Song of the Week #324

This week I could tell you about any of the following things that have made me feel good;

• enjoying my work,
• spending a few hours with my Dad,
• Chief playing my Stratocaster and pronouncing it awesome,
• finally taking delivery of my new bike,
• reading some books,
• Alison being on the mend after knee surgery,
• Angus doing homework on a Friday night, or
• meeting up with interstate friends...

...but I won't. What I will tell you about is that Zoë has finished high school. We both started school on the same day in 2002 and it seems fitting that we both finished about the same time. She's been an amazing student and I'm a proud old Dad. Not everyone has the kind of brain that allows then to write a novella and have it published and also have a true love of Science. Zoë's next adventure is volunteering in Vanuatu for 6 months, travelling in Europe and then coming home to go to university. Sounds pretty good to me.

Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science - http://youtu.be/1p6fTDGLHGQ

The next song was a huge hit in 1984. I think the singer has a great voice and I was surprised to read about how many artists have covered the tune. Look for the Alison Krauss version sometime. I'm playing the original though. The reason I remembered it this week was that I was in a taxi and the driver was singing along, at a decent volume with the track. It was hilarious. Usually I get in a cab and the driver turns off his music. Most times I tell them to turn it back on because anything is better than talk radio or silence. This song and his rendition was a real treat!

John Waite - Missing You - http://youtu.be/k9e157Ner90

Jason Isbell, whose work I rate very, very highly, just won song of the year for this next one at the Americana Music Awards. He also won album and artist of 2014! Keep a look out in 2015 as the three piece version of our band are planning to perform Jason's album, "Southeastern" cover to cover. I better buy a checked shirt.

Jason Isbell - Cover Me Up - http://youtu.be/fkHyP3hpB5c

During the week, H, via DJ Dylan sent me a link to the next video. They were both rather amused and I can't blame them. What follows is AC/DC's first single. It's pre Bon Scott. In fact the only band members in the video and on the recording that made it through to record the debut album are Malcolm and Angus Young. Malcolm's outfit is just beautiful I'm sure you'll all agree.

AC/DC - Can I Sit Next To You Girl (1974) - http://youtu.be/uRG1wPCWWw4

If you want a comparison to just a year later when Bon was singing, Phil was on drums and Mark on bass check this link. It's the same song but a much tougher and more polished sound.

AC/DC's new album is out in 6 days. I quite like the first single but I really do NOT like the video. Here it is with just the audio. The guitars sound great and the rhythm section are in the pocket as always. Brian's voice sounds pretty good for a 67 year old chain smoker.

AC/DC - Play Ball - http://youtu.be/cIE8F_OL_Ds

US pop-punk band The Dollyrots have been on tour in the UK with The Buzzcocks. Pretty cool! They've just released a new single and it's well worth a listen.

The Dollyrots - Get Weird - http://youtu.be/xZnfIrY2tGg

When I first became a Billy Bragg fan I didn't realise that "Ever Fallen In Love" wasn't one of his. It was obviously a good choice to cover! Here's the original.

The Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (live) - http://youtu.be/Bif2q_Zo3-4

While I'm in a punk rock mood I think that it's certainly the right thing to do to give this video an airing. I got such a shock as a young man the first time I heard this track. In the Army we'd marched to part of the tune and of course I knew the surf guitar track too but this was just uber cool. 

Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve and Danno - http://youtu.be/J5Jjg-5ouaI

If you watched "Happy Valley", the rather bleak English police drama then you will have heard this next song. It's the theme song. Thanks to DJ AngryPete for pushing the song my way. Jake Bugg isn't that old but he's obviously a Dylan devotee. The TV show is worth a look as well...but not if you're feeling down OK?

Jake Bugg - Trouble Town - http://youtu.be/WTM9rV8uKpI

I must say that I've really enjoyed the fact that Bob Geldof's efforts to record a single to raise money for the fight against Ebola have raised some eyebrows. Indeed, why should we listen to someone worth millions about giving to charity? I think that donating to a charity is great; they need the cash so choose a couple and dig deep. But always remember that giving something more than your money is what is actually needed to make real change. How you do this is up to you, not Sir Bob or even Bono for that matter.

Bad Time To Be Poor - Rheostatics - http://youtu.be/HjSx2YFMSpU

I'll finish with something a little different. This song was playing in the car today. I've always liked it because it has a bagpipe solo. But I remember how absolutely massive it was when first released. This was the kind of single that had teenage girls swooning and the rest of the country singing along. It seems a bit cliched these days and probably overplayed but I still like it.

John Farnham - You're The Voice - http://youtu.be/tbkOZTSvrHs

If you're in Australia don't forget to watch the Countdown retrospective at 7.40pm on Sunday. It's a bit of a rose coloured glasses view of things but it's entertaining nonetheless.

Rock on brothers and sisters,

Rob

"y'all don't know what it's like,

being male, middle class and white..." Ben Folds, Rockin' The Suburbs (2001)