“Song 2” by Blur from Blur [1997]

A parody of grunge music that became a hit with American grunge fans, “Song 2” at once pointed to the formulaic nature of the genre and to the sheer inertia of the music itself. Insipid lyrics could only be a detriment to a limited extent. This song still gets the heart pumping and might be a fitting way to kick off the Sweet 16, which tips tonight. 

“Since Yesterday” by Strawberry Switchblade [1985]

This #5 hit in the UK fits among the many songs whose uptempo pop structure seems like an escape from their downhearted lyrics. In this case the music itself is helping convince the singer(s) to go on with life.

“Hurts So Good” by John Cougar (Mellencamp) [1982]

The Rolling Stones with an American twist, and updated for the early ’80s. It’s overplayed, to be sure, but really is a pretty good song.

“Benares Song: There Is No Whiskey In This Town” by Bertolt Brecht (w) and Kurt Weill (m) [1927] performed by Gabriele Ramm, Horst Hiestermann, Peter Nikolaus Kante, Walter Raffeiner, Trudeliese Schmidt, and Hans Franzen with Jan Latham-König and König-Ensemble [1978]

In 1927, the first project on which Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill ever collaborated was called Mahagonny. The project resulted in two separate works, a large opera experimental opera called Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (premiered 1930) and a smaller “scenic cantata,” Mahagonny Songspiel. Weill added music to a recent set of five related Brecht poems. Two of the songs were parodied in English translation by Brecht’s writing parter Elisabeth Hauptmann. Those two songs were “Alabama Song: Oh, Show Us The Way To The Next Whiskey-Bar!” and “Benares Song: There Is No Whiskey In This Town.”

You all no doubt recognize “Alabama Song” from the classic Doors version, although I suspect that like me, many of you were long unaware of the song’s original setting. (See for example this video of a 1958 performance by Lotte Lenya—who had been the original cast singer). Listen above “Alabama Song“‘s more somber companion piece “Benares Song,” which was sung during the lowest moment of the full opera. When initially performed in the Songspiel setting, the words “But even in Mahagonny there are moments of nausea, helplessness and despair” were projected behind the scene as a title. 

“Perfect” by Fairground Attraction [1988

As much as I want to post a follow-up to my reblog of that fantastic Giorgio Moroder piece (we could all use a little more mustache), I can’t. Alas, the random song for today is this catchy folk-jazz-pop ditty from the late ’80s. Still, you might say it’s “perfect” for tonight.

“My Beer Is Rheingold, The Dry Beer” jingle [c1952]

My topic for my research and writing course for this semester has been given initial approval by my professor. Inspired more than anything by an internal report on the marketing of the innovative new Rheingold “Chug-a-Mug” beer bottle in 1961 (meant for exactly what it says), I will be writing a paper on the “crisis” of beer bottling in the 1950s and 1960s. Faced with increasing competition from aluminum cans and with the shift from returnable bottles (to get one’s deposit back) to no-return (“one-way”) glass bottles, the beverage bottling industry needed innovative designs and marketing to prove that bottles were still the superior form from which to consume beer. I will be digging through industry literature from the period to write a short history. To celebrate having a topic, above is posted Rheingold’s famous jingle and a period advertisement (1953). If you’re age 50+ and grew up in New York City, you’ll probably know it by heart.

8 1/2” x 11”, full page ad. New York: Paillard Products, Inc. (1953). (via)

(via)

Chug-a-Mug… somehow did not become a staple on college campuses.

“Hello My Lovely” by Charlie Haden Quartet West from Haunted Heart [1992]

Just some immaculate Charlie Haden/Ernie Watts neo-bop to help you pass your work day. I’ll be reading.

“Smetana: The Bartered Bride: Act II: Jak možná věřit (How Could They Believe)” composed by Bedřich Smetana [this final version, 1870] performed by Peter Dvorsky with Zdeněk Košler and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra [1981]

Pater Dvorsky’s great aria as the character Jenik comes from near the end of Act II of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride. Jenik has just been paid off by a marriage broker to denounce his love, so long as she marry only the son of the character Micha. The broker (and the audience) assume this to be the broker’s man, Vašek, who is the younger son of Micha. “How Could They Believe” is the first foreshadowing of the plot’s final twist. Jenik wonders aloud how people could think he would sell his love for any price, and furthermore, shakes his head at the deal he just struck. If they only knew the true meaning of the arrangement…

This performance conducted by Zdeněk Košler is generally regarded as the best recording of The Bartered Bride, and certainly the best Czech recording. The audio was recorded for a filmed version of the opera. Watch Peter Dvorsky’s performance here.

“Green Valentine Blues” by Allen Ginsberg [1954]

Ginsberg composed “Green Valentine Blues in Mexico in 1954 (around Valentine’s Day?) and recorded it at . From The Allen Ginsberg Project (who posted about this song this morning):

Allen: “In Mexico, I’d lived on a cacao plantation for three months in Chiapas rain forest, solitary wondering where I’d ever find love, amid insect-eating blossoms and giant palms, caoba (mahogany) trees and one plant with a huge heart-shaped leaf. “Green Valentine” echoes some old Tin Pan Alley, music hall barbershop, almost vaudeville number, sentimental like “My Yiddishe Mama”, the kind of thing you sing to yourself in bed..”

An early recording (chez Cassady’s) can be found on Holy Soul, Jelly Roll [Music. History.’s source for the music] and also on this 2010 curiosity, The Beat Generation Music and Poetry.

“Handcuffs” by Parliament from Mothership Connection [1975]

The night before Valentine’s Day… Tonight is the night to get your groove on, people. Maybe use some handcuffs?

(For the record, this song came up randomly as the song of the day.)