Who doesn't love a love song or a love's lost song now and then. (Pooh goes the bluesy love's lost route with his post today)
I guess thinking about this has me wanting to pick out some songs so here goes a list of songs that I usually listen to when in the mood to wallow.
1. Love - Always See Your Face *** It was in the film High Fidelity so it has street cred. (That movie scared me a bit, I think I had almost every song used in that film in my CD collection, but am I the Jack Black character or the John Cusack character? I won't tell)
2. Strawberry Switchblade - Who Knows What Love Is? *** I love this song far more than I should. This band rocked. French Horns rule. I luuurrrv me some Scottish Bands.
Lyrical greatness, not really, but it's damn pretty.
3. Velvet Underground - I'll Be Your Mirror *** What can I say, I likes me some Nico too. The lyrics really grab me, Lou Reed can be a pretty awesome poet from time to time.
4. Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself *** It's a cover, but in my opinion far surpasses the original. Really lush, really beautiful, aching and longing.
5. Altered Images - Don't Talk to Me About Love *** Yes, I really really do luuurrv me some Scottish Bands. Despite the babytalk voice I really had(have) a crush on Clare Grogan. This song is another beautiful early 80s well (maybe even over) produced masterpiece.
6. Frankie Goes to Hollywood - The Power of Love *** Am I stuck in the 80s? When it comes to sappy love songs, yes, I am, I'm stuck in the 80s. Trevor Horn may be the greatest producer of all time (and pop is primarily a producers medium) and when he worked with these lads he was at the top of his form. I think this is the second best song this band ever did (The amazing Welcome to the Pleasuredome must be 1st).
7. Eurythmics - Right By Your Side *** Annie Lennox, what a voice, and back in the day both disturbingly androgynous and smolderingly sexual. Love the tropical feel of this song, it's an umbrella drink of a song, just enjoy the kitsch and the alcohol+sugar buzz.
8. Aztec Camera - Oblivious *** Not really a love song, but it's a beautiful piece of work and just has the right mood, and tempo. Plus the band is from Scotland and had their heyday in the 80s so of course it's on this list.
9. Me'Shell NdegeOcello - Bitter *** A good chunk of her music fits any love lost or love found list. An amazing bassist, great presence live, this song lives up to its title. Also this whole album feels a bit bitter, but worth tasting.
10. Miss Ann Margret - Begin the Beguine *** What the hell is that doing here? Have you heard this song? It's a damn fine song and a damn fine performance of the song. Lushly arranged, well voiced, sexy without being oversexed, it's a tightrope she walks. Las Vegas lounge (and the linked compilation is worth seeking out and buying, it's got a great mix of artists and songs) stylings really know how to be sexy without being smutty. Not easily done, rarely approached now.
If anyone else has all these songs in their collection of CDs/MP3s I'd be truly impressed. If anyone else has even heard all of these songs I'd still be pretty impressed. My tastes are my own, they belong to me (oops, wrong song list, that's for a different time).
5 comments:
Whoa! Someone who knows more than one Thomas Dolby song! I didn't know such people existed.....
(Not true, to steal X's parenthetical tick. I know TWO TD songs: The obvious one and "One of our Submarines" which was a rather haunting song. I can still hear it clearly in my head, and I haven't heard it in over 20 years.)
Will you accept vinyl? I have two Altered Images ALBUMS. The only Aztec Camera I have is a vinyl 12-inch of Jump. I'm at work, so can't tell you what's on the B-side.
For Icepick: Aliens ate my Buick is one of my favorite CDs and a forgotten masterpiece. And I bought "The Flat Earth Society" just so I could listen to "Hyperactive."
And Clare Grogan is in either "Gregory's Girl" or "Local Hero." I can never remember which one.
I do recognize all of them, but only have a few in my current collection (never had them all--off by three).
I'm not sure whether my Altered Images album is stuck in with my abandoned vinyl collection .... it may have been lost in The Great Moving Day Heist of 12-ish years ago.
Strangely appropriate, somehow. The archives for this date aren't set up yet, so if you view this after Friday Feb 17, check the archives for that date.
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