she walks in beauty like the night....

Earworms of the Week

Look.  I've been playing Skyrim; you think I've had any time to listen to any music?  Yeah, it still kind of seeps in though, doesn't it?

“So Long, Farewell” – The Sound of Music

I'm not even sure that I've seen more than about twenty minutes of this film in my whole life, and yet somehow those bloody songs still find a way to sink into your subconscious and pop out randomly when you least expect them.  This was triggered by the song titles that I use in that weekly report that I write on a Friday.  It is definitely career enhancing to include a picture of a mug that I saw in the sink near my desk that features an entirely naked man, superimposing the image of my boss's head on to obscure the critical area?  Yeah? Definitely?

"America, Fuck Yeah!" - Team America soundtrack

There's a guy in my office who has some kind of speech impediment / Tourettes that has has him shout out "mmm YEAH?" at the end of nearly every sentence.  GJ mentioned him to me this afternoon, and it immediately started playing this song in my head, with "Mmmm YEAH!" as the lyric.  Trust me, if you knew the guy, you'd find it even funnier. Look, I know you're not supposed to laugh at that kind of thing, but in this case the juxtaposition of song / guy was too much.

“Denis” – Blondie

She sings in French and everything!

“Whole Lotta Rosie” – AC/DC

This song is on my running playlist, and whenever it comes on, it has an almost "Knights of Cydonia" like effect in giving me a second wind and encouraging me to pick my knees up.  I know they sell playlists for running that are full of horrible, up-tempo dance tracks, but for my money you're better off with ridiculous rock.

"For Tomorrow" - Blur

It was interesting watching "No Distance Left to Run", the documentary that followed Blur when they reformed and to learn that their whole "English" thing that started with "Modern Life is Rubbish", was very much inspired by the insipid waves of grunge that swept the English music scene in the wake of Nirvana.  This was probably the song (and the album) that got me interested in Blur in the first place, and I can remember having a cassette copy of it in my first year halls at Warwick.  I think Sleeper might have been on the other side, somewhat incongruously....  Did I read correctly, by the way, that Dodgy have got back together and recorded an amazing album in the style of the Fleet Foxes?  Can that really be true?  Is it April Fools already?

“Sultans of Swing” - Dire Straits

Also on my running playlist, and makes me happy for very different reasons.  I know they're not cool, but this is a cool, cool song.

“Montezuma” – Fleet Foxes

Ah, the actual Fleet Foxes.  I want to hear that Dodgy album now.  I liked them back in the day, and they were one of the best bands that I saw at Glastonbury in 1993, but it's just such a weird thought that they might have gone all Fleet Foxes.  I really want that to be true.  Still, adore the FF's themselves.  Great band.

“Rule the World” – Take That

My favourite TT song.  No contest.  Not sure why..... I think it's honking Howard's soaring bit in the chorus.  Plus I've always liked "Stardust" as a book.

“Heroine” - Suede

I quoted a bit of Byron in my weekly report today.  It's not all naked mug pictures, you know.  "She walks in beauty like the night" is, of course, also the first line to this song from Dog Man Star.  Damn but that's a good record.  I'm very early 1990s in my choices today, aren't I?  I had this album sent to me on cassette when I was studying in Venice (I think it had "chelsea girl" by Nico on the other side), and together with my copy of the Manics "Holy Bible", this was very much my soundtrack to the four months I spent studying in La Serenissima (well, them and "Sometimes" by James).  It's a great record, but not a very subtle lyrical metaphor, eh?  Heroine/Heroin is it, Brett?  Tsk.  You scamp.

That's nearly all, but before I go, you should have a look at this.  Really, I think it's better for all concerned to simply laugh at how ridiculous Skyrim is:



Have a good weekend, y'all.