Sunday, April 02, 2006

Walking on sunshine

Packing up my crap is dominating my time and I have very little to blog about. Today I've been rocking out to the Living in Oblivion 80's compilation series (which I whittled down to just the best 21 songs for my iPod). I mean, you can't argue with the kick-assness of:

"Love Plus One"
"Mexican Radio"
"The Politics of Dancing"
"Under the Milky Way"*
"Major Tom (Coming Home)"
"88 Lines About 44 Women"
"Tenderness"
"Life in a Northern Town"

...among many others. I love the 80's.

*I may be taken to task for this belief, but I am of the opinion that this has the best bagpipe solo of any song produced in the 1980's.

16 comments:

spydrz said...

Thanks for getting Mexican Radio stuck in my head.

jasdye said...

i'm on a
mexican
radio

i actually only recognize half the tunes - major tom being a maybe (if its the new order song, then i'm with you on that).

milkyway's bagpipes are very synthesizer-soundy, aren't they? like they completely distorted the sound. not sure it would even qualify.

Anonymous said...

Man, I loves me some Dream Academy. The Salvation Army band played...

BTW, Jas, "Major Tom (Coming Home)" was by Peter Schilling, not New Order.

Micah said...

spyrdz - You could have worse songs stuck in your head.

jasdye - I never questioned the validity of the pipes in the song, but the All Music Guide's review of the song refers to it as a "mock bagpipe solo". Illusion shattered. But for a real bagpipe solo, check out Seven Nations' cover of the song - I can attest to its realness as I've seen them peform it live.

THSE - Yeah, great song. Nowadays I think of the episode of "King of the Hill" it was on - with Luanne and Buckley's Angel jumping on the trampoline.

I think you're right about jasdye's confusion (and the PS song is the one I was referring to in this post). Back in the day - waaaaaay back - I bought the song on 45 and it had the German version on the flipside. Neat.

jasdye said...

oh, wait, is that the countdown song?

dude, i'm so confused. now i gotta look up the lyrics.

jasdye said...

4 3 2 1
Earth below us
drifting falling
floating weightless
calling calling home...

there we go. good song. not as good, as the bowie "ground control to major tom" song also stuck in my head or the new order song about the soldier at war who misses his family (don't know the name or any words from that song...).

i'd suck at musical jeopardy.

now, musical CHAIRS, i rock at!

Anonymous said...

Personally, I'd say Autograph's "Turn Up The Radio" is really the song that speaks for the 80's.

Also, speaking of bagpipes...real bagpipes...nothing really tops Bon Scott's contribution to AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock And Roll)". No, he didn't play anything complex, but he was probably smashed at the time, and the bagpipes are not easy to play.

Micah said...

jasdye - "Bizarre Love Triangle"? (kidding)

Maybe THSE can enlighten me (seems like he'd know), but isn't "Major Tom" an unofficial sequel of sorts of "Space Oddity"? Thought I heard that somewhere.

dubin - I didn't mention "Turn Up The Radio" because, really, did I have to? It's the Citizen Kane of '80s pop, at the top of all critics' lists.

Personally, I'm surprised that AC/DC can function at all, what with all of the liquor constantly running through their veins.

Bagpipes are indeed tough to play (my brother bought a set a few years ago and still isn't proficient - I think). Even harder when they are full of Jack Daniels. Hats off to you, Mr. Scott.

Kate The Great said...

I second the Mexican Radio mention. I have a drinking story to go along with it that involves a 6'4" man, Coors Light and a chandelier. It's not quite what you think, I'm sure, but every time I hear Mexican Radio... that's what I think about.

jasdye said...

micah,

looking at the lyrics, yeah. if it's not, i'll be a spider from mars!

Anonymous said...

The New Order song is "Love Vigilantes."

spydrz said...

Make more blog!

jasdye said...

thanks, heartbreak!

can you be my point man on new wave songs? i'll ask really inane songs and pump up your ego real fast!

(like: "what's that song with the guys w/ the pots on their heads talking about licorice candy or horses or something?")

jasdye said...

thanks, heartbreak!

can you be my point man on new wave songs? i'll ask really inane songs and pump up your ego real fast!

(like: "what's that song with the guys w/ the pots on their heads talking about licorice candy or horses or something?")

Micah said...

KtG - I'm afraid to ask.

jasdye - Not to step on THSE's toes, I believe you're thinking of "Whip It" by Devo 2.0.

jasdye said...

haha.

isn't that a little scary? i swear i saw that freaky daddy's li'l band somewhere. why do they have any publicity? they're kids doing a tribute to a band that had some weird fetishes. and wrote a song calling out someone with down's syndrome (under the old name for it).