Category Archives: Music

#672: The Kinks – Johnny Thunder

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The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society was released on the same day as the White Album, if you didn’t know. In comparison to that, Village Green barely sold any numbers and fell on deaf ears. Apart from those of critics who loved it. Apparently songs about nostalgia for younger days and British pasttimes weren’t hip in the political times of ’68. Maybe if it was released in ’67 things could have been different. More than fifty years on it’s recognised as The Kinks’ arguable magnum opus. I can’t say I like any Kinks album better than it.

‘Johnny Thunder’ is the fourth song on Village Green and, in Ray Davies’ words, is a song about rebellion and a lad Davies idolised when he was a child. The lyrics paint a pretty good picture of what Johnny’s about. He’s just a guy who gets by, going his own path in life no matter how badly the people of the town look upon it. Obviously, this person made a great impression in Ray Davies’ eyes. He writes a very uplifting song in tribute to Johnny, one that’s optimistic in tone and strident in its rhythm. It’s also packed with fantastic melodies from the verses to the chorus to its bassline and little guitar fills throughout.

So there you go. Make of it what you will. It’s worth your while listening to the whole album. You can’t go wrong.

#671: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Jo Jo’s Jacket

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Another one from Stephen Malkmus’ debut solo album, ‘Jo Jo’s Jacket’ was released as that record’s second single in 2001. It is not about anything in particular. Its title has nothing to do what appears in the verses. The closest thing relating to Malkmus that I think ‘Jo Jo’ could be is The Jicks’ bass guitarist Joanna Bolme, and even then it doesn’t make things any clearer. Though if there’s anything Stephen Malkmus is known for, it’s somehow making a coherent lyric out of the most random things.

It starts off as a song from the perspective of actor Yul Brynner, known for his shaved head and starring in the film Westworld in 1973, who provides the spoken word introduction taken from an old interview. It then switches to a kind of stream-of-conciousness type lyric in the second verse which may or may not be a slight dig at Moby. And then, sandwiching these verses, is a joyful wordless chorus that glides along with the track’s tempo and general breezy atmosphere.

Whatever the subject matter may concern, it really doesn’t matter in the long run, the song’s infectious groove and melody can’t be denied. It’s one of the straighter rockers on Stephen Malkmus but, compared to say ‘Discretion Grove’ which I think is okay but never really loved, it gets my foot tapping every time those first power chords hit.

#670: Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling into Place

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I got In Rainbows as a gift just because of this song. Either Christmas or a birthday, I can’t remember – either way it doesn’t matter much. The album had been out for a few months though. Unfortunately I was 12 at the time and didn’t have much patience for listening through albums. So when I say I got the album because of this song, I mean I basically didn’t pay attention to every other track that was on there. Not the brightest decision. Took a few more years after to realise that I had a great album just sitting on the shelf in my house.

‘Jigsaw Falling into Place’ was the first single from In Rainbows, the first time that I remember some kind of hype for the arrival of a Radiohead album. The strangely hypnotic video (seen above) was on MTV2 all the time, repeated constantly at various times throughout the day, and it was through watching that that its words and music were slowly ingrained into my memory. Back then, I thought it was a fantastic song. Even moreso at this time after closer listening with headphones.

The song, from what I gather, is about getting drunk, flirting and dancing on a night out but described in the quite abstract and surreal way that Thom Yorke usually does in his lyrics. The song subtly builds in intensity from the very start. The woozy ‘err/ahhh’ backing vocals and busy bassline. The general groove is on point and never provides a moment to breathe Electric guitars eventually join in. And then the moment that every Radiohead fan notes, Yorke’s sudden jump in octave when the beat goes round and round. Each element included in the four minutes ‘Jigsaw’ lasts for work perfectly in tandem. A part in particular that I’ve noticed nearing the end is where some acoustic guitar strums pan from the left channel to the right channel the backing vocals close everything out. Radiohead fans love this track. I don’t think it’s too bad myself. Just a shame they rarely perform it live.

#669: Dizzee Rascal – Jezebel

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Dizzee Rascal goes full story-telling mode in this album cut from his debut Boy in da Corner. ‘Jezebel’, for lack of a better phrase, is a tale about the local sket – a lady who enjoys sex just a bit too much, doing with anyone anywhere she can with no shame.

There’s not much to explain lyrically as Dizzee very much depicts each scene with great clarity. ‘Jezebel’ has clearly taken the wrong path in her life and each verse just lets the listener delve further into her downward spiral, finishing off on a bit of a sad note as she wanders what she would do if she could start all over again.

Like the majority of tracks from the album, Dizzee handled the production himself – backing the narration with these plucked violin strings that give the song an almost childlike innocent feel to it even though the subject matter is the complete opposite.

#668: The Velvet Underground – Jesus

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This song does relate to our lord and saviour Jesus Christ a lot more than the previous post. It doesn’t tell a story about him, nor is it a passage from the Bible set to a piece of music. Closing out the first half of The Velvet Underground’s third album, ‘Jesus’ could be seen as something of a prayer.

“Jesus – help me find my proper place/Help me in my weakness ‘cause I’ve fallen out of grace” are the sole lines in this track, repeated over and over amidst tasteful guitar lines, arpeggiated bass notes and a beautiful harmony between Lou Reed and Doug Yule. Whether the track is taken to be serious is up for debate. This was the same band who were depicting scenes of orgies, drug use, and homosexuality on the previous album. And that was only in one song.

Maybe Lou Reed really was asking to be absolved of his sins. Sounds sincere to me but you never know. Nevertheless, ‘Jesus’, for me, is a highlight from an album that showed a wholesome side to The Velvet Underground. More quiet and digestible. A band you could let your parents listen to. These people couldn’t harm anyone.