Thank You!!

Okay,

back from Turkey and I'm gorgeous golden brown: if you could see me I'm sure you wanted to dance around me!

There are millions of songs about having been away and this is but one of them. A very fine one though, I think:

 

I, Ludicrous - 'My Baby's Got Jet Lag' ('87) (mp3)

The holidays, should you be wondering, were not at all too bad: loads of sun and that's the main thing after months and months of rain down here. Way too many fucking Russians who behaved like swines in the hotel though, which made me think of this tune all the time recently:

 

Attila The Stockbroker - 'Russians In The DHSS' ('82) (mp3)

Coming back to the "45 45's" - series: I was astonished to see the amount of comments which were left within last week and again I have to point out that this sort of thing is what keeps Sexyloser running. So a big kiss and 'thank you' to:


JC: for his very nice post about me last week: you might be right about 'Temptation' having been @ #44, mate. But perhaps I'll do something with my 12" singles in the near future, so just wait and see, okay? And, by the way, we should indeed meet soon. Problem is that you'll need to learn to speak English first, as Scottish is not understandable for me. Then again a few beers might help to solve this problem within the conversation ...

Swiss Adam: for his nice words and also for the fact that he runs one of the four best blogs I know. A bit too much Weatherall for my liking though, but who cares, right?

Brian and The Robster: I think the two of you left the greatest amount of comments within the series, so thanks a lot for following it all the way through so intensely. And, Robster, thanks for your Welsh congratulations: highly appreciated!

Luca: I already thought of of the the "78 78's" - thingy as well, but a) my record player won't play that fast and b) my collection of 78's currently counts zero items. But, as I said, I'm contemplating to give my 12"'s a spin in one form or another. And: Italy, apart from France and the UK, is my key market at work, and I found out over the years that all Italians are somewhat morons, providing they or their relatives work in the paper industry. They do my head in every fucking day. So I won't go there under no circumstances whatsoever, sorry! At least I don't think I ever will ...

Charity Chic, DvD, & Drew: nice comments all the way through!

Walter: loads of comments as well plus, I think, the only German who tends to read Sexyloser. Your blog is fantastic, by the way!

George: who commented frequently as well: I was happy to see that you were so fond of the Pete Best Beatles and Terry & Gerry!

Lee Thacker: who said that "I'm sure that Peelie would approve": now this just has to be the best compliment that can be made, isn't it?

Anonymous: for tons of nice comments, albeit rather unrelated to the series, about the merits of Ice Machines, Wordpress, Viagra and penis enlargement: I'll think one of those days I'll come back to you and demand more details about the latter, promised!

This is for all of you, friends:

Laurel Aitken and The Pressure Tenants - 'I Love You, Yes I Do' ('90) (mp3)

Take good care,

Dirk

"45 45's until I'm 45" (#45/45)

Gooooood morning friends,


so ... we finally made it, didn't we? June 11th today, which means that:

- I'll currently be embrowning my cute little ass in the Turkish sun and you'll all be jealous!
- I'll be considerably drunk in a few hours because it's my birthday today, so: Happy Birthday to me!
- I'll be able to tell you what - in my eyes - is the best record in the history of the whole world ever!

Your number forty-five, friends. Enjoy:

The Clash - '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais' (mp3)

CBS - S CBS 6383 (1978)

A predictable choice, ey? I'm sure you knew it all along .... then again this record really has stood the test of time, in fact it's as up to date today as it was back in 1978. Perhaps this is why it's hanging on my office room wall: all four versions, in their pink, yellow, blue and green sleeves, framed. And each and every morning when I get up I look at them with pride .... which probably shows you what a twerp I am. Aaaaanyway ....

I do hope you enjoyed this "45 45's until I'm 45" - series ... I certainly did. But most of all I enjoyed the views you shared in your comments, highly appreciated ... and this is what keeps this blog running in one form or another. So a big kiss to all of you who left a few lines!

See ya soon/take care,

Dirk

PS: next up: "12 12"'s until Little Loser (now 4) is 12" perhaps .... which is a manageable challenge, I would think ...

"45 45's until I'm 45" (#44/45)

Good morning friends,

today's choice, the penultimate one, as perfect as it is, is a bit of a puzzle when it comes to release dates and thus those need some explanation:

- it first came out as a CD on Shiny Beast Recordings in 2002
- next release, again a CD, was on Double Dragon Music in 2004
- then a promo CD came out on Warner Bros. Records in 2005
- finally a CD was released in 2006, again on Warner Bros.

And with this CD a 7" came along, which, obviously, is the version you'll get to hear. One of the finest moments in recorded history and that's a fact!

Your number forty-four, people. Enjoy:

The Crimea - 'Lottery Winners On Acid' (mp3)

Warner Bros. Records - W698 (2006)

A mighty record! I will never get tired of listening to it and liking it as much as I did the first time I heard it.

Hope to see you in two days' time when the final choice will be presented: any ideas already?

Take good care,

Dirk

"45 45's until I'm 45" (#43/45)

Good morning friends,

admittedly I stole the following from somewhere else, but I think it describes today's record perfectly well:

'We Hate The Kids’ is The Indelicates’ attempt to write no less than an anthem for our times. They cast their eyes over the state of popular music and find it sadly lacking. It’s a song for a time where Simon Cowell unashamedly reduces Pop to a pure commodity, a time where things like passion, depth and integrity are entirely expendable. It slowly builds to the point of bursting while Simon and Julia spit out lines steeped in venom. I would say they have succeeded, this is the definition of an anthem.

Well, I'm all for that, I must say. This is a song which needs to be listened closely to, therefore this time I'll add the lyrics to what is your number forty-three, friends. Turn this up good and loud and enjoy:

 

The Indelicates - 'We Hate The Kids' (mp3)

Sad Gnome Records - SG0601 (2006)

 

Every generation gets fooled again
And every generation is to blame
And its no good saying its not in your name
'cause it is in your name
And this generation is the same
And this generation is to blame
And I'm sorry that I can't join in any more
But I've been let down too many times before
Oh yeah we mean it
We hate the kids
So dance dance dance to the radio tonight

I wanted to believe in rock'n'roll stars
I wanted to believe in contemporary art
I wanted to aspire to a higher path
But there's no higher path
It was ever thus, and it was ever you
And it's ever us because we'll do it too
And we're sorry to the all the disinherited meek, and
We're sorry for this con-trick that we play on the people
Oh yeah we mean it
We hate the kids
So dance dance dance to the radio tonight

And nobody ever comes alive
And the journalists clamour round glamour like flies
And boys who should know better grin and get high
With fat men who once met the MC5
And no one discusses what they don't understand
And no one does anything to harm the brand
And this gift is an illusion, this isn't hard
Absolutely anyone can play the fucking guitar
Oh yeah we mean it
We hate the kids
Useless children genuflecting
To the idols who exploit them
Open mouthed and arsed expecting
Some god to anoint them
Dance Dance Dance to this radio tonight

And there's always a monk to get set on fire
And there's always a crackhead charismatic liar
And there's always a depth to which you can aspire
And there's always a teenager due to expire
Pop had a beginning, it grew and was tended
Now it is rotten. Let it be ended.
Let every hopeless case that every drummer befriended,
Every seven-inch that every student intended
Every groupie and ligger and identity seeker
Every druggy and drinker and every loudspeaker
Be done with, be piled up, tossed, set alight
No more music, thank you, goodnight.

 

 

What a masterpiece. Oh god, I do love this song!!

 

Take care,

 

Dirk

 

 

 

 

"45 45's until I'm 45" (#42/45)

Good morning loveys,

another classic for you today, which, I'm sure, you all know by heart and love without reservation.

There ain't many songs whith lyrics as disturbing and frightening as this one, I always thought. What I didn't know so far is that I'm not alone in thinking so, in fact there are people who are even more disturbed than I am ....as this thread shows:

I heard 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight' by The Jam for the first time in years the other day, and was horrified to find that I could sing along to all the lyrics. It also occured to me for the first time ever that if our narrator IS down in the tube station at midnight, isn't it a bit strange for his wife to be "lining up the cutlery, polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork" at that late hour?
-- Andrew L (andrewlittlefiel...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Also why on earth has he decided to go to a pub a half hour away from the tube? -- Tom (ebro...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Also why on earth has he decided to go to a pub a half hour away from the tube? Not really, he could have been meeting friends in south east London. -- N. (nickdastoo...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Also why on earth has he decided to go to a pub a half hour away from the tube? Because he is Paul Weller = because he is a thicko. -- Nicole (ndwillet...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Is it possible he is at the destination station, rather than the embarking one, as Tom assumes? The only thing that makes me think not is that he's faffing around buying plums in vending machines, which he surely wouldn't be doing if he was almost home and worrried about his curry going cold. -- N. (nickdastoo...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM. Did tube stations at any point have plum vending machines? -- Tom (ebro...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.I don't know. This part puzzles me. -- N. (nickdastoo...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.it would have been even longer than half an hour too. back in the day were not last orders EVEN EARLIER! -- Alan Trewartha (alantrewarth...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Maybe he did that thing where you fall asleep on the tube and end up going all the way to the end of the line and then have to come back again? I of course have never done this but know people who have snoozed past Finsbury Park, ended up in Walthamstow and gone bouncing backwards and forwards on the Victoria line for much of the night. -- Emma (emmaluvscak...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Hang on a minute. I've just realised that at no point in the song does he even say he has been to the pub. Tom has just projected his own life onto Weller's protagonist. He's probably just been working really late at the office. No, hang on, this is the 1970s and that kind of thing didn't happen. OK, he's been shagging his secretary in some grotty hotel room. -- N. (nickdastoo...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.Now you are projecting YOUR life onto the song, N.. -- Edna Welthorpe, Mrs (edna_welthorp...), February 1st, 2002 1:00 AM.

isn't it a bit strange for his wife to be "lining up the cutlery, polishing the glasses and pulling out the cork" at that late hour?

The only plausible reason I can think of for this is that the narrator is an observant Jew and he's heading home for Shabbat dinner (which doesn't start until after sundown, which would place this scenario around early summer). That would explain the wine as well...but still, that would place dinner no later than 9:30 pm or so. (It would have to be Kosher curry takeaway in this scenario.)― mike a, Thursday, 2 September 2004 19:25 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Also, the lyrics never say it's bubbly. The wife could be pulling the cork off some cheap jug for all we know. Maybe that works better with the curry, I'm no culinary expert.― ccconor, Thursday, 2 September 2004 19:25 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

It could be fizzy wine? Perhaps a sparkiling shiraz?

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:15 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Mike - microwave?? This is the 70s. They were largely the preserve of the catering industry at that time, in the UK at least. Also, the lyrics never say it's bubbly. One would assume it was once from the line "The wine will be flat and the curry's gone cold". I suppose he could just be generally moaning that his wife will have bought unsparkling wine again.― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:39 (8 years ago) Permalink
and cold curries. That would be a raita and... what other cold curries are there?

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:43 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

the curry's cold because it's been lying next to his unconscious body since midnight.― sexyDancer, Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:50 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

It's a fucking riduculous idea to be taking home curries on the Tube anyway. Hasn't he seen those signs about no smelly food?― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:57 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Maybe that's why he got beat down.― sexyDancer, Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:57 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Hang on - I suddenly understand the whole thing! He hasn't been on a tube at all - he's just popped out for a take away and used the underground station subway as a short cut. That's why it's only a distant echo of trains. ― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 20:59 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Maybe the plum is on a fruit machine. But then what tube stations have fruit machines?― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

OK, that explains everything except the plum vending mystery.― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

I don't know. It was the 70s. Things were weird.― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:01 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

The curry would've got cold long before he arrived home. This is midnight in London! I hope they have a microwave. Not that it matters now.― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:06 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

There's no sodding microwave. Why won't you listen to me? I'm bored with this whole stupid thing.― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:07 (8 years ago) Permalink
 

Could have been worse - he could have been attempting to unobtrusively chaperone a fish supper onto the night bus.
― Neil Willett (Neil Willett), Thursday, 2 September 2004 21:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

The above are just excerpts, reading the whole thread made my day, believe me!

But enough of that, here's one of the finest songs of our time, your number forty-two, friends. Enjoy:

 

The Jam - 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight' (mp3)

Polydor - POSP 8 (1978)

Cheers,

Dirk

"45 45's until I'm 45" (#41/45)

Good morning friends,

yes, you finally made it all the way through, because today's the start of your Top Five in our nice little rundown. 'Thank God this nonsense is over soon', I hear you say .... but do I care? No, not at all!

Again a record which doesn't need much of an explanation, for a very long time it was my all time favourite. This has changed by now, then again it still is a total classic and every song on the (four track) single is a winner.

Your number forty-one, you lot: enjoy!

 

The Undertones - 'Teenage Kicks' (mp3)

Good Vibrations Records - GOT 4 (1978)

 

White wraparound sleeve and by and large still in pristine condition: a much treasured item, as I say, and I can well imagine that it might be worth a few quid these days ....

 

Have fun,

 

Dirk

 

PS: Would be interesting to know whether you prefer the original above or the cover version we had @ #25 .... comments anyone?