Bruce Springsteen – Valentine’s Day (1987)

Probably should have waited until February 14th but (re) stumbled upon this tonight and thought it deserved an immediate posting. Final track from the Tunnel of Love LP released in 1987 …

I’ve always loved the more restrained side of Springsteen’s output – check here and here for previous posts.

The opening lines every much evoke my 1.7 mile drive home from Huntingdon railway station to Godmanchester in the winter in my X-Reg Renault Clio (1.2L Grande) ….

Driving a big lazy car rushin’ up the highway in the dark

Got one hand steady on the wheel, one’s tremblin’ over my heart

The LP version, then a fantastic live performance from 2005 then a rehearsal from 1988 …

 

Oasis – Slide Away (1994)

Less than 24 hours to go until Manchester City’s chance to clinch their first ever Premier League title (and first League Championship for 44 years)  …..

Over the years, I have watched an awful lot of tripe at Maine Road. When I dropped out of Imperial College in 1983, I decided to switch to Manchester University in the main because I wanted to be able to see City play every week ….. relegations and mediocrity subsequently followed.

The 1990s were an uneven time. Georgi Kinkladze looked like the best player who had ever lived (check here for proof) but, somehow, we and him managed to get relegated to the equivalent of the Third Division….

Throughout all this malarkey, how painful was it to have the rest of my family as Manchester United supporters.

City’s football this year has been inspirational – top scorers and the best defence in the Premier League … what could possibly go wrong?

To bolster morale, I just had to post a track by “uber-supporters” Oasis … ladies and gentlemen, I give you “Slide Away” ..

Err, hang on, that’s not going to work. Oh, bugger.

LP version then a live performance from Glastonbury in 1995 and, finally, a Noel acoustic version!

Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (1976)

Just love this record.

The guitar riff from heaven (based on Am, G, F, G) and lyrics, literally,  to match  ….

I’ve recently realised that practicing the guitar while watching football really really does influence results. For example, I helped Everton come back to draw after being 4-2 at Old Trafford and then, later the same day, masterminded the breakthrough at Wolves for Manchester City. Turns out I also influence European games and I am fully expecting to get the call from Barcelona to take over from Pep (if Chelsea haven’t grabbed me first – sorry Roberto).

Apart from major scales, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” is what I play to change the course of matches ……

Several versions:  firstly, the crowdpleasing MTV version without “the boring bit in the middle”. Then, a genuinely stunning 4-track demo version where you can feel the lads inventing genius. Then a bloated live version of the whole caboodle. Finally, the studio debate about how much cowbell is required …. as Bruce Dickinson observes “I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell ….”

More Cowbell! – watch more funny videos

Bruce Springsteen – Highway 29 (1995)

For some reason, my little “north of England” principles have always felt a litle stretched by “The Boss” – how far can the US experience really relate to Widnes, Liverpool and Rotherham?

But, over the years, I have come to recognise that he has penned some of my all time favourite tracks. Stuff from Born to Run and The River is brilliant but, ultimately, I’ve come to the view that “Highway 29″ from the The Ghost of Tom Joad transcends everything before and after……

Chiming, understated guitar, straightforward lyrics and a perfect denoument …

I slipped on her shoe

She was a perfect size seven

I said “There’s no smokin’ in the store ma’am”

She crossed her legs and then

We made some small talk

That’s where it should have stopped

She slipped me her number

I put it in my pocket

My hand slipped up her skirt

everything slipped my mind

In that little roadhouse

On Highway 29

It was a small town bank

It was a mess

Well I had a gun

You know the rest

Money on the floorboards

Shirt was covered in blood

And she was cryin’

Her and me we headed south

On Highway 29

In a little desert motel

The air was hot and clean

I slept the sleep of the dead

I didn’t dream

I woke in the morning

Washed my face in the sink

We headed into the Sierra Madres

‘Cross the border line

The winter sun

Shot through the black trees

I told myself it was all something in her

But, as we drove, I knew it was something in me

Something that’d been comin’

For a long long time

And something that was here with me now

On Highway 29

The road was filled with broken glass

And gasoline

She wasn’t sayin’ nothin’

It was just a dream

The wind come silent through the windshield

All I could see was snow, and sky and pines

I closed my eyes and I was runnin’

Yeah, I was runnin’ then I was flyin’

David Bowie – China Girl (1983)

Co-written by Bowie and Iggy Pop, the first recorded version of this came out on Iggy’s classic 1977 LP “The Idiot”.

Bowie’s version was one of the stand out singles from 1983′s “Let’s Dance” LP. The LP was produced by Nile Rodgers (of Chic, Sister Sledge, etc fame and also pretty much my favourite guitarist of all time)

Nile Rodgers took the original riff and elevated it into the pop stratosphere. He plays the rhythm guitar on this while Stevie Ray Vaughan is on lead.

The original video and then the longer LP version.

Dire Straits – Romeo and Juliet (1980)

Oh god, what have I done.

All the close followers (you know who you are sir!) of this blog will know that my commitment to the overwhelming genius of the entire LP output of The Fall, the merits of Crispy Ambulance, the Shakespearian qualities of Half Man Half Biscuit and the unimpeachable chutzpah of The Smiths, Rough Trade Records, Factory Records, etc is without parallel.

Nonetheless, I need to explain myself.

I loathed this record when it came out in 1980. How could I avoid doing so? I was 16!

The seminal genius of “Snow” by The Mekons, “Legion” by Theatre of Hate, “Last White Christmas” by Basement 5 were rubbing shoulders with “Closer” by Joy Division, “Sound Affects”  by The Jam. This was commerical tosh of the highest order.

So, I have to blame my sister. It was always on her sodding stereo. It never meant nothing to me. Honest, guv. I’m approaching 50 and I’ve only ever had one Valentine’s card. I’ve learnt to live with disappointment. So, as Jarvis Cocker observed “Why this, why now?”

Simple truth is, I don’t know. Old age. The loss of critical faculties. Being a sucker for a well strummed guitar. Your honour, please bang me up! Living a lie on the outside is more than I can bear.

The original video then some nightmarish, bloated live disaster.

Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes (1972)

Another glam rock classic.

Written by David Bowie for Mott The Hoople (after they turned down Sufragette City …) and released on the “All the Young Dudes” LP in 1972 - produced, inevitably, by Mr Bowie.

Bowie recorded “All the Young Dudes” himself during the Aladdin Sane sessions of 1973 but his version wasn’t released until 20 years later (though a live version appears on  “David Live” from 1974).

Fantastic vocals by Ian Hunter who went on to pen the even better “Roll Away The Stone” a couple of years later.

The studio original then live in Los Angeles from 1973.

Iggy Pop – The Passenger (1977)

Another all time classic – tenuously added to the blog to coincide with David Bowie’s 65th birthday.

“Lust for Life” is one of the greatest LPs of all time and this is one of the reasons why.

Produced by Bowie who also helps out with backing vocals ….

“The Passenger” was never actually released as a single and, instead, appeared as the B-Side to the wonderful “Success” – already posted here on this blog!

The original LP track then an unbelievable live version from Manchester in 1977.

David Bowie – Rebel Rebel (1974)

One of the most perfect records of all time (sic) …. relentlessly cyclical guitar figure, terrace chant lyrics, one of the towering achievements of the human race!

Happy 65th birthday to David Bowie today. As an employee of the Department for Work and Pensions, it is an honour that he can claim our excellent Retirement Pension from today …. alternatively, he might choose to defer to get a higher rate in future …. David, the choice is yours ….

The original, peerless, LP track and then live on German TV in 1978 ….

 

Tricky – Black Steel (Been Caught Steeling Mix) (1995)

Fantastic remix of Tricky’s cover of Public Enemy’s immortal “Black Steel” track that was originally released on their “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” LP in 1988.

Tricky’s original cover version appears on his classic debut LP “Maxinquaye”; this version appeared as one of the extra tracks on the Black Steel single.

For a brief period, Bristol was capital of the musical world with Tricky, Massive Attack, Portishead all releasing essential LPs. Previous posts by Massive Attack and Portishead are here and here.

This version is a long way removed from the typical trip hop shuffle but you just can’t beat an overdriven guitar …