Alex D
20-05-2008, 16:01
Hello hello hello...
Inspired by the numerous songs about... that populate the internet and the press, I though I'd start a thread that has the same format. I'll use the term song quite loosely: I'll accept instrumentals, short jazz tracks, arias (I'm far from an opera buff but I'm willing to learn), and even spoken word tracks (where I guess the music would be in the rhythm, mainly)! The idea is that every week, I'll be suggesting (please PM for suggestions! My imagination can easily exhaust itself!) a theme for you to give a list of songs you think match the theme. As in most songs about... columns I'll give some conditions so that the exercise is challenging enough. When you write down your list it would be useful for everybody else if you could explain in a phrase or two why you think the song in question fits the theme of the week, but I won't make it compulsory (or should I? har har) Ok? Great!
As today my wife and I are attending a Spiritualized concert at the Koko, London, I thought we could start with a theme that bears some relation to that great band (ok WE think they're great!!). As those who have followed Spiritualized (and Jason Pierce's previous band, Spacemen 3) his trademark song, some would say "only-trick", is the appropriation of gospel like structures for songs about drugs!
So, for this week's theme, I'd like you to suggest songs that use some kind of recognizable worship-music structure (or at least one that you can explain does so) for some (very) mundane subject. I know, I know, SO MUCH music is hymn like (Elton John, Queen, pretty much all Soul music, anyone?). And yes, even if its mundane, it probably hints at something grander and/or darker. So, the conditions: its subject matter (I'll include song titles here) has to be, on the surface, about something mundane (but it doesn't have to be about something deeper necessarily). Got it? Any questions please post them here in the thread.
Ok, my list:
Walkin with Jesus - Spacemen 3: yes he's talking to/about Jesus, but about WHAT?! All the band were junkies at the time...
Lord Can You Hear Me - Spiritualized: same old, same old
A Man Needs A Maid - Neil Young: a man who feels his life is a mess, so he thinks of getting someone (a maid!) to sort it out... and he transforms this into something EPIC! Worshipful would you say? I guess it's at least a huge clamour towards that (empty?) sky.
Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles: Need I say more?!
Ok, that's it to start the thread... I'll be posting more if no one is interested....
Inspired by the numerous songs about... that populate the internet and the press, I though I'd start a thread that has the same format. I'll use the term song quite loosely: I'll accept instrumentals, short jazz tracks, arias (I'm far from an opera buff but I'm willing to learn), and even spoken word tracks (where I guess the music would be in the rhythm, mainly)! The idea is that every week, I'll be suggesting (please PM for suggestions! My imagination can easily exhaust itself!) a theme for you to give a list of songs you think match the theme. As in most songs about... columns I'll give some conditions so that the exercise is challenging enough. When you write down your list it would be useful for everybody else if you could explain in a phrase or two why you think the song in question fits the theme of the week, but I won't make it compulsory (or should I? har har) Ok? Great!
As today my wife and I are attending a Spiritualized concert at the Koko, London, I thought we could start with a theme that bears some relation to that great band (ok WE think they're great!!). As those who have followed Spiritualized (and Jason Pierce's previous band, Spacemen 3) his trademark song, some would say "only-trick", is the appropriation of gospel like structures for songs about drugs!
So, for this week's theme, I'd like you to suggest songs that use some kind of recognizable worship-music structure (or at least one that you can explain does so) for some (very) mundane subject. I know, I know, SO MUCH music is hymn like (Elton John, Queen, pretty much all Soul music, anyone?). And yes, even if its mundane, it probably hints at something grander and/or darker. So, the conditions: its subject matter (I'll include song titles here) has to be, on the surface, about something mundane (but it doesn't have to be about something deeper necessarily). Got it? Any questions please post them here in the thread.
Ok, my list:
Walkin with Jesus - Spacemen 3: yes he's talking to/about Jesus, but about WHAT?! All the band were junkies at the time...
Lord Can You Hear Me - Spiritualized: same old, same old
A Man Needs A Maid - Neil Young: a man who feels his life is a mess, so he thinks of getting someone (a maid!) to sort it out... and he transforms this into something EPIC! Worshipful would you say? I guess it's at least a huge clamour towards that (empty?) sky.
Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles: Need I say more?!
Ok, that's it to start the thread... I'll be posting more if no one is interested....