Song of the Week Episode 69

Dude, Song of the Week Episode 69! Spot that cultural reference!!

I’m sure most of my faithful reading audience know all about my exploits in Sunday’s Canberra Half-Ironman. If you don’t then the race report is in the post below this one. Hard day out but I made it. Now it is time to focus on another event and the big goal of the full Ironman in December 2010.

I’ve listened to a lot of new music this week – not being at work was a big help of course! Old and new tracks from Florence and the Machine, The Faces, The Proclaimers, Coheed and Cambria, Weddings, Parties, Anything, AC/DC and Kris Kristofferson to name a few. There is also a new live anthology set out from Tom Petty. 4 CDs for about $40 is great value. I might treat myself to that one after Xmas. Tom has been on Song of the Week before, but in case you missed him, try this tune on for size:

Tom Petty – Free Fallin’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FqA2WINPF4

While we’re on American bands, I never tire of this next song and if you got the cultural reference earlier on you’ll understand why I have included it. This is another great song that I have on vinyl and comes from the album “Permanent Vacation” which is criminally underrated. Funny video too with a couple of “Crying Game” moments.

Aerosmith – Dude Looks Like A Lady: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45T-4iJGl1c

Have we had Painters and Dockers on the show before? Probably not. This is a Victorian band that had a cult following when I was at High School and University. Biting lyrics and outrageous and fun live shows. Were they the first band to perform their video clip totally nude and still get it aired on national TV? Perhaps. I remember being asked not to play this song again on school radio ;-)

Painters and Dockers – Nude School: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxuzsxNkDxY

While we’re on classic Aussie bands, see if you can pick anyone in this band (here’s a clue….WAKE UP JEFF!)

The Cockroaches – She’s The One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXLyDyF5qlk

And if you thought The Wiggles were just a kids band:

The Wiggles – Angel of Harlem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTVf-yjXMfs

This week both of our kids got their school reports and they were very good. We all got a huge shock when Zoë got an award for Extended Mathematics and another for getting straight A grades. What a clever girl! Obviously she was switched at birth ;-) I also got to watch Angus playing the oboe in his school band yesterday – tough instrument but the band were pretty good. They finish school today so Alison and I are preparing for the onslaught! Luckily all the Xmas shopping is done.

Tom Waits has been on this programme as well, but he has a new live album with tracks from his “Glitter and Doom” tour. Zoë doesn’t like Tom. She thinks that he is belching all the words to his songs! Fair call probably. This is a great live version though and Tom Waits can really grow on you if given a chance.

Tom Waits (live) – Goin’ Out West: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4_N2F4o4cU

Choosing a song to highlight every week is a challenge but one that I enjoy. Sometimes it is just the track that I keep rewinding in the car (well, repeating I guess in these days of CD and MP3) and sometimes it is just one that pops into my head. This one popped in. Back at school I remember someone giving me a tape of Midnight Oil’s “The Dead Heart” to play, or maybe it was a record. Regardless, on the B-side were two songs, one was by Coloured Stone called “This Land” and then there was this – a great song, a great riff and a message that is still being ignored largely by our government regardless of their political persuasion. I think I wore out my cassette copy so I’ll hit eBay after this and see if I can track it down on vinyl or CD. The Warumpi Band album that this comes from is called “Big Name No Blankets” – a reflection on the band’s “success”.

Warumpi Band – Blackfella / Whitefella http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVVGygQAQT0

Will there be an episode on Xmas day? Maybe, so watch this space.

DJ Rob

PS: for those of you who need a hint with this week’s cultural reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrGWooNDPiE