Every junkie's like a setting sun....

Earworms of the Week

Lurpak butter advert ("flight of the bumblebee")
Tescos advert "Every little helps"

Adverts: they're designed to get stuck in your head, so obviously they're prime earworm candidates.  These two have been particularly sticky over the years and have both been bothering me this week.  Douglas, the little butterman with the trombone keeps popping back into my head, with his version of "Flight of the Bumblebee" being nearly up there with the Jonny Briggs theme tune.  Nearly.  The Tescos theme is the classic jingle.  I can't find a clip of it, but it's the little sting at the end of the tune that used to play through all of those Jane Horrocks "Every Little Helps" adverts.  It's been in my head for LITERALLY weeks.  Arggghh.

"Lily the Pink" - The Scaffold

Lydia Estes Pinkham was very much a real person who created a tonic that was supposed to relieve the symptoms of menstruation and the menopause.  The active ingredient?  Alcohol.  Just the ticket, I should think.  Insanely catchy, for sure.

"The Opener" - The Courteeners

Sub-Oasis shite, you would think.  Hyped to the eyeballs a couple of years ago, and probably not worth a damn on the basis of their debut album.  Do you know what though?  Have you listened to "Falcon", their follow-up album?  Against all my expectations, it's really good.  Great lyrics, good tunes, an avoidance of cliche.... it's well worth a shot. 

I miss the city I love but I've been having an affair
With L.A and New York, Dundee
And Doncaster if I may dare
Of course I do, of course I do
But I was meant for this place, and I was meant for you

See what I mean?  They're GOOD lyrics.  I still want to call them "The court-ee-ners" rather than the "cor-tinas" though.  That's just the way my brain sees it.


"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on my Shoulder)" - Beach Boys

The Beach Boys were the band chosen for my especially dull contribution to this week's report.  I hesitated before using "Good Vibrations", I must admit.... but in the end decided that a stupid report and the disaster in Japan have very little in common.  This wasn't one of the songs I chose, but it's been in my head all week, and it's beautiful.  This is off "Pet Sounds", but I really need to dig out and listen to "Sunflower" and "Surf's Up" again.  Great albums.

"The Imperial March" - John Williams

You know.  Just because.  Let's go with the classic version, but don't forget the Fader Gladiator version.

"Regret" - New Order

I have a LOT of New Order on my iPod.  They're not my favourite band, but I have a generous friend who is keen to share his love of them (thanks Mark).  I know they're famous for lots of their earlier stuff, but "Republic" was an album that I did own.  I bought it when I was a first year student and had it on the b-side of "Modern Life is Rubbish" on a tape in the car that I listened to all one summer.  This is by far my favourite New Order song.  Not just on that album, but EVER.  Seriously.  I love it.

"Fallen Angel" - Elbow

No, I haven't bought the new album yet... but I have been listening to their wonderful back catalogue.  I've listened to the last couple of albums fairly extensively, but it's a real joy to dig out their first two albums.  They're less immediate, but they've burned slow and bright over the years and sound as good now as they ever have... if not better.  I'm supposed to be seeing them with LB on Thursday next week.  It's in the kitchen calender and everything.  Sadly, that's also the day that we're flying to New York, so I won't be there.  OK, so it's hard to be too cross about missing even that gig when I'll be on my way to see some friends in the Big Apple, but I am still a bit upset.  They're playing Glastonbury, I believe, so that will have to do.  Fantastic band.

"Black Steel" - Tricky

Is it bad that I much, much prefer Tricky's version to the Public Enemy original?  Maybe it is, but it's also true.  I like the original, but the cover just rolls along with real power and menace and I've loved it since I first heard it as a student and didn't realise it was a cover.  More rock and less rap, I guess.  Awesome lyrics though, and they're all Chuck D's own.

"The Needle and the Damage Done" - Neil Young

I heard Laura Marling covering this song on the radio the other day.  Her version was good enough, but really it just made me think how beautiful and powerful the original is.  Marling's version is worth a look too though.  Neil Young's a legend, isn't he?  Cantankerous old bastard, but at least he hasn't lost his voice in the way that Bob Dylan has.  Is it bad to say I've always preferred Neil Young anyway?  Even back in the day?

That's it.  Have a good weekend, y'all.