Poor Steeleye Span, always the Renn Faire bridesmaid, never the bride. This will be the second time a song of theirs has been a pick, but I've yet to be convinced by any of their full albums. Rivals of Pentangle and Fairport Convention (if hippie British folk bands are really rivals, I guess peers is a better word), I'm afraid their overall body of work is my least favorite of the three, it tends to sound a shade more Raffi than makes me happy. This live song however, is fantastic and as good as my favorite Fairport or Jim's favorite Pentangle songs. That's saying a lot, by the way.

It starts with one of the band's most popular ballads, a tale of a sailor who returns from sea to find the woman he loved only wants him for his money. Then the song transitions and we're in Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht country with the Black Freighter (aka Pirate Jenny) the wicked story of a lady pirate casing a town for razing. This might be a bit to theatery for some, but we've had it on repeat for days. Fans of the Mariner's Revenge will definitely want to take a listen.

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Posted on April 2, 2007

But, Brittany, shouldn't you be recommending the entire album if you can pick any one from the whole album and listen contentedly? Well, let me explain: Despite having a fondness for all songs on this album (“One Night Stand” and “Waiting for the Moving Van”) stand out particularly. I simply can not recommend the album in its entirety because of its uncanny ability to annoy to the point of sickness if you listen to too much of it.

That's my theory at least, and I stick by it. Absolutely no offence to Mr. Ackles. You, sir, made a fine melancholic and melodramatic showtuney album, with a hint of cynicism and sarcasm but it's just too much to listen to together. Try it, readers, and see if I am just crazy.

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Posted on March 19, 2007

No, I don't mean this in an ironic way. I listen to this song at work, in the subway… anywhere–and not just to get a nostalgic laugh at parties, although it works for that too. Not only was it a staple in my brief life as a preteen grinder, but today it stands as a wonderful piece of clever music.

That's right, I said clever. The humor in this song was way ahead of its time and as a side note, I'm still astounded that the line “in the 69 my humpty nose will tickle your rear” was unedited for radio airplay. All the lines are memorable and hilarious, after all, who among us has not had visions of “getting busy in a Burger King bathroom” as one of our first forays into the world of sexual imagination? Seriously one of my favorite songs. Seriously.

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Posted on March 5, 2007

It's difficult to find a piece of music as smooth and cool as this. An enduring jazz standard with its distinguishing tempo and catchy saxophone that gained mainstream popularity during a time when rock was king. From what I have read the song is very significant for its use of a 5/4 tempo – an experimental rhythm that many people told Brubeck could not be done.

The original recording (which was made in only two takes) can be found on the masterpiece album Time Out, but the piece has been recorded many, many times by several artists.

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Posted on February 19, 2007

Isn't it weird and upsetting when you get into a song and the next thing you know, it's in a Chevy commercial or a Sex and the City ad? Well it happens to me often, even with some of the strangest songs, not that this Nick Gilder disco hit is very strange save for the fact that it is indeed a man singing those sultry notes. Its refound popularity does make one wonder about the Zeitgeist and how it all works. But, I digress. This is a great song if you don't abhor disco and pop. And it is a pretty fabulous ode to a pretty fabulous sounding lady. Or is it? Gilder says this of the lyrics: “'Hot Child in the City' could well have been entitled “Don't Bite the Apple,” Gilder said in Rolling Stone. “I've seen a lot of young girls, 15 and 16, walking down Hollywood Boulevard with their pimps. Their home environment drove them to distraction so they ran away, only to be trapped by something even worse. It hurts to see that so I tried writing from the perspective of a lecher — in the guise of an innocent pop song.” And I guess after really looking at the lyrics, I can see what he means. Well played, Mr. Gilder, well played.

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Posted on February 5, 2007