Quarter Final Heat 4

[Cricko]

The last of the Quarter Final's is between,


William 'Smokey' Robinson - Uncle Leo v Paul Weller - MK Shrimper

 

[Cricko]

Uncle Leo has asked me to post this on his behalf.


William 'Smokey' Robinson - one of the most prolific and popular songwriters of the 20th century. Of course, there were the great tracks he wrote and performed with The Miracles:

The Tears Of A Clown

[video=youtube;hxj1hP3dxdg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxj1hP3dxdg[/video]

Shop Around (Motown's first #1 and first million-seller)

[video=youtube;_YPdVqwk978]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YPdVqwk978[/video]



....and then those he wrote for others:

My Guy (Mary Wells)

[video=youtube;twhMp9N7nak]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twhMp9N7nak[/video]

My Girl (The Temptations)

[video=youtube;rBQ2xc6jjJs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQ2xc6jjJs&feature=fvwrel[/video]

Get Ready (The Temptations, or, if you prefer, Rare Earth)

[video=youtube;rBQ2xc6jjJs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQ2xc6jjJs&feature=fvwrel[/video]

[video=youtube;o3Z8NU5ImK0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Z8NU5ImK0[/video]

 

[MK Shrimper]

Some of Mr. Weller's work..... Train to catch so more later!

[video=youtube;H9sThEysmdY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9sThEysmdY[/video]

[video=youtube;oD9jlv-hSKc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD9jlv-hSKc[/video]

[video=youtube;ubxYYzYNP84]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubxYYzYNP84[/video]

 

[MK Shrimper]

Paul Weller, founder of one of the greatest British bands ever: The Jam.

Formed in the hey-day of three-chord wonder punk rock, they became so much more, quintessentially English, a mod-revival in the late 70's. Taking the mundane and turning it into wonderful songs - When You're Young, That's Entertainment, Saturday's Kids - he even wrote a great song about his stalker - Girl On The Phone. Every album was magnificent, all killer no filler.

Let's face it, if The Jam decided to reform now, they could sell out Wembley Stadium 5 times over, and still leave people wanting tickets.

Easily the biggest British band of the late 70's, early 80's and then Weller called it a day at the height of their powers with Beat Surrender. Rather than plow on and sully their name, he formed The Style Council, a massive shift that upset the huge fanbase of The Jam. They still produced some great pop tunes though - Have You Ever Had It Blue, Long Hot Summer etc..

Then a solo career that he continues on to onto this very day. The epic Wild Wood album re-ignited his talent and he came the driving force behind the 90's revival of Brit Pop, lauded from Noel Gallagher to Damon Albarn and everyone inbetween.

Weller still is a force to this very day. Wake Up The Nation, a brilliant collection of short, punchy tracks that are reminiscent of The Jam at their best, hugely acclaimed and nominated for the Mecury Music Prize 2011.

Vote Weller! :thumbsup:

 

[Supernaut]

Weller for me, although neither deserve to have got this far IMHO.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

My favourite track by The Jam ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT7xvMi6pzE

Better stop dreaming of the quiet life -
cos it's the one we'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus -
cos those rosey days are few
And - stop apologising for the things you've never done,
Cos time is short and life is cruel -
but it's up to us to change
This town called malice.
Rows and rows of disused milk floats
stand dying in the dairy yard
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk
bottles to their hearts
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come
fast and furious
In a town called malice.

Struggle after struggle - year after year
The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice -
I'm almost stone cold dead
In a town called malice.

A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef
gets dashed against the Co-op
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear
It's a big decision in a town called malice.

The ghost of a steam train - echoes down my track
It's at the moment bound for nowhere -
just going round and round
Playground kids and creaking swings -
lost laughter in the breeze
I could go on for hours and I probably will -
but I'd sooner put some joy back
In this town called malice.

 

[Napster]

Smokie for me. Living Next Door to Alice was great.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Weller in melancholy mood ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6jCFEhMPs0

You do something to me, something deep inside
I'm hanging on the wire for a love I'll never find
You do something wonderful then chase it all away
Mixing my emotions that throws me back again
Hanging on the wire, I'm waiting for the change
I'm dancing through the fire, just to catch a flame
an' feel real again

You do something to me somewhere deep inside
I'm hoping to get close to a peace I cannot find

Dancing through the fire just to catch a flame
Just to get close to, just close enough
To tell you that.....

You do something to me something deep inside.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Some more Weller, two of my favourite non-single tracks.

Carnation:

If you gave me a fresh carnation
I would only crush it’s tender petals
With me you’ll have no escape
And at the same time there’ll be nowhere to settle -
I trample down all life in my wake
I eat it up and take the cake
I just avert my eyes to the pain
Of someone’s loss helping my gain
If you gave me a dream for my pocket
You’d be plugging in the wrong socket
With me there’s no room for the future
With me there’s no room with a view at all -
I am out of season all year ’round
Hear machinery roar to my empty sound
Touch my heart and feel winter
Hold my hand and be doomed forever -

If you gave me a fresh carnation
I would only crush it’s tender petals
With me you’ll have no escape
And at the same time there’ll be nowhere to settle.
And if you’re wondering by now who I am
Look no further than the mirror -
Because I am the greed and fear
And every ounce of hate in you.

...and the young Paul Weller knew how transient his fame could be with this beauty:

To Be Someone

To be someone must be a wonderful thing
A famous footballer a rock singer
or a big film star, yes I think I would like that
To be rich and have lots of fans
have lots of girls to prove that I'm a man
And be No. 1 - and liked by everyone

Getting drugged up with my trendy friends
They really dig me and I dig them
And the bread I spend - is like my fame - it's quickly diminished

And there's no more swimming in a guitar shaped pool
no more reporters at my beck and call
no more cocaine it's only ground chalk
no more taxis now we'll have to walk

But didn't we have a nice time -
didn't we have a nice time
Oh wasn't it such a fine time

I realize I should have stuck to my guns
instead sh*t out to be one of the ******* sons
and lose myself - I know it was wrong - but it's cost me a lot

And there's no more drinking after the club shuts down,
I'm out on me arse with the rest of the clowns
It's really frightening without a bodyguard
so I stay confined to my lonely room

 

[MK Shrimper]

Another poignant tune from Wild Wood.

Shadow Of The Sun.

Do you still feel the same way about it
Like you always said you would
Or has time re-written everything
Like you never dreamt it could
Remember when we wanted to fly forever
On a magic carpet ride
Well forever seems a long time
Cutting us down in size
No matter how hard we try -

And I could see all I had done
Just chasing dreams across the fields
In the shadow of the sun

I plan to have it all while I'm still young
And chase the fields across my dreams
In the shadow of the sun
In the shadow of the sun

Once upon a time I might have told you
But now nothing seems that plain
However much we're changing
There are some things the same
And those same things still say

And I could see all I had done
Just chasing dreams across the fields
In the shadow of the sun

I plan to have it all while I'm still young
And chase the fields across my dreams
In the shadow of the sun
In the shadow of the sun

 

[OldBlueLady]

This is another good one Paul
[video=youtube;R9Whn2eQGSM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Whn2eQGSM[/video]
Weller for me here, sorry James.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

There were some really really good tracks on the original vinyl Snap! compilation, sadly they were culled when it was transfered to CD .. Butterfly Collector and Tales From The Riverbank amongst them :sad: :thumbdown:

 

[MK Shrimper]

There were some really really good tracks on the original vinyl Snap! compilation, sadly they were culled when it was transfered to CD .. Butterfly Collector and Tales From The Riverbank amongst them :sad: :thumbdown:

Another two great tracks. :thumbsup:

 

[canveyshrimper]

Smokie for me. Living Next Door to Alice was great.

:hilarious: Alice, who the **** is Alice?

Difficult one for me loved The Jam, but really didn't gett Weller after them. And Smokey is another from my mis spent youth.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Hang my head in ABSOLUTE SHAME !!!!!

There are 8 tracks cut from Snap! to Compact Snap!

"Away from the Numbers"
"Billy Hunt"
"English Rose"
"Mr. Clean"
"The Butterfly Collector"
"Thick as Thieves"
"Man in the Cornershop"
"Tales from the Riverbank"

Whilst researching this i found out that the original vinyl listing WAS released on CD in 2006 due to fan pressure .. it must've gone right under my radar somehow .. now where's that Amazon link gone .......................

 

[MK Shrimper]

Hang my head in ABSOLUTE SHAME !!!!!

There are 8 tracks cut from Snap! to Compact Snap!

"Away from the Numbers"
"Billy Hunt"
"English Rose"
"Mr. Clean"
"The Butterfly Collector"
"Thick as Thieves"
"Man in the Cornershop"
"Tales from the Riverbank"

Whilst researching this i found out that the original vinyl listing WAS released on CD in 2006 due to fan pressure .. it must've gone right under my radar somehow .. now where's that Amazon link gone .......................

5 CD Boxset: Direction Reaction Creation - everything they ever recorded from early demos. £21 on Amazon, well worth anyones moolah.

 

[Cricko]

5 CD Boxset: Direction Reaction Creation - everything they ever recorded from early demos. £21 on Amazon, well worth anyones moolah.

A bit expensive for frisbies.:smiles:

 

[MK Shrimper]

A bit expensive for frisbies.:smiles:

Shut it granddad. Remind me, how's Big O doing in this battle? :whistling:

 

[Cricko]

Shut it granddad. Remind me, how's Big O doing in this battle? :whistling:

Spooky how did you know...my son informed me this week he is going to be a dad....remarkable feat baring in mind he is only 7, I had him at 22 you see.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Spooky how did you know...my son informed me this week he is going to be a dad....remarkable feat baring in mind he is only 7, I had him at 22 you see.

:thumbsup: Well done sir! You're already Isabella's ShrimperZone granddad :winking: