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Vivian and the crew …
In words or notes, from dark parody to the plain old silly, it’s time to celebrate comedic songs, those written specifically to tickle, to amuse, to make you smile and laugh. If they do that, then they count
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Let the needle drop … it’s darned good
The needle might normally drop on to spinning vinyl, but it’s also embroidered a wonderful tapestry of songs in playlists – superbly knitted together by guest of the week Tatanka Yotanka, who picked up the threads from last week’s topic
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Can boredom and banality become such an art form that they become exciting, or snorefest into the stimulating? Picking from last week’s topic, guest playlister Olive Butler presents a magnificent selection of mundanity
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Koko Taylor: fun at work …
From various locations – in the bar, on the beach, down the street, and many forms – reggae to soul, rock to new wave. From a huge wave of fun nominations guest picker Olive Butler has a blast with brilliant set of playlists
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Getting right into each other: ABBA
Songs about themselves. Does this sound loopy? You’re right. It’s all about the self-referential to any aspect of a songs’s own music, structure, instruments, format, lyrics and more. Droste effect? Mirroring? It’s all about the song
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Lady Gaga: Just put your paws up – 'cause you were born this way, baby …
Finding the ordinary in the extraordinary to the straight in the straitjacket, this week’s playlists are anything but average, as guest playlister IsabelleForshaw entertainingly reveals that normality is all a matter of perspective
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We’re normal … The Bonzos
Regular? Standard? Stereotype? Average? Typical? Natural? What does normal mean, and how might it be explored in song lyrics? From people to behaviour, families to jobs to towns, and any other context, it’s all a matter of perspective
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Can’t put down. The self-deprecating Keanu Reeves walks the street absorbed in The Government Inspector
Humorous or serious? Self-defence mechanism, attention-seeking, of self-aggrandisement? This week’s lyric topic is richly nuanced, ironic, and covers a range of emotions, often fuelled by love and ambition, tempered by self-belittling
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Herd the one about …?
Crazy cows, woolly bulls, pigs, sheep, goats, and even a camel and a llama, this week’s musical shepherd George Boyland rounds up wonderfully entertaining herd of songs tracked down from last week’s four-legged topic
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Roy Orbison: he drove all night …
From personal obstacles to the wider struggle in war, this week’s selections by guest playlister Marco den Ouden meet the challenges of hundreds of nominations with wonderful vim, vigour and variety
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Make your entrance here at the Bar. Strict door policy, obviously …
There's a big 2nd anniversary gig going on at the bar, but who will perform after all the songs and bands put forward last week? The Landlord invites you to witness the whole variety show, and also stay for a second stage afterparty
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A famously eye-catching Small Faces album, but there are many tasty song titles are out there …
Tantalising, striking, quirky, perhaps violent or sexually strange, offbeat, bizarre combinations of words, numbers or symbols and more, awful, wonderful, suggest songs that cry out to be heard and live up to their title
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'When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble, give a whistle! And this'll help things turn out for the best ...' – Eric Idle, Monty Python's the Life of Brian.
Life may be short, it may be long, but as guest writer SweetHomeAlabama neatly shows, with two playlists inspired by last week's topic, however things go, take your lips and tongue, and, just blow …
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Feast your eyes on Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Fairy-tale dreams to strange train journeys, Visions of Johanna to Elvis Presley's lost Jesse, guest writer Severin takes us into weird and wonderful world inspired by last week's song nominations
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The Jam. Now that really is entertainment …
Verbal, drama and perspective, Jam to Johnnie Taylor, Morrissey to Elvis Costello, this week's guest writer attwilightlarks picks a sharp, satirical and punchy playlist inspired by last week's ironic topic
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Why worry about being in tune when you have a dose of PiL?
It didn't stop Public Image Limited, Joy Division or Teardrop Explodes from a great performance. Check out guest writer ParaMhor's playlists from last week's topic to find out why going off key will still keep you on song
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Whose song sees the curves of Earth through Yuri Gargarin's eyes?
Space, time, the sun; smacking sports balls to curvy bodily fun; this week's well rounded playlists by this week's guest guru Marco den Ouden arch across the far reaches of the universe from the intimate to the infinite
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