"Dolphin" / Prince / The Gold Experience

This one's funny. I'm a huge Prince fan (actually, this album was in the "Artist Formally Known As.." stage in 1995), but let's be honest in that his best days are behind him (as a writer, not a performer).

This one's unintentionally hilarious. I like The Gold Album, actually, it's got some great songs on it :"Pussy Control", "Endorphinemachine", "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", "Gold", and "Shhh" (which blew me away in concert when he played it - talk about a freakin' deep cut) but this one's pretty bad. It's got the same theme as the classic "If I Was Your Girlfriend", but on crack.

I'm including the lyrics here just for a laugh. God bless Prince with the 2s, Us and whatnot.

How beautiful do the words have 2 be
Before they conquer every heart?
How will U know if I'm even in the right key
If U make me stop before I start?
CHORUS:
If I came back as a dolphin
Would U listen 2 me then?
Would U let me be your friend?
Would U let me in?
U can cut off all my fins
But 2 your ways I will not bend
I'll die before I let U tell me how 2 swim
And I'll come back again as a dolphin

Why does my brother have 2 go hungry
When U told him there was food 4 all?
This is the man that stands next 2 the man
That stands 2 catch U when U fall (Oh!)

If I'm under water, will U find me? (Find me {x4})
Will U shine a light and try 2 guide me?
It's happened before, I've knocked on your door
But U wouldn't let me in

How beautiful do the words have 2 be
Before they conquer every heart? (Oh!)

If I came back as a dolphin
Would U listen 2 me then?
Would U let me be your friend?
Would U let me in?
U can cut off all my fins
But 2 your ways I will not bend
I'll die before I let U tell me how 2 swim
Come back in the end as a dolphin (Oh)
(I'll come back, baby)
(Let me in, let me in) As a dolphin
(Be my friend) Dolphin
(Yeah, yeah)

Dolphin
As a dolphin
As a dolphin
As a dolphin


Seriously, man, that's gold, I tell you. Gold.

It's like the worst 9th grade poetry I see set to music.

And, speaking of music, it's not actually too bad. I like the little break right after the chorus with the neat little bass riff (check 1:03 to 1:15 for the first instance), but I just can't get past the lyrics. Help yoursleves, though:

http://www.mediafire.com/?9sjjorfg2uj

"The Clairvoyant" / Iron Fuckin' Maiden / Best of the Beast

Now that's what I'm talking about. If you don't love Maiden, I don't really know what else to say. Could they be the ultimate metal band? They fulfill every metal cliche to the point that it goes beyond hilarity to utter,sublime greatness.

I do regret not ever getting the chance to see them, though. I was going to go see them (with Anthrax opening!) at some point in high school, but they had to cancel and never returned. All I have to rely on are old videos, which are as good as anything. It was also fun to freak my parents out by putting up a great Maiden poster in my room in 9th grade (I know, "Oooohhhh, dangerous" - gimmie a break; I grew up a typical suburban white boy. That's about as shocking as I got.)

This song comes from "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", the masterpiece conceptual album about...um...babies, prophicies, wizards...and, er, other random shit. Doesn't matter, it's still great.

I love the beginning with the classic Steve Harris galloping bass, followed by the anthemic guitar riff. Actually, the verse is a little dull, but then they get to the second half of the song. When the band , out of nowhere, churns out the "There's a time to live / and a time to die" chorus at about two minutes in, it's just complete, classic Maiden. I picture thousand of greasy, long haired, denim jacketed burnouts pumping their fists and bobbing their heads in unison. Love it.

Then later at 4:08 or so, that riff from the beginning comes back (and check out the drop in key on the third time though of the chorus at 3:50 . What's up with that?), and Bruce Dickinson finishes off with the "I feel reborn again" lyric, which just brings everything back around very nicely, full circle.

Enjoy...
http://www.mediafire.com/?2nzxdmp4zwu

Here's a great video of a performance of it a Donington - Look for Big! Walking! Eddie

Alright, try this one

Due to the comments on the last Ted Leo song, I went out and found another one of his I really like.
I know it's against the "rules" of my blog, but ....Matchbox 20? Come on...

Here's "Where Have All the Rudeboys Gone?"

"Walking to Do" / Ted Leo and the Pharmacists / Shaking the Sheets

I can't remember how I found out about Ted Leo. I guess I first remember hearing about his cover of Kelly Clarkson's "Since You Been Gone", which was a great one, by the way.

I think I then downloaded a random song, "Better Dead Than Lear", which I liked enough to put on a mixtape. It lead to getting a couple of proper CDs from my buddy Mike when I raided his itunes library last Spring. Now I've got cred out my ASS. Ted Leo will do that for you.

I really like the dude, though. He's got some great, catchy tunes and some sticky hooks, which is what you want in a pop band. The music is pretty complex, too - not just straight up melodies and verses, but lots of nice little nooks and crannies to the songs that reveal themselves over several listens.

Take this one. It's pretty unfamiliar to me as his songs go, but damn if I don't have the refrain stuck in my head now after only two listens. I love the breakdown that starts with cutting everything out but the guitar, bass and drums at about 2:16, then slowly building back up to the chorus - with an "answer" back this time, of course, and for God's sake, do I hear handclaps too?

You can count on it - a great hook, studio hijinks, three minutes and some seconds = pop perfection

http://www.mediafire.com/?2zlmj1r2tfb

"If" / The Darling Buds / Erotica

Wow, time to go pretty deep. I'd be surprised if any of you ever heard this group (and I say that not in a "hipper than thou" context, I just mean they were a tiny, tiny flash in the pan).

The Darling Buds was a group that had a couple of popular 99X songs in the early 90's in the heady, post-Nirvana alternative goldrush. You may remember a song called "Long Day in the Universe" - that was them. Their sound could fall into that "shoegazer" genre with bands like Lush, Curve and My Bloody Valentine.

The thing is, I really like this CD. It's not something I can sit and listen to regularly, but if a song randomly pops up on the 'ol ipod shuffle or here on the computer, I still enjoy it. The band's sound is pretty soothing, with dense layers of tracks throughout the songs. They also have a chick singer (which I'm a sucker for) and lots of great hooks.

This song is a good example of the band's sound. The beginning reminds me of "Gigantic" by the Pixies with the bass and vocal, then moves pretty quickly into the standard sound of the band. I like how the bass line that's introduced by itself at the beginning carries throughout the song and how the other tracks tail off at the end, leaving just the bass again. It's worth a listen, I reckon.

http://www.mediafire.com/?8zrjchjkxmx

"Go Fuck You" / Hank Williams III

No album with this one. After reading about Hank III somewhere about five years ago I searched out some of his stuff in Limewire and got this one (and another really good one, called "Pop County Really Sucks", which should kind of tell you what he's all about).

Apparently this dude is the real deal and follows in the footsteps of his hard-livin' drunkard Granddiddy and not his lame sellout old man ("Are you ready for some fooootballll?"). I read a review of one of his concerts recently and he plays the first half of his shows with his roots / bluegrass band and comes back for a second set with a punk group.

As for this song, it's just a simple, straightforward "boogie" riff which (and I'm just guessing here) provides a context for the real point of the song, the lyrics. Being live adds lots of flavor to it, even though it's a pretty poor recording, and that first "Hey man, go fuck you" at 50 seconds in followed by the crowd roar is great. And of course, by the end of the song the crowd is sing right along with that catchy little chorus.

I got to give the kid props for giving the figurative finger to Nashvillle and doing his own thing, especially given the fact that he's the grandson of arguably the most influential figure ever in the genre. Listen to any mainstream country radio station for a few songs and you can see why they are absolutely deserving of it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?8d21v4sgtms

"Friday I'm In Love" / The Cure / The Cure's Greatest HIts

Not sure where this one came from, as I don't have the whole album (just Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me). I guess the old lady bought it as a single one day.

Meh - not too much going on here. I suppose it's notable for being the last "hit" the Cure has had, and it's also notable for being quite the poppy, upbeat song in contrast to the dour, mopey Cure classics. Not to sound too cliche here, but I really love the old Cure stuff. You have to appreciate a band that more or less started (or popularized) an entire social genre. I remember being surprised when I first saw the video in the early 90's, hearing that jangly guitar opening and then seeing Robert Smith running(!) down the stairs and start singing.

One thing I really like about this song? The bridge. From the "Dressed up to the eyes" lyric about two minutes (2:06 in the video) in to the weird "Whooooo!" at 2:30 - now that's good stuff. I almost wish that would have been the melody for a song all its own.


A couple of other Cure memories and I'm done.

-Once at the Engine Room, playing truth or dare over three dollar PBR pitchers, I dared Jeff to go up to the bartender, look him in the eye, and sing "Why can't I be you?". And he did.

- I heard "Lovesong" on KRGR radio at Kroger the other day. Struck me as sort of a strange place to hear it.

- And, of course, one of the greatest South Park moments ever : "Robert Smiiith, Robert Smiiith"