Johnny Marr's third solo CD, "Call The Comet", will be released on June 15th, 2018. These are the selected best songs of Johnny Marr's solo work. Here's the trailer, yes that's a thing, for "Call The Comet":
"The Tracers" is the first song off of his upcoming CD:
From "The Messenger":
"I Want The Heartbeat":
"Generate! Generate!":
"Sun & Moon":
Of his two solo CDs, easily the best one is "Playland":
My next band on the Greatest 80's era bands is the Smiths. I'm still working my way through all their music to make their countdown blogs. So this will be a bridge blog to those blogs. Although Morrissey is the most famous of The Smiths, the most prolific is guitarist Johnny Marr. He'w worked with everyone from Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The The, Modest Mouse, Electronic, with the Healers, The Cribs and of course his own solo music. His third solo CD, "Call The Comet" will be released on June 15th, 2018. These are the selected best songs of Johnny Marr not including his solo work or his solo work.
I give Marr and Billy Duffy plenty of credit for taking on one of the best known movie themes ever, but ultimately their version is not as good as the original. This was released in 1992.
"The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" original theme:
With Paul McCartney "I Saw Her Standing There":
Sadly I can't find a video of this performance.
Modest Mouse's 2007 CD "We Were Dead Before The Ship Ever Sank" was the first #1 CD that Marr ever played on.
"Dashboard":
"Fire It Up":
"We've Got Everything":
From Electronic's self-titled 1991 CD:
1) "Tighten Up":
2) "Getting Away With It":
3) "Feel Every Beat":
From The Cribs 2009 "Ignore The Ignorant":
"We Share The Same Skies":
"Hari Kari":
"Ignore The Ignorant":
Johnny Marr and the Healers 2003 CD "Boomslang":
"Need It":
The The's 1989 CD "Mind Bomb"
"Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)":
"Kingdom of Rain" (featuring Sinead O'Connor):
The The's 1992 CD "Dusk":
"Lonely Planet":
This is kind of cool, from 2017 Johnny Marr and Maxine Peake "The Priest":
My next artist on my Greatest 80's Era Band is the English band The Smiths. I'm still working through listening to all of the Smiths' CDs. While I do that I wanted to post a quick blog about the Smiths best songs, this is according to the August, 2016 Mojo magazine. These are selected highlights of their countdown. For the most part Mojo's rankings are completely different than mine.
Somehow Mojo didn't even rank this song, how is it that possible? This song likely will be in my Top 5. "Girlfriend In A Coma":
This song was also unranked. "Shiela Take A Bow":
49) "Ask":
44) "Stop Me If You've Heard This Before":
42) "You've Got Everything Now":
31) "What Difference Does It Make":
21) "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore":
16) "Shoplifters of the World Unite":
15) "Bigmouth Strikes Again":
13) "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want":
I read about Dua Lipa in the October 23rd, 2018 Time magazine. I read that article and was intrigued. I listened to the CD and it's very good. I want to share her talent and her great songs with you. These are the 13 best songs from Dua Lipa's self-titled debut CD.
"Lost In Your Light" (featuring Miguel, but not on this performance):
"Hotter Than Hell":
"IDAGF":
"Blow Your Mind (Mwah)":
"Garden":
"No Goodbyes":
"Thinking 'Bout You":
"New Rules":
"Homesick" (featuring Chris Martin):
"Dreams":
"New Love":
"Last Dance":
"Be The One":
Here's a bonus, her cover of Etta James "I'd Rather Go Blind":
About 3 weeks ago I wrote a blog about the videos shown on the first day of MTV. One of the most obscure bands was a band named Blotto. Just how did they get their name? There doesn't seem to be a consensus. However according to https://www.coachella.com/forum/showthread.php?34189-How-did-bands-get-their-names Blotto is the name of the dog in the 1930's novel "Nightlife of the Gods". Also Blotto is slang for being completely drunk. Their video shown on MTV was "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard".
FromWikipedia.org:
"Blotto was a rock band from Albany, New York, known for mixing music and humor. They formed in 1978 out of the Star Spangled Washboard Band, a "posthippie" comedy jugband. Blotto's music combine new wave and soul/R&B, but with comedic themes."
The main members of Blotto over the years. Group members went by pseudonyms on their recordings and in performance. The members of the classic lineup were:
Bowtie Blotto (guitar, vocals). Born 1948 in Detroit, Michigan.
Bert Blotto (Webmaster for Blotto.net, Merch Guy, Keeper Of All Things Blotto-present).
Anyway due to "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard" I wanted to listen to some of their other music. I listened to the samples of Blotto's "Collected Works" on iTunes. I liked it so much that I listened to the full CD on Google Play. I liked that so much that I decided to blog about their best songs. Yes, I do realize many of these songs are covers. However I'm guessing a lot of these songs won't have videos available.
What are some of the best lyrics of the 80s? I hope to answer that question with this blog. I could write a blog about the dumbest lyrics of the 80s and that might be a longer blog. There were some pretty inane lyrics in the 80s. But even in the mist of all that inanity, there were several moments of genius.
Depeche Mode "Enjoy The Silence":
All I ever wanted All I ever needed Is here in my arms Words are very unnecessary They can only do harm
U2 "One":
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you made me crawl
And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt
U2 "Bullet The Blue Sky":
In the locust wind comes a rattle and hum Jacob wrestled the angel And the angel was overcome You plant a demon seed You raise a flower of fire See them burning crosses See the flames higher and higher
Bruce Springsteen "Brilliant Disguise";
So tell me who I see When I look in your eyes Is that you baby Or just a brilliant disguise The Police "Don't Stand So Close To Me": Young teacher, the subject Of schoolgirl fantasy She wants him so badly Knows what she wants to be Inside him, there's longing This girl's an open page Book marking, she's so close now This girl is half his age This song feels even more relevant in the era of Trump and environmental destroyer Scott Pruiit. I'll be glad when sanity resumes to exist in Washington D.C. Midnight Oil "Beds Are Burning": The time has come To say fair's fair To pay the rent To pay our share The time has come A fact's a fact It belongs to them Let's give it back Michael Jackson "Man In The Mirror": I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place Prince "When Doves Cry": Maybe I'm just 2 demanding Maybe I'm just like my father 2 bold Maybe you're just like my mother Shes never satisfied (shes never satisfied) Why do we scream at each other This is what it sounds like When doves cry Grandmaster Flash "White Lines": street kid gets arrested gonna, do some time He got out three years from now just to commit more crime A businessman is caught with 24 kilos He's out on bail and, out of jail and that's the way it goes rrrruh, AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long": She had the sightless eyes Telling me no lies Knockin' me out with those American thighs Taking more than her share Had me fighting for air She told me to come but I was already there 'Cause the walls start shaking The earth was quaking My mind was aching And we were making it and you REO Speedwagon "Can't Fight This Feeling": And I can't fight this feeling anymore. I've forgotten what I started fighting for. It's time to bring this ship into the shore, And throw away the oars, forever
themusicaddict
This is the third and last blog that I'll be writing about this topic. But those two months in 1991 were an incredible time for new music. A refresher: classic CDs were released by Metallica, Pearl Jam, Guns N' Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
On September 23rd, 1991 The Cult released "Ceremony":
"Earth Mofo":
"Ceremony":
"Wild Hearted Son":
"Full Tilt":
"Sweet Salvation":
Some bonus live Cult, "Fire Woman":
Nirvana released "Nevermind" on September 24th, 1991.
Undeniably an amazing song, but I still say Nirvana is one of the more overrated bands ever. But "Nevermind" is a very good CD. "Smells Like Teen Spirit":
"In Bloom":
"Breed":
"On A Plain":
Again I think Nirvana is very overrated, but this Unplugged moment is pure genius. Without any hype or bs, this simply is one of the greatest covers ever. They take over the ownership of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"? and leave no doubt.
Coming soon:
The Red Hot Chili Peppers "Blood Sugar Sex Magick" was released on September 24th, 1991.
"Blood Sugar Sex Magick":
"Breaking The Girl":
"Give It Away":
"Under The Bridge":
"The Power of Equality":
Also on that same fine day The Thompson Twins released "Queer":
These are songs that have some Shakespeare related theme to them. On my morning walk the other day I heard this song on my iPod and that made me wonder how many songs with a Shakespeare theme are there.
This mention about Romeo and Juliet, "Oh there ain't no love no, Montagues or Capulets". Arctic Monkeys "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor":
Thanks to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4nwSNRbP6DhyV79KgT94LTp/pop-goes-shakespeare-the-bard-in-modern-music for these suggestions below. These are the best of the themed songs.
431 million views, that's crazy. I have to admit this is one of my favorite of Taylor's songs. It features the line "Stay away from Juliet" and mentions Romeo multiple times. I can't remember where, but someone noted that Taylor's story ends much happier than "Romeo and Juliet".
Taylor Swift "Love Story":
Dire Straits "Romeo and Juliet":
This song's title comes from "Julius Caesar". Iron Maiden "The Evil That Men Do":
According to bbc.co.uk this suggests both "King Lear" and "MacBeth". A key lyric: "All the wants you waste, all the things you've chased, then it all crashes down, and you break your crown." "King Nothing":
From a sonnet that features the line "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun". "Sister Moon":
"All the world's indeed a stage and we are merely players..." Rush "Limelight":
Spandau Ballet "Through The Barricades":
Other Shakespeare themed songs that I came across on my own or discovered in my research.
Steve Forbert "Romeo's Tune":
Includes the line "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity." Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear The Reaper":
We The Kings "Check Yes Juliet":
This is very tenuous, but this song is from the movie "Romeo and Juliet". It also happens to be an amazing song. Cardigans "Lovefool":
Peggy Lee "Fever":
"Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet, she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said Julie baby, you're my flame
Thou givest fever"
Then Billie Jo Armstrong wrote 8 songs for a play called "These Paper Bullets", which is a line from the Shakespeare play "Much Ado About Nothing". It came from this line "Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humour?"
Of the two I prefer this song. These Paper Bullets "Keeps Me Satisfied":
I was listening to Arctic Monkey's "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" which mentions Romeo and Juliet. That made me start thinking about Shakespeare in pop and rock music history. I've spent a couple of hours trying to find songs that relate to this theme, surprisingly there are very few songs that mention or reference Shakespeare or his plays. One of his plays, a tragedy, is Titus Andronicus.
Also a band by that same name has released 5 CDs since their formation in 2005. I don't know much about Titus Andronicus so we're going to discover them together. All of these songs posted below are songs by Titus Andronicus. The songs with the word Best by it are the best per themusicaddict. Enjoy!!
"Number One (In New York)":
This is more what I expected. "A More Perfect Union":
"Upon Viewing Bruegel's Landscape With The Fall of Icarus":
Best: "Four Score and Seven":
Best: "Still Life With Hot Deuce and Silver Platter":
Yes they have a song title that also happens to be the name of their band. Best "Titus Andronicus":
"Fear and Loathing In Mahwah, NJ":
Not quite Best, but Better. "Arms Against Atrophy":
I made a couple of mistakes in writing this blog, in both the ranking and placing songs in the wrong position. I fixed the first two countdown blogs yesterday, only to realize I have to fix them both again today. Hopefully I'm finished with all of the Cars countdown blogs today.
I made a couple of mistakes in writing this blog, in both the ranking and placing songs in the wrong position. I fixed the first two countdown blogs yesterday, only to realize I have to fix them both again today. Hopefully I'm finished with all of the Cars countdown blogs today.
39) "Go Away":
38) "Looking For Love":
37) "Coming Up On You":
36) "Maybe Baby":
35) "Got A Lot On My Head":
34) "You Can't Hold On Too Long":
33) "Since I Held You":
32) "Everything You Say":
31) "I Refuse":
Just what number will this song end up at? It ended up at # 30) "Strap Me In":
As threatened or as promised the best of the Top 20 songs from October 17, 1987. I usually just do the Top Ten and then list all those songs. However I'm going to shake it up this time and post the best of the Top 20 songs. Also to shake up this list I'm going to include line from each song.
But this is why the music from the 80s was so great. This countdown features classic songs by Whitney Houston, Prince, Michael Jackson, Heart and Whitesnake. I wouldn't necessarily say that Madonna's "Causing A Commotion" is one of her best songs, but it's still a very solid song.
20) Bruce Springsteen "Brilliant Disguise": "Is that you baby or just a brilliant disguise":
19) The Pet Shop Boys "It's A Sin": "Father forgive meI tried not to do it turned over a new leaf then tore right through it":
16) Swing Out Sister "Breakout": "I may be crazy, little frayed around the ends, One of these days I'll phase you out."
15) Whitney Houston "Didn't We Almost Have It All":
Remember when we held on in the rain
The night we almost lost it
Once again we can take the night into tomorrow
Living on feelings
Touching you I feel it all again
Interesting note about these next two songs, they originally became famous first as songs by Tommy James and the Shondells. 14) Billy Idol "Mony Mony": "Shotgun, get it done, come on Mony":
11) Tiffany "I Think We're Alone Now":
Running just as fast as we can, holding on to one another hands
Trying to get away into the night and then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground and then you say
10) Bananarama "I Heard A Rumor":
Now it seems they're telling me
You've changed your wicked ways
But should I give you a second chance
Baby, I'm too afraid.
7) Heart "Who Will You Run To":
You found a new world
And you want to taste it
But that world can turn cold
And you better face it
6) Whitesnake "Here I Go Again":
Hanging on the promises in songs of yesterday.
An' I've made up my mind, I ain't wasting no more time
But here I go again, here I go again.
5) Madonna "Causing A Commotion":
The love you save may be your own
Can't fight this feeling, aren't you tired of being alone
You won't admit it but you know it's true
It's not a secret how I feel when I stand next to you
4) Michael Jackson "Bad":
The word is out
You're doin' wrong
Gonna lock you up
Before too long
3) Europe "Carrie":
When light goes down, I see no reason For you to cry. We've been through this before In every time, in every season, God knows I've tried So please don't ask for more.
2) Prince "U Got The Look":
I've never seen a pretty girl look so tough baby
You got that look
Color you peach and black
Color me taken aback
Crucial
I think I wantcha
1) Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Lost In Emotion":
Am I a fool at least my friends think so Que sera Sera Baby, whenever we're free, que sera sera Between you and me
