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Playlists: songs about the Vietnam War

May 21, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Prickly points: the absurdity of the war shown in this striking image of Vietnamese women and children prisoners

Songs of protest, despair, grief and more, from western and Vietnamese artists, set during and in the aftermath of this lengthy, catastrophic war, poignantly brought to you by guest Loud Atlas from last week’s topic nominations

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In blues, avant-garde, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, psychedelia, reggae, RnB, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, Vietnam War, Vietnam, The Monitors, Redgum, Country Joe and the Fish, 23 Skidoo, The Clash, The Last Poets, The New York Dolls, Freda Payne, Joni Mitchell, Pham Duy, Trịnh Công Sơn, Vân Quỳnh, The Impressions, Jimmy Cliff, Alice In Chains, Curtis Mayfield, Lou Reed, Stanley Myers, John Williams, Edwin Starr, Moddi, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Paul Hardcastle, New Order, Country Joe McDonald, Merry Clayton, Iain Matthews, The Beach Boys, Television Personalities, The Isley Brothers, Bill Withers, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, The Doors, Jedi Mind Tricks, RA The Rugged Man, Bruce Springsteen, The Dead Milkmen, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: cross-cultural cover versions

April 23, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Heard it through … The Slits

A genre-jumping, globe-spanning musical adventure brings glorious reinterpretative entertainment as guest of the week Nilpferd presents playlists inspired by last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, RnB, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags The Wailers, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Milton Nascimento, Esperanza Spalding, Amy Winehouse, Shirley Bassey, Malik Adouane, Sachal Studios, Oddjob, No. 1 de No. 1, The Gourds, The Slits, Melt Banana, Patti Smith, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Ukrainians, Mexrrissey, Prince Fatty, Soothsayers Horns, Burning Spear, Hikashu, Susanna & The Magical Orchestra, Hayseed Dixie, Abigail Washburn, The Sparrow Quartet, Kristin Hersch, Scott Walker, Joe Cocker, GhostMutts, Organ Eternal, The Clash, Grant Green, Hildegard von Bingen, My Chemical Romance, Nilpferd
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Playlists: songs about underdogs

October 23, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Underdog under dog

From the financially underprivileged to the militarily outnumbered, sporting longshots to those barred by the race, from last week’s topic suggestions, guest Loud Atlas’ powerful picks show how the apparent minnows can become mighty

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, instrumentals, indie, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, psychedelia, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags Sly & The Family Stone, Archie Roach, Blind Alfred, Jim Croce, Spoon, Johnny Horton, Bob Marley, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Allison Russell, Peter Sarstedt, Todd Duncan, Nat King Cole, Paul Robeson, Bill Conti, Keith Hampshire, Chumbawamba, Alicia Keys, Joe Walsh, Public Enemy, The Nashville Teens, Boomtown Rats, The Boomtown Rats, Pulp, The Clash, Guignol, Mischief Brew, Danny Kaye, Stornaway, Cast of Hamilton, Ren, Nick Drake, Liza Minnelli, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs about freedom of expression

July 10, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Live and Letta Mbulu

From politics to personal life, sexuality and personal liberation to broader social issues, on the back of recent elections and a topic covering freedom of speech, guest playlister Maki spans geography, genre and time to give the subject a full hearing

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, freedom, free speech, Ultra Naté, Soup Dragons, Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Billy Bragg, Letta Mbulu, Joseph Kabassele et L'African Jazz, The Bee Gees, Killing Joke, Stiff Little Fingers, Amy MacDonald, Pablo Hasél, Pussy Riot, Mischief Brew, Charles Wright, Cocoa Teas, Shabba Ranks, Home Tea, Metallica, The Who, The Clash, Chicory Tip, John Farnham, Roger Waters, Kicker, The Stranglers, Maki
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Playlists: songs for fictional commercials

December 28, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Fresh frozen? Give peas a chance …

Awash with ads for travel, clothing, leisure, painkillers, marijuana, vegetables, and even items to boost sex life? Well, it’s time to be entertained by a string of non-existent ones, framed in snappy marketing musical form, with playlists picked by guest magicman from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, calypso, blues, classical, country, comedy, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags advertising, playlists, songs, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Say She She, James Brown, The Beach Boys, Les Paul, Mary Ford, Ned Doheny, Annette Hanshaw, Curtis Mayfield, Billy Ocean, Pete and the Pirates, Take That, Bing Crosby, U2, Elvis Presley, Ska-P, Gen Hoshino, Halmens, The Clash, Imagine Dragons, Katrina and the Waves, Frank Black, The Sleepy Jackson, Young Fathers, The Flying Lizards, Eurythmics, The Eurythmics, magicman
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Playlists: songs with androgynous vocals

September 13, 2023 Peter Kimpton

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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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, androgyny, gender, Massive Attack, Horace Andy, The Pointer Sisters, Suede, Brett Anderson, Secos & Molhados, The Clash, Salif Keïta, Cesária Évora, Prince, Ezra Furman, Moses Sumney, Colin Blunstone, Beach House, Nico, JS Bach, Michael Chance, Shamir, Bear In Heaven, Sweeny Todd, Lankum, Maria Bethânia, Gal Costa, Active Child, Gale Garnett, Cher, The Four Seasons, Eddie Holman, Peter Ivers, Thirty Pounds of Bone, Slapp Happy, Henry Cow, REM, This Mortal Coil, The Delays, Jeff Buckley, Mozart, Emma Kirkby, ParaMhor
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Playlists: songs that give you goosebumps

January 10, 2023 Peter Kimpton

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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In African, classical, drone, dub, experimental, folk, gospel, indie, jazz, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, psychedelia, reggae, rock, songs, ska, soul, soundtracks, traditional, blues Tags songs, playlists, goosebumps, Lana Del Rey, Nick Cave, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Sevdaliza, Mozart, Marian Anderson, JS Bach, Jacques Brel, Ana Moura, David Essex, Sinead O'Connor, Hem, The Pretenders, The Clash, FKA Twigs, The Congos, Lucy Dacus, The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Collage, Propaganda, Kathleen Battle, Wynton Marsalis, The Stranglers, Macy Gray, Maki
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Playlists: songs about taxation and wealth distribution

October 4, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Who gets the crown? Hint: the bird is the word …

Feeling taxed? Get some relief here. Blues, reggae, funk, punk, post-punk and more, we’ve got a full revenue of great music in store with no duty to pay, courtesy of an excellent distribution by guest playlister Severin picked from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, tax, poll tax, wealth, equality, economics, Prince Buster, J.B. Lenoir, The Members, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Massive Attack, Saul Williams, Professor Gabriel Zucman, The Exploited, Daniel Caesar, The Fall, Los Tigres del Norte, Village Man's Store, Mighty Sparrow, Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Sharon Jones, The Dap Kings, Rip Rig And Panic, Fred Wesley and the JBs, The JBs, Fred Wesley Jr, Gene Autry, Crap, Loose Ends, Stick In The Wheel, Duke of Iron, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Toots and the Maytals, The Heptones, Junior Parker, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Clash, A Tribe Called Quest, Rubella Ballet, Champion Jack Dupree, Busi Mhlongo, Pink Floyd, Lonnie Donegan, Keith Moon, BJ and The Bear, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about formal agreements

September 6, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Gang of Four peer closely at the small print ….

Reggae to punk contracts and beyond, it’s time to sign on the dotted line, but only when you’ve read all the small print. With no obligation to express your reaction until you’ve heard it all, come and check out these fabulous playlists picked by guest Tatanka Yotanka from last week’s theme and nominations

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, contracts, agreements, treaties, The Congos, Gang of Four, Kofi, The Clash, Max Romeo, Stiff Little Fingers, Peter Tosh, Sex Pistols, Gregory Isaacs, US Bombs, The Gladiators, Bad Religion, The Abyssinians, Love, Gene Latter, First Choice, The Trammps, Blossom Dearie, The Rugby's, The O'Jays, Primus, The Stooges, The Streets, 10cc, Aretha Franklin, Lindisfarne, Brides of Funkenstein, TatankaYotanka
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Playlists: songs about omens and prophecies

March 15, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Visions of the future: The Flaming Lips

Visions, prophets, psychics, spanning history and the future, with good news and bad – inspired by many nominations from last week’s topic, these superb playlists, picked by guest amylee, journey through time and space

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, colours, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, omens, prophecies, The Clash, The Fall, Mark E Smith, Teenage Fanclub, Howlin' Wolf, Phish, The Grateful Dead, Black Francis, Crash Test Dummies, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Sparklehorse, The Flaming Lips, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Wardruna, Aquarius, Spirit, The Cowsills, William Penn V, Captain Beefheart, Jethro Tull, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Burning Spear, Wayne Jarett, Cibo Matto, Pet Shop Boys, The Stranglers, The Go-Betweens, Mount Eerie, Jerry Goldsmith, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Kronos Quartet, Nitin Sawhney, Don Shinn, Kenny Barron, Dave Holland, Vindsvept, The Comet Is Coming, David Toop, Bjork, Nick Drake, The Fixx, Killing Joke, AmyLee
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Playlists: songs about the rhythm, beat or boogie

August 26, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Grace Jones swings it …

Grace Jones swings it …

Three keywords that have inspired legions of songs from disco to reggae, pop to hip hop, blues to rock and more. Guest AmyLee compiles a sequence of brilliant beating heart playlists that refer to them all from huge wave of nominations

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In African, blues, dance, country, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, rock, reggae, punk, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, rhythm, beat, boogie, The Go-Go's, Blur, Van Der Graaf Generator, Mott The Hoople, Serge Gainsbourg, Madonna, DeBarge, Us3, Peter Broggs, Grace Jones, A Tribe Called Quest, Bomb The Bass, The Rolling Stones, Kool & The Gang, John Lee Hooker, Sonny and Cher, Stone Poneys, The Happenings, The Cascades, Mark Kozelek, Slapp Happy, Electronic, The Cro-Magnons, A.D.O.R., Salt-N-Pepa, Public Enemy, Mantronix, The Slits, Betty Davis, Willie Mitchell, Major Lance, Thin Lizzy, Little Feat, Happy Mondays, Lou Reed, The Clash, Parliament, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, AmyLee
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In full swing: songs and instrumentals from New York City

July 18, 2019 Peter Kimpton
There’s more than one way of having in ball in New York. The 1930s …

There’s more than one way of having in ball in New York. The 1930s …

It’s the city of the world that never sleeps, but this week let’s explore what kind of music, particularly instrumentals, but also lyrics, capture the particular spirit, culture, feel and rhythms of its extraordinary five boroughs

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, experimental, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks Tags songs, playlists, New York, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Beastie Boys, LCD Soundsystem, Henry Ford, Duke Ellington, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, Staten Island, David Byrne, Talking Heads, George Gershwin, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Diamond, Sonny Bono, paul simon, Broadway, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Blondie, The Ramones, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, B-52s, The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Dee-Lite, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Led Zeppelin, Joe Strummer, The Clash, Television (band), Prince, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Harlem, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Milos Forman, John Updike, Bette Midler, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Film, film soundtrack, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, gangs, Statue of Liberty
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Playlists: songs pertaining to music venues and spaces

January 30, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Barrrowland Ballroom, Glasgow

Barrrowland Ballroom, Glasgow

Glasgow to Chicago, London and Liverpool to Lisdoonvarna and all the way to Mali, inspired by many reader nominations around the globe, this week’s playlister pejepeine takes us on a tantalising tour of magical musical locations

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In blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, instrumentals, music, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, music venues, Bix Beiderbecke, DIre Straits, Christy Moore, Amy MacDonald, The Big Three, X-Ray Spex, The Photos, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, The Roots, Eryka Badu, Super Rail Band of the Buffet Hotel de Gar, David Bowie, Hermeto Pascoal, Guy Clark, Love, The Animals, The Sweet, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Peter Hammill, The Clash, Super Beagle, Orchestra Boabab, The Whitlams, Clube da Esquina
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Spread the groove: 12-inch singles and remixes up to 1979

August 9, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Disco, funk, punk, soul, postpunk, pop, and more were all being spun on 12-inch in the 70s …

Disco, funk, punk, soul, postpunk, pop, and more were all being spun on 12-inch in the 70s …

Dub and reggae, funk and disco, hip hop, punk postpunk, pop, electronica and more, this week let's span the 60s-70s period that gave birth to this format and spin favourite records it highlighted

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Tags Songs, playlists, 12-inch vinyl, singles, music production, Tom Moulton, New Order, Peter Hook, Factory Records, dub, King Tubby, Kool Herc, Jamaica, hip hop, James Brown, The Incredible Bongo Band, Babe Ruth, Swamp Dogg, Buddy Fite, The Trammps, Al Downing, South Shore, Donna Summer, Atlantic Records, Double Exposure, Bob Marley, The Clash, The Spinners, Hamilton Bohannon, Eddy Grant, Gorgio Moroder, Marvin Gaye, Sister Sledge, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Chic, Ja-kki, The Droids, Mathematiques Modernes, Erotic Drum Band, Cloud One, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Tumblack, Manu Dibango, Prince, Sylvester, Space
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Just keep on dancing: songs about staying and remaining

July 19, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Last four couples in a 1930s dance marathon

Last four couples in a 1930s dance marathon

We’re not leaving, but showing endurance, fortitude and steadfastness. There’s a whole lot of staying power going on in this week’s topic, from physical to mental strength …

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In blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks Tags Songs, playlists, staying, remaining, staying power, stamina, Christopher Marlowe, Neil Tennant, Pet Shop Boys, Dolly Parton, Sly & The Family Stone, Oliver Reed, Brexit, Mick Jones, The Clash, evolution, Sir David Attenborough, biology, history, Film, Stephen Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Neil Peart, John Lee Hooker, Martin Freeman, Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit, Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac, The New York Dolls, Terry Pratchett, Patrick Swayze, Al Green, The Bee Gees
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Playlists: bright songs about dark subjects

May 16, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Bouncy inappropriateness: The Smiths

Bouncy inappropriateness: The Smiths

Death, depression and other dark matter is given the jaunty, upbeat treatment by guest playlister DJ PP99, spinning superb and starkly contrasting styles and subjects from last week’s nominations

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In blues, comedy, country, dance, electronica, folk, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul Tags Songs, playlists, death, depression, Young Fresh Fellows, Reverend Gary Davis, The Smiths, Heavenly, Jun Togawa, Ben Lee, The Hold Steady, The Clash, Gin Blossoms, The Primitives, Richard Thompson, Hoodoo Gurus, Pink, Childish Gambino, They Might Be Giants, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Dandy Warhols, The Mighty Diamonds, dBs, Katrina and the Waves, Mental As Anything, philipphilip99
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Serene syncopation: songs influenced by reggae, ska and rocksteady

March 8, 2018 Peter Kimpton
The Wailers that global star, Bob Marley

The Wailers that global star, Bob Marley

This week we're searching out the effect of these core styles of 1960s Jamaican music on other genres across the globe, from punk to pop and rock, African to dance, and how they evolved. It's a very sound system …

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In blues, dance, electronica, hip hop, indie, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, reggae, rock, punk, songs, soul, soundtracks, ska, rocksteady Tags Songs, reggae, ska, rocksteady, Jamaica, Bob Marley, The Wailers, The Clash, Burning Spear, Michael Franti, Johnny Greenwood, Radiohead, Youssou N'Dour, syncopation, menta, calypso, Prince Buster, Clement Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, The Skatalites, Alton Ellis, The Techniques, The Paragons, The Gaylads, Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, The Congos, The Abyssians, Wailing Souls, U-Roy, BIg Youth, I-Roy, Dr Alimantado, Dennis Alcapone, Sly and Robbie, The Mighty Diamonds, 2 Tone, Barrington Levy, Frankie Paul, Sister Nancy, Stephen Marley, Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, Nas, Tory Lanez, Boy George, Ike Turner, Bruno Mars, Peter Hook, Lupe Fiasco, The Bug
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Playlists: songs featuring honorific titles

February 14, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Sir Jake Thackray (honorary knight of the Song Bar, posthumously given)

Sir Jake Thackray (honorary knight of the Song Bar, posthumously given)

King, Queen or Lord, Big Chief to Brigadier, Corporal and more, from a list of titles nominated as long as history itself, this week's playlist writer, Sir Severin, serves up superb lists that would honour any ears

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In classical, country, dance, electronica, folk, hip hop, indie, music, playlists, pop, reggae, punk, rock, songs, soul Tags Ty Segall, Slapp Happy, The Shadows, Jake Thackray, Professor Longhair, Katzenjammer, Pink Floyd, Pentangle, The Techniques, Bill Evans Trio, The Clash, Colleen Hewitt, Rich Kids, Jacques Brel, John Lee Hooker, Billie Holiday, The Wankys, Veda Hille, Paul McCartney, Gene Chandler, Gillian Welch, Edith Piaf, The Fall, The Unthanks, Kass Kass, Olivia Chaney, Offa Rex, Severin
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Playlists: incidental music and songs

July 19, 2017 Peter Kimpton
A Granstand finish? Des Lynam back in the day, with almost everything except the medallion

A Granstand finish? Des Lynam back in the day, with almost everything except the medallion

From unforgettable film and TV soundtracks to readers' associated memories, this week's guest director EnglishOutlaw calls the action on a wide variety of genres inspired by last week's topic

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In music, playlists, songs Tags incidental music, songs, Grinderswitch, blues, Dick Barton, film, film soundtrack, classical, Richard Wagner, Indian Ocean, Tom Waits, Down By Law, The Clash, Bad Brains, Stephen Tin Tin Duffy, video games, Labyrinth of Time, All Saints, U2, Keith Mansfield, theme music, television, Richard Strauss, Booker T and the MGs, The Lightning Seeds, Chuck Berry, Urge Overkill, Frank Sinatra, Serge Gainsbourg, The Move, The National, Alabama 3, Richard Thompson, Peter Moore, Vera Lynn, Howard Shore, Lord of the Rings, Grosse Point Blank, EnglishOutlaw, Apocalypse Now, Geoff Love & His Orchestra, Charles Willliams
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Picture this: songs about painters, painting and drawing

June 22, 2017 Peter Kimpton
1) Keith Richards by Ronnie Wood

1) Keith Richards by Ronnie Wood

This week the Bar becomes a special gallery  filled with music stars' work! Peruse the paintings and name their famous creators, and suggest songs inspired by art and artists from any period or genre

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Tags songs, art, painting, John Constable, Dick Dale, Vincent Van Gogh, Brian Eno, Joni Mitchell, Nat Tate, forgery, David Byrne, The Clash, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Jarvis Cocker, Pulp, Chuck D, Freddie Mercury, Pete Townshend, The Who, Queen, Mobb Deep, Michael Stipe, REM, Keith Richards, Ice Cube, Florence Welch, Florence and the Machine, Kanye West, Captain Beefheart, Jeffrey Lewis, Patti Smith, Robert Hughes, Conor Oberst, Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac, Cher, Grimes, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, The Kills, Alison Mosshart, Tony Bennett, Buffy Sainte-Marie, John Williams, Grace Slick, Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead, Pharrell Williams, Frida Kahlo, Nick Cave, Wolfgang Puck, Marilyn Manson, Yoko Ono, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Jefferson Airplane, Impressionism, pop art, Frederic Chopin, Wassily Kandinsky, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood
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New Albums …

Featured
Melody's Echo Chamber - Unclouded.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber: Unclouded
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A fourth album, here full of delicious uplifting, dreamily chic, psychedelic soul pop by the French musician Melody Prochet, with bright, upbeat, optimistic numbers and a title lifted from a quote by the acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, about achieving equilibrium

Dec 5, 2025
Devotion & The Black Divine by anaiis.jpeg
Dec 2, 2025
anaiis: Devotion & The Black Divine
Dec 2, 2025

New album: Following a summer Song of the Day - Deus Deus, a review of the autumn release and third LP by the London-based French-Senegalese singer-songwriter of resonantly beautiful, dynamic, sensual soul, gospel, R&B and experimental and chamber pop, with themes of new motherhood, uncertainty, religion, self-love and acceptance

Dec 2, 2025
De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
De La Soul: Cabin In The Sky
Nov 26, 2025

New album: The hip-hop veterans return with their first without, yet including the voice of, and a tribute to, founding member Trugoy the Dove, AKA Dave Jolicoeur who passed away in 2023, alongside many hip-hop luminary guests, with trademark playful skits, and all themed around the afterlife

Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats- Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats: Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan
Nov 26, 2025

New album: An evocative musical journey of a concept album by the indie-folk band from Claremont, California, fronted by singer-songwriter John Darnielle, based on a dream of his in 2023 about a voyage to a fictional island by the titular captain, charting adventure, wonder and tragedy

Nov 26, 2025
Allie X - Happiness Is Going To Get You.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
Allie X: Happiness Is Going To Get You
Nov 26, 2025

New album: A hugely entertaining, witty, droll, inventive, chamber and synth-pop fourth LP with a goth twist by the charismatic and theatrical Canadian artist Alexandra Hughes, who brings paradox and dark themes through sounds that include string quartet, harpsichord, classical and pure pop piano with killer lyrics

Nov 26, 2025
Tortoise - Touch.jpeg
Nov 25, 2025
Tortoise: Touch
Nov 25, 2025

New album: A welcome return with a cinematic and mesmeric groove-filled first studio LP in nine years, and the eighth over all by the eclectic Chicago post-rock/jazz/krautrock multi-instrumentalists Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker

Nov 25, 2025
What of Our Nature by Haley Heynderickx, Max García Conover.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover: What of Our Nature
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Beautiful, precise, poignant and poetic new folk numbers inspired by the life and music style of Woody Guthrie as the Portland, Oregon and New Yorker, now Portland, Maine-based singer-songwriters bring a delicious duet album, alternating and sharing songs covering a variety of forever topical social issues

Nov 24, 2025
Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Ambient, otherworldly, cinematic, mesmeric, and at times very odd, the Brooklyn-based electronic artist and producer Daniel Lopatin returns with a new nostalgia-based concept – constructing tracks from lost-then-refound Y2K CDs of 1990s and early 2000s royalty-free sample electronic sounds

Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac - Bang.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac: Bang
Nov 24, 2025

New album: A powerful, stirring, passionate and mature debut LP by the 29-year-old Glasgow-based Scottish singer with Polish and Ukrainian heritage who has toured as the new Pogues singer, and whose alternative folk songs capture raw emotions and the experience of modern womanhood, with echoes of PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Aldous Harding and Lankum

Nov 24, 2025
Austra - Chin Up Buttercup.jpeg
Nov 19, 2025
Austra: Chin Up Buttercup
Nov 19, 2025

New album: This fifth studio LP as Austra by the Canadian classically trained vocalist and composer Katie Stelmanis brings beautiful electronica-pop and dance music, and has a bittersweet ironic title – a caustically witty reference to societal pressure to keep smiling despite a devastating breakup

Nov 19, 2025
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Nov 18, 2025
Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World
Nov 18, 2025

New album: A timelessly classy release by the veteran soul, blues and gospel singer and social activist from the Staples Singers, in a release of wonderfully moving and poignant cover versions, beautifully interpreting works by artists including Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, and Gillian Welch

Nov 18, 2025
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Nov 18, 2025
Stella Donnelly: Love and Fortune
Nov 18, 2025

New album: Finely crafted, stripped back musical simplicity combined with complex melancholic emotions mark out this beautiful, poetic, and deeply personal third folk-pop LP by the Australian singer-songwriter reflecting on the past and present

Nov 18, 2025
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Nov 17, 2025
Picture Parlour: The Parlour
Nov 17, 2025

New album: Following last year’s EP Face in the Picture, a fabulously stylish, smart, swaggering glam-rock-pop debut LP by the Manchester-formed, London-based band fronted by the impressively raspy, gritty, vibratro delivery of Liverpudlian vocalist and guitarist Katherine Parlour and distinctive riffs from North Yorkshire-born guitar Ella Risi

Nov 17, 2025
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Nov 16, 2025
FKA twigs: EUSEXUA Afterglow
Nov 16, 2025

New album: Springing from her much lauded third LP Eusexua, out in January this year, and following a hugely successful and spectacular tour, the innovative British experimental pop artist, dancer and producer extends her palette of ethereal, otherworldly and sensual creations in this new, more carnal, harder, beat-filled parallel release

Nov 16, 2025

new songs …

Featured
The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Song of the Day: The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart
Dec 4, 2025

Song of the Day: Despite the title, this new double-A single (with Friday I’m Gonna Love You) has a wonderfully uplifting guitar-jangling beauty, with echoes of The Byrds and Stone Roses, but is of course the brilliant 60s and 70s retro sound of the Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, out on Captured Tracks

Dec 4, 2025
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Dec 3, 2025
Song of the Day: Alewya - Night Drive (featuring Dagmawit Ameha)
Dec 3, 2025

Song of the Day: A sensual, stylish, dreamy electro-pop single by the striking British singer-songwriter, producer, multidisciplinary artist and model Alewya Demmisse, musically influenced by her rich Ethiopian-Egyptian heritage and early childhood upbringings in Saudi Arabia and Sudan

Dec 3, 2025
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Dec 2, 2025
Song of the Day: Radio Free Alice - Rule 31
Dec 2, 2025

Song of the Day: Stirring, passionate indie postpunk by the band based in Melbourne, Australia, with echoes of The Cure’s core sound, new wave, and 90s indie-rock influences, and out on Double Drummer

Dec 2, 2025
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Dec 1, 2025
Song of the Day: Sailor Honeymoon - Armchair
Dec 1, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy, punchy, fuzz-guitar indie rock with a droll lyrical delivery and some echoes of Wet Leg come in this new single by the trio from Seoul, South Korea, out on Good Good Records

Dec 1, 2025
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Nov 30, 2025
Song of the Day: Ellie O'Neill - Bohemia
Nov 30, 2025

Song of the Day: A beautiful, poetic finger-picking debut folk single with a mystical, distantly stormy twist by the Dublin-based Irish singer-songwriter from County Meath, out now on St Itch Records

Nov 30, 2025
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Nov 29, 2025
Song of the Day: Danalogue - Sonic Hypnosis
Nov 29, 2025

Song of the Day: A full flavour of future-past with mesmeric, euphoric retro acid house and electronica in this new single by Daniel Leavers, producer and the founding member of The Comet Is Coming and Soccer96, out now on Castles In Space

Nov 29, 2025
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Nov 28, 2025
Song of the Day: Cardinals - Barbed Wire
Nov 28, 2025

Song of the Day: Another striking, passionate, punchy, catchy single by the Irish postpunk/indie-folk-rock band from Cork, heralding their upcoming debut album, Masquerade, out on 13 February via So Young Records

Nov 28, 2025
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Nov 27, 2025
Song of the Day: Frank Popp Ensemble (with Paul Weller) - Right Before My Eyes
Nov 27, 2025

Song of the Day: A strong, soaring, emotive, soulful release by the German artist co-written by British singer and former Jam frontman who here sings and plays guitar, the lyrics about witnessing the increasing injustices and demise of the world, out on Unique Records / Schubert Music Europe

Nov 27, 2025
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Nov 26, 2025
Song of the Day: Tessa Rose Jackson - Fear Bangs The Drum
Nov 26, 2025

Song of the Day: Using a musical metaphor, beautiful, crisply rhythmical, soaring piano and atmospheric indie-pop-folk about facing your fears by the Dutch/British singer-songwriter, heralding her forthcoming new album The Lighthouse, out on 23 January 2026 on Tiny Tiger Records

Nov 26, 2025
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Nov 25, 2025
Song of the Day: Melanie Baker - Sad Clown
Nov 25, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy, candid, cathartic indie-grunge-pop by the British singer-songwriter from Cumbria in a melancholy but oddly uplifting emotional work-through of depression, love and exhaustion, out now on TAMBOURHINOCEROS

Nov 25, 2025
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Nov 24, 2025
Song of the Day: Holly Humberstone - Die Happy
Nov 24, 2025

Song of the Day: Luxuriant, breathy, femme-fatale dream pop with a dark, southern gothic, Lana del Rey-inspired, live-fast-die-young theme, and stylish video by the 25-year-old British singer-songwriter from Grantham, out on Polydor/Universal

Nov 24, 2025
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Nov 23, 2025
Song of the Day: These New Puritans - The Other Side
Nov 23, 2025

Song of the Day: A delicate, tender, and unusually minimalist single, their first since this year’s acclaimed album Crooked Wing, by the Southend-on-Sea-born Barnett twins, here with Jack on improvised piano and George on drums and a soprano register wordless vocal, out on Domino Records

Nov 23, 2025

Word of the week

Featured
Hangover.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Word of the week: crapulence
Dec 4, 2025

Word of the week: A term that may apply regularly during Xmas party season, from the from the Latin crapula, in turn from the Greek kraipálē meaning "drunkenness" or "headache" pertains to sickness symptoms caused by excess in eating or drinking, or general intemperance and overindulgence

Dec 4, 2025
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Nov 20, 2025
Word of the week: discalceate
Nov 20, 2025

Word of the week: A rarely used, but often practised verb, especially when arriving home, it means to take off your shoes, but is also a slightly more common adjective meaning barefoot or unshod, particularly for certain religious orders that wear sandals instead of shoes. But in what context does this come up in song?

Nov 20, 2025
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Nov 6, 2025
Word of the week: erythrophyll
Nov 6, 2025

Word of the week: A seasonally topical word relating to the the red pigment of tree leaves, fruits and flowers, that appears particularly when changing in autumn, as opposed to the green effect of chlorophyll, from the Greek erythros for red, and phyll for leaves. But what of songs about this?

Nov 6, 2025
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Oct 22, 2025
Word of the week: fennec
Oct 22, 2025

Word of the week: It’s a small pale-fawn nocturnal fox with unusually large, highly sensitive ears, that inhabits from African and Arab deserts areas from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. But has it ever been seen in a song?

Oct 22, 2025
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Oct 9, 2025
Word of the week: gongoozler
Oct 9, 2025

Word of the week: A fabulous old English slang term for someone who tends to stand or sit for long periods staring at the passing of boats on canals, sometimes with a derogatory or at least ironic use for someone who is useless or lazy. But what of songs about this activity and culture?

Oct 9, 2025
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