got my cool points back) acted each other off the screen. For me it makes perfect sense to follow a 21st century New York gay-straight cabaret act with Glenn Campbell, but then my mind isn’t wired like other people, and the words to (3) Wichita Lineman are achingly sweet. Written by prolific Jimmy Webb the song is deceptively hard to sing and Webb was convinced Campbell was the one to do it justice. Campbell wasn’t. In the end Campbell agreed and his is the definitive version. And just for “And I need you more than want you” this song is worth it. (4) Michael Caine by the nutty boys Madness is one of those songs that Madness did in their later days that had great lyrics, stunning production values and lovely harmonies. Perfect. And yes, it really is Michael Caine speaking. When I first heard (5) Shine I thought it was some 60s tribute act rather than a rebooted Take That. Gary Barlow is a genuine song writing genius and Mark Owen isn’t just a pretty face, he can carry a song too. Great pop. And then we come to the Beach Boys and (6) Good Vibrations, for many the ultimate pop song. Described as a symphony is 3 minutes, it certainly changed pop as it and the albums created at the same time drove The Beatles to raise their game and ultimately record Sergeant Pepper. Brian Wilson, writer/singer/producer: genius. No really. He is. A genius. Mad too. (7) I Think We’re Alone Now (Girls Aloud) is just bubble-gum pop. I actually prefer the original version sung by Tiffany but this is so infectious and over the top that, hey, why not. Slap it on! And it provides the perfect warm up to (8) Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. Composed by AR Rahman, a Bollywood legend, and sung by The Pussycat Dolls and AR Rahman himself. I defy anyone not to get caught up in the breathlessness of the song and the lyrics aren’t bad either:I can feel you / Rushing through my veins / There's an notion in my heart / I will never be the same. Yes!!! Matt Monroe’s (9) On Days Like These is sung over the opening titles of The Italian Job. You don’t need to see that clip to love the song but it helps. Remember YouTube is your friend. And then we bounce back to another crooner, the very tattooed and talented Mr Robbie Williams whose (10) Feel is the best evocation of Depression in song that I have come across. A screaming cry of help from somewhere deep inside a troubled mind. This is my ultimate karaoke song. ELO’s (11) Mr Blue Sky is a bit cheesy but I was there when it came out and I remember the impact it had, especially the last instrumental section which isn’t here and is rarely heard. And so we come to Robert Miles and (12) Children. It’s horribly catchy and timeless. It came out about a gazillion years ago, well ok 1995, and has been released in loads of different mixes, and has never been far from those must-have, essential, club anthem compilations that have, somehow, become cool over the past 20 years. How did this happen? Anyway, Robert Miles is Italian. His real name is Roberto Concina. So there. Coldplay’s (13) Viva la Vida is too recent for me to have anything to say other than it’s another bl***y catchy tune from Chris Martin and the boys. And he’s married to Gwyneth Paltrow. I hate him. I suppose I should hate Blondie but they too write perfect pop. In the same vein as Atomic, (14) Maria has that driving, insistent bass-line and soaring vocals that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And the lyrics, oh those lovely lovely lyrics “My heart beats like a subway train……” mmmmmmmmmmm. [Just a take a moment to praise Debbie Harry and Chris Stein.] For many good reasons Maria should be followed by The Jam and Down in a Tubestation at Midnight but not this time. Moby and (15) Extreme Ways is another film tie-in. The toon closes each of the three Bourne films and somehow catches the edgy, Euro-sensibilities of the films. It’s not bombastic American schlock, its more knowing, more subtle, more doubtful, more……..cool. (16) Never Can Say Goodbye (Communards) is just a rattling good tune, delivered with such joy that it’s impossible not to like. It sounds like they’re having a ball; reminds me of Erasure too and all that glorious camp Hi-NRG stuff. And I love, just love Richard Cole’s piano playing throughout and the contrast between Jimmy Sommerville (high) and Sara Morris (low) is another makes-you-smile-thing. Oh come on, you know you were singing along too! (17) Praan is a wonderful song that is featured on the YouTube-Hit "Where the Hell is Matt" and was written by Garry Schyman and sung by young Palbasha Siddique. The text is from the Bengali poem Gitanjali ("Stream of Life"). I defy anyone to watch the video with this song and not smile, laugh and just feel damn good about life! I’ve known about (18) How Soon Is Now? for ages but only through the guitar riff by Johnny Marr which was used to spine-tingling effect by Pepe jeans in a series of cinema ads in the 80s/90s. And then I came across the full version just a few years ago. It’s The Smiths! Well, well. Who’d have thought? And then the final track, something a little modern but still a bit off beat. (19) Human by The Killers just seemed to be my soundtrack for 2009. It was playing everywhere. And I love the fact that the lyric is debated, misquoted and possibly based on a note from Hunter S Thompson. Brandon Flowers, the singer, said this was Johnny Cash meets The Pet Shop Boys and that’s good enough for me.
Saturday 30 October 2010
Sleeve Notes for 19 essential tunes
Notes: We open with The Beautiful South and (1) Everybody's Talkin', a sensitive remake of the wonderful Harry Nilsson original. The song found fame in the soundtrack for the Oscar winning ‘Midnight Cowboy’ with Dustin Hoffman and a young Jon Voight (now best known as Angelina Jolie’s dad!). I love Paul Heaton’s voice on this track, so simple and clear. I saw him and The Housemartins at a college gig in Durham way back when. (2) I Can’t Decide by the fabulous Scissor Sisters. I suspect that secretly every guy wants to be Jake Shears. Sooooooo cool. Anyway, this was the soundtrack to an epic Dr Who episode (not cool!) in which David Tennant and John Simm (ok got my cool points back) acted each other off the screen. For me it makes perfect sense to follow a 21st century New York gay-straight cabaret act with Glenn Campbell, but then my mind isn’t wired like other people, and the words to (3) Wichita Lineman are achingly sweet. Written by prolific Jimmy Webb the song is deceptively hard to sing and Webb was convinced Campbell was the one to do it justice. Campbell wasn’t. In the end Campbell agreed and his is the definitive version. And just for “And I need you more than want you” this song is worth it. (4) Michael Caine by the nutty boys Madness is one of those songs that Madness did in their later days that had great lyrics, stunning production values and lovely harmonies. Perfect. And yes, it really is Michael Caine speaking. When I first heard (5) Shine I thought it was some 60s tribute act rather than a rebooted Take That. Gary Barlow is a genuine song writing genius and Mark Owen isn’t just a pretty face, he can carry a song too. Great pop. And then we come to the Beach Boys and (6) Good Vibrations, for many the ultimate pop song. Described as a symphony is 3 minutes, it certainly changed pop as it and the albums created at the same time drove The Beatles to raise their game and ultimately record Sergeant Pepper. Brian Wilson, writer/singer/producer: genius. No really. He is. A genius. Mad too. (7) I Think We’re Alone Now (Girls Aloud) is just bubble-gum pop. I actually prefer the original version sung by Tiffany but this is so infectious and over the top that, hey, why not. Slap it on! And it provides the perfect warm up to (8) Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. Composed by AR Rahman, a Bollywood legend, and sung by The Pussycat Dolls and AR Rahman himself. I defy anyone not to get caught up in the breathlessness of the song and the lyrics aren’t bad either:I can feel you / Rushing through my veins / There's an notion in my heart / I will never be the same. Yes!!! Matt Monroe’s (9) On Days Like These is sung over the opening titles of The Italian Job. You don’t need to see that clip to love the song but it helps. Remember YouTube is your friend. And then we bounce back to another crooner, the very tattooed and talented Mr Robbie Williams whose (10) Feel is the best evocation of Depression in song that I have come across. A screaming cry of help from somewhere deep inside a troubled mind. This is my ultimate karaoke song. ELO’s (11) Mr Blue Sky is a bit cheesy but I was there when it came out and I remember the impact it had, especially the last instrumental section which isn’t here and is rarely heard. And so we come to Robert Miles and (12) Children. It’s horribly catchy and timeless. It came out about a gazillion years ago, well ok 1995, and has been released in loads of different mixes, and has never been far from those must-have, essential, club anthem compilations that have, somehow, become cool over the past 20 years. How did this happen? Anyway, Robert Miles is Italian. His real name is Roberto Concina. So there. Coldplay’s (13) Viva la Vida is too recent for me to have anything to say other than it’s another bl***y catchy tune from Chris Martin and the boys. And he’s married to Gwyneth Paltrow. I hate him. I suppose I should hate Blondie but they too write perfect pop. In the same vein as Atomic, (14) Maria has that driving, insistent bass-line and soaring vocals that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And the lyrics, oh those lovely lovely lyrics “My heart beats like a subway train……” mmmmmmmmmmm. [Just a take a moment to praise Debbie Harry and Chris Stein.] For many good reasons Maria should be followed by The Jam and Down in a Tubestation at Midnight but not this time. Moby and (15) Extreme Ways is another film tie-in. The toon closes each of the three Bourne films and somehow catches the edgy, Euro-sensibilities of the films. It’s not bombastic American schlock, its more knowing, more subtle, more doubtful, more……..cool. (16) Never Can Say Goodbye (Communards) is just a rattling good tune, delivered with such joy that it’s impossible not to like. It sounds like they’re having a ball; reminds me of Erasure too and all that glorious camp Hi-NRG stuff. And I love, just love Richard Cole’s piano playing throughout and the contrast between Jimmy Sommerville (high) and Sara Morris (low) is another makes-you-smile-thing. Oh come on, you know you were singing along too! (17) Praan is a wonderful song that is featured on the YouTube-Hit "Where the Hell is Matt" and was written by Garry Schyman and sung by young Palbasha Siddique. The text is from the Bengali poem Gitanjali ("Stream of Life"). I defy anyone to watch the video with this song and not smile, laugh and just feel damn good about life! I’ve known about (18) How Soon Is Now? for ages but only through the guitar riff by Johnny Marr which was used to spine-tingling effect by Pepe jeans in a series of cinema ads in the 80s/90s. And then I came across the full version just a few years ago. It’s The Smiths! Well, well. Who’d have thought? And then the final track, something a little modern but still a bit off beat. (19) Human by The Killers just seemed to be my soundtrack for 2009. It was playing everywhere. And I love the fact that the lyric is debated, misquoted and possibly based on a note from Hunter S Thompson. Brandon Flowers, the singer, said this was Johnny Cash meets The Pet Shop Boys and that’s good enough for me.
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