Music Labyrinth Episode 076
This Year Is Better Than Last Year / David Bridie (2008)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth. 76 is a figure which provides us with no shortage of inspiration to deliver a quality episode. 1776, of course, was the year of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence and the birth of one of history’s most influential republics/empires, call it what you will. And those events are directly related to an announcement I have for you about our next episode. In a fortnight I will be away from the studios of Coast FM because I’m off to see the musical Hamilton, which, I am sure you are aware, is about events and people central to the American Revolutionary War and the beginnings of the United States. So, our next episode will be pre-recorded for broadcast during my absence. Seventy Six is also the title of a novel by John Neal, published in 1823, which - unsurprisingly - deals with the events of the American Revolutionary War. And if that is not enough, 76 is also the title of a 2003 album by the Dutch record producer Armin van Buuren, who specialises in trance music. Now, I am no expert about that particular genre, but there are tracks in tonight’s episode of The Music Labyrinth which could potentially make Armin sit up and pay attention. So, lets get on with the show. As is our custom, we started this episode where we ended our last, and that was with David Bridie’s 2008 song of optimism, This Year Will Be Better Than Last Year. David Bridie has been a significant contributor to the Australian music scene since 1980 with the bands Misspent Youth and Not Drowning, Waving, and as a solo performer as we have just heard. But his collaboration with Helen Mountfort resulted in the largely string-based project known as My Friend The Chocolate Cake. The fifth of six studio albums by My Friend The Chocolate Cake was released in 2007 and from that album, called Home Improvements, this is the title track.
Home Improvements / My Friend The Chocolate Cake (2007)
From 2007, that was Home Improvements by My Friend The Chocolate Cake. The listener will most likely have picked up on the phrase “Therein lies the rub” in the lyrics of that song. That phrase is an adaption of one first used by Shakespeare in the famous “To Be Or Not To Be” soliloquy of Act 3 of Hamlet. ON the website MiriamWebster.com I found an article called “10 Phrases from Shakespeare”, which included that one from Hamlet. According to the same article, Shakespeare is also responsible for the phrase “salad days”, meaning one’s youth or heyday, and a practical example of the use of that phrase occurs in the early section of this song by Spandau Ballet.
Gold / Spandau Ballet (1983)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we are toying with phrases coined by William Shakespeare and their use in popular music. We last listened to Gold by Spandau Ballet. I enjoyed the Miriam Webster article on phrases from Shakespeare, and I thought we might stay in that lane for maybe a couple more songs. Another common phrase attributable to Shakespeare is “Dogs of war” (Julius Caesar, Act 3, Sc 1). And there is no need at all to look past the obvious.
The Dogs Of War / Pink Floyd (1987)
Pink Floyd’s Dogs Of War is one of the songs we have encountered in The Music Labyrinth courtesy of MiriamWebster.com’s “10 phrases from Shakespeare” article. Lets do just one more, shall we? Shakespeare is credited with first using the phrase, “Wear my heart on my sleeve” (Othello, Act 1 Sc 1). And, here again is a modest example, courtesy of 10CC.
Bee In My Bonnet / 10CC (1973)
That was 10CC with their 1973 single Bee In My Bonnet. 10CC was a band consisting essentially of two pairs of songwriting partners, and when the inevitable tensions arose between those pairs, the band split. Two of those members, Lol Crème and Kevin Godley formed their own duo in 1977 which they called, inventively, Godley and Crème. From their third album, Freeze Frame, here is the title track.
Freeze Frame / Godley & Creme (1979)
Here we are in The Music Labyrinth, where we last listened to Godley & Crème from 1979 with the title track to their album Freeze Frame. Now, I bet you think you know, Clever Listener, where we are going next?! Well, never let it be said that I am not full of surprises. Because we’re not. Instead, lets veer off in a very different direction for a while. In 1998, Lol Crème joined Art of Noise for the concept album “The Seduction of Claude Debussy”. From that album, and featuring Lol Crème, this is Dreaming In Colour.
Dreaming In Colour / Art Of Noise (1998)
And that different world is The Music Labyrinth, and the one we arrived from was Dreaming In Colour from Art Of Noise’s 1998 album The Seduction of Claude Debussy. Vocals on the track we just heard were by the British mezzo-soprano Sally Bradshaw. And so, in a rare double link to our next track, I offer you this: 1) this track by The Pet Shop Boys also features the beautiful voice of Sally Bradshaw, and 2) the track also references Claude Debussy.
Left To My Own Devices / Pet Shop Boys (1988)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to The Pet Shop Boys from their 1988 album Introspective. That song was called Left To My Own Devices. In 2014, the Australian musician and songwriter Chet Faker released this next track as the lead single from his debut album, and we’re going to it because it also contains the phrase “left to my own devices”. This is Talk Is Cheap.
Talk Is Cheap / Chet Faker (2014)
From his 2014 debut album, Built On Glass, that is Chet Faker with Talk Is Cheap. The artist known as Chet Faker was given the monika Nicholas Murphy shortly after his birth. He selected the professional name Chet Faker partly because he was being confused with another established musician called Nick Murphy, and partly because of an admiration for the American jazz musician and singer, Chet Baker. Here is Chet Baker from 1965, with Born To Be Blue.
Born To Be Blue / Chet Baker (1965)
On The Music Labyrinth, that was Chet Baker with Born To Be Blue. Chet Baker is something of a talisman in music circles, particularly jazz circles, and he is referenced in the lyrics of several songs - including this one.
She Just Wants To Be / R.E.M (2001)
Here we are in the revolutionary episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to R.E.M. with She Just Wants To Be. Peter Buck from R.E.M. has been involved in multiple side-projects throughout the active period of his main band, including being engaged as a session musician by The Eels for their 2000 album Daisies Of The Galaxy, on which this song was included as a hidden track.
Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues / Eels (2000)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Mr E’s Beautiful Blues. That song was co-written by Michael Simpson, an American musician and record producer who, in 1999 was the co-writer of this song for Carlos Santana for his album Supernatural. Featuring the vocals of Eagle-Eye Cherry, this is Wishing It Was.
Wishing It Was / Santana (feat. Eagle-Eye Cherry) (1999)
From his 1999 album Supernatural, that was Carlos Santana, featuring the vocals of Eagle-Eye Cherry, with Wishing It Was. Now, as fine a song as that is, it was hardly noticed on the Supernatural album, because the album also contained this monster hit.
Smooth / Santana (feat. Rob Thomas) (1999)
This is The Music Labyrinth and we find ourselves in the realm of Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas and the global smash hit, Smooth. Rob Thomas wrote that song, and was subsequently awarded the inaugural Hal David Songwriting Award, for gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs. Ten years later, that same award was won by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons. Here they are, joined by JID $ League of Legends, with Enemy.
Enemy / Imagine Dragons, JID & League of Legends (2021)
That was Imagine Dragons, JID & League of Legends from last year with Enemy. Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs vocals on this next track which he co-wrote with Bishop Briggs for her 2018 album Church of Scars.
Lyin’ / Bishop Briggs (2018)
From her 2018 debut album, that was Bishop Briggs with Lyin’. The year prior to that album being released, Bishop Briggs featured on this next track: a collaboration with Cold War Kids. This is So Tied Up.
So Tied Up / Cold War Kids (feat. Bishop Briggs) (2017)
This is The Music Labyrinth where we find ourselves so tied up by the Cold War Kids and Bishop Briggs that progress onwards through the labyrinth might be a struggle. But struggle we shall! Drums on that last track were played by Joe Plummer, but Cold War Kids is not his only regular gig. Since 2009 Plummer has been also contributing regularly to James Mercer’s output as The Shins. Plummer played on 2012’s Port of Morrow (a big favourite of ours here at TML) and 2017’s Heartworms. So, featuring Plummer The Drummer, here is one of my favourite tracks from Heartworms. This is Name For You.
Name For You / The Shins (2017)
On The Music Labyrinth, that was The Shins with Name For You. We’ve spoken before about James Mercer of The Shins and his prolific, high quality output. In 2012 he performed this duet with the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. This is Living A Lie.
Living A Lie / Aimee Mann (feat. James Mercer) (2012)
From 2012 that was Aimee Mann and James Mercer with Living A Lie. Despite having been a member of the 80s band ‘Til Tuesday, Aimee Mann came to prominence as a solo performer when she made significant contributions to the soundtrack for the 1999 movie Magnolia. This is one of those songs. This is Save Me.
Save Me / Aimee Mann (1999)
Welcome back to this, the final section of episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth. We got to where we are courtesy of the song Save Me by Aimee Mann. As I mentioned earlier, that song was one of several which Aimee Mann contributed to the soundtrack of the 1999 film Magnolia. Another song on that soundtrack, and which Aimee Mann later covered, was this 1968 hit for Harry Nilsson.
One / Harry Nilsson (1968)
On The Music Labyrinth, we just heard Harry Nilsson from 1968 with One. Now, we have two songs remaining in this episode of The Music Labyrinth, but tonight we’re finishing in slightly different style. Our last song tonight features a drum sample taken from this next tune, so I thought, in order to roll them into each other, we would finish this episode with a rare Music Labyrinth double play! As always, thanks very much for your company this evening, and please come back in two weeks when we will do it all again - even though the next episode will be pre-recorded to allow me to embarrass my family by singing loudly along with Hamilton. For this next track, we are remaining with Harry Nilsson, and listening to his 1969 track, Rainmaker, and pay particular attention to the drums in the song, because you will hear them recycled three decades later in our last track by Danger Mouse and Jemima The Gifted One. Thanks very much for your company. Until next time …
Rainmaker / Harry Nillson (1969)
The Only One / Danger Mouse & Jemima The Gifted One (2003)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth. 76 is a figure which provides us with no shortage of inspiration to deliver a quality episode. 1776, of course, was the year of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence and the birth of one of history’s most influential republics/empires, call it what you will. And those events are directly related to an announcement I have for you about our next episode. In a fortnight I will be away from the studios of Coast FM because I’m off to see the musical Hamilton, which, I am sure you are aware, is about events and people central to the American Revolutionary War and the beginnings of the United States. So, our next episode will be pre-recorded for broadcast during my absence. Seventy Six is also the title of a novel by John Neal, published in 1823, which - unsurprisingly - deals with the events of the American Revolutionary War. And if that is not enough, 76 is also the title of a 2003 album by the Dutch record producer Armin van Buuren, who specialises in trance music. Now, I am no expert about that particular genre, but there are tracks in tonight’s episode of The Music Labyrinth which could potentially make Armin sit up and pay attention. So, lets get on with the show. As is our custom, we started this episode where we ended our last, and that was with David Bridie’s 2008 song of optimism, This Year Will Be Better Than Last Year. David Bridie has been a significant contributor to the Australian music scene since 1980 with the bands Misspent Youth and Not Drowning, Waving, and as a solo performer as we have just heard. But his collaboration with Helen Mountfort resulted in the largely string-based project known as My Friend The Chocolate Cake. The fifth of six studio albums by My Friend The Chocolate Cake was released in 2007 and from that album, called Home Improvements, this is the title track.
Home Improvements / My Friend The Chocolate Cake (2007)
From 2007, that was Home Improvements by My Friend The Chocolate Cake. The listener will most likely have picked up on the phrase “Therein lies the rub” in the lyrics of that song. That phrase is an adaption of one first used by Shakespeare in the famous “To Be Or Not To Be” soliloquy of Act 3 of Hamlet. ON the website MiriamWebster.com I found an article called “10 Phrases from Shakespeare”, which included that one from Hamlet. According to the same article, Shakespeare is also responsible for the phrase “salad days”, meaning one’s youth or heyday, and a practical example of the use of that phrase occurs in the early section of this song by Spandau Ballet.
Gold / Spandau Ballet (1983)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we are toying with phrases coined by William Shakespeare and their use in popular music. We last listened to Gold by Spandau Ballet. I enjoyed the Miriam Webster article on phrases from Shakespeare, and I thought we might stay in that lane for maybe a couple more songs. Another common phrase attributable to Shakespeare is “Dogs of war” (Julius Caesar, Act 3, Sc 1). And there is no need at all to look past the obvious.
The Dogs Of War / Pink Floyd (1987)
Pink Floyd’s Dogs Of War is one of the songs we have encountered in The Music Labyrinth courtesy of MiriamWebster.com’s “10 phrases from Shakespeare” article. Lets do just one more, shall we? Shakespeare is credited with first using the phrase, “Wear my heart on my sleeve” (Othello, Act 1 Sc 1). And, here again is a modest example, courtesy of 10CC.
Bee In My Bonnet / 10CC (1973)
That was 10CC with their 1973 single Bee In My Bonnet. 10CC was a band consisting essentially of two pairs of songwriting partners, and when the inevitable tensions arose between those pairs, the band split. Two of those members, Lol Crème and Kevin Godley formed their own duo in 1977 which they called, inventively, Godley and Crème. From their third album, Freeze Frame, here is the title track.
Freeze Frame / Godley & Creme (1979)
Here we are in The Music Labyrinth, where we last listened to Godley & Crème from 1979 with the title track to their album Freeze Frame. Now, I bet you think you know, Clever Listener, where we are going next?! Well, never let it be said that I am not full of surprises. Because we’re not. Instead, lets veer off in a very different direction for a while. In 1998, Lol Crème joined Art of Noise for the concept album “The Seduction of Claude Debussy”. From that album, and featuring Lol Crème, this is Dreaming In Colour.
Dreaming In Colour / Art Of Noise (1998)
And that different world is The Music Labyrinth, and the one we arrived from was Dreaming In Colour from Art Of Noise’s 1998 album The Seduction of Claude Debussy. Vocals on the track we just heard were by the British mezzo-soprano Sally Bradshaw. And so, in a rare double link to our next track, I offer you this: 1) this track by The Pet Shop Boys also features the beautiful voice of Sally Bradshaw, and 2) the track also references Claude Debussy.
Left To My Own Devices / Pet Shop Boys (1988)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to The Pet Shop Boys from their 1988 album Introspective. That song was called Left To My Own Devices. In 2014, the Australian musician and songwriter Chet Faker released this next track as the lead single from his debut album, and we’re going to it because it also contains the phrase “left to my own devices”. This is Talk Is Cheap.
Talk Is Cheap / Chet Faker (2014)
From his 2014 debut album, Built On Glass, that is Chet Faker with Talk Is Cheap. The artist known as Chet Faker was given the monika Nicholas Murphy shortly after his birth. He selected the professional name Chet Faker partly because he was being confused with another established musician called Nick Murphy, and partly because of an admiration for the American jazz musician and singer, Chet Baker. Here is Chet Baker from 1965, with Born To Be Blue.
Born To Be Blue / Chet Baker (1965)
On The Music Labyrinth, that was Chet Baker with Born To Be Blue. Chet Baker is something of a talisman in music circles, particularly jazz circles, and he is referenced in the lyrics of several songs - including this one.
She Just Wants To Be / R.E.M (2001)
Here we are in the revolutionary episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to R.E.M. with She Just Wants To Be. Peter Buck from R.E.M. has been involved in multiple side-projects throughout the active period of his main band, including being engaged as a session musician by The Eels for their 2000 album Daisies Of The Galaxy, on which this song was included as a hidden track.
Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues / Eels (2000)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Mr E’s Beautiful Blues. That song was co-written by Michael Simpson, an American musician and record producer who, in 1999 was the co-writer of this song for Carlos Santana for his album Supernatural. Featuring the vocals of Eagle-Eye Cherry, this is Wishing It Was.
Wishing It Was / Santana (feat. Eagle-Eye Cherry) (1999)
From his 1999 album Supernatural, that was Carlos Santana, featuring the vocals of Eagle-Eye Cherry, with Wishing It Was. Now, as fine a song as that is, it was hardly noticed on the Supernatural album, because the album also contained this monster hit.
Smooth / Santana (feat. Rob Thomas) (1999)
This is The Music Labyrinth and we find ourselves in the realm of Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas and the global smash hit, Smooth. Rob Thomas wrote that song, and was subsequently awarded the inaugural Hal David Songwriting Award, for gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs. Ten years later, that same award was won by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons. Here they are, joined by JID $ League of Legends, with Enemy.
Enemy / Imagine Dragons, JID & League of Legends (2021)
That was Imagine Dragons, JID & League of Legends from last year with Enemy. Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs vocals on this next track which he co-wrote with Bishop Briggs for her 2018 album Church of Scars.
Lyin’ / Bishop Briggs (2018)
From her 2018 debut album, that was Bishop Briggs with Lyin’. The year prior to that album being released, Bishop Briggs featured on this next track: a collaboration with Cold War Kids. This is So Tied Up.
So Tied Up / Cold War Kids (feat. Bishop Briggs) (2017)
This is The Music Labyrinth where we find ourselves so tied up by the Cold War Kids and Bishop Briggs that progress onwards through the labyrinth might be a struggle. But struggle we shall! Drums on that last track were played by Joe Plummer, but Cold War Kids is not his only regular gig. Since 2009 Plummer has been also contributing regularly to James Mercer’s output as The Shins. Plummer played on 2012’s Port of Morrow (a big favourite of ours here at TML) and 2017’s Heartworms. So, featuring Plummer The Drummer, here is one of my favourite tracks from Heartworms. This is Name For You.
Name For You / The Shins (2017)
On The Music Labyrinth, that was The Shins with Name For You. We’ve spoken before about James Mercer of The Shins and his prolific, high quality output. In 2012 he performed this duet with the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. This is Living A Lie.
Living A Lie / Aimee Mann (feat. James Mercer) (2012)
From 2012 that was Aimee Mann and James Mercer with Living A Lie. Despite having been a member of the 80s band ‘Til Tuesday, Aimee Mann came to prominence as a solo performer when she made significant contributions to the soundtrack for the 1999 movie Magnolia. This is one of those songs. This is Save Me.
Save Me / Aimee Mann (1999)
Welcome back to this, the final section of episode 76 of The Music Labyrinth. We got to where we are courtesy of the song Save Me by Aimee Mann. As I mentioned earlier, that song was one of several which Aimee Mann contributed to the soundtrack of the 1999 film Magnolia. Another song on that soundtrack, and which Aimee Mann later covered, was this 1968 hit for Harry Nilsson.
One / Harry Nilsson (1968)
On The Music Labyrinth, we just heard Harry Nilsson from 1968 with One. Now, we have two songs remaining in this episode of The Music Labyrinth, but tonight we’re finishing in slightly different style. Our last song tonight features a drum sample taken from this next tune, so I thought, in order to roll them into each other, we would finish this episode with a rare Music Labyrinth double play! As always, thanks very much for your company this evening, and please come back in two weeks when we will do it all again - even though the next episode will be pre-recorded to allow me to embarrass my family by singing loudly along with Hamilton. For this next track, we are remaining with Harry Nilsson, and listening to his 1969 track, Rainmaker, and pay particular attention to the drums in the song, because you will hear them recycled three decades later in our last track by Danger Mouse and Jemima The Gifted One. Thanks very much for your company. Until next time …
Rainmaker / Harry Nillson (1969)
The Only One / Danger Mouse & Jemima The Gifted One (2003)