Friday, November 12, 2010: Manic Street Preachers - Motown Junk

On the 31st of January, 1995, Manic Street Preachers guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards and guitarist and vocalist James Dean Bradford checked into the Embassy Hotel on Bayswater Road in London, to get a nights rest before they left the next day to begin a tour of the U.S.

At 7:00 A.M, the next day, February 1st, 1995, Richey Edwards checked out of the Embassy Hotel, apparently drove to his apartment in Cardiff, and then vanished.  He was never seen or heard from again.

His car was found abandoned on the 17th of February at the Severn View service station near the Severn Bridge, which crosses the River Severn between Wales and England.

Though his family and his band continued to search in hope for his safe return, his status remained open as a missing person, until 23 November 2008, when he became officially "presumed dead"

A pretty good account of Richey's timeline can be found here.

The Manic's struggled through Richey's disappearance, even considering disbanding, but with the support of their fans and blessings from Edward's family, the band continued on, and continues to record and tour to this day.

It's a heavy topic for a Friday song, sure, but the the CSOTD itself?  Well, it totally rocks, and fits perfectly as a crank-it-up-for-the-weekend Friday song.

Motown Junk was the Manic's first single they released on their newly signed Heavenly Records back in January, 1991.

Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield talk about the single here. And, no, they don't actually think Motown is junk.

So, crank it up for this Friday.

Here's to friends lost, journeys taken and the unknowability of tomorrow.

Here's to Friday.

Thursday, November 11, 2010: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief",
Ooh, they point the cannon at you

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no senator's son, son.
It ain't me, it ain't me;
I ain't no fortunate one

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don't they help themselves
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no millionaire's son
It ain't me, it ain't me;
I ain't no fortunate one

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Ooh, they only answer "More! more! more!"

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no military son
It ain't me, it ain't me;
I ain't no fortunate one

CSOTD Bonus Edition: Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

On this date, November 10, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm while traveling on Lake Superior.

29 lives were lost, the largest maritime disaster on the Great Lakes. No bodies have ever been recovered.

Does any one know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

Wednesday, November 10, 2010: Clare Maguire - Ain't Nobody

Here's someone who's been the Next Big Thing for a while now.

Until this year, when she's now officially The Next Big Thing

And her success can't come soon enough, I think she's wonderful

Tuesday, November 9, 2010: TWOfer Tuesday - Peaches Edition

When I started this blog, the first TWOfer Tuesday was kind of a fluke.

I wanted to just blog one song, but I ended up blogging about two.

Since then, I've taken the old FM Radio staple of TWOfer Tuesdays and really run with it.

I enjoy doing them, don't get me wrong, but they certainly have evolved into rather long winded affairs.

So, for todays TWOfer Tuesday, I think we'll keep it simple.

Two songs titled Peaches.

Because, who doesn't like Peaches, right?

:)

Monday, November 8, 2010: Panjabi MC - Mundian To Bach Ke

How about starting out the week with some exotic sounds, taking our minds to distant, far off lands......

Like Coventry, England, where Rajinder Singh Rai (AKA: Panjabi MC) was born.

It's the best sampling of the Knight Rider theme I've heard yet!

Enjoy

Sunday, November 7, 2010

No blogging on a Sunday.

See you Monday!