mystic crystal revelation!

Earworms of the Week

With 6 working days to go before an 8 month break, why was today the day that I got landed with a top-secret-sign-a-non-disclosure-agreement-drop-everything type project?

*sigh*

> "Broken Heels" - Alexandra Burke

Winner of last year's X-Factor, of course.  I heard her version of "Hallelujah" again the other day, actually.  In my head, it was a reasonable enough version, even if it clearly wasn't going to be in my top three for that particular song.... but actually I was appalled by how badly she seems to misread it, putting horrid Mariah Carey warbles in all the wrong places.  Actually, are their right places for Mariah Carey warbles in this song.  Hmm.  Anyway.  This song is a completely different kettle of fish.  I'm not sure I like it, but at least it's a nice up-tempo number and well away from being another awful ballad.

Now, I'm no expert in such things, but isn't that a shocking example of camelfoot in that video?

> "Winds of Change" - The Scorpions

When I mentioned I'd had this in my head, the 22 year old in the office surprised me slightly by saying that he knew it and that he actually had a copy on his iPod.  He then sort of ruined it by being utterly flabbergasted when he heard the band were German.  Really.

I hate this song, actually.  Always have. Down to Gorky Park my arse.

> "In The Morning" - The Coral

Cheap scouse psychedelia, but oddly compelling at that.

> "We Came Through" - Scott Walker

Well, any week with a Scott Walker earworm is likely to be a good week, right?  The very touchstone for genius in my record collection, if you ask me.... even if this isn't exactly his best song.  Perhaps my subconscious is getting ahead of itself and already has me on the plane to Hong Kong.

> "Little Lies" - Fleetwood Mac

A welcome surprise, this one.  I'm not sure I've listened to "Tango in the Night" since about 1988, but here it is..... sounds an awful lot like Bat for Lashes, mind you.  An awful lot.

> "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" - Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Probably dumped in my head by hearing Andy Serkis bigging up the film of the same name.  I saw Ian Dury perform with the Blockheads at Madstock in Finsbury Park in something like 1993.  Now, A Guy Called Gerald and Aswad were on the same bill that day, but he even managed to put them in the shade..... a legend.  Brilliant.

> "Speed of Sound" - Coldplay

I haven't actually listened to "X&Y" in a little while, but I do like the album, and I found myself singing along with gusto when this came on the radio as I was driving the other day.  They're not cool, of course, but when they get it right - as they do here - they really get it right, don't they?  Mind you, those lyrics....

The sign that I couldn't read,
or a light that I couldn't see,
some things you have to believe,
but others are puzzles, puzzling me.

Really, Chris?

Ah, but I love'em.


> "Gold Digger" - Kanye West feat Jamie Foxx
> "I Got a Woman" - Ray Charles

I'm not a massive Kanye West fan, but I did hear this record the other day, juxtaposed with the Ray Charles original.  Now, Foxx does a pretty mean impersonation of the man himself, but then you hear the man himself..... I could do without the censored version of "Gold Digger", though.  No broke broke?  eh?  Still, he must be doing something right as I've been singing this to myself all week, and actually got caught doing so by someone as I was sat at my desk at work.  He knew immediately what it was, mind, so perhaps my Ray Charles impersonation isn't too shabby either....?

> "Aquarius" - The 5th Dimension

C. caught me humming this the other day as I got up to go to work, and immediately challenged me why I was singing something from "Hair".  To be truthful, I didn't even know it was from the musical, so I can only think that it must have slotted into my head as a result of that scene in "40 Year Old Virgin".... a film, incidentally, that is so much better than it has any right to be.  Steve Carrell must be a genius to make that idea work.  As a serious kind of a guy, though, I feel I should point out that the only reason I watched the film was the presence of indie darling, Catherine Keener.

Ahem.

Oh, that was so Cirque du So Lame.......

Have a good weekend, y'all.......