Stuff I'm Listening to - Special Birthday Edition - Andy Bell

Artist: Erasure

Title: Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)

Favourite Lyrics: 

And life is a wonderful thing
When you're humming the words to a love song
Do what you want to do
Be who you want to be

 
Why?:
It's Andy's birthday today. That's why! I adore this song and those lyrics could quite easily fit into my own personal guide on how you need to live life. Andy has such an amazing voice and I've been quite in love with Erasure for many, many years.

A quick trivia bit: I think the video is beautiful and the subject matter very touching. I found out that the video is about a bunch of friends taking the ashes of their recently departed friend out for their last hurrah via motorbike. 

Happy birthday, Andy Bell. 

Stuff I'm Listening To - The Christmas Advent Edition - December 15th

Artist: Erasure

Title: She Won't Be Home

Lyrics:

And I wanted to say to you
How much I want to be with you
I wanted to say to you
How much I need to be with you

Christmas time comes once a year
She knows this time he won't be near

 
Why?:
Erasure laid the teary sentiments on super thick with this song. Remember how I said that a sad story song will just be that much more emotional if you use Christmas as a backdrop? Yeah. 

I get a bit annoyed by the lyrics of this song though. I mean... all the lovely wonderful sentiments are there, but why put so much pressure on Christmas? If I'm going to visit friends and family, any time of the year should be ok and should be just as meaningful. A lot of the memories associated with my Christmas tree ornaments have more to do with my friends and family than the holiday itself. If Christmas is going to be a time for family and friends, and those family and friends can't be with you, then it should be a time of quiet reflection and remembrance of fun times of long ago and fun times to come.

Honestly, this song is three and a half minutes of great synth-pop and it makes it's way onto my regular playlist often. Instrumentally, it's a nice pop piece. And then Andy Bell's beautiful voice... he's definitely a choir boy all grown up. I've always loved his voice and I think it lends itself wonderfully to Christmas songs. They did a beautiful rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" on their Crackers International Part 2 album (linked below). And actually put out a Christmas album which I was today years old when I discovered this (hangs head in shame).

Stuff I'm Listening To - A Week of Covers - Day 1- Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

Artist: Duran Duran

Original Artist: Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel (linked below)

Title: Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

Lyrics: 
There ain't no more, you've taken everything

From my belief in Mother Earth
Can you ignore my faith in everything
'Cause I know what faith is and what it's worth

Why?: The first time I heard this song was when I was 13 years old, and just diving into Duran Duran's extensive back library in 1988. Recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon in 1982 and released as a B-side to The Reflex 12" single I did not quite realise for about ten minutes that this was even a cover... and then I read the label on my newly acquired vinyl. 

I had no idea who Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel were at the time. Remember, this was pre-internet so it was quite some time before I found a used tape with the original song on it and I fully admit, I did not like the original version. I was still honing my musical chops and still sweet on 80s synth pop (and still am). So this was the furthest from what I was listening to at the time. It would be many years before I finally began to appreciate the original version, but Duran Duran's cover remains my favourite. I can't answer exactly why Duran Duran's version gave me (still gives me) goosebumps. I think something about how it sounded like a Duran Duran song (to me) but markedly different. It gave me this enormous feeling of nostalgia, even though, at 14, what the heck did I have in life experiences to make me feel that level of nostalgia? But that's what I felt. Simon leBon's voice gave me the kind of shivers and goosebumps when I was a teenager that Mark Hollis' voice does to me now. Having brought up Duran Duran's version of song after many years of not hearing it, I giggled and was awed by it once again. I'm still a Duranie at heart. That's never going to change.

Linked below, the original Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel version and BONUS: Erasure's version (which I also enjoyed) from their cover album Other People's Songs complete with their accompanying weirdly wonderful video.

Stuff I'm Listening to #58 - Erasure

Artist: Erasure
Title: Drama!
Favourite Lyrics: 
Do unto yourself as you see fit for your brother. 
Is that not within your realm of understanding? 
A fifty second capacity of mind 
Too demanding? 

Why?: I've mentioned before how in love I am with Erasure. Andy Bell is a phenomenal showman. Vince Clark is a musical genius. Also, this is an awesome song to throw shade. Am I throwing shade? Possibly? I could have posted Carly's Simon's song, but we all know this song isn't about you. ;)

Stuff I'm Listening to - Throwback Thursday Edition

Artist: Erasure
 
Title: A Little Respect
 
Favourite Lyrics:
And if I should falter
Would you open your arms out to me
We could make love not war
And love at peace with our hearts
I’m so in love with you 


Why?: Andy Bell is an amazing showman. What a show this was! There was so much energy and audience love. I honestly can’t remember hearing one note from Andy during this encore because we were all singing this song right back him loud, proud and so very much in the moment. Simply amazing. Thanks for the memories.