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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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Allons enfants! It’s time for those anthems, but with a deeper look, as the Paris Olympics opens and celebrates its centenary
As the 2024 Paris Olympics opens, we examine the strange nature of the national anthem, for better or worse, not merely in versions thereof, but also songs and works which feature clips or renditions, or lyrically reference or talk about the concept itself even in more general terms
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The fabulous Ezra Furman and a famous fan …
Who is singing? It’s a magical moment of uncertainty. In a highly subjective topic, not only with non-binary artists but with those whose gender is better known, guest of the week ParaMhor picks perfectly balanced playlists of excellent and ambiguous gender vocals from last week’s topic nominations
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Deep and meaty?
This week’s topic is sensual rather than cerebral, and extremely subjective. It’s less a lyrical lookup, more seeking out music that makes you, at least metaphorically, vibrate, and even salivate. Please suggest examples and describe the accompanying feeling
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The Shangri-Las in full conversational flow …
Duelling tablas to bar-room or bandmate banter, flirty duets to star-crossed lovers, chatty parody to skilful dissing, all the questions and answers are here in a creatively conversation playlist picked by guest Amylee from an enormous offering of nominations last week
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The inner beast: Sinéad O’Connor
Was it the music, the voice, the lyrics, or all three? In a truly hair-raising (in the all the right ways) opener to 2023, guest playlister Maki creates two superbly shivery and inspiring lists from a wide choice of possibilities from last week’s topic
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Otis Redding - cut down in his prime
Relationship breakdown, devastating loneliness to shocking bereavement, from a huge response to last week’s topic, it’s all here in a set of supremely powerful playlists picked by guest magicman, where despite all the sorrow, the music brings release
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Correspondence captures time, place, culture and emotions …
Love letters to rejection replies, friendship, work or leisure, written correspondence are the preserved leaves of history, revealing human nature in all its states and culture, but how does it come up in songwriting? Reply here …
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Jimi Hendrix sandcastle. It was bound to appear here eventually
This week’s lyrical topic offers a broad, varied landscape of metaphor and colour, of passing time, of instability and mutability, of the solid and the fluid, of the barren and the beautiful. Let’s dig deep for some treasures …
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Two of the greats. Ray Charles, also a great arranger as well as performer, with composer and arranger Quincy Jones
From full orchestration to carefully stripped back, this week let's consider work where in originals or later versions, added instrumentals, vocal parts, melodic fills, changing tempo or keys, have made a great song even better
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New Orleans jazz can lead a funeral into sombre or upbeat moods
What might be played at yours? The tranquil and reflective? Songs humorous, loud, brash or celebratory? Lyrics personal or universal? This week we create a cultural range as much for those present as the departed
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What does it mean and how does it feel to be clever, smart, savvy, canny, brainy, or have clout? Or the opposite? What is emotional and musical intelligence? It's time to play out these ideas in song
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Is that the zombie apocalypse, or just Hawkwind?
Star date 9/11/2016, and in his final log, the admirable Admiral EnglishOutlaw records the last available data about humanity on the eve of election doomsday, with songs from last week's catastrophic topic
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Primates are also known to laugh ... at humans
It's not just the best medicine, it also appears in songs, as the subject matter or spontaneously sounding within it. So let's roll of the barrel, and serve up a hearty party of laughter-based music …
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Frank Zappa ... no yellow fellow when pushing the musical envelope
Unexpected key changes? Surprise jumps in style? Multiple sections? Experimental or an unusual mixture of genres? Suggest music that keeps you guessing in parts or breaks the overall musical mould
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