As a past - and current - participant in
Lefty's Mixed Bag initiative, I often write a track-by-track commentary for each disc I create. This time, it's no different - if you're interested in a copy, please let me know. (I'll have mailed the Mixed Bag discs by now, so the participants get first crack, so to speak). The mix, "Shiny, Hardboiled and Full of Sin", was named after a
Raymond Chandler quote. No overarching theme - just some good songs.
And so we go:
Intro:
Harvey Birdman discusses
constitutional law.
New Kind of Kick –
Cramps: Lux Interior, in my opinion, is neck-and-neck with Iggy Pop as coolest - and scariest -
[12 letter expletive with oedipal overtones] on the planet.
Ace of Spades –
Motorhead: If your brain does not explode after listening to this track, you are one tough dude indeed. Featured on
The Young Ones.
The Day the World Turned Day-Glo –
X-Ray Spex: The irony of this song isn't that it's a great punk song...but the lead singer was singing her heart out, going full out...
at 15 years old. If that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will.
Long Dark Twenties –
Paul Bellini: Yes, the towel man from Kids in the Hall sings on this selection from the soundtrack to
Brain Candy. It's kind of a cool tune.
Born in the UK –
Badly Drawn Boy: It would be easy to describe this song as a British
"We Didn't Start the Fire", but it's not. It's an under-three-minute gem that you'll keep playing over and over again. Thanks to mp3s, you don't even have to worry about wearing out your player
or the track.
I Can’t Decide –
Scissor Sisters: Ok,
Dorian,
Lefty,
Greg, and
Russell - I'm starting to warm up to the Scissor Scissors. Never mind the fact that this was featured in the final episode of
Doctor Who series three. Happy now?
The Wedding of Bouncing Boy –
Yoyodyne: I'm not sure if I got this from the
Accordion Guy, or one of the two
Legion blogs I read. But it's a great track.
She’s So Young –
Pursuit of Happiness: At 20, I thought this song had nothing to do with me. At 40, I realize it has
everything to do with me. Mellow, but insightful.
Chihuahua –
Bow Wow Wow: The best
Blondie imitation that you never heard...until now.
Bang & Blame –
REM: Hey, the reggae bass beat with the brief bursts of feedback, combined with Stipe's croon-to-scream vocals? Sexiest. Song. REM. Ever. Recorded.
Sex Machine –
James Brown: Lefty once asked
Roger to dress up as
Cornell West. I am asking Lefty to post a video of himself dancing to this song.
Humpty Dance –
Digital Underground: I can relate to a lot in this song, and really love the great groove. I cannot, however, claim to have "gotten busy" in a
Burger King bathroom. Those rooms are
disgusting.
No Means No –
Chuck D (featuring Fine Arts Militia): This is a track from a
Wired CD compilation, and mixes all sorts of stuff. You can never have too much hip-hop.
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game –
Marvelettes: An interesting track - a smoking, soulful track sung by the group that did "Mr. Postman" written by Smokey Robinson. Why this wasn't a bigger hit, I have no idea.
Staring At The Rude Boys –
The Ruts: From this month's
Record You Should Own. Think the writers of
Galaxy Quest listened to this song while writing the film?
Hypocrite –
Lush: Dear
Miki Berenyi - please come back. Soon. I miss you.
Mah Mah Limbo –
Steve Allen: See comments to "Sex Machine" above.
What Do You Know? –
Buzzcocks: The guitars are a driving dirge, the lyrics are slightly philosophical (
"You only perceive what you believe"), and the horns are soulful. One of the Buzzcock's final initial singles...it's a mess, but I love it.
Daily Nightly –
Monkees: From another
Record You Should Own - covers similar thematic territory as the Buffalo Springfield's
"For What It's Worth", but almost done in a slightly noir style with some great moody synthesizer.
Time Has Come Today –
Chambers Brothers: We started punky and are ending hippie - I love the five minute version of this song with the slightly trippy middle. (There's a three minute and twelve minute version out there). Plenty of cowbell!
Outro: So many ways to say goodbye....
Yes, although the morning news and Mayor Daley may declare this "Talk Like Shakespeare Day", we here at Blog This, Pal! (and by "we", I mean "me and Dax the wonder cat" would like to encourage you to partake of the Bard's more literary fare.