“In the End, It Took Me a Dictionary to Find Out the Meaning of Unrequited” #1

If someone were to analyse the subject matter of songs, I think it’s a fairly safe bet that it would conclude that the most written about topic is **drum roll**……… **dramatic pause**…..love.

That’s reciprocated love, of course. I love you and you love me, isn’t it great, everyone’s happy, la la la, repeat to fade.

Life’s not always like that though, is it? For every successful relationship or love affair, there must be at least, conservative (with a small c) estimate ten failed ones.

So, I imagine the second most popular subject would be that of unrequited love, or that of a lover spurned. Because while we all know what it feels like to be in love, we also all know what it’s like for that love to be totally unsuccessful, unappreciated or unwelcome.

And that’s where music really steps in.

Who amongst us hasn’t, frustrated by a potential partner’s utter failure to acknowledge our obsession with them, or dejected by rejection, turned to our best friend for companionship, solace and verification. Our best friend being our record collection, of course.

Unless you’re an idiot like me (and many of my peers, judging by the Comments on a recent post) who has sold or given away records and instantly regretted it, then your music collection is probably the one true constant in your life. Those records never leave you, they’re just there, waiting for the time to be right for you to blow the dust off them again.

And so to this, one of the most honest, visceral, downright fucking angry and upset lyrics you’ll ever hear. And, I’ll wager, one of the greatest records of the 21st century:

The Walkmen – The Rat

Before you ask, I’m fine. I’ve not been dumped recently (chance would be a fine thing), it just strikes me this is a rich seam worth digging into.

 More soon.

I Am The Mouth

Slowly but surely I’m plugging my way through all of the Glastonbury footage I recorded last weekend.

I have to say I’ve been a little disappointed with the BBC coverage, which seems to focus on the headliners, with a passing glimpse of anything else. That’s all very well, but anyone who’s been to Glasto knows there’s always things tucked away lower down on the bill or on an obscure stage that deserves some attention. By which I mean, of course, where was the Quo’s Friday night headline set on the Acoustic Stage?

Anyway, a little surprise which popped up was a set by The Killers on the John Peel Stage. Who knew The Killers were still a thing?

You know the John Peel Stage. Devoted to the new, up and coming bands. Like, erm, the Killers.

I’ll be fair: Killers’ main man Brandon Flowers had a self-deprecating take on it: “They say you play the John Peel Stage twice in your career,” he announced. “Once on the way up, once on the way down. It’s good to be back,” .

So anyway, watch The Killers and you know they’re going to finish with “Mr Brightside” and you know they’re going to play that frigging awful song about having soul but not being a soldier, which really doesn’t work as an analogy and which I’ve always struggled to understand the popularity of.

It struck me that “Mr Brightside” is the tune which always gets churned out at Indie nights, usually at close to chucking out time, which prompted me to write this post, pointing out there’s better songs than those mentioned in their back catalogue. Not many, but some.

Now, I must admit I have a bit of a soft spot for “Somebody Told Me”, which I think is a much over-looked absolute belter of a record.

But there’s another single of there’s which wasn’t included in the highlights of their set showed on the BBC (I don’t think; I watched much of it on fast forward).

I mean this:

The Killers – Bones

Although I must admit, part of the reason I like that tune is the Tim Burton directed video, which surprisingly doesn’t feature Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter:

Oh and since I mentioned it, here’s “Somebody Told Me”.

The Killers – Somebody Told Me

More soon.