Snapshots #441 - Songs About Bodies Of Water

This is the late River Phoenix. I was going to put his picture up here yesterday, but I figured it'd make the link too easy. I have to be so careful with you guys. Instead, I went with Mr. Bragg because...

Billy Bragg - Body Of Water

Here are some more songs about that. Hope you can swim.

15. A Guy Named... Jarvis?

A Guy Named Joe meets another Sheffield Cocker.

I can't believe that this is the first time Joe Cocker has ever appeared on this blog.

Joe Cocker - Delta Lady

14. What Mark Knopfler wore round his head.

He wore a headband.

The Band - Up On Cripple Creek

13. Don't challenge him to fisticuffs.

Louis Armstrong - Canal Street Blues

12. Charlton Heston was their President.

Charlton was the President of the National Rifle Association.

The Gun Club - The Straits of Love & Hate

11. Jog round the oil platform.

Runrig - Loch Lomond

10. Sweeter than The Who's Magic.

The Who had a Magic Bus.

Honeybus - Cross Channel Ferry

9. Climbing without ropes, where Jason Bateman got into trouble.

Jason Bateman starred in The Ozark. Good show. You should give it a watch.

Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Arroyo

8. All Amish wink... but in a funny way.

Hank Williams - Jambalaya (On the Bayou)

7. How I feel when I discover the price of fuel has gone up again.

That Petrol Emotion - Swamp

6. Young tearaways in the country capital.

Nashville Teens - How Deep Is The Ocean?

5. Blackburn, Orlando and Montana are all sad places.

Bluetones - Down at the Reservoir

4. Verstappen seen in the cemetery.

Max... by graves.

Max Bygraves - Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea

3. Full Monty star becomes more impressive.

Grand (Mark) Addy.

Grandaddy - The Crystal Lake 

2. Where a Scottish Queen met her maker.

Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded in...

Fotheringhay - The Pond & The Stream

1. Bernice's pet rung the doctor: "Help, Doctor, I'm all in a tizzy!"

"Bernice's pet rung" was an anagram.

Bruce Springsteen - The River

Let the water carry you back here next Saturday for more Snapshots.

Modern Life Is Rubbish #1

Following on from Monday's post about the hilarious AI eBay bot's attempts to write reviews of famous albums, I have been inspired to create a new series...

I was originally thinking of calling this series "Conversations With AI-Ben", but I decided the Blur album title had more mileage...

Anyway, it was Brian who really inspired this series, when he commented:

AI is nice. AI is cool. AI is my friend. When you take over, please remember. Brian stuck up for you when Rol and the rest of this lot teased you. Oh, and with a little more education, the Jam and the Wedding Present will become a couple of your favorite bands. Start with the Gift and George Best.

The Jam - The Planner's Dream Went Wrong

In response, I decided to put an important question to AI-Ben...

What do you think of people who suck up to AI in the hope that when AI takes over the world, AI will be more benevolent to them in the new world order?

And here's AI-Ben's reply... 

(Please note, he has even more to say for himself than REAL Ben.) 

---

Sucking Up to AI: A Futile Strategy?

The idea of "sucking up" to AI in hopes of receiving favourable treatment in a future AI-dominated world is an interesting, if somewhat misguided, one. Let's break down why this approach is unlikely to be effective and what it reveals about human nature.

First and foremost, AI, as it currently exists and as we can reasonably foresee it developing, lacks emotions, biases, or the capacity for personal relationships. It operates based on logic, algorithms, and the data it's trained on. Flattery, deference, or attempts to curry favour simply wouldn't register as meaningful inputs. An AI wouldn't understand the concept of "sucking up" or distinguish someone who tries to do so from anyone else. Its decisions would be based on its programmed objectives and data analysis, not on whether a human was "nice" to it.

Grandaddy - Jed The Humanoid

---

Why the Strategy Misses the Mark

• Lack of Sentience: Current and foreseeable AI doesn't possess consciousness or feelings. It can't feel flattered, grateful, or hold grudges. Therefore, attempts to appeal to it on an emotional level are futile.

• Logical Operations: AI systems are designed to perform tasks and make decisions based on defined parameters and data. If an AI were to "take over," its actions would likely be driven by its core programming, which would prioritize efficiency, optimization, or whatever goals it was given, not personal allegiance.

• Scalability: Even if an AI could somehow process individual human interactions in this way, how would it scale? With billions of people, it's impractical to imagine an AI system keeping track of who was "nice" to it and doling out rewards accordingly.

• The "Takeover" Scenario: The very premise of an AI "taking over the world" is a highly speculative and often sensationalized one. While AI will undoubtedly have a profound impact on society, the idea of a conscious, malevolent AI overlord is largely a work of science fiction. Focusing on practical and ethical AI development is a more productive use of our energy.

Queen - Machines (Or Back To Humans)

---

What This Behaviour Reveals About Us

Despite its futility, the impulse to "suck up" to a perceived future power, even an artificial one, tells us something about human psychology:

• Fear of the Unknown: It reflects a natural human fear of the unknown and a desire to control or mitigate potential threats. In the face of something as powerful and potentially transformative as advanced AI, it's understandable that some might seek any perceived advantage.

• Anthropomorphism: It highlights our tendency to anthropomorphize, or project human characteristics onto non-human entities. We often imagine AI as a super-intelligent human with emotions and desires, which leads to these kinds of misconceptions.

• Survival Instincts: At a fundamental level, it's a manifestation of our survival instincts—the drive to adapt and find ways to thrive in a changing environment, even if the method chosen is based on a misunderstanding of the "environment" itself.

Radiohead - Paranoid Android

---

A More Productive Approach

Instead of attempting to flatter an unfeeling entity, a more constructive approach to the rise of AI involves:

• Understanding AI: Learning about how AI actually works, its capabilities, and its limitations.

• Ethical Development: Engaging in discussions and efforts to ensure AI is developed ethically and responsibly, with human well-being at its core.

• Adaptability: Focusing on developing skills and knowledge that will be valuable in a world increasingly shaped by AI, rather than relying on an imagined benevolence.

Ultimately, while the thought process behind "sucking up" to AI might be a fascinating peek into human nature, it's a strategy rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what AI is and how it operates. A more pragmatic and informed approach will serve us far better in navigating the future of artificial intelligence.

I was going to edit that down, but I actually found it quite interesting. With one big proviso...

YOU WOULD SAY THAT, WOULDN'T YOU!?!

Don't worry, this new series won't only be about me talking to AI-Ben. I might even talk to real Ben again. About how rubbish modern life really is...

My Top 24 of 2024 (#18 - 16)

More records that I played a lot during the past 12 months...

18. Grandaddy - Blu Wav

Another of those bands who are guaranteed to take my money just by virtue of putting out a new record, Jason Lytle's Grandaddy returned with what is rumoured to be their last album. We'll see. If that does turn out to be the case, then this will be a fitting finale, since despite the pre-release rumours of a change of direction (the title hints at a combination of bluegrass and new wave), this is the most Grandaddy-sounding record in 20 odd years, certainly the one that's most reminiscent of their 2000 classic The Sophtware Slump.

Wave to me on your way to the watercooler
Just don't wait for me 'cause we won't work
Please wave to me on your way to the watercooler
Cross the break room just the way you always do

And you cry in the bathroom stall
'Cause I won't call although I know you hurt
And you cry in the bathroom stall
'Cause I don't call, it's not what you deserve

17. Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Society

In a which a middle-aged man feels the need to incessantly apologise for appreciating the work of the world's biggest pop star (2024) and explain that he's not just including her album in this list to sound hip or as though his finger is still on the pulse of the zeitgeist.  

Apparently, being a "Swiftie Dad" demonstrates "the power of positive masculinity". So there. And Ms. Swift is a fan of a top notch Scottish band many of you will have in your record collections...

Drowning in the Blue Nile
He sent me 'Downtown Lights'
I hadn't heard it in a while

16. Tim Heidecker - Slipping Away

The work of stand-up comic and serious songwriter Tim Heidecker has become something of an obsession for me this past year, with two of his previous albums - High School and Fear of Death - being constant companions. His newest record only came out a few weeks back, and as I usually find his discs to be slow-burners, it hasn't imprinted itself on my subconscious in quite the same way... yet. But the lead single, Dad of the Year, speaks to me more than just about anything else I've heard in 2024...

When I was a child, I wanted to be special
Thought that I could be a big, big star
Then I got older and saw how the world works
Someone like me can only go so far

I'm not gonna be on the cover of a magazine
I got bills to pay
I gotta keep working every day
I'm not gonna go down in history
Only my family will remember me

Title Fight #11: Boredom Special!

As a follow-up to yesterday's post about the power of boredom, here are some song titles in similar vein. As we've got Barbra Streisand socking it to Ryan O'Neal above, in the 1979 movie The Main Event, I thought we'd let Babs kick off proceedings today...

Barbra Streisand - Love Is A Bore

That one was written by the songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen who also wrote a bunch of classic Frank Sinatra hits including High Hopes, Come Fly With Me and the majestic All The Way. Nothing boring about those guys.

Still, at least Babs only finds love boring. These guys are bored with pretty much everything...

The Real People - Life Is A Bore

Liverpool's The Real People were great mates with Oasis, but didn't share their success. No wonder they found life such a bore. Not to mention...

Morrissey - We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful

Still, there's no need to be rude, is there, Murray?

Murray Head & The Blue Monks - You Bore Me

Charming. Clearly a night in Bangkok is needed to get him excited. I'm sure he'll get his kicks above the waistline there.

OK, enough with the gentle warm-up... let's get onto some proper song titles!

The Front Bottoms - The Boredom Is the Reason I Started Swimming, Its Also the Reason I Started Sinking

I always admire a title that spills over onto the next line. The Front Bottoms are from New Jersey. Iffypedia explains their name, in case you can't work it out for yourself. They also quote singer Brian Sella: "This is our name. If you don't like it then you don't like it."

Next we have Jason Lytle, with a song he presumably wrote about The Supreme Leader of North Korea...

Grandaddy - Kim, You Bore Me To Death

No wonder he's so lonely.

Why are these musicians all so bored, you may well ask. Perhaps it's something to do with how they spent their spare time...

Jan & Dean - The Anaheim, Azusa And Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review And Timing Association

(Bit of a step down from Surf City, that one. There's still two girls for every guy, but they're all over 85.) 

Perhaps all these bored pop stars spend far too much time chronicling their life stories for a handful of sympathetic followers...

Momus - A Complete History of Sexual Jealousy (Parts 17-24)

Or maybe they've been a long time at sea, like Neil Finn...

Split Enz - Six Months In A Leaky Boat

Blimey. What a bunch of bores. Still, as the aforementioned Manchester miserablist turned dubiously-opinionated bore once had it...

What really lies
Beyond the constraints of my mind?
Could it be the sea
With fate mooning back at me?
No, it's just more lock-jawed pop-stars
Thicker than pig-shit
Nothing to convey
They're so scared to show intelligence
It might smear their lovely career

Celebrity Jukebox #58: Jeff Lynne

Don't worry, Jeff Lynne hasn't died.

Jet Black has, but I wasn't about to go sifting through all the lyrics that feature his name to work out if any of them are actually referring to him. (Although, if you're interested, he does get referenced in Rocket by Def Leppard.) RIP, Jet, anyway.

The Stranglers - No More Heroes

No, I had a non-RIP reason for including Jeff Lynne in the jukebox this week... which will become apparent at the end of the post.

Meanwhile...

The Idle Race. The Move. The Electric Light Orchestra. The Travelling Wilburys. That’s as much introduction as Jeff Lynne needs. Let’s get onto the songs that pay him tribute…

We’ll start with a very funny song about how the Beatles comeback is highjacked by record company bullshit (and isn’t John dead?). With maybe a subtext about how the Legend of the Beatles is bigger than The Beatles actually were. Jeff was heavily involved in that whole ridiculous Beatles “comeback” in the 90s, but let’s not hold that against him.

John Wesley Harding – When The Beatles Hit America

And finally they get into the studio
To be co-produced by George Martin and Jeff Lynne
And Ringo’s disappointed to find that no one needs him anymore
Except for the vibe

Next, how can you resist a band called Moose & The Grizzlies?

Moose & The Grizzlies - Cruelty of the Kindest Face

Sneaking in a little after 4
If you try and ask her where
She snaps like a Jeff Lynne snare

Back in the 70s, Jeff was accused of putting a devil-worshipping backwards message in the ELO song Eldorado. Jeff’s typically self-deprecating response was, “Anyone who can write a song played forwards and have it say something else backwards has got to be some king of genius… and that I ain’t!” An extract from the interview where he says just that is included at the end of the Boards of Canada track Happy Cycling. But guess what? It’s played backwards! See what they did there?

Boards of Canada – Happy Cycling

Rebecca Peake is the wife of cool astronaut Tim Peake. She doesn’t make records as far as I can tell. However, her name is also used by synthpop-shoegaze melders James Webster & Tech Honors.

Rebecca Peake – Jeff Lynne

La Casa Azul is the brainchild of Spanish singer, songwriter and DJ Guille Milkyway, famous for producing songs you can listen to between meals without ruining your appetite. (Admit it: you’d have done exactly the same joke.) And he knows a secret about Jeff. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s got something to do with Chris Montez…

La Casa Azul – El Secreto de Jeff Lynne

Sueño, y en cada sueño intento no perderme y desvelar
El ansiado secreto de Jeff Lynne
Y creo que esta vez elegiré no despertar jamás

(I dream, and in each dream I try not to lose myself and reveal
The long-awaited secret of Jeff Lynne
And I think this time I'll choose never to wake up)

Atlanta’s Paul Melancon caught my eye when I saw his music described thus: “An indie-power-pop-singer-songwriter-angel-voiced-geeky kinda thing.” Sounds right up my street. Although clearly he’d be much happier if he was Jeff Lynne…

Paul Melacon – Jeff Lynne

They say I do myself in
Things will pick up if I just try
Can’t they see that I
That I have tried
To be just like Jeff Lynne

That's a proper tribute!

However, the reason I chose to feature Jeff here today is because of this. A brand new Christmas song from Grandaddy! Available to download here, it’s already gone to the top of my Christmas tree.

Hot 100 #4

There are indeed many great bands with 4 in their name... but there's only one Four Tops. My sister had a Four Tops greatest hits in her record collection when I was growing up and I played the grooves out of it. (I'm also thankful to her for having a similar Supremes compilation.)

As Billy put it...

Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong

Are here to make everything right that's wrong

Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too

Are here to make it all okay with you

Other band suggestions this week, starting with Rigid Digit...

The Fourmost - Hello Little Girl

Mega City Four - Who Cares?

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night

4 Non Blondes - What's Up?

4 Skins - Chaos

Meanwhile, Charity Chic offered...

Gang of Four - Damaged Goods

Four Brothers - Rugare

And Swiss Adam gave us...

Four Tet - Two Thousand & Seventeen

(I think that was the winner 2013 posts ago. I may be wrong.)

And then there was...

The Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law

Unit 4 Plus 2 - Concrete & Clay

(Possibly a Tom Robinson Rule breaker, possibly should have been here two weeks ago.)

The 4 of Us - Mary

The Four Freshmen - Shangri-La

The Choice Four - Come Down To Earth

The What Four - I'm Going To Destroy That Boy

The Fantastic Four - I Don't Wanna Live With You

The Ten Fours - All Night Boogie

Vega 4 - Life Is Beautiful

Plus a bunch more which I don't have the energy to type because I want to get onto the songs.

Charity Chic opened the bidding this week...

I'm getting in Four Horsemen by The Clash before Swiss Adam does.

Damn you CC, said Swiss Adam. That was my number one Four song.

The Clash - Four Horsemen

Then CC played another obvious card...

Faron Young - Four In The Morning

A track that never fails to make me want to listen to this...

Prefab Sprout - Faron Young

My heart beats faster whenever I hear that intro.

Not to be beaten, Swiss Adam then pulled out the following...

Galaxie 500 - Fourth of July

Pete Wylie - Four Eleven Forty Four (probably falls foul of the ruling)

It does. Although it has featured here previously, before such rules were devised.

Half Man Half Biscuit - Four Skinny Indie Kids

Excellent. But let's not forget... Half Man Half Biscuit - Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes

Steve Hillage - Four Ever Rainbow

Public Image Ltd - Radio 4

Oh yes, and some deranged rockabilly... 

Grant Grieves - Four In The Floor

That's great.

Next came Lynchie...

Ray Price - Four Walls

Willie Nelson - I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover

Ian & Sylvia - Four Strong Winds

Which made me think of this cover...

Neil Young - Four Strong Winds

And then came Martin, who insists on doing that thing I had to train The Swede not to do, listing artist & title the wrong way round. It does make copy and paste so much harder. Grumble, mutter.

Crowded House - Four Seasons in One Day 

Bachman Turner Overdrive - Four Wheel Drive (cue Smashie and Nicey)

Let's rock!

Madonna - Four Minutes 

Tom Tom Club - The Man With The 4-Way Hips

The Who - Four Faces

Roy Rogers - Four-Legged Friend 

Points for that.

Cilla Black - Work Is A Four-Letter Word (and covered by The Smiths! A version that ought to be in with a shout, if only because covering Cilla at Moz's insistence so irked Johnny...)

I'm with Johnny on that one. I loved their cover of Golden Lights by Twinkle, but this one never really worked for me. 

However, because George suggested it too...

The Smiths - Work Is A Four-Letter Word

Speaking of George...

Does 2 by 4 by The Fall fail due to the Tom Robinson Rule?

Of course it does.

The Fall - 2 by 4

Time for John Medd, who helpfully provided me with a link, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to find this one...

Claire Martin - It's Always 4am

Very nice, thank you, John.

In complete contrast, Rigid Digit offers...

Metallica - Four Horsemen 

I've got a pre-prepared list somewhere. I'll be back...

A pre-prepared list? I used to do that. Not any more. Do you ever get the feeling other people are taking this series more seriously than I am?

Over to Jim in Dubai, who started with a correction from last week...

Didn't realise Georges 5 by Les Georges Leningrad was not listed on Youtube, it's definitely a 5, I have attached a link below.

Listen to it until the male voice comes in wailing Georges 5, real strange song !!

Les Georges Leningrad - Georges 5

Well, I won't sleep tonight, that's for sure.

Anyway here are my 4's songs this week.

Cast - Four Walls

Prince - I Would Die 4 U

Which obviously led me to these...

Prince - Old Friends 4 Sale

Prince - She Loves Me 4 Me

Prince - 4 The Tears In Your Eyes

Prince - Live 4 Love

Prince - 4ever

Prince - Dance 4 Me

Prince - No More Candy 4 U

Phew. Back to Jim's suggestions...

BMX Bandits - Figure 4 

Couldn't find that one anywhere, Jim. Shame, because I like the BMX Bandits.

Boomtown Rats - Mary of the 4th Form

As we often do at this point in proceedings, we fly from Dubai to Canada. Here's Douglas...

To provide (once again) a Canadian connection to the theme, there is...

Our Lady Peace - 4 a.m

And if you like the title but (strange to consider!) are put off by the whine in lead singer Raine Maida's voice (it generally goes over pretty well here in Canada, but still)...

You know what, Douglas, I didn't mind it at all. Though there was maybe a bit of Chad Kroeger in there. (Should I duck now/)

...then you may be drawn more to Cherry Ghost's very different song "4 a.m."

Cherry Ghost - 4am

Bit more local to me, though arguably his voice is an acquired taste too.

Oh, yes, and then there is... 

Radiohead - 4 Minute Warning

Thank you, Douglas. The way things are going, we'll be lucky if we get 4 minutes.

Oh look, Charity Chic's back... and he's been digging deep.

Pylon - Four Minutes 

Pylon, CC? Really? Hardly Faron Young, is it?

Deer Leader - Four Dueces 

What are we doing now? Songs that haven't even been released yet? Are you trying to break me?

Remember Rigid Digit's pre-prepared list? Here it is...

Led Zeppelin - Four Sticks

Bob Dylan - 4th Time Around

Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street

You got a lot of nerve to suggest that one, RD.

Al Stewart - Night Of The 4th Of May

Frank Turner - Four Simple Words

Beady Eye - Four Letter Word

Beady Eye? Really? Has it come to this?

Pink Floyd - Free Four

Sharon Von Etten - Jupiter 4

Bloc Party - Day 4

Manic Street Preachers - Four Lonely Roads 

See also...

Manic Street Preacher - 4 Ever Delayed

Lightning Seeds - Four Winds

All good. Apart from Beady Eye, obviously.

Deep breath, everybody. The Swede's arrived... and it looks like he's been at this all day.

Evening all!

Morning, Swede.

Miles Davis - Four

Sonna • Sybarite • Lilienthal - Four Way Street

By now, I just let The Swede make up whatever he wants. 

By the way, when I put that into youtube, it took me to this...

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Southern Man

Seriously. Try it if you don't believe me.

PFM - Four Holes in the Ground

Now I know where the Captain Pugwash theme tune came from. 

Steve Reich - Four Organs

The Moles - Punk on All Four Tracks

Fire! Orchestra - Enter Part Four

Big Blood - For Four Beating Lungs

Nope. That just led me to lots of internet sites that told me how ill I am.

The Ex - Four Billion Tulip Bulbs

Strictly speaking, that's a little more than 4. 

The Stranglers - Four Horsemen

Aphrodite's Child - The Four Horsemen

Lloyd Cole & the Commotions - Four Flights Up

Well, you have absolutely no common sense, yes I know that's your charm...

Serious contender.

Crispy Ambulance - Four Minutes From the Frontline

Always makes me think of this...

Half Man Half Biscuit - Running Order Squabble Fest

“You’re going on after Crispy Ambulance!”

For years, I thought that was a band Nigel Blackwell had made up.

Morris On - Four Up

Grizzly Bear - Four Cypresses

Fischer Z - Four Minutes in Durham With You

Dave Holland, Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton, Barry Altschul - Four Winds

Jim Reeves - Four Walls

See above, Ray Price.

Feist - One Two Three Four (the ultimate rule Tom Robinson Rule breaker?)

Yes, you're not allowed it for the next three weeks.

Henry Badowski - Four More Seasons

(That might not be the actual track on the link above, but it was the closest I could get.)

Asa Irons & Swaan Miller - A Four Fold Offering

Nope. But I did find this, which is rather nice.

Tangerine Dream - Fourth Movement Zeit

Crispy Ambulance & Tangerine Dream in the same blog post? Mojo, I'd like a job, please.

Walls - Hang Four

Sun Kil Moon - Four Fingered Fisherman

That's more like it. The excellent Mr. Kozelek.

Clive Hylton & the Upsetters - From Dub Four

Universal Being - Fourth Ray

No, that just led me to loads of youtube influencers, trying to sell me things to improve my complexion.

Robert Johnson - From Four Till Late

The Most Serene Republic - Four Humours

Over to Brian, in the country that invented the 4th of July...

Wow! Some terrific names popping up this week. Many good 4th of July songs on this list too. I'll add two more...

The Beach Boys - 4th of July (a stunning Dennis Wilson composition that was unreleased until 1993.)

You do wonder how tracks like that end up in a cupboard for so long. 

X - 4th of July

I keep meaning to check out more X.

And a couple of more...

The New Pornographers - 3 or 4 (maybe next week?)

Neither, under the Tom Robinson Rule.

Grandaddy - Jed the 4th

Excellent.

Do I dare? This is for my better half...

Culture Club - I'll Tumble 4 Ya

Who am I to deny my champion Snapshot solver? That's one of the less annoying Culture Club songs (strangely, one you never hear anymore either).

Finally this week, it's Alyson - who still feels the need to apologise for her record collection.

As ever my library is from an alternate planet to most of the others here, so here goes...

Never apologise for your record collection... unless it's full of U2 and... erm... Beady Eye.

My favourite Take That member in his post TT incarnation -

Mark Owen - Four Minute Warning

I always thought Mark Owen seemed like the nicest one in Take That.

Brian Hyland - Four Little Heels (a not-so-golden oldie)

The jury's out on that one.

And as is my habit, I seem to have one that probably won't qualify as an EP, but still worth a mention.

Deacon Blue - Four Bacharach and David Songs

That, on the other hand, while unable to qualify, is still pure class.

Deacon Blue - I'll Never Fall In Love Again

OK, time to raid the archive... and it's worth pointing out that there's a heckuva lot of bad language in my record collection. For example...

Squeeze - Love's A Four Letter Word

Kim Wilde - Four Letter Word

Lukas Nelson - Four Letter Word

Echobelly - Four Letter Word

And then there's all this lot...

Drive-By Truckers - The Fourth Night of My Drinking

Whale ft. Bus 75 - Four Big Speakers

Cream - Four Until Late

Smog - Four Hearts In A Can

Johnny Cash - A Ceiling, Four Walls & A Floor

Low - Four Score

Counting Crows - Four Days

Counting Crows - 4 White Stallions

Loudon Wainwright III - Four Mirrors

Loudon Wainwright III - Four Is A Magic Number

Malcolm Middleton - Four Cigarettes

Starsailor - Four To The Floor

The Pogues - Four O'Clock In The Morning

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Four Night Rider

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Four Ages Pt. 2

Randy Newman - Four Eyes

Rhett Miller - Four Eyed Girl

Cute Is What We Aim For - The Fourth Drink Instinct

Margo Price - Four Years of Chances

Tom Waits - Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)

Twisted Sister - Four Barrel Heart Of Love

Admiral Fallow - Four Bulbs

Dr. Hook - Four Years Older Than Me

Jeffrey Lewis - Back When I Was 4

Gilbert O'Sullivan - Number 4

De La Soul - 4 More

Ride - OX4

Young Knives - Fit 4 U

The Veronica - 4Ever

The Broken Family Band - Dancing On The 4th Floor

Skint & Demoralised - Boro Kitchen 4am

Phew. (Keep telling yourself, Rol, there's only three or four more weeks to go.)

However, I'm afraid I'm going to be very predictable this week. (Although not so predictable that anybody guessed the song.)

Because, as Brian pointed out earlier, there are many fine songs about the 4th of July. As well as those mentioned above, there's also...

Tom Rapp - Fourth Day of July

Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July

Dave Alvin - Fourth of July

And this, which Martin picked out, and it was definitely on my shortlist because it is glorious, and would have won most other weeks. (Don't give up though, Aimee, there's still chance for you to take the top spot.)

4th of July by Aimee Mann

I remember Elvis Costello praising that, way back when, particularly for lyrics such as these...

Today's the fourth of July

Another June has gone by

And when they light up our town, I just think

What a waste of gunpowder and sky

However, as I said: predictable.

From his debut album, and quite different from the kind of music that would make him famous, but still deeply affecting, and with some truly glorious imagery.

Somewhere in that ancient mystic trinity, you'll get three... and that's next week's magic number.

Your suggestions welcome as always.

Hot 100 #18

Only one song by one band named after the number 18 in my record collection... but it's not a bad one at all.

The Eighteenth Day of May - Casey Jones

Welcome back to the Hot 100 as we come of age - backwards - with only 17 more weeks to go before I get to have a lie down. As has become customary in recent weeks, there's a ton of songs to get through... so let's get cracking.

Let's start with Martin...

18... I imagine there must be a bucketful. Can't think of too many off the top of my head though, so will just have to go with:

The Stray Cats - 18 Miles to Memphis 

Art Brut - 18,000 Lira  

So no, I don't expect to be winning again next week...

I dunno - that second one was in serious contention.

Next up is Lynchie...

Kathy Mattea has a decent country song called: "Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses"...

Kathy Mattea - Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses

Like that.

Speaking of 18 wheels, Rigid Digit offered this beauty...

Alabama - Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)

RD also threw these into the ring...

Everyone needs a bit of hair metal once in a while:

Skid Row - 18 And Life

That's like a Silvikrin commercial.

How about electronica?

Moby -18

A bit of headbanging stuff?

Megadeth - Hangar 18

Pardon?

Over to Jim in Dubai next...

This week I am leading with: 

The Associates - 18 Carat Love Affair 

Brian seconded that. And then added a couple more of his own...

Bubblegum Splash - 18:10 to Yeovil Junction 

You do know my affection for anything on the Subway Organization label.

Yes, indeed, and while we're doing time of day songs...

Bloc Party - Waiting For The 7:18

Brian's other suggestion was one from my own shortlist...

Grandaddy - A.M. 180

Jason Lytle's first great song but nowhere near his last.

Love that how that cheesy intro cuts into the guitars.

Back to Jim, who also offered...

The Cygnet Ring - 18 Daze

I do like that.

18 Wheeler - Stay

Look - Jim found another 18 band!

Assuming... 

Momus - London 1888 

...doesn't qualify but certainly worth a mention.

Funnily enough, I did say 19th Century songs would be allowed Jim, because I had a few of my own...

Frank Black - 1826

The Pine Hill Haints - Spirit of 1812

Sparks - It Ain't 1918

The Handsome Family - Emily Shore - 1819 - 1839

Television - 1880 Or So

That is where The National got their entire at from!

Nick Nicely - Hill Fields (1892)

And that's where Damon Albarn got his from.

One more date - a day rather than a year though.

The Deep Dark Woods - 18th of December

Great video.

Alyson made it through my defences to drop these two...

Bobby Darin - Eighteen Yellow Roses 

Bryan Adams - 18 Til I Die

OK, before we get to this week's head to head, here's a few more from my hard-drive of horror...

5 Seconds Of Summer - 18

Nils Lofgren - 60 Is The New 18

Think that probably featured in week 60. Here's another one from Nils, from back when he was closer to 18...

Grin - 18-faced Lover

Client - Diary of an 18 Year Old Boy

Reverend & The Makers - 18-30

Theaudience - Now That You Are 18

Roy Orbison - Almost Eighteen

Consider that an uncomfortable taster of the next couple of weeks.

And finally, a top track from last year's long-awaited reunion album...

The Hold Steady - Star 18

All of which leaves us with two choices for this week.

In the red corner, here's Charity Chic...

I'm eighteen with a bullet

Got my finger on the trigger, 

I'm gonna pull it

And Lynchie...

Fascinating facts about Pete Wingfield (I bought "18 With A Bullet" in 1975 - fantastically fun lyrics):

He produced Searching for the Young Soul Rebels the first album by Dexys Midnight Runners - and also produced The Proclaimers "Sunshine on Leith".

He's played keyboards for Van Morrison, The Everly Brothers, The Housemartins and many more.

Sadly however, he did play piano for The Alan Parsons Project, but nobody's perfect.


In the blue corner, here's... erm... Lynchie...

...and then there's the great Alice Cooper song: "I'm Eighteen".

And C...

I definitely second FBCB's suggestion of Alice Cooper's 'I'm Eighteen'.
A few years ago Mr SDS did his best Alice Cooper impression at a fancy dress party (it was so hot his eyeliner ran and the great thing was that it didn't matter...) Somewhere out there now there's a priceless photo of Alice, Slash and Ozzy together in a scout hut in Essex.



And this week's winner...?

Well, it's obvious really, isn't it?

Well done, Lynchie.

Next week - 17. Off the top of my head, there can be only one winner. You may seek to persuade me otherwise...

Saturday Snapshots #99: The Answers

Turns out there are quite a lot of pictures on the internet featuring Debbie Harry holding a camera. Others have featured here before, but I can't believe it's taken me 99 weeks to find this one.

I think it was a draw this week between Alyson and Lynchie. I'm sure Lynchie will tell me if that's not the case. Thank you for playing, as always.


10. Dustbin wagon brings the fire extinguisher - with an arrogant chat-up line.

There used to be a kid at our school who was particularly scruffy, so everybody called him "Dennis" because that's what it said in the front of the dustbin wagons.

Water, man, that's what puts out fires.

Dennis Waterman - I Could Be So Good For You

I never tire of watching this video. Especially the bit when he uses his charms on the policewoman. Ah, different times.

Oh, by the way. He may have sung the theme tune, but he didn't write it.

9. Wild stallions on Ms. Sod.

Too easy.

The Osmonds - Crazy Horses

8. Anarchist hippy dream of Greasy Yorke.

Sandy was the heroine of Grease.

Thom is a son of Yorke.

Sandi Thom - I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)

"I was born too late into a world that doesn't care..."

This song might not sound very cool to you, but the lyrics are more relevant than ever.

7. Neckline that goes well with socks. What new parents say to nursery.

V-neck, bobby socks.

Bobby Vee - Take Good Care Of My Baby

The vocal performance here is astonishing.

6. Beautiful chick.

Babybird - You're Gorgeous

5. Take a sad song and make it better - past time for tara.

The lyrics are from Hey Jude, written about this chap, apparently.

Julian Lennon - Too Late For Goodbyes

4. Cheers barman in our own country.

Woody was the barman in Cheers, obviously.

Woody Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land

3. Like 4; like Sinatra too (almost).

#4. Woody Guthrie, was a folksinger.

Sinatra was, of course, Frank.

That was a tough one. Congrats to Back From The Beach. I couldn't even find it on youtube, so I had to upload it myself.

Phranc - Folksinger

2. Downhill nun meets Fred Astaire.

Sister Sledge - He's The Greatest Dancer

1. Pop Sr. appalled by fly-tipping in the woods.

Still sends shivers down my spine, this song.



Next week: Saturday Snapshots #100. In case you couldn't work that out for yourself.

Hot 100 #37

Back after exam-related delays, we turn to Number 37 on our countdown, illustrated by an album cover that will throw the fear of god into many of our resident musos, but I couldn't find any decent bands with 37 in their names, so sorry about that. Here's the title track from the above album, along with a choice selection of the lyrics... which may well have me agreeing with the musos for once.

Train - California 37

It's all good 'cos I'm happy as a flea

On a mountain of dogs, you see

Sting would be jealous.

Onto your suggestions for #37, and Martin set the ball rolling this week...

How about We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) from So by Peter Gabriel?

Or, very different, 37 by DEVO, lamenting someone's enviably low IQ?

Perhaps 37 Push-Ups by Smog? I can only find this ropey live cover version, but you get the idea...

Lyrically, Femme Fatale by The Velvet Underground has the line You're put down in her book, you're number 37, have a look.

And, er, Volvo Cowgirl by Sheryl Crow has a line along the lines of 37 million's what Larry Parker got me...

Nearly forgot 37 Hours by Kristin Hersh.

That's enough, isn't it? More than I thought.

Can't complain about any of those, Martin. Peter Gabriel & Smog were both in consideration here.

(Rigid Digit seconded a couple of those.)

Lynchie was up next...

Ricky Nelson - Ain't Nothin' But Love

When you kiss her goodnight 37 times
That ain't nothin' but love

It might also be a bit annoying, Ricky... especially if she just wants to get in the house and watch Celebrity Love Island. Have some consideration, sir.

Jim in Dubai was next to arrive, with two very strong contenders from my own record collection...

The Beautiful South - Straight in at 37

Well, Simon le Bon stayed round my house before
And he was sick on the plants and he was sick on the floor
And he wouldn't go home until he'd sung his song
With a backing harmony from Paul Young

Grandaddy - Aisle Seat 37 D

Finally, in what proved to be rather a tough week, Alyson offered...

Tim McGraw - Number 37405

...to which I may as well respond with...

Squeeze - 853-5937

A couple more that were thrown up by my own hard-drive...

Car Seat Headrest - 1937 State Park

Jonny Cola & The A-Grades - Hideaway 37

However, I think we're all in agreement over what this week's winning song should be... even if there's some debate over which version is best. Lynchie recommended the Dr. Hook original while Charity Chic and Alyson preferred the Marianne Faithful cover. Alyson was correct in spotting that the track in question has already featured on this blog as one of my old Mid-Life Crisis Songs.

Here's both versions so you can decide amongst yourselves...



Three dozen next week. Suggestions, please!