By severin
Metaphorical, literal, medical, protective, theatrical, comical, disguising.
Mask can mean face-paint, makeup, impassive expressions, fake smiles (brave or dishonest), masks for sale in a market place, ancient magical artefacts.
So here be thirteen songs about masks in all their forms.
Billy Bragg used to play a lot of benefits for political causes. He once said that the big, muscle bound security guys provided by the SWP (or whatever leftwing organisation was putting on the gig) always brushed aside his more activist songs and plaintively requested the one about the sad, long suffering lover who wears the metaphorical iron mask.
I wasn’t sure whether to list any songs about super heroes as they don’t generally have a lot to do with their mask-wearing. And picking one masked avenger over another seems asking for trouble but this version of the Spiderman them by The Ramones is irresistible.
“Put on your costume, powder (or makeup) your face/The people pay, and they want to laugh/And if Harlequin steals your Columbina/laugh, clown, and everyone will applaud!” I think Ruggero Leoncavallo said that. Jussi Björling sings it like he means it.
Some people don’t mellow much with age, do they? “You’re wearing a mask! You look better that way!” Iggy said that.
Many versions of The Masquerade is Over were suggested this week. Only one could be chosen (at least for the A list) and it was Nancy Wilson. What a version. What a voice. Great piano from Josef Zawinul too.
I still don’t quite know what a Cynthia mask is. Or what to make of Robyn Hitchcock’s swerve from some biting political comments about Munich to surreal observations about smiling like a bowl. He makes it work though.
Would you like my mask? Would you like my mirror? What might you see in the things you can buy at Loreena McKennitt’s Marrakesh Night Market?
The Captain Beefheart song that John Lydon raided when he described early British punk as “getting up all the old farts’ noses”. This particular old fart wears the trout mask replica of the album title.
At last! A song about the kind of masks we are all wearing now. Or should be. Wynton Marsalis and others sing and play from their own homes to spread the message about protecting each other.
A song by Kurangan, recorded as part of the Terrace Jams project. Mugamoodi means masks and is about the figurative masks we wear. “Man is half character and half clothes. Life is a long street on which millions of different kinds of masks roam”. Enable captions on screen for further elucidation.
Peter Hammill accompanies himself on Kora and percussion while he sings about a ritual mask. “It won't take long before he finds out the bargain has turned out dreadfully wrong.
Oh, he got it for a song”.
Take the mask off, Mr Babylon says Clinton Fearon. Come out from your hiding place. We can see you. Loping, laid back roots reggae music. The best sort.
And so finally: on to veils. There were a number of nominated versions of the much-covered American classic Long Black Veil. Some zedded, some not. This live performance by the Dave Matthews Band left all the others standing as far as I was concerned. As much soul as country, utterly gorgeous and seemingly shorter than its eight and a half minutes duration. The perfect finale I reckon.
The Altered Appearance A-List Playlist:
Billy Bragg – The Man In the iron Mask (suzi)
The Ramones – Spiderman (megadom)
Ruggero Leoncavallo – Vesti La Giubba (from Pagliacci) – sung by Jussi Björling (attwilightlarks)
Iggy Pop – Mask (OliveButler)
Nancy Wilson – The Masquerade Is Over (Nicko)
Robyn Hitchcock – Cynthia Mask (megadom)
Loreena McKennitt – Marrakesh Night Market (LoudAtlas)
Captain Beefheart – Old Fart at Play (BanazirGalbasi)
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra w Wynton Marsalis – Everybody Wear They Mask (Ravi)
Kurangan – Mugamoodi (Terrace Jams version) (Ravi)
Peter Hammill – A Ritual Mask (Nicko)
Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown band – Take Off the Mask (UncleBen)
Dave Matthews Band – Long Black Veil (LoudAtlas)
The Beauty In A Balaclava B-List Playlist:
The 16 songs that nearly made it. Am I just indecisive? I’m not sure.
They Might Be Giants – Marty Beller Mask (philipphilip99)
Grace Jones – Art Groupie (IsabelleForshaw)
The Skids – Masquerade (shoegazer)
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Christine (megadom)
The Ditty Bops – There’s a Girl (UncleBen)
Carolyn Crawford – My Smile is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down) (attwilightlarks)
Max Romeo – Two Face People (Nicko)
Robyn Hitchcock – Sleeping With Your Devil Mask (OliveButler)
Graham Parker – Under the Mask of Happiness (LoudAtlas)
Idles – Samaritans (DiscoMonster)
Johann Strauss II - Adele’s Laughing Song (from Die Fledermaus) sung by Leslie Garrett (ajostu)
The Mountain Goats – Beautiful Gas Mask (shoegazer)
Fugees – The Mask (OliveButler)
Lou Reed – The Blue Mask (Nicko)
Thaikkudam Bridge – Navarasam (Ravi)
George Benson – This Masquerade (amylee)
All attributions provisional. I trawled the blog after picking the songs and I think I have got them all correct. As ever, let Marco, The Landlord or myself know if you feel you have been cheated of your birthright.
The Man of Constant Zorro Zedded List:
Any of the B-list could have made the A-list, but these are some bonus items nominated but zedded:
Guru’s Wildcard Pick:
Susanne Sundfør – The Silicon Veil
Lyric sufficiently opaque for me to wonder if I would have listed it, had it been suggested. But it’s the one I sent to earworms and it’s the one I’m placing here.
Guru’s Silly Wildcard Pick:
Rob Brydon – Spiderman
If I’m listing The Ramones, I’m definitely wild carding this wonderful clip from BBC Radio 4’s programme I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. The tune is Bring Him Home from Les Miserables.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Face the music: songs about masks. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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