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Monday, December 07, 2009

CRAZY TITLES

Loaded with the flu so brain cells functioning less than expertly at the moment. But they, the cells, that is, have been thinking about album titles. No idea why.

Maybe it was because I was looking through some “best of” album lists and was slightly tongue-tied by American group Grizzly Bear’s “Veckatimest”, named after a small island in Massachusetts, seemingly. Doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue but it makes sense, unlike the one from a Danish band called MEW, whose work I am not familiar with. Their latest album title is a hoot:
“No more stories are told today I'm sorry they washed away No more stories the world is grey I'm tired let's wash away.” Bonkers.

But not half as crazy a title as that from American singer, Fiona Apple, who has a CD titled: “When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king
What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight
 And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring
 There's no body to batter when your mind is your might
So when you go solo, you hold your own hand
 And remember that depth is the greatest of heights
 And if you know where you stand, then you know where to land
 And if you fall it won't matter, cuz you'll know that you're right.” Touch of the Eric Cantona’s there, no?

There’s probably an explanation but life’s too short and all that and the same goes for “Oh Me Oh My The Way The Day Goes By The Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs Of The Christmas Spirit” by American singer/songwriter, Devendra Banhart.

I was raised on the simplicity of Led Zeppelin I, II, III and IV but on closer examination my musical youth is dotted with dotty titles such as:

“Weasels Ripped My Flesh” – Frank Zappa
“Swordfishtrombones” – Tom Waits
“Trout Mask Replica” – Captain Beefheart.
“Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy” – The Who
“Brain Salad Surgery” – ELP
“Thick As A Brick” – Jethro Tull.

And the just re-released and wonderful “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space” by Spiritualized, is a favourite of mine. If anyone cares to tell me their “weird” favourites that would be fun.

1 comment:

  1. Well T Rex had one that went along the lines of "My people were fair and had flowers in their hair" and there was "Tales of Topographic Oceans" by Yes and "Whatevershebringswesing" by Kevin Ayers. My favourite however is Caravan's "If I could do it all over again I'd do it all over you"

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