Happy Tuesday! I’m back and ready to accept the challenge, and come up with a brand new Friday Flash Review.
You all know the drill: mt58 randomly selects a genre, category, or some other musical common denominator for you all to think on… and then I talk about the song that you choose.
OK, mt, what’s up for this Friday?
Well… It’s another wide-ranging category! It’s:
“Number One Songs Where The Songwriter Cashes In On a Ridiculous Fad About Running Naked Through The Streets”
Ethel?? Please.
She absolutely looked.
Sorry, Jon. Let’s try that again. How about:
TOP 40 INSTRUMENTAL HITS!… No lyrics… just music!
OK, we have a category!
In the comments below: nominate ONE favorite that you’d like to see in a Flash Review. Definitely chat and reply with each other about the choices, but remember:
The comment with the most upvotes get the nod.
See you Friday!
22
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Suggesting something like “Love’s Theme” or “TSOP” seems pointless when they were done at the mothership. So let’s try something that might not be so universally loved (although, to be honest, I love it): David Foster’s “Love Theme from ‘St. Elmo’s Fire.’”
So difficult to pick one. First thought was the Stax soul stylings of Booker T & The MGs. But then what about the post-rock noise of Mogwai? Or the electronic beats of Chemical Brothers? Or the ambient noodlings of Brian Eno?
So before my head explodes with the options I’m just gonna go with;
Link Wray – Rumble
Good one!!! The only instrumental ever banned from the radio in the U.S. Also Link Wray is a Native American pioneer of rock and roll.
“On Some Faraway Beach” is almost an instrumental. The vocal comes in at the three-minute mark. If it was recorded during his “ambient noodling” period, maybe he would have let the music speak for itself.
As you all might recall, Mr. Deutsch has banned me from placing song nominations for the FFR.
I would never foist my own personal choices upon the group, after having been asked to recuse myself. I’ll sit this one out. Talk amongst yourselves.
I’ll just go back to re-reading my favorite Mary Shelley novel.
My first thought. Mary Shelley for the win.
While this song reached #1, it was pre-Hot 100 and therefore I don’t believe Tom ever wrote a column about it. Plus, it’s Pee Wee Herman approved. (Hopefully the one word spoken won’t disqualify it from contention.)
https://youtu.be/U_JFLb1IItM
If my other nomination is axed for being too wordy, I’ll nominate a different surf guitar legend:
https://youtu.be/mKpsuGMeqHI
Hmmmm… some mighty good suggestions here but I’m sticking with the one that immediately sprang to mind, if yodeling can be considered an instrument. It’s got to be “Hocus Pocus” by Focus.
Of course, if the yodeling disqualifies it, I’ll just go back to re-reading my favorite Mary Shelley novel.
Reading, schmeading. I think I’ll watch some YouTube clips about Eddie Van Halen’s favorite customized gee-tar instead.
My vote is probably going to “Hocus Pocus”, but I’d like to submit “Popcorn” just so I have an excuse to post this clip (I believe it was filmed at the Surfin’ Bird School of Dance).
https://youtu.be/YfdLh0MHqKw
If Popcorn wins JD has to include a new category to review that ‘dance’. Really was quite something. My French isn’t perfect but I believe at the end, the presenter said something along the lines of “you’re fired” to whoever let them on the show. That’s what was going through his mind anyway.
I remember Mr. Breihan’s column….I can’t remember for what song, but “Popcorn” was mentioned and he gave it a 10. I played it. And I remember this clip. “Popcorn” could have been a track off Telex’s Looney Tunes. I wonder if a member of Hot Butter entertained the idea of calling their composition “Popcorn Machine”? And a bandmate responded no, no, no, that’s too Kraftwerk…we’re not Kraftwerk.
Oh yes, that’s actually where I originally saw this clip. I can’t recall which column it was in though (I figured it was one of the early synth #1s like “Pop Muzik” or “Don’t You Want Me”, but nope).
Nah, guys, it’s gotta be “Green Onions.”
Was “Baby Elephants” ever a top 50 hit?
Doesn’t matter, I’d give it a nod.
Let’s get some Faltermeyer involved: either “Axel F” or “Top Gun Anthem”
Gotta pick one song per comment for the tallying to work!
OK: “Axel F” by Harold Faltermeyer, please.
People of TNOCS.com:
Love the discourse, but at the end of the day I will pick the comment with the most likes as *the song* so…. be clear what your choice is and if you want it to win, make your comment attract 👍s!
Cheers!
Ah, I didn’t understand that’s how it works. Sorry, folks, I’m going to have to unlike some of you.
Oh boy… 💩’s getting real round here now!
Frank Mills’ “Music Box Dancer”.
I’d been thinking about this one, too. I look forward to the flash reviews more when it doesn’t seem how obvious it will go (which is why I’m resisting the monster).
I have no explanation. But when I first heard The Cure’s “The Caterpillar”, I thought of it as a rewrite of “Music Box Dancer”, like “Music Box Dancer” on acid. And that’s why I am a fan of “Music Box Dancer”. Too obvious, though, right? It went to #1.
No, it didn’t. Topped out at No. 3 pop. And I think there are a fair number of people who hate it. (I’m not one of them.) That makes it more interesting to me.
The subject of the Lemonheads song?
https://youtu.be/FnsKH_oY1LQ
I have this album. I never made the connection before.
It’s cool how First Aid Kit made Emmylou Harris cry with their tribute song “Emmylou”. I wonder if “I Wish I Was Him” had the same effect on Evan Dando? How could Ben Lee not include that song on Noise Addict’s debut album, Meet the Real You? If Grandpaw Would didn’t precede it, I would have passed.
And who disses Emmylou Harris? I still like Juliana Hatfield, but that was weird.
The movie that made Clint Eastwood a star. A song written by Ennio Morricone. A cover done by the guy who gave us the theme to I Dream of Jeannie. Need I say more? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHfbzoq-grE
OK folks… voting will be coming to a close today, Wednesday, at around 7PM ET. That means about 3.5 hours left from now to make sure the song you want reviewed has the most thumbs’ up!
VOTE like your nation depended on it! Or, at least, your Friday pleasure reading…