Preface: Hi, Jen! This time around I'm taking a break from trying to come up with a
new batch of stuff, and here's why: As I was searching around in my old document files,
I found the tracklisting for one of the original FF tapes from 2001... The Lionel
Carrotte Edition! Since I hadn't used most of the songs this year, I figured, why not
revive this batch? I only had to make a couple of changes here and there, but basically
it's the same collection as last time. Now, here's the original liner notes (with
alterations):
Here's the latest batch of aural oddities for your listening and dining pleasure.
I imagine that this is the sort of stuff Lionel would play on his K-ACME show
"Carrotte Time" (Capital Radio jingle excluded, of course!). There's a dig at Nigel
(Who knew there was a song called "Rat In The Kitchen"?), as well as some Depeche Mode,
a couple of live cuts from "The Secret Policeman's Other Ball" and much much more...
or at least, as much as I could fit into an 80 minute CD! Enjoy.
Meowskis,
Jer.
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FURRBALL'S FAVORITES SPECIAL #2:
THE LIONEL CARROTTE EDITION (revisited)!
THE CD!...
1. Capital Radio Jingle/Blue Mink (1.03)
The jingle that launched a major radio revolution: the first commercial pop
radio station in England. This song was written by Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway
(think "You've Got Your Troubles [I've Got Mine]" by The Fortunes) and orchestrated
and produced by George Martin (producer of Peter Sellers, America, and some
mop-top Liverpudlians whose name escapes me...).
2. Word Up!/Cameo (Casablanca) (4.14)
This record either grows on you or it doesn't. All together now, "W-O-R-D-UP!..."
3. Bizarre Love Triangle/New Order (Factory/Qwest) (4.18)
The former Joy Division under their later monicker.
4. Have I The Right?/The Honeycombs (Pye) (3.01)
Produced by England's answer to Phil Spector, the legendary Joe Meek (think "Telstar"
by The Tornadoes and you've got it - more about that in the next volume), The
Honeycombs were the first band to crack the charts who had a female drummer, Honey
Lantree. This was their breakthrough - and only - hit, but it's not surprising that
it was this record which inspired Miranda to take up the drums (but that's another
collection, eh?)
5. It Doesn't Have To Be This Way/The Blow Monkeys (RCA) (4.01)
Another one-hit wonder ("Digging Your Scene") who carried on despite massive
U.S. indifference. Can you believe their lead singer actually called himself
"Dr. Robert"?
6. Down To Earth/Curiosity Killed The Cat (Mercury) (3.47)
Surprise! A group yer furry servant still knows absolutely NOTHING about!
7. Rattlesnakes/Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (Polydor) (3.23)
Another Fabulous Furrball Forgotten Fact!™ This is one of those discs
that sneaks up on ya. Nice quiet guitar intro tappin' at yer window saying,
"Excuse me, can I have your attention?"... and then out of nowhere, this
everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink intro (courtesy of The Art Of Noise's Anne
Dudley) that makes sure it gets it! And those lyrics! Lloyd is the only
person I know of who successfully rhymed "Eva Marie Saint" with "On The
Waterfront". I was in Strawberry Jams in Spokane when they were playing that album
and I said, "Who the heck is THIS?!?" Needless to say, I bought the record that
instant and have been a Lloyd Cole fan ever since. I miss the 80s...
(CDs: 'rattlesnakes' and '1984-1989.' [both Polydor (UK)/Capitol (US))
8. Reet Petite/Jackie Wilson (Brunswick) (2.38)
Jackie Wilson could sing anything, from big ballads ("Night") to downright
pop ("Lonely Teardrops") to big soul ("(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher
and Higher"). This was one of his early records, which found a whole new
audience in England in the 70s.
9. Live It Up/Mental As Anything (Festival/A&M) (4.06)
With their impeccable sense of melody and humor, it is not surprising that
this bunch of Aussies are tops on Lionel's list of all-time fave groups.
(Mine also.) From the region that gave us The Easybeats and Split Enz,
some solid advice you could dance to.
10. People Are People/Depeche Mode (Mute/Sire) (3.52)
The song that they're best known for over here.
11. Just Got Lucky/The JoBoxers (RCA) (3.40)
Another delightful slab of one-hit wonder Britpop from the 80s. Will it never
end???
12. Victim Of Love/Erasure (Mute/Sire) (3.34)
All right, plug in those synthesizers and boogie!!
13. Love My Way/The Furs (CBS) (3.29)
It's a safe bet that Mr. Richard Butler possesses one of the most distinctive
voices in pop music. Somewhere between their first record and this, they
dropped the "Psychedelic" from their name. Oh, well...
14. Some People/Paul Young (CBS) (4.41)
Former lead singer of The Q-Tips, and responsible for one of the most mis-heard
lyrics in all of pop music when he tackled Daryl Hall's "Every Time You Go Away"
(..."please take a piece of meat with you..."). Well, no-one ever said rock and
roll was about enunciation, now, did they? ;D
15. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime/The Korgis (Rialto/Asylum) (4.12)
There was a Brit group in the 70s called Audience that is still fondly remembered
among fans who collect such groups ("House On The Hill"). After they broke up,
James Warren started this trio who proved minimalism (one verse and chorus, folks!)
works well if you just arrange it right. (LP: Dumb Waiters (Rialto/Asylum))
16. I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You)/Grace Jones (Island) (3.54)
I'll say this about Grace: when she entered a room, you KNEW it. (CD: Island
Life [The Best of Grace Jones] (Island))
17. Don't Leave Me This Way/Thelma Houston (Motown) (3.34)
In the previous incarnation of this collection, I used the remake by The
Communards. Somewhere between then and now it paled in comparison to Thelma's
original. And since the guiding motto of Lionel Carrotte has always been "Why
'ave a copy when you can have the real thing, eh?" (direct quote)... well...
who am I to argue with him? (LP: Don't Leave Me This Way (Motown))
18. Breakaway/Tracey Ullman (Stiff/MCA) (2.34)
See? You CAN rock out with a Jackie DeShannon song! (CDs: You Broke My Heart
In 17 Places: The Best Of Tracey Ullman (Rhino-Stiff); Tracey Takes On The Hits
(Varese Sarabande-Stiff))
19. Rat In The Kitchen/UB40 (DEP International/A&M) (3.01)
Secretly, Nigel *loves* this song. Don't tell Leo.
20. Breakout/Swing Out Sister (Fontana) (3.44)
The essence of British Cool. (This, incidentally, is what RuBarb sounds like
when she sings. If you ever wondered.)
21. Crossroads (Live)/Eric Clapton (Island) (4.20)
22. I Don't Like Monday (Live)/Bob Geldof (Island) (4.51)
Finally ending this thing the way it closed out originally back in 2001, two
consecutive cuts from the darned-hard-to-find Amnesty International album "The
Secret Policeman's Other Ball - The Music".
So, in the words of Freddie Mercury, "And there you have it." I think I mentioned
before (and if I didn't, let me do so now) that I owe a huge debt of gratitude to
The Unknown Marf (Martha) who originally compiled most of this collection as "London
'87 Music Mix (London, Spring 1987 - Central College)". Let me close, if I may, by
quoting her:
"Music is the way that our memories sing to us across time. The loveliest quality
of music involves its modulation upon the theme of time. Songs, playing in the mind,
become the subtlest shuttles across the years..."
I still couldn't have said it any better myself.
See ya next time.
Meowskis,
Jer.
Compilation ©2001, 2007 (revised) by ME! With thanks to The Unknown Marf.
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