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Record bags: That Damned’s 7-inch sleeve from 1977
Echoing syllables and words across history, the animal kingdom, cultures and genres, this poetic linguistic effect brought a bountiful and vibrant supply of nominations. Guest playlister Maki picks a poetic selection to capture their glory
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Reach out and you might find the aye-aye …
Using common words or proper names of people, places, animals or more, this week we celebrate the echo in a phrase, where words are repeated, not just over and over, but to create an integrated new phrase where repetition is integral
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A top shot at songcraft … LDR
Sweetest, biggest, baddest, punniest, funniest, spinniest, dreamiest, wooziest? Many more most ‘ests’ feature this week in the very best of superlative selections by guest playlister Uncleben, taking the very best shot from last week’s many nominations
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The GOAT? Or just a goat?
We’re not exaggerating, from most beautiful to the fastest, craziest hottest or worst, this week it’s songs centrally featuring that adjective or adverb that expresses that the thing or person described has possessing more of that particular quality than anything or anyone else of that type
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We’ve got shoal: silver herring
Congregations to murders, vaquejada to izinyoni, Scotland to England and Spain, Africa to Brazil and beyond, collective nouns add vivd poetry to song lyrics. Guest playlister Maki picks out some collective colour from last week’s theme
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Parliament in session ….
Parliaments of owls to pedants or ptarmigans? Orchestras of crickets? A quaver of coloraturas, a chime of wrens? It’s time to use the hive mind and the choir of collectivism to find vivid examples of these kinds of nouns in lyrics. Join the gang here with lots of inspiration examples …
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Mic King: Nat King Cole
How do you demonstrate the craft of crooning? It brings a broader range than you imagine. After the many nominations springing from last week’s topic, defining as all about style and using the microphone, guest playlister ParaMhor brings some perfect performance picks …
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Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse. But how many crooners are there in this photo?
This week it’s time to to get close to the microphone explore the evolution of crooning in the full range, the style, the technique, the good, bad and ugly, emotive, intimate and excellent, the creative, the cosy, and the cringeworthy, the sensitive and sentimental
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Through the darkness …
Nautical life-saving stories to metaphorical naval-gazing declarations of love, this topic sheds light on different contexts, and across a range of genres, inspired by last week’s nominations, is a bright star in the hands of guest keeper Nicko and his playlists
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Towering performance: Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattison in The Lighthouse, 2019
They attract attention, may beckon, but also warn away. Lighthouses, beacons and other illuminated guides, as well perhaps representative ideas, people, or metaphors, all illuminate this week’s topic, as well as tales of keepers and shipwrecks. Lyrically and musically, it’s time to shine …
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Sound waves and beyond …
Pointing, clapping, nodding, waving, thumbs up, thumbs down, high fives and much more, there’s no end to the lyrical gesticulation on offer signalled from last week’s topic by guest playlister Loud Atlas, whose presentation and choices should attract a salute and long applause
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Paying attention? What’s the point of this? Jack Black’s stick in School of Rock includes he devil’s heavy-rock hand horn sign. But there’s a lot more …
OK to high-five, thumbs up to devil’s horns, greetings, pointing, praying or applauding, this week it’s all about the physical lexicon, conscious communication that’s different to subconscious body language. But how does it come up in song lyrics?
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Evergreen accompanists: The Chieftains
What’s the craic? Our recent St Patrick’s Day special was focused on songs in the Irish language, but with a generous distillation process, brought forth also some good cheer in other Gaelic identities, all served up with great taste by guest Marco den Ouden
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Irish Cláirseach Celtic harp, known as the O’Neill or Brian Boru, named after a 14th-century Irish king who fought against the Vikings
On the eve of Saint Patrick’s Day, it’s time to celebrate all things Irish with an ear for the original language, not merely with songs that use it in lyrics, but also those that express or are influenced by the Irish character and culture, across many musical genres
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Slowdive back in the day … but now reaching a new audience
Jazz, classical, acoustic rock to neo-folk, gentle pop and soul to ambient electronica, there’s a whole texture of sounds audible when the bang of drums and other struck percussion are absent. Inspired by last week’s topic, guest Nilpferd brilliantly guides us through a more delicate, nuanced musical experience
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Evolving sounds: Robert Wyatt …
It’s a mainstay backbone or backline of so much music, but this week all forms of percussion, from drums to cymbals, xylophones. to bells are simply out, and this topic also excludes soloists or duos. But will there be more space, or different styles? Let’s explore all kinds of genres and cultures …
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This joint is jumping …
There are many reasons to leave the ground spontaneously, such as for dancing, sex and relationships, but also more darkly - suicide. But inspired by the many leap of musical imagination from last week’s topic, guest pejepeine’s playlists will have you jumping for joy
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One giant leap: Bob Beamon’s long jump record at the Mexico City 1968 Olympics stood for at an unusually lengthy 23 years
A Thursday on 29 February rarely happens, so let’s not skip it: Songs about jumps, leaps, bounds, hurdles, vaults of all kinds, literal and metaphorical, no t random occurrence of a related words, but where the leap in question is central to to the song's theme. Get inspired by many varied contexts and guests in the Bar …
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Itching to have a go …
Got that tingle but don’t know how to reach it? Found the right spot but scratching makes it itchier? Inspired by last week’s topic, guest playlister EnglishOutlaw has a variety of melodious ointment to express and find musical relief
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Bear with us …
Let’s satisfy the itch across many musical surfaces with a multi-pronged backscratcher, not just on lyrical flesh, but also the tight skin of drums, wires, guitar strings, resonant idiophones or the hollow or solid wooden bodies of stringed instruments, and of course, using vinyl turntables …
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