Week One Hundred and Four: Marie Antoinette Soundtrack - The Radio Dept. - "I Don't Like It Like This" - Soundtrack

I know that I have already made mention of a few songs off the Marie Antoinette Soundtrack --- like "Ceremony" (New Order), "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (Adam Ant), and "I Want Candy", "Aphrodisiac" and "Fools Rush In" (Bow Wow Wow) --- but there are so many additional songs on that soundtrack that are phenomenal, and I have chosen to cover those for you this week

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I can honestly say that I had never even heard of The Radio Dept. until I viewed this film, which is a bit shocking since not one... not two... but three of their amazing songs end up on this soundtrack. So, in addition to "I Don't Like It Like This", I will also include "Pulling Our Weight" and "Keen On Boys"...

I'll have to resort to some tid-bits of info from Wikipedia for you today:

"The Radio Dept. is a dream pop band from Lund, Sweden signed to Labrador Records."

"The band was conceived in 1995 by schoolmates Elin Almered and Johan Duncanson, who named the group after a gas-station-turned-radio-repair-shop called 'Radioavdelningen' (Swedish for The Radio Department)."

"The Radio Dept. are related to such genres as alternative rock, dream pop, indie pop, shoegazing and twee pop, with reviews comparing them to Pet Shop Boys, My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins."

"In an interview on their fansite, they cite influences such as Charles Aznavour, Saint Etienne, Broadcast, Frank Sinatra, Joy Division, Pet Shop Boys, Chet Baker, Fennesz, Nick Drake, Kevin Rowland, Prefab Sprout, Paddy McAloon, Junior Boys, Orange Juice, Kraftwerk, Neu!, Jonathan Richman, The Avalanches and The Pale Fountains."

"Words fail me all the time

I don’t even feel like talking

still I go on and on

I’m dying here and you keep walking

why are you asking me this?

can’t you see I’m trying?

I don’t like it like this

no I think I’m dying

I can’t calm down at all

panic is what panic feels like

can’t we just stay silent?

speaking now seems far too violent

why are you asking me this?

can’t you see I’m trying?

I don’t like it like this

no I think I’m dying"

Week One Hundred and Four: Marie Antoinette Soundtrack - The Strokes - "What Ever Happened?" - Soundtrack

I know that I have already made mention of a few songs off the Marie Antoinette Soundtrack --- like "Ceremony" (New Order), "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (Adam Ant), and "I Want Candy", "Aphrodisiac" and "Fools Rush In" (Bow Wow Wow) --- but there are so many additional songs on that soundtrack that are phenomenal, and I have chosen to cover those for you this week

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The Strokes were a band whose name I heard quite frequently in the media, but I honestly never bothered to check out their music until they appeared on this soundtrack. What a huge mistake, on my part, because they have some amazing tracks. In addition to "What Ever Happened?", I am also going to include two of my other favorites called "Reptilia" and "Someday"...but please take the time to check out some of their other tracks because you would be doing yourself a disservice if you stop at only these three songs and explore this band no more.

Here's a little bit of trivia for you: The lead singer, Julian, pays tribute to Tennessee Williams, the playwright, in the lyrics for "What Ever Happened?", when he sings: "Oh Tennessee, what did you write?" And the drummer, Fabrizio Moretti, dated both Drew Barrymore and Kristen Wiig, two of my favorite actresses, who also happen to be very close friends!!!

And yes, I am aware that I have kind of already previously mentioned today's song, as well, but I actually mentioned the cover that the band, Ash, did of today's song and did not pay The Strokes their full dues...

I want to be forgotten,

and I don't want to be reminded.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

I wanna be beside her.

She wanna be admired.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

Oh dear, is it really all true?

Did they offend us and they want it to sound new?

Top ten ideas for countdown shows...

Whose culture is this and does anybody know?

I wait and tell myself "life ain't chess,"

But no one comes in and yes, you're alone...

You don't miss me, I know.

Oh Tennessee, what did you write?

I come together in the middle of the night.

Oh that's an ending that I can't write, 'cause

I've got you to let me down.

I want to be forgotten,

and I don't want to be reminded.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

I want to be beside her.

She wanna be admired.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet...

Week One Hundred and Four: Marie Antoinette Soundtrack - Siouxsie & the Banshees - "Hong Kong Garden (With Strings Intro)" - Soundtrack

I know that I have already made mention of a few songs off the Marie Antoinette Soundtrack --- like "Ceremony" (New Order), "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (Adam Ant), and "I Want Candy", "Aphrodisiac" and "Fools Rush In" (Bow Wow Wow) --- but there are so many additional songs on that soundtrack that are phenomenal, and I have chosen to cover those for you this week

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By now, you should know of my complete and total adoration of the band, Siouxsie & the Banshees. However, I will share with you that "Hong Kong Garden" was never one of my favorite songs by them...until I heard today's version with the strings added as part of the intro for the film, Marie Antoinette.

Over the course of this week, I will attempt to offer you a clip of the scene where the track is playing in the film, as well as the complete version of each song.

However, before I get to the videos, I do have two little treats for you today. The first one is a scan of a book that I picked up about three weeks ago at Half Price Books called Entranced: The Siouxsie & the Banshees Story. I've been meaning to order this one for ages, and there it was sitting on the shelf for under $10.00:

The second treat is a link to another episode of The Moron-a-thon that I co-hosted with Darlington, where we covered Adam Ant's extensive musical career. In fact, I made mention of "Kings of the Wild Frontier" appearing in this film, and it's actually the very scene that is pictured on the soundtrack cover above. Since I gave you a YouTube clip of a live performance the first time I mentioned the song on my blog, I will include the actual video for you today (below the lyrics):

The Moron-a-thon: Episode #34

Harmful elements in the air

symbols clashing everywhere

Reaps the fields of rice and reeds

while the population feeds

Junk floats on polluted water

an old custom to sell your daughter

Would you like number 23?

Leave your yens on the counter please

Hong Kong Garden

Tourists swarm to see your face

Confuscius has a puzzling grace

Disoriented you enter in

unleashing scent of wild jasmine

Slanted eyes meet a new sunrise

a race of bodies small in size

Chicken Chow Mein and Chop Suey

Hong Kong Garden takeaway

Hong Kong Garden

Week One Hundred and Three: Duran Duran - "Electric Barbarella" - Greatest

"Electric Barbarella" was one of Duran Duran's later hits from their 1997 album Medazzaland, which means that many of the members of the band had already quit by this point, including the beloved bass player, John Taylor. (I'll explain more about why I've specifically mentioned him in just a minute...)

There were many people who were vehemently opposed to the new dance-pop direction they took with this one. However, I loved it!!! In fact, if you recall from the George Gimarc Post Punk Diary scan that I included on Monday, the band took their name from the 1968 film, Barbarella, and this was a direct tribute to that.

Now, the reason that I mentioned John Taylor was because once he left Duran Duran, he launched an acting career and appeared in the 1999 film, Sugar Town - I've included a scan of my copy on VHS below:

It's actually a very entertaining film, and John Taylor does an amazing job in the role of Clive. If you ever get an opportunity to see it, I highly encourage you to do so!!! I'll also take you into the weekend with another favorite Duran Duran hit called "Is There Something I Should Know?"; however, they have so many additional songs worth checking out, so please take some time and find them on YouTube or whatever other musical source(s) you have!!!

But before I go, I need to make one final Duran Duran mention in the form of Rob Sheffield's book, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut. I have to offer you the stock photo that I snagged off Google Images because I borrowed this one from my local library last summer --- remember to go get your very own library card...all the cool kids are doing it!!! This was such a quick and fun read, and Rob Sheffield is such an amazing author. You might remember that I had an entire week dedicated to his other book, Love is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time...

I knew when I first saw you on the showroom floor

You were made for me

I took you home and dressed you up in polyester

Princess of my dreams

Emotionless and cold as ice

All of the things I like

The way you look 

The way you move

The sound you're makin'

In ultra-chrome, latex and steel

I plug you in 

Dim the lights

Electric Barbarella

Your perfect skin

Plastic kiss

Electric Barbarella

Try to resist

Then we touch

Hallucinate and tranquilize

(she's so fine)

(she's all mine)

Our private life is subject to investigation

No time to waste

People say they heard about our deviation

But you never looked so good

Wear the fake fur and fake pearls for me

And put on your mystery

The way I feel you know 

I'll never keep you waiting

In ultra-chrome, latex and steel

I plug you in 

Dim the lights

Electric Barbarella

Your perfect skin

Plastic kiss

Electric Barbarella

Try to resist

Then we touch

Hallucinate and tranquilize

Princess of my dreams

Princess of my dreams

Major domo plasticomo Barbarella

(She's so fine)

Pro-genetic you Electric Barbarella

(She's all mine)

My pretty pretty pretty pretty Barbarella 

Week One Hundred and Three: Duran Duran - "Save A Prayer" - Greatest

Another treasure that I picked up at Half Price Books was Decade on VHS. Not only is this one loaded with most of their hit videos, but it too includes some awesome and rare behind-the-scenes footage:

"Save A Prayer" is one of their slower tracks, but it is quite lovely, indeed! I will also include another favorite from this VHS tape called "Union Of The Snake"...

You saw me standing by the old

Corner of the main street

And the lights are flashing on your window sill

All alone ain't much fun

So you're looking for the thrill

And you know just what it takes and where to go

Don't say a prayer for me now

Save it 'til the morning after

No, don't say a prayer for me now

Save it 'til the morning after

Feel the breeze deep on the inside

Look you down into your well

If you can, you'll see the world in all his fire

Take a chance

Like all dreamers can't find another way

You don't have to dream it all, just live a day

Don't say a prayer for me now,

Save it 'til the morning after

No, don't say a prayer for me now

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it till the morning after

Pretty looking road,

Try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin

Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise

Melt the ice

And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance

But fear is in your soul

Some people call it a one night stand

But we can call it paradise

Don't say a prayer for me now,

Save it 'til the morning after

No, don't say a prayer for me now,

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it 'til the morning after

Save it 'til the morning after

Save a prayer 'til the morning after

Week One Hundred and Three: Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf" - Greatest

When DVDs became the latest craze, people were constantly unloading really rare VHS tapes at Half Price Books, which was seriously A-OK with me because I would get to take advantage of their lapses in judgment!!!

It's not necessarily the videos themselves that are rare because, obviously, those can easily be viewed on YouTube. It's the footage between the videos of the bands that is hard to come by.

One such treasure that I found was a Duran Duran VHS tape with "Hungry Like The Wolf" and "Girls On Film" which I have scanned for you below:

And boys, I assure you that you would love to see all the behind-the-scenes footage of the making of "Girls On Film"... ;-)

Dark in the city night is a wire

Steam in the subway the earth is a fire

Do do do do do do do do do do do do do, do do

Woman you want me give me a sign

And catch my breathing even closer behind

Do do do do do do do do do do do do do, do do

In touch with the ground I'm on the hunt I'm after you

Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Straddle the line, in discord and rhyme

I'm on the hunt I'm after you

Mouth is alive with juices like wine

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Stalked in the forest too close to hide

I'll be upon you by the moonlight side

Do do do do do do do do do do do do do, do do

Hot blood drumming on your skin it's so tight

You feel my heat I'm just a moment behind

Do do do do do do do do do do do do do, do do

In touch with the ground I'm on the hunt I'm after you

Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme

I howl and I whine I'm after you

Mouth is alive all running inside

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Hungry like the wolf

Hungry like the wolf

Hungry like the wolf

Burning the ground I break from the crowd

I'm on the hunt I'm after you

I smell like I sound, I'm lost and I'm found

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme

I'm on the hunt I'm after you,

Mouth is alive with juices like wine

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Burning the ground I break from the crowd

I'm on the hunt I'm after you

Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme

I howl and I whine I'm after you

Mouth is alive all running inside

And I'm hungry like the wolf

Week One Hundred and Three: Duran Duran - "New Moon On Monday" - Greatest

I can't believe that it's already Week One Hundred and Three on my blog, and I'm just now getting around to covering Duran Duran. However, that just goes to show how much wonderful music is out there if you just take the time to seek it out!!!

I'm going to start this week off with two of my favorite Duran Duran tunes to dance to at Retro clubs - "New Moon on Monday" and "The Reflex"...

I'll also share with you George Gimarc's recollection of one of the first articles that appeared on Duran Duran:

I have plenty of other Duran Duran treats to share with you throughout the course of this week...so enjoy!!!

Shake up the picture the lizard mixture

With your dance on the eventide

You got me coming up with answers

All of which I deny

I said it again

Could I please rephrase it

Maybe I can catch a ride

I couldn't really put it much plainer

But I'll wait till you decide

Send me your warning siren

As if I could ever hide

Last time La Luna

[CHORUS]

I light my torch and wave it for the

New moon on Monday

And a firedance through the night

I stayed the cold day with a lonely satellite

Breaking away with the best of both worlds

A smile that you can't disguise

Every minute I keep finding

Clues that you leave behind

Save me from these reminders

As if I'd forget tonight

This time La Luna

Week One Hundred and Two: Pandora Picks - Part Deux - The Fixx - "Secret Separation" - Walkabout

Due to the fact that I am completely lacking in inspiration at the moment, I will resort to my Pandora stations for this week's selections

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And of course, my Pandora station is loaded with fantastic '80s hits. I was never a huge fan of The Fixx, but I do recall that one of my former band mates was. In fact, in the early 2000s, I vaguely remember that The Fixx and The Alarm were scheduled to stop by The Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas, and my former band mate recruited me to attend the show with him. When we arrived, the show was either cancelled or re-scheduled due to one of the band members of either The Fixx or The Alarm (I can't remember which one) being extremely ill. I liked both bands, but I was, by far, less affected by the news than he was...he was devastated. But I think we just found a Retro night at one of the clubs in Deep Ellum or on Lower Greenville Avenue, and we went dancing instead!!!

I'll include another favorite called "Saved By Zero", but they have quite a few other hits worth checking out too!!!

We're passengers in time lost in motion

Locked together day and night by trick of light

I must take another journey

We must meet with other names

Oo, we must meet with other names

You touched my heart so deeply

You rescued me, now free me

Don't watch me cry, just see me go

I'll take away the strongest feelings you will ever know

There will be no more isolation in our secret separation

You touched my heart so deeply, you rescued me

Now free me

We're passengers in time lost in motion

Locked together day and night by trick of light

I must take another journey

We must meet with other names

Oo, if only you and I be brave

You touched my heart so deeply

You rescued me, now free me

Don't watch me cry, just see me go

I'll take away the strongest feelings you will ever know

There will be no more isolation in our secret separation

You touched my heart so deeply, you rescued me

Now free me

We are matching spark and flame, caught in endless repetition

Life for life, we'll be the same

I must leave before you burn me

I'm the stranger who deserts you, only to love you in another life

There will be no more isolation in our secret separation

You touched my heart so deeply, you rescued me

Now free me

I'll bear one precious scar that only you will know again

We're passengers in time, free me

I'll bear one precious scar that only you will know again

We're passengers in time, free me

I'll bear one precious scar that only you will know again

We're passengers in time, free me

Week One Hundred and Two: Pandora Picks - Part Deux - The Marvelettes - "Beechwood 4-5789" - Single

Due to the fact that I am completely lacking in inspiration at the moment, I will resort to my Pandora stations for this week's selections

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Really?!?!? Does it really surprise you that a '60s Girl Group would find its way onto my Pandora station...because it shouldn't surprise you one bit, if you've been following my blog, that is?!?!?

And of course, since this was way before my time, I'll have to resort to Wikipedia for an explanation of the tune:

"Written by Marvin Gaye, William 'Mickey' Stevenson and George Gordy, the lyrics are about the narrator wanting a man she just met to call her number in order to 'have a date, any ol' time.' Like all the Marvelette's singles during the first phase of the group's career, the lead vocal was by Gladys Horton. The song's co-writer Marvin Gaye played drums on the track, which William Stevenson produced.

The song's title is derived from the now defunct use of telephone exchange names in telephone numbers. In this case, the significant portions of the exchange name were the first two letters of 'Beechwood' (BE), and the remainder of the number. In conventional modern use, this telephone number would be 234-5789.

'Beechwood 4-5789' has become a signature hit of Motown's early period but was not one of the label's biggest hits, reaching #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the autumn of 1962. The track did reach the R&B Top Ten where in fact the single enjoyed double A-side status with 'Beechwood 4-5789' reaching #7 and the flip 'Someday, Someway' #8; the latter track was a ballad from the writing-&-production team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Freddie Gorman and featured Berry Gordy Jr's wife Raynoma Liles as organist."

I'll also include another favorite by The Marvelettes called "Please Mr. Postman"...

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Hey-ah-ay-ay

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Oh, baby

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Hey-ah-ay-ay

You can have this dance with me

You can hold my hand and

Whisper in my ear sweet words that I love to hear

(Whisper sweet words in my ear) Oh, baby

Don't be shy (don't be shy)

Just take-a your ti-ime (just take your time)

I'd like to get to know you (like to get to know you)

I'd like to make you mine (like to make you mine)

I've been wai-aiting, standing here so patiently

Fo-oh-oh-or you to come over and have this dance with me

And my number is Beechwood 4-5789

You can call me up and have a date any old time

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Hey-ah-ay-ay

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Oh, baby

(La, La. La, La, La, La, La)

Hey-ah-ay-ay>

Don't be shy (don't be shy)

Just take-a your ti-ime (just take your time)

I'd like to get to know you (like to get to know you)

I'd like to make you mine (like to make you mine)

Beechwood 4-5789

You can call me up and have a date any old time

And my number is Beechwood 4-5789

You can call me up and have a date any old time

Beechwood 4-5789

You can call me up and have a date any old time