Music Labyrinth Episode 051
The Calling / The Killers
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 51 of The Music Labyrinth. If you haven’t fully caught up with the recent changes to scheduling here at Coast FM, or if you are new to the concept of The Music Labyrinth (hey, welcome!), this is your fortnightly, two-hour dose of labyrinthine meandering. The concept is pretty simple. We start with a song (always the same one which ended the previous episode) and we find some link to another song, and off we go into the labyrinth. This time though, there is a substantial difference! This fortnight, the show is being programmed by The Music Labyrinth Elves, who are long time supporters of the show, and who have indicated a desire to take over the reins for one week from their father - whoops! I mean, “the usual host of the program”. Thank you Elves, for the work you have put in to this episode. Now the Elves have provided me with a script to follow, and I will largely stick to it. But, in some instances, I will need to make it clear that I am directly quoting the words that they wrote for me. Anyway, you’ll get the gist. Can I also mention that the Most Distant Listener Prize from last fortnight (the bespoke Coast FM drink receptacle) was jointly won by the Salmon Thursday Folks in Buderim. I trust, at this very moment, they are collectively sipping their beverage of choice from it. Well done to them, and thanks for listening. So, to this episode. I started the Elves off this time round with The Callingm, from The Killers’ wonderful 2017 album Wonderful Wonderful. The Calling has quickly become a firm favourite of mine. The Killers’ previous album, Battle Born, was heavily inspired by one of our favourite artists here at The Music Labyrinth, so lets take an opportunity to recognise the influence of Talking Heads on the work of The Killers. This is Once In A Lifetime.
Once In A Lifetime / Talking Heads
Welcome back to episode 51 of The Music Labyrinth - as programmed by the Elves of the Labyrinth. We last heard Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads. That groovy track featured on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. And, also featured on that list is this iconic track from the B-52’s:
Rock Lobster / The B-52s
That was the B-52’s with their 1978 single Rock Lobster. The infectious guitar riff that runs throughout the track was sampled in 2016 by this former pop-punk group. This is Panic! At The Disco with Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time:
Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time / Panic! At The Disco
Welcome back to the Music Labyrinth where we just heard Panic! At the Disco with their 2016 track Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time. Also in 2016, that same band released a cover of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody for the soundtrack of the DC film adaptation Suicide Squad. So, lets stay with Queen, and have a listen to this favourite.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Queen
That was the 1979 track Crazy Little Thing Called Love by the band Queen. You might’ve heard of them. The Music Labyrinth Elves have discovered that Crazy Little Thing Called Love was the group’s first single to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks, before being knocked off by this next song which we are all sure you will know:
Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) / Pink Floyd
You just heard Pink Floyd with Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2. That song, released in 1979, as well as being part of the narrative in the concept album The Wall, was also a protest against the UK schooling system. So, in the realm of protest songs, nearly 30 years after Pink Floyd, The Presets released this protest song. This is My People.
My People / The Presets
You are back with The Music Labyrinth, where we last listened to The Presets’ My People, which was a protest against the treatment of asylum seekers under the Howard government, and was popular enough to feature on the Hottest 100 in 2007. 9 years before that, another artist reached number 58 in the Hottest 100 with this song parodying an Australian political figure.
I Don’t Like It / Pauline Pantsdown
That was Pauline Pantsdown with I Don’t Like It. Keen listeners may have heard the reference to Neil Diamond in the track. There were also references to I Left My Heart in San Francisco and Puppet On A String. But The Elves tell me none of that is important, because I Dont Like It was featured in the 1998 TripleJ Hottest 100. That particular path leads in - well, precisely 99 possible directions - but The Elves insist that, this being their episode, we’re going with this next track:
Music Sounds Better With You / Stardust
Welcome back to the Music Labyrinth where, we last heard Stardust, with Music Sounds Better With You. Stardust is actually the former name of the electronic music duo consisting of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, who are better known now as Daft Punk. From their 2013 album Random Access Memories, this is Lose Yourself To Dance:
Lose Yourself To Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams) / Daft Punk
That was Daft Punk with Lose Yourself To Dance. That track was a collaboration with the artist Pharrell, who contributed both vocals and is credited as a writer. Pharrell has his fingers in several musical pies, being well known as a musician, writer, and producer; which leads us in several possible directions. For a nice surprise, let’s go with this track.
Daddy Lessons / Beyonce
It should come as no surprise that you are back with The Music Labyrinth, but, courtesy of The Music labyrinth Elves, you might be surprised to have heard Beyonce with Daddy Lessons. It’s fair to say that the country influence on that track is fairly obvious, and [and here I am quoting directly from the script provided to me by The Elves] as someone partial to a bit of twang, it’s very well done. Beyonce has worked with many artists throughout her career, but her collaborations with Lady Gaga have been perhaps some of the more iconic projects of 2010s pop. Gaga also took a turn into country with her 2016 album Joanne.
A-YO / Lady Gaga
From her 2016 album Joanne, that was Lady Gaga here on The Music Labyrinth with A-Yo. A co-writer of that track was Mark Ronson, who is an extremely accomplished writer and producer whose work has featured on The Music Labyrinth in previous episodes. Mark Ronson also produced the album which this next song is from. This is Lily Allen with LDN.
LDN / Lily Allen
You’re listening to the Music Labyrinth and that was Lily Allen with LDN. [Here again, Listener, are a couple of sentences which are direct quotations from the script provided for me by The Elves]. The song discusses the juxtaposition of the facade and the reality of life in London. I mention this not only to cash in on a few $2 words, but also because many albums have been recorded in London, and particularly the iconic Abbey Road Studios, which have seen many musicians and types of music since its opening in 1931. Britpop group Oasis was one such group as they recorded their third album at Abbey Road. From that album, this is the title track.
Be Here Now / Oasis
Here we are in a part of The Music Labyrinth that we have been escorted to in this episode by The Music Labyrinth Elves. From their 1997 album Be Here Now, we just heard Oasis with the title track of that album. The recording of Be Here Now was complicated by several factors including drug addiction and the mounting pressure on the band from the success of their first two records. The most notable hindrance on Oasis, however, was the long lasting feud between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, which lead to the group’s eventual breakup in 2009. The Beach Boys consisted of sibling brothers and their cousin, and had similarly rocky relationships throughout their music career. So, lets stay with The Beach Boys. Here is All I Wanna Do.
All I Want To Do / The Beach Boys
That was the Beach Boys with their song All I Wanna Do, which comes from their 1970 album Sunflower. The Beach Boys are probably the iconic sound of the music scene of the 60s. Their crafted vocal arrangements allowed them to take any song and transform it into a unique listening experience, such as with their 1964 cover of Why Do Fools Fall In Love?, which was covered again in 1981 by this next artist.
Why Do Fools Fall In Love / Dianna Ross
From 1981, that was Dianna Ross, who has a highly successful solo artist, after also being a key member of The Supremes throughout most of the 60s. The Supremes inspired several other groups in both reality and fiction. The Elves have brought us something from the fictional end of that paradigm, and I suspect they have done that in a deliberate ploy to take this program into places it would definitely not have gone without their influence. I can’t believe I am about to say these words, but from the soundtrack of the musical Hairspray, here is Brittany Snow.
The New Girl In Town / Brittany Snow
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where, believe it or not, we last heard The New Girl In Town from the Musical Hairspray. The hugely successful 2007 film version of the musical Hairspray garnered much praise for its soundtrack in particular. So much so, in fact, that it was nominated for a grammy in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category. It was beaten out for the win by the film Love. Interestingly though, another nominee (and winner) of the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack was this artist.
Sussidio / Phil Collins
From his 1985 album No Jacket Required, that was Phil Collins with Sussidio. Now, I can’t be sure that the Salmon Thursday folks are still with us, but I am assured that there is a single degree of separation between at least one of those folks, and Phil Collins. Which means that there are two degrees off separation between this program and Phil - and, in even more exciting news, just three degrees of separation between this program and our final artist! So, Faithful Listener, that brings us to the end of another Thursday evening episode of The Music Labyrinth. Please join us again in a fortnight, if for no other reason than you will get to hear this last track a second time. Before we leave you this time, can I just take a moment to reinforce what a special thing it has been to collaborate with The Music Labyrinth Elves on this episode. I love those Elves. As is fitting, I will leave you with their sentiments. The rest of the words in this episode come directly from The Elves: That was Sussudio by Phil Collins. If you’re a long time listener of the Music Labyrinth you’ll know exactly where this road leads to. Phil Collins, of course, was a member of the band Genesis with Labyrinth favourite (read: devoted man-crush) Peter Gabriel. This episode started with the host putting the musical ball into the Elves’ court with The Killers. Well, consider this the Elves serving the ball right back. Thank you Dad for letting us write this episode, we hope it doesn’t drive away your regular listeners.
Sledgehammer / Peter Gabriel