Category: music

Friday’s Theme Music

“Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol is a good walking song. Released in 1983, it’s another one of those songs that, between volume and enunciation, I distrusted what I was hearing and kept wondering, what’s he singing in that part? Well, eventually, the answers came and I share them with you.

He lives in his own heaven
Collects it to go from the seven eleven
Well, he’s out all night to collect a fare
Just as long, just as long it don’t mess up his hair

h/t to Lyricsfreak.com

Well, that makes a lot more sense than the silly phrases I imagined. Still, it remains a damn fine song to stream in my head when I take a walk.

 

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Thursday’s Theme Music

I once read an interview with one of the pop members behind this hit. In the interview, he said (paraphrasing) the song was a hit because it had an odd novelty beat.

I’d always wondered why and how the song managed to become so popular and ubiquitous. That odd beat might explain it.

Here’s Devo with “Whip It” from 1980.

 

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Wednesday Theme Music

Thinking about music from 1974, the year that I celebrated my eighteenth birthday, I recalled “Smokin’ In the Boys’ Room”.

I like the song’s rocking simplicity of being in school, breakin’ rules, and our permanent records. Brownsville Station did it in 1974; Mötley Crüe covered it almost a dozen years later. Not bucking the normal status quo, the younger folks often prefer the Mötley Crüe version. That’s how it is, right? Newer equals better, or preferred. I, tsk, tsk, prefer the original. Not surprising, either; I’ve heard that from older people about things that my generation later re-interpreted.

(I like that cycle. Didn’t use to, but I’ve come to enjoy, admire, and respect it.)

But 1974 was the year I heard the song, my formative era, if you will, and all that I associate with it. That’s the year I graduated high school, became an adult, moved away from home, and joined the military, so I’m loyal to Brownsville Station’s version.

Let’s celebrate.

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

This one came from a cat incident last night.

I’d settled in to read and watch television. I wanted to read, but I was tired, so I had the television on. The book, Lincoln in the Bardo, is an interesting and easy read.

Naturally two cats were staking me out, awaiting me to settle so they could leap up onto my lap and read with me. After they established territory and settled, one announced they were going to refund some cat food (and probably fur) with ominous upchucking sounds. Responding with swift panic, I shooed the little feline off my lap and sought something to put under him to catch his discharge. Once all the drama was over, I told him, “You almost dropped a bomb on me, buddy.”

That triggered memories of The Gap Band and their 1982 technofunk offering, “You Dropped A Bomb On Me”.

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Monday’s Theme Music

This song, “Heatwave”, performed by Martha and the Vandellas, came out in July, 1963. I’d just turned seven, so I’ve known this song almost all of my life. It’s a terrific song, full of energy, pop, and harmonies, with some fat sax thrown in. Many other excellent covers have since been offered, but I’ll stay with the original, thanks.

Clap along, clap along.

 

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Sunday’s Theme Music

Warm temperatures keep reminding me of songs about heat and the hot air. The late Glenn Frey performed this one as part of his solo act after the Eagles disbanded, and it was included in Beverly Hills Cop starring Eddie Murphy .

Here is “The Heat Is On” from 1984.

 

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Saturday’s Theme Music

I walked two miles this morning prior to my writing session. As I did, I thought, man, it already feels hot. Sweat was soaking my shirt, hat, and shorts. I knew from checking the weather that it had already been in the seventies but that the heat index was about six degrees hotter.

It felt it. It fortunately didn’t feel like the one hundred nine degrees reported in Denver, thank the fates. As expected for me, I began streaming songs about heat, and ended up with this Billy Idol gem from 1982, “Hot in the City”.

 

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Friday’s Theme Music

I don’t know where I first heard this hit. It came out in ’63. I was seven. It’s not Mom and Dad’s style of music, and my older sister was only nine, so I discount all those sources. Later, of course, it was played on AM pop and FM rock stations, and wormed its way into movies like Animal House. I dig (catch that lingo) that the hit was performed by a band from Portland in my adopted state of Oregon.

Here is “Louie Louie” performed by The Kingsmen.

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Thursday’s Theme Music

How ’bout a little ditty about “Jack & Diane”? I always thought I could hear a sneer in John Cougar Mellencamp’s voice when he sang, “Two American kids doing best they can.” The song captured so much of small town Americana and references, how and where they’re hanging out, hopes, dreams, attitude and clothing.

So let it rock.

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

I always think of this as a party song. It’s been covered by many, like the Blues Brothers, but I love this original.

Here is the Spencer Davis Group with Steve Winwood and their hit, “Gimme Some Lovin'”, from when I was ten, in 1966. You can imagine how this beat and the chorus appealed to a kid.

Still appeals to me.

Odd, intriguing video, though.

 

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