Most of my readers will not be working tomorrow or Friday, so here’s a special end-of-a-short-week Music collection:
Rejected Bond Theme anyone? Nobody is saying so, but the signs are there. Dame Shirley Bassey has a new album out in the UK called The Performance, which was produced by current Bond composer David Arnold. On the album is this track, which was written by Arnold and long-time Bond lyricist Don Black (Thunderball, The Man With The Golden Gun, etc.) — it uses a five-note string hook that features fairly constantly in Arnold’s score to Quantum of Solace, and just happens to track in at exactly the same length as Jack Black and Alicia Keyes’ “Another Way To Die” (the theme that was used for the film). If that’s not enough, the lyrics prominently feature the word “Solace.” As much as I like “Another Way To Die”, I really wish they had used this one — not only for the Bassey nostalgia, but also because the lyrics (which appear to speak to Bond’s inner turmoil) would’ve made a nice counterpoint to the go-go-go action pace of the movie. Dame Shirley Bassey – “No Good About Goodbye.”
I picked up Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster, and, as I expected, I love it… Especially this track. Mark my words — I expect that this will be the next single (after “Bad Romance”), and I expect that it’s brilliance, it’s brainwormy hooks, the clever bits of digital distortion and the guest-starring gig by Beyoncé will make this a massive hit. Hear it now before it’s inevitably overplayed: Lady Gaga – “Telephone (feat. Beyoncé).”
That’s part of a wash-my-back-I’ll-wash-yours deal (picture that image for a moment)– the other end of it being the new official remix of a similarly telephonically-themed track from Beyoncé’s recent album, which has been expanded to include a verse by Gaga: Beyoncé – “Video Phone (extended mix feat. Lady Gaga).” I like the bizarre, almost Spaghetti-Western vibe to it — but I have to say that Gaga’s track is better.
This list turned out to be a bit Gaga-riffic. Can’t be helped. There’s a bunch of nifty stuff out there — like this mashup which I fell in love with the first time I played it, mixing Gaga’s “Just Dance” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” DJ Tripp – “Just Stop Believing (Lady Gaga vs Journey).”
This is a song that Taco Bell has stolen from Joe Jackson…. I’m stealin’ it back. My soul dies a little bit, every time I see one of the best New Wave album-openers ever (from the 1979 Jackson debut Look Sharp) used to shill Gorditas or whatever faux-mexican, new-combination-of-the-same-six-ingredients crap they’re trying to foist on the public. Joe Jackson – “One More Time.”
There are rare cover versions which I end up liking more than the originals. This is one of them. As brilliant as the original by Gary Numan is, I find this version’s far fuller sound and richer production to be superior (blasphemy, I know). Foo Fighters – “Down In The Park.”
Lastly — the first Radiohead song I ever heard (saw them perform it on the Arsenio Hall Show, of all places). Still, in my opinion, the best song they’ve ever done. The song aches. And then there’s that sound… the violent gouge of the guitar. Still amazing, and still gives me chills. Radiohead – “Creep.”
There you go, kids. Remember: Copy-and-paste if the links give you trouble.
Happy Thanksgiving.