Weird songs you've loved

Self | June 17, 2017 | Self

[RegulatorCountry]

One of the enduring appeals of the B52’s is that really strong punk-like underpinning behind vocals and harmonies that seem ripped straight out of a B-movie sci-fi-fi soundtrack, and it’s really on full display with those early live performances. They got slicker and more “cute” as time went on, and it did them no favors in my opinion.

Violent Femmes, I’ve avoided them since I detest “Blister In The Sun,” and it was unavoidable on alt rock radio here for what seemed like years. But, I’ll give them a listen, never really tried anything else from them because of that one single.

[Zeneta]

I know what you mean with Blister in the Sun.

But you do like “American Music”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgeUwLz_J9E

And as it turns out the Lead for the Femmes is a born again Christian.

[Zeneta]

Back in the day, the early/mid 1980’s, I worked for a freight delivery company and occasionally some of the boxes “Broke open” I happened to collect a few “Cut outs” that were on their way to the local radio stations.

The Talking Heads “Stop Making Sense” album just blew me away.

Just one example;

Talking Heads - Slippery People (from “Stop Making Sense”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFS2oz-i3Ik

[RegulatorCountry]

I loved that album enough to have purchased the special limited edition, which had a clear sleeve and a clear LP with I believe silkscreened graphics on it. Still have it. Quite a few great ones on there. “This Must Be The Place” is very touching, but as I recall. my favorite at the time from that album had a very silly name:

Talking Heads - Making Flippy Floppy (Extended Version)

https://youtu.be/H2736OSKERo

[RegulatorCountry]

... and then came the offshoot of The Talking Heads:

Tom Tom Club - Genius Of Love

https://youtu.be/ht6J5stphHs

[Zeneta]

I’m a fan without a doubt.

It was around that time I discovered Elvis Costello.

An extraordinarily talented musician and a lyricist without compare.

Elvis Costello - Beyond Belief

“History repeats the old conceits
The glib replies the same defeats
Keep your finger on important issues
With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues
I’m just the oily slick
On the windup world of the nervous tick
In a very fashionable hovel

I hang around dying to be tortured
You’ll never be alone in the bone orchard
This battle with the bottle is nothing so novel

So in this almost empty gin palace
Through a two-way looking glass
You see your Alice”

snip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZGNJTdh-Z0

[Zeneta]

“You Little Fool”

Daddy’s best girl in the world is not supposed to have a boyfriend
But she’s never wanted at home
Other girls are allowed to wear their makeup
She sneaks out her lipstick powder and comb
She surrounds his name with hearts and flowers
Talks on the telephone for hours and hours
But with the bird in his hand
And two on a string
The words of love have an imitation ring

You little fool (little fool, little fool)
I suppose that your going to stay all night
You little fool (little fool, little fool)
Don’t look at me that way you know it isn’t right
You little fool (little fool, little fool)
You little fool (little fool, little fool)
You little fool (little fool, little fool, little fool, little fool, little fool)

They say no news is good news
The little girl wants information
Mother just gives her some pills to chew
And says go and use your imagination

Daddy’s best girl in the world says just look what I have got
As she sits beside him on the high stool
With his arm around her neck snowball in one hand
And the other full of imitation jewels
She fingers a string of pearls
An imitation but he’ll never know it
Imitation lashes flutter above
Looking for an imitation of love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfzHtjTlB_8

[RegulatorCountry]

My familiarity with Elvis Costello would not go too much past the more popular stuff, for me an offshoot of a period fascination with Ska. He produced an album or two for The Specials. I’d spent a little time in Jamaica at that point and had developed a taste for dub, somewhat related township music, etc. and heard echoes of it in his music. Never really pursued it too deeply but maybe I should.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Dead Puppies (aren’t much fun).

[RegulatorCountry]

Here’s a vintage video of Ogden Edsl as heard on Dr. Demento:

Ogden Edsl - Dead Puppies (Aren’t Much Fun)

https://youtu.be/rcPvl6oEN-Y

[RegulatorCountry]

... and as a longtime dog lover I needed some mind bleach after that, so:

George Clinton - Atomic Dog

https://youtu.be/szkmivRWegU

[Zeneta]

I love the Ska sound without a doubt. It started for me with the English Beat and then reemerged with bands like Sublime and 311 as Ska went Punk.

As for Costello, if you can find almost any solo acoustic performance of Elvis, you will find gold. Those done back in the day shortly after their release. Extremely rare finds. In 2000 I was an active downloader from Napster and picked up a bunch of solo acoustic tunes that I have since lost. Youtube is worthless when it comes to rediscovering those tunes.

And to shift gears a bit, you should check out Regina Spektor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fczPlmz-Vug