16 August 2023 - Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls

I like to chose songs with an intresting story.  This is one of those songs.

If you are reading this in the United States, this is not the Pet Shop Boys song that hit the top of the charts.  This is the original version of the song, released by the group in 1984, produced by Bobby Orlando.  

If you are reading this in the UK, or were a clubgoer in the mid-1980's, you may recognize Bobby Orlando's attempt at British rap.  

In 1985, the Pet Shop Boys got signed to EMI records and rerecorded this song.  Whereas the original featured Orlando's instruments and samples, this version featured none of that - and was mostly created on synthesizers.  It was also less rap and more Neil Tennant talk-singing.  

This version resonated better, topping both the US and UK charts.  

This version is also a little darker and more haunting - kind of like audio film noir - and an objectively better song.  

It should come as no surprise that this is their best known song and biggest hit, although they've certainly had other hits.

The audience still knew the song a full 25 years after its initial release.

In 2022, the Pet Shop Boys changed the lyrics of the song, from "Finland Station", which is in Russia, to "Kviv Station", in Ukraine - by the way, it was called Kiev in 1984 - in solidarity with Ukraine in light of the invation by Russia.

Also, Neil Tennant has not lost a BEAT off this song or off his voice - after performing it for 40 years!

15 August 2023 - They Eat Their Own - Like A Drug

As many of you know, I was a college radio DJ.  As such, I had early access to music, some of which was on the fringe of music in the early 1990s.

That includes They Eat Their Own, an LA-based band founded by vocalist Laura B. (Baricevic) in or around 1989, which was together until about 1994.  They didn't have a lot of success, but they had that ONE SONG and that ONE VIDEO.

This is that song.  Released in 1990 or 1991, it got a fair bit of airplay and got the band a major label deal with Geffen Records.... that ended up imploding before anything came of it.  This song, however, is absolutely amazing.

Of course, they wouldn't have gotten their single released at all if they didn't perform live extremely well.  This version, performed live at the LA Music Factory, predates the studio recording, and it's sparser, but still great.  Laura is a terrific frontwoman.

I said "is" for a reason.  You see, after TETO broke up, Laura B. hopped around the country for a bit, settling in Pittsburgh, PA.  She started a band called The Off Labels, and they performed a lot of her old stuff.... like this song.  Have a listen to this performance from 2014. 

14 August 2023 - Trey Parker ft. Matt Stone - Kyle's Mom's a Bitch (in B flat minor)

This was an outtake from last week, where there was a lot of sugary sweet songs.  Plus Metallica.

We had to combat the saccharine.

So, we did it with South Park.  Season 1, Episode 10.

The song is far from politically correct, and features Eric Cartman (voiced by Trey Parker) repeating an insult about Sheila Broflovski, who happens to be Kyle's mom.

Kyle, voiced by Matt Stone, did not appreciate the song.  

In 1999, the Academy Award nominiated film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, was released.  An extended, uncensored version of this opus was included with the movie, as it should be.  

By the way, there's almost one "bitch" per second in this version.

Of course, it's more meaningful to see Trey Parket and Matt Stone actually perform this thing of beauty live.  They did just that at the 25th anniversary concert.

Yes.  South Park is old enough to rent a car.

The testimonial to this song is how many people know and love this song.  It's a classic - more so than the theme song.   

It's also incredibly crude.

The orchestral rendition is only a little bit less crude.

11 August 2023 - CHAII - LIghtswitch

The very first line of her biography on last.fm reads as follows:

Persian-Kiwi rapper CHAII has carved out a corner in the hip hop scene that is fresh, diverse and extremely exciting, drawing from her Iranian heritage as well as the multi-faceted and multi-cultural world of hip hop burgeoning in Australia and New Zealand.

Not wrong.

This video - for the title song of her debut EP - is self-directed, filmed in California (where a lot of her family and, indeed, a large Persian popluation, lives).  You can see the signs in Farsi - in CALIFORNIA. Everything you see and hear is all CHAII's vision - and she is clearly proud of her heritage.

OK, so yeah.  This song is objectively cool as f.

But why this week?

Because this song was featured, along with a lot of other modern Middle Eastern music, on the television series Ms. Marvel. I absolutely can easily make an entire week - a MONTH - out of great music from that one series alone.  It was hard to choose just one.  

I think I chose right.  

10 August 2023 - Metallica - Master of Puppets

By popular request, I'm posting this song.

In 1986, a band that was growing in popularity (but not getting much airplay) released their third albun, Master of Puppets.  The only single they released from that album was the title song, and it was a goddamn masterpiece.  The song is about their frustration with the music business how drugs can control your life. 

It was also the last album and therefore the band's last single that featured original bassist Cliff Burton, who passed away later in 1986.  This was his favorite song on that album, and its mine as well. The band all co-wrote the song, which features long instrumental breaks, dramatic tempo changes, and even an homage to David Bowie.

Those of you who know television know where I'm going here.

That's right.  James Hetfield's appearance on American Dad, which features this song.

 

No, no, that's not what you were looking for.

Of course, it was The Simpsons, where the band appears and featured this song and a super diss on the bus driver.

 

Ohhhh, no.  You meant Billions, the Showtime series.   You know, its seventh season comes tomorrow to Paramount+ (with Showtime).

 

OK, fine, 

Stranger Things generated TWO Billboard Hot 100 hits last year.  "Running Up That Hill" was a huge hit, but "Master of Puppets" featured prominently in the season finale, and made this song a top 40 hit - with airplay finally coming ON POP RADIO -(although rock radio played them even more) - in the United States, nearly 40 years after its initial release.

According to my sister, Eddie played this song on his guitar in the Upside Down to destract the demobats away from Venca's house, so Steve, Robin and Nancy could sneak in to try and hurt/kill Vecna before he got Max.

This is Eddie.   It's he who played the song.

There's no way in hell I'm posting a picture of Vecna.  I Googled that so you don't have to. 

I understood none of that, so I hope you did.

 

I just wanted to remind you that this song is 37 years old and the band still performs live, and they ALWAYS, to my knowledge, include this song, which is one of their most popular amonsgt fans (including my sister).

In current concerts, they actually use some of the Stranger Things images on the screen. Which you can see in this video, taken when they played in Western New York in 2022.  August 11, Highmark Staduim (which used to be called Rich Stadium and that's what it will always be to me).  I know this because my sister, Dawn, actually recorded this video.

The song is also featured in my favorite TikTok post... of mine.

@argylederojo This is @McRoblox17 ♬ Master of Puppets - Metallica

9 August 2023 (Special Edition) - The Band - The Weight

Some songs, you just save for someone to pass away.  This is one of them.   

This song, quite likely the best known song by Canadian-American band The Band, was written by Robbie Robertson, who has passed away.  He was 80 and had been ill for quite some time.

He had a career as a backing musician for Bob Dylan, with the Band, and a solo career.  I personally loved his solo stuff.

Rick Danko and Levon Helm provide vocals on this song, of course, while Robertson plays guitar.  The song is a tale of a traveller passing through a town called Nazareth and finding some kind folks along the way.  I certainly hope he's met with kindness whereever he is now.

When he went solo, Robertson did play his best known song live.  It hit a little differently without The Band - a little more of a slow jam - but it still worked, and was full of just as much emotion and appreciation.

9 August 2023 - Billy Vera and the Beaters - At This Moment

In 1981, Billy Vera, along with his live band The Beaters, released a single called "I Can Take Care of Myself", which ended up being a top 40 hit - Billy Vera's second, but also his first since 1968.  His follow-up song was an over-the-top sad love song called "At This Moment."

It would peak at #79 on the Billboard Charts in 1981 - a minor hit, but nothing spectacular.  

 

Fast forward to 1985.  During the 1985-1986 season of the popular TV show Family Ties,  the character of Alex P. Keaton, played by Michael J. Fox, was given a love interest, Ellen Reed, played by Tracy Pollan (who would soon become Fox's wife (she still is)). It was a great on-screen relationship, probably because they had that real-life connection.

Anyway, this song was used by the show as their love theme - and it became a huge, HUGE hit on its second run.   It topped the charts in 1987, and also hit the country charts - such a crossover by a chart-topping pop song wouldn't happen again for another 13 years. 

It would be Vera's last Top 40 hit (to date).

Despite the song hanuting Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan for a few years, they, and all the cast, appreciated the song, and he the show.  In 2011, he performed the song at the TV Land Awards - and yes, the cast of Family Ties were there... and clearly enjoyed it.

I will take any excuse to take a screen grab of Michael Gross and Justine Bateman enjoying a Billy Vera jam (you weren't expecting Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, were you?)

Here is his performance from that night.  You can see all the main cast members from the show's run watching and enjoying.