what song is that from

You got it, Papa Cass.

Okay, I wrote most of this when I was bored a couple weeks ago. Brace yourself, because this might be the longest self-written post ever posted in this forum. Of course, its still only worth 1.

New set! And some of them are pretty goldarn easy. And some, might not be.

I wanted to pick some more recent stuff so that Esty-Molesty can possibly play along. Keep the mods happy, I always say, though I'm not sure he'll peek in here. Anyway I like to pick a year, or usually have some kind of theme, as I'm more anal than the most esteemed Sir Darkstar (or Cass, or CC, or ...).

So, 1996! Why? 'Cuz I wanna. It was quite the year for music. 1997 would have all of that "10 years ago" nostalgic sheidt blah blah blah. I'll do 1997 some other time and bore ya'll with stories about Israel Kamakawiwo'ole who died that year (we miss you Brudda Iz ... mahalo, aloha a hui hou). For now, I'll go for 1996. Elevven years ago. Remember that number, 11. Besides, a certain young horny mod should have been in secondary school in some part of fair Eire. Peeking up the lass's skirts and doing a little slap-and-tickle under the stairs at the Our Lady of Perpetual Agony Catholic school. Saving up to buy himself a big white nondescript van one day!

1996. People are starting to be happy again ... Grunge was fantastic but jeez what did we have to be so depressed about anyway? Before that, at least Brits were happy, doing all that E in the Madchester scene (anyone remember the Happy Mondays?), though Americans were bangin' their heads to heavy metal and sleaze bands like GnR. Then Grunge – which really started in Seattle (which I love but where it rains 10 months out of the year and they do coffee on IV drips) in the latter 80s – took over on both sides of the Atlantic pond. But I digress, back to 1996. "Post-Grunge" appears in the US, "Britpop" (or anti-Grunge?) appears in the UK, and, generally speaking, Alternative Rock gains everywhere. Seminal albums come out in 1995, but like many such albums their influence takes time, and includes hits on the '96 charts. And Women start coming to the forefront more, both on the mellow singing/songwriting as well as the angry angst-ridden KeeRist-I'm-pissed sides. Oh, before I forget, my apologies to the rest of the world, I really don’t know much about music scenes elsewhere.

1996. The world is doing the Macarena … dum dah-dum dum dum dum dum dah-dah-dum, HEYYY, Macarena. Los Del Rio. Is that song in your head now?

1996. Madonna plays "Evita" in the movie of the same name, and an entire generation associates HER with Eva Perón instead of Julie Covington (album), Elaine Page (London), or Patti Lupone (New York). The horror ... the horror ... Stupid Trivia: Joss Ackland, famous in the US for such movies as Hunt For Red October, Lethal Weapon 2, and of course Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, played Juan Perón in the original 1978 London theatre production ... which also included David Essex as Ché. Not to be outdone, the American version includes Mandy Patinkin as Ché, along with Bob Gunton playing Juan Perón – the latter having a long and famous film career, e.g. he was the Warden in RM's favorite film The Shawshank Redemption. Get busy livin', or get busy dyin' ... that’s goddamn right.

1996. More dear to RM's heart than Evita is the opening of one of his all-time top 3 musicals, Rent. After all, RM used to do musical theatre, many moons ago. The creator/writer of the show, Jonathan Larson, dies the day before it opens in New York. The damn doctors didn't know what they were doing, the baaaastards, their fumbling brought about his early demise. RM has himself a "religious experience" the first time he sees it, in December 2000, at the Nederlander (41st street). No Day But Today.

1996. Back to Rock music. Jerry Garcia, who died in '95, finally comes home and rests in peace. Bob Weir and Deborah Garcia spread some of his ashes around the Golden Gate Bridge, and the rest go in the Ganges river in India. Maybe we'll get lucky enough to have him return. Always important to remember that there has been, and only ever shall be, one Grateful Dead ... and the world is far better off thanks to them. Some of you know what I mean. If you don't, or you don't agree, no worries. But the rest of us will never forget.

1996. Hey this is SD’s thread, after all, so how about that huge concert in front of the Sydney Opera House that year? Crowded House plays their "last" concert (for a while) along with a few other bands in front of 200K people or so. Now, yes, CH was lead by a Kiwi, and they even had a YANK or 2 for a while (oh my holy God), but yeah, they were mostly an Aussie band. Just not pure Aussie. Like INXS, who would lose their leader the following year, when he died tragically while ... ahem, okay, he died tragically.

1996. We lose Bradley Nowell, the tremendously gifted leader/singer/songwriter/lead guitarist of the group Sublime. Heroin takes another one, prematurely, at age 28. Only one week after he's married, and shortly before the group's biggest album is released. Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ, what "could have been", once again. Fuck fuck fuckity fuck. Goddamn Heroin, again. The mid-90's were pretty bad for Rock ... lost Doug Hopkins (Gin Blossoms) in 1993 ... Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) of course in 1994 ... Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon) in 1995 ... Brad in ’96 ... Jeff Buckley in 1997. And the beat goes on.

1996. Tupac Shakur is gunned down in a "drive-by" in Las Vegas, and dies a few days later. Some call him the greatest rapper ever, but admittedly I don't have a clue. I do know that he was cremated, and his ashes were spread in many spots of the USA ... proving once again that, what happens in Vegas, does NOT stay in Vegas. I heard some of his ashes were even mixed with the ol' cannabis and smoked by members of his group The Outlawz. Why would ... I mean, what the fu ... okay, okay. Whatever. RM makes no value judgments.

1996. We lose Ella Fitzgerald. The First Lady of Song. If you profess to love music, and have any appreciation at all for jazz/blues, I challenge you to listen to some of her recordings from the late '40s and '50s. You will be blown away. Or even some of her later recordings, when she wasn't quite in her prime but WHOA could still melt a microphone. With apologies to Lady Day (Billie Holiday) and the Divine One Sarah Vaughn, there has been no greater jazz singer. All three of them are up there now, singing away at the open-mike session, with Satchmo nearby standing there all a-smilin' and James Brown waiting his turn to kick it up a notch. Ray Charles and a few others playing the piano. Charlie Parker on Sax. And so on. And you bet yo ever-lovin' ass that Kurt, Jimi, Bradley, Sid, Keith, John, Bonzo, Janice, and a host of others are hanging out as well ... they came over from their own nearby jam session to hear these three sing. Oh yes, they did.

1996. A 30-yr-old future Ramblin'Man gets his first passport, and finally steps outside of the USA. A bit of London, some cathedrals here and there, Stratford and York, Stonehenge of course, nothing really wild and crazy. Suffice it to say that I've made up for lost time. Oh, and late that year, for the first time, RM begins to wonder about why he was married to that woman for so long. Just the beginnings of an itch, nothing worth scratching at that point. Took a couple of years until it ended.

Suffice it to say that I’ve made up for lost time. Okay, okay, at least, I've tried.

Golly I do ramble on so at times. Now what was I doing? Something about posting a set? Yeah, that's it. I better put it in another separate post in case anyone wants to cut and paste. There are 11 songs, all of which were on the charts in 1996 (though albums may have come out earlier).

Okay ... wait for it ...

Pausin'Man

And here's the set. Get 'em while they're hot.


1.
I don't get angry when my mom smokes pot
Hits the bottle and goes right to the rock
Fuckin' and fightin' it it's all the same
Livin' with Louie dogs' the only way to stay sane


2.
You get down, real low down
You listen to Coltrane, derail your own train
Well who hasn't been there before?
I come round, around the hard way
Bring you comics in bed, sc**** the mold off the bread
And serve you french toast again


3.
There's a destination a little up the road
From the habitations and the towns we know
A place we saw the lights turn low
The jig-saw jazz and the get-fresh flow


4.
Life is white and I am black
Jesus said and his lawyer are coming back
Oh my darling, will you be here
Before I sputter out


5.
Jan lays down and wrestles in her sleep
Moonlight spills on comic books and superstars in magazines
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet
Her plane takes off from Baltimore and touches down on Bourbon Street


6.
A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife


7.
So I start a revolution from my bed
'Cuz you said the brains I had went to my head.
Step outside, summertime's in bloom
Stand up beside the fireplace
Take that look from off your face
You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out


8.
What we don't know keeps the contracts alive and moving.
They don't got to burn the books, they just remove them.
While arms warehouses fill as quick as the cells,
Rally round the family, pockets full of shells.


9.
I called my momma, she was out for a walk
Consoled a cup of coffee but it didn't wanna talk
So I picked up a paper, it was more bad news
More hearts being broken and more people being used


10.
I bet you light up when we start up the show
follow me now very closely 'cuz I told you so
you know we love, we love, we love to play
we be freaky and we wanna stay


11.
We feel the pull in the land of a thousand guilts,
And poured cement, lamented and assured,
To the lights and towns below.
Faster than the speed of sound.


Somes are easy and somes are not, though I could be wrong. Good luck peoples.

RM

1996, the good old days.... My college years, when the ol´ man used to pay my bills.....

Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way





1 Sublime - What I got

2 Sheryl Crow - If it makes you happy

3 Beck - Where it's at

Still cogitating (what a great word) about RM's list, but something he said sparked a memory...

In the UK we used to have this long-running music institution called Top of the Pops. It was a half hour TV show that went out every Thursday night at around 7.00pm, that played the chart rundown and had various bands doing their new songs. Long gone now, along with any sensible music charts. But in its heydey it was Must See TV for any music lover. You got lots of crap acts appearing, of course. But you also got the Stones, the Who, Genesis, Jethro Tull playing in the studio – they even had Yes one time, singing Wondrous Stories! – and it was always kept secret who was going to be appearing, so you had to watch just in case you missed anything good.

Anyway, RM mentioned Evita and David Essex being the original Che in the London stage show. Of course, I was used to seeing Essex on Top of the Pops when I was a kid, performing Rock On or Gonna Make You a Star. Big blue eyes, soulful voice, long curly black hair. Perfect teen pop hearthrob. You get the picture...

So Evita comes out and Julie Covington hits Number One in the charts with Don't Cry for Me Argentina. So the music company decides to release another single from the show... Another Suitcase, Another Hall, perhaps, by that nice Barbara Dickson?

Nope...

They decide to release Oh What a Circus by David Essex.

So one week on Top of the Pops, we were treated to the sight of Mr Essex performing live on prime time television, dressed in military fatigues and a black beret, with a little Che moustache and bumfluff beard, and giving the Communist salute.

And I can remember at the time thinking to myself: in what drug-addled TV executive's brain was THAT considered to be a sensible idea? LOL

Some cogitations:

4) Novocaine for the Soul by Eels

6) Ironic by Alanis Morissette

7) Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis

9) You Were Meant For Me - Jewel

11) 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
_________________
I don't need no friggin' sig.

8 Rage against the machine - Bulls on parade

All correct so far, good on ya lads. Still two available:

5.
Jan lays down and wrestles in her sleep
Moonlight spills on comic books and superstars in magazines
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet
Her plane takes off from Baltimore and touches down on Bourbon Street


10.
I bet you light up when we start up the show
follow me now very closely 'cuz I told you so
you know we love, we love, we love to play
we be freaky and we wanna stay


I really don't think hints should be needed for these. But I must warn you -- the title of #5 must be presented correctly for full credit.


cassandrova wrote:

Heh, good story Cass. I bet they didn't have Yes come on and do Tales from Topographic Oceans though, huh. Not sure of the timeframe, but I think Evita opened in London in like 1978, so this is what, 28 or 29 years ago? Or did he record it soon after the album was released in '76? Anyway, hmmm, you may be older than I first thought. Have to keep an eye on you ... you and your cogitations.

Unlike that young'un Crazy Chicken, who must be 10 years yuhnger than me or whatever. Hey CC, did you just post some of the lyrics to the Archie Bunker theme in here?

Incidentally, since Mr. David Essex friggin' OBE is mostly unknown in the USA, I'll just let my fellow yanks know that he's the guy who did the song "Rock On" in the early 70s ... mostly a one-hit-wonder in the US. But back in the 70s he was an attention whore in the UK.

RallyRoundTheFamilyPocketFullOfShellin'Man

Shit looks like I got here too late RM I would have guesed 2, 6, 7 & 11.

Ah 1996. It was the last year of my secondary education. Unfortunately for me I went to an all boys school So no lookin' up any skirts in class.

Doesn't look like I will get those last two. Thanks for thinking of me though!

ramblin'man wrote:

Aside from his pop singles, Essex also made a couple of movies over here too: That'll be the Day co-starring Ringo Starr and its sequel Stardust co-starring Larry Hagman (!).

And to slightly misquote the greatest ever rock 'n' roll movie: "He's currently residing in our Where Are They Now box".

Wasnt David Essex also in Sliver Dream Racer?

5. Primitive radio gods - Standing outside a broken phone booth with money in my hand

sir_darkstar wrote:


OMG! Competely forgot about that one!

He sang the theme song too. Called something like Silver Dream Machine, if memory serves.

Ack! My youth is flashing before my eyes!

Got here too late, as well. but seeing that the post count was at 777, and being the time of year, I figured it was my cue to join the fray. Good recollection of 1996, RM. I would have picked `91 or `92. Across the board, in all forms of music, everyone was cool. I like what you said about getting the passport - it took me a few years later to realize the options and opportunities, and the people and worlds one can be exposed to by gaining a passport. "There's a world outside your window..." Another time of the year reference.

Evita! They use to play the commercials for the NY version on tv all the time, and I was semi-smitten with Patti Lupone! What a voice! And nice nubbinz, as well!

Interesting fact of da gnomes past - the singer for Rent...before he was the singer for rent, was a friend of my then girlfriend, and she got him to come down and check out this singerless band I was in. Great night! There were alot of people, and many sweet Ladies in attendance, including the Three Witches - Goth Stevie Nicks types. But, he didn't really dig us. He thought I was good, and liked the bassist, but he hated my bro as a guitarist. We were psychedelic Sabbath-grunge, my brother a cross between Gilmour and Navarro, and he was the next Jon Bon Blo-me. Sour g****s, I know!

Tales Of Topographic Oceans was great, but I like Going For The One better. Turn Of The Century, Awaken, Parallels... They recorded it in Switzerland, and you can feel the crystalline, snowy feel to the music reflecting their surroundings. Close To The Edge is more gnomian, as well.

Cassandra, you Brits really know how to make great music, and also present it. All of the TV shows and radio programs your country had! US TV and radio shows were never that courageous or influential, imhgo. Man, what I would have given to grow up in 66-70 England - if just for a bit. The Pink Floyd and Syd, the Cream, Jimi picking up Andy Summers guitar and strking his first chords as Jimi Hendrix, and not Jimmy James, Zep, the Stones, the Beatles, The `Oo, The Kinks, and Sabbath, ELP, Yes, King Krimson...on and on! Sure, the States had the Doors and Buffalo Springfield, and the Dead and The Airplane (overrated, imhgo) and CCR, but the Brits were really the sh*t back then.

Ah, well, I digress to a time I was too young a Gnome to gknow!

Sorry, carry on!

My Farl-eatin' Friend wrote:
Sorry Estebanfire, should have sent you a PM or something, alerting you to the fact that I was talking about you. All boys school, eh? Man I can't even begin to imagine. Shudder.

Well stay tuned dude, there's more a-comin'!


The Best Drummer in NY wrote:
Gnomey your ruminations and digressions are always welcome 'round these parts. At least to me.

Good call on 1991 -- I almost did that instead, but now I'm saving it for a future date. I did 1999 several months/years ago in this thread as well. And yes, Patti Lupone had it goin' ON. Of course any woman that sings like that is just the bee's knees for ol' RM. And with lungs like that I bet she could suck-start a Harley.

There were a couple lead singers for Rent ... Adam Pascal (Roger) and Anthony Rapp (Mark) were the two primary, although I've always been a huge Jesse L. Martin (Collins) fan, and its great to see his professional career continue in Law & Order, etc etc. The bastard you refer to is probably Pascal, since Rapp was from Chicago and Pascal was from New York I think.

Papa Cassandrova and I have this thing about mentioning Tales from Topographic Oceans in multiple posts. Anyway I wasn't serious at all about them doing it on TV, just being silly. You know me -- I'm a Bill Bruford fan, and am more appreciative of Yes's early work. Alan White was/is not even half of the drummer that BB was, IMHRO.

Funny how you talk about wanting to be in England during those years. Normally I'd respond and talk about the same thing for about, oh, I dunno, 9 paragraphs ... ... but I've got more songs to post right now bruddah. Also, let's remember that some of those British bands might owe much of their own inspiration to American bands and performers from the late '40s to the mid-'60s. Without American Blues, bands like "Cream" would have been a leeeetle different. But in general, yeah, you know I mostly agree with you.

(pause for dramatic effect)

Okay the Prince of Blah Blah Blah is going to close out this set:

1. Sublime – What I got (Crazy Chicken)

2. Sheryl Crow – If it makes you happy (Funky Fowl)

3. Beck – Where its at (Insane Clucker)

4. Eels – Novocaine for the soul (Cassandrova)(Before I sputter out)

5. Primitive Radio Gods – Standing outside a broken phone booth with money in my hand (Wacky White Meat). Quick, which blues artist is sampled repeatedly in this song?

6. Alanis Morissette - Ironic (Papa Cass)

7. Oasis – Don’t look back in anger (Cass-Man)

8. RATM – Bulls on Parade (Loony Rooster)

9. Jewel – You were meant for me (Funslover)

10. 311 - Down

11. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 (FL, representin' the old guard)

Good job to all, didn't realize that 311 song was a toughie.

Incidentally, when I go hiking/trekking -- and RM has done a lot in the western US as well as all over the world -- I almost always listen to some kind of music. When you're tired, but you've still got a steep hill to climb, take it from me ... there is no better band than Rage Against The Machine to getcho butt up to the top!!! Now that's motivating music, I freakin' love it (Fuck you I won't do whatcha tell me, Fuck you I won't do whatcha tell me...). Compare that to Jewel, for example ... I love her, but put her on when you're climbing a hill and you may as well just roll on back down to the bottom.

ChivasSippin'Man