Song fixation

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RobB
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Song fixation

Post by RobB »

For whatever reason, i guess we all get fixated from time to time on a particular song or piece of music?
A song that we (have to) play over and over again.

Sometimes its a song that you hear for the first time and go 'wow.....othertimes it might take days,weeks,months...even years .....and then you suddenly 'get it'.

Anyway, my submission is this hypnotic ballad from Paul McCartney called 'Riding To Vanity Fair', which i have owned on his excellent 'Chaos And Creation In The Backyard' album for five years now but feel that i've only just recently discovered.

The album is playing constantly in my car these days and i always look forward to hearing this track:


blue
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Re: Song fixation

Post by blue »

Wow, that was extremely beautiful and not at all what I was expecting, to be honest - I thought McCartney had lost it long ago, but that is a gorgeous song. ^

The production almost reminded me of Radiohead a little bit, this is not from the album he worked on with Nigel Godrich is it, Rob? I know McCartney is a Radiohead fan because he wanted to work with Thom Yorke at one point (Thom declined, allegedly because he was too intimidated!) Although it's a much more straightforward melodic song it definitely has that RH vibe in the background textures.

Beautiful, I can see why you're obsessed with it!

*edit*

I love how he sounds so much like young Paul too, articulate and savvy even though the song is rather sorrowful.
Ice, you were the one most tender with the rivers.
You, the roof of the waves, layer after layer after layer ...

blue
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Re: Song fixation

Post by blue »

I'm currently obsessed with the song '81 by Joanna Newsom, but I've posted that in another thread, so I'll go with this one. I'd never heard the original by Tim Buckley, only the Liz Fraser/This Mortal Coil version from the 80s, but I checked it out on youtube a couple of weeks back and since then I've been obsessed with the different takes on it:























This song is clearly loved by musicians and songwriters, so many have covered it, and no wonder. It's one of those perfect meetings of mind and heart, words and music, that seems to stand outside time. Always relevant, always haunting. I'm listening to several versions of this song every day at the moment and it doesn't get old.
Ice, you were the one most tender with the rivers.
You, the roof of the waves, layer after layer after layer ...

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sound world
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Re: Song fixation

Post by sound world »

Funny, if I hadn't known that was Paul McC in advance, it might have taken me a little while to notice-the arrangement is not at all what I would expect. Like Beth, I thought he'd lost it years ago since he always had a tendency to be sappy, and seemed to be overbalancing that way. But in all honesty I haven't listened to him for aeons.

RobB
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Re: Song fixation

Post by RobB »

In their own style, i liked all those versions of Song Of The Siren.
I'd never haerd Tim Buckley's original before so that was interersting.
And i would never have guessed in a million years that the third one was Sinead O'Connor. It doesn't sound like her at all.

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Re: Song fixation

Post by RobB »

sound world wrote:Like Beth, I thought he'd lost it years ago since he always had a tendency to be sappy, and seemed to be overbalancing that way.
Unfortunately, Paul still does tend to be sappy at times so its best to by-pass the Memory Almost Full album.

But Nigel Godrich did reign him in (to a point anyway) on the Chaos and Creation album,which certainly made it one of his best critically received album in recent years.

His last album, Electric Arguments (under the Fireman guise), was also well received, mainly thanks to producer/engineer Youth.

But back to Chaos & Creation, here's another track that i really like, and which again shows off Nigel's influence:

How Kind Of You:


RobB
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Re: Song fixation

Post by RobB »

blue wrote:The production almost reminded me of Radiohead a little bit, this is not from the album he worked on with Nigel Godrich is it, Rob? I know McCartney is a Radiohead fan because he wanted to work with Thom Yorke at one point (Thom declined, allegedly because he was too intimidated!).
Yes, 'Chaos & Creation In The Backyard' was the Nigel Godrich produced album so well spotted Beth. :)

I think Paul wanted Thom to play piano on Mr Bellamy (a song from the David Kahne produced) Memory Almost Full album but Thom thought that the playing required was beyond him.

Not sure that it would have been but as you say Beth, maybe he just felt intimated?

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Re: Song fixation

Post by blue »

RobB wrote:
And i would never have guessed in a million years that the third one was Sinead O'Connor. It doesn't sound like her at all.

Finding that version led me on a little nostalgic youtube odyssey of her previous work, I absolutely adored Sinead through the late 80s to mid-90s, then I lost track of her with all the eccentric behaviour and drama she seemed to be constantly involved in. I feel sorry for her in a way because all that stuff has detracted greatly from the fact that she's put out some really beautiful and meaningful work over the years - she doesn't get anything like the kudos she deserves for being such a brave and challenging performer in her early years. She's almost been forgotten by the rock world.

She still has one of the most purely innocent and childlike - in the best sense of that word - voices I've ever heard. She can break your heart with it.

Here's a song of hers I was completely obsessed with at the time, I used to literally play it over and over again, so strongly did I identify with her anger and sorrow:




The album this is from, Universal Mother, is my favourite Sinead album, well worth checking out if you don't know it.
Ice, you were the one most tender with the rivers.
You, the roof of the waves, layer after layer after layer ...

blue
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Re: Song fixation

Post by blue »

RobB wrote:
Yes, 'Chaos & Creation In The Backyard' was the Nigel Godrich produced album so well spotted Beth. :)
Ah well that explains it, there's echoes of two Radiohead tracks in particular, 'No Surprises' and 'Lucky', both from the album sessions for 'OK Computer' which is where RH's previously quite straightforward brand of melodic guitar rock began to morph into something a little stranger and more interesting. It really works well for Paul's song though, with those beautiful strings as well. ^
Rob wrote:I think Paul wanted Thom to play piano on Mr Bellamy (a song from the David Kahne produced) Memory Almost Full album but Thom thought that the playing required was beyond him.
That's entirely possible Rob, Thom's piano playing is extremely limited as he's the first to acknowledge himself. He has his own unique style which is possibly why McCartney wanted him, but he's very insecure about it.
Ice, you were the one most tender with the rivers.
You, the roof of the waves, layer after layer after layer ...

blue
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Re: Song fixation

Post by blue »

RobB wrote:
But back to Chaos & Creation, here's another track that i really like, and which again shows off Nigel's influence:

How Kind Of You:
Ha, it really does! That 'wonky harmonium' opening instantly made me think of RH's 'Motion Picture Soundtrack', a hidden track at the end of Kid A:






Incidentally this track is also a good illustration of Thom's very basic keyboard technique. :D

Gosh, I've just realised how much Nigel actually does contribute to the overall Radiohead sound ... they've always spoken about him as the sixth member of the band, but I never really paid it any mind. Hearing these McCartney tracks though, well, it's become extremely obvious.
Ice, you were the one most tender with the rivers.
You, the roof of the waves, layer after layer after layer ...

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Re: Song fixation

Post by pgss »

Oh Sinéad O'Connor. I played the Universal Mother album so much at the time. It contains really beautiful track that's called Scorn Not His Simplicity. Sadly I was heavily put off by her odd behaviour, declaring herself a lesbian, then become a priest and then make a reggae album. [:xx] So I can't really enjoy her music the way I used to. The only exception is her version of Sacrifice:

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Re: Song fixation

Post by pgss »

blue wrote:Finding that version led me on a little nostalgic youtube odyssey of her previous work, I absolutely adored Sinead through the late 80s to mid-90s, then I lost track of her with all the eccentric behaviour and drama she seemed to be constantly involved in. I feel sorry for her in a way because all that stuff has detracted greatly from the fact that she's put out some really beautiful and meaningful work over the years - she doesn't get anything like the kudos she deserves for being such a brave and challenging performer in her early years. She's almost been forgotten by the rock world.
Funny, I didn't read your message but just listened to the Fire On Babylon video. I totally get what your pointing at (as you can see in my first response to the mention of Sinead). It is indeed sad that she's overlooked by the rockworld. I guess she can pay the rent by the royalties from Nothing Compares 2 U alone. I still hear that track on the radio weekly.

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Re: Song fixation

Post by pgss »

I've written about James Blake in some other thread, but I'm still obsessed with his music. Currently I'm totally hooked on a song called The Wilhelm Scream.


The song seems to have somekind of slow rnb-vibe but turns into a really spaceious (not sure if that is an actual word) soundscape. And I can play this song on repeat forever in my car. My boyfriend must be going crazy of hearing this song, but he's so polite not to say it. :mrgreen:

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Re: Song fixation

Post by wirbel »



The first track of the new Dominik Eulberg album. A german forester / techno ambient artist. His love for nature is reflected very much in his music. On one album he even makes interludes speaking about forest animals and birds and using the sounds they make.
-I am a true Believer-

RobB
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Re: Song fixation

Post by RobB »

^
I enjoyed that track, wirbel. Thankfully Dominik is more ambient than techno. :mrgreen:

Re-discovered this album cut by Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man earlier in the week. Now i can't stop playing it. Grrrr

Its called Mysteries.


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