Saturd80's: Stones Rock Edition

It's odd... I don't recall hearing the Rolling Stones in high school, though I'm sure I must have. But when I moved to Oregon, it was practically required that one own a copy of their compilation album, "Hot Rocks." I'm pretty sure all of these were on that album.

Sympathy For the Devil

Paint it Black

Gimme Shelter

Saturd80's: Here Comes the Rain Again Edition

Summers in Western Oregon are glorious: seemingly endless clear, sunny days, and nice cool nights. This summer, though, was trying. By all accounts, it was the hottest summer on record- we had no days I recall that broke 100 degrees, but it was just consistently hot. We get very little rain from early July to (generally) sometime in September to early October, but even on that count, we set a new record for dryness. Now I enjoy all kinds of weather, but I want change fairly regularly. A week ago today, it was 89 or 90, then it cooled Sunday and Monday.

Then Tuesday night it poured.

To say I was ecstatic would be the understatement of the season. I spent an obscene amount of time Tuesday watching the radar, tracking the incoming storm. Here's a Tweet I posted that afternoon. And when I opened that link, it reminded me of a couple of other Eurythmics songs I don't think I've posted before.

Who's That Girl

Love is a Stranger

Saturd80's: Aerosmith Edition

I was thinking about doing an Aerosmith Edition a couple weeks ago, then when Saturday rolled around, I couldn't remember the group. Interzone Nickelle bought a vinyl version of this first album and reminded me of it just a few minutes ago. Toys In The Attic:

I've owned various copies of both the previous album and "Rocks," on which the lead song is Back In The Saddle:

This one *just* squeaks into the 80's; it was released November 8, 1989. This may well be my favorite song by this group, partly because of the power of the lyrics, partly because of the music, and partly because of how perfectly they go together. Janie's Got a Gun:

...and maybe partly because I love the parody version, "Cheney's Got a Gun."

Saturd80's: Who's Next Edition

This gets my vote for the greatest rock album ever, and I've been listening to it frequently since it came out. I received it as a birthday gift for my twelfth, in October of 1971, and I've had at least six copies of it. 3 vinyl, 2 CDs and one digital.

Baba O'Riley

My Wife

Won't Get Fooled Again (One of the top "rock'n'roll screams," but there are a couple others that might be almost as good)

Saturd80's: True Stories Edition

From David Byrne's (along with Talking Heads) 1986 movie, True Stories. The studio album was done by Talking Heads, but in the movie, many of the songs were sung by the actors.

Puzzling Evidence

Wild Wild Life

Radio Head (I hadn't realized the group named themselves after this song)

Saturd80's: Strictly Commercial Edition

Frank and Moon Unit Zappa, Valley Girl:

Genesis, Home by the Sea:

Kim Carnes, Bette Davis Eyes

Saturd80's: Violent Femmes Edition

Blister in the Sun

Gimme the Car

Please Do Not Go

Saturd80's: Guadalcanal Diary Edition

"Where Angels Fear to Tread," searing satire of fundamentalist religionists from 30 years ago. I've been trying to find a recording of this for ages!

"Watusi Rodeo"

"Always Saturday" I've posted this before, but what the heck: it's a great song.

Saturd80's: Synthpop Edition

Depeche Mode, Just Can't Enough:

OMD, Messages:

Berlin, The Metro:

Saturd80's: Post-Punk Edition

I have no idea what reminded me of this song, which was a staple of summer '83 (for my room mates and me, at least), but found it quickly. And what a pleasant surprise! What I'd recalled was the clever lyrics. What I hadn't recalled was the catchy tune, and in particular, I don't think I even noticed at the time how tight and accomplished the instruments were. Fun song! Human Sexual Response, Jackie Onassis:

Classic post-punk: Soft Boys, I Wanna Destroy You:

Violent Femmes (I need to do a devoted edition for this group sometime), Gone, Daddy, Gone:

Saturd80's: REM Edition

I read this morning that on April 19th, 1980, REM played their first gig as REM. They'd played for a friend's birthday party on April 5th, but the band was nameless at that time. (This seems to support that contention) So in honor of one of the iconic 80's bands, here's a few clips. Cheers, and thanks for the musical memories!

It's The End Of The World (and I feel fine)

Orange Crush

Stand

Saturd80's: Fad Gadget Edition

Collapsing New People:

Lady Shave:

Hotel Suburbia:

Saturd80's: Urgh! Part II Edition

A few more songs from "Urgh! A Music War." Oingo Boingo, Ain't This the Life:

Klaus Nomi, Total Eclipse:

The Go-Go's, We Got the Beat:

Saturd80's: Urgh! Edition

"Urgh! A Music War" was released in 1982; I saw it in the theater shortly afterward. The following are a few of my favorite clips, and I think I may post another three next Saturday. OMD, Enola Gay:

Gary Numan, Down in the Park:

XTC, Respectable Street:

Saturd80's: Miscellaneous Reminders Edition

I was reminded of several 80's favorites in a series of unrelated instances this week, so in no particular order, Laurie Anderson, The Big Top (The video portion of this pretty and amusing bit of music is sort of painful for me to watch; I'd recommend scrolling past and just follow along with the lyrics below):

When Buckminster Fuller came to Canada, he kept asking the same question:
“Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?”
The Canadians took this very seriously. "We never thought of it that way!"
He showed them plans for domed cities, cities with no basements, no foundations.
Cities that could be moved in a minute.
Portable cities.
Portable towns.

He said:
Think of it as camping out.
He said:
Think of it as one big tent.
He said:
Think of it as
The Big Top ...
spinning ...
lightweight ...
portable.

He said: Think of it as
The Big Top.
Spinning ...
Lightweight ...
Flyaway ...

He said:
Think of it as the
Big Top.

The Stranglers, Vladamir and the Beast (very odd and VERY funny ending!):

Yaz, In My Room (Alison Moyet has the most incredible voice, especially haunting in this song):

Saturd80's: Miscellaneous Finds Edition

Back on the Chain Gang, by The Pretenders, via Krugman.

Ah, Leah, by Donnie Iris, via Balloon Juice.

Money for Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies by "Weird Al" Yankovic, via I forget who reminded me of this one.

Oh yes, I do remember, I was reminding myself of what went on in UHF at Wikipedia, and that reminded me of it.

Saturd80's: Legal Tender

I've had this earworm stuck in my head for two or three days now, and thought I'd share. You're welcome.

Like many of the late seventies/early eighties New Wave bands (such as REM, also from Athens, GA), B-52's gradually transformed to more of a pop sound as they matured, but retained enough of their original quirkiness to avoid becoming bland. Roam:

Trism:

Saturd80's: The Who Sell Out Edition

"The Who Sell Out" was released in 1967, and I don't think it came to my attention until the later of my high school years (75-77), but I really spent most of my listening time with this album after I moved to Corvallis. Satirizing our then trivial and amateurish advertising culture (compared to now) it was and remains brilliant. Odorono:

Medac:

Heinz Baked Beans:

These are certainly not the most popular or well-known cuts off the album, but despite having heard them countless times, remain among my favorites. (I suspect the most popular and well-known tracks are Mary Anne with the Shaky Hands, and I Can See For Miles.)

Saturd80's: Icehouse Edition

The first two here are from the eponymous first album, Icehouse. Amusingly, the first song on that album is "Icehouse."

One of the guys I met at the dorm my first term at OSU, who later was a housemate, had this album. I recorded it to a cassette tape, and played it countless times over the years. "Sister:"

In 1988, a very odd movies named Young Einstein came out. I say odd, because while many of the gags were pretty stupid, you'd have to be pretty smart to get them- or to create them in the first place. When Young Einstein departs Tasmania to travel to Australia to patent his technique for splitting beer atoms (don't even ask), the following song plays, "Great Southern Land."

It wasn't until the advent of the internet- probably in a search in the last ten years ago or so- that I even realized that last one was off a later album by the same group.

Saturd80's: Suburban Lawns Edition

With only one album (and a couple singles), this is an obscure group, but nevertheless, a lot of fun. Flavor Crystals:

"Janitor" was their "big hit," so to speak. I really didn't "get" the chorus at the time, though I liked the verses. It turns out the chorus was a bit of an inside joke: from Wikipedia,

According to Smith, the two were conversing in a loud room when they first met:

She asked me what I did for a living. I said "I'm a janitor," and she thought I said "Oh my genitals." [Richard Whitney] overheard this and wrote the song.

(There's also a very fun live version here (with lyrics overprinted); I finally chose the above because I just love its retro look.)

Finally, this basically ties with Flavor Crystals- I love the lyrics (though repetitive, I find them hilarious)- as my favorite SL song: Mom and Dad and God.