Song 148 - Elephant Stone - The Stone Roses

I feel I should be in my school uniform whilst writing this as this song reminds me of high school and pretending that I didn't like the Stone Roses just to get a reaction from some boy that I used to fancy! Out of all the Stones Roses' hits I have chosen this one for two reasons. Elephant Stone was on a compilation tape that my sister made (and I nicked! Sorry sis, I still have the tape if you want it back) and I fell in love with the song before knowing who was singing it. And two, it allows me to talk mention one of my favourite animals in my music blog!!

Okay, lets move on before I start talking trunks, if you read yesterday's blog closely you would have heard me mention Madchester scene and Stone Roses have to be the biggest band to come out of Manchester at this time. Elephant Stone was first released in 1988 and didn't chart, however, in 1990 after their debut album was release, it was re-released and reached number 8 in the charts. When asked what Elephant Stone was about, John Squires muted it may have been about a girl he once known. If you listen to the track carefully you can hear the incorporation of dance beat into the tune. Released as a standalone single in the UK, it is one of my favourite tracks the band ever recorded.

When their debut album The Stone Roses was released, it is fair to say the album was a slow burner with consumers and critics in the UK, with the exception of NME and Melody Maker, who were heavily involved with the Madchester scene. However, they say that the longer the burn the greater the heat and respect people build for music which is true about this album. Within the industry the talents of the band and the album is a testament to the fusion of rock and dance music  inspired by the late 1980s. Some would say it is one of the most important albums of all time as it capture a period of music and transitions the music scene of Manchester from bands from The Smiths to Oasis in the 1990s.

Whilst I will leave you to decide whether Stone Roses fits in your music taste; have a dance with elephant:

Elephant Stone by The Stone Roses

Written by Ian Brown and John Squires
Released: 1989, 1990
Album: N/A - it was a standalone single.

Song 142 - Common People by Pulp

I will make no apologies for putting all these brilliant songs in the jukebox because I know half of you who are reading the blog will  be dancing around to these tracks. Common People is magical and if you aren't bopping around dancing to this song within the first few lines of this song, never come dancing with me.

Whilst Britpop brought out the rivalry between Oasis and Blur, Javis Cocker, together with his band, Pulp seemed to bring their own style to the 1990s. Surprisingly for me (and I am learning about music as I am writing this blog), Common People was their lead single from their 5th album, A Different Class.  Now I went to university with someone who hated the commercial success of bands like The Verve as I think he thought the bands lost their edge, I wonder if he felt that way about this song.

I don't really have to explain that the song is about class tourism as the lyrics speak for themselves and Pulp captured the concept perfectly in their lyrics. Cocker came up with the original tune on a small MT 500 keyboard that he had and received mixed reviews from his band member when he played it them. However, Pulp's keyboardist Candida Doyle praised Cocker for the tune's simplicity and could see that there was potentially for the tune to make a powerful song, with the right lyrics, which were then written by Cocker afterwards. Debuting it at the Reading Festival in August 1994, Pulp started to realise that they had written something that could turn into an anthem.

With this knowledge they recorded the track in over a fortnight at The Town House in London, using all 48 tracks of the recording studio to try out different ideas with their song. It is amazing that they managed to kept the final single version down to 4 minutes. The single was released in May 1995 and peaked at number 2 in the UK charts and with its success, created one of the most iconic songs of the Britpop era.

It is said that Common People moved away from the rose-tinted glasses of the working class lifestyle that had been used by other Britpop bands and appeared on numerous compilation albums  since its released. One of the most famous covers of the songs was by William Shanter in 2004. When Cocker heard that Captain Kirk was covering the song he was thrilled as he was a big Star Trek fan as a lad.

To hear Common People

Common people by Pulp

Written by Pulp
Released May 1995
Album A Different Class

Song 141 - Definitely Maybe by Oasis

For a bank holiday weekend, you need a good Britpop album to get yourself through the traffic and although there were plenty to choose from Definitely Maybe by Oasis stood out ahead of the crowd in my head.  Released at the end of August 1994, it went straight to number one in the UK album chart gaining commercial and critical success from the music industry. It was the fastest selling album at the point of release; outstripping the success of Suede! and held onto that record until 2006, when the Arctic Monkey released their album. On the point of the 20th year anniversary of its release, the album has sold about 15 million copies.

Containing their four hit singles; Shakemaker, Live forever, Cigarattes & Alcohol and Supersonic, for me it is the last track of the album that has stayed in my head for the last 22 years which is Married with Children. Whether it is gritty guitar solo at the beginning, the straight forward lyrics or whether it reminded me of someone, it somehow became one of my favourite Oasis songs. I think I rebelled a bit when I moved to university!

Together with Blur's Parklife, Definitely Maybe helped spur a revitalisation in British pop music in the 1990s. Praised by critics for its optimistic themes and supposed rebuttal of the downtrodden fatalism that could be heard in grunge music; it is fair to say the success of the album was down to Liam's delivery of his brother Noel's fantastic lyrics.

Originally called Rain, Oasis started on the music scene in 1991 and signed a record deal in 1993. It is fair to say that their first two singles off the album didn't really spark much interest with the British public; however when their third single  Live Forever, was released at  the start of August just before the album; the world woke up to the music of Oasis and they received their first top ten single in the UK and the USA. The inspiration for the song, Noel claimed, was a stance against some of the lyrics Kurt Cobain was producing.

Perhaps my appreciation for Oasis come from them drawing influence from groups like the Beatles and the Stone Roses. You don't have to look any further than the cover for Live Forever to see the influence of John Lennon as they used his childhood home as the cover for the single.   Whilst some may say about Oasis that their music is shite and keeps them up all night, their music and influence during the Britpop era will Live forever.

To hear the album:
Oasis' Definitely Maybe

Performed by Oasis
Written by Noel Gallagher
Released: 1994.

Song 139 - Wonderwall by Oasis

It would be a sin to have a section on Britpop and not mention Oasis. The repudiation and headlines surrounding the Gallagher Brothers maybe bigger than their back catalogue but don't let that cloud the memories of how big Oasis was and how influential their music was (and still is) for a generation. When thinking about what should be the first song by Oasis into the jukebox and, for me,  it has to be Wonderwall.

Released at the end of October 1995, it reached number 2 in the UK chart and remains one of their best known songs. Written by Noel Gallagher, the song is said to be about an imaginary friend who comes and save you from yourself; although at the time of release everyone thought it was about Meg Matthews, his first wife. 

Taken from their second album, (What's the story) Morning Glory, Liam sang lead vocal on this, their third single from the album, the song went on to be the 10th best selling single of  1995 and one of the most covered songs by other bands. It would be wrong not to mention the The Mike Flowers Pops version that was released two months after the original version. Also reaching number two in the charts, it sparks some doubt in the uneducated minds to who had actually written the track, much to the amusement of Oasis.  

Another version of the song I discovered a couple of years ago is Marrick Sabre's Version. Bringing a reggae beat to the song; it had me dancing around the flat although could be better than the the original.

To be taken back to 1995; listen here:
Wonderwall by Oasis

The covers -

Wonderwall, performed by The Mike Flowers Pops
Wonderwall (BBC Live Version), performed by Maverick Sabre

Written by: Noel Gallagher
Released: October 1995
Album: (What's the story) Morning Glory.

Song 138 - Country House by Blur

I seem to be deep in the heart of 90s music at the moment and reliving the songs of my student life, however,   I cannot do this properly without talking about Britpop and bands like Suede, Blur and  Oasis.

Britpop is, in truth, a marketing terms to describe a subgenre of pop and alternative rock, that orginated in the UK in the 1990s. It was British bands reaction to the grunge music coming out of the USA . The Jukebox will get to grunge and Nirvana promise.  With its origins coming out of the indie scene of the 1980s, Britpop emerged with an association of Cool Britannia which evoked the swinging sixties and the British pop guitar music of that decade.

For me, the soundtrack of Britpop evokes memories of student life in Edinburgh and dancing the night away at the Citrus Club in Edinburgh. The Citrus Club is still there (although my clubbing days are long over),  and, in my day, had a unique smell of fags and alcohol that followed you home after a Saturday night dancing that would no longer apply now the smoking ban is in place (which is probably a good thing).

I think to start our journey of Britpop, I am going to start with Country House by Blur as this song bounces energy and happiness. Released as the lead single from their fourth album, The Great Escape, Country House became the band's first number  one, beating their rivals Oasis to the top spot in the UK chart. There is much written about the rivalry between the two bands, and it is said that Blur deliberately changed the release date of Country House to ensure that they would go head to head with Oasis's Roll with it. Oasis though would reach number 1 in the album charts keeping The Great Escape off the top of the charts so like everything in life it is swings and roundabouts.

Originally called Seymour, the band consisted of childhood friends Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree. In November 1989, Food Records heard Seymour play and were keen to signed them but wanted them to change their name and by March the next year  they had a new record deal and the new name of Blur. Their first breakout hit was There's no other way in 1991, started their road to become one of the most popular bands of the 1990s. All four members of the bands were involved with writing the music for Country House, with Albarn also contributing the lyrics.

It doesn't take a genius to know what this song is about and I think the band was inspired by one of the managers of their record label buying a house in the country; and used famous celebrities like Keith Allen and Matt Lucas in the video. The video was directed by Damien Hirst, who had been at university with some of the group; and  the video pays homage to Benny Hill and Queen in its direction.

To enjoy the song and video
Country House by Blur

Written by Blur
Released: August 1995
Album: The Great Escape