Saturday Three

 A guest posting by The (New) Vinyl Villain

1. Come Saturday – The Pains Of The Being Pure At Heart

Come Saturday

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are from NYC, forming in 2007, breaking up in 2019 and then

announcing late last year that they were getting back together again. I’m off to see them when they

hit Glasgow this coming November.

This single, from 2009, is a wonderfully catchy number and I defy anyone to listen and not want to

start dancing.

2. The Saturday Boy – Billy Bragg

The Saturday Boy

If anyone ever mentions that they don’t like Billy cos he is a one-trick pony only capable of singing

protest songs then this is my way of coming back at them. A stunning tale of love and rejection. And

a reminder of what exactly la la la la la la la la la la means when used in a song (most of the time

anyway).

3. Saturday’s Kids – The Jam

Saturday's Kids

It’s now a ridiculous 46 years since The Jam released ‘Setting Sons’. A song about growing up in a

working-class community that resonated with me so much back then….I may have moved onwards

and upwards (and I can hardly claim these days to be working-class!) but that part of the lyric about

hating the system still resonates.

Walter adds: Thank you JC for your excellent contribution to this little series

Sixty Four

 

Today's my 64th birthday and I can't belief the day because nothing big changed during the last years except getting older. I think and feel younger than my date of birth tells me. There's no greater celebration going on today and I will meet another fellow who has his birthday today as well for a couple of pints with a few friends. There were many thoughts of what to feature today but nothing felt confident to me so I decided to check the dates in music history for May 22 and decided to name a few of the list.

2019 - Scottish musician Jake Black (The Very Reverend D. Wayne Love), died age 59. He was a member of Alabama 3 a very underrated band.

1988 - Prince scored his first UK No.1 album with 'Lovesexy.' The cover (based on a photo by Jean Baptiste Mondino) caused some controversy upon release as it depicts Prince in the nude. Some record stores refused to stock it or wrapped the album in black.

1988 - Billy Bragg were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and 'She's Leaving Home.' The two Beatles songs had been recorded for the childLine charity, sales of the single, which spent four weeks at No.1 on the UK chart, were over £600,000, all of which was donated to ChildLine .

1982 The Hacienda Club was opened in Manchester

1980 Joe Strummer was arrested at a much-troubled gig in Hamburg, Germany, after smashing his guitar over the head of a member of the audience; he was released after an alcohol test proved negative.

1972 The Doors, Pink Floyd, the Faces, Family, Curved Air, Atomic Rooster, The Kinks, Rory Gallagher, Uriah Heep, Country Joe McDonald, Buddy Miles, Status Quo, Brinsley Schwarz, Spencer Davis, The Strawbs and Humble Pie all appeared at the 2nd British Rock Meeting, Insel Grun, Germersheim, West Germany. The festival was due to take place in Mannheim, West Germany, but after protests from the locals, the concert actually took place in nearby Germersheim.

1972 Marvin Gaye released What's Going On

Which Side Are You On

 

Yesterday I wrote about the big strike in Germany and I don't know if it was successful or not and if the parties found the time for new proceedings to find a solution. Until then I think it is necessary to play some songs from an artist that has been always the tongue of the deprived. I noticed Billy Bragg in the early 80's as an English singer/songwriter and left-wing activist. Since then he was the one that could write about social grievances but also as the one who was able to write heartbreaking introverted songs. Today there should be featured songs to force the strikes - wherever they might be.

The Return Of The Protest Song

 

A few days ago I read that one of the last true folk-punk rebel is going to release another song. Together with The Singing Loins Wild Billy Childish released The Rochester Recruiting Sergeant a song where an acoustic guitar accompanied his words. I don't know if he wrote this song by himself or if it was a cover of a traditional folk song. Anyway, it is good that there are some people out there recording songs like these. Nothing more or less than a throwback to times when Billy Bragg got famous with this kind of songs.

Isolation Days Are Over

 

After my isolation days I appeared yesterday the first time in the office. As usual nobody worked to fulfill my duties and I had a lot of emails to answer. This is nothing new to me and I won't complain because I will finish my logs during the next days. Yesterday we also had our works council election. After my first period I stood for a re-election and I was surprised that I was chosen once again. For me it was a great honor to represent the interests of the workforce again. But it is also a responsibility to the ones that voted me. 

One Song Sung By Many

I was listening to Deporotee an old song by Woodie Guthrie the recent days and I was astonished how many artistes covered this song. Every version is great by itself and it makes me thinking that a good song cannot be destroyed by everyone. A story about underpaid workers brought back to their native country and died by an aircrash. Just another story about no named people died for working for our own prosperity. And when we listen to this song we have to watch what happens to borrowed workers from Eastern Europe. This song is as important as it was when it was released ages ago. This are the results of my investigations about this song. It is for your pleasure and enjoyment.

Full English Brexit

Since decades I followed Billy Bragg and his music for his straight attitude and giving me very heartfelt songs. During the last years he did some collaborations far away from actual politics. But now he returned with an EP and he walks right back to his years of being a protest singer. His words says all.

New Germany

The election in Germany is over and our darkest fears were confirmed. AFD, the self called Alternative for Germany won more than 13% at all. Almost 90 of them will take place in our parliament for the next four years. During the last weeks I discussed a lot with friends, fellows and other people about this fascist base party. Now we have a lot of representatives of them in our parliament. I can't agree with a party that is built on hatred of any foreign people and fears poke around the putatively suppressed to pay court to. It is a party that denies the crimes of German Wehrmacht in WWII and tells me that I should be proud of our soldiers almost 80 years ago. I can't stand it and feeling a little helpless. Now I can understand much more the people in USA that was surprised by the election of Donald Trump. It seems like I have to fight against them and their ideas for the next years. But I will never give up looking forward to brighter days.

Heaven 17 - We Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thang
Billy Bragg - All Your Fascists
Woody Guthrie - I ain't got no home in this world anymore

We're Not Gonna Take It

Yesterday when I came home from work I switched on my TV. Zapping through the various programs I finished by a documentary about the history of communism in Europe. From the start in the early years of the last century international communism raised throughout Europe but failed at least. A lot of them leaders were killed by right wing nationalists and lead us to the civil war in Spain. For sure I am nowadays not the one who would take the gun in my hand but it makes me sad that in these days we failed the chance to change to world into a better one. Not that I am a person living in the past but there were a few ideas decades ago for a better and peaceful world for us all

This are some songs that mean a lot to me belonging during the decades of rebellion.

May Day

As in most other European countries this day is a public holiday here in Germany as well since the Nazi regime installed it as the 'Day of the National Workers'. A lot of years gone by since I joined the local socialists to celebrate this day. There are many reasons why I stopped. One of them is that I don't believe in their words any more. It doesn't mean that I declaim the unions justified aims because I was raised with them. Anyway, I finished 'GB 84', John Pearce book about one year in Great Britain. He described in a novel week by week the strike of the miners back then from some different points / characters. It's a pity to read those stories of friendship turned into hate when your neighbor joins the scabs, family broke away because they had no money at all and kids died while they were grabbing coals to heat the house. And I still respect the miners staying close together following Arthur Scargill and blast by the Iron Lady.

Billy Bragg - World Turned Upside Down

Songs The Lord Told Us # 8

I think that I don't have to say much about Billy Bragg at these place. Most of you will know (and maybe love) him and the music he made throughout the years. There many songs I like to listen almost every time when they shuffle up on my mobile phone. To pick out one is difficult but in my opinion Northern Industrial Town shows exactly his abilities in songwriting. It is very seldom that an artist is able to describe the working people and how they life. This song is in the tradition of Ray Davis and The Kinks who described the working people way back in England in the 60s.

Enjoy

It's just a northern industrial town

The front doors of the houses open into the street

There's no room for front gardens, just a two-up two-down

In a northern industrial town

And you can see the green hills 'cross the rooftops

And a fresher wind blows past the end of our block

In the evenings the mist come rolling on down

Into a northern industrial town

And there's only two teams in this town

And you must follow one or the other

Let us win, let them lose, not the other way 'round

In a northern industrial town

And the street lights look pretty and bright

From the tops of the hills that rise dark in the night

If it weren't for the rain you might never come down

To your northern industrial town

And on payday they tear the place down

With a pint in your hand and a bash 'em out band

Sure they'd dance to the rhythm of the rain falling down

In a northern industrial town

And there's plenty of artists around

Painters steal cars, poets nick guitars

'Cause we're out of the black and we're into the red

So give us this day our daily bread

In a northern industrial town

But it's not Leeds or Manchester

Liverpool, Sheffield nor Glasgow

It's not Newcastle-on-Tyne, it's Belfast

It's just a northern industrial town

Merry Christmas, war is over

In a northern industrial town

Billy Bragg - Northern Industrial Town

From The Inbox

Got some artists during the last weeks in my inbox. There was one that I really enjoyed. Chris Hornsby describes himself as a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist originally from the wilds of Northumberland and now living in South London. His songs are lyrically inventive and cinematic, influenced by classics such as Leonard Cohen and Dylan but also by the contemporary folk composers Billy Bragg and Richard Thompson. A hint of Nirvana and Uncle Tupelo add a certain amount of alternative edge to the mix. He does have a very pleasant and accented voice urgently has not to shout. And really his songs have melodies and certain something that one rehears with pleasure. 

So enjoy

Chris Hornsby - Star Girl

"In The End It Took Me A Dictionary To Find Out The Meaning Of 'Unrequited' ..."

One of the few German followers on my blog, Dirk from Sexyloser, posted a contribution (seldom enough but when then with high quality) that made me smile and my thoughts drifted back into the my very younger days. It depends to the nature of menkind all negative experiences they were made to fade out and to store in the very back corner of the brain. It is like a hidden chamber you normally don't want to enter. But sometimes like in this case you get your key and open this chamber.

While reading Dirks post I also had to think back to the time when I came to the puberty. It was the time in which one wanted (you know what I mean) and still had no plan to get it. Of course there were some guys they knew how to get it but it was impossible to copy them. Either they were better in sports or they looked much smarter (that's exactly what The Jam described in David Watts). Anyway, you had to go your own way and check out what makes you unique.

Okay, now back to my story: It was at the time when I started my education. Beside the real education in the company we had to visit for the theoretical education twice a week the trade school. One of my deficiencies at that time was, that I mostly have come too late to appointments. As usual I came also too late to the first teaching hour in trade school. There was only one free seat in the first row. So I sat down and I introduced me to the girl beside me. As far as I can remember her name was Doris. She was a pretty girl with shoulder-length brown hair and blue-green eyes. In the course of the next weeks we have made friends and have also arranged to meet several times. In the times before mobile phones and computers we sent us some letters and of course I made some tapes for her. Although she gave me with her smile some hope but it happened nothing more than some shy kisses. If I forced my intentions I always get stopped and don't know why. I got no explanation from her to my questions. I got the explanation a few days later when I saw her holding hands with another guy. That's a lesson I learned: don't have too much expectations into your aims. Of course I changed the seat in trade school.

I also didn't see her again after finishing my education. And I also don't know what happened to the tapes I made for her (and others). Presumably they were already thrown in the garbage but if not I would like to know if these persons will still listen to it.

Billy Bragg made a song in which he chanted exactly about these experiences.

Billy Bragg - Walk Away Renee

She said it was just a figment of speech

And I said, "You mean figure?"

And she said, "No, figment"

Because she could never imagine it happening

But it did.

When we first met I played the shy boy

And when she spoke to me for the first time

My nose began to bleed

She guessed the rest

The next day we went on a bus ride to the ferry

And when nobody came to collect our fares

Well, I knew then this was something special

I couldn't stop thinking about her

And every time I switched on the radio

There was somebody else singing a song about the two of us

It was just like being on a fast ride at the funfair

The sort you wanna get off because it?s scary

And then as soon as you?re off

You wanna get straight back on again

But our love is strange

And you have to take the crunchy with the smooth I s'pose

She began going out with Mr Potato Head

It was when I saw her in the car park

With his coat around her shoulders that I realized

I went home and thought about the two of them together

Until the bath water went cold around me

I thought about her eyes and the curve of her breasts

And about the point where their bodies met

I confronted her about it.

I said, "I?m the most illegible bachelor in town."

And she said, "Yea, that's why I can never understand

Any of those silly letters you send me."

And then one day it happened

She cut 'er hair and I stopped lovin' 'er

Gone But Not Forgotten # 4

Kristy MacColl died in December, 2000 during a dive with her sons a power boat came cross and killed her. She was the daughter of the famous folk singer Ewan MacColl and during her lifetime she was very underrated because she had her biggest hits with cover versions of someone others songs or with collaborations with other bands. For me she had a very special voice at all and a very good distinction in songs that fit to her and her voice. Most of the listeners don't know that she tried in different styles like Cuban and Caribbean sounds. I noticed her from the start with They don't know over her collaborations with Billy Bragg and The Pogues till her last recordings. Her voice gave me always a feeling like being at home in my personal own rooms. Sadly she died too young.

Kristy MacColl - My Affair
Kristy MacColl - Days
Kristy MacColl & Evan Dando - Perfect day
Kristy MacColl - You haven't earned it yet, Baby

World turned upside down

Got the information, that Billy Bragg released a new record. Haven't heard any song from it. But critics says that is more personal and less politically. I think this should not be the criterion if the record is good or worse. For me he made very personal songs also as good as politically ones. I love 'Walk away Renee' as well as 'The world turned upside down'. Will tell you more, when I got his new record.

Billy Bragg - World turned upside down

And then one day it happened - she cut 'er hair and I stopped loving 'er

Last Friday JC from The Vinyl Villain featured Billy Bragg and his record 'Don't try this at home' from 1991. I took this for a chance to listen more to his music over the last weekend. It is astonishing how many songs and lyrics are familiar to me after all this time still presently. About him is is nearly everything told.

In different blogs it is discussed whether his political songs are the better ones or the love songs. I turned into his music with his first record 'Life's A Riot with Spy vs Spy'. On this record and also on the following records he sung very political songs. And most of them I played while I worked as a DJ for the weekend in our local pub. I agreed with lots of his political statements - especially against the Thatcher administration.

When I listen to his love songs nowadays I've to confess that a know only a few white singer who are able to sing songs of love and resignation like he does - with his whole heart and empathy.

One of my favorite love song is 'Walk away Renee' - his version of the 1966 single from the Left Bank, around own verses complements. Beside the blog-title the song still contains this miraculous dialogue:

I said 'I'm the most illegible bachelor in town'. 
And she said 'Yea, that's why I never can understand any of those silly letters you send me'.

Billy Bragg - Walk away Renee

Another great song about going separate ways to go:

The Streets - Dry your eyes

Listen, enjoy and have a good week.
Walter