Sometimes I think my iPod is possessed by a nefarious artificial intelligence. It's got 1000 songs on it, but when I put it on shuffle it still manages to come up with a sequence of songs which I have a hard time believing is random. I find myself wondering if it's trying to make some sort of point or express a musical opinion.
Today, it brought me a tour through my musical past with glimpses of the punk era from the very start before punk was really identified as a movement to the last revival of punk in the 1990s, and just to prove that it was indeed random, it threw in the best versions of three of the most covered songs ever. And interesting retrospective and an enjoyable listen as well.
So once again, I put the iPod on shuffle and hit play, and this is what it came up with.
Song #1
Midnight Special
Words and Music by Leadbelly
Performed by Credence Clearwater Revival
Arguably the best of CCR's covers of old blues songs, combining the evocative lyrics and catchy tune of Leadbelly's oft-recorded original with their clear, clean presentation for a result which is original. In the process it almost completely loses the sad, blues character of the original and becomes bizarrely upbeat, though it will always have a bit of an ominous feel for me because of its use in John Landis' American Werewolf in London. But all in all one of the most successful reimaginings of a blues classic into a rock classic 40 years later, and damned hard not to sing along with even now when the song is almost 70 years old.
Song #2
Rare Old Mountain Dew
Words by Edward Harrigan, Music by Phil O'Neill
Performed by The Pogues and The Dubliners
A classic Irish street ballad dating back at least to the early 19th century, redone by the best of the traditional Irish bands and the best of the Irish punk bands. They alternate verses and surprisingly Shane McGowan is almost comprehensible when he sings his parts. It's a cheery tune, not nearly as morose as it could be, lifted up by the silly repetition of "skiddery ai, dum dum diddle diddle ay" in the chorus, which would make any song hard to take seriously.
Song #3
God Save the Queen
Words & Music by The Sex Pistols
Performed by The Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols' second single, delayed for release so it could coincide with the Queen's Silver Jubilee and renamed for the occasion. It's quintessential Sex Pistols, with grinding guitar, random screaming and lyrics which include inexplicable pauses to fit the meter and strange forced rhymes, but it somehow all comes together into a punk classic. Being musically retarded and a freshman at a small college in central Pennsylvania's Amish country I didn't actually hear the song until about a year after it was released and by that time it certainly seemed to fit the nihilistic context of the times for America as well as it did for Britain, though I sort of wished we had a queen to rail against since Jimmy Carter just seemed too harmless to hate. "no future, no future, no future..."
Song #4
Under the Name of Spain
Words & Music by The Stranglers
Performed by The Stranglers
I don't know why this song is on my iPod. I never particularly liked it. I can only think that I put it on the iPod in order to keep "Bring on the Nubiles" and "Nice N' Sleazy" company. It's the biggest hit The Stranglers had, and it's catchier than most of their droning and tedious later output. I guess it's about the last song they did which preserved any shreds of the punk spirit which characterized their early releases. I think Aural Sculpture was their third or fourth album, and by that time I'd lose interest in their music, only to rediscover this song playing on MTV which pretty much damned it forever, given the trend towards playing awful crap which characterized MTV in those days - though they at least still played music back then. I might delete it from the iPod, but not tonight, because the random shuffle has already moved on.
Song #5
Rotten Row Boogie
Music by Jools Holland
Performed by Jools Holland
This is the essence of what makes Jools Holland great. It's an original composition which would fit right in with boogie woogie tunes of the 1940s, performed straight up with Jools playing piano and Gilson Lavis on the drums and nothing else. And it doesn't need anything else. It's a pure expression of a honored musical form, almost like he's channelling Fats Waller. It comes from a fantastic 1995 album of pure retro piano work, all songs written to express the feel of London. The album is one to listen to straight through, but in addition to this song "Temple Bar" also stands out as particularly good. Oh, and the album has the fantastic title A to Z Geographers Guide to the Piano. Go out, get this one and listen to Jools' fingers fly.
Song #6
Ghost Riders in the Sky
Music by Stan Jones
Performed by Duane Eddy
This may be one of the most covered songs ever. Since it was written in 1949s (didn't realize it was that old, did you), everyone who's anyone has done a version, from Spike Jones to Johnny Cash to REM. The original version is virtually unknown today, but was sung by Gene Autry in the western Riders in the Sky. It's a big song, and of the various instrumental versions Duane Eddy's is the best because his guitar sound is just bigger. Dick Dale's version is overplayed like most of his tunes, and The Ventures version sounds tinny. And although the song was written as a cowboy ballad, the fact is that it works as well or better as a pure instrumental. I'd rate this a must have.
Song #7
The Whole Wide World
Words & Music by Eric Goulden
Performed by Wreckless Eric
The mid-70s pre-punk era in Britain produced some great talents associated with the Stiffs record label, most notably Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Ian Dury. But there was also Wreckless Eric, a talented songwriter who was seriously troubled by drink and whose career nosedived just as the punk movement which might have lifted him to fame was taking off. This is his best known song, and it features Ian Dury on drums and Nick Lowe on guitar. It's a peculiar, monotonous song driven by a simple chord progression which runs through the whole thing, backing Eric's pitchy cockney whine. But it's endearing - the kind of song which might have been a pop hit in another era, but which just didn't quite fit in when it came out. Wreckless Eric is still around, still touring and has a nice little website too.
Song #8
The Wild Rover
Words & Music: Traditional
Performed by Dropkick Murphys
What a perfect song to come up. Last week I was playing poker with a disparate group of friends and acquaintances and one of them began humming this song, and all of a sudden everyone at the table was singing along. Seven different people ranging in age from 20 to almost 50, from all sorts of backgrounds, and every single one knew the words to "The Wild Rover". What does that say about the song as a timeless cultural artifact? The song likely originated in the 17th century and may acually be of British rather than Irish origin, but the lyrics as popular today were formalized by The Dubliners in the 1960s. Some have claimed it's the number one Irish pub song, but I'm inclined to give that honor to "Galway Bay" because it just works better when you're extremely drunk. This is another 'rakes progress' type song like "St. James Infirmary", but on a more positive note because rather than dying the 'wild rover' of the title swears to give up drink and go home, though it's a pretty insincere promise. This Dropkick Murphys version is probably my favorite, because it's got the raw edge and raucousness the song demands, but unlike the Pogues version you can actually understand the lyrics. Plus it's got a penny whistle, and that's hard to beat.
Song #9
TV Glotzer
Words by Nina Hagen, Music by Michael Evans, Bill Spooner, Roger Steen
Performed by Nina Hagen Band
Here's a guilty pleasure. German punk/shock goddess Nina Hagen first hit the scene with this 1978 cover of The Tubes' classic "White Punks on Dope" where she kept the tune and instead of translating the lyrics wrote entirely new lyrics in German, making the whole thing much sexier in the process. She basically talks and shrieks the song, and you can just see her prancing and vamping around the stage in your mind's eye. It's a fun song, but quite dated, and interestingly it doesn't begin to show the real vocal talent which Hagen has. In recent years she's had a resurgence in popularity when listeners discovered that she actually has a remarkably beautiful singing voice to go with all her drama. Look for "Schon ist die Welt" or her version of "Ave Maria" to get a feel for where she is now, or check out her most recent CD, Big Band Explosion (annoyingly not on iTunes) if you like big-band style music with vocals that sound like Marlene Dietrich.
Song #10
Doin' Time
Words & Music by Brad Nowell
Performed by Sublime
I don't even know how to describe this song. You start out with one line from Gershwin's "Summertime", then add some rap, some punk and some ska and keep a little thread of the Gershwin tune going through the whole thing and you've got something different and unique. It's a relaxed, lovely song which reminds me every time I hear it that Brad Nowell died 10 years ago before Sublime's one real album release even hit the charts. If you were unconscious during the 90s and somehow managed to miss Sublime, it's past time to check them out.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
geezuz! i haven't thought of Wreckless Eric in decades. the only thing i've got with him on it is a live record (Live Stiffs) that came from one of those Stiff Records promotional tours. great stuff, even the incredibly sloppy show ender of "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll".
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Sorry, Dave, you're the victim of my bubbling-over annoyance.
These. Music. Lists. Are. Pointless. And. Dumb.
I feel better now that I've said that.
3 - IgnatiusReilly
Yeah, Dave. You should deal with more substantive issues like sports predictions.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Ah, but all kinds of sports writers make predictions. No music writer talks about some arbitrary songs they've heard.
5 - Dave Nalle
Suss, the music lists aren't pointless and dumb, they're all about the links. They're a way to expose people to music they may not be familiar with or may have forgotten - as in Mark's case - and then they may go out and purchase the music and expand their music library and experience some joy as a result. They may not be great intellectual exercises, but I do at least research the history of the songs and provide factual information and a bit of trivia as well as my opinion.
Dave
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
But Dave, you're not the only one making random music lists. Now there's three of you. That's 2 or 3 too many.
But I got no problem with themed lists, like when Robert Burke does it. But "music" is such a wide open category to make a list out of. There has to be some kind of pattern throughout the course of a series of lists.
Why don't I make a list of 10 auctions I have seen on eBay? OK, now what if three people did the same thing but had different lists?
What if Chairman Kaga, each week on Iron Chef, said "OK guys, make some food!"
And I'm not arguing that it's not well written and researched, but even the most adept construction foreman will never fill the Grand Canyon if he doesn't have a plan to divide and conquer.
7 - Mark Saleski
ok, so we won't invite suss when we start listcritics.org
8 - Dave Nalle
Ah, but I have no interest in conquest or in filling the Grand Canyon. Random just happens to be the approach that works best for me in approaching the subject. It's a lot more fun for the writer to be given random sources of inspiration and then have to find meaning in them. You do want writers to have fuin don't you, Suss?
As for the themed lists, to me they seem artificial and constructed, and I bet that the authors miss rare musical gems they would never have thought of by using that approach. My approach to music is fairly random and the mix on my iPod is certainly not in a theme of any sort, so that seems like the natural way to approach the topic.
Dave
9 - Matthew T. Sussman
listcritics.org
I think VH1 has that domain reserved.
10 - NR Davis
The most enjoyable thing about BC for me is seeing people's playlists. Of course there is what you mentioned - the introduction or - usually - reintroduction of some bit of musical marvelousness and the ripple effect that comes from it. One suggestion from Ms. Ranson-Polizotti's Lists of the Moment can send me into hours of mixtaping (not having an iPod or anything similar or that kind of computer capability, I kick it old school with cassette tapes.) And thanks to you: your mention of Gilson Lavis and Jools Holland has set my mind running toward old Squeeze, which makes me think of the B-52s, which would work well with some cheesy pop-metal (maybe Billy Squier), which would work really well sequeing into some early-80s King Crimson...
I know what my plans are after the munchkin goes to bed...
11 - Mark Saleski
while i don't actually listen to music randomly (as in shuffle mode) i do appreciate random thoughts on it.
there's a book/website called "Found" that makes art out of found objects. same sorta thing.
12 - Matthew T. Sussman
Well I'd like to say I'll just be a good soldier and ride out this latest fad while you kids have fun, but I said that about reality TV back in 2001.
13 - NR Davis
latest fad? mixtaping has been going on for decades. i personally have communicated outside of professional writings almost solely through mixtapes since my high school stint, nearly 30 years ago. the iPod phenomenon we see today is merely a technological update. when the iPodders move on, the individually-created groupings of disparate songs will continue.
14 - Matthew T. Sussman
Nobody from this IP address said anything about mixtaping nor iPods, DJ NR. I'm talking about the phenomenon on this site of "hey guys, here's some songs I'm listening to."
If your Food For Thought column was just a casserole of "here's three recipes -- that have nothing to do with each other besides that they're in my kitchen -- that I'd like to share with you," do you think it would be remotely possible to follow it from week to week?
15 - Mark Saleski
how about "the songs i listened to with my ipod on shuffle while i watched a few ncaa games"?
16 - DJRadiohead
Suss, I understand what you are saying but Blogcritics is relecting what's going on "out there."
The iTunes music store is filled with suggested playlists of both themed and unthemed qualities. It is a very popular thing and it is being done throughout the 'net. I understand it might not be doing anything for you but the emergence of two or three of them on Blogcritics is not unrepresentative of a greater trend.
17 - Dave Nalle
Lord knows, listening to your iPod would be better than listening to the idiot commentary on the NCAA games.
As to what DJR said, the iPod has had an impact on how we view music and its presentation to a certain extent. Go back and read my first iPod article and there's a substantial discussion of this in addition to the music picks.
For what it's worth I do try to set my articles above a mere playlist by including some thematic overall observations. My first article was very strong on this. This one is a bit weak. The next one is going to have some discussion of the role of Kazaa and other P2P networks in warping our musical perceptions.
Dave
18 - Dave Nalle
And Suss, referring to #14 - 3 recipes is a meal.
Dave