Song of the Day: Is there gold in those hills? Perhaps not the precious metal kind, but the story of a dominant sex worker in the Dawson City, Yukon gold rush is the inspiration for this indie rock band fronted by the Toronto singer
Read morePJ Harvey – Sheela-Na-Gig (for International Women's Day)
Single cover for PJ Harvey’s Sheela-Na-GIg (1992)
Song of the Day: Today’s song, in celebration of women, is from the British singer-songwriter from her debut album Dry – a robust defence of and pride in the female body in response to an insulting lover
Read moreJulia Jacklin – Body / Head Alone
Julia Jacklin
Song of the Day: “It’s just my body. I guess it’s just my life.” Two of several telling lines from a pair of beautifully powerful songs by the the Australian singer-songwriter from her forthcoming album, Crushing
Read moreLead Belly to Nirvana and more – Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Lead Belly
Song of the Day: Also known as In The Pines, and Black Girl, today we move onto another traditional song variously interpreted, dark and brooding, haunting in its melody, and simmering with suspicion and jealousy
Read moreBo Carter – Your Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me / Banana In Your Fruitbasket
Bo Carter (1893-1964)
Song of the Day: The dirty blues historical exploration continues, with an emphasis on food innuendo, with the Mississippi singer also born Armenter Chatmon (1893-1964)
Read moreBlind Boy Fuller – Rag, Mama, Rag / What's That Smells Like Fish?
Blind Boy Fuller
Song of the Day: After Lucille Bogan screaming with laughter at the dirtiest of lyrics, let's move on to only slightly more subtle material from the voice of the Piedmont blues singer from Wadsboro, North Carolina, who who also had a clever line in ragtime
Read moreLucille Bogan aka Bessie Jackson – Shave 'Em Dry / B.D. Woman's Blues
Taking 'dirty' blues to a whole new level: Lucille Bogan 1897-1948
Song of the Day: After Clara Smith, more so-called dirty blues from the 1920s, with a fabulously filthy number and also a then-taboo lesbian song from the singer born as Lucille Anderson, but had two performing names
Read moreClara Smith – It's Tight Like That
Clara Smith
Song of the Day: After yesterday's sprinkling of tragic and dirty songs by Bessie Smith, let's get a little filthier courtesy of the so-called Queen of the Moaners from South Carolina who actually had a chirpy, perky, high voice
Read moreJudy Collins – Priests / Sisters of Mercy (by Leonard Cohen)
Judy Collins with Leonard Cohen
Song of the Day: After a couple of nun-related songs, let's turn two ethereal songs written by Leonard Cohen, but performed by the singer better known for covering Stephen Sondheim's Send In The Clowns
Read moreLouis XIV – Finding Out True Love Is Blind
Louis XiV, featuring frontman Jason Hill (second from left)
Song of the Day: After yesterday's Arctic Monkeys after sun-down, sleazy sex-industry number, we cross the Atlantic again to go down and dirty with with the band from San Diego from their 2005 album The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
Read moreNick Cave & The Bad Seeds – People Ain’t No Good / Into My Arms
Nick Cave
Song of the Day: Two reflective, tragic, but mature masterpieces from Cave from 20 years ago, at another when, despite or because of family problems, brilliant work transpired
Read moreJake Thackray - The Lodger
Jake Thackray
Song of the Day: After yesterday's Goerges Brassens, let's enjoy a sample of from one of his admirers, the genius Yorkshire chansonnier doing a live performance of a song about tenant sexual shenanigans
Read moreThe Lovin’ Spoonful – Summer In The City
Song of the Day: From yesterday's simmering lust by Regina Spektor, we visit the same title by the New York band of 1966, to find that looking for love is hampered by heat and urban pollution
Read moreRegina Spektor – Summer In The City
Regina Spektor
Song of the Day: Heaving cleavage and bulges in pants, anyone? Today's song follows more encounters with strangers, with the Russian-born American's intimate tale of temptation and frustration …
Read moreThe Wicker Man – The Maypole Song
The Maypole scene from The Wicker Man (1973)
Song of the Day: What more appropriate way to celebrate a traditional 1st May holiday than this sprightly folk number from 1973's classic cult film? A fertile idea? Watch out, Edward Woodward …
Read moreIsobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Come On Over (Turn Me On)
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Song of the Day: Sunday morning? Sometimes it can turn steamy, here with a slow building and sexy collaboration between two voices that intertwine with passion in every breath
Read moreViolent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
Violent Femmes
Song of the Day: Let's move back to Violent Femmes' blistering first release from their 1983 eponymous album, giving postpunk an acoustic, folky kick with snares, brilliant bass and scathingly skilful vocals
Read moreThe Divine Comedy – Something for the Weekend
Neil Hannon with The Divine Comedy touring with their latest album Foreverland
Orchestral pop framed in a witty innuendo barbershop phrase, nothing could be finer for a Friday than this 1996 number from the charming Neil Hannon and company
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