1, 2, skip a few….
You might have noticed that there have been gaps in the availability of SOTD on a couple of occasions recently (which have later been artfully papered over using the time-adjust facility on ecto). I can only apologise for this; I’d like to re-assure you that it won’t ever happen again, but I think we both know that it’s more than likely.
But look at it this way; today, instead of having just one SOTD to enjoy you’ve had five! How lucky can you get?
SOTD #116
Today’s song is Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen
The screen door slams
Mary’s dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that’s me and I want you only
Don’t turn me home again
I just can’t face myself alone again
Don’t run back inside
darling you know just what I’m here for
So you’re scared and you’re thinking
That maybe we ain’t that young anymore
Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night
You ain’t a beauty, but hey you’re alright
Oh and that’s alright with me
I came to the Springsteen party late and first heard this as the opening track to the Live ‘75 to ‘85 collection. That version - which is still my favourite - takes the guitar-backed Born To Run original and strips it back to voice, piano and harmonica. In doing so, it adds so much more meaning and emotion to the song.
SOTD #115
Today’s song is Political Science by Randy Newman
No one likes us-I don’t know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let’s drop the big one and see what happens
We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they’re spiteful and they’re hateful
They don’t respect us-so let’s surprise them
We’ll drop the big one and pulverize them
Asia’s crowded and Europe’s too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada’s too cold
And South America stole our name
Let’s drop the big one
There’ll be no one left to blame us
We’ll save Australia
Don’t wanna hurt no kangaroo
We’ll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin’, too
Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We’ll set everybody free
You’ll wear a Japanese kimono
And there’ll be Italian shoes for me
They all hate us anyhow
So let’s drop the big one now
Let’s drop the big one now
My apologies for quoting the whole of the lyric, but the song kind of demands it. This little homily to American foreign policy is really Newman doing what he does best - social and political commentary, wrapped up in a wonderful accompaniment and sometimes so spot-on that the group being lampooned doesn’t even realise it.
SOTD #114
Today’s song is Car 67 by Driver 67
(Car 67, car 67, where are you?)
(Come in 67, 67, can you hear me?)
Hey Control, this is 67 here
I can hear you loud and I can hear you clear, yeah
Control, this is 67 here
I can hear you loud and I can hear you clear, yeah
(Good morning 67, good morning
Bit of a late start, isn’t it?)
Is there something that you want me to do-ooh, yeah
(Yes, we have a job for you)
You know I’m only here to please you-ooh
(We want you to pick up a young lady at 83 Royal Gardens)
Control have mercy on me
I don’t wanna do the pick-up, isn’t anybody else free?
Stuck in a jam in a one-way street
Why don’t you tell her she’d be quicker if she used her feet, yeah
(You must be joking 67)
(Now, come on I must have a time for the pick-up)
Classic novelty record time - a song made from the radio traffic of a mini-cab driver and his base control. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. It’s up there on my list of all time favourites - but I’m not sure I really know why.
SOTD #113
Today’s song is Hello, This Is Joanie by Paul Evans
My phone rang and my heart sang my baby’s called at last
Instead it was a friend who said that Joanie’s car had crashed
I never should have let her drive alone angry from my place
I’d never hold her again and kiss that funny face
But still there was a way to hear her voice
The phone rang once, the phone rang twice
And then I heard her say
Hello, this is Joanie
I’m sorry that I’m not home
If you leave me your name and number
I promise soon as I get in I’ll phone
Following hard on the heels of yesterday’s story song, here’s another. One of those cheesy classics, but one that I don’t remember hearing on the radio since the late 70s when it was released.
[not available on iTunes][YouTube]
Wolfs Stuff
Wolfs Helpers
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