Hello.
If you’ve got this far you probably know what this is about already. Every week, on a Tuesday, a topic is put to the RR community so that our minds are kept active until Thursday.Think of it as a kind of community care thing.
This week I want you to imagine you have been abducted by aliens. You’ve had the anal probing and samples have been taken and now, while you sip alien coffee and admire the view of Venus through the window you get chatting with your captors.
They ask about Earth music and your life
What I want you to do is suggest a piece of music that tells them all they need to know about you or, if that’s too personal, a tune that will tell them all they need to know about life on Earth.
Let’s show those tentacled intergalactic explorers the best that humanity has to offer.There’s a free alien abduction and probing for the best suggestion *.
Volunteer wanted. Not for probing etc, I hasten to add, but for next week.
* To claim your prize simply go to Area 51 and ask for “Dave from Zlorch”.
OOooo ! Now there’s a surprise topic ! Excellent choice.er…me….
I suppose I should have chosen one first but had to give a lot of though to it.
Have gone for -
Yep, that’s me.
Excellent topic and choice Pairubu. Glad to see you are prepared to go the extra mile in conforming to type
Eh ?
I only chose it ‘coz I wear a lot of black.
I knew I should have gone with Keep on the Sunny Side.
I was hinting at the indelicate alien interrogation joke rather than The Smiths!
I wore the photographer’s uniform of head to toe black, or blue jeans when i was in NY (and basically still do). We didn’t wear it to try to be cool, we wore it ecause we were all so poor that no one could tell if you were wearing the same clothes form one day to the next or not. No money for clothes, it all went to film costs.
I understand that that was the reason for Piaf and Aznavour wearing black too.
It’s like people in Scotland painting their houses white cos white paint is the cheapest.
I’ve got an idea for the next challenge if there’s no volunteer yet. It will involve me working out how to do a post of course.
Barring abduction you’re good to go I think.
Just go to “links” ( above) click on one of the wordpress links , go to “dashboard” then “new post” and you’re good to go.
Oh, this fits on SS-OO-OOOOO many levels:
The title works as a plea to the aliens.
The lyrics work as a reflection as I gaze at my old life below on Earth:
Mark Lanegan is just about my favourite singer.
And as for THAT SOLO … that’s me in a spine-tingling, hangs-around-too-long-being-too-loud-for-my-hosts nutshell.
You’ve SO lost me to an afternoon of Soulsaving – I thank you muchly.
Ta, you two.
that is a fabulous track, every time I hear Mark Lanegan I remember how much I love his voice.
This one just about sums it up for me. Many versions available, but Kevin Johnson’s original is still the ebst (The bit about buying B**tle records doesn’t apply, but the Cuck Berry ref. does)
I thought you’d go for something along those lines. I’m sure the aliens will, eventually, understand.
Oh No Mitch!!!
I know the best years are still to come!!!!
Thank you, Sakura – you’ve made an old man very happy!!!
Mitch!!!!
You are not old – you are my hero and inspiration!!!!!
Going to have to be careful here…but not now, no YouTube access.
I think that the least one can do for the aliens to stop them from persisting with the anal probe is to (adopts Quisling like accent) let them be aware that things are never quite as they seem and that Earthlings can often wrap some seedy views of the underside of life in what might initially appear to be an inoffensive piece of music. Aliens, meet the Eels!
If I had to show them a movie and I was in collaborator mode it would have to be Blue Velvet.
” Aliens, meet the Eels!”
I think I may have seen an *ahem* “specialised” Japanese film that was something along those lines.
There’ll be a special name for it too. Where’s Sakura when you need her?!
“Where’s Sakura when you need her?!”
I am reading this and wondering what to contribute!!!
By the way it is called “shokushu goukan” ( 触手強姦 ) careful if you put this into google……
Guess i’m feeling cynical this morning. First thought was Bruce Hornsby’s The Way It Is, but i’ll go with this one -
Clash – The Magnificent Seven
Pairubu-
Is your wife still out of work?
Yes, not through want of trying. I get the feeling that, despite being illegal, there’s some ageism still around.
Everyone wants “electronic” marketing these days and I don’t think they think an elderly lady ( runs for cover..) cuts it.
Lucky for us if things get desperate I can sell my body on the streets of Hereford.
I’ve been practising my “Hello Dearie” ‘s.
sorry to hear that. Job market not good on this side of the pond either. Can she do freelance or contract work? I’ve come to the conclusion that being a freelance keyboard warrior at home is the key to having an income in advancing age. And you can take cigarette breaks whenever you want too.
I did New Dawn by Withered Hand in the only slightly similar 30 day challenge (a song that describes you) – but as the Aliens might be probing I’ll twist thier green minds with some double edged lyricism:
Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
With full apologies to Steve Martin (Saturday Night Live circa 1978) from whom I’m stealing this this still works & you know they’d ask for more.
Nothing like Chuck.
You’re a professional gunny sack totter !
Well I never !
Chuck could be great live. Unfortunately, the sound recording is a bit dodgy here.
Great selection, though. Did you ever live in a log cabin made of earth and wood?
Yes.
This doesn’t really describe me – I’m not an uptight person – but I do think it describes a swathe of human existence pretty well, and I want to ingratiate myself with these aliens:
You’d never know barbryn, it might make them homesick and they could clear off before the truth of their 8 foot flesh eating lizard masterplan is revealed.
Who was in charge of the gateway drug week? Was that Blimpy? Anyway, mine is this, which was said person’s gateway to Morrissey. I am rather gutted he inveigled his way into my psyche and wrote it before I got round to it.
Ummmm………..I decided to make a contribution about my job.
As maybe you know I am a promotion girl. On a good day, I meet interesting and kind people and maybe even have interesting products or events to promote at interesting exhibitions or fancy stores and it is really fun….on a bad day….when you demonstrating some stupid cooking accessory in a stupid store in the middle of absolutely nowhere two hours from home by train and subway……..well this song always comes to mind…..
I mean this song comes to mind….
I love Step Right Up! It’s genius. Good choice Sakura.
Maybe you could adopt the character of Tom in this song when it’s a bad day – might liven up the spectators !
I imagined your voice to be a little less gruff than Mr Waits’s.
I’m sure the aliens would buy some kitchen gadgets from your to take back to Zlorch. Handy for making the Mrwosk and Plinsk.
This is a genius track – and it used to go through my head when I worked with my dad on wet, freezing cold farmers markets.
After being on the Żubrówka I usually feel Mrwosk for wear and totally Plinsk as a newt… so I’d hope the Zlorchites wouldn’t start up any kitchen gadgets.
Sakura: When you said ‘Step right up’ this was what came to mind.
Ha! Yes, I agree that’s a perfect choice, Sakura.
D’oh! That comment was directed at Ms. Hoshino’s Tom Waits selection, not gf‘s Van The Man song. Been a while since I heard Ballerina, though, so thanks for that too.
I love the song!!! I never heard it before and it is now my very best Van Morrison favourite!!!
Bloody hell, Shoey.
Hey aliens! Here’s a quiz for you. (We Earthlings like quizzes.) Of the four statements below, three are about me and my life, and one isn’t. Which is which?
1 And I’m thinking ’bout mama…
How she never had a chance
Never caught a break
And how we pay for our big mistakes
2 There’s somethin’ good comin’
Just over the hill
Somethin’ good comin’
I know it will
3 And I’m in for the long run
Wherever it goes
Ridin’ the river
Wherever it flows
4 Work’s all I know
You take that away
Don’t know where to go
Love tfd
It is a great song! But I can not show this video to my boyfriend or he will be naming the guitars in video till it drives me crazy!!! I do love the slide guitar in this. It is a really great song!
Oh Lawdy, this is outstanding! Why didn’t I notice this when I borrowed the album? Is this version different? There’s a delicate sadness to this that’s REALLY hitting the spot tonight.
I think it’s the same, DsD – it’s the same length. Shall I box it for you?
@ tfd – sorry for delay: no, no need to bother, thanks. I’ve ripped the audio from that youtube vid, and found the studio version lurking in my iTunes. The video version just seems to have a little more . . . space, I suppose. If there isn’t any difference in the audio of the two, maybe I’ve just been seduced by the stately grace of the band playing the song.
But thanks for the offer.
Best band in the world, DsD. Pity JonD don’t seem to think so though.
Very profound!
Hmm, bit sad – none of the aliens have had a go at my quiz.
There’s a little film from last year, Sakura, where TP is showing some journalist round that building – which is the band’s studio/rehearsal space/instrument store, and the bloke says “wow – how many guitars have you got?” and TP says vaguely “oh, I don’t know – about 129…”. Then he adds: “And you only need one.”
Good question! A thinker. Off for a thought…
Hiya PAIRUBU – Sum me up, old bean? This’ll do . . .
KEVIN AYERS – Song For Insane Times.
And for the aliens . . .
I think Marge should scare them off.
What a talented bloke Kevin was, one of my favourites ( and Kev ( as we fans call him) too), of course.
I like Kevin Coyne. He was a very talented and very funny man – alas underappreciated.
Did the aliens tell you to post a picture of punk rock Pairubu on the Pictures Please post down below, Pairubu?
Alas such things do not exist ! ( Well, I think my brother has one). I was in London and no one I knew had a camera.
There’s one of me from about 1975 in an Afghan Coat somewhere around though.
I’ll see if I can find it.
Estimated Prophet is a Bob Weir/Perry Barlow composition inspired, according to Weir, by ‘this guy I see at nearly every backstage door. There’s always some guy who’s taken a lot of dope and he’s really bug-eyed, and he’s having some kind of vision. He’s got a rave he’s got to deliver.’
On a personal level, my own love for the Grateful Dead makes me a candidate for that role but – probably as a result of never taking a lot of dope – I think I retain some critical faculties. [However, I could easily rave on about the song structure, melodic palette, religious imagery and Garcia's magic fingers (although maybe they're not quite magic on this example)....]
But the idea of the messianic devotee who must spread his message is a feature of 21st-century Earth that the aliens need to understand. Despite millennia of learning, reason and civilisation, humans are still susceptible to the visionary who has nothing but (self-)belief on his (or, possibly, her) side. Whether or not it’s someone who lived centuries ago or Stephen Fry on Twitter, vast numbers of people will spout/re-tweet their thoughts without feeling the need for a reality check. And these people can get a bit upset if anyone suggests such a check might be a good idea.
I guess a song about life on earth should ideally not be about humans, unless it’s a song about a species mindlessly pooping in it’s own nest. But I’ll go with Brian Eno
Another day on Earth
There’s a chance the aliens might take a look at this and imagine they’ve abducted me from New York nearly 30 years ago, but there’s no harm in confusing the blighters, what?
Or they might misinterpret the line as “I’m close to The Edge” and think I’m Bono, whereupon, if they’ve any sense, they’d drop me off at my front door sharp-ish.
Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel – The Message
It’s not my kind of thing really, but I’ve always loved this song, great choice
that was me, it logged me out again
Inspired choice, May!
There is an urge to try and represent humanity at it’s best or (easier with my musical taste) t it’s worst. Instead I’m representing life on earth (or more accurately in the western world) at it’s most average. And yes I think this song represents me quite well these days – even my record collection is neering at me
The Business – Mortgage Mentality
My record collection is SNEERING at my me, and probably laughing at my typos
I think, perhaps, that the prospect of aliens wearing Dr Martens and Harringtons is best avoided.
Mind you, have you seen West Ham’s fans….
@Pairubu – Funnily enough I have a mate who looks uncannily like the (alleged) Roswell alien wearing a bomber jacket.
I enjoyed that!
Thanks DsD – a fine band (who probably have mortgages of their own now)
Is that the same The Business who were surplus to requirements at Dexy’s? If so I saw them on a blisteringly hot day in 1981 at Slane supporting Thin Lizzy and U2. The bizarre line-up also included Hazel O’Connor and Rose Tattoo. One of my abiding memories of the day was watching Angry Anderson (slapheaded lead “singer” from the latter outfit) try to dig a hole in the stage with the microphone stand. Mercifully their allotted time was up before he could do any lasting damage to the stage and my ears.
You confused me there until I realised you meant The Bureau. No, entirely different bands. It does sound like an intriguing line-up. Rose Tattoo seem to have had a huge influence on the Oi scene for some reason which I’ve never fully understood other than Angry Anderson’s “haircut”. Funnily enough it was only on Friday I saw an Aussie Oi band who were clearly influenced by them. And this despite Angr Anderson being the man who used to perform ballads to be used whenever a couple were splitting up in neighbours.
The Bureau did have one great song I think – Let Him Have It.
Ignore me, wyngate – I am a klutz. Still Angry Anderson will be happy when he googles himself….
I think the aliens should understand the power of the human imagination, that we are embodied and spend much of our time involved in the business of physically living, but that we can also exist on other planes, our minds are not contained by our bodies. They could see this as a useful skill, or maybe consider us more interesting or dangerous, but hopefully, it might put off our demise for a while.
I am choosing Blixa Bargeld’s version of Somewhere over the Rainbow because the song is gorgeous anyway, but in his delicate hands, it becomes an illustration of longing, aching and hope, well to me anyway .
sorry if I’ve bored everyone with my admiration for Blixa before, but he surely brings something different to this song, even better than Vincent Price singing it at the end of Dr Phibes
I can never be bored by Blixa – one of the coolest people on the planet!
dond to that, I can’t exaggerate what high esteem I hold him in *sigh*
Well it sure beats the pants of Gene Simmons’ butchery of the song!
Seriously, Beth, I haven’t heard that before: loved the arrangement, not so taken on the vocal. That may not be Blixa’s fault – the muddy sound was at odds with the clarity of the bass and piano – but I have to say there is a wonderful serenity to this regardless of that.
Thanks.
glad you liked it, DD, I think the CD version is less muddy. I am glad not to have heard Gene Simmons version, my mind boggles in a bad way.
Yeah, you’ll notice I didn’t offer a link to that monstrosity.
There are so many versions of this song and I admit i tend to love them all. It captures a deep human need to believe in a better life.
This is a really nice version and it captures the conflict in human nature so I am sure our alien friends would learn a lot about us from this track!!!
I don’t know how long this will saty up on Youtube for but it’s Dylan – It’s Alright Ma, I’m only Bleeding.
No, NNNOOOOOO! It’s that voice. Make it stop! PLEASE MAKE IT ST. . . oh, it stopped. *phew*
Sorry, Mn.
Perfect choice!
I’ve changed me mind, I just stumbled across this. Perfect to confuse and confound even the most hardened prober.
Yup, if that doesn’t make ‘em shrug [whatever passes for their] shoulders and start packing up, muttering about “what a waste of five light years travelling that was”, I don’t know what would!
It is a really cheerful song!!! I think the aliens will be able to decode you perfectly with this sing!!!!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the collective minds of the ‘Spill have SO much more subtelty and inventiveness than anything we ever get served up for us over on the Mothership these days. This is quite simply a brilliant theme and has inspired some stunningly good suggestions which I will now spend the next couple of hours listening to.
Meanwhile, here’s my own contribution which I hope you’ll agree, fits the bill on a number of levels. The song’s beautiful and poignant and all the things we’ve come to expect from Mr McAloon – and the video’s pretty impressive too …
Good choice, I fear the video might be a little too encouraging though. It made me want to go to some of those places and see some of those sites and may have the same effect on the aliens.
After all probing people’s bottoms all the time doesn’t really give you the best Earth has to offer, does it ?
I must admit The Spill is what motivates me these days!!
In the last days we have had design, film, and a great earworms and even classic sports cars!!! I love it here!
This is a really nice track and our alien friends will surely love it!!
I absolutely agree, there’s been some great stuff lately.
But at least we’ll know where they’re heading – we can lie in wait for them at the various beauty spots with our own probes at the ready. Heh, heh, heh ….
Not sure why this was my first thought, but we humans do like a good war. And we do tend to get a bit hypocritical about it.
Aonymous = tincanman
I’d want them to know we’re friendly so:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcgZCXHPkCo&w=425&h=349%5D
I’m using the Klaatu version because the Carpenters version starts with the annoting DJ bit and that would likely piss the aliens off!
Not sure why, but when I use the embed code from Youtube, it doesn’t work. Anyone know how to fix it as I see lots of you have successfully embedded videos. The song, of course, is Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.
I just copy the url and past it direct. Like this:
… sigh … paste it ….
I love this song!!!
Use the code from the bar at the top of your page, not the one under the video.
Gort too many Klaatus !
O.M.G. Aliens please, whatever you do do not take pairubu as a specimen it will bugger up the whole ballance of the universe. He is not a normal human being.
Now then, if you would care to ask me you would get more sense.
Time, sun, hurt, trust, peace ,dark, rage
Sad, white, rain, sun, anger, hurt, soft
Trust, night, rage, rain, white, hope dark
Sacred, sun, time, trust, hurt, rage,anger
Rain, white, light.
And if a bird can speak, who once was a dinosaur
and if dogs can dream
could it be implausable that one day man might supervise
the ConstrKtion of light,
The ConstruKtion of light
King Crimson……..”The ConstruKtion of Light”
Brilliant choice, BP!
Bloody videos that won’t post…………………..AAAArrrgggggghhhh.
I f the aliens want to know about how some of us interact with the other life forms I could do worse than to play them this……….
or one could give the aliens a working knowledge of how human religion operates……..
here’s one for me
i’ll try to think of an Earth one later…
If I could really say one song to capture what this earth is amd how I understand it I would have to say it is Amaterasu Norito.
Amaterasu is the Shinto sun goddess who we believe is the universal mother of all life and everything in nature. Norito is like a sung prayer, and this thanks her for the beautiful world we live in.
I would like an alien to think we love our earth and this song expresses that love, even if in reality we fail to honour that love and the promise, at least they would think we try!!!
ideally I would like to play them “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi but this might stretch their patience somewhat and one anal probe is quite enough. So I’d plump for Mazzy Star and “Into Dust” – since that’s where we came from and where we’ll end up:
Great choice, lovely song!
I confess to enjoying The Big Bang Theory on TV. And actually the Theme Song by Barenaked Ladies is a reasonably concise summary of what we’ve worked out so far. Maybe the aliens can fill in the gaps.
I confess to being a Big Bangophile too. The theme tune is wonderful and just right to show those aliens who’s boss.
I’ve thought about it a lot today, and this challenge is too hard for me. But I heard this song for the first time today. I love it. I do seem drawn to songs about having been worried but trying to get over it…and we’ll fool the aliens into thinking we’re not bothered by their shenanigans!!
Everything Reminds Me Of My Dog – Jane Siberry
If they remind us of our dog, we’ll probably get along
I know I’m being greedy but it’s my week so…nerrrr !
I was thinking last night ( I know ! Makes a change) and a song occurred to me that, I think covers both aspects and, hopefully, would give our tentacled chums something to listen to when probing.*
The imagery here , the world spinning silently in space, reminds us that , for all the hustle and bustle at ground level, when viewed from high up all is quiet and, apart from Birmingham and such places really quite lovely ( I recall the sight of the glaciers of Greenland in the morning sun as being somewhat awesome).
Then we have the human aspect, I particularly like the line about how the autumn leaves take on the colour of the lover’s hair. When one is in love everything and anything can remind you of the object of your passion ( “Raking autumn leaves is very much like making love to a beautiful woman….).
The whole thing, with it’s swirly 60s orchestration will, I think, make the aliens see that we are not just a bunch of dumb hicks ( they seem to have a habit of abducting hillbilles. Why ? Why not go for a Noble winner or someone who actually knows something other than how to hog-tie a gopher **
* It occurred to me, also, that they probably have more than enough information as to what is up people’s bottoms by now and are, frankly, doing it for the laughs.
** Or whatever it is they do.***
*** Not that I have anything against “hillbillies”. In fact people from my part of the world ( adopted) are often called “hillbilly” by the more sophisticated Urbanites of Leominster or Chepstow.
You are assuming that the Aliens are looking for intelligent life. Who’s to say it isn’t a bet to see who can pick up the universe’s biggest dumbass?
Oooh it’s contagious – I’ve gone all bold too. They’ve cottoned on to what you’tre doing pairubu!
Ahem…
This’ll confuse ‘em then.
It’s all gone bold ! Very bold !
That was my fault, pairubu. If you insert the missing /b in my Big Bang comment , all should OK.
Anyone stuck their hand/alien probe in the air for next week’s challenge? I’m not, because there must be a few others who’ve not had a turn yet. Anyone care to start a low rumble repeating someone’s name that grows into a deafening clamour ended only when that person agrees to set the question next week?
Wyngatecarpenter has volunteered for next week.
I was going to pass on this one but suddenly this seems totally appropriate.
Good choice GF, my friend chose this for his funeral (which I went to last week) – amongst others. It made us think.
Ali (en)
This was one of my first thoughts too! I was going to try and find a live Nick Harper version, but the ones I saw on YT didn’t seem so good. Great.
J.C. is the man for any potentially threatening alien explorers.
Feel the love.
WWJCD?
Don’t you have any picures of smiths-listening-era hippos, Nilpferd?
Nope, nor is there any remaining trace of what I looked like in any other form… I left my gaberdine overcoat in a gig somewhere, the greasy ponytail is long gone, and the too much cheap beer pallor long since replaced with the glowing German skin tones resulting from high quality Helles and Pils.
The only surviving photos of me from that time were taken at graduations and there’s no bloody way I’m posting any of those. Just think of an ugly Withnail and I era Richard E. Grant and you’ll have hit the nail on the head.
Thank you Ali.