The New Wolfs Howl

Brief notes

2009-01-06T21:05:09Z

Just a couple of items to highlight for you, in my ongoing series of things that don’t warrant a whole post to themselves.

1. As you can’t have failed to notice, Apple have announced today at MacWorld that iTunes is going DRM free. No longer will music purchased through the iTunes store be restricted-use; you’ll be able to do what you like with it - just like you can with downloads from Amazon.

The problem comes in that any music you’ve already purchased (unless it was an iTunes Plus track) will still have DRM attached, and if you want to upgrade it - which you may have to, if the DRM servers get switched off, because it seems that will make your music non-functional - you’ll have to pay some more money for the privilege. Not the full cost, but 20p per music track.

That doesn’t sound like much, but if you’ve bought a lot of tracks it could soon add up. It would have been better if Apple and the record labels could have found it in their hearts to let you upgrade for free. Especially seeing as how by the end of March, all iTunes tracks are planned to be DRM free.

2. Something else you’ve probably seen over the last few days is the announcement of the new Doctor Who, to replace David Tennant from 2010 onwards. Matt Smith has apparently had quite an illustrious theatre career and has been in a few TV things (many of them with Billie Piper) but for me, he’s a complete unknown. Not sure if he’s a good choice or not.

Of course, my preference would have been for the return of Tom Baker.

SOTD #175

2009-01-06T19:28:56Z

Today’s song is Everything Louder Than Everything Else by Meatloaf

They say I’m wild and I’m reckless
I should be acting my age
I’m an impressionable child in a tumultuous world,
and they say I’m at a difficult stage

But it seems to me to the contrary, of all the crap they’re going to put on the page,
that a wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age!
A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age!

If you want my views of hist’ry, then there’s something you should know;
the three men I admire most are Curly, Larry and Moe!
If you don’t worry about the future, sooner or later it’s the past
And if they say the thrill is gone, then it’s time to take it back
If the thrill is gone, then it’s time to take it back!

So sign up all you raw recruits
Throw away those two-bit suits
You got your weapons cocked and your targets in your sight
There’s a party raging somewhere in the world
You gotta serve your country, gotta service your girl
You’re all inducted in the armies of the night

And I ain’t in it for the power,
and I ain’t in it for my health
I ain’t in it for the glory of anything at all,
and I sure ain’t in it for the wealth

But I’m in it ’till it’s over and I just can’t stop
If you wanna get it done, you gotta fight for yourself,
and I like my music like I like my life

Everything louder than everything else!

I love a bit of Meatloaf and the more overblown and operatic the better; this is just such a song. I was reminded of it today by a friend lamenting in her Facebook status that “the thrill is gone”. Well, like the man said, it’s time to take it back!

[Amazon download]

SOTD #174

2009-01-05T18:27:53Z

Today’s song is Cool For Cats by Squeeze

The Indians send signals
From the rocks above the pass
The cowboys take positions
In the bushes and the grass
The squaw is with the Corporal
She is tied against the tree
She doesn’t mind the language
It’s the beating she don’t need
She lets loose all the horses
When the Corporal is asleep
And he wakes to find the fire’s dead
And arrows in his hats
And Davy Crockett rides around
And says it’s cool for cats
It’s cool for cats - Cool for cats

One of those all-time classic songs. If you haven’t heard it in a while or (God forbid) you’ve never heard it, then now would be a good time.

[Amazon download]

Costly

2009-01-05T06:04:51Z

Apparently, children who do poorly at maths cost the UK taxpayer £2.4bn….

… presumably, when they become Chancellor and make a complete hash of running the economy!

SOTD #173

2009-01-05T20:13:02Z

Today’s song is Footballer’s Wife by Amy MacDonald

Oh Mr James Dean, he don’t belong to anything
Oh he left before they could get him
With their ways, their wicked ways

Oh Marilyn Monroe, where did you go?
I didn’t hear all your stories
I didn’t see all your glory

But the footballer’s wife tells her troubles and strife
I just don’t care in the end
Who is she to pretend
That she’s one of them?
I don’t think so

And the girl from that show
Yes the one we all know
She thinks she’s some kinda star
Yes you know who you are
I don’t think so, I don’t think so

Oh Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire
Won’t you dance for me cos I just don’t care
What’s going on today
I think there’s something more, something more

And I’m gone with the wind like they were before
But I’m believing myself I think there’s something more
There must be something more
I think there’s something more, something more

I can’t remember where I heard Amy MacDonald first, but her album This Is The Life sat in my wish list for quite some time. I eventually got round to buying the album over Christmas, and it has been on almost constant repeat since. This track, to me, is a commentary on the vacuous nature of modern fame and it’s superb.

[Amazon download]

SOTD #172

2009-01-05T20:20:44Z

Today’s song is Jungleland by Bruce Springsteen

Beneath the city two hearts beat
Soul engines running through a night so tender in a bedroom locked
In whispers of soft refusal and then surrender in the tunnels uptown
The Rat’s own dream guns him down as shots echo down them hallways in the night
No one watches when the ambulance pulls away
Or as the girl shuts out the bedroom light

Outside the street’s on fire in a real death waltz
Between flesh and what’s fantasy and the poets down here
Don’t write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be
And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand but they wind up wounded, not even dead
Tonight in Jungleland

A classic Springsteen track. My favourite version is the one that appears on the Live in NYC set.

[Amazon download]

SOTD #171

2009-01-05T20:23:53Z

Today’s song is (Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Love of two is one
Here but now they’re gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn’t go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared…saying don’t be afraid
Come on baby…and she had no fear
And she ran to him…then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodbye…she had become like they are
She had taken his hand…she had become like they are

Come on baby…don’t fear the reaper

After yesterday’s Boston track, I had to play this one for you. Every CD collection I’ve ever come across that contained one of the two tracks, also contained the other - quite often right next to each other. So, really I had no choice.

[Amazon Download]

SOTD #170

2009-01-05T20:25:52Z

Today’s song is More Than A Feeling by Boston

When I’m tired and thinking cold
I hide in my music, forget the day
And dream of a girl I used to know
I closed my eyes and she slipped away
She slipped away, she slipped away.

It’s more than a feeling, when I hear that old song they used to play
I begin dreaming
’till I see Marianne walk away
I see my Marianne walking away

Sometimes I get stumped for what to put up for SOTD, and other times a tune pops up on random play and the choice is obvious. Today is one of those times; this is just a classic track and if you haven’t heard it for a while I suggest you turn it up loud.

[Amazon Download]

A change to SOTD

2009-01-02T16:44:39Z

Since the beginning of SOTD 170 days ago, I’ve tried - where possible - to include a link to the iTunes store so that, if the feeling takes you, you can go and buy the featured track. Starting with today’s SOTD I’m going to replace that iTunes link with an Amazon link.

I have no idea whether there will be more stuff available on Amazon or not, but I’m working on the basis that Amazon downloads are DRM free so are likely to appeal to more people. I’ve also recently bought some downloads from Amazon and I’m impressed with the quality of the tracks and the ease of purchase so feel happier recommending them than I do iTunes, which I’ve never purchased from.

Where something isn’t available on Amazon, I will try to offer an iTunes link. Failing that, a YouTube link.

I’ve also been changing the categories and tags that are attached to the posts. Originally, all SOTD entries were in the Music category, and were tagged Song Of The Day. I’ve decided that’s not a helpful way to organise things, so I’ve promoted Song Of The Day from a tag to a category, and have tagged all the posts with the name of the artist featured. Hopefully, this will make it easier for you to find all SOTD entries by the same artist, and things like that. Let me know if you think it’s an improvement.

SOTD #169

2009-01-02T16:05:22Z

Today’s song is If I Should Fall Behind by Bruce Springsteen

We said we’d walk together baby come what may
That come the twilight should we lose our way
If as we’re walking a hand should slip free
I’ll wait for you
And should I fall behind
Wait for me

We swore we’d travel darling side by side
We’d help each other stay in stride
But each lovers steps fall so differently
But I’ll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true
But you and I know what this world can do
So let’s make our steps clear that the other may see
And I’ll wait for you
If I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now there’s a beautiful river in the valley ahead
There neath the oaks bough soon we will be wed
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees
I’ll wait for you
And should I fall behind
Wait for me
Darling I’ll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me

I first heard this song on the (un)Plugged album, but for me the best version is on the Live in NYC set where vocal duties are shared with other members of the E Street Band, to make a song that is simply beautiful. If you thought Springsteen was all about the bombast and the shouty voice, then you need to listen to this track.

[iTunes link to audio][YouTube]