Throwback Tracks -- November 2, 2017
David R. Smith
Happy Thursday to all the loyal Throwback Tracks followers. If you're not a loyal follower and just stumbled on here? Well happy Thursday to you too. I don't discriminate. I just hope that you'll come back and become one of the loyal readers! Though, I don't know how many of you there are. I don't often hear from anybody. And by "don't often," I mean "never." You can fix that, readers! Let me know if you want to hear a particular song on Throwback Tracks. I'd gladly add it for you.
Anyway, we've reached another month. That really doesn't mean anything other than at the end of this article, there might be new playlists for you to download. I legitimately don't know as of my writing this early preamble. You'll just have to wait and see at the end of this article.
In the meantime, here are some songs for you.
The Guys From do not hold the rights to any of these songs, it is more our hope to expose our readers to new (*cough*) and different retro music, or re-expose them to things they may have forgotten about.
At the top of each section, will be the song name, followed by the artists' name linked to their website (if possible...which is totally hit and miss with oldies), so you can fall down the rabbit hole, finding and supporting what you dig.
Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil
It's definitely a hodgepodge of music this week. Artists from various locations of the world, different genres, different eras. It's just a grab bag of good music.
Part of me was surprised this song hasn't already been used for a Throwback Tracks. It's one of those rather popular songs that comes along fairly regularly on classic rock stations. And why not? This Aussie band made their mark with this song, that's for sure and it's got a pretty good message to it all the same:
““Beds Are Burning” is a protest song in support of giving native Australian lands back to the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert. These ‘last contact’ people began moving from the Gibson Desert to settlements and missions in the 1930s. More were forcibly moved during the 1950s and 1960s to the Papunya settlement. In 1981, they left to return to their own country and established the Kintore community, which is nestled in the picturesque Kintore Ranges, surrounded by Mulga and Spinifex country. It is a community with a population of about 400. Kintore and the town of Yuendumu are mentioned by name in the lyrics, as are vehicles produced by the Holden company.[2]”
What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
I first heard this song in University. I spent a lot of time hanging out in the props shop with the then head of props at the U. She had pretty great taste in music. She once told me about a time she, on a whim, drove down to the Gorge with her friend just to see the Spin Doctors. She instantly became cool in my eyes.
One of the songs that would often come up on her playlist was this song. She introduced me to some pretty great "new" artists. As in artists I was less familiar with than a fan of music should be. I also lent her a CD and don't think I ever got it back. Pity, too. It was a good one.
Anyway. If it weren't for her, I doubt this song would have ever made it on a TBT. But here we are. And here's Edie!
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
"Hey. Top five songs about death. The Laura's Dad Tribute List." I'm pretty sure High Fidelity was the first time I'd ever heard about that song. I then wanted to find it so I could hear this great song about death. Boy they weren't kidding.
The guitar at the beginning is so haunting. It almost gives me chills. I feel like it's almost helping represent the idea of a ship's steel bending and creaking as it succumbs to the icy waters. Please note, that this is solely my interpretation of the beginning. I have no idea what the driving force behind it is.
What I DO know, is that Lightfoot considers this to be his best work. And understandably so. It's incredible. While it might not be my favourite of his songs, I do consider this to be a magnificent opus.
Let It Rain - Amanda Marshall
This song was all over Canadian radio in the 90s. On top of that, my sister was a massive Amanda Marshall fan, so I heard this song (and many others of hers) a number of times. And this is not me complaining. I love that song.
I also love Amanda Marshall's musical style. Her songs are simplistic, in the sense that they don't require complicated arrangements or layers upon layers of instruments. They just need simple chords and accompaniment. Let her voice do the rest. And boy does it ever. She's got a smokey voice that just calms you right down. And she's got soul. This is a song that I would love to try to learn, but I feel like she's got too much range and I'd be worried about trying to sing it. At least sing it well...
Crazy - Seal
Do you guys remember the TV show Rock Star INXS? It was awesome. It was like American Idol, but for a rock band. I loved the idea. I watched every episode. I also watched it the following season when they did Supernova. Because the concept of the show was awesome.
Anyway. I remember when the man who ended up winning the inaugural series, JD Fortune (Canadian!) sang this song on the show. That was many, many years ago and it's still imprinted in my brain, I went and found the link to the performance and you know what? It succckkkkss compared to the original. (Incidentally, the best performance of the entire show was Marty Casey doing an acoustic version of Mr Brightside.)
I am glad that JD Fortune covered this song, though. Because as I said, it imprinted the song upon my brain. I went and found it (legally, of course...) immediately after, because I remembered the song, but never really thought about it. Now, I would contend, it's Seal's best song. And maybe up there as far as favourite songs of mine.
You guys, I've done it. I've formulated both playlists. It took some doing, but I got them figured out! So finally, without further ado, here are both the September 2017 TBT Playlist (and the September 2017 Spotify) as well as the October 2017 TBT Playlist (and the October 2017 Spotify) I know it took way longer than it should have. Hopefully I've figured out a way to make it happen more efficiently. Anyway. They're here now for your listening pleasure. Also, as per usual, here are the rest of the playlists:
August 2017 TBT Playlist (and the August Spotify list), July 2017 TBT Playlist (and the July Spotify List), June 2017 TBT Playlist (and the June Spotify List), May 2017 TBT Playlist, April 2017 TBT Playlist, March 2017 TBT Playlist , February 2017 TBT Playlist
2016
Throwback Playlist for Dec 16/Jan 17, October 2016 Throwback Playlist, September 2016 Throwback Playlist, August 2016 Throwback Playlist, July 2016 Throwback Playlist, June 2016 Throwback Playlist, May 2016 Throwback Playlist, April 2016 Throwback Playlist
-D (@davidronn)