Middle Aged Dummies!! Artists #1's have been posted!! (1 Viewer)

[titusbramble]

Have a guess what the first video played on MTV Europe was. It's fairly obvious if you think about it.

wanna say "I want my MTV" song by Knopfler - or 99 Luftys by Nena.

but it GOTSTA be "The Final Countdown" by Europe ... GOTTA.

Or, as it's commonly known, Money for Nothing, yes

 

[otb_lifer]

Have a guess what the first video played on MTV Europe was. It's fairly obvious if you think about it.

wanna say "I want my MTV" song by Knopfler - or 99 Luftys by Nena.

but it GOTSTA be "The Final Countdown" by Europe ... GOTTA.

Or, as it's commonly known, Money for Nothing, yes

were a slam dunk, as that were promo-ed to death here in the States long after it's release ... seemed to pop up on every bumper break.

but they missed out across the pond on not using Europe's opus ... they could have literally counted down via the opening synth/keys the way USofA counted down with the moon man chit.

then again, wtf do i really kno?

 

[zamboni]

Have a guess what the first video played on MTV Europe was. It's fairly obvious if you think about it.

wanna say "I want my MTV" song by Knopfler - or 99 Luftys by Nena.

but it GOTSTA be "The Final Countdown" by Europe ... GOTTA.

Or, as it's commonly known, Money for Nothing, yes

were a slam dunk, as that were promo-ed to death here in the States long after it's release ... seemed to pop up on every bumper break.

but they missed out across the pond on not using Europe's opus ... they could have literally counted down via the opening synth/keys the way USofA counted down with the moon man chit.

Guess Thomas Dolby would have been too obscure despite the title. I see that MTV Europe started on August 1, 1987, so that was smack dab '80s time.

Can't seem to find which came after Money For Nothing.

 

[Galileo]

I am falling a little behind on playlists as I am away on vacation, but while the wife is still in bed this morning I'll post my little blurb about Destroyer.

#18 Destroyer (1981 - Give the People What They Want)

Destroyer

Song · The Kinks · 1981

open.spotify.com

This is somewhat of a nostalgic Kinks song. Although released in 1981, we get a continuation of the Lola story from 1970. We revisit a hard rocking guitar riff recycled from the 1964 hit All Day and All of the Night. And we have an ever popular Kinks theme of paranoia running through the story. Classic Kinks in the 80's!

Met a girl called Lola and I took her back to my place
Feelin' guilty, feelin' scared, hidden cameras everywhere
Stop! Hold on. Stay in control

Girl, I want, you here with me
But I'm really not as cool as I'd like to be
'Cause there's a red, under my bed
And there's a little yellow man in my head
And there's a true, blue, inside of me
That keeps stoppin' me, touchin' ya, watchin' ya, lovin' ya

Paranoia, the destroyer
Paranoia the destroyer

Well I fell asleep, then I woke feelin' kinda' queer
Lola looked at me and said ooh you look so weird
She said man, there's really something wrong with you
One day you're gonna' self-destruct
You're up, get down, I'll come work you out
You get a good thing goin' then you blow yourself out

Silly boy ya self-destroyer
Silly boy ya self-destroyer

Silly boy you got so much to live for
So much to aim for, so much to try for
You blow it all with, paranoia
You're so insecure you, self-destroyer

(And it goes like this, here it goes) paranoia, the destroyer
(Here it goes again) paranoia, the destroyer

Dr. Dr. help her please I know you'll understand
There's a time device inside of me I'm a self-destructin' man
There's a red, under my bed
And there's a little green man in my head
And said you're not goin' crazy, you're just a bit sad
'Cause there's a man in ya, knawin' ya, tearin' ya, into two

Silly boy ya self-destroyer, paranoia, the destroyer

Self-destroyer, wreck your health
Destroy friends, destroy yourself
The time device of, self-destruction
Lies, confusion, start eruption

(Yea, it goes like this, here it goes) paranoia, the destroyer
(Here's to paranoia) paranoia, the destroyer
(Hey hey, here it goes) paranoia, the destroyer
(And it goes like this)

 

[otb_lifer]

Have a guess what the first video played on MTV Europe was. It's fairly obvious if you think about it.

wanna say "I want my MTV" song by Knopfler - or 99 Luftys by Nena.

but it GOTSTA be "The Final Countdown" by Europe ... GOTTA.

Or, as it's commonly known, Money for Nothing, yes

were a slam dunk, as that were promo-ed to death here in the States long after it's release ... seemed to pop up on every bumper break.

but they missed out across the pond on not using Europe's opus ... they could have literally counted down via the opening synth/keys the way USofA counted down with the moon man chit.

Can't seem to find which came after Money For Nothing.

"Kids In America" - Kim Wilde

 

[zamboni]

Have a guess what the first video played on MTV Europe was. It's fairly obvious if you think about it.

wanna say "I want my MTV" song by Knopfler - or 99 Luftys by Nena.

but it GOTSTA be "The Final Countdown" by Europe ... GOTTA.

Or, as it's commonly known, Money for Nothing, yes

were a slam dunk, as that were promo-ed to death here in the States long after it's release ... seemed to pop up on every bumper break.

but they missed out across the pond on not using Europe's opus ... they could have literally counted down via the opening synth/keys the way USofA counted down with the moon man chit.

Can't seem to find which came after Money For Nothing.

"Kids In America" - Kim Wilde

whoa-oh

 

[Leroy Hoard]

My favorite 19/18s

Genesis - No Reply At All
Slade - Cum On Feel The Noize
Bruce Springsteen - Sherry Darling
- There's The Girl
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
ELO - So Fine
Alice In Chains - Them
Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack
Bauhaus - The Three Shadows Part 2

 

[falguy]

#18 Can't Stand Still (Stiff Upper Lip)

I don’t have many “newer” songs in my top 31 but this one has always been a favorite. This album, in fact, has some solid tunes on it, but not quite enough to get any more included here. Much like Gone Shootin’ I love the groovy guitar in this one. Drums are a bit boring tho

Some say that Malcolm does the solo here but it sounds to me that it’s Angus’ guitar when it kicks in about half way through and I think it’s Malcolm playing rhythm in the right speaker throughout - but what do I know? Can’t find any live concert footage to verify.

Back to the Dirty Deeds album for some more old school Bon blues on Sunday.

Album breakdown
0 74 Jailbreak
2 High Voltage
1 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
3 Let There Be Rock
3 PowerAge
2 Highway To Hell
1 Back in Black
1 For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
1 Flick of the Switch
0 Fly On The Wall
0 Who Made Who
0 Blow Up Your Video
0 The Razor’s Edge
0 BallBreaker
1 Stiff Upper Lip
0 Black Ice
0 Rock or Bust
0 Power Up

 

[MAC_32]

I was hoping Stiff Upper Lip would make your cut

 

[otb_lifer]

Spotty hath bestowed the wrong lyric for "The Three Shadows Part II" ... they used TTSP3 lyric, instead - buncha monkeys over there, or what? numb nutz.

for those interested in the proper lyric for my #18, TTSP2:

Spoiler

O classic gentlemen
Say your prayers
To the wind, of prostitution
To your faces, and Rex complexes
Riddle my breast
Full of the oppressed puss

Oh gentlemen, with your fish
The you surround, all around
And you man, will always point
Your fishes, at me

But I will always exist
Because I always exist
Damn good too

The rat race begins
The fat face stings
I hold the fresh pink baby
With a smile
I slice off those rosy cheeks
Because I feel so thirsty

And Oedipus Rex complexes
...riddle my closed bloated breast

... middle of TTS suite off their third platter - Pete with more religious imagery, via the fish - which are a recurrent theme thru this and P3.

the dirge like cadence of this one are another waltz macabre from the lads ... as much as the genre confines perceived by the press and public misrepresented a goodly deal of their work, they really stood out when slapping on the doom n' gloom -they mastered it like none other.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

'Cause there's a red, under my bed

I always thought they were singing "rat under my bed."

 

[Raging weasel]

'Cause there's a red, under my bed

I always thought they were singing "rat under my bed."

Me too

 

[otb_lifer]

'Cause there's a red, under my bed

I always thought they were singing "rat under my bed."

'Cause there's a red, under my bed

I always thought they were singing "rat under my bed."

Me too

coke fueled commie paranoia

 

[scorchy]

The Hold Steady “Realistic” Dream Setlist Song 14: Unpleasant Breakfast

First it's April, then it's August, it's the cost of doing business
You were scared and overcautious, the whole breakfast was unpleasant
You just can't keep throwing up and then cover it with sawdust
And expect us not to notice and pretend it didn't happen

Album: Open Door Policy (song 2 of 2)

Year: 2021

# of Times Seen Live: 2 of 6 shows (only counting shows since album was released)

The Story: I’m about to get a bit long-winded here because this song really hits for me.

Open Door Policy dropped in the midst of the pandemic and, I have to admit, it didn’t really connect at first. The exception was the first 60-or-so seconds of Unpleasant Breakfast - is that a drum machine? Can I actually groove a little to THS? This song is amazing!!! And then the “whoos” hit (they’re supposed to represent ghosts) and I was all WTF? I came home from walking the dog, played it for the missus, and she had the same head-bobbing-to-perplexed reaction. So I dropped it.

I know the “rewards repeated listens” thing is overused but after revisiting the album several dozen times over the last 6 months, it’s fair to say the record is honestly quite good (would rank it 5 of the 9 on my THS list) and Unpleasant Breakfast has broken into my top 10 THS songs - whoos and all. The beat, the horns, the big finale at the end, and most of all the story. I’m a sucker for relationship nostalgia and this one has it in spades. We start with the joy:

We snuck into the ballroom
And made echoes in its empty
And I grabbed you and I spun you
And we both just started laughing

Then on to the photo and the description so vivid I can feel it - the “defiant and undamaged” gets me every time:

Last summer at the shoreline when you walked into the water
Went out up to your waistline and turned back to face the camera
Rolled your eyes back in their sockets then you raised your middle fingers
Defiant and undamaged
That's when I took the picture

And then the reality of the present sets in:

And this year, we were standing, looking out off the veranda
You said, "Yeah, I guess it's pretty, but I'm a shell of what I once was"
That girl in last year's picture Is now haunting her own hallways

In the end, our narrator gets his reality check:

I no longer see the romance in these ghosts.

Live Notes: Even though I now get the “whoos,” I was still looking forward to live versions without them. Nope. Cue more audience participation to add an off-key element to the whole thing.

 

[higgins]

I haven't been narrating my Rush selections so far (laziness!) but I figured this would be a good spot for me to write about my # 18/19 selections.

#19 Losing It
If you have issues with Rush's prog rep/Geddy screeching/etc. maybe you should give this song a chance. Rush fans will know that this is the first (only?) song that Rush included a non-core musician as part of the main thrust of a song (electric violin throughout and solo), BUT the lyrics/music combo should give folks reason to pay attention and Geddy Lee's understated narrating should make it pleasing. As uncommon a song this may be for Rush, the solo section immediately compels familiar awe/respect.

#18 Working Man
Rush first got some US love (Hello, Cleveland!) with this song, and gives you a chance to hear the band as they were in their earliest days.

 

[Raging weasel]

Working Man top 10 for me, first Rush song I ever heard.

 

[Doug B]

#18 Destroyer (1981 - Give the People What They Want)

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

Listened to Casey Kasem religiously every Sunday back then ... how did we not get set straight on the lyrics?

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

I'm sneaking some Sir Paul into my playlist. This song appeared on his Tug Of War LP. Paul & Stevie shared writing credits on it.

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

Anyway, what bass there is pops. Stevie's doing Stevie things with his keys (while channeling Bernie Worrell). I'm not sure who is playing drums - both Stevie and Paul are fantastic drummers, though it may be someone else entirely - but he or she is riding that cymbal & snare like their life depends on it.

It's the singing, though, that makes it. Paul is in fine voice, even he could stand to be a little grittier on a song like this. But Stevie Wonder is singing like he's had his tongue replaced with a jackhammer and is trying to get it through the roof of his mouth by any means necessary. Half the time I don't think he's singing real words. The backing vocals are cleverly arranged. The verses are fun, but that chorus makes the hair on my arms stand up.

I don't know how this wasn't a monster hit. It's far better than the other duet they did for the album, though I think "Ebony And Ivory" is probably closer to how Paul & Stevie view themselves.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

I was 18 or 19 when this came out and I thought that was the lyric. Matter of fact, I was today years old when I learned it wasn't

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Paul McCartney?

ETA: Nevermind.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Paul McCartney?

ETA: Nevermind.

Yeah, he was in the Beatles

 

[Pip's Invitation]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

I'm sneaking some Sir Paul into my playlist. This song appeared on his Tug Of War LP. Paul & Stevie shared writing credits on it.

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

Anyway, what bass there is pops. Stevie's doing Stevie things with his keys (while channeling Bernie Worrell). I'm not sure who is playing drums - both Stevie and Paul are fantastic drummers, though it may be someone else entirely - but he or she is riding that cymbal & snare like their life depends on it.

It's the singing, though, that makes it. Paul is in fine voice, even he could stand to be a little grittier on a song like this. But Stevie Wonder is singing like he's had his tongue replaced with a jackhammer and is trying to get it through the roof of his mouth by any means necessary. Half the time I don't think he's singing real words. The backing vocals are cleverly arranged. The verses are fun, but that chorus makes the hair on my arms stand up.

I don't know how this wasn't a monster hit. It's far better than the other duet they did for the album, though I think "Ebony And Ivory" is probably closer to how Paul & Stevie view themselves.

Wiki says Paul played drums on What’s That You’re Doing and Stevie played drums on Ebony and Ivory.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

I'm sneaking some Sir Paul into my playlist. This song appeared on his Tug Of War LP. Paul & Stevie shared writing credits on it.

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

Anyway, what bass there is pops. Stevie's doing Stevie things with his keys (while channeling Bernie Worrell). I'm not sure who is playing drums - both Stevie and Paul are fantastic drummers, though it may be someone else entirely - but he or she is riding that cymbal & snare like their life depends on it.

It's the singing, though, that makes it. Paul is in fine voice, even he could stand to be a little grittier on a song like this. But Stevie Wonder is singing like he's had his tongue replaced with a jackhammer and is trying to get it through the roof of his mouth by any means necessary. Half the time I don't think he's singing real words. The backing vocals are cleverly arranged. The verses are fun, but that chorus makes the hair on my arms stand up.

I don't know how this wasn't a monster hit. It's far better than the other duet they did for the album, though I think "Ebony And Ivory" is probably closer to how Paul & Stevie view themselves.

Wiki says Paul played drums on What’s That You’re Doing and Stevie played drums on Ebony and Ivory.

Pip, that would have required me putting effort into this. You should know better by now.

 

[zamboni]

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

I was 18 or 19 when this came out and I thought that was the lyric.

Same here. Clearly I wasn’t listening every time Ray said “and it goes like this”.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

The “Dream Time” album, which would get played during college was the only Stranglers album I really listened to before. Didn’t realize how long they were around before that and their range. I’ve been impressed.

 

[kupcho1]

Two more to chime in on w/r/t the #18s:
* Big Thief's Time Escaping is perhaps my 2nd favorite tune of theirs. Fantastic percussion
* Love, love, love Daft Punk's Technologic. It's my 2nd favorite song where they spew verbiage (in this case actual verbs; comparatives hopefully to follow)

 

[Zegras11]

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

I was 18 or 19 when this came out and I thought that was the lyric. Matter of fact, I was today years old when I learned it wasn't

Wait. What is it then?

 

[Doug B]

Damon Albarn

Eephus

Gorillaz (feat. Adeleye Omotayo) --- Silent Running - YouTube Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen. www.youtube.com

Nice throwback sound here -- the percussion track has a lot in common with "Running Up That Hill", but then it goes on its own way. Seal is probably kicking himself that he didn't get to sing on this.

I was wondering for a second there is this was an updated cover of Mike + The Mechanics. It wasn't -- but I was in no way disappointed.

 

[Doug B]

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

I was 18 or 19 when this came out and I thought that was the lyric. Matter of fact, I was today years old when I learned it wasn't

Wait. What is it then?

Check it

 

[otb_lifer]

The “Dream Time” album, which would get played during college was the only Stranglers album I really listened to before. Didn’t realize how long they were around before that and their range. I’ve been impressed.

was an absolute behemoth of an album ...

Spoiler

i don't wanna spotlight, but the single greatest piece of work to emerge from any of the London '77 class are on it, and i expect to see it ranked at least top 5, though i have it as their no-brainer #1- and that's saying a TON, because a handful of absolute materpieces are yet to be revealed.
song in question still brings a shiver and a jaw drop - goodt lord are it magnificent

these cats had IT

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#18

Whoa slow down there, chief.

It messed me up last round, too. People started posting their selections and I thought I had missed the original post.

I don't really care all that much, but - just me - I'd like to see the list before the writeups.

So noted. I'll comply going forward.

Don't worry about me if all of the cool kids are doing it. It just threw me because I thought I missed the reveal post and was losing what little mind I have left.

 

[Scoresman]

18's randoms:

Nice banger from Heart again. Love hearing new songs from them that are new to me.
I continue to not quite understand Bauhaus, but I continue to listen to each song enthusiastically.
Acoustic Foo Fighters has never been my favorite Foo Fighters but this may be the exception.
Favorite Doves song yet!
Hit the Road Jack! I think it's my favorite "sports" song, played whenever the opposing team subs a player or gets ejected.
Albarn/Gorillas new song that I loved.
Frank Black ditto.
Elliot Smith - that piano halfway through hits hard.
Never liked The National. Turns out all they needed was some Taylor Swift to make me like them.
Favorite Kinks song so far.
New Genesis song for me - epic.

 

[Galileo]

#18 Destroyer (1981 - Give the People What They Want)

Us fifth-graders thought it was "Paranoia will destroy yah!"

Listened to Casey Kasem religiously every Sunday back then ... how did we not get set straight on the lyrics?

Actually, I have seen different lyrics posted in different places

 

[Pip's Invitation]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

I found the discussion from Krista's Beatles solo countdown thread:

82. What’s That You’re Doing (Tug Of War, 1982) Spotify YouTube

(Paul #37)

I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: this isn’t that great a song. Maybe I didn’t need to tell you that. But since this is my “favorites” list, and Stevie Wonder is second only to the Beatles as my favorite artist,* it gets an otherwise unjustified position on my list. The good part of this song is Stevie. The bad part is Paul. I don’t know what happened here and why Paul used the vocal style that he did, but it. does. not. work.

The song came about when Stevie simply began grooving during a session. Because Paul perceived that the keyboard part Stevie was improvising was its own bass line, Paul jumped in on drums instead of bass, to avoid stepping all over what Stevie was doing. Even that proved too much for Stevie, who directed Paul to cut back, and later Paul replaced his drum line in the overdubs, along with adding guitar and a terrific bass part as well as Andy MacKay on lyricon. As I said, Stevie pulls this song out for me, from his spoken word intro to his vocal performance throughout, but it doesn’t hit that deep funk groove I would have loved. And Paul’s vocal…why?

OH described the issues better than I do...well, maybe: “One thing you notice about fake white guy electronic funk of the era is the riff is too short and it’s in 4/4 time with the drums. [makes sounds] Say a Parliament riff or a DC gogo band riff is in 7/8 or 6/7 time, the guitar/bass/horns riff in 7/8 and the drums in 4/4 or 8/8 time, and the riffs are way longer. [makes sounds] A riff where the 8 and the 1 are the same. Where the drummer is playing the 1 there is a silent 8 from the riff. [makes sounds] Like a circular thing. That’s how you get a really deep groove. Which that song doesn’t have despite the length. That’s why Funkadelic or Parliament songs weren’t as long, but the groove was deep. That song took a bunch of funk signifiers without making funk. Stevie Wonder killed it on the vocals, though.”

This is another song where I find the “Twin Freaks” version worth a listen as well.

*And also because it is not “Ebony and Ivory.”

UP NEXT: the green, green grass of home...

My response was:

This is so '80s. But this is how radio-friendly funk sounded in that brief period after the death of disco but before Thriller changed everything. I could not nearly have begun to explain it like he did, but I get exactly what OH is saying. The groove should sustain and it doesn't. It's like little computer blips arranged rhythmically. I do enjoy the spacey part around 4:00, though. And Stevie's vocal and keys, of course.

"We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah" -- not sure if I should smile or cringe.

 

[Mt. Man]

Picking some favorites from the 18s, in order of my shuffle:

City’s Burning - Heart. I have a vague memory of this song, but definitely not as familiar as most of Heart. Regardless, it grabbed me instantly.
Strange Little Girl - The Stranglers. I doubt I’d have guessed the band for this song without looking. Regardless, much <3 for this one.
The Hardest Cut - Spoon
Time Heals - Todd Rundgren. Feels very 70s. (*looks it up*) 1981? Eh, close enough. Energetic pop rock with an unusual background.
Silent Running - Gorillaz (/Damian Albarn)
The Mariner’s Revenge Song - The Decemberists. More sea shanties! More, I say!
Charlie’s Medicine- Warren Zevon
–
It took me a bit to warm up to them, but I think The Hold Steady is joining the “assume I at least like it if I don’t mention it” club.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

I found the discussion from Krista's Beatles solo countdown thread:

82. What’s That You’re Doing (Tug Of War, 1982) Spotify YouTube

(Paul #37)

I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: this isn’t that great a song. Maybe I didn’t need to tell you that. But since this is my “favorites” list, and Stevie Wonder is second only to the Beatles as my favorite artist,* it gets an otherwise unjustified position on my list. The good part of this song is Stevie. The bad part is Paul. I don’t know what happened here and why Paul used the vocal style that he did, but it. does. not. work.

The song came about when Stevie simply began grooving during a session. Because Paul perceived that the keyboard part Stevie was improvising was its own bass line, Paul jumped in on drums instead of bass, to avoid stepping all over what Stevie was doing. Even that proved too much for Stevie, who directed Paul to cut back, and later Paul replaced his drum line in the overdubs, along with adding guitar and a terrific bass part as well as Andy MacKay on lyricon. As I said, Stevie pulls this song out for me, from his spoken word intro to his vocal performance throughout, but it doesn’t hit that deep funk groove I would have loved. And Paul’s vocal…why?

OH described the issues better than I do...well, maybe: “One thing you notice about fake white guy electronic funk of the era is the riff is too short and it’s in 4/4 time with the drums. [makes sounds] Say a Parliament riff or a DC gogo band riff is in 7/8 or 6/7 time, the guitar/bass/horns riff in 7/8 and the drums in 4/4 or 8/8 time, and the riffs are way longer. [makes sounds] A riff where the 8 and the 1 are the same. Where the drummer is playing the 1 there is a silent 8 from the riff. [makes sounds] Like a circular thing. That’s how you get a really deep groove. Which that song doesn’t have despite the length. That’s why Funkadelic or Parliament songs weren’t as long, but the groove was deep. That song took a bunch of funk signifiers without making funk. Stevie Wonder killed it on the vocals, though.”

This is another song where I find the “Twin Freaks” version worth a listen as well.

*And also because it is not “Ebony and Ivory.”

UP NEXT: the green, green grass of home...

My response was:

This is so '80s. But this is how radio-friendly funk sounded in that brief period after the death of disco but before Thriller changed everything. I could not nearly have begun to explain it like he did, but I get exactly what OH is saying. The groove should sustain and it doesn't. It's like little computer blips arranged rhythmically. I do enjoy the spacey part around 4:00, though. And Stevie's vocal and keys, of course.

"We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah" -- not sure if I should smile or cringe.

Thank you for finding this. That's the exact post I remembered, but it wasn't because I chose the song. God, my memory is shot. I thought it was like 15 years ago.

That said, I think the kristas may have sold it short. It's KMart funk, but it's still better than 99% of whatever was on the radio in 1982.

 

[Raging weasel]

Noticed that since the last playlist release that Spotify has replaced the button with a + button.
Wish they would add a dislike option like Pandora had. About half of their suggested for you is stuff that sounds like bands I hate but listen to a lot due to all the music threads

 

[simey]

18. Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack - Spotify

Ray recorded this song as a single back in '61. Lead Raelette, Margie Hendrix, is featured on female vocals. Margie sings with lots of sass. Although the song was written by Ray's buddy Percy Mayfield, Ray and Margie can relate to the subject matter. They had an off and on six year affair. She had a son with Ray, and wanted him to leave his wife, but he wouldn't. There were some real life emotions going on while recording this tune, and the call-response banter makes this one spirited song. Anyway, from Ray to Margie to The Raelettes to the Orchestra, there is so much swagger in this song, you can't help but groove to it.

 

[simey]

But mostly, I hate being messy when I eat and especially eating with my hands while doing so. I also don't eat corn on the cob and wings very rarely (and only if boneless isn't an option so I can comsume via fork ). Strike two.

I haven't eaten corn on the cob since the 80s. I got braces in the early 80s, and it was too difficult to eat it with those things on my teeth. My mom would shave it off the cob for me, and cook it in a little olive oil, butter and basil (with a dash of salt). After I got my braces off, I tried again to eat it on the cob, but it just got stuck in my teeth bad. I never ate corn on the cob again after that. I shave it off the cob, and cook it just like my mom used to for me.

 

[otb_lifer]

18. Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack - Spotify

Ray recorded this song as a single back in '61. Lead Raelette, Margie Hendrix, is featured on female vocals. Margie sings with lots of sass. Although the song was written by Ray's buddy Percy Mayfield, Ray and Margie can relate to the subject matter. They had an off and on six year affair. She had a son with Ray, and wanted him to leave his wife, but he wouldn't. There were some real life emotions going on while recording this tune, and the call-response banter makes this one spirited song. Anyway, from Ray to Margie to the Raelettes to the Orchestra, there is so much swagger in this song, you can't help but groove to it.

giant song from a gargantuan talent ... nothing more to add to Simey's post, spot on goodness.

 

[krista4]

One strike is that I generally don't eat red meat besides a burger or the cheap Costco shredded steak sandwhiches. I can't tell you the last time I had a steak, either. Strike one.

But mostly, I hate being messy when I eat and especially eating with my hands while doing so. I also don't eat corn on the cob and wings very rarely (and only if boneless isn't an option so I can comsume via fork ). Strike two.

Also, I generally don't like being reminded where my food came from while I am consuming it. Strike 3, but defintely lower on the reasons for ribs, but a reason I don't eat crab legs or whole fish carcass at restaurants.

Yes, I am odd.

I've been busy since posting about bee stings and ribs on Wednesday, so just getting to the question to answer. I'm mostly in the #2 camp above. Just one of those things that has never appealed to me as it looks like a lot of mess and work for little payoff. I'm not much of a meat eater and spent many years pescatarian or vegetarian, so not interested.

 

[simey]

I have been stung by bees, hornets, yellow jackets and wasps. It has been a few years, though, since being stung. I got stung more as a kid. I got multiple stings at once one time when my sister, brother, and I were hiking up High Peak. High Peak is a small mountain near my grandparent's house. Both sets of grandparent's lived 10 minutes apart, so it was near both of their houses. We were staying at my paternal grandparents that afternoon. Anyway, my brother threw a stick at a tree that happened to have a wasp nest on it, and it hit the nest. Those wasps went after us, and we ran like hell just a screaming down that mountain. When we got to my grandparent's house, my grandmother, Granny, told us to stand in yard, and she poured Coca Cola all over our stings. It helped calm the stings some, but it also made us a sticky mess.

 

[krista4]

Thinking about some beef short ribs now.

I wasn't thinking of OH's braised short ribs. I guess I've had ribs after all. I was thinking of those big slabs of things that are a mess to eat. Those are the ones I haven't tried.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

But mostly, I hate being messy when I eat and especially eating with my hands while doing so. I also don't eat corn on the cob and wings very rarely (and only if boneless isn't an option so I can comsume via fork ). Strike two.

I haven't eaten corn on the cob since the 80s. I got braces in the early 80s, and it was too difficult to eat it with those things on my teeth. My mom would shave it off the cob for me, and cook it in a little olive oil, butter and basil (with a dash of salt). After I got my braces off, I tried again to eat it on the cob, but it just got stuck in my teeth bad. I never ate corn on the cob again after that. I shave it off the cob, and cook it just like my mom used to for me.

I haven't eaten corn of any kind in 15 years thanks to diverticulosis/diverticulitis.

 

[Eephus]

Dang, y'all better bring your own food to the cookout

 

[simey]

I haven't eaten corn of any kind in 15 years thanks to diverticulosis/diverticulitis.

My grandfather had that.

 

[Mister CIA]

I haven't eaten corn of any kind in 15 years thanks to diverticulosis/diverticulitis.

My grandfather had that.

Corn?

 

[krista4]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

I'm sneaking some Sir Paul into my playlist. This song appeared on his Tug Of War LP. Paul & Stevie shared writing credits on it.

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

Anyway, what bass there is pops. Stevie's doing Stevie things with his keys (while channeling Bernie Worrell). I'm not sure who is playing drums - both Stevie and Paul are fantastic drummers, though it may be someone else entirely - but he or she is riding that cymbal & snare like their life depends on it.

It's the singing, though, that makes it. Paul is in fine voice, even he could stand to be a little grittier on a song like this. But Stevie Wonder is singing like he's had his tongue replaced with a jackhammer and is trying to get it through the roof of his mouth by any means necessary. Half the time I don't think he's singing real words. The backing vocals are cleverly arranged. The verses are fun, but that chorus makes the hair on my arms stand up.

I don't know how this wasn't a monster hit. It's far better than the other duet they did for the album, though I think "Ebony And Ivory" is probably closer to how Paul & Stevie view themselves.

I'm a couple of playlists behind of course, but happy to see this here. It was my #82 solo Beatles song in that countdown, though I admitted it was ranked that high (Binky, low) only because Stevie was on there. I don't think the song overall is that great.

Anyway, I mentioned in my write-up that the song doesn't hit the deep funk groove, but I also posted OH's better description of that: "One thing you notice about fake white guy electronic funk of the era is the riff is too short and it’s in 4/4 time with the drums. [makes sounds] Say a Parliament riff or a DC gogo band riff is in 7/8 or 6/7 time, the guitar/bass/horns riff in 7/8 and the drums in 4/4 or 8/8 time, and the riffs are way longer. [makes sounds] A riff where the 8 and the 1 are the same. Where the drummer is playing the 1 there is a silent 8 from the riff. [makes sounds] Like a circular thing. That’s how you get a really deep groove. Which that song doesn’t have despite the length. That’s why Funkadelic or Parliament songs weren’t as long, but the groove was deep. That song took a bunch of funk signifiers without making funk. Stevie Wonder killed it on the vocals, though.”

Another possibly interesting tidbit on how the song was written: "The song came about when Stevie simply began grooving during a session. Because Paul perceived that the keyboard part Stevie was improvising was its own bass line, Paul jumped in on drums instead of bass, to avoid stepping all over what Stevie was doing. Even that proved too much for Stevie, who directed Paul to cut back, and later Paul replaced his drum line in the overdubs, along with adding guitar and a terrific bass part as well as Andy MacKay on lyricon."

 

[krista4]

#18 "What's That You're Doing"

This is a nasty little slab of funk, though it sounds a little prefab. I remember picking it a million years here in some draft or another and I remember either @krista4 or OH pointing out that the bass line is too short to dig a really deep groove - I had never noticed that before, but it's true.

I found the discussion from Krista's Beatles solo countdown thread:

82. What’s That You’re Doing (Tug Of War, 1982) Spotify YouTube

(Paul #37)

I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: this isn’t that great a song. Maybe I didn’t need to tell you that. But since this is my “favorites” list, and Stevie Wonder is second only to the Beatles as my favorite artist,* it gets an otherwise unjustified position on my list. The good part of this song is Stevie. The bad part is Paul. I don’t know what happened here and why Paul used the vocal style that he did, but it. does. not. work.

The song came about when Stevie simply began grooving during a session. Because Paul perceived that the keyboard part Stevie was improvising was its own bass line, Paul jumped in on drums instead of bass, to avoid stepping all over what Stevie was doing. Even that proved too much for Stevie, who directed Paul to cut back, and later Paul replaced his drum line in the overdubs, along with adding guitar and a terrific bass part as well as Andy MacKay on lyricon. As I said, Stevie pulls this song out for me, from his spoken word intro to his vocal performance throughout, but it doesn’t hit that deep funk groove I would have loved. And Paul’s vocal…why?

OH described the issues better than I do...well, maybe: “One thing you notice about fake white guy electronic funk of the era is the riff is too short and it’s in 4/4 time with the drums. [makes sounds] Say a Parliament riff or a DC gogo band riff is in 7/8 or 6/7 time, the guitar/bass/horns riff in 7/8 and the drums in 4/4 or 8/8 time, and the riffs are way longer. [makes sounds] A riff where the 8 and the 1 are the same. Where the drummer is playing the 1 there is a silent 8 from the riff. [makes sounds] Like a circular thing. That’s how you get a really deep groove. Which that song doesn’t have despite the length. That’s why Funkadelic or Parliament songs weren’t as long, but the groove was deep. That song took a bunch of funk signifiers without making funk. Stevie Wonder killed it on the vocals, though.”

This is another song where I find the “Twin Freaks” version worth a listen as well.

*And also because it is not “Ebony and Ivory.”

UP NEXT: the green, green grass of home...

My response was:

This is so '80s. But this is how radio-friendly funk sounded in that brief period after the death of disco but before Thriller changed everything. I could not nearly have begun to explain it like he did, but I get exactly what OH is saying. The groove should sustain and it doesn't. It's like little computer blips arranged rhythmically. I do enjoy the spacey part around 4:00, though. And Stevie's vocal and keys, of course.

"We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah" -- not sure if I should smile or cringe.

I guess I could have read down further.

 

[simey]

I haven't eaten corn of any kind in 15 years thanks to diverticulosis/diverticulitis.

My grandfather had that.

Corn?

Corns is what Granny had from wearing ill-fitted shoes when they square danced.