Hello, good morning and welcome.
I have to say this is rapidly turning into my favourite thread of the week, and just to refresh memories/fill in newcomers, this is where we play the next record from 6Music’s Radcliffe & Maconie’s “The Chain” and invite your suggestions for what you would like to hear next that links to that record (along with an explanation of the link). And then cross our fingers that I already own it or can track down a copy. Oh, and if you want to have a guess at how the songs were linked on the radio show, feel free.
So, we left you last week with “Girl From Mars” by Ash, and we have two great, great suggestions, both of which link to the same band.
First up is George, who wrote:
Right. Here goes for Comment Showboating. I’ve got a link from Ash to The Fall. You’ll like this. The Ash album from which Girl From Mars comes is 1977. If you add up the digits of 1977 you get 24. And in the number 24, the “2” is next to the “4”. So you could say the “2” is by the “4”. Or 2 by 4. Track 2, side 1 from The Wonderful And Frightening World Of… by the Fall is 2×4.
Okay, two things to say about this. Firstly, and I think George knows this, I love Comment Showboating, particularly on this thread. So, please, if you’re going to make a suggestion, fill your boots, make it as convoluted as you like.
Secondly, George: that is just one of the most brilliant links I’ve ever read. How can I resist? (Clue: I can’t) Here’s the version lifted from the 6 CD opus that is The Fall’s Complete Peel Sessions:
The Fall – 2 x 4 (Peel Session)
Moving on to Dave aka The Great Gog who sent me this:
“Sticking with the planet / young female theme – there is “A Mercury Girl” by Cleaners From Venus (from 1987 album Going To England). Giles Smith from the band became a journalist and wrote an excellent book entitled Lost In Music. I believe that some sisters had a hit with a song of that title and of course, The Fall interpreted it in their own way on The Infotainment Scan. So there you go – a convoluted link and another excuse to post something from Mark E. Smith & co.”
Which gives me, albeit inadvertently, not one but two songs to post:
The Cleaners From Venus – A Mercury Girl
and, of course:
It is taking every fibre in my being to resist the temptation to just post a load of covers The Fall have done now.
Instead, since yesterday was both the Scottish and English Cup Finals, I have an excuse to post this, the most surreal bit of Grandstanding-ah! you’ll ever see:
Look at that, Villa fans. You used to win games!!
As for my suggestion, well I would have plumped for this (already posted in my Friday Night Music Club strand) and I would hope the link from Ash’s Girl From Mars to this is fairly self-explanatory:
The Undertones – More Songs About Chocolate and Girls
But here is where the licence-paying BBC listening public went next:
6. KT Tunstall – Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
And the reasoning? “An ash is a type of tree. So is a cherry…”
Which, bearing in mind our suggestions, is a bit shit really, isn’t it?
So, ladies and gents, your suggestions please about what record you’d like me to post that links to KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”. Please leave your suggestions – and how you got to it – in the Comments box down below, and feel free to make it as Commenty McShowboatface or as simple and straight-forward as you like.
Oh, and George and Dave – loving your work, keep it up chaps. S’much appreciated.
More soon.
A History of Dubious Taste 