RiffRaf

Lost Gems: "Hourglass" by Squeeze

    

Song: Hourglass

Artist: Squeeze

Released: 1987

Genre: Pop/Rock

The Zodiac Killer. Jack The Ripper. Amelia Earhart & Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance. These mysteries have confounded the general public for years and have gone unsolved. But there's another towering mystery that involves the English band Squeeze that you may not have been aware of. Let me fill you in.

For a band that was wildly popular in England, Squeeze was unable to generate the same admiration and adoration in America. Why is that? It's a mystery that still boggles the mind.

Squeeze had all the tools that every great band possesses: great songs (obviously!), unique vocals, outstanding musicianship, sublime harmonies, a sense of humor (not in all cases), clever lyrics and a cool, defining look. Unfortunately, the little band from London never really found superstardom in The States. (We'll take a look at the top five UK bands that failed to find superstardom across The Pond on Wednesday (8/8), but until then we'll focus our full attention on the pop group Squeeze.)

Perhaps the songwriting team of Glen Tilbrook (guitar, vocals) and Chris Difford (guitar, vocals) buckled under the pressure of living up to the lofty title of the "New Lennon and McCartney." Such enormous expectations could very well have intimidated the talented duo.

Along with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Gary Numan and XTC, Squeeze were part of the British New Wave of the late 70s. With the exception of Elvis Costello, the aforementioned groups/artists received only a lukewarm reception in America.

Chris Difford recalled the group's invasion of North American shores: “When we arrived in America, we turned on the radio and it was ‘Baker Street’ and REO Speedwagon and Styx and Zeppelin. Not that there’s anything wrong with hearing Zeppelin, obviously. But that was the bulk of radio. It did change, though. College radio became huge, and we managed to sort of wing our way through college radio and do lots and lots of U.S. tours.”

In 1985, after several albums, lineup changes and moderate success, the five musicians that recorded the classic Argybargy (1980) - Glen Tilbrook, Chris Difford, Jools Holland, John Bentley and Gilson Lavis - reformed to do a charity concert. The event was such a smash that they all agreed to reform Squeeze and head back into the studio. The result? Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti, which received positive reviews and sold fairly well. 

Then came Babylon and On in 1987, their seventh studio album, which reached #14 in the U.K. The single "Hourglass," must have given Squeeze a glimmer of hope. It was the highest charting song the band ever had in the United States, reaching #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Hourglass" was assisted by a creative video that was placed in heavy rotation on MTV when the channel was still playing music videos. Chris Difford said, “We made a fantastic video, and it was getting played constantly in rotation on MTV and VH1. So there was a lot going on, and it sort of helped steamroll the track onto radio.”

Babylon and On was a minor hit, but the band's success wasn't long-lasting. Squeeze's next album, 1989's Frank, wasn't given much support by A&M Records. Consequently, it floundered in both the U.S. and the U.K.

Although Squeeze has managed a handful of hits, their biggest-selling album in The States is not one of their thirteen studio albums but their early ’80s greatest-hits collection, Singles—45′s and Under.

The band is still playing, however. The classic lineup that included the charming pianist Jools Holland is no longer intact, but Tilbrook and Difford continue to march on with a revolving door of supporting musicians.

In an interview with Rolling Stone in April 2012, Tilbrook and Difford confirmed that they plan to record an album of new material for release in 2013.

           

Songwriting 101: Mark Doyon of Waterslide

Our regular feature Songwriting 101 is devoted to the craft itself, so whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out or simply interested in hearing songwriters talk about their songs then you most likely will enjoy the series.

Last week we featured an insightful two-part interview with Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Other songwriters have included: Mason Jennings and New York indie songwriters Alina Simone and Martin Rivas, among others. (Martin will discuss the writing of his latest record Reliquary next week.) Each songwriter has explored his/her influences and the manner in which he/she "makes music." Some even offer friendly advice to aspiring songwriters.

Today, we'll chat with a talented songwriter, Mark Doyon of Waterslide, whose latest record, Lincoln Signal, was released on June 19. When Mark's not creating stellar records with Waterslide, he's busy as the creative director of Wampus Multimedia, a music label, ebook publisher, and identity and branding group.

What was the first piece of music that inspired you to write music of your own?

It was “The Mighty Quinn” – not Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo,” but Manfred Mann’s version. My parents had a hit compilation in their LP stacks I used to cue up when I was 6 or 7. The arm on their Webcor turntable had an electrical short in it, and it would give me a little shock every time I picked it up. But I loved the song – the story, the chorus – and would just ignore these little jolts I got when I played it. “Everybody’s in despair / every girl and boy / but when Quinn the Eskimo gets here / everybody’s gonna jump for joy.” I already knew music meant more to me than a lot of other things.

What particular song has had an impact on your songwriting?

The songs that really shook me were “I Am the Walrus” and “Come Together.” I heard them on a friend’s blue Beatles (1967-1970) album and thought, “God, what the hell is that? What’s an ‘eggman’? Who is ‘old flat top’? Oh my God.”

Sometime in the early ‘70s I heard The Byrds’ “Chestnut Mare” and it just spun my head around. On FM they played the album track with the lengthy bridge rather than the edited version for Top 40. It was only years later that I could hear the Roger McGuinn inflections in my songs. And it was only after pining forever for a 12-string guitar that I even realized it was because it reminded me of “Chestnut Mare.”

What was the first song you wrote that you were proud of?

Well, songs to me are like friends who come to stay. I have affection for the closest ones. There’s a song on my first album called “Riverboat Dream.” It’s about making your way in the world as a young person, not knowing where you’re going or why, and watching your life unfold like a long, slow riverboat trip through a thick jungle. It had this laughing-while-crying tension I delved into later in my songs.

Dick Drake appears to be a character you have been ruminating on for some time. What was the impetus for the character?

I was thinking about how people are often misunderstood, and how it can isolate them from others. I spun the old Animals' song – “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good / oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” I thought about weird outsiders like Ted Kaczynski and Timothy McVeigh and Jared Loughner, and wondered if they believed they were doing good in some twisted way. I thought it would be interesting to map the emotional interior of a person like that – their vulnerabilities, their frailties, the familiar things about them others would identify with. If they meant well, did it matter at all? If they were just wounded humans – rather than cartoonish “monsters” – how would we classify them then?

The album's concept is quite literary. What literary character would you say Dick Drake is most like?

Well, he’s alienated and wounded, but he’s also empathetic, almost to a fault. He cares deeply for others. There are a lot of characters like him in literature – Holden Caulfield, Stephen Dedalus, Frederick Exley, Batman. I think of this kind of character as the “empathetic misanthrope.” You’ve seen him in rock – Warren Zevon, Lou Reed, Tonio K. He cares more about you than the guy with the platitudes does. He cares enough to take a good swing at you.

You played every instrument on the album. Is there one in particular that posed a challenge for you?

All of them, really. I’ve learned to play instruments mostly to write songs. When I play all the parts, it sounds sort of like a band of quadruplets jamming. Very focused. I’d like to be a great guitar player, but I’m really just someone who writes songs and happens to perform them, too.

What instrument did you use to compose the songs for Lincoln Signal?

I usually write on acoustic guitar. I branched out a little on this album, writing some songs, like “In Your Sunday Colors,” on piano. I wrote “Hadrian’s Wall” on a mandolin. I came up with “Off Grid on Target” on a Parker Fly cranked through a Booker V12. Sometimes good things happen (not usually) when you’re drinking a Fat Tire or two with the “record” light on.

What advice would you give to an aspiring songwriter?

Be yourself. Work hard. Forget about money. Ape the classics if you want, steal from the best if you want, but don’t abandon who you are or give less than you can. You are better at being you than anyone else will ever be. And not to discourage you, but nobody cares yet about your songs. They might not care for a long time. It’s your responsibility to inspire people to care, to awaken them.

           

Riffraf Celebrates Its Second Birthday

                           
Riffraf is celebrating its second birthday!

Thank you for reading and sending your comments along. Keep them coming! This year promises to be even more exciting. The new series "Great Rock Photographers" will feature interviews with iconic photographer Mick Rock - "the man who shot the seventies" - and Ringo Starr's personal photographer Rob Shanahan among others.

I'd like to celebrate an exciting two years by reposting my first article (2/5/10):

                                                           "The Boss Likes His Chicken"

Last night while I was on the toilet bowl reading Grapes of Wrath, I got a text from my brother. It read: "hey fats. 2 things this sunday the fulcos r coming and if you and colleen want 2 come u r more than welcome. Also u like bruce springsten the song atlantic city who is the chicken man?" (I didn’t change a word, honest.)

By the time it took me to decipher his writing, he had already sent another three texts begging for the answer to his trivia question. I put down Steinbeck for this?

Two things about my brother: 1) his texts are not Steinbeckian (is that a term?) and 2) although his musical taste is limited, he has a fairly wide interest in music altogether. My brother knows a little bit about The Beatles, and what he learned he got from me. But beyond this little oasis of knowledge lies a virtual desert. His entire musical repertoire consists of Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Huey Lewis and the News. Yes, I said Huey Lewis and the News.

So, why in hell did he care about "Atlantic City,” this most sullen of Springsteen ballads? Who was the Chicken Man? Well, the Chicken Man was Philip Testa, a Philadelphia mob boss who died in an explosion in his house: “Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night, now they blew up his house too." As to why my brother needed the answer to this question at eleven o’clock in the evening, I have no idea.

I’m just happy that he didn’t ask me where Huey Lewis got his inspiration to write “The Heart of Rock and Roll.” Springsteen sings, “Everything dies, baby, that's a fact, but maybe everything that dies some day comes back." Let’s hope that my brother’s curiosity never dies and that Huey Lewis never finds a way back.

                    

11 Songs About 9/11 (Pt. II)

In the final installment of my eleven songs about 9/11, I offer five more. I'd really like to hear what your favorite "9/11 songs" are, so drop me a note in the comment box.

Once again this post is dedicated to Lou Caporicci, one of the funniest people I've ever known.

5. "I Can't See New York " by Tori Amos

Only Tori can turn one of the most disastrous days in American history into a sensual love song: "But I can't see New York as I'm circling down through white cloud, falling out and I know his lips are warm 
but I can't seem to find my way out, my way out I can't see."

4."Hole in the World" by The Eagles

The lyrics are syrupy but at least Glen Frey and Don Henley tried: "Oh they tell me there's a place over yonder, cool water running through the burning sand, until we learn to love one another we never reach the promise land."

3. "Jesus Etc." by Wilco

This song isn't a "9/11 song," but Jeff Tweedy's lyrics apply to that fateful day: "Tall buildings shake/ Voices escape singing sad sad songs/ Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks/ Bitter melodies turning your orbit around."

2. "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z and Alicia Keys

I'm not sure if this constitutes as a "9/11" song but it is the new "New York, New York" in which Jay Z plays the role of Frank Sinatra and Alicia Keys is...well, uhm Liza Minelli?

1. "Lonesome Day" by Bruce Springsteen

Even though The Boss is writing about the September 11th attacks, he is also musing about the human condition: "Better ask questions before you shoot/ Deceit and betrayal's bitter fruit/ It's hard to swallow come time to pay/ That taste on your tongue don't easily slip away/ Let kingdom come/ I'm gonna find my way/ Through this lonesome day."

11 Songs About 9/11 (Pt. I)

As the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks approaches, words still fail to describe the tragic day, so I thought I'd let the music speak for everyone, especially the folks of New York City.

I'd like to dedicate the following two posts to Lou Caporicci - a man with an undying sense of humor - who lost his life on 9/11.

Here are 6 songs that confront the horror, suffering, the undying human spirit, and indomitable hope surrounding September 11, 2001. (Tomorrow we'll take a look at the top 5 songs about 9/11.)

11. "Let's Roll" by Neil Young

 

Mr. Young wrote a song about Todd Beamer and flight 93. Beamer and other passengers were planning to overtake the highjackers when he uttered the celebrated phrase "let's roll."

10. "Empty Sky" by Bruce Springsteen

 
The only artist to have two songs on the list, Springsteen's album The Rising is a poignant reflection on the attacks of September 11th. 

9. "New New York" by The Cranberries

 

Lyrically, Dolores O'Riordan struggles to find something to say: "I look across these city streets/My heart is longing, still beats/Nothing to say/There is nothing to say."

8. "On That Day" by Leonard Cohen

Leave it to the poet laureate of folk-rock to cover one of the most cataclysmic events in American history as succinctly as he does: "Did you go crazy or did you report on that day they wounded New York?" 

7. "New York, New York" by Ryan Adams

 

At the end of the "New York, New York" video, Adams dedicated it to those who lost their lives and to "those who worked to save them." Profits from the video were donated to a September 11 charity. 

6. "Freedom" by Paul McCartney

McCartney witnessed the attacks while sitting in a plane, which was parked on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy Airport and wrote the song the next day.

Fifteen Songs About Revolution (Pt. III)

In the final installment of my top fifteen songs about revolution, I offer my top five. I'd really like to hear from you, so drop me a note in the comment box.

5. "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye

I could have chosen one of my favorite songs of all-time, What's Going On, but I went with another protest song from the same album, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler). Backed by several of the Funk Brothers, Marvin Gaye's gem depicts ghetto life of inner-city America. 

     "Inflation, no chance/to increase finance/bills pile up, sky high/send that boy off to die."

4. "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke

I'd cut off my right arm to have a voice like Sam's.

Sam Cooke was so moved by Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind that he was determined to write a song about racism in America. Although Cooke was afraid that recording a political song would tarnish his image with his white fan base, he felt obligated to write about two experiences that forever changed him: the death of his 18-month-old son, Vincent, and an incident in 1963 when he and his band were arrested for trying to register at a "whites only" motel in Shreveport, Louisiana. 

    "There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long/but now I think I'm able to carry on/It's     been a long time coming/ but I know a change is gonna come."

3. "You Haven't Done Nothin'" by Stevie Wonder

A political song that reached #1?

Back in 1974, Stevie Wonder could do no wrong. In perhaps his angriest songs, Stevie criticizes Nixon's America, while The Jackson 5 sing backup. Big Brother, another political song, is the b-side to this funky hit.

    "But we are sick and tired of hearing your song/Telling how you are gonna change right from     wrong/ 'Cause if you really want to hear our views/You haven't done nothin'."

2. "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones

 

I could have also selected Street Fighting Man, but I chose Gimme Shelter because Keith Richards' opening guitar riff never fails to give me goose bumps. Mick Jagger's apocalyptic lyrics speak of a threatening storm that will wreak havoc, but in the end the power of love will prevail. 

Jagger and backing vocalist Merry Clayton repeatedly sing, "Rape, murder; it's just a shot away; it's just a shot away," but their final line is "Love, sister; it's just a kiss away; it's just a kiss away." 

1. "Revolution" by The Beatles

While John Lennon urged the rest of the Beatles to release Revolution 1 as a single, Paul McCartney wanted to avoid controversy and George Harrison wanted to record a more upbeat version. They compromised. Eventually, Revolution 1 made it onto the White Album and the band recorded a more rocking version which was the b-side to Hey Jude. 

Up until 1968, with the exception of Taxman, the Beatles didn't make political statements. John Lennon said, "I thought it was about time we spoke about it [revolution], the same as I thought it was about time we stopped not answering about the Vietnamese war. I had been thinking about it up in the hills in India."

Revolution was a response to the political protests in 1968 in which Lennon expressed skepticism. On the White Album version, he was uncertain about destructive change:

    "But when you talk about destruction/Don't you know that you can count me out/ In." 

Throughout the song is the refrain, "It's gonna be alright." Lennon borrowed this from his Transcendental Meditation in India, suggesting that God will protect us no matter what.

    "But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao/You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow/      Don't you know it's gonna be all right/ all right, all right."

And like Gimme Shelter, in the end the power of love will prevail.

Fifteen Songs About Revolution (Pt. II)

While I continue to list my favorite fifteen songs of civil unrest, rebellion and protest, I'd like to hear from you, so please leave a comment, sharing your favorite political songs.

10. "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy

Fight the Power was first released on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). Chuck D, Flavor Flav and crew frightened the hell out of white America. The song's unfavorable lyrics about Elvis Presley and John Wayne caused quite a stir: "Elvis was a hero to most / But he never meant shit to me' / Straight up, racist the sucker was / Simple and plain."

Chuck D identifies Elvis Presley with racism; Elvis' success was attributed to his being white, while commercial success was denied to his African-American contemporaries. The "John Wayne" line refers to his racist remarks in a 1971 interview with Playboy. 

9. "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield

Stephen Stills wrote For What It's Worth about the riot on the Sunset Strip in November 1966 after a stringent 10:00pm curfew was enforced. One thousand demonstrators, including such celebrities as Jack Nicholson and Peter Fonda, erupted in protest against the perceived repressive enforcement of these recently invoked curfew laws.

Incidentally, For What It's Worth was sampled by Public Enemy on the song, He Got Game.

8. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2

"This is not a rebel song. This is Sunday Bloody Sunday." Back in 1983, this is how Bono introduced one of U2's most political songs. The Edge and Bono wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2's signature song - about an incident in Northern Ireland's Derry where British troops killed unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders. 

7. "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who

Although Won't Get Fooled Again deals with the hope surrounding revolution - "I tip my hat to the new constitution/Take a bow for the new revolution" – Pete Townshend's lyrics are overtly cynical: "Meet the new boss/Same as the old boss."

In 2006, Townshend stated that, "It is not precisely a song that decries revolution – it suggests that we will indeed fight in the streets – but that revolution, like all action, can have results we cannot predict. Don't expect to see what you expect to see. Expect nothing and you might gain everything...." 

6. "Police and Thieves" by The Clash

Written and recorded by Junior Murvin in a traditional reggae style in 1976, a year later The Clash punked it up for their debut album. The band loved jamming to Police and Thieves, but they didn't have plans to record the song until an impromptu version they started playing during a break encouraged them to finalize an arrangement and record it. 

Fifteen Songs About Revolution (Pt. I)

In the wake of the London riots, I've been thinking about my favorite songs that deal with civil unrest and rebellion. 

But before I list my top fifteen here are a bunch of songs that deserve an honorable mention: any song by Rage Against the Machine, "In the Ghetto," "Democracy," "War Pigs," "Fortunate Son," "Born in the USA," "American Idiot," "The Man in Black," "Ball of Confusion," & "God Save the Queen."

15. "The Revolution Will Not be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott-Heron recently passed away, but his 1971 poem/song has immortalized him. "The Revolution Will Not be Televised" is reminiscent of the Beat poets, particularly Allen Ginsberg and his poem "Howl" as well as Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." Often considered a pioneer of hip hop, Heron's classic spoken-word masterpiece is humorous yet critical of Richard Nixon's America. 

14. "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Neil Young wrote the lyrics to "Ohio" after seeing photographs of the Kent State tragedy in Life Magazine. In the liner notes on Young's album Decade, he believed the incident was "probably the biggest lesson ever learned at an American place of learning."

13. "Anarchy in the U.K." by the Sex Pistols

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The disenfranchised youth of today's England bears a striking resemblance to the embittered youth of the late 70's. The Sex Pistols manager, Malcolm McLaren, considered the song "a call to arms to the kids who believe that rock and roll was taken away from them. It's a statement of self-rule, of ultimate independence." 

12. "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley and the Wailers

I could have chosen a number of Bob Marley songs - "Buffalo Soldiers" and "Get Up Stand Up" for instance - but I selected "Redemption Song" for its the beautiful simplicity. Written at the time of Marley's diagnosis with cancer, the legendary singer urges us to awaken against tyranny and defend our freedom.

    "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery/None but ourselves can free our minds/Have no fear for     atomic energy/'Cause none of them can stop the time."

11. "Masters of War" by Bob Dylan

As with Bob Marley, I could have chosen a number of Bob Dylan songs - "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," "Blowin' in the Wind" or "The Times They Are A-Changin'" for instance - but I selected Dylan's acerbic "Masters of War" because it drips with anguish and rage. In the album's liner notes, Dylan stated, "I don't sing songs which hope people will die, but I couldn't help it in this one." Dylan's lyrics are a protest against the Cold War arms race with the Soviet Union of the early 1960s:

    "And I hope that you die/And your death'll come soon/I will follow your casket/In the pale     afternoon/And I'll watch while you're lowered/Down to your deathbed/And I'll stand over your     grave/'Til I'm sure that you're dead."

10 Songs That Shout-Out to Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is 70!

Last week, while we were celebrating NYC singer-songwriter Martin Rivas, the greatest songwriter of the modern era was celebrating his birthday. Happy belated, Bob. 

Here are ten songs have immortalized the grizzled genius.

10. Beastie Boy's "3 Minute Rule"

 A lot of parents like to think I'm a villain / I'm just chillin' like Bob Dylan

9. David Bowie's "Song for Bob Dylan"

Oh hear this Robert Zimmerman / I wrote a song for you / About a strange young man called Dylan / With a voice like sand and glue

8. Jesus and Mary Chain's "Fizzy"

 Elvis lives and Bob Dylan is dead / And OJ’s wife’s crawling back from the dead

7. Wilco's "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard"

 And things got weird / And I started growing / Bob Dylan’s beard

6. Neil Young's "Bandit"

You’re invisible, you’ve got too many secrets / Bob Dylan said that / Or somethin’ like that

5. Stephen Malkmus' "Jo Jo's Jacket"

Bob Dylan sang in / “it’s alright mama I’m only bleeding” / Everything from toy guns that spark to flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark

4. Belle & Sebastian's "Like Dylan in the Movies" 

Don’t look back / Like Dylan in the movies / On your own

3. Syd Barrett's "Bob Dylan Blues"

Got the Bob Dylan blues / And the Bob Dylan shoes / And my clothes and my hair’s a mess

2. The Who's "The Seeker" 

I asked Bobby Dylan/ I asked The Beatles / I asked Timothy Leary / But he couldn’t help me either

1. John Lennon's "God" 

I don’t believe in Zimmerman / I don’t believe in Beatles / I just believe in me

Don Kirshner Signs Off (1934-2011)

                               

For music fans who came of age in the 1970's and 80's, Don Kirshner is perhaps best known as the geeky host of one of the coolest television programs of all-time, Rock Concert. The show ran from 1973 to 1982 and introduced America to some of the most popular musical acts of the day.

Unlike American Bandstand where performers lip-synched to the recording, Rock Concert featured live performances from some of the hippest acts including: The Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Sly and the Family Stone, Prince and Kiss.

Rock Concert aired at 11:30 p.m. and in '76 or '77 (I can't recall) my mother permitted me to stay up one night to watch my favorite band, Kiss. There was Mr. Kirshner, decked out in his leisure suit, looking out of place, very much like Ed Sullivan. Resembling an awkward grandfather, his delivery was monotonous and stilted (later Paul Shaffer lampooned him on Saturday Night Live).

Kirshner achieved major success as co-owner of Aldon Music which had under contract several of the most important songwriters of the so-called "Brill Building" school, including Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka and Barry Mann. He was also influential in launching the careers of Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, The Monkees and Kansas, but as for me he will always be remembered as the guy who gave me a front row ticket to my first Kiss concert.

Thanks, Don.