Tag Archives: out

#940: John Lennon – Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out)

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In 1974, an advertisement was made to promote the release of John Lennon’s forthcoming album, Walls and Bridges. His former bandmate but good friend Ringo Starr provided the voiceover, and two of Lennon’s new tracks were previewed. One being ‘Whatever Gets You thru the Night’, his first number one in the US, and today’s song, ‘Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out)’. Decades later, I came across the latter through seeing the advert on YouTube, and that small clip left me wanting to hear the whole thing. So, I guess that commercial fulfilled its job.

‘Nobody Loves You’ encapsulates Lennon’s feelings and cynical takes he had garnered during his “Lost Weekend” period, a time when he was separated from Yoko Ono and spending his days drinking and getting high with his buddies in Los Angeles. He was ultimately depressed and lonely, but also let down by the critical and public reception of his then-latest music. He had given the world hope with the Beatles. He’d been at the forefront spreading the message of peace and love. He’d laid his soul bare countless times in previous albums. But the indifference in return at the time left he feeling cheated and disillusioned with the music industry. Probably why he decided to retire for a bit not so long after.

Lennon said that the track was one that Frank Sinatra could have sung. Listening to it, you can kind of see why. The tense strings and the smoky-nightclub-esque horn section provide the music this grand cinematic feel, and its crawling tempo lend a feel that the best of those iconic crooners could belt out a note to. Though funnily in a way, Lennon doesn’t go the ‘My Way’ route and instead sings the lyrics in a hushed and rather casual manner. The restraint makes it all the more harder when, after a sweet slide-guitar solo, the music rises with tempo and urgency and Lennon lets everything out on the “Well, I get up in the morning” section. That doesn’t last too long though. The music returns to that of the verses, and after the now quite chilling line “Everybody loves you when you’re six foot in the ground”, Lennon sends us off with some happy-go-lucky whistling. To think, had he not come back with a new record in 1980, this could have been his last original song on an album. It’s not a song to feel happy to when you’re listening, but it’s certainly relatable. Not in the way that we could see it from Lennon’s point of view as an almighty mega-rich superstar. But it ultimately distils a sense of loneliness and cynicism that all of us feel from time to time.

#901: Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

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With all that I said a couple days ago about ‘Neighborhood #2’, ‘Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)’ is a complete banger, for lack of a better word. Was the first Arcade Fire song I ever heard. Though it was with some hesitance. There was some time in 2005 when its video was playing almost every day on MTV2, and me being nine/ten at the time would usually change the channel whenever that first shot of the video came on the screen and the music started playing. I’d usually try and find other videos to watch instead. But a day came when I decided to see what ‘Power Out’ was all about and why it was taking so much airtime. I pretty much understood after that.

The animated music video shows a bunch of hooded youths cutting the power lines in a city, who are then chased by a group of smartly dressed men. One by one, the men are taken out by the youths culminating in the final man who dies quite brutally by electrocution. The movement of the characters and shot changes match the rhythm of the track, which made the experience of both watching and listening all the more thrilling. But overall, the music just sounded so dramatic and forceful. It begins with all the momentum of a freight train on the tracks and doesn’t really let up until its final chord. Win Butler’s vocals are off the wall. I’ve always liked his delivery in this one. I had no idea what he looked like because the band don’t appear in the video, but it sounded like someone who knew how to put their all into a vocal performance. Funeral had been out for months by that point, so I’m sure a lot of people figured out how good the band were already. But as the introduction to the band that it was for me, it did more than enough to show that the music required attention.

The track’s lyrics were inspired by an actual ice storm in Montreal that left the city out of power for weeks, and the verses depict these of people worrying, celebrating or not caring so much while in this situation. But it brings it down to this real human, emotional level with the “something wrong in the heart of man” sections. I couldn’t tell you what those sections are referring to, but they always make me feel a bit sad inside. Like a lot of songs that I was introduced to around that age, I’ve never gone out of the way to look too deep into the meaning of it. It’s been one of those songs that’s just always been there and existing. I’m very sure though that the core meaning of this track comes in those sections, where it’s all meant to come together. It’s beautiful stuff.

#765: The Band – Look Out Cleveland

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‘Look Out Cleveland’ by The Band is a very fine song. It was one of the first few that really grabbed my attention upon listening to the group’s 1969 album, even though I don’t think it’s one that people give much thought about when thinking about that record. It’s a track with a very simple structure, alternating between its chorus and verses before coming to a close after three minutes, but it’s the energy from all band members involved and the great harmonies between bassist Rick Danko and drummer Levon Helm that raise the performance to another level.

Bit by bit each band member is introduced in the beginning, starting off with Richard Manuel’s screaming boogie-woogie piano alongside Robbie Robertson’s guitar who are then joined by the stuttering rhythm section. The chorus then crashes in with strident chords where Danko and Helm send a warning to the people of Cleveland, Texas (not Ohio) to look out for the storm that’s coming their way. The verses are told from the perspective of a Cleveland citizen who relays to the listener when they found out the storm was on its way, how natural phonomenons like lightning and storm clouds shouldn’t be taken as a joke and if they are, the people will be running for shelter when things really start to go down.

Again, I’ll just say it’s a great performance by The Band. All members seemed to be locked in with one another, getting the right groove, coming in and dropping out at the right moments. Really fine rhythms on show here too. The whole album is anchored by the band’s ability to play with pinpoint precision. Although this won’t be the last song of theirs I’ll cover here, it will be the last from this album. I wasn’t able to write about album opener ‘Across the Great Divide’ and bonus track ‘Get Up Jake’, two songs which are well worth the time.

#703: Radiohead – Knives Out

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It took me a while to really appreciate this song. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Amnesiac as a whole, but it does contain some of Radiohead’s best work. In the past I would always hear this song and maintain my focus on Thom Yorke’s vocal. For a long time it never impressed me. Seemed kind of aimless. It rises and falls and that was about it. Quite run of the mill for his voice.

Then, some time last year, I revisited the album. Instead of focusing on Yorke’s voice, I turned my attention to the band’s performance. The ‘Paranoid Android-esque’ lick that opens the track, the wispy hiss that comes from Phil Selway’s ride cymbal… Colin Greenwood’s bassline. All these little things suddenly became much more apparent. ‘Knives Out’ isn’t all about Thom Yorke’s voice, but how every other instrument interplays with it. When you take all of those elements into consideration, it makes Yorke’s melody so much more engaging.

The song is a very atmospheric one. Dark and pessimistic in tone. There’s a lot of cannibalistic imagery in there, though it’s also based on the ideas of looking into a dying person’s eyes and someone walking out on their family. Not the cheeriest of songs but one of those you need when you’re feeling quite low.

My iPod #448: Supergrass – Going Out

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“Going Out” was the one of the first songs recorded for Supergrass’ second album In It for the Money. It was released as the album’s first single, more than a year before, in 1996.

The track, sung in unison by Gaz Coombes and Mick Quinn who also switch between lower and higher harmonies at various points, is about the press and how, when we want to go out or find out the latest gossip, the newspapers are the first things we go to. The song also makes it clear that the papers aren’t so great, and that staying home is much better. Starting off with guitars at full volume during the verses, the song takes a pleasant turn for the instrumental break when those disappear and Rob Coombes’ piano and the casual horns begin to dominate the mix before returning to the guitars for the sweet last verse. With the concluding line of “Not me” (which is a clever tie in with the next song on the album) Coombes confirms that the news isn’t his thing, and the track fades out with rising horns and jubilant guitar playing.

The track showed a sense of growth from the material that displayed on their amazing debut; whilst the songs on that had a sense of urgency, grit and roughness to them in some parts, “Going Out” was the first sign of Supergrass’ growth as a group. The harsh guitars of “Lose It” and “Caught by the Fuzz” were now replaced by strolling pianos, inviting organs and triumphant horns, teasing a new expansive sound-scape that was to be used to its full capacity on the forthcoming album.