Music Labyrinth Episode 105
Clair De Lune / Flight Facilities (2012)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 105 of The Music Labyrinth. 105AD was the year of construction of Trajan’s Bridge, also known as the Bridge of Apollodorus On The Danube (Apollodorus was the architect and construction team leader). The bridge crossed the Danube where it separates the modern countries of Serbia and Romania and was a major development in the Romans’ capacity to support their armies in Dacia. Trajan’s Bridge remained in use for 165 years, but it was considered for the following thousand years to have been the longest bridge ever to have been built. And that, Dear Listener, is the perfect metaphor for this show which, when you think about it, is ALL about the construction of bridges between songs (although many of them are not quite as robust as Apollodorus’ ancient example). So lets aspire for The Music Labyrinth to also have a thousand year reputation as we build upon it with episode 105 of the show. We started off with the lovely Clair De Lune by Flight Facilities, and we started with that track because it ended episode 104 of the program two weeks ago. That show, you will recall, was created by The Music Labyrinth Elves and I remain grateful to them for the love and care that went into it. Their closing tune, Clair De Lune, was used extensively by one of Australia’s biggest telecommunications companies for ad campaigns and it worked so well for them that they even commissioned a cover version of the song by Thelma Plum to extend the advertising campaign. Now, because we’ve just listened to the Flight Facilities version of Clair De Lune, there is little point in my playing you Thelma’s version - which is also lovely. But lets stay with Thelma Plum for our next tune. This is Backseat Of My Mind.
Backseat Of My Mind / Thelma Plum (2022)
Thelma Plum has been building a reputation in the Australian music scene since she emerged via the Triple J Unearthed program in 2012, and she is not afraid of getting amongst the sacred cows. In 2020 she released a cover of this classic from 1999.
These Days (Two Hands Version) / Powderfinger (1999)
That song, These Days by Powderfinger, was specifically commissioned by film director Gregor Jordan for his 1999 film Two Hands which starred Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne. Now, one of the great privileges of presenting this program each fortnight is that the little bit of research which goes into it often leads me to songs I am discovering for the first time, or songs that I did not appreciate properly the first time I encountered them. This next song is firmly in that second category which I am now calling “Roses That I Neglected To Stop And Smell”. Also from the soundtrack of the Australian film Two Hands, this is Kare Kare by Crowded House.
Kare Kare / Crowded House (1993)
That lovely track is called Kare Kare and is said to be named for the beach location in New Zealand where it was recorded in 1993. Kare Kare, as it happens, is also the name of a very popular Filipino stew based on a peanut sauce. So, despite the lovely poignancy of that Crowded House tune, lets turn to songs about my second favourite obsession - food! Have some Custard Pie.
Custard Pie / Led Zeppelin (1975)
From the 1975 classic album Physical Grafitti, that was Led Zeppelin, of course, with Custard Pie. That song was released by the Zeppelins as a single on their own label Swansong Records. And so, allow me to deliver you a double link to our next track on The Music Labyrinth. Like Custard Pie the song you are about to hear was also released as a single on Swansong Records, and the artist singing it, Robert Plant, is the former lead singer of Led Zeppelin. This is Big Log.
Big Log / Robert Plant (1983)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Robert Plant with Big Log, from his 1983 album The Principle of Moments. That song was co-written by, and featured the guitar work of English guitarist Robbie Blunt, who has a strong reputation as a session musician. In 1988 he was engaged by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians for the album Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, and you will hear his guitar work on this track.
What I Am / Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (1988)
That tune was called What I Am, and it is by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians. And I think we can all agree that the guitar pattern at the centre of that track was sampled by Alicia Keys in this 2016 track. This is Blended Family (What You Do For Love).
Blended Family (What You Do For Love) / Alicia Keys (feat. A$AP Rocky) (2016)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Alicia Keys, featuring A$AP Rocky, with Blended Family (What Your Do For Love). And while we are on the subject of the things we do for love …
Things We Do For Love / 10CC (1977)
From 1977 that was 10CC with The Things We Do For Love. Keyboards on that track were played by Jean Alain Roussel (who shall now and evermore be known as French cousin Jean Alain!). In 1973 French cousin JA teamed up with the Ghanaian Afro Rock band Osibisa on their album Happy Children, and this is the title track.
Happy Children / Osibisa (1973)
From their 1973 album Happy Children, that was Osibisa with the Title Track. The album Happy Children also included a cover of this tune.
Fire / The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
Hey! The great Jimi Hendrix has made his debut on The Music Labyrinth in episode 105 with his 1967 song Fire. Red Hot Chilli Peppers recorded a cover of Fire as the B side of a single they released in 1987. The A side sounded like this.
Fight Like A Brave / Red Hot Chilli Peppers (1987)
That was the Red Hot Chilli Peppers with their 1987 song Fight Like A Brave which appeared in the soundtrack of the American drama movie Less Than Zero. The Bangles recorded this song specifically for that movie.
Hazy Shade Of Winter / The Bangles (1987)
On The Music Labyrinth that was The Bangles with their excellent 1987 cover of the Simon & Garfunkel song Hazy Shade Of Winter. That version of the song appeared on the non-original soundtrack companion album called Stranger Things: Music from the Netflix Original Series. AND, this too.
Talking In Your Sleep / The Romantics (1983)
On The Music Labyrinth that was The Romantics with their 1983 hit Talking In Your Sleep. In 2016, the other part of that lyrical hook line “I hear the secrets that you keep” was interpolated in this song by the Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer Abel Tesfaye, who goes by the professional name of The Weeknd.
Secrets / The Weeknd (2016)
Roland Orzabal gets a songwriting credit on that song Secrets by The Weeknd. Now, you are thinking - “Hmm, Roland Orzabal, I know that name…”. You do! Roland is one of the two key members of Tears For Fears, and the song we just heard contains a portion of the Tears For Fears song Pale Shelter, also written by Roland Orzabal. Don’t believe me? Here you go.
Pale Shelter / Tears For Fears (1983)
That was Tears For Fears with Pale Shelter. Ian Stanley, an original member of TFF who played on that track, produced this 2006 song by the English group The Beautiful South. This is called Manchester.
Manchester / The Beautiful South (2006)
The Beautiful South have produced 10 studio albums to date. That song, Manchester, came from the most recent. Their 9th studio album was almost entirely a covers album called Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs and it contains this gem.
Livin’ Thing / The Beautiful South (2004)
I love that version of the ELO song Livin’ Thing. The original ELO version, released in 1976 featured in the 2021 crime comedy film Cruella. As too did this.
Car Wash / Rose Royce (1976)
Car Wash by Rose Royce was written by the Motown legend Norman Whitfield specifically for the movie of the same name. The band who recorded the song, Rose Royce, went on to have at least one other big hit with this next song which they first released in 1976. Ten years later the song was covered by the Australian Band I’m Talking, featuring the vocals of a young Kate Ceberano.
Love Dont Live Here Anymore / I’m Talking (1986)
When I’m Talking released their cover of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore as a single in 1986, the B side was a cover of this 1955 immortal tune by Julie London.
Cry Me A River / Julie London (1955)
Cry Me A River, written in 1953, and performed there for you by Julie London, is considered to be a “torch song” which Wikipedia describes as “a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship. The term comes from the saying, "to carry a torch for someone", or to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love”. Well, this next song appears to fit that definition, particularly with its reference to carrying a torch, but I’m not sure its quite what Wikipedia had in mind.
Super Official / Hilltop Hoods (2009)
That was the Hilltop Hoods on The Music Labyrinth with their song Super Official. Two years after that song was released, the Hoods collaborated with Sia on this next tune, which is their second highest-charting and biggest-selling single. This is I Love It.
I Love It / Hilltop Hoods (feat. Sia) (2011)
The Hilltop Hoods, with Sia’s help, have brought us to the brink of the end of this episode of The Music Labyrinth. Thanks very much for your company tonight. Please come back and join us again in two weeks when we will do it all again, starting from this next song. Now, just quickly, cast your mind back to the song we just played where we heard the vocals of the extraordinarily successful Australia singer-songwriter and performer, Sia. Well, in 2009, Sia contributed uncredited backing vocals to this wonderful blend of whimsy and comedy by Flight Of The Conchords. This is Carol Brown. Thanks for listening.
Carol Brown / Flight Of The Conchords (2009)
Clair De Lune / Flight Facilities (2012)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 105 of The Music Labyrinth. 105AD was the year of construction of Trajan’s Bridge, also known as the Bridge of Apollodorus On The Danube (Apollodorus was the architect and construction team leader). The bridge crossed the Danube where it separates the modern countries of Serbia and Romania and was a major development in the Romans’ capacity to support their armies in Dacia. Trajan’s Bridge remained in use for 165 years, but it was considered for the following thousand years to have been the longest bridge ever to have been built. And that, Dear Listener, is the perfect metaphor for this show which, when you think about it, is ALL about the construction of bridges between songs (although many of them are not quite as robust as Apollodorus’ ancient example). So lets aspire for The Music Labyrinth to also have a thousand year reputation as we build upon it with episode 105 of the show. We started off with the lovely Clair De Lune by Flight Facilities, and we started with that track because it ended episode 104 of the program two weeks ago. That show, you will recall, was created by The Music Labyrinth Elves and I remain grateful to them for the love and care that went into it. Their closing tune, Clair De Lune, was used extensively by one of Australia’s biggest telecommunications companies for ad campaigns and it worked so well for them that they even commissioned a cover version of the song by Thelma Plum to extend the advertising campaign. Now, because we’ve just listened to the Flight Facilities version of Clair De Lune, there is little point in my playing you Thelma’s version - which is also lovely. But lets stay with Thelma Plum for our next tune. This is Backseat Of My Mind.
Backseat Of My Mind / Thelma Plum (2022)
Thelma Plum has been building a reputation in the Australian music scene since she emerged via the Triple J Unearthed program in 2012, and she is not afraid of getting amongst the sacred cows. In 2020 she released a cover of this classic from 1999.
These Days (Two Hands Version) / Powderfinger (1999)
That song, These Days by Powderfinger, was specifically commissioned by film director Gregor Jordan for his 1999 film Two Hands which starred Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne. Now, one of the great privileges of presenting this program each fortnight is that the little bit of research which goes into it often leads me to songs I am discovering for the first time, or songs that I did not appreciate properly the first time I encountered them. This next song is firmly in that second category which I am now calling “Roses That I Neglected To Stop And Smell”. Also from the soundtrack of the Australian film Two Hands, this is Kare Kare by Crowded House.
Kare Kare / Crowded House (1993)
That lovely track is called Kare Kare and is said to be named for the beach location in New Zealand where it was recorded in 1993. Kare Kare, as it happens, is also the name of a very popular Filipino stew based on a peanut sauce. So, despite the lovely poignancy of that Crowded House tune, lets turn to songs about my second favourite obsession - food! Have some Custard Pie.
Custard Pie / Led Zeppelin (1975)
From the 1975 classic album Physical Grafitti, that was Led Zeppelin, of course, with Custard Pie. That song was released by the Zeppelins as a single on their own label Swansong Records. And so, allow me to deliver you a double link to our next track on The Music Labyrinth. Like Custard Pie the song you are about to hear was also released as a single on Swansong Records, and the artist singing it, Robert Plant, is the former lead singer of Led Zeppelin. This is Big Log.
Big Log / Robert Plant (1983)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Robert Plant with Big Log, from his 1983 album The Principle of Moments. That song was co-written by, and featured the guitar work of English guitarist Robbie Blunt, who has a strong reputation as a session musician. In 1988 he was engaged by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians for the album Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, and you will hear his guitar work on this track.
What I Am / Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (1988)
That tune was called What I Am, and it is by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians. And I think we can all agree that the guitar pattern at the centre of that track was sampled by Alicia Keys in this 2016 track. This is Blended Family (What You Do For Love).
Blended Family (What You Do For Love) / Alicia Keys (feat. A$AP Rocky) (2016)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Alicia Keys, featuring A$AP Rocky, with Blended Family (What Your Do For Love). And while we are on the subject of the things we do for love …
Things We Do For Love / 10CC (1977)
From 1977 that was 10CC with The Things We Do For Love. Keyboards on that track were played by Jean Alain Roussel (who shall now and evermore be known as French cousin Jean Alain!). In 1973 French cousin JA teamed up with the Ghanaian Afro Rock band Osibisa on their album Happy Children, and this is the title track.
Happy Children / Osibisa (1973)
From their 1973 album Happy Children, that was Osibisa with the Title Track. The album Happy Children also included a cover of this tune.
Fire / The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
Hey! The great Jimi Hendrix has made his debut on The Music Labyrinth in episode 105 with his 1967 song Fire. Red Hot Chilli Peppers recorded a cover of Fire as the B side of a single they released in 1987. The A side sounded like this.
Fight Like A Brave / Red Hot Chilli Peppers (1987)
That was the Red Hot Chilli Peppers with their 1987 song Fight Like A Brave which appeared in the soundtrack of the American drama movie Less Than Zero. The Bangles recorded this song specifically for that movie.
Hazy Shade Of Winter / The Bangles (1987)
On The Music Labyrinth that was The Bangles with their excellent 1987 cover of the Simon & Garfunkel song Hazy Shade Of Winter. That version of the song appeared on the non-original soundtrack companion album called Stranger Things: Music from the Netflix Original Series. AND, this too.
Talking In Your Sleep / The Romantics (1983)
On The Music Labyrinth that was The Romantics with their 1983 hit Talking In Your Sleep. In 2016, the other part of that lyrical hook line “I hear the secrets that you keep” was interpolated in this song by the Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer Abel Tesfaye, who goes by the professional name of The Weeknd.
Secrets / The Weeknd (2016)
Roland Orzabal gets a songwriting credit on that song Secrets by The Weeknd. Now, you are thinking - “Hmm, Roland Orzabal, I know that name…”. You do! Roland is one of the two key members of Tears For Fears, and the song we just heard contains a portion of the Tears For Fears song Pale Shelter, also written by Roland Orzabal. Don’t believe me? Here you go.
Pale Shelter / Tears For Fears (1983)
That was Tears For Fears with Pale Shelter. Ian Stanley, an original member of TFF who played on that track, produced this 2006 song by the English group The Beautiful South. This is called Manchester.
Manchester / The Beautiful South (2006)
The Beautiful South have produced 10 studio albums to date. That song, Manchester, came from the most recent. Their 9th studio album was almost entirely a covers album called Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs and it contains this gem.
Livin’ Thing / The Beautiful South (2004)
I love that version of the ELO song Livin’ Thing. The original ELO version, released in 1976 featured in the 2021 crime comedy film Cruella. As too did this.
Car Wash / Rose Royce (1976)
Car Wash by Rose Royce was written by the Motown legend Norman Whitfield specifically for the movie of the same name. The band who recorded the song, Rose Royce, went on to have at least one other big hit with this next song which they first released in 1976. Ten years later the song was covered by the Australian Band I’m Talking, featuring the vocals of a young Kate Ceberano.
Love Dont Live Here Anymore / I’m Talking (1986)
When I’m Talking released their cover of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore as a single in 1986, the B side was a cover of this 1955 immortal tune by Julie London.
Cry Me A River / Julie London (1955)
Cry Me A River, written in 1953, and performed there for you by Julie London, is considered to be a “torch song” which Wikipedia describes as “a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship. The term comes from the saying, "to carry a torch for someone", or to keep aflame the light of an unrequited love”. Well, this next song appears to fit that definition, particularly with its reference to carrying a torch, but I’m not sure its quite what Wikipedia had in mind.
Super Official / Hilltop Hoods (2009)
That was the Hilltop Hoods on The Music Labyrinth with their song Super Official. Two years after that song was released, the Hoods collaborated with Sia on this next tune, which is their second highest-charting and biggest-selling single. This is I Love It.
I Love It / Hilltop Hoods (feat. Sia) (2011)
The Hilltop Hoods, with Sia’s help, have brought us to the brink of the end of this episode of The Music Labyrinth. Thanks very much for your company tonight. Please come back and join us again in two weeks when we will do it all again, starting from this next song. Now, just quickly, cast your mind back to the song we just played where we heard the vocals of the extraordinarily successful Australia singer-songwriter and performer, Sia. Well, in 2009, Sia contributed uncredited backing vocals to this wonderful blend of whimsy and comedy by Flight Of The Conchords. This is Carol Brown. Thanks for listening.
Carol Brown / Flight Of The Conchords (2009)