By severin
A statement:
The author disclaims all responsibility for any misinterpretation, disinformation or deviation from his own guidelines.
No sequiturs were harmed in the making of this playlist. I will, admit, however, that I have utterly failed to be ruthless and have ended up, yet again, with an unfeasibly large B-list.
I have attempted to record who nominated each song and then ignore this information until the listing was complete. If you feel you have been cheated of your rightful dues, let me or Marco, keeper of the Marconium, know. Capitalisation of names has been carried out at random and with no regard to the poster’s preferences. Apologies.
Chickens, grapes, strudels, Nike Airs, harmonies, rivers, doves, parking meters, windows, chairs, hard boiled eggs, Frappucinos, tumbling tides and ketchup have one thing in common. They are not apples. I hope this is of some help.
And so …
“I never kissed a bear, I never kissed a goon
But I can shake a chicken in the middle of the room” (Wanda Jackson)
Well, that’s reassuring. Because normally non-bear-kissers are really crap at chicken-shaking. Thanks to Wanda for setting my mind at rest.
"Raisins come from grapes,
People come from apes,
I come from Canada...” (Barenaked Ladies)
He didn’t evolve from Canada d’yer see? Nor did Canada get dried out resulting in the singer you see before you. Maybe it’s a non seq, maybe it isn’t but my God, it’s going in the list. If only for the baby in the audience.
“Ship some to the Alpine skiing team
The coach won't have to worry 'bout the calories
Sure it ain't a strudel - they're nice
But it helps your balance on ice” (Sparks)
I have looked up vitamin C on the Google and I can find nothing about it helping your balance. If, in fact it does, please don’t tell me, it’s far too late now. More to the point, aren’t Sparks a joy and a blessing in these troubled times?
“Superpowers of the truth-seeker
Hour in the shower with the waterproof speaker
Things that make you go “eureka”
Let go my urethra” (Homeboy Sandman)
This wasn’t actually the section of the lyric quoted in the nomination but it’s the one that stopped me in my tracks. Your urethra? What’s going on in that shower? And do I really want to know.
"If you think the harmony is a little dark and out of key
You're correct, cause there's nobody there” (Beatles)
Or possibly, there were four musicians and a producer and they decided to make it sound this way. I mean, I’m not complaining cos it sounds bloody great. And if there really was nobody there, then I’m even more impressed.
“Took a friend I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her….
…. Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner” (Beth Orton)
The perils of finding a second rhyme (almost) for the same word. Gorgeous sounding song though. I wonder if she ever had any dinner.
“It's already dead
I know you have the dove
I'm not getting wet” (Aldous Harding)
And who could argue with that? More to the point, who else can dance like that? Uncleben is practising and will keep us informed of developments. I’m still struggling with the Hokey Cokey. This is a wonderfully bonkers song. One of last year’s finest moments.
“Don't follow leaders,
Watch the parkin' meters” (Bob Dylan)
From the days when Bob could throw out a line like that and have it pored over by disciples, determined to assess and announce its significance. One analysis I read insisted that he was berating the folkies and hippies for not engaging with technology. Course he was, course he was.
“Sometimes it gets foggy, the sky is broken down
The windows by the bed shine, and we can see the town
But we don't need the town.
Now I know why we're eating apples in bed” (Go Betweens)
Almost anything is a potential reason for eating apples in bed. Subliminal suggestions for example. I’ve been craving apples all week. Fog and shiny windows probably won’t do it though.
“The sun limps down, still the Jezebels’ are ringing
This furniture is singing
Periodic tables and the black hole chairs” (Shriekback)
If you think I’m sitting on any black hole chairs you have another think coming. It took me a while to get the word play (periodic tables) but the music pushed it into the list, sequitur or non. Can I say “gorgeous” again?
“Well send me with a letter, Lord drop me with a telegram I said
My baby walked just like she did
Walking on hard boiled eggs with a …
she can steal ‘em".” (Captain Beefheart)
Fantastic guitar playing and bluesy singing. Utterly mad lyric. Unless you know better. Oh my God, I can hear my heart beating……
“I went to bed last night and my moral code got jammed
I woke up this morning with a Frappucino in my hand” (Nick Cave)
Like you do. How come he didn’t spill the Frappucino? Must have been eating pineapples. Glorious doomy delivery. Hang on, I think I’ve used them for my online shopping needs.
“I’ve been loved and put aside
I’ve been crushed by the tumbling tide
And my soul has been psychedelicized” (Chambers Brothers)
Time, of course, can’t “come today” or any other day. “The time for…” might though. In this case, it’s a thinly disguised civil rights call to arms, like Dancing in the Street. . Why his soul was psychedelicized is anyone’s guess. Never campaign for anything while psychedelicized. No good will come of it.
“Oswald, to peanuts and ketchup,
Sanctimonious sycophants stir in the bushes,
Up to the stand with your foot on the Bible” (Velvet Underground)
Double the bafflement from the two voices in your ears. Pick a few lines at random. Try to follow the logic. Realise that there doesn’t have to be any. Which is a good thing. Now take your foot off that Bible and try some Aldous Harding dancing to this one.
The About-Turn A-List Playlist:
Wanda Jackson – Let’s have a party (suzi)
Barenaked Ladies – Raisins (philipphilip99)
Sparks – Pineapple (Olive Butler)
Homeboy Sandman – Far Out (DiscoMonster)
The Beatles –Only a Northern Song (9Hairs9Knots)
Beth Orton – Blood Red River (Alison Dempster)
Aldous Harding – The Barrel (UncleBen)
Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues (noodsy)
The Go-Betweens – Apples In bed (Nicko)
Shriekback – Bernadette (shoegazer)
Captain Beefheart – Ah Feel Like Ahcid (George Boyland)
Nick Cave – Abattoir Blues (shoegazer)
Chambers Brothers – Time Has Come Today (attwilightlarks)
Velvet underground – Murder Mystery (Maki)
Big Reason-Bending B-List Playlist:
Half Man Half Biscuit – Petty Sessions (Tubby Brewster)
Glenn Yarborough – Everybody’s Rich But Us (Tarquin Spodd)
Hombres – Let It All Hang Out (sweethomealabama)
The Wind In the Willows – My Uncle Used to Love Me till She Died (ajostu)
The Marvelettes – Too Many Fish In the Sea (attwilightlarks)
The Soft Machine – Dedicated to You But You Weren’t Listening (nosuchzone)
Cream – Anyone For Tennis? (Tarquin Spodd)
Guided By Voices – The Best of Jill Hives (Shivsidecar)
R.E.M. – Swan Swan H (Shivsidecar)
Luke Westaway – Meet Me at Velma’s Grave (EnglishOutlaw)
Nirvana – Pentacost Hotel (attwilightlarks)
David Bowie - 8 Line Poem (Maki)
David Bowie – African Night Flight (Olive Butler)
Robyn Hitchcock – Brenda’s Iron Sledge (shivsidecar)
Memphis Jug Band – Peaches in the Springtime (Nicko)
Cornershop – Sleep On the Left Side (happyclapper)
The Go-Betweens – Here Comes a City (Nicko)
Skids – Into the Valley (shoegazer)
Sex Pistols – Holidays In the Sun (Carpgate)
Santosh Narayanan – Bongu Kitchan (Ravi)
ABC – That Was Then But This Is Now (ParaMhor)
Barenaked Ladies – Adrift (philipphilip99)
Wire – Pink Flag (amylee)
Suburban Lawns – Flavour Crystal (philipphilip99)
The Sleepy Jackson –Good Dancers (9Hairs9Knots)
Talking Heads – Cities (magicman)
Massive Attack –Blue Lines (happyclapper)
T Rex – Get It On - Bang a Gong (amylee)
Flaming Lips – There Should be Unicorns (Seth Miller)
Stevie Wonder – Too High (pejepeine)
Echo and the Bunnymen – Bring On the Dancing Horses (happyclapper)
Simple Minds – Celebrate (Carpgate)
Nick Cave – We Call Upon the Author (ajostu)
Brian Eno – The True Wheel (UncleBen)
Willie Colon – Eso se Baila Asi (pejepeine)
Jah Wobble – A Very British Coup (shoegazer)
Guru’s Wildcard Pick:
The Flys – Love and a Molotov Cocktail
”Do we miss you? Yes we do!
Father sends his regards to you
Will I write? Well once in a while
I’ll send my love and a Molotov cocktail too”
(Definite mixed messages here)
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Not following? Spin this fish, biscuit: songs with non sequiturs. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube. Subscribe, follow and share.
Please make any donation to help keep Song Bar running: