Daily Archives: November 16, 2013

My iPod #161: They Might Be Giants – Can’t Keep Johnny Down

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Last post for today.

It was my sixteenth birthday when the details of They Might Be Giants’ forthcoming fifteenth album “Join Us” were released to the public on Pitchfork. I was so excited. A new They Might Be Giants album? What could be better? Only a link to the brand new single!

Yes, “Can’t Keep Johnny Down” was probably the first song in full that They Might Be Giants fans heard from “Join Us”. The band had been releasing ‘teaser’ videos of work in the studio, but this was the the moment that they had all been waiting for in 2011.

Although it did take a few listens for me to get into the swing of things, “Can’t Keep Johnny Down” was an appropriate choice of song for people to hear. Some may have been worried how the band would sound after they had released children’s albums in 2008 and 2009 with “The Else” being their last ‘adult’ album in 2007. This song proved that there was no need to be worried at all.

I did assume that it was autobiographical, probably just because it has the name “Johnny” in the title. As in “Johnny” Linnell or “Johnny” Flansburgh. But that was until they said that it was from the point of view of an ‘asshole’. Those are Linnell’s words, not mine.

The band then commenced the biggest fan contest to have ever existed. That was to create their own video for the song, and whoever won it received a cash prize. The winner was the entry above.

Jamie.

My iPod #160: Supergrass – Can’t Get Up

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Sorry there was no post yesterday. I was out. But the place I went to was not very lively; there was no atmosphere. It was kind of a waste of time.

This is the first post out of two to make up for it.

My cousin bought me “Life on Other Planets” for my fourteenth birthday. I had been a fan of Supergrass for about three years at that time, and already owned “In It for the Money” and the self titled album. My new found liking for the song “Grace” also played a large role in me wanting the album.

When the chorus for “Can’t Get Up” started, I found myself humming along to the melody even though I’d never really heard the full thing before. I was pretty sure that it was in advert that was on the television a long time ago. I have no recollection of what that advert is, but somehow the song managed to stay in my head.

I was also left unsure as to who the lead vocalist of the song was. For a while I did think it was bassist Mick Quinn, who sings lead on “Sometimes I Make You Sad” and “Beautiful People”, but it is Gaz Coombes if you can tell the differences between their voices.

For me, this definitely could have been a single. But what do I know, I am not even a proper critic.

Jamie.