Song of the day: Big Mama Thornton – Ball n’ chainThis performance of ‘Ball n’ chain’ dates from 1970 and, as Thornton acknowledges in her intro to the song, it was written by her and “made famous by me and Janis Joplin”. Joplin’s performance of the song at the Monteray Festival being, by this… Jan 07 13January 07, 2013Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Janis Ian – Society’s ChildThis tale of a mixed race relationship, and its demise thanks to the pressures of a racist society, was Janis Ian’s first single, written and recorded when she was 13. It was released three times between the years 1965 and 1967 before it became a… Jan 06 13January 06, 2013Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Dixie Chicks – Taking the long wayThe title track from the Dixie Chicks 2007 album, ‘Taking the long way’ can be read on a number of levels. On one level it is a song about female independence, and a desire to follow your own path. On another level it can be read as a series of wry… Jan 05 13January 05, 2013Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Florence + the machine – Dog Days (live at the Brit Awards launch party, 2009)One of the attractions of compiling clips and songs for the song of the day series was that it enabled me to look at a number of clips that encapsulate the moment when an artist went from minor cult success to mainstream success, or the imbetween… Jan 02 13January 02, 2013Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Salt N Pepa – TrampA re-working of the Otis Redding and Carla Thomas duet, from 1967, this was an early outing for Salt N Pepa, and in terms of success it would be eclipsed by the remix of the singles B Side, ‘Push It’, a year later. While the original ‘Tramp’ revolved… Dec 31 12December 31, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Shakespear’s Sister – Goodbye Cruel WorldThe first single to be released from the second Shakespear’s Sister album, Hormonally Yours, ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ saw the duo of Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit take on a darker image and sound from the slightly left-of centre pop of 1989 debut… Dec 29 12December 29, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Brenda Lee – Sweet Nuthin’sA song that fitted seamlessly into the rock’n’roll nostalgia film that was, and is, American Graffiti the initial attraction of the teenage Brenda Lee would be hearing that voice tearing out of the diminutive figure on stage. Lee is only 4″9″, and… Dec 28 12December 28, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Carole King – So far away (live, BBC concert, 1971)As half of the songwriting partnership of Goffin and King, Carole King wrote more pop hits in the 1960s than most people can probably count, amongst them the Shirelles ‘Will you still love me tomorrow?’ Little Eva’s ‘Locomotion’, and the Chiffons… Dec 23 12December 23, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Jesca Hoop – The KingdomRaised in California, now resident in Manchester, ‘The Kingdom’ is taken from Jesca’s 2009 debut album Hunting my dress. Unlucky enough (or lucky enough, depending on how you look at it) to emerge at the same time as Laura Marling was every music… Dec 21 12December 21, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Martha and the Muffins – Women around the world at workA single from Martha and the Muffins 1981 album This is the ice age, ‘Women around the world’ doesn’t match the bands earlier hit ‘Echo Beach’ in terms of sales and recognition, but it is a quiet masterpiece in its own right. While title track ‘This… Sep 15 12September 15, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Amy Studt – My Paper Made ManThe UK musical climate throught the 2000’s seems to have belonged to the Amy’s: Winehouse, Duffy, MacDonald, and Studt. In the light of the success of the other three Amy’s, it’s possible that people have forgotten about Amy Studt. She was born in… Sep 14 12September 14, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Alicia Keys – Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken DownIt might not be quite as famous as its parent song, the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys collaboration ‘Empire State Of Mind’, but this understated and cinematic answer record is rapidly catching up in terms of recognition and may one day overtake the… Sep 11 12September 11, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Tammy St John – Dark shadows and empty hallwaysBorn Judith Coster, Tammy St John hailed from Hornchurch in Essex. She was signed to Pye at the age of 14, and released four singles over the next two years, of which ‘Dark shadows and Empty Hallways’ was the third. This atmospheric track, which was… Sep 09 12September 09, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Fern Kinney – Together we are beautifulFern Kinney began her career in the 1960s in the girl group The Poppies, but it wasn’t until 1979 that she first tasted success with her disco version of King Floyd’s ‘Groove Me’. ‘Together We Are Beautiful’, a UK number 1 for Kinney in 1980 proved… Sep 05 12September 05, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Helen Love – Formula One Racing GirlsThis unusual indie pop track is the debut single by Helen Love, the Swansea punk-pop band. It was released in the summer of 1993. It isn’t very well known, and wasn’t a big hit at the time, but it has acquired a certain noteriaty since on account of… Sep 04 12September 04, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Vital Disorders – (Let’s talk about) Prams (live TV broadcast)I first heard Vital Disorders about twelve years ago when a friend of mine, who was a first generation punk, put them on a compilation tape for me. I was intrigued by the combination of feminist ranting (‘Prams’) ska flavoured politicising… Sep 03 12September 03, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: MIA – Paper PlanesMIA’s ‘underdog song’, and reputedly one of the biggest selling singles XL have ever had, ‘Paper Planes’ has it’s musical origins in a sample from the Clash song ‘Straight to hell’ from 1986. As well as providing a title for the spaghetti western… Sep 01 12September 01, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: The Nelories – DaisyFrom Nara in the Kansai region of Japan, The Nelories were an accordian and guitar-based duo who came to the attention of John Peel (who had them record a session in 1993) and also the Monochrome Set. ‘Daisy’ is the title track of the bands main UK… Aug 30 12August 30, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Girls At Our Best! – Warm GirlsA double A side with the equally fantastic ‘Getting nowhere fast’, this is early, raw, Girls At Our Best! Girls At Our Best! began life as The Butterflies in 1979 in Leeds. Their new name was inspired by the lyrics to ‘Warm Girls’, specifically the… Aug 29 12August 29, 2012Article at The F-Word
Song of the day: Frank Chickens – We are ninja (not geisha)Frank Chickens, a duo comprised of Kazuko Hohki and Kazumi Taguchi, began their life in 1982. They describe themselves as a “pop performance group” It’s clear from the video for ‘We are Ninja (Not Geisha)’ that the main purpose of the track was to… Aug 26 12August 26, 2012Article at The F-Word
