By ParaMhor
“Each party steals so many articles of faith from the other, and the candidates spend so much time making each other's speeches, that by the time election day is past there is nothing much to do save turn the sitting rascals out and let a new gang in.” – H. L. Mencken
“I'm not different for the sake of being different, only for the desperate sake of being myself. I can't join your gang: you'd think I was a phony and I'd know it.” – Vivian Stanshall
To begin, a cracking song written for the soundtrack of Velvet Goldmine and hidden away on a B-side. Pulp – We are the Boyz was nominated by Max Visconta Nuclerosea.
Bikini Kill were at the forefront of the Riot Grrrl movement in the early 90’s. Rebel Girl is perhaps their most famous song and still packs a punch. Thanks again to Max for this one.
Uncleben playing the guru on track three. SAULT have made a series of brilliant records these past few years. From the album Nine, released on digital platforms in 2021 and deleted after 99 days, here’s London Gangs.
A third new entrant into the Marconium, again courtesy of Uncleben, Mommy Long Legs leave you in no doubt what they feel about Sorority Girls.
The Creation were one of a number of English beat bands making sparkling singles in the mid-sixties. Described by their biographer as ‘a unique hybrid of pop, rock, psychedelia and the avant garde’, they are probably best known for Making Time (later covered by Boney M, fact fans), Can I join your band is another great tune. Thanks to Tarquin Spodd for this one.
Drake is another household name who has not yet troubled the Marconium. Magicman sets that right with the gorgeous Crew Love, a hymn to his old friends.
The Monochrome Set are another of those bands you wish were better known. From their third album, Eligible Bachelors, the Jet Set Junta details a military dictatorship in an unnamed South American country, probably Uruguay per the reference to Montevideo. Many thanks Traktor Albatrost for the song and rather groovy video.
A non-album single from a time when they couldn’t buy a hit, Dexys Midnight Runners hit the spot with Show me. As Carpgate notes, Kevin remembers the gang he used to look up to at school and wonders what happened to them.
Next up, Junior Murvin’s ethereal voice goes through the various gangs in the area in Bad Man Possee. Thanks to Tatanka Yotanka for this beauty.
And so to the still centre of this playlist. Shirley Collins beautiful voice and the unadorned accompaniment make All Things Are Quite Silent the highlight of my week. Huge thanks to ShivSidecar, who notes that ‘…once upon a time the press gang were quite capable of breaking into your house uninvited and dragging you off to a new career – as occurs in the trad song "All Things Are Quite Silent", collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams himself’.
All things are quite silent, each mortal at rest,
When me and my true love lay snug in one nest,
When a bold set of ruffians broke into our cave,
And they forced my dear jewel to plough the salt wave
Another ShivSidecar nomination, Lippy Kids by Elbow, continues the list. Lovely song, for me their best. The years just fall away
Lippy kids on the corner again
Lippy kids on the corner begin settling like crows
Though I never perfected that simian stroll
But the cigarette scent, it was everything then
Although he is by no means my favourite singer or writer, I seem to have picked an awful lot of Bruce Springsteen down the years. No complaints, Jungleland is a belter. As tincanman explains ‘as in West Side Story, rival gangs provide the setting for young people to test their limits.’
Finally, Cabaret Voltaire released Baader Meinhof in January 1979 on a Factory Sample. Sounding no less challenging now than it did back then, my brother still shudders at the memory of this. MussoliniHeadkick gives us our A-list closer.
Thanks to everyone for nominating. Hope you find something to like in the lists.
Special thanks to Max Visconta Nuclerosea and, especially, Carpgate for their hugely enjoyable noms. Think I counted 60 from Carpgate. Loved many of them and, when I could understand the lyrics, was caught laughing at the hyper self-awareness and good humour of many of the bands. It’s been terrific.
Assemblage A-List Playlist:
Pulp – We Are the Boyz (Max Visconta Nuclerosea)
Bikini Kill – Rebel Girl (Max Visconta Nuclerosea)
Sault – London Gangs (Uncleben)
Mommy Long Legs – Sorority Girls (Uncleben)
The Creation – Can I Join Your Band (Tarquin Spodd)
Drake – Crew Love (magicman)
Monochrome Set – Jet Set Junta (Traktor Albatrost)
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Show Me (Carpgate)
Junior Murvin – Bad Man Possee (Tatanka Yotanka)
Shirley Collins – All Things Are Quite Silent (ShivSidecar)
Elbow – Lippy Kids (ShivSidecar)
Bruce Springsteen – Jungleland (tincanman)
Cabaret Voltaire – Baader Meinhof (Mussolini Headkick)
Belonging to a Bunch B-List Playlist:
Leather Boy – I’m A Leather Boy (Tarquin Spodd)
New Uniform – The Outsiders (Severin)
The Devotchkas – Travel In Packs (Carpgate)
Irving Kauffman and Columbia Quartette – Hail! Hail! The Gang’s All Here! (Marconius)
The Times – Boys About Town (ShivSidecar)
Shangri-Las – Out On The Streets (Max Visconta Nuclerosea)
Chaos UK – Victimized (Carpgate)
Raveonettes – The Love Gang (Traktor Albatrost)
Chron Gen – Rock a Bill (Carpgate)
The Ruts – Staring At The Rude Boys (Max Visconta Nuclerosea)
Joe White – Rudies All Round (Tarquin Spodd)
Drive-By Truckers – The Boys From Alabama (Fred Erickson)
Milton Nascimento – Clube da Esquina (pejpeine)
Guru’s Wildcard Picks:
The Housemartins – Happy Hour: Obligatory After Work Bonding Exercises.
The Jam – Saturday’s Kids
Massive Attack – Five Man Army
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Join here: songs about gangs. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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