I’ve never been in the position to envy the contestants on Big Brother. In a world that (as of writing) is inundated with news of the Covid-19 Virus, here is a group of people that have no idea that public gatherings are being made temporarily illegal, countries are shutting their borders entirely, and that a lot of people are very unwell, or worse. Here in New Zealand we’re starting to get emails of concerts and musicals being postponed or cancelled, and I read earlier today that some returning from overseas are planning to not “self-isolate” and instead go back to work. So what can we do in this trying time? Well, I searched my 7000+ “fav” songs for keywords, and found this one …

The Song(s)
Song: Origin of Illness
Artist: Kill The Young
Album: Kill The Young - 2005 - Discograph
Method of discovery: Keyword “Illness”

Research: Though the name of the band may seem in poor taste, it is. Brothers Tom, Oliver and Dylan Gorman chose the moniker because it was meant to be purposefully provocative. Though seemingly inactive now, there are four albums of similar, but different enough material to work your way through. Three of these are on Spotify. Their website is now defunct, and on sale for the great price of $2,195 from HugeDomains.com, although I’d be more worried for anyone who bought it. Their Facebook and Twitter accounts are still being used, but both tout the 2014 release as the latest from the band. That and a single entry in both for 2016 “Vote Remain” - clearly the opinion on Brexit.

Theory: This is almost a four chord song, but the fifth one sneaks in at the end of the chorus. The verses play around with the usual suspects, but in a non-typical order: vi-I-V-IV. The song is mostly bass and drum driven, with the guitar being used mainly to thicken the sound in choice moments, or lay a little noddle on top of the otherwise complete dish. Between the verses and choruses is a break which powers on top of a sustained I. I really like it, like a palate cleanser between meals. The Chorus is where the main meat of the song is: |: vi-V-IV-I :| x2, with the last phrase “If that’s o.k. with you” on top of ii-IV-V. The same pattern is used for the build-up between the second and third choruses, like a good gravy. How did this end up making me hungry?

Personal thoughts: In “The Origin of Illness”, it’s unclear if the Gorman Brothers are talking about a literal illness, or using it as a metaphor, but given the sound of the music I lean toward the latter. The band’s name was meant to provoke emotion, and their music hits me the same way. I feel like the person in this song is rubbing it their face, whoever they are, that there is something systemically wrong that has just come to light. And boy howdy, are we finding out things that are wrong: People are being told to isolate and they aren’t, people are being told to stay away from public gatherings and they are still going, people (internationally at this stage) are panic-buying stupid amounts of groceries, and it seems like no-one is washing their damn hands. But it’s in times like these I remember the words on the front of the “Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy” - see the links.

Give it a go: If you’ve touched your face while reading this

Give it a miss: If you still won’t wash your hands properly

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Origin of Illness by Kill The Young
KillTheYoung: Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia (French), Lyrics on Genius.com, Discogs
Other: Big Brother Article on The Guardian, Rendition of the “HHGttG” cover

I’m an expert at playing ‘the dance floor is lava’. Since I was a kid, or maybe a little older than that, it’s been one of my most prominent games. For one reason or another, the feeling of joy and exuberance experienced by others who regularly ‘cut shapes’ have been replaced for me with feelings of unease and despair. People who dance socially and I view each other as if we’ve grown extra heads. So it’s rare that I would find a song that makes me wanna dance …

The Song(s)
Song: Make a New Dance Up
Artist: Hey Ocean!
Album: IS - 2012 - Hey Ocean Music P&D
Method of discovery: Daily Mix

Theory: Less is more, is a common saying in music, and this song makes do with three chords only. It’s a I-IV-ii pattern that reverses the second and third chords when it comes to the end of the pre-chorus. But the song’s momentum is achieved through instrumentation: dropping instruments in and out. We start with the typical rock format: Drums, Bass, and two Guitars. when the vocals come in the guitars leave, and a shaker enters in the second part of the verse to keep it interesting, but unimposing. One Guitar Returns, and brings some light vocal support and I believe a synth arpeggio. Brass helps to punctuate the chorus. No instrument plays during the whole song, and each is only playing where it belongs. Less is more. Although the Bassist is clearly having fun.

Research: ‘Hey Ocean!’ are another Canadian band, likely recommended to me through Spotify’s algorithm due to my interest in stage-mates ‘Mother Mother’ and ‘Said The Whale’. Although their website claims they are returned from a three year hiatus (seemingly between ‘IS’ and 2018’s ‘The Hurt of Happiness’), there are no tour dates, and the last update of the ‘What’s New?’ section is from late 2018. Perhaps vocalist Ashleigh Ball is being kept busy with her voice-over work, having provided voices for more than 20 animated works since the mid 2000’s. She’s most well known for her work in the My Little Pony franchise, and even featured in a documentary about the adult fans of the series: Bronies. Link below.

Personal thoughts: Because of how I feel while on the dance floor the desire to dance in public is rare. I will move about when I'm cooking, or when I've been on stage in plays. But the feeling the song talks about is one I'm more familiar with. The hesitance of any new relationship when previous outings have ended in emotional injury, familiar. The vulnerable optimism, an enthralling 'call of the void' when you're about to leap into another's arms, familiar. The joy at being caught when you jump, and the way it manifests in performing like you've never done so before, like wanting to make a new dance up, happily familiar. It's not everyday I feel like dancing, but this song certainly gets me more in the mood.

Give it a go: If you wan’t to make a new dance up
Give it a miss: If you want to keep on playing ‘the dance floor is lava’

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Make a New Dance Up by Hey Ocean!
Hey Ocean: Website, Make a New Dance Up on YouTube
Wikipedia: Hey Ocean!, Ashleigh Ball
Other: A Brony Tale on IMDb

Should old art be left alone?  When it comes to music, some folk stand stoically as soldiers defending their chosen artist, genre, or song. Others have no such sacred cows, and encourage new interpretations readily. The opinions on the subject run the gamut, and I find most people judge on a piece by piece basis depending on how emotionally invested they are in 'their' version. I know that the only way some songs have survived centuries is due to being shared and reproduced. But then I feel that no-one will ever come close to the impossible standard that is Bohemian Rhapsody. Sometimes, though, it takes a new sound to re-imagine the lyrics in a new context ...

The Songs
Song: ‘Stand By Me’ & ‘Stand By Me’
Artist: ‘Ben E. King’ & ‘Ki:Theory’
Album: ‘Single - 1961 - Atco’ & ‘Kitty Hawk - 2013 - Kringer Records’
Method of discovery: Heard on the radio & Friend recommended

Personal thoughts: Most people know that Johnny Cash's 'Hurt' was originally a Nine Inch Nails song (for the record, both are great). Its a beautiful example of taking some lyrics and fitting it around a different soundscape, and this, in my opinion, is another. The original is a classic, reminiscent of the love songs of yesteryear. Its a simple song with a simple statement: as long you as you are by side I can handle anything. In my mind its sung by a man who has already won his love, and is reaffirming it in their cute bungalow overlooking the city.
Ki: Theory's version is darker in sound and tone, it doesn't seem like a love song anymore. It seems to me like the insane plea of a drug-addled man, a fallen from grace sinner who lives in the seedy sewers of a filthy city. He's going through withdrawals and the crash is worse than it's ever been. All he needs is one more hit to feel like the person he once was, when he lived sung to the same words to his love at the top of the hill.

Theory: There are the more overt ways this change in tone was established. First of all the instruments change from a typical 50’s band to more industrial sounding clanks and bangs. Then there is the tempo, the words are delivered along a longer time-frame, ie. there is more space between the words, and sometimes they don't be where you expect them to do. It's the familiar with the strange.
Then there are the less overt: like the chords. Ben E. King, writing the song with producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, uses I-vi-IV-V, which has now become so ubiquitous some people call it the “‘Stand by Me’ changes”. The newer version keeps the bulk of the melody, but changes the I into a vi, which changes the sound of the melody. Ki:Theory’s version sounds a lot more minor, but it’s only a minor change. Pun fully intended.

Research: Ben E. King’s original was inspired by and based around Psalm 46:2 “we will not fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the sea.” It was written for the Drifters, who would not record it until 2015, just after King’s death. It has been covered by plenty of other artists, and Ki:Theory is simply one of the latest to offer up their version. Compared to the first twenty versions you’ll find on any streaming service, it’s a pretty harsh interpretation. And it’s clearly struck a chord with advertisers, again pun fully intended, being used in association with at least seven TV shows. It’s rather impressive for a single man: Joel Burleson, hailing from Richmond, Virginia. Incidentally, King’s native Henderson, North Carolina is just over the state border. If music like this is what you get, I’m all for making a little change here and there.

Give it a go: if a fresh perspective has ever helped

Give it a miss: if all music is sacred 

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Stand by Me by Ben E King, Stand by Me by Ki:Theory
Ben E. King: Wikipedia, Stand by Me on Wikipedia
Ki:Theory: Website, Wikipedia
Other: Psalm 46:2 on Biblehub

Even though the rules were simple, Saturday was a new experience for all three of us. An old friend and I liked the idea of finding a topic, hiding ourselves away from each other, and using the topic to write a song. Then, at the end of the day, we would meet up for dinner and compare songs. At 10:00 am the prompt was provided to us by my partner. We had until 5 to write, and dinner was at 6. It was interesting the similarities and differences between the songs, and we discussed them and our processes long into the night. We talked about escalation when it comes to songs, and particularly drawing from the world of improv comedy. This week’s song is a great example of escalation ...

The Song
Song: She Can’t Find Her Keys
Artist: Paul Petersen
Album: All the Hits and More - 2018 - X5 Music Group (Originally from “Lollipops and Roses” - 1962 - Colpix)
Method of discovery: Parents’ compilation album

Personal thoughts: While discussing escalation, my friend and I talked about how most people would equate it to turning up the volume (crescendo). But I reckoned you can escalate things by turning up virtually any part if a song, like the stakes: e.g. if your song was about 'it's gotta be now' then the 'now' can change from 'this year' to 'tonight' to 'this moment'. Wait, don’t steal that, it's a good idea for a song. (On second thoughts, take it, show me what you do with it). I love the escalation in this song with the items she's pulling out of her bag. It goes from typical stuff to more outlandish to absolute ludicrosity, which, if it isn't a word, should be (It is not a word).

Theory: The ‘Sha Da’ section that begins the song starts on a V, and hits a quick IV-V to match the ‘Sha’ and ‘Da’ respectively, ending with a V-I on the final ‘Sha Da’. Now that’s a strange start for a song from the sixties, but might have to do with the reason for the song’s existence, details below. The main chunk of the verse is fairly typical for a song of this style, except the second to last chord, which is major instead of minor (I-V-V-I-IV-I-II-V). The Pre-chorus jumps between the IV and V chord, but then the Chorus does something different. It holds chords for a longer time, while the first slew of items are being retrieved it’s just a I, changing into a V, in time for the next list, before heading back to I. If you are familiar with this type of music, you can have more 7’s than what is noted here, but I feel this next one is important enough to note. I-I7-IV-(bV)-V, “but i’m …” I-IV-V-I. The second verse telegraphs the escalation in the song by stepping up a semitone, but you can use the same chords pattern to play it. The last section, where the fire hydrant comes in, is just V and IV again, but the last bit escalates again up through V-bVI-VI-VII-I-I. Whew, that took longer to describe than usual.

Research: Paul Petersen was a Mouseketeer at a young age, but gained notoriety by playing the son, Jeff Stone, of Donna Reed’s character (Donna Stone) on the Donna Reed show for eight years from 1958. The song was written for a dream sequence in the show where character Jeff dreams he’s a teenage heart-throb out of a date, which is what real Paul was at the time. The song was not the only one written for the show, and several songs found billboard success. Paul continued acting and singing, and has even published books. His IMDB and Wikipedia are worth a cursory glance at least. But perhaps the most meaningful contribution is his child-actor support group '“A Minor Consideration” which helps improve and maintain the welfare of child actors. Jeff may be always waiting for his dream girl to find her keys, but Paul’s group has helped kids navigate a time where things have a tendency to escalate.

Give it a go: if you’ve ever lost your keys

Give it a miss: if they were in your hand the whole time

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, She Can’t Find Her Keys by Paul Petersen
Paul Petersen: Wikipedia, IMDB,
The Song: On YouTube, on SongFacts
Other: Article on DailyDooWop, Discogs

I was really angry as a kid. I lacked the capacity to tolerate why others didn’t understand me, despite the fact what I was trying to say and what I was actually saying were different. It was frustrating, stressful, and all around a bad experience. I eventually found two things that really helped me slow down and express my thoughts properly. The first was medicinal: I was prescribed Ritalin for my ADHD. The second was songwriting (though I started on poems and music separately). But, this was mid-teenage years by the time I was involved in both things. Until then, my childhood was full of …

The Song(s)
Song: Stress
Artist: Jim’s Big Ego
Album: Noplace Like Nowhere - 2000 - Self (under Bigego.com)
Method of discovery: Searching similar artists

Research: Jim’s Big Ego was formed, inevitably, around it’s namesake: Jim Infantino. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, the band formed in the mid 1990’s and has (at time of writing) released nine records, of which two-thirds are on Spotify. The next most popular song of Jim’s is about Barry Allen, better known as the Flash from DC Comics. Jim’s Big ego has leaned into, well, the big ego part. Their website touts the band as…

“the Greatest Band in the History of Recorded Music”

… and I could only find anecdotal evidence to back that up (evidence provided by myself). The other members of the ego include Jesse Flack, Josh Kantor, and Dan Cantor. Another Jim, Jim Sterling, used this song for the intro song to his series ‘The Jimquisition’ for about 30 episodes in 2017, but soon put it at the end of the videos instead.

Personal thoughts: Interlude: I can’t help but feel the main riff of the song, and the variations thereof, help to punctuate the lyrics of the song.

Theory: A gradual increase in volume is called a crescendo. But the term crescendo can be something that builds in intensity, like the action scene in a film when one character gets a gun, or loses a gun, or a gun goes off. It gets more tense. In a way, the Bass uses the same technique of building on itself, and escalating what has come before by playing an escalating series of notes. The main riff plays around the root notes of I-bIII-IV(-V), hitting the bracketed chord at the end of the phrase “everybody’s thinking about me”. But during the verses there is a rise and fall through I-bII-II-V, then I-II-bIII-IV, and finally I-bIII-IV. The chords get progressively higher, more quickly each time round.

Personal Thoughts: Revisited: Kind of like how stress, when unchecked, can build up and explode. People talk about spiraling into depression, well I think it’s appropriate that you can crescendo into stress. It’s the combination of the stone in your shoe, the person in front of you that doesn’t hold the door, the work that seems to multiply instead of divide evenly.

It’s the little things that get you when you weren’t paying attention.

Over the last week or two I’ve been joining some colleagues in workplace meditation, just for fifteen minutes a day. I do think it’s made an improvement in my stress levels. The other thing that helps release my stress, oddly, is listening to this song. These are the ways I avoid a stress crescendo.

Give it a go: If you’ve ever experienced a stress crescendo

Give it a miss: If your mind is always calm like an Ocean

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Stress by Jim’s Big Ego
Jim’s Big Ego: Website, Wikipedia
Other: Jim Infantino on Wikipedia, Jimquisition

I melted between the cars and the buildings. Last week we were in Brisbane for a baby shower, although my partner’s culture calls it a shrimant. Being from Auckland I expected an increase in temperature, but I didn’t expect how harsh the heat is there. Any time we had to move between the car and the houses was first-world-problem level torture. Thankfully, both the cars and the buildings were air conditioned, so I didn’t suffer too long. Now, where a baby shower might take an afternoon, this shrimant took several days, so there was much shaking of hands and meetings of extended family. But I felt very welcome. My partner also met the last of my brothers and his family, and she felt very welcome. The whole experience brought this song to mind, so I thought I’d share …

The Song(s)
Song: Bridal Train
Artist: The Waifs
Album: A Brief History - 2004 - Jarrah Records
Method of discovery: Spotify Radio

Research: Bridal Train was released as a single from the album, and it’s telling that the song is their second most popular on Spotify, only beneath a track from their latest outing (as of writing). The story that band member Vikki Thorn tells is based on the real event after the second world war, where the US navy organised a train to cross Australia picking up girls who had married American Soldiers. Ultimately, these women were put on a boat to America, a journey that Thorn’s own grandmother made. The song is recognised for being excellent, winning the 2006 USA Songwriting Competition. The Waifs owe a lot to Vikki (and Donna’s) grandmother, who in a way, also inadvertently named the band with an off-hand comment. I’m unsure if the grandmothers are the same, but the lesson stands, listen to your elders.

Theory: Let’s get these chords out of the way, I want to talk about a specific lyrical trick. There is a Verse and a Chorus section to this song, with the verse being used for the solo, too. The Verse goes through I-iii-IV-vi-V, with the last two chords speeding up to help create motion toward the end of the section. The Chorus is a little longer of a pattern, but doesn’t repeat in entirety: IV-V-I-vi-(IV)-vi-V-VI-V-I-vi-(IV)-V-I. The chords in brackets are held for longer than others.

Personal thoughts: I really like wordplay and puns and double-entendre. I fondly recall my family inspecting a zoo enclosure for a leopard, and once sighted, my eldest brother commenting “Well spotted.” Although puns are usually used for comedic effect, I think it’s the closest descriptor to the title of the song (although the Arabic device ‘Iham’ is a very close second). The double-meaning of the title, in that it was a Locomotive full of war brides, and that a traditional bridal train (or what others may call a wedding dress train) extends long into the distance, clashes in my brain. I picture a solitary woman holding a young baby in her arms, trailing this long piece of fabric across the lonesome Australian outback. I don’t know if this is what Thorn intended, but it’s what I see. It’s best summed up in the introduction to the live version on the same album: “… the difference between the love of a man and the love of a country”. It makes me think of family far away, and that sometimes embracing one thing, means letting others go.

Give it a go: If you’ve ever let anything go

Give it a miss: If you’re still holding on to everything

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Bridal Train by The Waifs
The Waifs: Website
Wikipedia: Bridal Train, The Waifs, Vikki Thorn
Other: “Iham” on Wikipedia

“You can’t be everything to everyone.” Though this has nothing to do with the song below, it’s a popular sentiment, and one that I subscribe to. It’s a concept that Everclear made a song about, and Barenaked Ladies named an album after, but as far as I can tell, has it’s roots in christian scripture. What I found interesting is the fact that the original has Paul becoming ‘all things to all people’, yet today the usage is reversed, cautioning that to do so is folly. I try to appeal to as many people as possible with Tuesday Tunes, but perhaps, instead of trying to talk to everyone, I should be more concerned with …

The Song(s)
Song: Everything
Artist: FM-84
Album: Atlas - 2016 - FM-84
Method of discovery: A t-shirt on a YouTube video

Research: FM-84 is comprised of Colin (Col) Bennett and Ollie Wride, and Atlas is an album that evokes the imagery of the year for which they are named: ‘The sound of a summer long gone’. Col is originally from Scotland, but resides in California. He has a real life DeLorean which recently stole ‘1st in class’ against a Maserati at a car show. Ollie is from England and has most recently released his own solo album, his material evokes the past. Maybe a little more ‘87.

Theory: Everything, weirdly, doesn’t really have much to it. Harmonically, there are two sections that alternate back and forth, until the second takes over and builds until release, and the end of the song. The first section toggles I-IV (x2) , and the second section cycles through vi-V-IV (x2) before heading back to the top. At about the 2:40 mark the build begins, first by dropping the drums, then by introducing more and more elements into a crescendo that bursts and evaporates at 4:13 …

Personal thoughts: It makes me picture a car, a neon DeLorean of course (Edit; I wrote that before seeing the Facebook), racing up the side of a hill, bushes and trees whizzing past, and at the peak the car screeches to rest, you can see the vibrant city below and the sun setting behind it. That’s where the album takes place for me. FM-84 is living proof that the English and Scottish can put their differences aside to make sweet, sweet jams. I found them because a YouTuber, Matt Colville, was wearing a shirt of the album. I found Matt after searching for D&D related videos, and found the shirt, and found the album. Although not their most popular song, Everything sets the bar very high, and distills exactly what the album is about, without needing to overstate itself. It may not be for everyone, but it really is Everything.

Give it a go: If you are a fan of Anglo-Scottish partnerships

Give it a miss: If you prefer Hadrian’s wall be a bit bigger

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Everything by FM-84
FM-84: Website, The DeLorean on Facebook
Ollie Wride:
Other: Matthew Colville (not the video with the shirt, but the video I most recommend watching), Barenaked Ladies Album (Wikipedia), Everclear Song (Wikipedia), Bible Gateway.com

Perhaps the past is tinted rose, but the further in the past a love becomes, the more fondly I recall it. It doesn’t come close to what I have now, and I have no desire to call an old girlfriend. But time erodes faults, and distills the past, at least for me, into several distinct and intense memories. And so I’m left with these false memories of first love, and remember, surely inaccurately, the perfection of those feelings. Here’s a song that’s captures that for me …

The Song(s)
Song: Girls Like You
Artist: Denny
Album: Single - 2017 - DENNY
Method of discovery: Searching for a different “Girls Like You”

Theory: There’s a stability to the song’s harmony: it doesn’t change very much. And what variety comes in, is not very much. The main pattern is I-IV-V, swapping out the I for a iv to coincide with the word ‘…cigarettes…’ in the first verse. Sometimes there’s a IV-V that’s slower. But what’s interesting about the sonic landscape is the chasms. There are several silences through the song, most notably at the intersection of sections, and to highlight the title. They act like punctuation, full-stops and exclamation marks, and their absence in the second verse helps it to feel like it’s accelerating. There is, much like young love, a false sense of urgency.

Research: Denny the band is three men, Alexander Rollins, Randon Nelson and Sully (according to the band’s Facebook). They hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota, both of which in part derive their names from the word for water in the native language of the Dakota people: ‘mni.’' That has nothing to do with the band, I just found it interesting. Denny entered the music scene with the highly praised ‘Bloom’ in 2016, and ‘Girls Like You’ was their next outing more than a full year later. According to some articles (linked below) the song is based around the diary entries of a younger Rollins, scribble memories ripped from old pages. They combine new and old influences into a soundscape both fresh and familiar.

Personal thoughts: I guess it’s the intention behind a song written in the present in part from the perspective of the past. I, and I imagine many others, can tap into the feeling of the song. For me, there is this pressure to act, and this urgency that time is running out.

Don’t stop to think this through

I can remember many times I’ve been infatuated, and felt like time was always running out for me to act on my feelings. The sharp sting of certain sounds or the way her hair was styled. These are the things that stick in the memory. Eventually, I moved past this approach, and just started telling people of my fondness. I’m glad I did. It may not be rose, but I prefer the current tint.

Give it a go: If you have loved and love again

Give it a miss: If you don’t like champagne and cigarettes

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Girls Like You by Denny
Denny: Website, Facebook
Wikipedia: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Other Articles: Sunlightmag, AtwoodMagazine, poptized

Despite being my main instrument now, I didn’t start on guitar. I picked up the piano (not literally) when my older brother started lessons. Much like everything my older brother did, I quit when he did. I was around six years old. Later in life I would pick up music again, and it would take several years before I could play anything resembling music on the guitar. So for a majority of high school, my instrument was the Piano. So I’ve always had a soft spot for the instrument, and for songs that use it well …

The Song(s)
Song: Buy Now Pay Later (Charlie No.2)
Artist: The Whitlams
Album: Eternal Nightcap - 1998 - Black Yak Phantom
Method of discovery: Triple J Mix CD

Theory: The Chords of the song sound a lot more complicated than they are, in part because of the arpeggios. The bulk of the song rises through IV-V-vi, occasionally falling back down to the V, but not as a consistent element. What I count as the ‘B’ section starts just off the end of the word ‘…accordingly’. There is a powerful I, before going back into the rising IV-V, and ultimately replacing the minor vi with the I until heading back into the ‘A’ Section. Only four chords, but the Arpeggios! An arpeggio is when you play the notes of a chord separately instead of at the same time.

Research: Buy Now Pay Later is the middle song in the ‘Charlie trilogy’, but leads the trilogy on the album. It is preceded only by the opening song of the album, and also hit: No Aphrodisiac. The album is confrontational and frank, and the Charlie songs deal with loss and suicide, which the band members dealt with, too. But, this dark subject matter spawned success: The band, No Aphrodisiac, and the album all won awards at the ARIA’s.

Personal thoughts: Though I never knew the reasons before doing the research, I could feel the loss, the disappointment in the lyrics since the first time I heard the song.

“If you don’t believe me I don’t believe in you.”

The minor piano melody that dances over the top of the chords. The high strings. The low strings. They ebb and eddy like waves along a shoreline, swirling around each other. The swell of emotion in Tim Freedman’s voice.

'“You try and you fail”

Sometimes when I need to relax I’ll just put this song on and listen to the first 12 seconds on repeat.
It makes me feel like heaven.

Give it a go: If you’ve ever paid later

Give it a miss: If you can afford it now

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Buy Now Pay Later (Charlie No.2) by The Whitlams
The Whitlams: Website, Article, Article
Wikipedia: The Whitlams, Eternal Nightcap, Arpeggio

Well, this decade certainly got off to a strange start. The Pope slaps a woman’s hand away when she grabs him, the American President is trying to start a war with Iran, and smoke from Australian fires made the skies in Auckland bright yellow. I sincerely hope our Australian cousins find safety and respite, I cross my fingers that war doesn’t break out, and … I’m not particularly religious, but don’t grab the Pope. Don’t grab anyone, in fact. 2020 … stop grabbing people. Anyway. There’s a project I started a few years ago, and one of my goals for this year is to finish it before the world blows up or burns down. So here it goes …

The Song(s)
Song: Al Die Willen Te Kaap’ren Varen
Artist: Rapalje
Album: Rakish Paddies - 2010 (Originally 2003) - Carnyx
Method of discovery: Research for a book

Theory: This is perhaps one of the simpler versions of the song in terms of harmony - and while you could gussy it up with fancy-schmancy chords, I like the fact that it’s simple for two reasons. Firstly, it makes it easy for me to notate. Secondly, it makes it easy for people to learn. The first two lines alternate between vi and V, which is also what the band primarily vamps over. when you hear the names ‘Jan, Pier, Tjoris en Corneel…’ they hit the following twice: I-V-vi. And that’s pretty much it. I listened to a few versions, and some would occasionally substitute the V for a iii or III, but not too much beyond that.

Research: It’s an old folk song, first written down around the early 20th century, but likely much, much older. There are versions from multiple European countries, though most sources I’ve seen say it’s Dutch in origin. You can hear people in the background joining in, and like many folk songs it’s also commonly a children’s song. The album is an amalgam of three earlier records (Celts in Kilts, Rakish Paddy, and Wack fol the Daddy-o’), and was released in 2003. Each member of Rapalje (which I think means ‘Rabble’ in English, but am not sure) have other creative pursuits that contribute to the band: creating art, rigging the sound, organising the events, and my favourite … cooking the food. The crux of the song is in the title: “All who want to sail, must be men with beards.” (translation not to be trusted 100%)

Personal thoughts: Of all of the versions of this song, this is the one I come back to repeatedly. and I found it in a very round-about way. Long story short, I’m writing a book which involves Dutch sailors, and I needed a sailor’s song for them to sing. So I spent an afternoon googling ‘Dutch Shanties’ and similar terms, until I found this one. And blow me down, not only was it perfect for the book, but it was perfect for the book. I hope to be able to publish it one day, but first I’ll have to finish it.

Give it a go: If you support the growing or having of beards, for yourself or others.

Give it a miss: als je niet van whisky of snorharen houdt

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Al Die Willen Te Kaap’ren Varen by Rapalje
Rapalje: Website, Patreon, Facebook, Wikipedia
Translated pages: The Song on Nederlands Wikipedia, mamalisa

Ford Prefect once said: “Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.” Of course, he was in a book, so what does he know. There’s a lot of talk about the new year, of course, but even more so because it’s the end of the decade. Time to ring in the roaring Twenties again I guess. There’s a strange pattern that I’ve noticed, and that bothered me for a while, but I’ll get to that later. Most people see the new year as a time of reflection, of renewal and new goals. I just like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by …

The Song(s)
Song: Start Again
Artist: Bishop Allen
Album: Lights Out - 2014 - Dead Oceans
Method of discovery: Searching through my saved songs for certain phrases

Theory: This is a fantastic song to start learning guitar; it only has three chords. They are I-V-IV, in that order for pretty much the entirety of the song (except where they pull the ole switch-a-roo coming out of the chorus lines, that ascending IV-V). But I want to talk about bagpipes. When you play the bagpipes there is a constant tone, or three, that plays below the melody the bagpiper plays - this is the drone, or the ‘pedal’ in music parlance. A Pedal is a sustained tone over several changes, and is typically in the bass section of a piece. In this song, however, the guitar part that starts the song and comes back later one, acts like an inverted Pedal (a Pedal not in the Bass), so you’ve got these two fighting themes of change and permanence.

Research: Bishop Allen is the child of two friends who lived on the street the band is named for. Justin Rice and Christian Rudder are the main lynch-pins around which the band is formed. Lights Out was their first release after a five year hiatus, and it seems fitting that ‘Start Again‘ was the lead single. In 2006 the pair found an old piano, dragged it back home, and began recording new songs, releasing a new EP every month for a year. They took something old and made it new things with it …

Personal thoughts: …and that’s what I love to hear about. Stories of salvage and of wabi-sabi (see the link below). When it gets to this time of year, people tend to despair and want to cast off the old year, and start again, start fresh. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I feel some go too far, wanting to leave everything behind. For me it’s still a time of reflection, trying to leave behind that which didn’t work, but also taking with me the lessons I learnt from those experiences, and the things that went great. This Decade, you can start again, that’s fine. But be careful of thinking that ‘The Past’ = ‘Bad’ and ‘The Future’ = ‘Better’. It’s only like that if we make it that way.

Give it a go: If you are the type for an often broken resolution

Give it a miss: If you don’t like inverted pedals

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Start Again by Bishop Allen
Wikipedia: Bishop Allen, Pedal
Articles: New York Times, Paste Magazine, Vice
Other: Ford Prefect

There were many songs I associate with Christmas. I grew up with Carols by candlelight, which meant while everybody sung carols I dripped candle wax on my hand until it cooled and I could peel it off. There were some Christmas related songs on a few of my parents records, but they weren’t really fit for church. Then there were all of the seasonal pop songs on the radio, and it never got too much … until I worked in a supermarket. I swear, there was one CD of music and it played Christmas songs from October until February. I can’t remember how long I worked there now, but I have only memories of mesh gloves and Christmas songs. Working in a supermarket killed my love for Christmas. This song fixes all of that …

The Song(s)
Song: Christmastime with You
Artist: Primo
Album: Single - 2019 - Primo
Method of discovery: Twitter

Theory: The song is in a minor key, which I think is intended to work more for the atmosphere than the message. Starting with i-bVII-bVI-bVII, this forms the main basis of the verses. After a couple of lines the pre-chorus comes in and instead of starting again at the i, it drops down through bVI-bVII-i-bVII-bVI-bVII, holding those last two chords. The chorus starts the same way as the pre-chorus, but doesn’t hold the chords the same way, and changes when it gets to the end of the sequence. There is a bar of IV (which isn’t usually major in these circumstances) before ascending again through bVI-bVII-i. The bridge uses the first four chords of the pre-chorus again, twice.

But that Major IV. It does another interesting thing: it extends the chorus beyond eight bars. which may not sound like much, but because we are used to hearing so much music that is perfectly balanced (Yes, Thanos, I know) that extra bar throws our ears a signal to listen up. Coincidentally that when the main message comes is “Curl up by the fire and spend my Christmastime with you” It even includes the title.

Research: Primo has been releasing music since at least 2009, but back then there was no sense of the “Number One Alien”, instead it was the very real Laura Lee Bishop. She released a CD called Fire, auditioned for American Idol, and moved to Nashville from her hometown of Gilmer, Texas. There is a clear evolution of production quality from her earliest release to her later singles still under her own name. Somewhere around 2016 Primo, like Bowie’s Ziggy, must have come to the forefront, because by 2017 Primo had released “To The Max”. It’s an album that includes time-travel, ‘kick-ass parties’, and urgent requests for love.

Personal thoughts: Don’t get me wrong - I like this song. But I like almost every other song of Primo’s more than this one. So this is a great, and timely, starting point to explore this wonderful woman’s world. If you can fit the lyric ‘extraction zone’ into a song un-ironically, then you’ve got my vote. Primo also does a thing I love, which is to offer her album for download on her website. It’s something I’ve always meant to do for myself (2020 goals). Even though it’s not my favourite Primo song (To The Max!) this is the first Christmas song that in a very long time that I’ve not recoiled as soon as Christmas is mentioned. Thanks, Primo, for giving me back a little Seasonal Cheer.

Give it a go: If you’d like to have a Merry whatever-you-celebrate!

Give it a miss: If you really do Bah-humbug.

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Christmastime with You by Primo
Primo: Website, Album Download Link, Twitter
Laura Lee Bishop: Spotify, Gilmer Mirror Article, American Idol YouTube Video

"I like everything except country and rap”. I’ve heard many people say it, including myself back when I thought I was enlightened. What I had yet to realise is that I hadn't dived deep enough into either genre to find the songs I really enjoyed. As I became older and more attracted to lyrics I grew to love each, and they became favourite genres for their consistency in storytelling and wordplay. This weeks song is more one than the other ...

The Song(s)
Song: Call It a Night
Artist: Wild Rivers
Album: Eighty Eight - 2018 - Wild Rivers limited (Under licence to Nettwerk)
Method of discovery: Spotify Discover

Theory: I want to talk about the use of spotlights. There are areas of a song that naturally stand out, the first and last bars of section is one example. A common technique is to put the title of the song at the start or the end of your chorus, because that's what people remember; it's in the spotlights. Call It a Night does a great job by doing exactly that, but it also enhances the spotlight by dropping out all of the other instruments while they sing that line. You might remember some of the words of the chorus by the time the second one comes around, but that bit? It’s easier to recall because they turned up the spotlights.

Chords:
Verse (I-IV)x2-vi-IV-I-IV
Pre-Chorus (iim7-IV-I-bVII-IV)x2
Chorus (I-ii-IV)x2-vi-ii-iii-IV
Bridge (bVI-v-IV)x3-bIII-II-bIII-III-IV.

Research: Surprise surprise, more Canadians. This time from Toronto. Originally a duo, they filled out into this four piece around 2015. Although they identify as Folk-Pop, the EP this belongs to was recognised by Rolling Stone Country. The band even list Kacey Musgraves as an influence on their ‘about’ sections on FaceBook and Spotify, five of her six Grammy Awards (at date of writing) were in Country related categories. I’m comfortable calling this song country influenced. it sounds like a slide guitar in the background of the several lines (e.g. ‘You shoot like we got nothing to lose’), but I’m not confident. The band hasn’t made a full length album since 2016, but are still touring, and have released several singles, the most recent of which was just this month.

Personal thoughts: The song is the struggling relationship trying to decide to keep going or not, and boy, haven’t I been there. The first time I listened to this song I heard the argument the characters were having, the tension between the two of them, and their reluctance to keep fighting in the moment. But when I gave it another listen, I actually heard the chorus at the end change lyrics, and pose the same question with more weight. This time, they are asking if they should really keep going, or should they … well, you know.

Give it a go: If you’re not ready to call it a night

Give it a miss: If you called it a night so long ago it’s dawn

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Call It a Night by Wild Rivers
Wild Rivers: Website, Facebook, YouTube of the song
Other: Kacey Musgraves on Wikipedia

“Would you still love me if …”. It seems to be a pretty common question in my relationships. I’m not one to worry about the future too much. I rely on the philosophy of Geoffrey Rush’s character in ‘Shakespeare in Love’: it all just kind of works out in the end. But for the significant others i have had, the future is a much more worrying prospect. They imagine a world where they take up some dangerous activity, and immediately suffer the most dire of consequences except death. “Would you still love me if I lost my arms in a motorcycle accident?” We didn’t own a motorcycle. But anyway, the point of sharing this song is that I used it to answer one of these questions …

The Song(s)
Song: D.I.N.K.
Artist: Tattletale Saints
Album: Single (From the forthcoming album ‘Dancing under the Dogwoods’) - 2019 - Groove Park Music / Tattletale Saints
Method of discovery: Spotify Release Radar

Theory: The verses alternate over I and V, lilting back and forward while the ‘happy couple with a cat’ drift over the top. The backing is simple, just some light Drums, Guitar, Double Bass, and some atmospheric Keys. It does sound like a vibraphone hitting those little dreamlike notes, but I can’t be sure. When The Chorus comes in it’s straight to the minor chords: vi-iii-ii-I-vi-iii-ii-(V). I’ve put the V in brackets because it’s only the Bass that hits the note, which gives a nice resolution into the verses and solo, while still keeping the light tone that carries the song.

Personal thoughts: It was one of those questions, the motorcycle type of question, that brought this song to the forefront of my mind the other day. We’ve talked about kids, how we would raise them, things we would do (vaccinate) and wouldn’t do (smack them) and would like to think we wouldn’t do, but who are we kidding we’re probably going to be so tired we’ll be doing that on the regular (fast food). It’s nice to think about this type of future. The question was this: “What if we can’t have kids?”. So I didn’t say a word, just played this song. I feel the song was intended as a gentle rebuttal to folks who think there is ‘one right way’, but I used the song to tell my partner that there will always be us, even if the future isn’t what we imagined.

Research: Tattletale Saints are locals that deserve to be known worldwide. I once managed a gig at a folk music venue, The Bunker, and they had their own concert on a different night. Back then Cy and Vanessa were part of ‘Her Make Believe Band’. That album spent many years in my car. Eventually they formed their own duo, Tattletale Saints, and began their domination of Nashville. The song’s chorus explains the title: “Double Income, No Kiddies”. But D.I.N.K. is only one of several terms used to describe living situations, the most well know being Y.U.P.-pie (Young Urban Professional), and my favourite being S.I.T.C.O.M. (Single Income, Two Kids, Oppressive Mortgage). There’s a list below where someone else has done the hard work if you are interested.

Give it a go: If you are fond of acronyms

Give it a miss: If you don’t like thinking of the future

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, D.I.N.K. by Tattletale Saints
TattleTale Saints: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Other: 40 Financial Acronyms (Article)

I told him that it was while I was studying. I was catching up with an old friend over the weekend, and though our paths had diverged, we had both ended up in music. I was telling him about when I was younger and a lyric writing professor, Pat Pattison, had come over from the states to take a weekend workshop. I picked up a lot of things in that workshop, but there was one conversation that stuck with me. I had asked Pat what he thought of songs like Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin on a Prayer’. Now I thought that an esteemed person of great intelligence would agree that the song was weak because it had nothing much to say, and simply repeated choruses ad infinitum. He surprised me by saying that he loved the song, and when I pushed him about the lyrics, he simply said “Yeah, but that song’s not about the lyrics.” Below is a song that might upset an uneducated younger version of myself …

The Song(s)
Song: I Wanna Be Your Man
Artist: Yukon Blonde
Album: On Blonde - 2015 - Ukon Blonde/Dine Alone Music Inc (Marketed via Cooking Vinyl Australia for AUS and NZ)
Method of discovery: Spotify exploiting my penchant for Canadian bands

Research: Yukon Blonde are a five piece currently hailing from Vancouver. From their lack of tour dates on their website (as of writing), and a Facebook post dated august 21st I would hazard that there are some new tracks on the way. Even so, this four year old track features on their YouTube channel, and the video is an experience. The band was nominated for a new Juno, ‘Breakthrough Group of the Year’, in it’s opening year of 2013, but lost out to Monster Truck.

Personal thoughts: The fuzz on the guitars. The style of the video. The grain of the photography on their website. It all evokes a feeling of the late 70’s for me. A simpler time? Maybe. But a simpler message - definitely. I wanna be your man. Simple, and not much more needs to be said. Where a younger me might think they haven’t dressed it up in all of it’s flowery language that the message deserves, they haven’t done the message justice. An older, and hopefully wiser, me sits back and basks. I love that the song is so simple in it’s message. It doesn’t need flowery language. It knows when to talk, and when the talking is over. It’s straight up and down. Not at all like my style of writing, as you should be able to tell by the preceding paragraph praising preciseness.

Theory: The song is on 4/4, but occasionally throws in a bar or two of 2/4 to get to the message more quickly, particularly in the intro. The Verses move through I-IV-V a couple of times before throwing in a I-b ii dim7-ii-V heading into the chorus, a much simpler IV-V-I, ending with a ii that forces your ear to stay awake. The second verse cuts the middleman out, throwing the diminished chord at the end line instead of in it’s own section, and transitioning into a minor-style bridge (I-IV-V-b iv dim7-vi-iii-bVII-V). The Breakdown alternates ending a IV-iii with a I and a vi a couple of times before chugging back into the chorus.

Give it a go: If you’ve been missing a bit of 70’s fuzz.

Give it a miss: If you need flowery language

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, I Wanna Be Your Man by Yukon Blonde
Yukon Blonde: Website, YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia
Other: Pat Pattison’s Website (it will make you a better songwriter)

I try not to ride the hype train, which often leaves me stranded at the station. There is always something that is the ‘brand new thing’ and it’s usually terrible. Whether it was the newest trend, latest movie, great new game, or a smashing new band riding the charts, one way or the other I won’t get the memo. But I kind of like it that way. Once all of the hype has died down and everyone has moved on to the next station, there I am, sifting through the remains of popular culture and finding my own little pieces to enjoy. I can get swept up from time to time: i.e The Marvel Cinematic Universe (I saw Endgame thrice in the theatre). But mostly I like things to age, that way when I do find them, I’m discovering it for my self, without the opinions of others to cloud my judgement. Here’s one of those things …

The Song(s)
Song: Build a Wall (Zia’s Theme)
Artist: Darren Korb
Album: Bastion Original Soundtrack - 2011 - Supergiant games
Method of discovery: Playing the videogame: Bastion

Theory: I’ve mentioned previously that one of my favourite musical terms is ‘anacrusis’. This song is a great example of it. Most music starts on the first beat of the first bar, which may seem pretty self evident. The easiest way to think of an anacrusis (or pickup) is that it takes place on the beats before the first bar. I know, weird. Think about the ‘Happy Birthday’ song, the ‘Ha-ppy..’ takes place before the first significant beat: ‘…birth-….’. Nobody starts that song with ‘One, Two, Ha-ppy…’, and if they do, they are doing it wrong. The verses are an ‘AAB’ call-and-response, popular in blues tunes. The chords under the call and response are vi-ii-vi-iii-vi. The Chorus gives us a relief from the blues and a nice major chord with I, but then pulls a weird change to let you know that not everything is right when it alternates with VII. All is not as it seems.

Research: Supergiant Games was, for the creation of Bastion, seven people. Darren Korb was in charge of Music and Sound effects, and it’s clear that he was along for the entire ride, because the music and the sound blend effortlessly into the game; nothing seems out of place. The game (for which I have not yet completed the main story) is set in the remnants of a world just after a world ending event: The Cataclysm. However, these story elements were built as a reason for the creators to display a sky in a game that usually could not. The album was not originally meant to exist, but the fans of the game asked for it, and so they released it for everyone to enjoy.

Personal thoughts: There are few things I like better than an experience you can get lost in, and Bastion is one of those. The Narration does a lot so draw you in, and the sounds are unique, yet familiar. The game was extrememly popular and very well recieved when it came out, but I let that train pass by. Even when my friend said I would really enjoy the music, I still didn’t play it. I think I got it in a humble bundle a few years ago, but it has sat in my stack of shame until very recently. When I started playing it, love of the game poured in from friends seeing me play it online. They all reminisced about how much they enjoyed the game. Some at work have even started to narrate to me as they pass my desk on their way to meetings or meals. This song is about building a wall, but Bastion, for me, helped to scale some I didnt’t know were there.

Give it a go: If you want to hear a cool anacrusis

Give it a miss: If thinking about ‘Ha-ppy BIRTHday…’ made your brain hurt

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Build a Wall (Zia’s Theme) by Darren Korb
Wikipedia: Darren Korb, Bastion, Anacrusis
Darren Korb: Bandcamp via Supergiant Games
Supergiant Games: Website

I’ve never been much of a dancer. To use a the words of Marie Kondo; ‘it does not spark joy’. I have always been able to move and follow direction, having grown up in theatre circles. But dancing? No thanks. Even an ill-fated attempt at dance classses was, well, ill-fated. Recently a good friend of mine got me on a dance floor. There was a lot of me getting myself tipsy beforehand the greased the wheels of her success. But she got me on the dance floor for a song and a half before my better senses took over and she excused me to go sit down again. She was very encouraging, which was nice. But still, the dance floor is a foriegn country that I don’t enjoy visiting. This song, however, makes me want to dance …

The Song(s)
Song: Beat the Love
Artist: Autoheart
Album: Single - 2014 - O/R Records
Method of discovery: Spotify Discover

Theory: Beat the Love uses the IV chord as a stepping stone, hopping back and forth through I-IV-vi-IV and back again throughout the verses and instrumental sections. This distinct lack of a V chords means the resolution that these chords give aren’t as strong, leading to a feeling of floating along until the chorus hits. When it hits, it progresses twice through I-iii-IV-vi-I-V-vi-IV-I, and when compared to the verses, take us on a completely rounded journey, the second half of the pattern speeding up to thrust us toward the final resolution.

Research: I wasn’t able to pick their origin from their vocal sounud, so it might surprise you too to find that Autoheart are based in London, England. Formerly called ‘The Gadsdens’ after lead singer Jody Gadsden’s last name, they changed in 2011, or in their words ‘evolved’, and thereafter became Autoheart. In 2016 they worked with German-born solo artist Anne Haight on the album ‘I Can Build a Fire’. This is taken from their blog, which is a very interesting read, lined as [website] below.

Personal thoughts: Like I said, this is a song I can dance to. I remember playing this on repeat and zooming through the supermarket on a late night to do my bi-weekly food shop. It’s just so jovial and bubbly, at least until you stop and think about the lyrics. It’s a plea to your significant other when you can’t get onto the same page. It’s a typical breakdown of communication that any relationship suffers if it goes for long enough, what’s more, that breakdown of communication happens in the music as well. The journey the chords takes us on is one of minimal musical resolution i.e. you don’t feel satisfied at the end. It hits a note that begs for another to be played to end the song, so I kept on zooming around the supermarket, hitting repeat, wondering why it felt so good when the words and the title seemed contrary to the music.

Give it a go: If you can live without a strong …

Give it a miss: … resolution.

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Beat the Love by Autoheart
Autoheart: Website (including link to all their social), Wikipedia
Other: Marie Kondo

In the last ten years I’ve moved almost as many times. I hate moving house, but mostly have fond memories of particular flats and flatmates. There was one flat almost in the centre of the city, and during my time there, a fantastic new online music service emerged: Grooveshark. I would discover a lot of music through Grooveshark, as their selection of ‘similar artists’ below the current playlist always highlighted some new discoveries. Today’s entry is one such discovery …

The Song(s)
Song: Play, My Darling Play
Artist: Katzenjammer
Album: Le Pop - 2008 - Propeller Recordings
Method of discovery: Grooveshark

Theory: This is a very bubbly song, and that’s backed up by the fact there are no minor chords. Every chord is a major, and lends itself to an overall happier sound. The verses centre around toggling a sustain on the I chord. The Prechorus is generally one line, but doubles for the final prechorus, and is always IV-II. The Chorus itself runs through V-IV-I three times, heading back to V the fourth time to create some movement back into the verses and the solo.

Research: Katzenjammer is a german term which translates literally as the ‘lament of a cat’, but is commonly translated as ‘Hangover’. The Band met in school in Oslo, Norway, and eventually combined a list of fifteen instruments between them to create the hectic sound Katzenjammer. Originally four members, Marianne Sveen departed the band in 2016 and went on to make music as Dandylion. In school they felt like the outcasts, but together they meld the disparate sounds and instruments of a multitude of styles, resulting in something that sounds familiar, but not quite the same.

Personal thoughts: My friend says his favourtie Katzenjammer song is A Bar in Amsterdam, and that’s an awesome song too, but completely different to this one. But it’s kind of the point of their genre-fluid sound; Their songs appeal to many sensibilities. I can imagine someone who enjoys cabaret style msuic next to a more classic rocker, and both of them enjoying a Katzenjammer show. Grooveshark eventually shut down because it was an aggregate website that hadn’t properly set up royalties for the artists it played, as far as I can recall. Whatever way you get music, at least it’s still around, and still surprising to the ear.

Give it a go: If you like chocolate in your peanut butter

Give it a miss: If you don’t like peanut butter in your chocolate

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Play my Darling, Play by Katzenjammer
Katzenjammer: Website, Wikipedia

I had never heard of Britain’s answer to Elvis. Billy Fury was that exact thing, and I had been asked to impersonate him. My exposure to music of the 60’s came from old crackled radio and my parent’s collection of vinyl records. My parents clearly weren’t a fan of Billy Fury, or maybe he just wasn’t as big as The King ovver here. Either way, I can never remeber hearing his name (or who had been in contact with who) before I was somehow an unfamiliar room being asked by a woman named Moya to perform songs before my time to people I didn’t know. Of course I said yes…

The Song(s)
Song: Halfway to Paradise
Artist: Billy Fury (originally with Ivor Raymonde and His Orchestra)
Album: The Billy Fury Hit Parade - 1982 - Decca Music Group (originally a 1962 single)
Method of discovery: Impersonation

Theory: The song is typical of classic rock and roll, or rockabilly, style, and uses only the I-IV-V and singular vi, ii, and II. It’s also a classic example of the 32-bar form, also called AABA. The ‘A’ sections are the primary part of the song, and are comprised of the verse lines and the refrain ‘Halfway to paradise…’. Under these ‘A’ sections are the chords I-, which lasts for ages, followed by -V-I-IV-I-V-I. The ‘middle eight’ or ‘B’ section alternates between V an I, before hitting the only minor sequence vi-II-ii-V.

Research: Billy Fury was born Ronald Wycherley, but that never stopped him. He really was the British version of Elvis; whatever Elvis did, Billy did too. He was a teenage heart-throb who shocked audiences with his dance moves, that were reported in the papers for being so audacious. He starred in movies that were modelled off the success of similar Elvis films. He even almost had the Beatles (yes, those Beatles) as his backing band before John Lennon refused to fire their bassist. The only thing that Elvis did that Billy did not was reach a number one single in the charts. He really was Halfway to Paradise.

Personal thoughts: Moya told me of how she met Billy, and forgive me if this is incorrect, it was over a decade ago I heard this story. Billy was playing a few gigs and a local theatre, and I want to say it was somewhere near Manchester, England. Moya loved Billy and his music so much that she would dress up nice, take some money, buy a flower, and go to the show. One of Billy’s songs had the line ‘Say you love me’ or something along those lines. When he sang that line, Moya (and many others) would scream ‘I love you!” and throw the flower onto the stage, making sure to keep hold of the money in her other hands. I’m certain this was before pockets had been invented. One night, while she waited for the lyric to come along, she got so swept up in the moment that she threw her change instead of the flower. That was the only money she had to get home. So of course, she had to get backstage to retrieve her cash. Hollywood couldn’t have written it better.

Give it a go: If you’ve never heard of the British Elvis before.

Give it a miss: If you’re not ready to rock-a-Billy

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, “Halfway to Paradise” by Billy Fury
Wikipedia: Billy Fury
Other: My foggy memory, BillyFury.com

I must have hit the wrong button. This Tuesday Tune didn’t go up this morning, so it was almost a Wednesday Warble. I swear, something weird happened. But that’s kind of on theme this week, because “Weird Al” Yankovic is the subject. Most people know him, but for those that don’t, he’s the most successful Parody artist of all time. Usually, his songs are simply other people’s songs with different words or themes. As always, for me, this one is a little different…

The Song(s)
Song: Melanie
Artist: “Weird Al” Yankovic
Album: Even Worse - 1988 - Volcano Entertainment
Method of discovery: Having older brothers who owned the album

Theory: Instead of the usual minor vi, Yankovic subs in the less common ii. So, the chorus (which also starts the song) travels through IV-V-I-ii-V, before repeating the first three chords twice. Those chords are used throughout the song, without any further substitutions. Where the Verses loop V-IV-I-V-ii-IV-I-V twice, the Bridge is only ii-V-ii-IV-V.

Research: As mentioned above, most of Al’s songs are works of Parody. But Melanie is not. Some compare it to a style-parody, where he takes elements of a band or artist and spins a completely new song. These parodies tend to poke fun at the typical subject matter of the source material, or at the artist directly. I’ve read it’s a style parody of Tom Petty and The Heart Breakers, other say it’s of the Hollies. The closest sonic match I could find (and also the one on wikipedia’s list of his songs) was Marshall Crenshaw’s You’re My Favorite Waste of Time, which by Marshall’s admission was an attempt at something that The Hollies might write.

Personal thoughts: I can’t remember becoming aware that Weird Al existed. He just always has, in my mind. He’s the jester peeking out between the serious legs of serious people. He’s poked fun at every genre and done so successfully. He’s largely responsible for my sense of humour, because whenever there was a song that topped the charts, there was Weird Al, in the corner, reminding everyone to laugh. I have a personal philosophy: There are only ever two reasons to do something: one - because it is right, two - because it is funny (and does not contradict the first rule, a la Asimov). Weird Al seems to be able to consistently do both.

Give it a go: If you want to learn what a nice-guy sounds like, ad absurdum

Give it a miss: If you don’t think humour has a place in music.

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Melanie by “Weird Al” Yankovic
Wikipedia: List of “Weird Al” Songs, You’re My Favorite Waste of Time, Even Worse
Other: Al-riginals Article, Lyrics on Genius.com, Fandom, Nathan Rabin Article, WeirdAlStar