Clap Your Hands

 

In 1983, Katrina and the Waves released one of the best pop songs of the early 1980's. It was written and composed by Kimberley Rew, who had already shown a knack for such songs whilst with the Soft Boys, although none of them were ever as successful as this one. 

There’s not much more to be said about the Boomtown Rats’ biggest hit and what inspired it. It’s sad enough that, even nearly 50 years later, pupils are still killing people with semi-automatic weapons in American schools.

In 1978, Chic released one of the biggest disco hits of the time, featuring a sensational guitar riff. The story behind its creation is also fascinating. Wiki tells 

On 30 December 1977, the two musicians Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers received a phone call from the singer Grace Jones, who asked them if they wanted to meet her at the New Year’s Eve party at Studio 54 in New York, where Jones was performing. When the two arrived at the club’s backstage door, the bouncer didn’t believe them and turned them away, saying, ‘Fuck off.’

Annoyed, they returned to Rodgers’ flat, which was very close to Studio 54. They let off steam during an impromptu jam session, singing “Fuck off – Fuck Studio 54” over an improvised riff. As they immediately liked the sound and the melody, they changed the lyrics and turned it into “Ah, freak out – Le freak, c’est chic”. The lyrics also include the line “just come on down to 54, find a spot out on the floor” as a reference to the song’s origins.

Clap Your Hands

 

Another episode in this series begins in 1969. Norman Greenbaum wrote this psychedelic-style hit. Handclaps are a key element of the track’s driving, gospel-style rhythm and were added in the studio alongside backing vocals from the Oakland-based gospel trio, the Stovall Sisters.

Mott The Hoople released several good, albeit unsuccessful, albums in the late 1960's and early 1970's, and were on the verge of splitting up in 1972. One of their fans was David Bowie, who wrote and produced All The Young Dudes for them, turning it into a glam rock classic.

‘Dog Days Are Over’ is the opening track on Florence + The Machine’s debut album from 2009. On this album, Florence Welsh has achieved a remarkably successful blend of alternative, art-pop and soul.

From the ashes of the doo-wop group Dion and the Belmonts, their lead singer rose to unprecedented heights as a solo artist and had several hits. Something for those with a nostalgic streak.

Clap Your Hands

 

Not all handclaps are real; some are generated synthetically. A good example is a song by New Order that is mentioned far too rarely.

The Talking Heads also made use of this stylistic device in 1983.

To round things off, here’s a song where the rhythm is created by clapping, which acts as the perfect counterpoint to Hope Sandoval’s ethereal voice.

Clap Your Hands

 

Today’s episode delves largely into the world of hip hop and dancehall. We start with Missy Elliott, who was probably the first woman to take on a leading role in hip hop at the turn of the millennium. Rarely has a singer and producer pulled so many rhythmic masterpieces out of her sleeve as she has.  

In 2003, the Jamaican dancehall singer Sean Paul scored a global hit with Get Busy, which could be heard on every radio station in Germany at the time.

The Cure, too, couldn’t resist using handclaps in their songs during their more upbeat phase.

Clap Your Hands

 

Today's edition of clapping hands starts with song by Simon and Garfunkel. Released in 1970 Cecilia, a song about a couple having sex in the afternoon was rather unusual for Duo. Despite this, the groovy track managed to reach the top of the charts.

A classic by Gang Of Four. Early 80's post-punk with sharp guitars and soul-funk at their side.

To finish off, a bit of garage rock from The Sonics. Raw rhythm 'n' blues of a kind rarely played in America in the early sixties.

Clap Your Hands

 

This musical journey through songs that feature handclapping takes us back to the 1970's. Do Anything You Wanna Do shot up the charts in 1977. Eddie and the Hod Rods were classified as a punk band because of their fast-paced guitar playing and their ‘do whatever you want’ attitude. In fact, they were one of the last successful pub rock bands, and their only connection to punk rock was that the Sex Pistols were their support act and smashed up their kit.

There’s no need to talk about Slade and their significance to glam rock.

There’s no doubt that Gary Glitter should be featured in this series as a representative of rock and roll. But I thought long and hard about whether I should give a convicted paedophile a platform. Ultimately, the song is not to blame for its criminal performer.

Clap Your Hands

 

This edition of clapping hands spans three decades of music. Let’s start with a song from the disco era. In 1977, a French producer duo had the idea of incorporating flamenco rhythms into disco beats. Santa Esmeralda turned it into a global hit, which younger listeners will only recognise from the final sword fight scene between Kiddo and O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill.

The American singer-songwriter Sam Beam, also known as Iron & Wine, has also drawn inspiration from flamenco. Although castanets rather than clapping hands set the rhythm, this video is worth featuring here.

One of The Temptations’ absolute classics from the sixties simply has to feature in this series.

Clap Your Hands

 

After taking a short break last week, we’ll now continue with a round of clapping hands. First one today's selection features John Fogerty. Centerfield is the title track from his third album and contains everything that made CCR famous.

Beck released Where It's At in 1996 as the lead single of his best album Odelay. The Dust Brothers produced this album that is full of great samples. And they did the same high class production they did on Beastie Boys Paul's Boutique.

The Cure released this song 1985 and moved to a brighter sound.

Clap Your Hands

 

Another Wednesday with songs which, in some way, incorporate hand clapping as a stylistic device in songs. Let's start with 12:51 the first single form the second album by The Strokes, an overlooked album by the band which has not received the same overwhelming acclaim as their debut.

Those sharp, percussive sounds in the intro and throughout the songs are actually snare drum rim clicks, played in such a way that they sound exactly like rhythmic handclaps. In my view, that justifies the inclusion of songs by the Violent Femmes and T.Rex in this series.

Clap Your Hands

 

Clap your hands for a new round of songs and the good news that I’ve found a new flat since yesterday, right across the street from where I’ve been living. The seemingly endless search for affordable accommodation looks set to come to an end once I finalise the arrangements on Saturday.. Stealers Wheel was a band formed by Gerry Refferty in the early seventies. They performed as a British version of CSN&Y and reached the charts with Stuck In The Middle OF You that later became a torture scene in Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino’s debut film.

The legacy of Gil Scott-Heron was his last album I'm New Here, a spoken word document how that would sound today. A man in the prime of his life who still had something to say

In 1977 Meat Loaf released his first album Bat Out Of Hell, An album overproduced by Jim Steinmann, whose sound is reminiscent of Phil Spector. But he clearly struck a chord with this fine record.

Clap Your Hands

 

Welcome to a new series featuring songs that use clapping hands either to emphasize the rhythm or simply because it suits this song. 

Almost exactly 50 years ago, Steve Miller released his masterpiece Fly Like An Eagle, on which he moves between blues rock, country and atmospheric sounds. Take The Money And Run stands out from the rest of the excellent material.

That’s exactly how old Rose Royce’s Car Wash is – a funky disco hit that was played everywhere back in the day. 

John Mellencamp, who was still known as John Cougar at the time, reached the top of the charts with this simple song.