No Time for Relationship, Skip the Foreplay, Let Her Rip
Tom at If I Ran the Zoo was so "kind" as to tag me with the music meme going around--name 5 guilty pleasures. Now, I lived through the early 1980s, so I am rich in embarrassing things I still sort of like. I do want to know, however, watching these videos, how any of us survived with any sartorial sense at all.
Tom included Tuxedomoon's "Jinx," for its totally pretentious video that is perhaps the fever dream of the biggest art grad school twit you've ever met. (Don't believe me, go watch it at IIRTZ). But I think I might be able to top it, from folks who should know better, too, for here's Wire's "Kidney Bingos":
It is a catchy as all hell song, though. I mean, just try to get "Money spines paper lung kidney bingos organ fun" out of your head. Without an ice pick, that is. (Sorry, Ms. Farmer.)
As for a second pick, I have to admit I still like Sparks--their album from a couple years back Lil' Beethoven was a clever sort of tinkly-rock-opera. But as for the embarrassment pick let's go to their Giorgio Moroder phase, cause it was disco and it was good. Here's "Beat the Clock":
I actually got to interview the Brothers Mael back in college and it turns out Russell doesn't say much and Ron is the chatty one. Guess Russell is saving his voice for that falsetto.
Coming at number three in the silly parade is this little known ditty from Prefab Sprout. I don't think I've ever seen this video before. I like the song less now, just because of that guy's facial hair. I might have to invent a time machine just so I can go back and fix that one thing.
Sure those string synth washes are next to the word wimpy in the aural dictionary, but you have to admit, there are some great lines in this song.
Might as well stay with "it's the 1980s and I like wimpy music if I want to" (BTW, I'm not going to pick this, but I dare you to watch the entire video and not giggle at least once). So here's Postcard Records' own Orange Juice doing the simply irresistible "Rip It Up":
Hope you stuck with it through the bridge, which concludes with the great lines:
You know me I'm acting dumb-dumb
You know this scene is very humdrum
And my favourite song's entitled "Boredom."
I mean you have to appreciate the shout out to Spiral Scratch in a song this mellow. Great sax solo by Dick Morrissey, too.
And for #5 there's Thomas Dolby doing his version of "In the Navy." Well, you know what I mean. Be sure to watch for the mean dance move he breaks out at the 4 minute mark--he's got the funk and it's coming out, dammit!
If anyone can explain the croquet mallet percussionist, I'd appreciate it. And if anyone can find a video of Captain Sensible doing "Martha the Mouth," I'd add it to my list of guiltiness in a second. Oh, and so you don't think my embarrassment stopped in 1986 or so, here's a video for a song released just last year (by someone best known for his work in the 1970s, but oh well). It's a dandelion wisher, it's a hedgehog, it's Ian Hunter!
Ah, the power of mid-tempo rock mawkishness. This one gets me, folks.
I'm not going to tag the folks at Around the Keg, as they're probably busy drinking, or Mike, who is in Korea anyway, or Ricky, who has a brain tumor named Aaron Heilmann (who stole Johan's win today the bastard), or Queen Whackamole, who doesn't seem interested in posting period, even though she has two blogs. That would just be mean, and I feel at one with the round earth right now.
Tom included Tuxedomoon's "Jinx," for its totally pretentious video that is perhaps the fever dream of the biggest art grad school twit you've ever met. (Don't believe me, go watch it at IIRTZ). But I think I might be able to top it, from folks who should know better, too, for here's Wire's "Kidney Bingos":
It is a catchy as all hell song, though. I mean, just try to get "Money spines paper lung kidney bingos organ fun" out of your head. Without an ice pick, that is. (Sorry, Ms. Farmer.)
As for a second pick, I have to admit I still like Sparks--their album from a couple years back Lil' Beethoven was a clever sort of tinkly-rock-opera. But as for the embarrassment pick let's go to their Giorgio Moroder phase, cause it was disco and it was good. Here's "Beat the Clock":
I actually got to interview the Brothers Mael back in college and it turns out Russell doesn't say much and Ron is the chatty one. Guess Russell is saving his voice for that falsetto.
Coming at number three in the silly parade is this little known ditty from Prefab Sprout. I don't think I've ever seen this video before. I like the song less now, just because of that guy's facial hair. I might have to invent a time machine just so I can go back and fix that one thing.
Sure those string synth washes are next to the word wimpy in the aural dictionary, but you have to admit, there are some great lines in this song.
Might as well stay with "it's the 1980s and I like wimpy music if I want to" (BTW, I'm not going to pick this, but I dare you to watch the entire video and not giggle at least once). So here's Postcard Records' own Orange Juice doing the simply irresistible "Rip It Up":
Hope you stuck with it through the bridge, which concludes with the great lines:
You know me I'm acting dumb-dumb
You know this scene is very humdrum
And my favourite song's entitled "Boredom."
I mean you have to appreciate the shout out to Spiral Scratch in a song this mellow. Great sax solo by Dick Morrissey, too.
And for #5 there's Thomas Dolby doing his version of "In the Navy." Well, you know what I mean. Be sure to watch for the mean dance move he breaks out at the 4 minute mark--he's got the funk and it's coming out, dammit!
If anyone can explain the croquet mallet percussionist, I'd appreciate it. And if anyone can find a video of Captain Sensible doing "Martha the Mouth," I'd add it to my list of guiltiness in a second. Oh, and so you don't think my embarrassment stopped in 1986 or so, here's a video for a song released just last year (by someone best known for his work in the 1970s, but oh well). It's a dandelion wisher, it's a hedgehog, it's Ian Hunter!
Ah, the power of mid-tempo rock mawkishness. This one gets me, folks.
I'm not going to tag the folks at Around the Keg, as they're probably busy drinking, or Mike, who is in Korea anyway, or Ricky, who has a brain tumor named Aaron Heilmann (who stole Johan's win today the bastard), or Queen Whackamole, who doesn't seem interested in posting period, even though she has two blogs. That would just be mean, and I feel at one with the round earth right now.
Labels: music, will any of you talk to me now?
posted by George at 1:21 PM
4 Comments:
OK! OK! I'll do it!
Geez.
I was pretty big on (early) Sparks, right up to the Beat The Clock period, even collecting odds and ends such as their album as Halfnelson, and an import 45 with a bombastically orchestral cover of I Want To Hold Your Hand on one side, and The Marriage of Jacqueline Kennedy to Russel Mael on the other.
Ah, I was a mid-period Sparks guy myself.
Early and middle Sparks for me, but I think Angst in My Pants is my favorite with "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" a close second, which I believe I have on vinyl.
And no.1 sounds like a recipe for haggis . . .
Post a Comment
<< Home