About six weeks ago, I put up here, for posterity, my answers to the 30-Day Song Challenge.
It’s started with:
Well, that was fun…
It’d been ages since I’d done one of these, and seeing various friends do it, and my missing #ThisIsMyJam, I figured why not.
The rules were simple.
Basically, this:
And then I put up all the videos from the run in a single post: this post.
After that ‘thirty day’ run, Al Kenendy suggested another thirty days’ worth and I was having such fun doing it, I completed that as well.
So, as before, since it’s kind of nice to have a permanent record of such things, here is what I chose:
DAY 31: a song you first heard in a movie or tv series
Well, I first heard THIS as the theme tune to the tv series COVER UP, which – given the credits below – was probably just as bad as I remember the show being.
Holding Out For A Hero | Bonnie Tyler
DAY 32: a song with a place in the title
I’ve heard many versions of this song (most recently at the end of Good Omens, sung by Tori Amos) but I always particularly liked this version…
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square | Rod Stewart
DAY 33: a song that gets stuck in your head
Oh, this one – after I first heard it – got stuck in my head for months.
Suddenly, I See | KT Tunstall
DAY 34: a song that refers to another song or artist
I was very so tempted to put one of half a dozen of Mitch’s (particularly ‘Victoria Did’), but there’s more of his coming.
So here’s something else, an old favourite.
America Pie | Don McLean
DAY 35: a song from the year you left school
Lord knows what ‘when you left school’ means if you did A-levels then uni; I’m guessing it means ‘doing your O’levels, GCSEs’, age 16, so… 1980.
And in 1980, I loved this song.
Geno | Dexy’s Midnight Runners
DAY 36: a song you know the words to off by heart
I’ve been a fan of Flanders and Swann as long as I can recall, especially of the lyrics of Michael Flanders, who created some of the best ‘stunt rhyming’ around.
Friendly Duet | Flanders and Swann
DAY 37: a song that reminds you of winter
Well, it says “winter” not “Christmas”. Hmmm.
OK, this one then.
Hazy Shade of Winter | Simon & Garfunkel
DAY 38: a song without any guitars
I suspect Al will think I’m cheating to go fully a cappella, but I’m going to anyway.
Only You | the Flying Pickets
DAY 39: a song that sounds best when listened to through headphones
Best listened to through headph—? Oh, I see: one you’re embarrassed to let other people know you like.
It didn’t mean that?
OK, here’s a song.
Me and Charlie Talking | Miranda Lambert
DAY 40: a song featuring an unusual instrument
Oh, I think there’s one obvious response to this request.
Lady of Spain | Marvin Suggs
DAY 41: a song you always make other people listen to
Distinct from the earlier ‘a song you think everyone should listen to’, presumably?
Well, I was sending everyone this at the turn of the year. It’s still a good aim.
Happier New Year | Mitch Benn
DAY 42: a song that got you through hard times
I don’t think a song has ‘got me through hard times’. I don’t tend to use music for that. But this is one that could do it for me…
In My Mind | Amanda Palmer
DAY 43: a song about a real person
I was delighted to learn a while back that this song’s about Don McLean. Originally written and performed by Lori Lieberman but I prefer the cover attached.
Killing Me Softly With His Song | Roberta Flack
DAY 44: a song about a breakup
Oh, I think this one does the job quite nicely.
I Will Survive | Gloria Gaynor
DAY 45: a song with food or drink in the title
Was going to go with Sundae Girl by Blondie, but everyone would shout at me.
So, instead…
Strawberry Fields Forever | The Beatles
DAY 46: a song with lyrics in a language other than English
Doesn’t say whether ALL the lyrics have to be in a language other than English, or just some of them.
I’m going for the former, since the original was in German…
99 Luftballons | Nena
DAY 47: a song you would sing as a lullaby
Well, obviously this one.
Lullaby For The Real World | Mitch Benn
DAY 48: a song best listened to late at night
Late at night for me means they’re on in the background while I’m writing, or working on something, or just… thinking.
Just… there.
I put this album on the other night.
The Boxer | Simon & Garfunkel
DAY 49: a song that grew on you
There are half a dozen already in this thing that qualify.
But here’s one that definitely did. Never particularly liked it. Have grown to like it more over the years.
Year of The Cat | Al Stewart
DAY 50: a song that gets you psyched up
Huh. Genuinely don’t think there’s a song that does this. I don’t think there is, anyway.
But there’s this, which always makes me walk just a little bit faster…
It’s Raining Men | The Weather Girls
DAY 51: a song that reminds you of someone you miss
No comment, just the song.
Pretty Flamingo | Manfred Mann
DAY 52: a cover you heard before you heard the original
Oh, an easy one. One I remember hearing, and then being told ‘oh, you know that’s a cover…?’
Tainted Love | Soft Cell
DAY 53: a song featuring at least two vocalists
An easy one. I’ve heard several version of this; Liz Ryan’s is particularly good. But the original? Perfect.
Joyce The Librarian | Richard Stilgoe and Peter Skellern
DAY 54: a song you would use as your entrance music for a sporting event
Heh. I don’t care that everyone would be confused and wondering why…
THIS:
Magnificent Seven Theme | Elmer Bernstein
DAY 55: a song about behaving badly
Ah, the amazing Kirsty Newton, with a song Mitch Benn wrote very specifically for her.
(Intro first; song starts at 1:15)
Now He’s Gone | Kirsty Newton (with Mitch Benn, and Ivan Shepherd)
DAY 56: a song by an artist you don’t otherwise like
I’m glad this says merely “don’t… like’ rather than “actively dislike”. Plenty of the former, fewer of the latter.
Never really liked anything else he did, but:
The Last Farewell | Roger Whittaker
DAY 57: a song you’d use to get a party started
Depends on what kind of party, I guess.
But how about this?
Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison
DAY 58: a song that makes you laugh
Oh, where the hell do I start?
(In the original run of this, I somehow used a song of Mitch’s I’d already used: Lullaby For The Real World. Oops.)
So, here’s another song:
Fifty States | John Oliver and a load of kids
DAY 59: a song with a day of the week in the title
Well, since I couldn’t use it earlier, let’s use it today.
Sunday Girl | Blondie
DAY 60: a song you want played at your funeral.
Pshaw. Obvious, really, for many reasons.
4’ 33” | John Cage
Extra note: when I originally put this song up, a couple of people thought I was just being, well, just being me. As in, ‘Budgie doesn’t want any music played’. No it’s not that. Well, ok, it’s not only that. I’m Jewish, and you don’t have music at a Jewish funeral. Hence the ‘for many reasons’.
Well, that was fun…
I’ve taken a short break doing a ‘something a day, every day’ on Twitter, but come December, I’ll kick it off again with something else. So you can either follow my choices, usually posted about 6pm UK time, on Twitter at @budgie, or wait and I’ll probably put them up here when completed.…
Meanwhile, the usual something else tomorrow…
budgie's perch 
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