Hello my farraginous friends and welcome to the second edition of Farraginous Fridays!
I hope you enjoyed last week’s little non-themed mix and are looking forward to this week’s exciting installment:
Farraginous Friday #02 – Girls, if you’re ever in a song title…
- Everly Brothers
Now, as you can imagine, it was no mean feat choosing just 10 tracks for this as there have been hundreds thousands probably millions of songs written involving a lady’s name.
Since their career began in 1957, the Everly Brothers have mentioned no less than 67 girls names in their songs! Don’t ask me how I acquired this information or why I’ve failed to include any of these tarts tunes in my list… because both answers are boring. In fact I’ve no idea why I bothered bringing it up at all. Thanks a bunch Kentonville!
The influential, dramatic pop icon cum experimental, Edgar Allan Poe reciting type Scott Walker has always haunted my ears. So, I had no problem allowing his theatrical Jacques Brel cover (one of many, I might add) of Mathilde, to force its way into the position of opener. Nothing quite like a blast of bittersweet belligerence to perk up your Friday!
- Arthur Russell
Moving down the list we have china shop-like delicacy from the voice of Arthur Russell. His impressive back catalogue varies from weird, disenfranchised disco to dark and sparse yet romantic cello-based musings. Russell never achieved the success or recognition that he deserved before his unfortunate death in 1992 but the 2000s have seen a large cult following emerge. I’ve picked one of the more accessible tracks from this Iowa-born musician which was released with many other previously unheard tracks in 2008. This gent is a true artist!
Lou Reed… enough said. Well not quite enough, in fact, as I was originally looking for the Mercury Rev version of this heart-rending tale of drug and physical abuse. Caroline Says is such a beautiful song and since rehearing both versions I came to the realisation that the tougher, more corrosive nature of Reed’s version is much more suited to the story than that of Jonathan Donahue’s wispy whispering.
Moving down a few we find the frank and personal meanderings of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone aka Owen Ashworth. His simplistic beats and bleeps accompanied by lackadaisical vocals make a sweet combination of painful honesty and tragi-cool. Jean, If You’re Ever In Portland is a highlight from my favourite album of his; Twinkle Echo.
I think So Long, Marianne might be the closest that Leonard Cohen has ever got to recording a sing-a-long classic? Correct me if I’m wrong…
The Decemberists
Finishing up this week we have the tremendous Romeo & Juliet-style foot tapper from Portland’s wordy story-tellers The Decemberists. One of my favoured Oregon exports these chaps are well known for their tales of woe and their choice of rather interesting instrumentation. This track comes from their 4th LP The Crane Wife; an album that saw them put their left foot in to the hokey pokey of prog. O’ Valencia thankfully doesn’t see them ‘shake it all about’, but gripping lyrics and thunderous chorus does result in an outrageously fantastic pop tune!
So that concludes my blurb on Farraginous Friday #02. I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to the playlist and have learnt a little about the tracks and their artists from my modest mutterings.
As I’ve said to many of you already, please do leave comments or questions whether they’re positive or (heaven forbid) negative!
ENJOY
Farraginous Francis x
Farraginous Friday #02 – Girls, if you’re ever in a song title…
