Did these bands and artists foresee the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns? You decide.

1. Transmission by Joy Division. 

Often famed for their doom laden delivery and lyrical content. Were Ian Curtis and co singing about the R rate etc years before Chris Whitty and co were informing us about it in the year 2020?

2. Keep Your Distance by Curiosity Killed the Cat.

Encouraging social distancing long before it was cool or the law to do so. This time it is the album title as opposed to a particular song title which has the clear message here. If we'd heeded Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot and bandmates' message from 1987 until now, would we have reduced the spread?

 

 3. U Can't Touch This by MC Hammer

Some thought he was from the highlands from the McHammer clan and then we found out MC stood for Master of Ceremonies. Anyway, some sound advice was being passed on back in 1990 and with his massive trousers you knew you had to take this guy seriously.

4. Behind the Mask by Eric Clapton.

Clearly not heeding his own advice in this video, who'd have thought we'd be living in times where you are the odd one out if you don't wear a mask?

5. Isolation by Joy Division

More cheery themes from the late singer whose fame just eclipses that of the Marple Locks Mop Paddlers. This track captures the state many have had to find themselves in during the pandemic.

 

 

6. Don't Stand So Close to Me by The Police

Was sting singing about being stalked or was he one of the early adopters of social distancing with an anthem which could do with being piped throughout supermarket aisles everywhere? No clarification is provided on whether it should be a 2 metre or a 1 metre distance which should be maintained.

Do you know another track or even album title that is not listed here which encapsulates some aspect of the Coronavirus pandemic? Post your suggestions in the comments below. 

STAY SAFE.

What can you get for free these days?

Depending on whether we mean "no cost" as in free gratis or "unrestricted", "liberated" or even "absence of" (as in sugar free), the word free can mean different things to everyone and in different contexts. There's no such thing as a free lunch, was once a popular expression meaning nothing comes for free or that there are hidden costs to things, which might not always be financial.

The term "FREE" is often misused in advertising which can lead to the public being misled, when something is being sold and things are described as being 'free' that usage of free should be replaced with 'included', i.e. the cost of the free item is absorbed or allocated elsewhere. FREE is shorter and catches people's attention as something free seems to be a bit of a bonus or give a feelgood factor. However, it can also leave people thinking 'what's the catch?', as we are trained by life to be synical and never expect a free lunch or other freebie to come without a cost to someone.

Enough philosophising about terminology. Let's consider some freechoice song choices which incorporate free in the lyrical content. Most of these are likely to be on the unrestricted, liberated side of free than the no-cost side of things.

1. Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World


Clearly not referring to the world where everything costs nowt.

2. R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe

I used to ponder this one and wonder if it was refering to the absence of cost, restrictions or absence of radio itself.

3. The Soup Dragons - I'm Free

Although originally released by the Rolling Stones, I personally became aware of the cover version first - so for me this is the seminal version.

4. Tom Petty - Free Fallin'


Just being Petty so Tom is.

5. Free - Free Me
For a free overload, the act is called Free and the track is called Free Me. Better known for the track Alright Now, this one is a bet less catchy by full of free.

6. Kenny Loggins - I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)
Delving into the depths, I discovered this track from the 1980s most prolific sound track adorning cheese machine. I hadn't heard it before. Not sure what I think about this track.


All of the above was brought to you for free by me. We'll see in the future if the links are still working then we will still be free to watch it otherwise the page may be music-free instead of having free music. You are now free to leave this page. 

As someone who used to pronounce the number 3 in the same way as free, this page is somewhat a catharsis for the author.

Easter

It has been a while, but I felt inspired to post something. One of my most recent posts of only about 4 years ago was picking 5 tracks I dig. Why not do the same on this Easter Sunday 2020. Although this time the tracks are not restricted to a period of time, but there is a direct or tenuous connection to Easter.

1.The Stone Roses - I am the Resurrection

Quite a clear and obvious connection to Jesus and the Easter story, but listening to the rest of the lyrics there is no obvious link to the title in the preceding verses. Definitely a top track though.

2. Mott the Hoople - Roll Away the Stone

A quality track from the seventies act probably more famous for All the Young Dudes. Again the lyric content for me has no obvious link to the title or chorus hook. I do like it though.

3. Pearl Jam - Alive

The 'grunge' band which became stadium rockers. Alive is the Easter message after the stone was rolled away. Clearly no gospel message in the track, but a life affirming track where there is a connection between the verses and the chorus.

4. Chas n' Dave - Rabbit

Not to be found amongst the gospel accounts of Easter, but rabbits are synoymous with Easter, mostly when they are chocolate rabbits. There is no finer song about rabbits, but this one this one ain't about bunny yet it sure is funny.

5. Sufjan Stevens - The Transfiguration

However, perhaps going from the ridiculous to the sublime this mainstream track finds its inspiration straight outta the gospels. This is a track featuring a retelling of the Transfiguration of Christ which many see as a foreshadowing of Easter and pointing forward to the resurrection body.

Lyrics:

When He took the three disciples to the mountainside to pray

His countenance was modified, his clothing was aflame

Two men appeared; Moses and Elijah came

They were at his side

The prophecy, the legislation spoke of whenever he would die

Then there came a word

Of what he should accomplish on the day

Then Peter spoke, to make of them a tabernacle place

A cloud appeared in glory as an accolade

They fell on the ground

A voice arrived, the voice of God

The face of God, covered in a cloud

What he said to them

The voice of God: the most beloved son

Consider what he says to you, consider what's to come

The prophecy was put to death

Was put to death, and so will the Son

And keep your word, disguise the vision till the time has come

Lost in the cloud, a voice: Have no fear! We draw near!

Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Turn your ear!

Lost in the cloud, a voice: Lamb of God! We draw near!

Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Son of God!

[For original source material see Matthew 17 and/or Luke 9]

Post your suggestions in the comment section below:

Time flies when you're having pun

Everyone says it, but time does seem to pass quicker the older one gets. My latest thinking on this matter is that the older we get every year, month, day, hour or minute is a smaller fraction of our lives to that point compared to what it would have been when we were younger. As an example, when we were ten years old we had lived through 10 summers, although could probably only remember 8 or fewer of them. When we are 41 years old, we will have lived through 41 summers and have to deal with memories of 30-odd of them. Therefore each individual summer represents a smaller fraction of our lives.

To put this into context, I cannot believe that I have not posted anything on this blog since 2016. And as I type this on 6 February 2019, I cannot believe that I am already into the second month of 2019, it feels like Christmas and New Year was just a short time ago.

Quality songs IMHO, but for others may be much maligned. (Part I)

For nostalgia's sake here are a few of my fave tracks from the mid-nineties. These are a bit of a mixed bag, many burgeoning from the DIY ethic of labels such as Fierce Panda. That time brought forth a few quality ditties, some acts went on and some remained frozen in time and preserved for us on You Tube.

1. Helen Love - We Love You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPq6lrhS0qI

For me, this is Helen Love's finest oeuvre or indeed hour. I am talking about the song not the video, wonky hand helds and running along what appears to be the waterfront in Bristol does not quite match the quality of the song. The singer's Ramones obsession is plain to see with a full-size cut out of Joey Ramone featuring heavily in the vid.

2. Bis - This is Fake DIY

Other tracks by the pseudo schemie outfit did not catch my attention as much as this one. A catchy wee number.

3. Tiger - Race

I had almost forgotten about this one, but again I like it. I don't have any recollection of seeing the video before. Good tuneage.

4. Urusei Yatsura - Strategic Hamlets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkSRQdlOwrA

One of the few acts featured here that I actually managed to see live back in the day. Very energetic act, I remember their set being quite condensed.

5. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Patio Song

A bit of quality from the Gorky's. Not to be mixed up with the Russian rock act Gorky Park or the part of west Edinburgh known as Gorgie.

Five will do for now, I will add some more in another post anon.

Doppelgangers part 3

Lucho Cristaldo


Iggy Pop


Eric Roberts

Doppelgangers part 2

Felipe VI de España


Assad of Syria