Song of the day: Deadstar - "Don't It Get You Down"

Here's Deadstar with the dreamy "Don't It Get You Down":

Deadstar - "Don't It Get You Down" (1997)

Link


As a bonus, here's Deadstar's biggest single, "Union City Blue" by Blondie:

Deadstar - "Deeper Water" (1999)

Link

Musical coincidences # 9

This coincidence has bothered me ever since I first heard it in 1989.

It involves "Tucker's Daughter" by Ian Moss. At the end of the chorus is this little tune:



Which is, pretty much note-for-note, the first part of the main tune in Bacharach/David's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" with the wonderful Dionne Warwick warbling away:



It's the main tune. And Ian Moss puts it at the end of the chorus of his song. Couldn't Mr Moss have used the tune a little more subtly than that? Like buried in a guitar solo or something?

Anyway, here are the full versions of both:

Dionne Warwick - "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" (1970)


Ian Moss - "Tucker's Daughter" (1989)

Song of the day: Richard Clapton - "Girls On The Avenue"

If you're hearing this song for the first time, you're in for a treat. It's the superb "Girls On The Avenue" (1975) by Richard Clapton, one of Australia's finest songwriters. I love, love, love this song:





If you find "Girls On The Avenue" too wussy (rhymes with "pussy"), try "I Am An Island" (1982) – and turn it up:

Great moments on Australian television

Ladies and gentlemen, the funniest interview ever shown on Australian television:

Song of the day: Hoodoo Gurus - "Less Than A Feeling"

Here are the Hoodoo Gurus with the biting "Less Than A Feeling" (1994):


Link


It first appeared on the band's heavy-duty album from 1994, Crank, and then was used on the 2000's 2-CD best-of, Ampology.

I like how Dave Faulkner uses a very familiar chord progression as well as the lyrics to let everyone know exactly how he feels about "Classic Hits" radio stations...

Don't look to the future - you don't want to know
What's wrong with this picture: "The future is in radio"?

A.M., F.M., what's in a name?
To me, they're one and the same
(It drives me insane).

I need a sound that ain't found six feet underground,
It's driving me to despair.
I search your dial for a smile like it's going out of style.
Is there anyone there?

Don't tell me the weather is gonna be cold.
You know you should never commit yourself
To statements so bold.
Golden oldies, tired and true,
In ten years what will you do?
(I'm talking to you!)

What about superstars
Surrounded by bodyguards,
Champagne and caviar?
You're gonna need some Anusol,
When Hollywood meets Rock'n' Roll.

Incidentally, the Hoodoo Gurus are mentioned on my A History of Power Pop in Australia post.

Song of the day: Clouds - "Hieronymus"

Here are the Clouds from 1991 with the intriguing "Hieronymus", a song that travels through quite a few key changes on its way to where it's going*:

Clouds - "Hieronymus" (1991)

Link


(*Wherever that is. I've read the lyrics, and they may be about the painter Hieronymus Bosch – but then again they may not. And the video doesn't help, I'm afraid. What are these people singing about?)

Song of the day: Falling Joys - "Jennifer"

Here are the Falling Joys with "Jennifer" from the splendid Wish List (1990):

Falling Joys - "Jennifer" (1990)

Link

As a bonus, here's the album. Despite the late-80's-early-90's production, I reckon the whole thing is well worth hearing*:



Incidentally, it was a toss-up as to which song was going to be Song of the day, "Jennifer" or "Lock It," which has gorgeous cascading vocal harmonies in the chorus plus a guitar track that chases itself from left to right during each verse (it sounds great on headphones). "Jennifer" won out because it's poppier. As compensation, here's the video for "Lock It":



(*That's not strictly true – for me, there's one dud track on it: "Puppy Drink".)

Song of the day: Schnell Fenster - "Whisper"

Here's the now-forgotten Schnell Fenster with the wonderfully atmospheric "Whisper" from 1988:


Link
Video (Embedding disabled. Grrr.)

Schnell Fenster rose from the ashes of Split Enz in the late 80's and sank without a trace a couple of years later*. "Whisper" was their first single and it reached #58 in the Australian charts.

As a bonus, here are two of their other singles (well, the ones that charted, anyway) plus a mini-documentary on the band:

Schnell Fenster - "Love-Hate Relationship" (1988) (highest position: a dismal #81)

Link


Schnell Fenster - "OK Alright A Huh O Yeah" (1990) (a not-much-better #71)

Link


(*Sorry about mangling metaphors there.)

Musical coincidences # 8

It is my melancholy duty* to inform you of a musical coincidence involving the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful (I can't tell you how wonderful I think she is) Kate Bush and "Sat In Your Lap". Here's how it starts:


Link

"Sat In Your Lap" was recorded and released as a single in 1981 and was used as the opening track on her 1982 album, The Dreaming.

A year earlier, XTC had released the Black Sea album which contained the track "Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins"). The main rhythm of the song starts at the 26-second mark, like so:


Link

And I'd always thought that Kate Bush was utterly original...

Nevertheless, I want to think that Kate had never heard of XTC, and that it's all a horrible coincidence. I really, really want to think that.

All of the above doesn't stop me from marvelling at how amazing "Sat In Your Lap" is, though. It is amazing – as is all of The Dreaming, which I still think is one of the best albums of the 80's. (I also think it's Kate best album, although most critics tend to proclaim Hounds Of Love to be her pièce de resistence.)

Anyway, enough with the sadness. Enjoy some marvellousness from both Kate and XTC:

Kate Bush - "Sat In Your Lap" (1982)

Link


XTC - "Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins)" (1980)

Link


Oh, and speaking of XTC, I chanced upon a little guitar bit in their first single "Science Friction" (1978) at the 1:55 mark here:


Link

That reminded me of a little guitar bit in Billy Swan's hit from 1973, the Ringo-esque "I Can Help" (at 1:42):


Link

Pure coincidence.

Here are the full tracks – and as a bonus (yep, there's more) I've included two versions of "I Can Help":

XTC - "Science Friction" (1978)

Link
Video (embedding disabled)

Billy Swan - "I Can Help" (single version) (1974)

Link

Billy Swan - "I Can Help" (album version) (1974)

Link


(*Anyone over 80 will know that phrase also means something far more important than a musical coincidence.)

Song of the day: The Easybeats - "She's So Fine (live)"

This is a live version of The Easybeats' "She's So Fine" (complete with false start) that'll give you a good idea of just how popular they were in Australia in the 1960's (Screaming Teenagers Down Under, Unite!):



That was recorded in the mid-60's. You can't even buy excitement like that anymore, let alone generate it naturally, as people used to quite effortlessly. Where has all the mass hysteria gone? Did Grunge take it away in the 90's? Why am I asking rhetorical questions? Why???

Incidentally, The Easybeats are mentioned on my A History of Power Pop in Australia post.

Song of the day: Ted Mulry Gang - "Darktown Strutters Ball"

Here's the Ted Mulry Gang dusting off a very old song, slapping on a coat of glam paint, and ending up with an irresistible little ditty:

Ted Mulry Gang - "Darktown Strutters Ball" (1976):

Link


I love glam.

Incidentally, The Ted Mulry Gang's biggest hit in Australia was "Jump In My Car," written by Ted and fellow Gang member Les Hall. It was covered rather infamously* by David "I'm David Hasselhoff!" Hasselhoff.

Here's the much, much better original:

Ted Mulry Gang - "Jump In My Car" (1975)

Link


(*I've provided a link to The Hoff's version purely for historical purposes. You're under no obligation whatsoever to click on it. I think DH's version is dire, but you may feel differently, depending on your views of The Hoffmeister. I think he's entertaining as long as he stays as far away as possible from a microphone.)

Song of the day: The La De Das - "Gonna See My Baby Tonight"

Here are New Zealand's Australia's The La De Da's with a great bit of boogie* from 1971 (wasn't everyone boogie-ing in 1971?), "Gonna See My Baby Tonight":




(*Here in Australia we call it "pub rock" – or, as I mentioned in a much earlier post, Bloke Rock.)

Song of the day: Daddy Cool - "Hi Honey Ho"

Back in 1972, an awful lot of Australian musicians were becoming deadly serious – songs were getting longer (enter Prog!), themes were getting deeper (enter the Singer-Songwriter!), and marijuana was being discovered and very frequently partaken, resulting in musicians concentrating on themselves more than the audience (enter Self-Indulgence!).

Daddy Cool came along with the express purpose putting fun back into music. Their 50's revivalism (they played a few old songs such as "Bom Bom" and "Baby Let Me Bang Your Box" – fun!) put through an early-70's blender was just the tonic to remind people that music can, and should, be enjoyed.

"Hi Honey Ho" is a prime example:



I love the guitar in the left channel.

Musical coincidences # 7

Seventeen seconds into Stone Temple Pilots' "Interstate Love Song" (1994) there's this monster riff...



... and I get a feeling of déjà vu. Where have I heard that before? Right here:



That's the riff at the end of the chorus of "I Got A Name" (1973) by troubador Jim Croce.

I know next to nothing about the Stone Temple Pilots, but I'm reliably informed by Wikipedia that "Interstate Love Song" was written primarily by STP's bassist Robert DeLeo. It's entirely possible that Mr and Mrs DeLeo owned (and occasionally played) a Jim Croce record whilst little Robert was growing up. Or maybe young Robert listened quite intently to the radio in 1973.

Either way, here are the full versions of each song to reassure you that the Stoners didn't pinch anything else from Jim:

Stone Temple Pilots - "Interstate Love Song"




Jim Croce - "I Got A Name" (1973)




Incidentally, I think that the Jim/STP riff is an impressive one to come out of the 90's, when riffs were pretty thin on the ground in the Grunge era (Grunge wasn't renowned for riffs, it was known more for very distorted chords and a lot of anger apathy nihilism – er, how do you describe alienated teenagers? Oh, yeah – alienation).

For me, though, the title of Best Riff Of The Nineties goes to the one in Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" (at 2:53 and then 5:03):





Now, that's a monster riff.

Song of the day: XTC - "The Mayor Of Simpleton"

Now, this is how you write a pop song:





"The Mayor Of Simpleton": Great tunes, lots and lots of jangly guitars, a fantastic bass line, and an irresistibly insistent drum beat. Unbeatable.

Also from the same album (1989's Oranges and Lemons), "The Loving":

"All around the world, every boy and every girl, need the loving.
The humble and the great, even those we think we hate, need the loving.


Sailors on the seas, or the clergy on their knees, need the loving.
All the rich and poor, even those we fight at war, need the loving.


All around the world, every boy and every girl, need the loving.
Cold-hearted or warm, every single person born, needs the loving."

You can't argue with that.

Categories of rock

I thought about the term "Folk Rock" the other day, and it prompted me to come up with a few of my own:

Bloke Rock
Last seen and heard in Australian pubs in the 1980's. Involves very loud guitars and lots of beer.

Broke Rock
Otherwise known as low-fi. Typified by penniless musicians with access to somebody's borrowed tape recorder or a friend's home studio. Although there are bands with limited funds who persist in making records (e.g., Guided By Voices and Pavement), Broke Rock is populated primarily by earnest individuals who tend to be painfully sensitive as they bare their souls whilst strumming an acoustic guitar.

Choke Rock
Music performed by artists who sound like they're being strangled whilst performing. Male artists include Bob Dylan and Eddie Vedder. Female artists include Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Gabriella Cilmi. And definitely Duffy.

Cloak Rock
Music performed by artists who, for whatever reason, wish to keep their identities a secret. Examples include TISM, The Residents, Klaatu, and, believe it or not, Paul McCartney (have you heard of The Fireman?).

Coke Rock
Also known as Yacht Rock, where cocaine in the vicinity of super-rich rock stars (mid-70's Fleetwood Mac, I'm looking at you...) fuels all-night recording sessions, extra-marital liaisons, and general outlandish behaviour – basically stuff that poor people can't do because they don't have the combination of unlimited bank accounts and boredom.

Joke Rock
Typified by bands who can't help themselves by adding witticisms, sarcasm, and punchlines to their lyrics. Bands include They Might Be Giants, Fountains of Wayne, Weezer et al. My favourite Joke Rock song is "This Is A Song" by Mitch Friedman (it even has a video). Pure genius.

Poke Rock
Music focusing solely on one thing: fornication. This genre is nowadays almost solely the preserve of rappers. Rappers are obsessed with acts of a carnal nature, accumulating material wealth, shooting people, or being violent to women – but mostly acts of a carnal nature. Before rappers, though, almost any artist who ever wore jeans had a tendency to mention quite emphatically in song that he or she wanted to "make you," "take you," "do it" etc as much as possible and as often as possible.

Smoke Rock
Music performed by über-cool artists in a perpetual state of coolness by invariably having a cigarette dangling from their lips. (An alcoholic drink in one hand is optional.) Examples include Amy Winehouse and that guy from The Strokes, whoever he is. (I was going to include Lou Reed, the father of über-cool rock artists, but he's identified more with heroin use rather than nicotine consumption, and unfortunately "Smack Rock" doesn't rhyme with the rest of this list.)

Spoke Rock
Rap. Or: Spoken word with rhythmic accompaniment. Or: "Why think up a tune when you can just talk incessantly?" Spoke Rock has nothing to do with bicycles.

Toke Rock
Populated by artists who proclaim and promote the psychologically and philosophically beneficial properties of a certain herb. Examples include any artist who has ever been seen with red eyes and was continually grinning.

Yoke Rock
A genre created by The Band. This involves artists giving the impression of being down-to-earth, and being down with the earth. When they're not recording their man-of-the-land music, they're out ploughing the land – or so it appears. Quite a few artists have wandered onto the land, so to speak, and gotten earthy. Artists such as Neil Young (Harvest), John Cougar Mellencamp (Scarecrow), and even The Boss (Nebraska) – plus a whole host of alt-country folk – have all highlighted the plight of the farmers they've never been in their entire lives. Checked shirts optional.

Song of the day: The Whipper Snappers - "Stairway To Heaven"

Here's an Australian power pop version of that song:

The Whipper Snappers - "Stairway To Heaven" (1992)

Link


When they get to the "Ooh, and it makes me wonder" bit, and sing in heavenly harmonies, my brain just melts. And I love the key change. Great stuff.

That version of "Stairway" was part of an Australian TV show called The Money or the Gun, a sort of comedy chat show hosted by comedian Andrew Denton broadcast in 1989-1990. At the end of each show a different performer would pay tribute to/put their individual stamp on/massacre the song in question. There were 22 (!) versions in all and they were eventually released on an album.

There are too many favourite versions for me to choose, but I have a very soft spot for Robyne Dunn's ethereal voice, and The Beatles rip-off by The Beatnix is especially chuckleific.

Anyway, you can decide for yourself. Enjoy "Stairway To Heaven":


Link

Oh, and the videos for all the songs have been put on YouTube here.

Song of the day: The Seekers - "I'll Never Find Another You"

Update: I've been sent one of those Blogger Takedown Notifications about this post. I have a feeling that someone doesn't want you to hear The Seekers. (Or maybe someone doesn't want you to see The Seekers, because in addition to the song there was a photo of them here, too. It's rather difficult to tell just what was in this post that upset whoever it upset.)

Here's Australia's first great musical export The Seekers with a great, great song, "I'll Never Find Another You" (1965). It starts with one of the greatest riffs ever (and it's played on a 12-string guitar – bonus!):

Removed. (Insert un-smiley face here.)

My parents loved The Seekers. I love The Seekers. Who doesn't love The Seekers?

Song of the day: The Nines - "Hard Luck"

Today's song is non-Australian but I'm playing it anyway because, well, because it's a great song.

It's "Hard Luck," a piece of power pop goodness from Canadian band The Nines:


Link

"Hard Luck" comes from their third album, Calling Distance Stations (2006).

Honestly, if you haven't heard The Nines (and I'm guessing most Australians haven't) you're missing out on a whole heap o' wonderfulness.

Official website
MySpace
Facebook
CD Baby

Song of the day: Supernaut - "I Like It Both Ways"

Here, for your delectation, is a dose of Australian glam in the form of Supernaut and their ode to ambiguity, "I Like It Both Ways" (1976):


Link



Ah, 1976.

Song of the day: Dave Dobbyn with Herbs - "Slice Of Heaven"

Please enjoy a piece of pop perfection:



"Slice Of Heaven" was written for (and appears in) the 1987 movie Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale, a cartoon about a dog on a farm. The song was written and performed by New Zealand national treasure Dave Dobbyn. Although he's a Kiwi, Dave was adopted by Australia as soon as "Slice Of Heaven" roared up the charts here (it's The Australian Way: adopting any successful artist from New Zealand).

Pop perfection.

Musical coincidences # 6

You probably think this coincidence is a very small one (and even a bit niggly), but I recently heard a Moody Blues song for the first time and was struck by the opening guitar riff:

The Moody Blues - "Lovely To See You" (1969) (excerpt 1)


That's the start of the riff that starts "Lovely To See You". It appeared on the 1969 album On The Threshold Of A Dream.

When I heard that, I thought it sounded reminiscent of the start of the Raspberries' "Play On":

Raspberries - "Play On" (1974) (excerpt)


"Play On" appeared on the Raspberries' 1974 album Starting Over.

I'll admit that time and distance – not to mention genres – separate the two songs, and it's only the first three notes of either riff that both songs have in common, so my guess is that it's purely coincidental. Especially so, given the rest of that moody Blues riff:

The Moody Blues - "Lovely To See You" (1969) (excerpt 2)


Here are the full tracks so you can hear how dissimilar the songs actually are (apart from that opening riff):

The Moody Blues - "Lovely To See You" (1969)


Raspberries - "Play On" (1974)

Song of the day: AC/DC - "Can I Sit Next To You, Girl"

Here's AC/DC with "Can I Sit Next To You, Girl" – in two versions.

First, the 1974 version with original lead singer Dave Evans, and it has a touch of the glam to it:

AC/DC - "Can I Sit Next To You, Girl" (1974)

Link

Especially with the satin flared pants:



Exit Dave Evans (after only one single), and enter Bon Scott.

When Bon joined the band, the song was rearranged so that it more resembles the AC/DC we all know. Whereas the Dave version has a slightly innocent, "hold my hand" vibe about it, the Bon version is dirtier, with more a "put my hand down your blowse" feel to it. It's like the difference between cordial and beer:

AC/DC - "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" (1975)

Link


The other main difference between the two versions is that the second one doesn't have the comma in the title (I have no idea why they dropped it). The Bon version (without the comma) was recorded in 1975 and put on AC/DC's second album, T.N.T. (in Australia, that is – it appeared on the 1976 international release of High Voltage).

The first version was only ever released as a single, and only in Australia.

Song of the day: ABBA - "When I Kissed The Teacher"

Yesterdays' musical coincidence involving ABBA and Air Supply got me in the mood for a magnificent slice of pop from one of the greatest purveyors of pop ever (no, not Air Supply... I'm a huge ABBA fan). Almost any mention of ABBA from anyone, anywhere, will have me rhapsodising over their brilliance (although not nearly as much as I do with The Beatles).

Anyhow, here's pure pop bliss from 1976:

Song of the day: Gary Shearston - "I Get A Kick Out Of You"

Here's Australian folkie Gary Shearston with the distinctly un-folkie, but distinctly marvellous, 1974 cover version of Cole Porter's "I Get A Kick Out Of You":





It was the only time Gary ever ventured into non-folk territory, and it was also the only time he ever appeared in the charts, either.

Incidentally, the mood of Gary's effort reminds me of another one-hit wonder, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel's magnificent "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)":





(I think it's the tambourine.)

So, today we have two songs for the price of one, plus a musical coincidence. Enjoy!

Musical coincidences # 5

Today's coincidence is one of the more blatant ones I've heard.

Here's ABBA from 1982 with their discotastic "Summer Night City", complete with oft-denied (nice try, Björn) and oft-repeated rude word*:



And here's Air Supply's "Just Another Woman", released just two years later:



Didn't they think anyone would notice?

Anyway, here are the full versions:

ABBA - "Summer Night City"


Air Supply - "Just Another Woman"


The version of "Summer Night City" above was released as a single. As a bonus, here's the full-length, completely complete version of "Summer Night City" – it features a moody intro before all that relentless disco-ness starts. (It sat in the ABBA vaults not doing anything until someone decided to put it on the 1994 Thank You For The Music box set.) Anyway, enjoy the moodiness:

ABBA - "Summer Night City" (full-length version)




(*Bjorn has always maintained that the word they're all singing is "walking," but nobody – and I mean nobody – believes him.)

Song of the day: Matt Finish - "Fade Away"

Here's Australia's second-best live band of the 80s, Matt Finish, with "Fade Away" (1981):



That's Rick Grossman, Australia's best rock bass player, holding down the bottom end there. Grossman left Matt Finish to join the Divinyls and then the Hoodoo Gurus – all great bands, and all much better after Rick Grossman joined them.

"Fade Away" originally appeared on the Fade Away live EP (1981), but it's never been released on CD. (Insert smiley face filled with tears here.)

As a bonus, here's a live-in-the-studio performance of "Always Another," a track from their second album, Word Of Mouth (1984). (Rick Grossman had left the band by then and was replaced by Bertie Dorsett who's on bass in this video.)

Boy they were good...

Musical coincidences # 4

Today's musical coincidence involves Australia's current reigning princess of pop and a bit of funk. Oh yeah.

This is the main melody of the chorus of Delta Goodrem's "Not Me, Not I" (2003):



Sound familiar to you? It sounds familiar to me – speed it up a little, put a little funk in the trunk, and hey presto:



That's the main melody of the chorus of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Fantasy" (1977).

Here are both songs in full:

Delta Goodrem - "Not Me, Not I"


Earth, Wind and Fire - "Fantasy"

Song of the day: Flash and the Pan - "Hey, St. Peter"

Here's the two-man hit factory of Vanda and Young as Flash and the Pan with their 1976 debut single, "Hey, St. Peter":




Given that Harry and George were so productive in the Seventies writing and producing for a myriad of other artists, I'm only slightly amazed that they were able to find the time to recorded something for themselves to release (maybe they had a free week).

Song of the day: Abingdon Boys School - "Fre@k $HoW"

The Superjesus track yesterday got me in the mood to play you something with even more energy. Here's Japanese band Abingdon Boys School from 2006 with "Fre@k $HoW":


Link

Now, I don't know how much studio trickery was involved in the recording of this track, but it features some of the tightest band playing you'll ever hear. Ever.

Side note: I've just discovered that the band are that tight:



Incidentally, if you're wondering why I'm occasionally sneaking in some artists from Japan, it's because of our 18-year-old daughter (Hi, Celeste!) who is a lover of all things Japanese. She has exposed me to a lot of music I would never have heard (and, in some cases, don't want to hear again), and I'm glad she has. (Thanks, Celeste!) Some of it I think is fantastic (especially Puffy, which I pestered you with a little while ago, and Ai Otsuka, a tiny bundle of pop wonderfulness I'll introduce you to a later date).

As a (possibly unwanted) bonus, here's a video of "Blade Chord," another Abingdon Boys School song. Someone on the Internet described this as the best video ever made. I won't go that far, but it is extremely well done (maybe it's the best Japanese music video ever made):

Song of the day: The Superjesus - "Ashes"

Here's The Superjesus from 1998 with "Ashes":


Link

That never fails to get my blood pumping.

Musical coincidences # 3

I heard Green Day's latest effort "21 Guns" a little while ago, and it took me a few minutes before I realised why the melody in the verse sounded familiar...



Now try the verse of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold"...



If you didn't quite catch that, here's a mash-up of the two:



And here are the full tracks:

Green Day - "21 Guns" (2009)



Neil Young - "Heart Of Gold" (1972)