The New Wolfs Howl

SOTD #127

2008-11-20T06:43:53Z

Today’s song is Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood & The Destroyers

On the day I was born, the nurses all gathered ’round
And they gazed in wide wonder, at the joy they had found
The head nurse spoke up, and she said leave this one alone
She could tell right away, that I was bad to the bone

Bad to the bone
Bad to the bone
B-B-B-B-Bad to the bone

I first heard this on the soundtrack to Christine (an appalling film - when compared to the book, anyway - but with a brilliant selection of tunes) and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s a heavy, guitar-driven slice of brilliance that harks back to the old blues of the likes of Robert Johnson but updated for the 80s and 90s.

[iTunes link to audio]

SOTD #126

2008-11-19T06:34:23Z

Today’s song is Man Of The World by Fleetwood Mac

Shall I tell you about my life
They say I’m a man of the world
I’ve flown across every tide
And I’ve seen lots of pretty girls

I guess I’ve got everything I need
I wouldn’t ask for more
And there’s no one I’d rather be
But I just wish that I’d never been born

And I need a good woman
To make me feel like a good man should
I don’t say I’m a good man
Oh, but I would be if I could

I could tell you about my life
And keep you amused I’m sure
About all the times I’ve cried
And how I don’t want to be sad anymore

And how I wish I was in love

Before they became the stadium-bestriding, drink-fuelled, drug-addled behemoth that they became in the Buckingham / Nicks / McVie years, Fleetwood Mac were a tight little blues unit. This Peter Green song is perhaps the best thing that they ever produced, with it’s stripped down guitar accompaniment and it’s mournful lyric.

[iTunes link to audio]

Personal responsibility. What’s that, then?

2008-11-18T21:23:33Z

I’ve been mulling this post over in my head for a few days, since I read this story about a couple dodging their debts through a loophole in the Consumer Credit Act. Reading it, I was reminded of the free-for-all we had not so long ago with people taking the Banks to court to reclaim money they’d paid out in charges. And, as I did with all of the people reclaiming their Bank fees, I thought to myself - why should these people be allowed to dodge out of their responsibilities?

We seem to live in a society where individuals are no longer expected to take any responsibility - or blame - for their own actions. Government and pressure groups are continually stepping in to try and legislate for people’s stupidity. It doesn’t seem to matter what it is - smoking, drinking, fast food, educating or disciplining children, managing your finances. You know, all those things that are your responsibility to take care of.

Why should people who can’t manage their life be bailed out by the rest of society? Why should, for example, McDonalds be forced to take responsibility for you being a fat git just because you’re too lazy to eat properly? As Morgan Spurlock proved, living on fast food is not healthy for you yet people continue to do it. Why should that be McDonalds fault?

Likewise, why should people who can’t manage their finances properly be allowed to dodge out of paying their debts back? Whether it be claiming back “unfair” bank charges (which don’t apply if you know how to keep your account in proper order) or using a loophole to dodge your creditors, it shouldn’t be allowed. You’ve spent the money, you should damn well have to pay it back. But it seems that’s not how things work these days.

While thinking about what I was going to write in this post, I came across another story that illustrates another facet of this argument. Personal responsibility extends to the type of person that you are, but - as a result of the over-therapised nature of modern society - the type of person you are is now nothing to do with you; it’s all to do with the way you were raised; or the fact that you were only child; or the fact that you weren’t an only child.

The woman in the story was conceived with the help of sperm donation; because of that, she claims that she doesn’t know who she is and she’s on a years long crusade to find out who her father is. Sorry, but that’s bollocks. Your father is the man that was there when you were growing up, the one who provided for you, the one who tucked you in at night. Your father is not the person who jacked off into a paper cup in some cubicle somewhere. And your search to find out who you are? Look in the mirror. That’s who you are.

—-

If you’re having problems taking responsibility for your own life, check out this website which very succinctly describes what personal responsibility is and how you can change your life to be able to accept yours.

SOTD #126

2008-11-18T20:37:47Z

Today’s song is My Brother by Terry Scott

Phorr, there’s something funny round ‘ere. What is it? Oh, it’s you. Come ‘ere and sit down. You’re gonna ‘ave the truth told about you and put on record. ‘Ere, please do not sit too close to me, I’ve just ‘ad my breakfast. Thank you.

Who put salt in the sugar bowl? Who put fireworks in the coal?
Who put a real live toad-in-the-’ole? My brother!
Who put jam in mother’s shoe? Who made real caterpillar stew?
Who locked Granddad in the loo? My brother!

My brother said it wasn’t he who put shampoo in Grandma’s tea
My brother said that it was me – my brother’s rotten.

Who squeezed toothpaste round the hall? Who put soot in the baby’s ball?
Who drew things on the garden wall? My brother!

You wanna see what he drew. Phorr, what a surprise. Nobody knew what it was really, but everybody ‘ad a jolly good idea. An’ ‘e wrote slogans. “Down with young mothers”, that was one. ‘Cos ‘e don’t think my mum knows ‘ow to brings us up right. I don’t think so either. You know, every night when we’re wide awake, she makes us go to bed. And then in the morning when we’re fast asleep, she makes us get up.

Whose pet mouse made Auntie shriek? Who ate glue and couldn’t speak?
What clever dick was sick for a week? My brother!

Who keeps maggots in a tin? Plays the twist on ‘is violin?
Who’s been gettin’ at the gin? My brother!

He looks just like a chimney sweep, but dirt, they say, is just skin deep.
I know he’s good when he’s asleep. But you don’t know what he’s dreamin’ about do ya?

Who wouldn’t mind if I ride his bike? Who let’s me shoot his gun if I like?
Who says I’m best at football, ludo, snakes & ladders, ‘ide & seek,
Chasin’ each other up an’ down the garden, pinching little girls up the ‘igh street.
Well, he’s gotta say I’m best, ‘cos I’m bigger than ‘e is An’ if ‘e don’t say I’m best at everything, I’ll bash ‘im. Ha Ha.
My lovely, lovely brother.

Come on, come on mate, let’s get you out of ‘ere before you fall down the ‘ole in the middle. Come on, give us yer ‘and, we’re gonna walk …..‘Ere, ‘ere, what ‘ave you ‘ad in yer ‘and? ‘Ave yer? Phorr!!

If, like me, you grew up listening to Ed Stewart’s Junior Choice then you’ve probably heard this classic song hundreds of times. If you haven’t heard it, give yourself a treat and follow the YouTube link below.

[not available on iTunes][YouTube]

SOTD #125

2008-11-17T20:21:19Z

Today’s song is Eastbound And Down by Jerry Reed

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ Bandit run.

Keep your foot hard on the pedal. Son, never mind them brakes.
Let it all hang out ’cause we got a run to make.
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there’s beer in Texarcana.
And we’ll bring it back no matter what it takes.

The theme tune from the original (and the best) Smokey and the Bandit movie. A classic piece of feel-good, fun-time cinema with a classic feel-good, fun-time song. Nice!

[iTunes link to audio]

SOTD #124

2008-11-18T20:20:49Z

Today’s song is Hello, Mr Zebra by Tori Amos

Hello Mr. Zebra
Can I have your sweater
Cause it’s cold cold cold
In my hole hole hole
Ratatouille Strychnine
Sometimes she’s a friend of mine
With a gigantic whirlpool
That will blow your mind

Hello Mr. Zebra
Ran into some confusion with a Mrs. Crocodile
Furry mussels marching on
She thinks she’s Kaiser Wilhelm
Or a civilized syllabub
To blow your mind
Figure it out
She’s a goodtime fella
She got a little fund to fight for Moneypenny’s rights
Figure it out
She’s a goodtime fella
Too bad the burial was premature she said
and smiled

I was never really into Tori Amos, but bought her 1996 album Boys For Pele after seeing her do a couple of tracks with the Black Dyke Mills Band on Later… It’s an odd album and not one that I listen to much now, but I will pull it out every now and then just for this track. It’s a little 67 second track that has a quirky lyric that could mean almost anything, and displays (for me) all that is good about Tori Amos.

[not available on iTunes][YouTube - Later with Jools]

SOTD #123

2008-11-15T20:00:31Z

Today’s song is Brain Damage by Pink Floyd

The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path

The lunatic is in the hall
The lunatics are in my hall
The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
And every day the paper boy brings more

And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon

The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me till I’m sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There’s someone in my head but it’s not me.

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon

The closing track from Pink Floyd’s seminal classic Dark Side of the Moon. If you’ve never heard this before, where the hell have you been? If you have heard it before, go and listen to it again.

[iTunes link to audio]

SOTD #122

2008-11-16T15:50:07Z

Today’s song is Get Over It by Eagles

It’s like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You’re makin’ the most of your losin’ streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak

You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin’ everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I’d like to find your inner child and kick its little ass

Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin’ and moanin’ and pitchin’ a fit
Get over it, get over it

I’ve had this floating round in my head for most of the day, because I’ve been toying with writing a post about personal responsibility in modern society. This rocking little number could almost be the theme tune!

And this song does contain one of my most favourite lines ever - I’d like to find your inner child, and kick its little ass! Brilliant stuff.

[not available on iTunes][YouTube]

SOTD #121

2008-11-13T20:46:40Z

Today’s song is 99 Luftballons by Nena

Hast Du etwas Zeit für mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Denkst Du vielleicht grad’ an mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Und dass sowas von sowas kommt

99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Hielt man fuer UFOs aus dem All
Darum schickte ein General
Eine Fliegerstaffel hinterher
Alarm zu geben, wenn es so war
Dabei war da am Horizont
Nur 99 Luftballons

99 Duesenjaeger
Jeder war ein grosser Krieger
Hielten sich fuer Captain Kirk
Das gab ein grosses Feuerwerk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft
Und fuehlten sich gleich angemacht
Dabei schoss man am Horizont
Auf 99 Luftballons

Tired of the Cold War? Worried that one day we’re all going to get wiped out by some War Games piece of software? Never mind, write a catchy little song about it and get everyone dancing.

Apologies for any errors in the German text (I copied it from here), but I’ve always preferred the original German version to the English translation. It just seems to fit the tune better.

[iTunes link to audio]

Spam

2008-11-12T19:14:20Z

Apparently, it’s the season for spam. What you see above is Defensio’s graph of the total spam comments received at The New Wolfs Howl. As you can see, since the first week in October the total number has climbed by about 10,000. It used to be that I got maybe 10 or 20 spam comments a day; now I’m getting 200 or 300.

Luckily for me, Defensio is an excellent spam filter and I can rely on it to pick up all the crap for me.