We Are Live: You Don't Love Me Anymore

Original video located here. Accessed 28th March 2011

Song title: You Don't Love Me Anymore

Artist: 'Weird Al' Yankovic

Year: 1992

Why I like this song:

I recently had the pleasure of seeing 'Weird Al' Yankovic live.

This is not the first time I've seen Weird Al live. But that time I had to live early so this time I was able to see the show all the way to the end. 

Of course I knew what to expect but that didn't make it any more enjoyable: Polka medleys with footage of the originals on the screen. Star Wars numbers complete with a plethora of cosplayers. Costume changes. Some truly witty songs with some on-stage lunacy. And some animation clips to accompany the songs. 

And for me my favourite moment was You Don't Love Me Anymore where Al was accompanied by his guitarist and replicating a joke for the video (see above), where, in-between verses, Al picks up a guitar, looks like he's going to play it but casts it aside and continues singing. And he stretches this joke out through the song. Now on paper that may be a bad move but it was still funny.

All in all, a great show.

Choon of the Month: He Gets Me High

Original video located here. Accessed 25th March 2011

Song title: He Gets Me High

Artist: Dum Dum Girls

Year: 2011

Why I like this song:

Just when you think that maybe the music of the present isn't for me and my time has passed, a song comes along and says: "That's what you think!"

I will admit I do love me some dream pop and this is it in it's finest. Of particular note though is the lead singer, who does her job with authority, proving that confidence can indeed sell anything

Back to the Eighties: Streams of Whiskey

Original video located here. Accessed 17th March 2014

Song title: Streams of Whiskey

Artist: The Pogues

Year: 1984

Why I like this song:

It's St Patrick's Day so this seems like an ideal choice. It may be early Pogues but already their strengths were evident: A pumped-up take on folk music, an appreciation for Irish history & culture and an ability to write some great drinking songs

Got it Covered: Run

Original video located here. Accessed 14th March 2011

Song title: Run

Artist: Spiderbait

Originally Done By: The Goodies

Year: 1993

Why I like this song:

In late 1996/early 1997 Spiderbait were a huge deal and, naturally, I got on that bandwagon. I did seek out the Run EP, largely based on the name recognition alone, and I found this song. It took me a while to realise it was a song that came from The Goodies (the credit to Bill Oddie should've been a dead giveaway) but what does it matter? This cover rocked hard.

This Song Rocks: That's No Way to Tell a Lie

Original video located here. Accessed 9th March 2011

Song title: That's No Way to Tell a Lie

Artist: James Dean Bradfield

Year: 2006

Why I like this song:

I'm a big fan of the Manic Street Preachers. So when I heard James made a solo album I was intrigued: Did he have something of his own say? Could he produce something of his own without the aid of his bandmates? I was disappointed by Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood so could this work out?

Well the answers to all of the above questions is a resounding yes. Here, James sounds revitalised, being aware of his strengths and playing to them. He's rocking it up like there's no tomorrow and playing every song-writing trick he can think of (guitar solo, 'sha-la-las', synthesizer, handclaps).

Seems James had something to prove and he succeeded better than anyone could've hoped for.

This Song Rocks: An End Has a Start

Original video located here. Accessed 31st October 2018

Song title: An End Has a Start

Artist: Editors

Year: 2007

Why I like this song:

It comes charging out, as if it picked up the baton left by Joy Division. 
Of course such comparison are inevitable but it still rocks hard and I enjoyed this album when it was originally released. 

This Song Rocks: We Used to be Friends

Original video located here. Accessed 2nd March 2011

Song title: We Used to be Friends

Artist: The Dandy Warhols

Year: 2003

Why I like this song:

Pretty much what I play when my number of Facebook friends decreases. 

Still, one of the strengths of the Dandy Warhols is their sarcasm and this has it in spades. Plus, it's a handy song to have when you have to contend with someone...less than reputable. 
And it's for that reason that I keep coming back to it.