David Bowie – Modern Love
As I approach the half way point of my 365 day odyssey, it was gnawing at me that I hadn’t posted David Bowie yet. It was yet again another case of too many great tunes to choose from.
I love this track because it is so energetic and 80’s – a floorfiller. It is impossible to hear this and not want to shake your booty. It is taken from Let’s Dance, one of my most played LP’s.
The Specials – Ghost Town
This is for my buddy is off on a 6 month holiday to Australia next week. We were reminded of it in work today by this article.
Good luck for your trip Matty.
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen
Was at a old friend’s wedding tonight and so I wanted to post something suitably cheesy in that spirit and this was one of the songs played that stuck in my mind.
The Crusaders – Street Life
I thought it was about time I posted a Disco classic. I love this, it is so smooth and funky and the vocal, courtesy of Disco-royalty Randy Crawford (see picture below, thank you Wikipedia), is truely amazing.
I listen to this and wonder why people were so anti-disco back in 80’s. I can’t think of anything more fun that giving it stacks on a dancefloor to a tune like this.
Donald Fagen – I.G.Y. (What a beautiful world)
I thought I would post a bit of further nostalgia today. Being at home always puts me in wistful form. It is nice to remember times gone by once in a while though.
This is another favourite from the mythical mix tape which is a distillation of several long car journeys taken to the continent and back on childhood holidays.
Donald Fagen was half of Steely Dan and this is the high point of his excellent 1982 debut solo offering The Nightfly.
Madonna – Holiday
London was gripped by royal wedding fever today. I wasn’t too enthusiastic about it. However, I ended up at street party in Kennington and despite my cynicism it was really fun – like a raucous outdoor wedding reception. They played this, along with some other classic cheesy tunes. It’s a favourite party anthem of mine.
Oh 80’s Madonna – where did it all go wrong?
The Police – So Lonely
This is another classic 80’s video (Hello Sting’s glasses and mullet, along with all the other style around him, not to mention – what are those things they are talking into?) But more than that I really like the song.
Sting has become something of a pretentious caricature recently but revisiting the police I can’t argue with the fact that they made some great tunes.
The Smiths – This Charming Man
I thought it was about time I posted something from the 80’s and this came to mind.
Even though Morrisey can be a bit tedious I have always had a soft spot for The Smiths. They had an uncanny knack of making rather bleak subject matter sound somewhat sprightly. Also, Johnny Marr produced some unforgettable guitar riffs (both in the Smiths and subsequently).
Tom Robinson – War Baby
This reminds me of being young and taking family holidays that involved a lot a driving. My father would make some mix cassettes to listen to and most years this would feature somewhere. It’s funny how now and again I will hear a song and be 11 years old again.
I still like this a lot, even though I am no longer 11 anymore, with it’s elegant and poetic lyrics. The opening line “Only the very young and very beautiful can be so aloof” is one of my very favourites. The version of this song I like best is a stripped-down acoustic one which captures the sense of longing better. However I couldn’t find it on youtube.