Wednesday, February 21, 2007

This meme is brought to you by the letter 'W'

List 10 songs that begin with the letter given to you and explain why you picked them. Leave a Comment and I’ll give you a letter to use for your list.

Waking the Witch - Kate Bush


This is the opening track of the 'concept' side of the Hounds of Love album and falls neatly into two parts - a dreamy sequence of voices trying to wake somebody up followed by a breathless and heady trial of the eponymous witch. it makes no sense whatsoever, but like a lot of Kate Bush it does it with style.

Wearing the Inside Out - Pink Floyd


This is from the trance remix of the Division Bell album and blends a simple electro motif, a drum pattern, some synth strings and a saxophone part that reminds me of The Bladerunner soundtrack by Vangelis. I adore it for its simplicity and elegance.

Weak Become Heroes - The Streets


A memoir of the rave generation, five years on. Mike Skinner's rap is complex, flawless and ultimately moving.

Week in, Week Out - Dubstar


This is from their first and best album, a perfect bit of wistful pop sung in a gorgeous Halifax accent by vocalist Sarah Blackwood. I first heard this is a tex-mex restaurant in Edinburgh and it haunted me until I bought the tape the next day.

Waitin' for the Bus - ZZ Top


From their early, bluesy Tres Hombres album, this evokes the dusty streets and merciless heat of Texas with a nifty repeated riff.

Way Down in the Hole - The Blind Boys of Alabama

This is a cover of a Tom Waits song, used as the theme music for The Wire - a very fine tv programme indeed. A nice bit of blues gospel fusion.

When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppellin


This is probably my favourite track from the Led Zep IV album, a pounding drum beat and a haunting bit of harmonica over the top set the scene before Robert Plant's vocals kick in. A true rock classic

White Lines (Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel


An extraordinarily angry and powerful rap about the seductive power of drugs. Probably a lot more effective than all of the 'Just Say No' campaigns. This is the version from the Shaun of the Dead soundtrack - bass!

World Destruction - Timezone


Perhaps the most unlikely musical collaboration ever heard on vinyl - New York rapper Afrikaa Bambaata and the post punk John Lydon with a track that combines rap with a back beat based on a Kraftwerk sample. Mesmerisingly good.

We Rock - John Otway


Ok, so he never managed to get the fabled world tour off the ground, but this anthem for the project is a lovely upbeat bit of optimism. Impossible to listen to without wanting to punch the air for joy.

I've posted the tracks here, for a brief period ...

4 comments:

Doll Face said...

I don't know any of those songs by name, hopefully i'd know it if i heard it.

Okay, gimme a letter :-)

thermalsatsuma said...

Have an 'M' Natalie ... :-)

I'll post the tracks up on the net somewhere later on today if you are interested in hearing them.

Anonymous said...

Not totally sure I want to play but...go on then :^)

(Notice I avoided saying "I'll have a 'P' please Bob")

thermalsatsuma said...

In that case, have an 'E' Will ... the old countdown jokes are the best!