Music Labyrinth Episode 048
The Bones Of You / Elbow
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 48 of The Music Labyrinth. The day that this episode goes to air happens to also be the birthday of someone who has been a long time supporter of this program, right from the time when it was just an airy concept that got kicked around in conversation. So Happy Birthday Rob. Thanks for your support. I suspect there are some tunes in this episode which will push your buttons. There is certainly one for the long-suffering Mrs Rob. Now, in news secondary only to Rob’s birthday, I can announce that episode 50 of The Music Labyrinth, in two weeks time, will go to air LIVE from the Coast FM studios. This will give us the opportunity for live feedback between songs, and perhaps some minor tweaks to the usual format. I’m thinking that perhaps we could line up two tracks back to back, and I could invite you, The Listener, to provide the link between them. There may also be the odd prize or two for the most creative links. Anyway, I’d love that show to be a real celebration, so please try to join us in a fortnight, and bring a friend or two along. Right, I’ve rattled on for too long. We have stacks of music planned for this episode, which requires me to stop talking. Our first song was The Bones Of You by Elbow, which featured a lovely trumpet refrain of the melody Summertime by George Gershwin. It should therefore be self evident how we progressed to this track by Natalie Imbruglia.
Leave Me Alone / Natalie Imbruglia
From her 1997 album Left Of The Middle, that was Natalie Imbruglia with Leave Me Alone, which contains a pretty obvious sample from Summertime. That song was co-written and co-produced by the British music programmer and producer, Andy Wright. In 1991 he contributed programming to this dance hit by The KLF. This is Justified And Ancient.
Justified and Ancient / The KLF
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we are not all bound for Mu Mu Land, but somewhere much less terrestrial. You see, the two main creative forces behind The KLF, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, also packaged themselves as The Timelords when they released this track in 1988.
Doctorin’ The Tardis / The Timelords
Doctorin’ The Tardis by the Timelords contains a number of samples, and I’m sure you picked up on one prominent in this song from 1973.
Block Buster / The Sweet
Block Buster, by The Sweet has copped a fair serve of criticism for its fairly obvious similarity to this hit song, released in the same year.
The Jean Geanie / David Bowie
That was David Bowie with The Jean Geanie. In interviews since the release of that song, David Bowie has stated that the title is a clumsy pun in reference to the French author and playwright Jean Genet. And, if you are now wondering which song you have heard that references Jean Genet in the lyric, let me help you.
Les Boys / Dire Straits
This is The Music Labyrinth, where we last listened to Les Boys, from Dire Straits’ 1980 album, Making Movies. There was quite a bit of crossover between Dire Straits and Bruce Springsteen around the time of Making Movies. Mark Knopfler targeted Jimmy Iovine as producer, after hearing his work on a couple of Springsteen albums. Knopfler also recruited Springsteen’s keyboard player, Roy Bittain, to play on Making Movies. So, perhaps there was an aspect of mutual admiration in play when, seven years later, Springsteen released this single which has the same title as one of the key tracks on Making Movies.
Tunnel Of Love / Bruce Springsteen
From 1987 that was Bruce Springsteen with Tunnel of Love. Guitars on that track were played by Nils Lofgren, who, 17 years earlier, was a member of Crazy Horse and played piano on this track.
After The Gold Rush / Neil Young
There is something about Neil Young’s After The Gold Rush which makes it just a bit special. In 1986, Neil Young was instrumental (pun intended) in establishing a series of benefit concerts to assist with funding for the Bridge School for children with severe impairments and communications needs. The concerts ran annually from 1986 to 2016, and, due to Neil Young’s impressive network of musical associates, they attracted strong lineups. An album of recorded highlights, called The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1, is available. From it, here is Eddie Vedder.
Better Man (Live) / Eddie Vedder
You are back with The Music Labyrinth where we last heard Eddie Vedder’s solo version of his own song, Better Man. Given that there are several songs with that title, and given that one of them is by a favourite artist here at The Music Labyrinth, where else would we go but here?
Better Man / Leon Bridges
That was Leon Bridges with his song, Better Man. Late last year, Leon Bridges teamed up with Melbourne’s own The Avalanches. This is Interstellar Love.
Interstellar Love / The Avalanches (feat. Leon Bridges)
From their 2020 album We Will Always Love You, that was The Avalanches, featuring Leon Bridges, with Interstellar Love. That song featured a sample from this hit of 1982.
Eye In The Sky / Alan Parsons Project
From the 1982 album of the same name, that was The Alan Parsons Project with Eye In The Sky. Now, we have really pushed the time envelope this week on The Music Labyrinth, but I took on Father Time because I wanted to end the show with this next track. So, thanks for your company. We’ll be back next week with another episode, which - serendipitously - will start with this next song. Alan Parsons achieved a great deal in his long career in popular music, but perhaps his greatest contribution came about due to his network. You see, as a young recording engineer, he was working on one of history’s great albums which needed a guest vocalist. Alan Parsons flicked open his diary, contacted his friend Clare Torry, and the result was this. Happy Birthday Rob.
Great Gig In The Sky / Pink Floyd