Category Archives: Music

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.

My iPod #159: The Offspring – (Can’t Get My) Head Around You

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There’s not much I can say about “Head Around You”. I remember trying to watch the video on Windows Media Player from the band’s official website circa 2004. It was in terrible quality, which made the multi-camera concept much worse.

It’s a short but sharp song – only two and a bit minutes long – but it always feels a lot longer when I listen to it. I don’t know what it is about it that makes me feel that way. It’s probably the riff, it virtually plays throughout the whole thing bar two times. It is a simple punk rock song, that’s what it is.

I do also like the wah-wah effect during the instrumental break, that gets a special mention.

The song was released as the second single from the band’s 2003 album “Splinter“.

Jamie.

My iPod #158: The Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love

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Another wonderful vocal performance by Paul McCartney. Sings it right from the gut. It was almost ear-piercing when I was always messing up the audio in Audacity and amplifying their tracks to ridiculous levels. I used to like my music very loud; I know now why audiophiles exist.

The first time I heard the song, The Beatles weren’t singing it. It was a cover version that played in a Simpsons episode. From what I recall Bart and Lisa volunteer to work at the Retirement Castle and they persuade the old folk to have fun outside or whatever, which leads to a montage very similar to the original video by The Beatles which you can see above all of this.

That occurred when I was a child. I didn’t see “A Hard Day’s Night” until I was fourteen, so that whole montage was something that I thought was silly and comedic, rather than a parody.

“Can’t Buy Me Love” is a joyful and bouncy song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but mostly by the latter. You cannot listen to this song and feel sad at the same time. When Paul sings money can’t buy him love, he sings it like he believes it. You want to believe him when he sings it too. This is all very cliché, but it is true. Money’s bad. Love is good. Money does help a bit…. but compared to love it’s nothing. Love is all you need.

Jamie.

My iPod #157: Jamie T – Calm Down Dearest

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Where are you Jamie T… Give us something new.

“Calm Down Dearest” was his third single and was released a week before Jamie T’s debut album “Panic Prevention” dropped in early 2007.

The song describes the antics one gets up to on a night out, and details the advantages and disadvantages of getting wasted.

The video has nothing to do with the song’s lyrics, as we see some paranormal activity taking place at Jamie’s home. It’s very funny. It’s a good tune too. Listen to the album version all the way through, as we also get to hear Jamie’s resentment of “fuckin’ cunts doin’ wheelies on bikes”.

Jamie