then the door was open and the wind appeared....

Earworms of the Week

 “Wake Up Boo!” – The Boo Radleys

I haven't really listened to the Boo Radleys in quite some time now, although I remember "Giant Steps" in particular as being a marvellous album.  This song makes fairly regular appearances in my brain.  The presence of the sun this morning was all it took, and as I put my sunglasses on as I got into the car, I soon had the actual song playing as I drove into work.  It's catchy as hell, of course, but I love the wistful lyrics (how many songs this upbeat sing about things like the "death of summer"?) and I love the way it starts so slowly too.  Great song.  Perhaps Martin Carr sees it as a millstone, but I think it's a marvellous record.  Listen to it: it's barely dated in 15 years.

“The Mighty Quinn” – Manfred Mann

Manfred Mann were on the shortlist for providing the song titles that make up the headers on my weekly report.   In the end I opted for Pet Shop Boys as I just couldn't work out how to include such hum-dingers as "5-4-3-2-1" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" into rather dry updates about hardware upgrades being piloted and major programmes preparing to enter testing.... Pet Shop Boys just gave me a little bit more flexibility with their song titles ("Yesterday, When I Was Mad" made the cut, I'm pleased to say).  The Manns knew their way around a tune though, eh?

"Alison" - Elvis Costello

Love, love, love this record.  One of my all time favourites.

"Sleep" - Marion

This song originally charted at number 53 in February of 1995, but I have singularly been unable to shift it from my head ever since.  I don't own any other songs by the band, but I bought this single and I just can't get enough of it.  This is a great record, isn't it?  It can't be just me that thinks so?

“Up the Junction” – Squeeze

"The Devil came and took me from bar to street to bookie" remains my all-time favourite ever lyric.  Fact.

“The One I Love” – R.E.M.

...my next favourite lyric?  Could well be the brutally dismissive "a simple prop to occupy my time" that Stipe spits out in this song and that couples inexplicably smooch to at R.E.M. gigs.  Great record.  Was tickled today to read Peter Paphides on Twitter describing the difference between comedians Stewart Lee and Michael Macintrye as follows: "Sometimes I like to watch a comic who has REM's first 5 albums; sometimes I like to watch a comic who has their last eight."  Nothing especially wrong with either, but I know which I prefer.  Nicely put, I thought.

“Magic Moments” – Perry Como

Weapons grade earworm and genuinely awful record.  Trite.

“Rent” – Pet Shop Boys

I got this one in too.

“Love Me Like You” – Magic Numbers

This was on after "Wake Up Boo" in the car this morning.  I hadn't deliberately selected a slightly wistful-yet-summery playlist, but this seemed to fit the bill nicely.  Still a great sounding record.

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult

I found myself on Amazon buying a cowbell at work this morning.  As you do.  Debated for a while the merits of 6" over 8", before deciding... still on the subject of cowbells... that the extra 2" might prove critical.

More cowbell?



Obviously.  Track one of disc one on "Protect the Innocent" too, the first CD I ever bought.... followed by "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath, "Fireball" by Deep Purple and "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead.  LOVED that CD!

Have a good weekend, y'all.