I’ve recently noticed a somewhat disturbing running theme in some of my favourite songs:
- Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd
- Creep, Radiohead
- Mad World, Gary Jules
- Hurt, Johnny Cash
- Somebody that I used to know, Gotye
- Never there, Cake
- White Flag, Dido
- Don’t Believe Any More, Icehouse/Whitlams
They’re not exactly uplifting subjects, are they? It’s a good thing I don’t rely on music to cheer me up.
Moved On 
I saw Nick Clegg performing last night.
I indicated to my hosts that, perhaps, I wasn’t the best person to take along to such a concert.
I thought that the happy African rhythms would not suit my morose personality.
Boy was I surprised!
Although I avoided dancing and clapping and whooping like the majority of the audience,I was moved.
During what must have been the South African version of “Flame Trees”, I saw my hosts standing tall and singing proud with tears rolling down their cheeks… just watching them have such an emotional reaction to the music caused me to have an emotional reaction.
As for your favourite songs, so what?
My music collection is dominated by Gordon Lightfoot, Queen and Nick Cave.
You’ll not find three more disparate artists.
Does that make me schizophrenic?
Cheers
They’re great songs.
Although I’m going to go out on a limb and say the original version of Hurt is better.
Jordan thats a big call.
Usually its a given, but there is something magical about that performance Johnny Cash does. Then again the original is really awesome and one of my favorite songs. I think I’ll have to listen to both versions again a few times to see.
Marek have you seen the video of Nick cave live at the Brixton Academy in ’04?
Yeah they are great songs tho.
Jeremy (or anyone) you ever get into Tom Waits? There’s some awesome music to wallow to in that guys repertoire.
Here one of his many gems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6V5DXk6TbA
Oh, they’re definitely both amazing renditions.
Indeed I had the Cash version played at my baptism, although that was somewhat a logistical call, as the priest advised the songs should be kept individually short to stop people’s attention from wandering…..
And my dad is into Tom Waits in a big way, its great music to wallow in, as you put it.
Yeah Jules, that’s a great concert!
BTW, I should have written Johnny Clegg, not bloody Nick Clegg!
Cheers
I wondered about that Marek. I heard an interview with him the other day on the abc (might have been last week) – fascinating.
The Cave gig would have been fantastic. The version of g
Get Ready for Love is brilliant.
BTW Believe it or not that particular version of On the Nickel was performed on the Done Lane Show. There’s an interview that goes with it and St Tom is off his face. There’s another when he returned 2 years later, off the piss and the durries and just married to Kathleen brennan, who he is still married to 30 odd years later.
“And my dad is into Tom Waits in a big way,”
That makes me feel old, but he’s been making music pretty much my entire life. I play my daughter some Waits songs when she can’t sleep.
The whole concept of “wallowing” is intgral to blues music actually.
Here is some:
My favourite Wallowing song:
I’m with Jordan – Reznor’s original was better. Stripping the song of the buzzing guitars and booming drums adds pathos, but overall is a diminution.
Prefer Reznor’s version of Hurt, always have.
For a great Reznor track for wallowing, try ‘Lights in the Sky’ (on the Slip)
http://grooveshark.com/s/Lights+In+The+Sky/2Fnxkc?src=5
SB – great track. One of my fav wallowing songs is Wild is the Wind (Nina Simone and Cat Power’s versions are best imo)
Nina’s delicious version
http://grooveshark.com/s/Wild+Is+The+Wind/3ZM9pa?src=5
Cat Power’s husky version
http://grooveshark.com/s/Wild+Is+The+Wind/3gmwGi?src=5
Red House Painters’ early stuff is some great wallowing music. Here’s them at their best:
Narcotic, I was familiar only with Bowie’s version of that song. I particularly liked Nina Simone’s version. I’ve always liked her. She had this Walt Whitman quote on the back of one of her albums:
Buns, I do like Red House Painters, especially the self-titled album that song is from. We had to have something in common somewhere along the line.