I was reminded of this song almost two weeks ago (it really doesn’t seem that long ago, but it was in the week before Christmas so I suppose it is) when Casey Hendrickson filled in on KCMO is Kansas City. The producer over there goes by the name “Lefty”, which reminded me of this song, not exclusively by Willie and Merle, but I think their version is the best of the bunch. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard singing Pancho and Lefty.
Livin’ on the road my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
And now you wear your skin like iron
And your breath is hard as kerosene
Weren’t you mamma’s only boy?
But her favorite one it seemed
She began to cry when you said
Good-bye, sank to your dream
Pancho was a bandit boy
His horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Well Pancho met his match, you know
On the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin’ word
Oh, but that’s the way it goes
All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness I suppose
Lefty he can’t sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down South
Ended up in Lefty’s mouth
The day they lay poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
There ain’t nobody knows
All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
We only let him slip away
Out of kindness I suppose
The poets tell how Pancho fell
And Lefty’s livin’ in cheap hotels
The desert’s quiet, Cleveland’s cold
And so the story ends we’re told
Pancho needs your prayers, it’s true
Save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do
And now he’s growin’ old
All the Federales say
We could have had him any day
Only let him go so long
Out of kindness I suppose
A few grey Federales say
Could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness I suppose
It only happens once every seven years or so that the 4th of July falls on a Sunday…so given the timing, I can’t let the day go by without giving the Musician Of The Week award to Martina McBride. The feature song, not surprisingly, is Independence Day.
I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of my American readers a very happy Independence Day.
Well she seemed all right by dawn’s early light
‘Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn’t drinkin’ again
But daddy left the proof on her cheek
And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day
Well word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But mama was proud and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losin’ end
Some folks whispered, some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
When time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day
Let Freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, it’s Independence Day
Well she lit up the sky that fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames
And took down some names
And sent me to the county home
Now I aint sayin’ it’s right or it’s wrong
But maybe it’s the only way
Talk about your revolution
It’s Independence Day
Let Freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, it’s Independence Day
On Saturday night just before midnight as a lead-in to ANZAC Day, Glenn Wheeler played this song on 2GB. I had been holding on to it myself on my list for the Musicians Of The Week Award, but after hearing Glenn play it I decided that it would be the perfect song for ANZAC Day, so now, half a day late, this week’s award goes to The Andrews Sisters, and the feature song is Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the top man at his craft.
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft.
He’s in the army now, a-blowin’ reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam.
It really brought him down because he couldn’t jam.
The Captain seemed to understand.
Because the next day the Cap’ went out and drafted the band.
And now the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
A toot, a toot, a toodlie-a-da-toot.
He blows it eight to the bar in boogie rhythm.
He can’t blow a note unless a bass and guitar
Is playin’ with him.
He makes the company jump, when he plays reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
He was some boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
And when he played boogie woogie bugle
He was busy as a busy bee.
And when he plays he makes the company jump eight to the bar.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
Andata toodliata-toodliata toot toot
He blows it eight to the bar.
He can’t blow a note if a bass and guitar
Isn’t with him.
A-a-a-and the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night,
And wakes ’em up the same way in the early bright.
They clap their hands and stamp their feet.
Because they know how he plays when someone gives him a beat.
He really breaks it up, when he plays reveille.
He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B.
They’ve won the award before with Hip To Be Square, but I heard one of their other songs today and it reminded me that I’ve been intending on reviving this award of late…so that song, If This Is It, is this week’s feature song.
I’ve been phoning
At night and morning
I heard you say
Tell him I’m not home
Now you’re confessing
But I’m still guessing
I’ve been your fool for so, so long
Girl don’t lie
Just to save my feelings
Girl don’t cry
And tell me nothing’s wrong
Girl don’t try
To make up phony reasons
I’d rather leave than never believe
If this is it
Please let me know
If this ain’t love you’d better let me know (let me know)
If this is it
I want to know
If this ain’t love, baby
(Just say so) just say so
You’ve been thinking
And I’ve been drinking
We both know that it’s just not right
Now you’re pretending
That it’s not ending
You’ll say anything to avoid a fight
Girl don’t lie
And tell me that you need me
Girl don’t cry
And tell me nothing’s wrong
I’ll be alright
Oh, one way or another
So let me go
Or make we want to stay
If this is it
Please let me know
If this ain’t love you’d better let me know (let me know)
If this is it
I want to know
If this ain’t love, baby
(Just say so) just say so
If this is it
Please let me know
If this ain’t love you’d better let me know (let me know)
If this is it
I want to know
If this ain’t love, baby
Just say so
(If this is it, please let me know)
I wanna know
(If this is it)
If this is it
(Please let me know)
I gotta know
(If this is it)
You better
(Please let me know)
(If this is it)
If this is it
(Please let me know)
I gotta know
(If this is it)
You better
(Please let me know)
Just say so
(If this is it, please let me know)
I thought I saw a man brought to life
He was warm
He came around
And he was dignified
He showed me what it was to cry
Well you couldn’t be that man that I adored
You don’t seem to know
Or seem to care
What your heart is for
I don’t know him anymore
There’s nothin’ where he used to lie
Conversation has run dry
That’s what’s going on
Nothing’s right
I’m torn
I’m all out of faith
This is how I feel
I’m cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
In to something real
I’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn
You’re a little late
I’m already torn
So I guess the fortune teller’s right
I should have seen just what was there and not some holy light
But you crawled beneath my veins
And now
I don’t care
I have no luck
I don’t miss it all that much
There’s just so many things
That I can’t touch
I’m torn
I’m all out of faith
This is how I feel
I’m cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
In to something real
I’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn
You’re a little late
I’m already torn
Torn
There’s nothin’ where he used to lie
My inspiration has run dry
That’s what’s going on
Nothing’s right
I’m torn
I’m all out of faith
This is how I feel
I’m cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
In to something real
I’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn
I’m all out of faith
This is how I feel
I’m cold and I’m ashamed
Bound and broken on the floor
You’re a little late
I’m already torn
Torn
It pains me to do this, it really does, but this week I find myself giving the Musicians Of The Week award to the aptly named group Faker who, for all intents and purposes, manage to fake singing really badly…it could hardly be worse. However, it’s not their musical ability (or lack thereof) that I’m interested in this week, rather it’s the lyrics of the feature song “This Heart Attack” which seem apt to cover the last few weeks.
Enjoy, or don’t…probably the latter, until it grows on you anyway.
Incidentally, a big hello to the folks at EMI Music who have disabled embedding of this on YouTube and forced me to find an alternative version. Thanks guys, you’re all so very helpful.
I’m going away to be alone
I’m coming back with answers
Aah aah, aah ahh
Don’t try to call my telephone
It’s disconnected
Aah aah, aah ahh
And I don’t know where I’m going
But can you guide me?
Aah aah, aah ahh
If I find love where I’m going
Will it survive me?
Aah aah, aah ahh
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected
And in your own mind you’re not affected
And in your own time you’re still attracted
But in your own li-i-ife…
This heart attack
I’ve gotta get away not coming back
I want some downti-ime
so call me when you can and I’ll be fine
I’ve found the time to be alone
I don’t know what you’re asking
Aah aah, aah ahh
I’m waiting by the telephone
And you’re still barking
Aah aah, aah ahh
My heart stops it isn’t… going
Could you revive me?
Aah aah, aah ahh
I think I’m lost without knowing
So come and find me
Aah aah, aah ahh
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected
And in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted
And in your own ti-ime
This heart attack
I think I’ll go away not coming back
I’m off the li-i-ine
so call me when you can some other time
This heart attack
I’ve gotta get away not coming back
I want some downti-ime
so call me when you can and I’ll be fine
Sometimes if we don’t go (we don’t go, we don’t go)
sometimes you don’t know (you don’t know, you don’t know)
You don’t go I don’t go (I don’t go, I don’t go)
I don’t go you don’t go
Go go go go
I’ve got your back
but you don’t got mine
This heart attack
then I’m feeling fine
This heart attack
I’ve gotta get away I’m not coming back
I’m ’bout to flatli-ine
So call me when you can some other time
This heart attack
I’ve gotta get away not coming back
I want some downti-ime
So call me when and I’ll be fine
I’m going away to be alone
I’m going away to be alone
Going away to be alone
I’m going away to be alone
This week’s award goes to Laura Branigan, and the feature song is Self Control
Oh the night, is my world
City lights, painted girls
In the day, nothing matters
It’s the night time that flatters
In the night, no control
Through the wall, something’s breaking
Wearing white, as you’re walking
Down the street, of my soul
You take my self
You take my self-control
You got me living only for the night
Before the morning comes the story’s told
You take my self
You take my self-control
Another night
Another day goes by
I never stop myself to wonder why
You help me to forget to play my role
You take my self
You take my self-control
I
I live among the creatures of the night
I haven’t got the will to try and fight
Against a new tomorrow
So, I guess I’ll just believe it that tomorrow never comes
I said night
(You take myself, you take my self-control)
I’m living in the forest of a dream
(You take myself, you take my self-control)
I know the night is not as it would seem
(You take myself, you take my self-control)
I must believe in something so I’ll make myself believe it-
(You take myself, you take my self-control)
This night will never go
Oh the night, is my world
City lights, painted girls
In the day, nothing matters
It’s the night, time that flatters
(Oh the night, is my world)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(City lights, painted girls)
You got me living only for the night
(In the day, nothing matters)
Before the morning comes the story’s told
(It’s the night time that flatters)
You take my self, you take my self-control
I
I live among the creatures of the night
I haven’t got the will to try and fight, against a new tomorrow
So, I guess I’ll just believe it – tomorrow never knows
I said night
I’m living in the forest of a dream
I know the night is not as it would seem
I must believe in something so I’ll make myself believe it-
that this night will never go
Ooo
Ooo
Ooo
Ooo
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo)
I
(ooo)
I live among the creatures of the night
(Ooo, ooo)
I haven’t got the will to try and fight
(Ooo, ooo)
I’m living in the forest of a dream
(Ooo, ooo)
I know the night is not as it would seem
(Ooo, ooo)
(Ooo, ooo)
City lights, painted girls
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
(Ooo, ooo)
You take my self, you take my self-control
I have been unable to get this song out of my head all week, and as it is the rare occasion in which a song which is stuck in my head is a song which I happen to like, I’m circumventing the random number generator and giving this week’s award to September. The feature song is RIP.
It gets dark and a shiver moves across my skin
There are stars but the cloudy skies won’t let them in
I’m gonna write few words and I hope they carry all the way
Back to the start of this girl
When she still had something good to say
Seventeen
and you know exactly what you need
Twenty two
and they still see something great in you
But no one tells you a word
But the lonely echo in a heart
When this be filled up with hurt
and your whole world starts to come apart
They rest in peace, won’t ever come back
All the stories I was told
I had a dream – it’s fading to black
Just like me it’s growing old
So rest in peace there is no come back
I will never have a hold
Now there is screaming from the pitch black
That this world is not a home
Say goodbye, that’s the only word you’ll ever need
When you try it gets so much harder to succeed
If I had nothing to lose, I would surely lose it in the end
And you know if I could choose I would never do it all again
They rest in peace, won’t ever come back
All the stories I was told
I had a dream – it’s fading to black
Just like me it’s growing old
So rest in peace there is no come back
I will never have a hold
Now there is screaming from the pitch black
That this world is not a home
It’s pumping through my system, get the poison out of me
What good is a believer when there’s nothing to believe
So put me in the shuttle, let me spin around the world
Show me the star
Oh
They Rest In Peace, won’t ever come back
All the stories I was told
I had a dream – it’s fading to black
Just like me it’s growing old
So rest in peace there is no come back
(it’s pumping through my system, get the poison out of me)
I will never have a hold
(what good is a believer when there’s nothing to believe)
Now there is screaming from the pitch black
(so put me in the shuttle let me spend around the world show me the stars)
That this world is not a– that this world is not a home
The musician(s) of the week award took a hiatus while I was in Deniliquin which extended itself by a couple weeks, but it’s back this week with a great musician and a great song.
This week’s award goes to Willie Nelson, and the feature song is “Nothing I Can Do About It Now”. Apologies about the video…this week you get to enjoy somebody’s road trip photos…on the bright side, the photos are of their road trip to see Willie Nelson.
I’ve got a long list of real good reasons
For all the things I’ve done
I’ve got a picture in the back of my mind
Of what I’ve lost and what I’ve won
I’ve survived every situation
Knowing when to freeze and when to run
And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I’ve got a wild and a restless spirit
I held my price through every deal
I’ve seen the fire of a woman’s scorn
Turn her heart of gold to steal
I’ve got the song of the voice inside me
Set to the rhythm of the wheel
And I’ve been dreaming like a child
Since the cradle broke the bow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Running through the changes
Going through the stages
Coming round the corners in my life
Leaving doubt to fate
Staying out too late
Waiting for the moon to say goodnight
And I could cry for the time I’ve wasted
But that’s a waste of time and tears,
And I know just what I’d change
If went back in time somehow
But there’s nothing I can do about it now
Running through the changes
Going through the stages
Coming round the corners in my life
Leaving doubt to fate
Staying out too late
Waiting for the moon to say goodnight
And I could cry for the time I’ve wasted
But that’s a waste of time and tears
And I know just what I’d change
If went back in time somehow
But there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I’m forgiving everything that forgiveness will allow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now
This week’s award goes to Seal, and the feature song is “Amazing”, a song I went looking for after hearing a very short extract of it used as part of the 2UE IDs for various presenters (I think the first time I heard it, it was being used for Stuart Bocking).
Say you don’t know, how to do it now
So you run
It’s not that you’re bleeding, but you’re through it now
So you run, so you run
I know that you need it, you can’t live alone
So you run, so you run…
Everyone says you’re amazing
Now that you’re clean
Only you know who the real ones are, ’cause you’ve seen
There’s only one question I want to ask, is it healing when you hear
Everyone see you’re amazing?
Does anyone ask you?
If you cry in your sleep and do you feel okay
When you run?
Thinkin’ it’s doomsday, you got to let it go
So you run, so you run…
Pretend you don’t see it, that way you can live the lie, when you run…
So you run..
Everyone says you’re amazing
Now that you’re clean
Only you know who the real ones are, ’cause you’ve seen
There’s only one question I want to ask, is it healing when, when you hear
Everyone see you’re amazing?
Does anyone ask you…? (ask you, ask you, ask you, ask you, ask you, ask you)
‘Cause I know that you’re real, amazing, amazing, amazing…
Everyone says you’re amazing
Now that you’re clean
Only you know who the real ones are, because you have seen
There’s only one question I want to ask, is it healing when you hear
Everyone see you’re amazing?
Everyone see you’re amazing
(I want you to always feel amazing)
Everyone says you’re amazing
(I want you to always feel amazing)
(I want you to always feel amazing)
You’re amazing
This week’s award goes to Van Morrison (aka George Ivan Morrison) and the feature song is Jackie Wilson Said, which is also the theme song for Tim Webster’s afternoon show on 2UE. 2CC also use an extract from the tail end of the song for Tim’s pre-recorded goodbye message at the end of each show.
Unfortunately the only video I can find of Van Morrison performing this song is of one of his later “I’ve really forgotten how to sing this song, but I’ll try and fail anyway” efforts, so instead you get a cut down version of the song on some bloke’s skiing video!
This week’s award goes to Phil Harris, and the feature song is a real classic…The Thing. Other than his much, Phil is well known as the voice of Baloo in Disney’s The Jungle Book.
While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day
I saw a great big wooden box a-floatin’ in the bay
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise
Ooh, I discovered a (boom-boom-boom), right before my eyes
Ooh, I discovered a (boom-boom-boom), right before my eyes
I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king
I took it to a guy I knew who’d buy most any thing
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in his shop
Ooh, get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom), before I call a cop
Ooh, get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom) before I call a cop
I turned around and got right out, a-runnin’ for my life
And than I took it home with me to give it to my wife
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door
Ooh, get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom), and don’t come back no more
Ooh, get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom), and don’t come back no more
I wandered all around the town until I chanced to meet
A hobo who was looking for a hand-out on the street
He said he’d take most any old thing, he was a desperate man
But when I showed him the (boom-boom-boom), he turned around and ran
Ooh, when I showed him the (boom-boom-boom), he turned around and ran
I wandered on for many years, a victim of my fate
Until one day I came upon St. Peter at the gate
And when I tried to take it inside, he told me where to go
Get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom) and take it down below
Ooh, get outta here with that (boom-boom-boom) and take it down below
The moral of this story is if you’re out on the beach
And you should see a great big box and it’s within your reach
Don’t ever stop and open it up, that’s my advice to you
‘Cause you’ll never get rid of the (boom-boom-boom), no matter what you do
Ooh, you’ll never get rid of the (boom-boom-boom), no matter what you do (boom-boom)
This weeks award is in honour of the 21st birthday (yesterday) of The Rush Limbaugh Show. Therefore the award goes to The Pretenders, and the feature song is the song from which Rush’s theme music comes…My City Was Gone.
The above video sounds fantastic, however it is taking an age to download for me, so if it takes too long for you, try the following one instead.
I went back to Ohio
But my city was gone
There was no train station
There was no downtown
South Howard had disappeared
All my favorite places
My city had been pulled down
Reduced to parking spaces
Eh, Oh, way to go Ohio
Well I went back to Ohio
But my family was gone
I stood on the back porch
There was nobody home
I was stunned and amazed
My childhood memories
Slowly swirled past
Like the wind through the trees
Eh, Oh, Oh way to go Ohio
I went back to Ohio
But my pretty countryside
Had been paved down the middle
By a government that had no pride
The farms of Ohio
Had been replaced by shopping malls
And muzak filled the air
From Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls
Said, Eh, Oh, Oh way to go Ohio
It’s a rather interesting coincidence that when I went to Google Video to find the video clip for the feature song, the first thing to catch my eye on the Google Video home page was what appears to be the entire science fiction film TRON. This is a coincidence because the video for the feature song has a very TRONesque feel to it, and even steals the TRON Light Cycle. Until today, I had not seen the video for this song, so it was quite a surprise.
The feature song is “From Paris To Berlin”.
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
You left me longing for you, you, you
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
Patience is a game
And every night I say your name
Hoping that you’ll answer
’cause I’m going insane
It’s quite along time ago
You brought me out of control
Hungry for your lovin’
Like I know what that might be
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
Teasing was the thing
And now I just can’t let it go
Meetin’ you was something no-one else needs to know
I quess I’m thinkin’ of you
Like I would know what to do
If and when I found you, but I don’t
I’ve got no clue
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
You left me longing for you
From Paris to Berlin
And every disco I get in
My heart is pumping for love
Pumping for love
‘Cause when I’m thinkin’ of you
And all the things we could do
My heart is pumping for love
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you
You left me longing for you