Pogues Top Five

The Pogues.  What can I say.  Not my favourite band of Irish musicians but they WERE the band that got me listening again as an adult to music I'd only listened to as a kid because I had no choice because it was part of my heritage.  I borrowed my brother's cassette copy of Rum Sodomy and the Lash and in the year I kept it, I damn near wore it out.  These are my favourites, probably, although this is subject to change.

1) A Pair of Brown Eyes
My folks, those who came from Ireland, had, I believe I've said before, left before Wolfe Tone was a hop in his father's beer.  This song speaks to me in clear tones with ancestors speaking to a transplanted son in another bog with forty different shades of green.  We're drunk we are, so many of us and everything is as everything should be, and we should have fought but we never did.  And the shame of it could have killed us, or it could have been the making of us.  And the only thing that I could see was a pair of brown eyes that were looking at me, but when we got back, labelled 'parts one to three' there was no pair of brown eyes looking for me.

2) Thousands Are Sailing
To leave home and become an immigrant.  That's the thing that happened to so many.  And it happens still.  I could have been an economic migrant myself and many of my ancestors were.  That is why in my mind, refugees are always welcome here even if we hadn't cause them all ourselves.  A song like this, so beautiful, so brave.  I wonder how it would sound in Arabic, or Syriac or Pashto?

3) Body of An American
A song my feet won't sit still for and words that are poetry to stir my heart.  There's many a wake from my time as a child.  I remember them as better than weddings because at weddings the whole clan was on its so-called best behaviour.  Not for a wake though.  No not for a wake. Come on lads, "I'm a free-born man of the U S A".

4)           If I should Fall From Grace With God
These tinker feet were made to dance to this.  A perfect dance tune oh yes it is, and the lyrics are so damned good, a prayer to a god who isn't listening.  What's not to like? A scream a scream and a rebel yell.

5) The Boys From The County Hell
Traditional this one so it is, and there has to be something traditional with a band that worked so hard to keep the old traditions even as they screamed the rage of PUNK! at the city in which they found themselves. London Irish at its best.

Hurts to leave out...  Sally MacLennane, Sick Bed of Cu'chullain, London Lullaby, Dirty Old Town, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, The Leaving of Liverpool, The Irish Rover and yes, of COURSE A Fairytale of New York.

5 de Brel et 5 PAR Brel

I first came across Jacques Brel in my teens when I saw the film Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris directed by French-Canadian wunderkind, Denis Héroux.  The film was released to universal critical disacclaim (or whatever the opposite of acclaim is) but to pretty, fifteen year old unreconstructed Emily (my good self), it was marvellous.

I'm going to begin with my favourite covers of Brel because that means, I get to listen again to my favourites from Héroux's film, and dear old Joe Masiell and Mort Shuman. Alors!

1) The Port of Amsterdam by Dresden Dolls.
It's the Dresden Dolls, the fucking Dresden Dolls.  Brel was invented for Amanda Palmer, and she was invented for Brel.  This is my favourite song by Brel and this is my second favourite version (and my favourite by anybody whose name is not Brel)

2) The Bulls by Nastascia Diaz  
Now I can't find the version by Joe Masiell from the film (obviously) Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. I could see why the bull was pissed off that day.  I was snorting and growling along with him and with Joe Masiell's Marine.  And so, here's one from a live version of the film. Ms Diaz brings different qualities to the song, and yet, I am just as delighted by this version.

3) The Statue by Joe Masiell
When I first watched THAT film, I barely noticed this one, but now, listening through.  I come to this and think, yeah.  They make statues of the assholes, and even the assholes weep. I love it, and so...

4) The Old Folks by Elly Stone
I loved Brecht's September Song, which ploughs a similar furrow, but this is horribly beautiful.  You always live too far away when you've lived lived so long.  Elly's voice is clear as a bell and the words pierce straight into the centre of the brain, and that barb carries Brel's delicious venom.  The old folks never die, they just go to sleep one day.

5) Jackie by Camille O'Sullivan
I first heard Camille covering Nick Cave's the Mercy Seat.  I once dragged my wife to Edinburgh JUST because Camille was playing at the festival.  Still never saw her then though.  And so, this too makes the cut.

And so, without any of Marc Almond's fabulous oeuvre.  Without Mort Shuman's version of Amsterdam.  Without Bowie.  Without Piaf. Yes, it hurts to leave all those out but you know what?  It is Brel himself that matters most.

And so let's carry on to see my top five numbers by Brel himself.

1) Le Port d'Amsterdam
Time was, my favourite would have been les Taureau until a Greek friend sent me a link to the video in which Brel sings so passionately the song which has become my favourite.  Brel is so deliciously ugly that Emily pines for him and so filled with passion that when Brel sings this, I too want to sing.  Marvellous.

2) Ne Me Quitte Pas!
There are so many cover versions of this that I could take or leave, but this, the original with Brel himself singing.  Mois je ne lui JAMAIS quitterai.  Never would, never could.  How could anyone.

3) Les Bourgeois
I love it when Brel sings these vicious little pieces in such a jolly voice.  It sounds like a song you could sing along to... and yet, listening to the words, we are reminded that Brel was a punk and a beautiful punk at that.

4) Jef
There is always that we have lost.  There are always times we wish to smile and show we have no regrets.  This is sharky for me.  A trigger but I love it. Et moi je ne regrette rien!

5 Les Désespérés
I heard this for the first time today.  A song of broken hope.  Of course I'm going to love it and listen until the blood comes out of the dansette.  And some time from now, this may become my favourite.

And it hurts to leave out every song I mentioned in the covers, plus Quand Maman Reviendra, and Seul, L'Amour et Mort,  Fernand, Jojo, Mathilde, Marieke, Ces Gens La, A Suivre and so on and on.

Nirvana Top Five

As Kurt Cobain fades into history and poor old Courtney remains to be withered by age like the rest of us, Nirvana become less a band and more an icon.  Cards on the table city. I own a copy of Bleach but for some unreason never bought Nevermind.  Nevertheless, I do love both and I'm not going to just pick from Bleach, cause I'm not that kind of pretentious.

1.  Lithium - There is little I can say to this.  I love this because I've lived it so often and so long.  When Kurt died, well you know, it's only because Courtney said "A fucking lie" as she read his suicide note.  Courtney saved a lot of lives that day.  This is my favourite.

2.  Sliver - Still hurts so damn good to listen.

3.  Heart Shaped Box has beautiful lyrics and beautiful music to compliment Kurt Cobain's lovely, lovely voice.  I love the way the guitars shred as Kurt's voice starts to change from melancholy melody to an angry fractious scream.

4.  Smells Like Teen Spirit - I am not one of those people who pretends not to love this because it's been done to death.  So no, Weird Al, this song does make sense to me and I love everybody's version, even Paul Anka's, but nevertheless, Nirvana's performance of this was seminal.

5.  About a Girl, in which Kurt Cobain sings melodically like Neil Young's choirboy and on Bleach there was some awesome guitar work to back it up, but yannow, thought I'd give the unplugged version a go, cause I loves it so.

Hurts to leave out In Bloom, Tourettes, You Know You're Right, Sifting and that's just the ones I'm thinking of right now.  Oh wait, Come as You Are, can't forget Come as You Are can I?  And on and on it goes.

Music of Irish Origin

Layzangentlefiends.  I get asked so often to come up with a top five of a particular artist.  Sometimes I copy them here, sometimes I don't, but this week, for the first time in ages, I said no.  No Ladies and Gentlemen, I am NOT going to do a Todd Rundgren top five.  Ain't gonna happen.  Nosirree Bob!. Instead, I'm going to do my very own MOIO (music of Irish origin) awards.  So without further ado, here they are.

And rather than begin with a number one, I thought why not begin with a theme tune for the whole show.  I'm not judging this tune at all, merely placing it, as a traditional tune at the beginning and end.  So we begin with a version by the Dubliners. So take your seats as you listen to the traditional song Oró sé do bheatha 'bhaile.  This is the modern version updated by Padraig Pearse, who among other things changed the leader who will come with a thousand warriors from Séarlas Óg to Gráinne Mhaol

1 Let's begin with Sinead O'Connor.  Well obviously, of course I'm going to choose Sinead.  The question is, will I choose, "This is a Rebel Song", or "This is the Last Day of Our Acquaintance", or maybe "Troy"?  All of those are marvellous songs but I'm going to pick "Famine", which tells the truth about the Great Hunger, often called the 'Famine' by those who would call it a natural event.  I confess that my own Irish ancestors left Ireland long before the Hunger, and even before the Wolf Tone Rebellion and became travelling people, but that doesn't mean this song doesn't make perfect sense to me.

2 I've noticed that with this one exception, I've chosen solo artists.  But my favourite Irish band is Stiff Little Fingers, and in defining them as such, I have of course defined Ireland with the most inclusive possible definition.   Might as well pick this one then mightn't I? Alternative Ulster!

3 Christy Moore wrote some brilliant songs, such as "Viva La Quinta Brigada", many find themselves sung by crowds, but he's also a fine singer.  And a man who sings that which is Truth to those who need to hear.  This is my favourite "If They Come In The Morning"

4 Shane McGowan produced some brilliant work in his career, from that Christmas Song that gets played so much we have to pretend we don't like it, to The Snake With Eyes of Garnet, but my favourite is this.  A Pair of Brown Eyes.

5 Luke Kelly cannot be missed from any list of Irish music.  A singer so great, a man so famous, they names a bridge after him.  A man loved on all sides and here he sings Patrick Kavanagh's "On Raglan Road".

There are so many I regret having to leave out.  Teenage Kicks by the Undertones.  Much of Mary Black's Gaelic work.  The Wolfe Tones, even the Boomtown Rats but that's all there is so let's go back to the theme tune.  It's a song sung by so many Irish artists.  I could have had Sinead or th Wolfetones singing it but let's go for the great Mary Black.  Goodnight.

Roy Orbison

So here they are, the favourite five, the fervid fantastic feeling-fuelled five, the best of Roy Orbison as he exists in my head.

I Drove All Night
Beautifully sad, fascinating. I mean kinda creepy as well yeah, but I know how he feels. I know how she feels as well. This is the best kind of pop music, the kind that makes you cover your ears and rip your own heart out with a nailfile even while you love it beyond reason. Even while you shouldn't. Cause it IS kinda creepy.

Pretty Woman
I think I don't like this song. Maybe think I hate it even, but then I listen and remember that, yeah actually I do. It's camp and kitsch and beautiful. Roy Orbison sounds as though he ought to be wearing a red coat at Butlins, but the truth is, he's what they would sound like if they could get the best to play and sing for them. He is the Uber Redcoat.

Running Scared
Yes. I know this fear. The knowledge that I'm not good enough for you. The knowledge that you'll always choose the other over me. And so I play this song and by the time it reaches the crescendo, the bath is full. But before anything bad happens, I have to go pick up the arm and move the stylus back to the beginning again. Thank God they never invented MP3s.

Crying
I sing this in the bath. There, that's a confession from me. And Emily says to say she loves the version where Orbison plays with the delicious K D Lang. This is splendid. It's delightful and everything pop should be. So what happened?

In Dreams
I love it, I hate it. I want to kill this song. I want it to kill me. It is so brilliant. Do I want it at number 1 or number 5 or a number so large it's stretched to Peoria with the numbers on my screen. It's sad, it's great. God, I thought I was going to have trouble finding five Orbison songs I love. How was I to know I'd love the ones I hate? Thanks Mr Orbison for being.

And do you know which one it really hurts to leave out?  End of the Line, by the Travelling Wilberries because it celebrated Roy's life and marked his end.

Polly Jean Harvey

So.  P J Harvey.  Damn was it really only eight albums? It feels like eighty eight.  Achtentachtig!  It's like she's everywhere.  Somebody you forget when thinkign about your favourite records because she's as everywhere as Elvis.  Damn but I love you Polly Jean!

THE WHORE'S HUSTLE AND THE HUSTLER'S WHORE.  Polly Jean does rock and roll and she does it brilliantly.  I would love to cover this.  So would Emily.  Maybe one day.  Maybe one day soon.  For now though.  Love it.  P J Harvey at her best.

IN THE DARK PLACES almost my favourite song by her.  Another day it would be, but today, well who I am today is who I am.  Let it be said though, that this is a song I love.  It rips out my heart with a rusty bayonet and then buries me in beauty.

DOWN BY THE WATER is the song I hear in my head when somebody says, 'P J Harvey'.  It's not the first of hers I heard but that chorus about her lost daughter is beautiful, evocative and enough to drive me even crazier than I already am.

IS THIS DESIRE? Well yes it is.  Minimalist and beautiful.  That's the thing about Polly Jean.  Voice is good, yeah but the music comes not from musical instruments but from Polly Jean's Oh so human heart.

MAN SIZE takes a while to get going but it is full of perfect humour and perfect spirit and PJ's perfect sense of rock n roll timing and of course, her perfect voice, and words that make the paper bleed.

Hurts to leave out: Horses in My Dreams; One Line; Big Exit; Shame; Bitter Branches; White Chalk; The Words that Maketh Murder, and that's only the solo stuff.

Janis!

Twenty seven years old, and you know what, when she died, I hadn't a clue WHO Janis Joplin was, and that's okay, because I never knew who Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix were when they died either, or for that matter, Buddy Holly, Eddy Cochran, Ritchie Valens or even the Big Bopper.

And in retrospect, I never even knew who I was when I was twenty seven although I sure wanted to die.  I was writing and sending off to publishers these short stories and the nice people at Interzone would send kindly notes back explaining what was wrong with them and so I was getting a kind of education.  Unlike Fear Magazine and 2000AD who never sent stuff back despite the stamped self addressed envelope, which pissed me off.  But the letters from Interzone, they could be like the apprenticeship I wanted, a chance to practice and get good and get great and build a great career (even though every letter felt like they ripped out another little piece of my heart, cooked it and ate it). So I guess I graduated as a short story writer when Interzone wrote back and said, "This is a good story and moves along well but is not suitable for Interzone."  I died that day, twenty seven years old but unknown.  I got in the bath and cut my wrists wrong way and then began to make plans to blow myself up, if only I could think who to take with me. Never knew, never did, still here, still alive more than 27 years later.

So that makes number one pretty obvious.

1) PIECE OF MY HEART - I love this song so much that I would love to give it all fifteen points, but I guess that isn't possible, so it's just number one, with a bullet fit for a president.

2) BALL AND CHAIN - recorded at the Monterey Festival in 1967.  Love the intro, love Janis Joplin's voice.  Feel those weaponised teardrops flowing down like angel falls.  Oh my.  I can only watch, open mouthed and wait fro angels to fly in.  This is why it's unfair that I was only ten when she died and never got to wonder what she'd produce next.

3) SUMMERTIME - I love to sing this song myself when they'll let me, which pretty much means in the shower these days.  George Gershwin, an excellent composition, performed over and over by so many.  Here it's Janis and Jimi.  Rock music? Sure but this is exactly what jazz should be about as well! Love and Peace to the both of them.

4) TELL MAMA - Oh my goodness there's not much to say about this.  Watch the video.Be still my heart.  Emily loves this and she's screaming in my ears to make it number one.  Well sorry Emily, it's number four but that doesn't mean it ain't brilliant.  Janis plays fast and loose with the so called rules and makes those little notes sit up and BAYYYug.

5) I NEED A MAN TO LOVE - now just listen to this.  This was done when it was.  There was no reason for much of the seventies, for blue eyed soul, for disco, for Blood Sweat and Tears, for so much of the music that was around in the seventies (you know the kind, the stuff that in retrospect makes you imagine that music wasn't all THAT dire in the seventies).  There was no need for any of it, because Janis had done it all before. I pick this at number 5 as a generic track of hers, not a particularly brilliant one, but one that shows how damn GOOD Janis was.