In my close to half century of listening to music there are two sequences of notes that – from the very first time I heard them – affected me so deeply that I can only presume they speak directly to whatever twisted and shriveled thing within me that passes for a soul.
The first may be found in a number of tracks by the British music/art/prankster duo of Jimmy Cauty and Bill Drummond, known by a variety of names such as the JAMs, the KLF, K2 Plant Hire and the Timelords. A pattern of seven notes, played twice, repeated in several keys baroque style, I first heard it in Last Train to Trancentral (Live from the Lost Continent) from the album The White Roomat 2:13.
It had appeared earlier however on the Chill Out album in the ancestral version of Last Train, Wichita Lineman Was a Song I Once Heard. It features twice, at 2:04 and 4:29.
Finally it can also be heard at 2:23 in Go to Sleep – the intermediate version of Last Train from the unreleased original version of The White Room.
The other sequence is the guitar riff from Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s Love Missile F1-11. There seem to be dozens of mixes of the track (I’m personally aware of at least five) so I’ve picked one where the riff is particularly apparent, occurring in its full form at 2:51.
I cannot say what it is about either sequence that speaks to me so deeply, but should heaven exist and should I end up there I would not be at all surprised to hear either of them while passing through the pearly gates.
The last humans to leave Low Earth Orbit were the crew of Apollo 17 in December 1972. Rock band Van Halen was founded in 1973. This means that NASA just missed the opportunity to play Van Halen in the Van Allen Belt.
Original by Booyabazooka at English Wikipedia, idiot mutilations by me
It’s Hottest 100 day so I thought I’d better get off my lazy backside and post the songs I voted for. Based on previous performances – and the fact that I am an ancient fossil increasingly finding the music preferred by the young folks to be unlistenable crap – I expect that only 3 to 4 of my choices will make it in, with maybe one of them in the top 20. Nonetheless I shall continue to vote until either death, dementia, or the music police take me!
My selections, in no particular order
Close to You – Gracie Abrams
This track grabbed my attention the first time I heard it, and has not let go since. I think it’s the baseline – I’m a sucker for a song built around a pounding 80s style synth base.
Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
Chappell continues to be utterly amazing. Incredible voice, incredible control of that voice, and amazing songwriting. I consider this the most likely of my votes to make it in, and the only one with a chance at the top 5.
360 – Charli xcx
I’ve always like weird, tinkley, synth sounds – they are somehow pleasing to my autistic brain. This song is entirely made of them.
Cheapskate – Dune Rats
Some good, old-fashioned, energetic pop-rock. You could have released this in 1997 and no one would have bat an eyelid – although the uncanny valley crowd at the motel in the video clip would have terrified everyone.
Touchy Subject – Peach PRC
One of those songs that’s kind of sweet and melancholy until you actually pay attention to the lyrics and realise it’s straight up devastating.
The Future is a Foreign Land – Ghost
I don’t believe I’ve ever heard Ghost played on Triple J, but I still had to vote for this one. Part of Ghost’s Gorillaz-style fictional back story, it’s supposed to be from the 60s version of the band and looks forwards to a 2024 when a fascist regime is no more. Talk about your dark irony…
Disconnect – Fanning Dempsey National Park
A big, rocky, horn-infused track from two of the biggest names of Australian alt-rock of the 90s. There was no way I wasn’t going to vote for this! The video does a pretty clever job of pretending to be filmed in 1980s West Berlin.
Soup – Remi Wolf
If you want for me to vote for you in the Hottest 100 then write a catchy (but slightly melancholy) tune, put big drums behind it and feature an awesome toad in the video clip.
One of Your Girls (Like a Version) – Missy Higgins
I mean it’s Missy Higgins! What more needs to be said?
Physical Medicine – The Rions
I was kind of struggling to come up with a final track, and I remembered this one. Funky beat, catchy chorus, all good!
At the time of writing we’ve just hit 50 in the countdown and only one of these tracks (the Missy Higgins one) has made it in. I’ll update the list as we go.
194 – Touchy Subject – Peach PRC
192 – Soup – Remi Wolf
66 – One of Your Girls (Like a Version) – Missy Higgins
46 – Physical Medicine – The Rions
45 – Close to You – Gracie Abrams
35 – 360 – Charli xcx
1 – Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
NA – Cheapskate – Dune Rats
NA – The Future is a Foreign Land – Ghost
NA – Disconnect – Fanning Dempsey National Park
YES!! @#^!(%(&%(**(&(&%(&% YES!!! Chappell Roan at Number 1! WOOOO!!
Best number one in years, and with the highest number of votes in Hottest 100 history! Also the first solo female artist to reach number one with their sole entry!!
Excuse my enthusiasm, but I’m used to turning off the radio feeling slightly disappointed at this point, so this is a fantastic change! 😀
Edit: It’s now Monday and they’re doing the 200 to 101 countdown, so I’m updating as appropriate.
If any German speakers (I think it’s German) can identify the song in this clip I will be eternally grateful.
Later: Found it! Aloha Heja He by Achim Reichel from 1991. Apparently it went viral in China a few years back, which is probably how it ended up on that clip.
Oh God How Did This Get Here I Am Not Good With Computer
The gator and the croc they should be friends, Oh, the gator and the croc they should be friends, The gator’s snout is round you see, The croc’s snout tapers to a ‘V’, But that’s no reason why they can’t be friends!
The gator and the croc they should be friends, Oh, the gator and the croc they should be friends, The gator hides his lower teeth, The croc’s poke up from underneath, But that’s no reason why they can’t be friends!
The gator and the croc they should be friends, Oh, the gator and the croc they should be friends, The alligator’s grey and mean, The croc is cruel and olive green, But that’s no reason why they can’t be friends!
The gator and the croc they should be friends, Oh, the gator and the croc they should be friends, In common little they have got, But gharials at least they’re not! And that’s the reason why they should be friends!
Not going to talk about the electoral apocalypse just yet.
I’ve always vaguely known that the Sisters of Mercy/Terri Nunn song Under The Gun is a cover/reworking of a Billie Hughes song, but I only just looked it up. Holy guacamole! It’s so 80’s synth-ballad it could be from the Ladyhawke soundtrack!
I am – as always – astonished at the level of talent that allows Andrew Eldritch to turn what we have above into a masterpiece while simultaneously being a complete (although highly entertaining and often surprisingly justified) dick to everyone around him.
Have found myself mildly obsessed of late with the extremely creepy ‘Black Star’ by Lustmord. Fifteen minutes of droning base, blaring horns and terrifying roars/screams. It’s downright elemental.
