Posts Tagged Song
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March 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
On: Giving Up Everything
Elton John had it wrong – or rather Bernie Taupin if you prefer. Sad songs are not the ones that say so much – it’s only a special type of sad song; where there’s hope peeking through, where there’s an attempt at stoicism – the head being held high, an aim to move on, an attempt at rebirth or a […]Archive
December 7, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Don’t Give Up…
The original plan Peter Gabriel had for his song Don’t Give Up was for it to be a duet between him and Dolly Parton. He wrote it with Dolly in mind. She gave up before she began; she had no interest in recording the song with him. Gabriel heard it, in part, as a country song. You hear the song […]Archive
November 19, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Truly Bizarre: The Story of ‘How Bizarre’
How Bizarre is 20 years old. In fact a little older now even. When I was asked to write a book about important/favourite songs I was encouraged to make it a personal selection but there was a list supplied of obvious contenders. Top of that list was How Bizarre.Archive
October 23, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 184 Matinee Idle
They got me in to play a track and talk about the album and it meant a lot to me. I’ve been listening to Matinee Idle ever since I found out it was on all those years ago – every public holiday in New Zealand in the afternoon. Phil O’Brien and Simon Morris have this […]Archive
September 17, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 180 We Are Strangers
I was feeling very alienated from the family It wasn’t actually my family it was my partner’s All her brothers and sisters and their offspring We were on holiday at Ocean Beach and it was pissing with rain They were all getting drunk and arguing in the house I wasn’t drinking in those days and […]Archive
July 24, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 172 There Goes The View
The final track on the album The protagonist is cut loose in a cold world with the scars and in the uniform of his struggle Prison clothes or a de-mob suit It’s a kind of elongated funeral march into the unknown ahead There’s a loser on the loose And he’s wearing clothes like mine […]Archive
July 17, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 171 The Supersane
You know that you’re taking a terrible risk Explaining yourself over money or love If you can stand on your feet and you can make a good fist Then you just might be sorry for who you have told I’ve always managed to do quite well at IQ tests and that hasn’t always made […]Archive
July 3, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 169 Sex Can Be Sad
Lately I’ve been known to wander Down the streets of Loretta Where the nights are forever I’ve had this song hanging around for some time None of my ex-girlfriends like it very much I wrote it one sultry night living on Wigan Street – pining I guessArchive
March 5, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 152 On a Need to Know Basis
It’s a song about that time in the early morning Winter with the vague sun and coming out of sleep Eyes shut but you can see the room starting to materialise The gap between sleeping and waking What we really are and what we think we are It’s not quite dawn and a wintery sun […]Archive
December 11, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 140 Prepare To Scream
Prepare To Scream Beverly’s got a smiling face when I see her there with my naked eye Just come to life to check the time Looks at me like a steamy bath and I wash my face and I let it dry Lifting the mask off a dirty mind The flat on Hawker Street She […]Archive
November 20, 2016 by Simon Sweetman