• Friday Five

    The Friday Five: September 4th, 2009

    The world will look up and shout

    Hallo. Pete here, filling in for Michael on the Friday Five!

    Michael said his ass was kicked 10 ways from Sunday, and he’s not gonna be able to deliver in a reasonable amount of time today. So I’m giving him the day off, poor fellow.

    I’m gonna hit you with 5 random tunes that came through my air space today, then you do the same, okay? It’s a deal?  Good.

    1. Megadeth – “Mechanix” -I am by no means an expert – or even a fan- of Megadeth. But when I came back from lunch today, a co-worker (I’ll call him Jeff, ’cause that’s his name) brought up a Megadeth song with some very difficult to understand lyrics. Some of the words he perceived to possibly be German. So he sent over the mp3, and by utilizing Google and my ears, I discovered that this is indeed the English language, only with Dave Mustaine singing as nonsensically as possible. Cool tune, and I guess it’s the same as Metallica’s “The Four Horsemen” – though I’m too confused to comprehend it at the moment.

    2. Linton Kwesi Johnson – “Hurricane Blues” / Always happy to hear LKJ come on the iTunes. You want politically charged talking reggae poetry, Linton’s your man.

    3. Bap Kennedy – “Drunk On The Blood of Christ” / A reader, Brad, recommended Bap’s Lonely Street album a few weeks ago, and I’m glad he did. Great stuff.

    4. Kraftwerk – “Computer Love” / Just picked up this classic album recently, along with some other pioneering electro stuff (like Cybrotron’s ‘Clear’ album).

    5. Roadside Graves – “Valley” / Greg over at Captain’s Dead recommended this album just yesterday. I listened to this sucker 2 times straight through. Rootsy, raw rock ‘ roll. Just the way I like it. Track down the album ‘My Son’s Home‘.

    What’s shuffling in your corner of the world? Do share…

  • Linton Kwesi Johnson
    Reggae,  World

    Standing in the Rain in Vain with LKJ

    Linton Kwesi Johnson was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in the Brixton section of London.

    Johnson invented dub poetry, a type of toasting descended from the DJ stylings of U-Roy and I-Roy. But whereas toasting tended to be hyperkinetic and given to fits of braggadocio, Johnson’s poetry (which is what it was — he was a published poet and journalist before he performed with a band) was more scripted and delivered in a more languid, slangy, streetwise style. Johnson’s grim realism and tales of racism in an England governed by Tories was scathingly critical. The Afro-Brits in Johnson’s poems are neglected by the government and persecuted by the police. – All Music.com

    Well, my introduction to LKJ a few years ago didn’t come via a scathingly critical political song, but a laid back, sweet and humorous tune by the name of “Loraine”. It’s about his encounter with the lovely Loraine on a rainy day in May. Try as he might, ol’ Linton doesn’t get the girl, which gives us the great chorus:

    Now I’m standin’ in the rain in vain, Loraine
    Hoping to see you again
    Tears fall from me eyes like rain, Loraine
    A terrible pain in me brain, Loraine
    You’re drivin’ me insane

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t know you (or maybe I do), but you’ll like this one.

    Linton Kwesi Johnson – Loraine