Song 171 - Man on the Moon by R.E.M.

Having quickly placed one of their song into the jukebox on Friday, I wanted to come back to R.E.M, as they deserve more than a fleeting mention. Song choice from them today is Man on the Moon, which was their second single from their 1992 Album Automatic for the People. The lyrics of the song are a tribute to Andy Kaufman, the American Actor and Entertainer that died in 1984, with the chrous playing up to the moon-landing conspiracy which was mirroring the idea the Kaufman's death had been a hoax.  The lyrics makes reference to the career of Kaufman including his famous Elvis impersonation.

 The lyrics were written by R.E.M's front man Michael Stipe, with the melody written by Bill Berry and Peter Buck and for me it is a beautiful song.  R.E.M, first came into my life when I was in high school and was one of those bands that I religiously taped off the Top Forty on a Sunday night. I was out with friends at the weekend and we were reflecting that the youth of today don't know the fun of taping music off the radio and trying desperately not to get the voice of the DJ onto your mixed tape. Although I think with the Top 40, I would always be called for tea before the end of Top 40 so I would have to keep the tape running.

Formed in 1980, R.E.M.'s music spans 30 years up until the band's split in 2011. Automatic for the People was one of two of their most commercially successful albums, with Out of Time being released two years after. For me, they were a stable diet of high school years and music camps adventures. I will always remember that they played Murrayfield in Edinburgh just after I had finished high school. A concert, which alas, I missed, but I remember that it became a significant event in meeting two of my best friends from University as we all discussed R.E.M. on the first day of our course. They both are more dedicated fans of R.E.M. than me so hopefully I will have got my facts right today and they had huge posters of Michael Stipe on their bedrooms wall.

The song itself was a critical success reaching number 18 in the chart, and going on to be the main song on the soundtrack of the film about Andy Kaufman starring Jim Carey. Described by the New York Times as "Shining with a wit that balances R.E.M. more somber tendencies",  it speaks to the girl inside of me that always wanted to travel around space and go to the moon. Reach for the stars has always been one of my beliefs.

Have a listen and see if you believe what the New York Times reporter said:
R.E.M's Man in the moon

Written by R.E.M
Released: 1992
Album: Automaticc for the People

Song 170 - Two songs for this mind blowing day

Don't really believe that I am currently in the world, I was in yesterday after hearing the results of our vote on staying in the UK, but it has made me think of three songs that describe some of the comments I have seen on Facebook today. Both songs are from bands that I really respect. Sorry music followers, but I was rudely awoken this morning with the news that the UK is leaving the EU. Not what I wanted and not what I would have imagined today to be like.

It is the end of the world as we know it by REM

Mad World by Gary Jules

Back to normal tomorrow

Song 169 - Hernando's Hideaway by the Johnston Brothers

Lets have a Thursday Tango as the UK goes to the polls to decide on whether we leave the EU or not. Talking about politics is not my thing, all I'll say is make sure you vote. Anyway today's song is a cracking 1950s hit that was written by Richard Adler and Jerry  Ross for the musical, The Pajama Game. It was originally recorded and performed by Carol Haney, in the musical,  but I have chosen to put the Johnston Brothers' version into the jukebox as it is the one I know from the film Snatch.

Together with the unforgettable rhythm of the tune, the lyrics to Hernando's Hideaway are ones of friendships and being part of an exclusive club that only certain people can get into if they know the password. Another song from my writing mix, but this one is more upbeat and appeals to the idea that when you are sitting in front of the keyboard with a blank screen and your own creativity, there is no limitation to where you can take an idea. Writing is one of the most mind expanding things you can do as there is no one to tell you what is right or wrong. Okay, the pieces of work that you might want to get published one day should be more tailored for an audience, but if you are writing for yourself you can explore and do anything and at the end of the day, it can be easily deleted without any harm to anybody else.

In the musical, which is set in Iowa, Hernando's Hideaway is a raunchy dive in East Dubuque, Illinois, perching on a high cliff overlooking the highway between Dubuque and Galena. Since the musica was released there has been many place named Hernando's Hideaway, possibility because of the popularity of the song. One of the most interested places that was called Hernando's Hideaway was the smoking room in the House of Common, often quoted as a place of varied people and great debate.

When the Johnston Brothers released their version of Hernando's Hideway in November 1955, it went straight to number one, keeping the American version off the top of the UK chart. The Johnston Brothers were a vocal group formed by Johnny Johnston in the late 1940s, and although many of you may not know his name, I can bet (if you are of a similar age to me), you will know his work. How this you ask? In 1956, Johnston formed a jingle company and went on to produce hundred of famous jingles for television advertising including: A million housewives every day pick up a can of beans and say - Beanz Meanz Heinz. He also created the jingle for the first colour TV ad Bird Eye had on UK Television,

Anyway enjoy the song and have a dance.
Hernando's Hideaway

What does Beanz means?
Beanz meanz Heinz

Written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Recorded by Johnston Brothers, 1955

Song 168 - In my place by Coldplay

It would be shocking for a music blogger to omit to mention one of the biggest summer festivals is starting today at  Glastonbury. So far,  I have never had the chance to go but who knows what will happen in the future?  However, for those who read yesterday's blog, I am doing my own anthems in the jukebox so my challenge was to find a song today which fitted both and I have come up with the 2002 Coldplay song In My Place and it speaks volumes to me as it was released when I turned 25, I had just become an Auntie for the first time and I was totally consumed by my writing. I look back then and think how did I found the time but I think more importantly the question for me is making the time now-a-days.

In My Place was the first single off Coldplay's 2nd Album A rush of blood to the head and it reached number 2 in the UK chart when it was released in August 2002. The lyrics speak to me like yesterday's song spoke as, for me, it is about being comfortable in your own skin and letting things play out in a natural way. I remembering drink tones of coffee with a friend listening to this song musing about the future. I think he even gave me the CD single of this tune for my trip to Paris (first time in an airplane at 25!)  I know when I started writing my book, Coldplay was one of the band I would have playing in the background. I think it is fair to say that In my place is the anthem of 25 year old Julia.

Written by all four of the band members collaboratively, the track is built around thumping drums and chiming guitars. The song would win the Best Rock Performance at the 45th Grammy awards the following year. The band are performing at the Pyramid and for everyone who gets to see them this weekend, enjoy. If like me, your Glastonbury experience is going to be through either radio or tv, enjoy this live performance from Coldplay from 2011.

In my place by Coldplay

Written by: Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland & Will Champion
Album: A rush of blood to the head
Released: August 2002.

Song 167 - Beautiful Freak by the Eels

Last week I was privilege to read a friend's blog, which was beautiful and very honest about what was happening in her life and it made me think about the jukebox and where to take the next set of songs that I put into the jukebox. Then it came to me after a weekend of feeling sorry for myself having caught my husband's cold, and spending 48 hours curled up on the sofa,binge watching television: I should put in music that speaks to me and almost acts like an anthem for my life; so for the next short period, I am sharing some personal anthems. After having this thought; I did immediately followed it up with 'but if this was a jukebox would you want slower songs?' but in my cool music club that I would have; I would definitely have about three different rooms where one would, of course, be dedicated to the Beatles, one would be disco beats of each decade and the third would be a more chilled beat; where some of the choices would appear. There would probably be a fourth room of the super cool music but lets stop at three, before I turn the Empire State building into a disco tech. Could you image that 100+ floors of music? Legendary (yes I have been binge watching How I met your mother).

Anyway enough about the weekend of colds, the choice for the Jukebox today is the lovely song from the Eels, Beautiful Freak, which was released as a single from their debut album of the same name. Released as the last single of the album after hits like Susan's House, it peaked at number 10 on the UK single chart in February 1997. Written by Mark Oliver Everett, the lead singer of the band, the lyrics, are haunting love song trying to get their muse to accept themselves for who they are - I don't know whether this is what Everett meant by the lyrics but this is how I have taken them. When I listen to this song, it immediately takes me into the head of my main character of the book (that I have been writing/editing for the last 100 years) and this is very much her theme tune. She is struggling to embrace who she is and therefore the characters around her spend a lot of their time trying to make her see that who she is is actually what they need.

Now, I know some of the people who are reading this and will probably be thinking, but you are the main character of your own book so what you've said - do you mean it about yourself?  No I don't, honesty, I really don't because  I am comfortable in my own skin (perhaps a little bit too comfortable as I could do with losing a few pounds) but although there is a lot of things I would like to change or do with my life, changing who I am, isn't one of them because one of the biggest lessons in life is accepting yourself for who you are. Now that may not change how society views you or the perceptions that people have of you, but it does help you change things for yourself if make changes for positive effects. Stay happy within yourself and then anything is possible.

If you know this song, you are probably think, but this song isn't happy; but for me when I listen to it, it helps me to remember what I've said in the paragraph above and helps me remember who I am and what I believe in. That's a lot from one song, but trust the writer to over think it. The song is a lot less complicated.

Hear it here: Beautiful Freak by the Eels

There will be more from the Eels later in the week.

Song 166 - You're never fully dressed without a smile from Annie

Today would have been my mum's 66th birthday so the music blog today is going to be very simple and feature You're never fully dressed without a smile taken from the film Annie as all she would have wanted for everyone that knew her was happiness.

Written by Charles Strouse and Martin Charin, the kids from the orphanage reprise this song after hearing it being played on the radio after there is an appeal for Annie's parents to come forward. When the film of Annie was released in 1982, I always remember this number from the original film and the kids singing their hearts out. I also think that my sister and I used to sing this at each other when we were growing up. Happy memories and I whatever today brings I will smile.

Enjoy today's song: You're never fully dress without a smile

Song 165 - Maggie May by Rod Stewart

Arise Sir Rod! With the 90th Queen's birthday honours list being announced yesterday, the news that Rod Stewart had been knighted for services to music made me really happy; and for me Maggie May is the iconic hit that I always think of when I think about Rob, as well as one of my oldest friends, who has always been one of the biggest Rod Stewart's fans that could possible be.

Written in 1971 by Stewart and Martin Quittenton, Maggie May was originally the B side to the single Reason to Believe  until many radio stations in the USA started to play the B side instead of the intended single. Promoters weren't fools and they reversed the single; allowing Maggie May to be released  as a single in October; where it reached number 1 in the charts of both the UK and the US. A feet that has only been achieved by a number of bands including The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel. The song would remain at the top of the UK chart for six weeks and was voted as one of 500 Greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004.

In an interview with Q magazine, Stewart confirmed that the song was written about his first encounter with a woman at a jazz festival in 1961, and the lyrics reflects the conflicting emotions of a 16 year old boy's feeling towards his older lover. Interestingly enough the name Maggie May comes from an old Liverpool Folk song about a prostitute who robbed a sailor at the docks, the folk song is known right around the world and The Beatles did their own version of it on their last studio album Let it be in 1970. (Honestly, I don't plan all these Beatles references.)

Maggie May comes from Rod Stewart's third solo Album Every Picture Tells a Story, also release in 1971. The album gained critic success when it was first released and had stayed one of the most important albums of his career. Featuring a mixture of rock, blues, country, solo and pop, the album took the number 1 slot in both the UK and the US. As well as the single Maggie May, Rod also included covers of That all right (Mamma) (The first single that Elvis released) and Tomorrow is a long time (Bob Dylan) and shows the range of Rod's voice.

With a career that dates back to 1961, it is perhaps no surprise that he has been knighted for his services to music. I recently caught up with my friend, the Rod Stewart fan, who had just purchased a vintage record player and is currently building up a record collection of vintage Rod Stewart's album, and we muse at the success of this music legend, and his ability to develop his style of music to fit the age of his voice, and having sold over 100 million records worldwide, whatever his formula is, it is obviously working.

When I heard the news of the knighthood, I thought back a moment of madness, we had as  children, when my friend asked our local record store if she could have the promotional material they had used to for the new Rod Stewart album and after they agreed taken it back to her bedroom so she could proudly hang it from her celling (I think it was a cupboard spanner). We all thought she was a bit bonkers with her loyalty to Rod Stewart back then, but I think now, she had an appreciation for a music icon that we stupidly didn't get. I should have realised sooner that there was something in her choice of music especially as, for her, Rod supports the wrong Scottish football team.

Enjoy Saturday's choice of music:
Maggie May by Sir Rod Stewart

Written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton
Released: October 1971
Album: Every Picture tells a Story

Song 164 - Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

Friday's album of the week is one of the birthday presents I received this week and I am very happy to eventually owned this album. Pet Sounds is the 11th Studio album of the Beach Boys, released in May 1966 and is one of the most influential albums of the 1960s. Written and produced by Brian Wilson, who had taken a break from touring to fulfill his dream of producing the greatest rock album even written. Wilson's drive for creating this album came from listening to Rubber Soul by the Beatles, as he felt the Beatles had achieved in creating a collection of songs that flowed together as a collection of songs in a way previous albums of the decade hadn't. Funnily enough, Pet Sounds would be one of the influences on The Beatles writing St. Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band so it is all swings and roundabouts in the world of pop.

Moving away from their early songs of American teen life through their normal rock-pop sound, many cite Pet Sounds as a concept album, which is something that is debated even now to whether this is a far label for it. There is a great debate on whether it is a psychedelic rock or an acid rock or even progressive rock. Regardless of what labels you wish to give it, Wilson achieved what he hoped as the album has now been around for 50 years and is still a very important of album of our times. Originally, Wilson wanted to keep its relevant for 10 years! Through the production of the songs into one album, there is an innovative soundscape of pop, jazz, classical, exotica, and avant garde music.

In fact it is the production of this record which takes it to another level as Wilson combine conventional rock set-ups with various exotic instruments, producing new sounds with a rich texture reminiscent of symphonic works layered underneath meticulous vocal harmonics. Instruments that had never been associated with the rock music, like cellos, trombones and bongos, were used to help the style of the album.

The initial release and reception of the album was mixed. It reached number 10 in the US album chart and number 2 in the UK album chart in 1966,  which was really disheartening for Wilson who poured himself into the album. 2 months later, the album would be further overshadowed by Revolver and it achievement in music and recognition took longer than Wilson would have liked, but hopefully he knows that the Beach Boys produced one of the most important albums of the 1960s.

Listen to Pets Sounds


Written by: The Beach Boys
Released: 1966

Song 163 - Birthday by the Beatles

It might be an obvious song for me today but this song is relevant to somebody every day of the year, and if you have ever created a birthday mega mix for a friend, this was a great opening track.
Written, of course, by John Lennon and Paul McCartney it was the first song on the third side of their double album, The Beatles, which is more commonly known as the White Album. The White Album was recorded on the 18 September 1968 during a recording session and sees a return to traditional rock and roll style of the early Beatles' music. An interesting fact about this track was credited equally between John and Paul, at a time when, individually, they were all moving in their own musical direction. There has been some debate on whether this is true.

Birthday was never released as a single for the band; but would eventually be released by Paul McCartney as a live track in 1990 and it reached number 29 in the UK chart. Birthday is probably one of the more minor tracks of the Album, which includes tracks like Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, Julia, Blackbird, Honey Pie, and I will.  The list is endless. The White Album was the 9th studio album released by the Beatles in 1968, which followed Sgt. Pepper's Loney Hearts Club Band. The album shows the development of all four member of the band as individual musicians who were beginning to break away from each other. When you look at the album's credits names like Eric Clapton, Pattie Harrison, Mal Evans, Yoko Uno and Maureen Starky, you can see why sometimes the studio seemed very full when they were they were recording between May and November 1968. Most of the songs were written in India and you can hear its influence especially in George Harrison's music.

I remember, for a very long time, I didn't have this album on CD due to the expense and then I was given it for my birthday by my sister and brother-in-law as I had been apparently dropping hints about owning it, but I wasn't aware that I had been doing this.  Then friends of mine gave me a book all about the the album, which is just a perfect companion to the album. I think I now have three copies of the albums, both in Mono and Stereo. If you have the chance to listen to this album do as this it is a remarkable piece of art; but I will bet that you'll know songs from the album without even listening to it.

Listen to the Birthday track here

Cheers to everyone who has a birthday today.