Back to the rainbow, though I'm not following it in traditional Richard Of York Gave Battle In... vein. I decided to stick with the primary colours to start with, and after last week's Lady In Red avoidathon, blue seems a good place to jump next. There were so many blues in my music library though, I had to whittle. First, I dumped all the actual Blues (I'll do a separate post with them next week). Even then, there were still far too many great songs to pick just ten. Longtime readers will know exactly what's coming next... but apologies still go to Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, Chris Isaak, Madonna, Tom Waits (who had his moment last week), REM, Nick Heyward and Nina Simone (among others), any of whom might have made this list if the wind had been blowing in another direction. They'll get their chance one day...
The Top Twenty Blues
20. Blanche - Bluebird
Like a slightly prettier version of the Handsome Family, though not quite as lyrically blessed, Blanche are husband and wife Dan John and Tracey Mae Miller. This track is typical of their excellent 2004 album If We Can't Trust The Doctors. All creepy Southern Gothic country, it'd fit in well in the soundtrack of True Blood or Wild At Heart.
19. Bobbie Vinton - Blue Velvet
David Lynch has a lot to answer for.
18. New Order - Blue Monday
I know it's not particularly cool and indie to admit that I never got New Order, but... I never got New Order. This was fine, I suppose, if you were off your head in the Hacienda, but... I'd still rather dance to the Fats Domino version. Besides, I'm sure I included this in my Musical Mondays. Didn't I?
17. Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou
I feel so bad I’ve got a worried mind
I’m so lonesome all the time
Since I left my baby behind on Blue Bayou
Timeless.
16. Lambchop - My Blue Wave
Ah, Kurt Wagner. Everybody loves Kurt Wagner. No, not him...
Him...!
It might be interesting though to imagine what would happen if Nightcrawler of the X-Men swapped places with his alt-country namesake. I reckon X-Kurt would do a cool version of National Talk Like a Pirate Day (comic fans will understand why) while Lambchop-Kurt would be able to lull Magneto to defeat with his mellow sounds and enigmatic lyrics.
15. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue
The older I get, the more I appreciate Dylan. Perhaps it's inevitable. Like nostril hair and colostomy bags.
14. The Pernice Brothers - The Weakest Shade Of Blue
Jangly guitars - check. Lush harmonies - check? Smiths fan lyrics - check? As Mark Radcliffe would say, what's not to like?
13. Travis - Blue Flashing Light
The best song on Travis's million selling album The Man Who is the hidden track? COULD BE! Don't get me started on how much I hate hidden tracks. Hate having to fast forward the CD player. Hate having to edit the audio files on my computer. Hate, hate, hate 'em. Particularly as they're rarely worth the effort. This one was. The darkest song Travis ever recorded?
12. Elvis Presley - Blue Suede Shoes / Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Blue Moon
Elvis would have been 75 last week. Imagine that. By dying when he did, even in such ignominious fashion, he was granted an immortality he'd never have achieved by living to be an old man. Look at Lennon and McCartney - who's the legend, who's the gurning idiot who married a one-legged gold digger? Longevity is greatly overrated.
Blue Moon is also the only song I can play on the harmonica. Though not the Elvis version.
11. Longpigs - Blue Skies / Lloyd Cole - No Blue Skies
How to cheat and get more songs in your countdown that you allowed yourself in the first place. The Longpigs came from Sheffield, had Richard Hawley on guitar, and Crispin Hunt on 'vocals and looking like a male model from the 80s'. Lloyd Cole is from Derbyshire but now lives grumpily in the states.
Baby you're too well read
Baby you're too well spoken
Baby you're too pristine
When I cry, do you feel anything?
Baby you're too well read
10. The Replacements - Sixteen Blue
Paul Westerberg's ode to the teenage condition...
No one hears and no one calls
It's a boring state
It's a useless wait, I know
Brag about things you don't understand
A girl and a woman, a boy and a man
Everything is sexually vague
Now you're wondering to yourself
If you might be gay
Also includes the following awe-inspiring rhyming couplet...
Try to figure out, they wonder what next you'll pull
You don't understand anything sexual
Seriously, you find a better rhyme for sexual!
9. David Bowie - Blue Jean
There are those that believe Bowie had lost it by the time he released the Let's Dance album in 1984.
Those people are wrong.
8. Del Amitri - Move Away, Jimmy Blue
I've been listening to a lot of Del Amitri lately, in the hope that it might encourage Justin Currie to release another supremely miserable solo album. One day I will compile a list of Top Ten Grumpy Bastards In Rock, and JC will be flying high. In a good way.
7. Half Man Half Biscuit - Blue Badge Abuser
Fetch my stick, Margaret!
6. Neil Diamond - Forever In Blue Jeans
Did you know that money talks... but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk?
There's just something about Neil Diamond's voice you don't get anywhere else, and I don't care who hears me say it.
5. Captain Beefheart - Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles
I'm not going to pretend to be some big expert on Captain Beefheart, but I do like this song from the Big Lebowski soundtrack. The Dude abides.
4. ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Possibly the greatest sunshiny pop song ever written, right up to the ridiculous 'Please Turn Me Over' outro. But have you heard the Delgados' version? Love Emma Pollock's voice.
3. The Bluetones - Bluetonic / Are You Blue Or Are You Blind?
I always think the Bluetones are woefully under-appreciated. They write gloriously uplifting pop songs and put on a hell of a live show too. Long may they continue.
2. Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat
Because I love a good twisted love story. And because Leo Sayer ripped it off mercilessly in When I Need You.
1. George Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue
A surprise chart-topper, but this just sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. Gershwin = genius.
Next week - I get the blues for real.
But what's your favourite blue (no 's') song?
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10 rants and reactions:
ELO for definite. Never took you for a fan of The Orb and The King.
Some great picks here. Lloyd C predictably just about edges out Leonard C for me.
Your plan must've worked, as Justin Currie is releasing another solo album in April, only slightly less miserable this time round. Check out his Myspace for previews and a bizarre Strawberry Fields cover.
Ah, the Replacements...
I think I'd have gone for 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue', though it would be a tough call between the Live 1975 version and that Them cover.
How weird - I have four of those tracks on my current playlist. Hadn't noticed until you wrote your post that they were "blue" songs. I am craving blue sky I think.
I am a closet ELO fan as you may know so Mr Blue Sky wins for me! Yikes, did I put ELO about The King? Surely not! Gulp!
Ladytron's "Deep Blue" by a large country mile.
http://bit.ly/4RSPko
McLusky - Lightsaber Cocksucking Blues
You know it makes sense
Blue Moon Rising by Gomez always gets me. Very mellow and cool song.
Also, as I was reading this ELO's Mr Blue Sky was playing, no shit, Very cool.
Steve - The Orb? Did I mention Little Fluffy (Blue) Clouds?
Tone - the only thing I want to see Strawberry Fields covered in is concrete, ta.
Dad - I considerd that, but Tangled edged it for me.
RB - you and me both (blue sky craving).
Anthony - hmm, Ladytron...
Steve - that sounds dangerous. And it's a blueS song - I'm saving them till next week!
Ryan - that must be on a Gomez album I don't own. Louise went to uni with a Gomezer. She's my Six Degrees Of Separation to all famous people everywhere.
Where's Blue Girls by Pulp?
Y'know, sometimes I think my media player has so many songs in it, it struggles to find them all.
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