Now whip it
Into shape
Shape it up
Get straight
Go forward
Move ahead
Try to detect it
It’s not too late
To whip it
Whip it good
"Dear God" by XTC — Well, if it’s sacrilege, you want to stay away from then you want to stay away from this, though this song by XTC seems to turn in on itself. On the one hand, it is a direct address or almost a letter to God with what seems to be a young girl singing (or boy perhaps), and at the same time, he says, “I can’t believe in you.” It does seem odd to write a letter to someone or something you don’t “believe in”, and while I think this is one of XTC’s finest and most poignant songs, I wish it didn’t turn in on itself like this. That said, it’s still a great song. For those of you who are deeply religious, you may wish to stop reading now. Remember, I didn’t write the lyrics here, I’m merely the messenger, though I admit, I think he makes some very, very valid points here. Here’s a taste (and I don’t put the rest of the lyrics because frankly, they only get rougher as the song goes on and as it picks up speed):
- Dear God, hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image, see
them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get
enough to eat from God, I can't believe in you
Dear God...
Sorry to disturb you,
But I feel that I should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears,
And all the people that you made in your image,
See them fighting in the street,
’cause they can’t make opinions meet,
About God,
I can’t believe in you...
The song ends with a sarcastic, “Dear God….” Not for the faint of heart, and I’m pretty religious, and yet find a lot of merit in this song. It’s worth keeping an open mind.
Look for Volume 11, Part 1 next Tuesday. Until then, thanks for reading and thanks for tuning in, as ever,
s.r.p.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Hey, here's a fun little Nick Lowe song, based on a true tinseltown tale of a starlet's demise and her pet dog who got a little hungry when suppertime came and went--"She was winner
That became the doggie's dinner" (I'm just a messenger too remember):
-----
Mary Provost did not look her best
The day the cops bust into her lonely nest
In the cheap hotel up
on Hollywood West July 29
She'd been lyin' there
for two or three weeks
The neighbors said
they never heard a squeak
For hungry eyes that couid not speak
Said even little doggie's have got to eat
She was winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
(But now I see) Oh poor Mary
Mary Provost was a movie queen
Mysterious angel of the silent screen
And run like the wind
the nation's young men steam
When Mary crossed the silent screen
Oh she came out west from New York
But when the talkies came
Mary just couldn't cope
Her public said Mary take a walk
All the way back to New York
Those twin balms didn't help her sleep
As her nights grew long
and her days grew bleak
It's all downhill
once you've passed your peak
Mary got ready for that last big sleep
The cops came in
and they looked around
Throwing up everywhere over
what they found
The handywork of Mary's little dachshund
That hungry little dachshund
Poor Mary, poor Mary, poor poor Mary
Poor Mary
---------
Love XTC too--especially Drums and Wires, English Settlement, and Skylarking.
2 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Skylarking is one of my favorite all time albums..... Another album... title eludes right now, the song "Pink Thing" - do you know it? That song is a hoot....
i'm off for a while... more later probably... love love XTC (i seem to love acronym bad names, BAD, XTC, BAD II, etc etc.... i could go on... you get the idea...s'weird) Do you know Dukes of the Stratosphere or did we have this conversation last time around? i think we did...
about You're My Drug and Twenty Five O Clock ?
Cheers -
Yes, i know Mary Provost- huge Nick Lowe fan....
3 - Steve
Wow, Sadi, nice list.
I know all of the songs, except for Peaches.
I have all the rest of the songs except for Devo, Nick Lowe, and XTC.
However, I do have a cover of "Dear God" by Sarah McLachlan. I find the song a bit whiney, especially when they moan about the price of beer!!
If you like 'sacrilegious' songs like that, you should give a listen to Midge Ure's (of Ultravox and Band Aid fame) 1988 single "Answers To Nothing" -
"High upon a hillside,
A preacher tells a story to a crowd,
He tells the same old story,
A thousand times he's read that story loud,
And he wants to give the answers but his words are only,
Answers to nothing..." etc.
Although I think it may be a diatribe against preachers and politicians, than God per se, now that I listen to it over again. He also had a different song called "Dear God" as well, which had a yearning quality to it.
"Senses Working Overtime" by XTC brings back memories of the British countryside, but I was never a huge fan of theirs.
Re. Dexy's, I remember returning from a holiday in Canada and this was #1 in the UK and I thought, who are these guys?? (in retrospect, I realise how brief my musical knowledge was at 13, "Geno" had been a UK #1 for them two years before lol!!!). I preferred their follow-up single "Jackie Wilson Said" myself, great vocal rhythm to it.
I have the original and a 1987 remix of "You Sexy Thing", and yes, I did see the movie it was later used in. I must confess, I felt really sorry for those guys, things being so bad that they had to strip for a living, how awful!!
After seeing the video for the Devo tune, I decided it was fruitless for me to comprehend the lyrics lol!!
The Nick Lowe tune was played to death on Canadian radio for years after it's release, so I was O'ded on it for a long time, but in retrospect it wasn't a bad tune, kinda 70's for me actually.
"First Cut..." is another tune that's been done many times over the years (most recently by Sheryl Crow), so it's not one of my faves of Rod, but he's had alot of good ones.
Pet Shop Boys are among my top ten faves of all time, I have almost all of their albums, that one was a very well written tune. "Left To My Own Devices" always cracks me up, epic sounding but with some humour too.
I enjoyed Tracey Ullman's stuff, disappointed she gave up music to move to America to pursue TV and movies.
Re. Kirsty MacColl, though I was never a huge fan, I do have her songs "Days", "A New England", and "A Fairytale Of New York" with The Pogues' Shane MacGowan, those songs I do like.
Ofra Haza was unusual for sure, vaguely recall the song but it's been a long time since I heard it, a UK top ten from 1988 I believe.
I have Wang Chung's best of album, and also an extended version of "Dance Hall Days". I'm pretty sure it's just about a couple meeting and getting to know each other at a dance, though their dialogue is rather esoteric to be sure! Their US top ten hit "Let's Go" is one of my favorite party tunes.
4 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Sadi--I have Dukes of Stratosphere "25 O'Clock" but not the full album "Psonic Psunspot," alas and alack. Which reminds me of the 3 O'Clock--band from L.A.'s Paisley Underground movement sometime in '80s. Another album is from band Green on Red--I'm sure I'll be coming across that, too. Trippy--I can just about hear the colors and see the sounds right now.
5 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Steve - not that i like sacrelig...i'm actually quite religious --- i just like XTC and i really like that song.... so that's how that is... I'm glad you like this list...
Wang Chung: i love Dance Hall Days right now.... and this is the List of the Moment after all, so tht makes sense..., so i would love it right now... but yeah, i think you're right about what it's about... but the whole "grab your partner by the hair? or is that hand? i think he says both... odd... but then, we'll allow him some lee-way for artistic reasons... ; )
6 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey gordon - sonic sunspot can be found i think... though it's spelled different ways depending, psonic psunspot, though i beieve the second spelling is the correct (Geffen would indicate and that was my source, so i don't know...)it's a great album. VERY trippy.... I lost my copy ages ago, which is a real bummer.
Did you ever hear of a group called Jazz Butcher? Austrailain Band, never been able to find them here, but if you find them about, let me know.... heck, maybe they're even on amazon and i just havne't checked, i can't remember now.. i thought i had... let me know if you've heard of them...
Jazz Butcher --- best song "The Human Jungle" - great group.
7 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Sadi--Yes, I know about Jazz Buthcher but that's the extent--haven't heard them or have any albums, I'm afraid. I'll seek them out, but I didn't know they were Australian. Speaking of which, I have a couple Hoodoo Guru LPs if you are familiar with them.
Maybe it's just in my flashbacks that it's spelled "Psonic Psunspot."
8 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
yeah Gordon, Jazz Butcher were great ~ hard to find tho hard to find, or so far i haven't found.
if you can find them, let me know. prob. ebay would be best bet... ishould try that... that would be promising. or some really great download place.... (ideas?)
xtc - i've seen it spelled both ways - sonic an psnoic (sp?) if you can, it's worth getting your hands on it, albeit totally trippy, which may be right up your ally - not sure, but i love it.... it's an amazing album if you like xtc, exp the the song "You're My Drug" which has made The List before, i believe...
cheers,
s.
9 - Steve
Frankly, Sadi, considering it was Wang Chung's first album, I suspect they were just having a hard time making the line rhyme lol.
According to my sources, Jazz Butcher were English and were around from 1982-1995, with a reunion tour and album at the turn of the millennium. I know of 4 of their albums that can be bought new - 1984's "Scandal In Bohemia", 1986's "Distressed Gentlefolk", and 2000's Glorious and Idiotic (Live)" and "Rotten Soul". You can find them at www.allmusic.com, just punch in the group name, then discography, look under albums, which will give a link to buy them.
10 - Scott Butki
I love that Dear God song. I've put it on many mix tapes.
I'm going to have to check out Peaches.
11 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Steve ~ hey, thanks for the info. on Jazz Butcher. I'll check outall music and see what i can find. hopefully i'll find what i'm looking for. I didn't realize they were English... i was sure they were Australian... that's interesting.. what sources did you have...
just curious...
interesting..i think the album i want is called The Human Jungle. I'm still convinced the best bet is eBay, probably.
12 - Steve
My source was www.allmusic.com, Sadi.
Re. "The Human Jungle", I think you are right.
13 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey Scott - yes, XTC Dear God is a great song, but then, i like pretty much anything by XTC, even or especially "love on a farmboy's wages" which i think is a great song with tons of atmosphere.
Peaches is fun, though alot of women find her offensive, or at least, in my circle they do (maybe i'm moving in the wrong circle? not sure... tho to be fair, some best friends haven't hear her...) Her lyrics are really explicit. She was heard in Lost in Translation, the film, if you saw it... in the club scene...
The album you want to get, or the song is The Teaches of Peaches the song I'm the Kinda.... both of which are terrific songs... at least, in my view. I did a whole blog on her... i think she's amazing. I don't find her offensive at all. I find her rather, and i hate this word so forgive me, but "empowering" in her way - she gives women back their bodies much the way Henry Miller could do the same, i think by throwing around certain words (that i think the comment policy doesn't allow but you get the drift) ~~ use the word enough and it loses its rough meaning, ya know. And more, at least in the UK (and maybe Steve can attest to this (Steve are you in the UK?) certain words are thrown around in a more casual way... and so they lose their rougher meaning. I don't necessarily do this, but i've certainly heard it and it does't offend me in any way - and neither does Peaches
have i gone off topic on a rant here?
buy Peaches or take a listen...
or download "The Teaches of Peaches" from SafeShare or all music or take a listen at amazon
cheers (buy Peaches!)
14 - Steve
I actually saw the movie "Lost In Translation", it was an OK movie I suppose, can't quite remember the music from it now though, been 2 or 3 years since I saw it.
Though I haven't been to the UK in more than 10 years, I have noticed their TV shows are a bit more...profane/irreverent...than N. American ones. I did know someone back in the 80's there who swore practically every sentence, which was a bit much to me, but I know it was coming more from a sense of youthful bravado rather than genuine feeling, a friendly enough person, if you can get past the language.
I don't find swearing really adds much to a conversation, I'm quite happy not to hear that stuff. I just find it a rather juvenile attempt to shock people, basically, though I do understand it's use in extremely frustrating situations. When people use it alot with others, I just find it to be like a front, to make the person talking seem more brave or bold, to me, it's just one more thing to peel off in order to get to know a person better.
15 - Rodney Welch
Well, I always thought "Whip It" was unquestionably about masturbation. Of course, it could be, and may well have been, a kind of ironic take on the work ethic, but the title just seemed to close to "whip one's potatoes." No one I knew thought it was about anything else. Kinda odd to be hearing it on that Swifter commercial.
"Come On Eileen" is a wonderfully wistful romantic song. It's about being young and the fear and reality of growing old -- an endemic rock theme. So many rock songs have that same Springsteenian sentiment, of young people declaring they will avoid the fate of their loveless parents with their idiot jobs, and the song expresses it as well as any:
These people round here wear beaten down eyes
Sunk in smoke dried faces they're so resigned to what their fate is,
But not us, no not us we are far too young and clever.
Life in an Irish mining town, but it could be any town. Right now, this moment, a future drone of the working class is defiantly uttering those same words to an Eileen who will someday be a harried mom.
Whether it's Johnny Ray or Dexy's Midnight Runners who nourish your romantic ambitions, reality sets in eventually, and the cycle of love, marriage, birth and indifference just goes on and on, forever.
16 - Steve
Hey, Sadi, are we on schedule for a new List tomorrow??
Oh, and I wanted to ask you, how many music concerts would you say you've ever been to?? Just curious.
17 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
sorry, all MAJOR technical problems today ~ so couldn't get to your answers sooner --- comment etc...
Rodney - i think what you're saying about Devo was or is everyone's basic assumptio altho i remember having this conversation with a dj friend of mine who strenusouly argued (and convincingly so) that it was all about whipping a problem -- i.e. "whip it" ~ deal with tne issue
now, whether or not that's REALLY the case, who knows ..... prob. not .i'm sure there is at least a subtext there that is what you and i see, but i've heard that the group says not but who know for sure and so what anyway... totally weird to be hearing ANY Of this stuff on ANY commercial if you ask me... it was bad enough to have Bob (Dylan) selling bras, but thsi is out of control now~!
our music has been taken away from us and given over to consumer products for prime time tv...
weird.
18 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
oh, and Rodney ~ you're right about Come On Eileen... i think it is about getting older, but i do think it is about the moment too... as you put it "springsteenian" which i thought was brilliant ... i think you said it all...
19 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Steve - hey sweets ! Sorry not to answer you for so so long ... the List ~ i'm aiming to be on target for tomorrow but b/c of techinical trouble today i'm not sure i can be... it mgiht have to be Wednesday morning and then Sunday if that works.... Sound okay? Lemme know.. and sorry..,. if it comes out tomorrow... i'll let you know.. iether way, i'll pick up back here on this thread on your comments tomorrow. i'm so so so so tired tonight...
look dead tired.
computer problems will do that to you!
20 - Steve
Aww, Sadi, sorry to hear about your computer problems and tiredness. I know I just downloaded the latest version of my browser a few weeks ago, and it stalls on me every other time I use it, I hope the makers can work out the bugs in the new version soon, it can be a little annoying.
Anyways, have a good sleep, and put out the List whenever you feel up to it. I'll look forward to it, in the meantime.
All the best,
Steve.
21 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey steve, thanks... i'll be back in commission by Wednesday.... i just need an extra day since today really threw me off... sorry about that to ALL...
So the LIST will be POSTPONED FOR ONE DAY til wednesday ... that's all.. no biggie.. just tech problems for me which meant i couldn't be writing and had to waste my time dealing with internet connection issues and blah blah blah blah blah
sorry to hear of yours as well
g'night for now...
; )
s.
22 - Scott Butki
Just realized tonight that via my university I get a free subscription to Ruckus so I can legally download any music I want.
So i'll check out some of the ones you are listing.
23 - Mike
Hi Sadi, good to see Im nin alu on your list, a beautiful sound from a beautiful departed voice (she dies of AIDS), and it must be the oldest song you've had on your list so far. The lyric to it is several hundred years old. Have you heard the original mix without the dance beats added? The whole album the song is taken from is worth a listen. And if you are into old-skool you might like to dig out the great Coldcut remix of Eric B and Rakim's Paid in Full which sampled Ofra Haza's beautiful a capella from the song. I seem to remember Lou Reed had a vocal on one of her later albums.
Being Boring is probably my favourite Pet Shop Boys track. I love the way he rides the vocal.
Peaches is cheeky and fun and it seems to me she is having fun playing with us.
XTC are (were) rare English treasures. Most memorable track for me is Making plans for Nigel.
I like First Cut Is The Deepest but not being a fan of Rod Stewart's after his Faces period I would plump for either PP Arnold's version or the Studio One reggae version by Norma Frazier.
-
24 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Scott, you lucky devil - but yes, do try some of the songs and see what you like... if you let me know what you're into, i can recommend some stuff for you... if you're into hard core then this list is not for you.. it all depends on what you like.... so let me know... ; ) cool about free subscription!!! god, lucky you...
25 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Mike - hey, no i had no idea that she died of AIDS = that's awful... i really didn't know this at all. that explains why we haven't heard from her. She was a great talent. Very very sad indeed....i'm sorry to hear it.
No i've never heard the version without the dance remix... any ideas about how to get it? Any albums.... You name a couple of other sources that use it as well....Rakim and Eric B - Don't know -- sorry - Paid in Full - you'd have to fill me in...
We agree on the Pet Shop Boys pretty much, but i do love, What Have I Done to Deserve This.... Which i think is a great song...
Making Plans for Nigel - god, i forgot all about that song... great great song... great group, obviously and a favorite of mine. HUGE fan...
you big XTC fan... sounds like....
must work on next list, number 11.... s