It's my birthday.... yaaaaaaaaaaaaay. Nineteen years old, by the way. You wanna know how I've spent it so far? Sleeping, eating and listening to music in my room. I really should have just slept until the evening and then gone to the shops to get the drinks in preparation for tonight's antics. I was in a club in the very early hours of the morning cutting shapes to DJ Luck and MC Neat which was fun. But apart from that this birthday's turned out to be the same as every other one - staying inside with the knowledge that I have existed for another year.
That wasn't depressing at all, let's move onto the song shall we?
So "Die, All Right!" is a track by The Hives on their second album "Veni Vidi Vicious". I saw the video years ago on Kerrang! I think I was in Year 7 because I didn't have a YouTube account then and I remember looking up the video because I thought it was quite cool. I wasn't sure if it was a new song or not, because I had never seen the video before. Turned out it was on the same album as "Hate to Say I Told You So", meaning that the song was, in fact, an old track. Apart from the weird point that the band were a bit orange, the song was still very good. It's a bit of underrated one. I do like this a lot more than "Hate to Say" which can be argued to be the band's signature track. Not that that track is a bad one, I've heard it so many times that it doesn't do much for me anymore. Enough of that, I'm going off topic.
The song rocks many socks. Very quick and relentless, it doesn't stop and allow you to catch your breath. It has the characteristics of all the good Hives songs. A memorable riff (one which I'm certain has been used in an advert in the past) which repeats and repeats until it embeds itself in your brain, lots of energy and the familiar exclamatives, yelps and howling vocals by charismatic front-man Pelle Almqvist. Good tune.
Ah, Coldplay. Not my favourite group. But nevertheless they are back with a new album, their sixth to be exact, in May entitled "Ghost Stories". They've put out two songs already: "Midnight", which got some polarizing feedback due to its minimalism - and the first official single "Magic" which is quite similar to "Midnight in the way that there are barely any instruments in it, but actually has a beat and a good melody. It is the one which I like a bit myself and it is better than the former song. But that's just my opinion.
Today's song is the other title track from Coldplay's fourth album "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends", commonly known as "Viva la Vida". Most people know it for the album where Coldplay changed. They went around wearing suits a la The Beatles during the Sgt. Pepper phase and generally went for a new approach in making their music. Some may have found it pretentious. I think it's their best album. I have "Parachutes", "A Rush" & "X&Y"; they have their moments, but "Viva" along with "Prospekt's March" - that is good listening. No to "Mylo Xyloto" though.
The beginning of "Death and All His Friends" is actually a song that was meant to be separate altogether. This was its original incarnation. It's very calm and soothing for the first half before bursting into life when the rest of the band join in and abruptly changing into the soaring and climactic ending (in 7/4 time signature) which will catch any first listener by surprise. The song is a triumphant ending to a wonderful album. There is a full version of the instrumental that you hear at the beginning of the very first track of the album, but I cut that out before putting it on my iPod. You can't beat that ending.
This is the first song I heard by Morning Runner.
I was watching music television one day. I think the channel was The Amp -which was a really good music channel; I don't know why it got removed - and I watched the video for it.
But you know how it goes. Time moves on, and songs get older and older until they eventually fade away and are hardly ever played again. I never forgot about the song though. I wasn't able to watch the video again until sometime in 2010. I downloaded the song, and I can have it on repeat whenever I want.
It's got that "Rush of Blood" Coldplay type vibe. Apparently it influenced Chris Martin to write songs with Coldplay for "X&Y", so obviously it must be good.
The song was released as the band's second single from their debut album "Wilderness Is Paradise Now". Their debut was also their last as the band then split in 2007. People may also know this band for "Gone Up in Flames", a song in FIFA 07 and the theme song for "The Inbetweeners".
Until tomorrow.
Jamie.
P.S. I created a Twitter account, so if you want to follow me please do @JamieKManteaw.
The end of the 'A' section that is. It's been a good two months.
When I first came onto Blogger, I didn't have anything in mind that I wanted to get off my chest. The first thing I had was just talking about things that were interesting to me, or events in my life that I had regrets about or whatever.
When I changed my mind and decided to focus on 'My iPod', I never thought I would be able to continuously talk about a song and why it meant so much to me for fifty-six days straight, and yet here I am about to post about another one.
I have exams. Those are very important, so I probably won't be posting on here as regularly. Maybe something will pop up here and there, but for the moment 'My iPod' won't be back until June.
And so, the song today is 'Awaiting on You All' by George Harrison, another one from his triple album, 'All Things Must Pass', in 1970.
Beatles fans will know that out of the four, George was the most religious. Or at least the one who most believed that there was an almighty, higher power who cared for the world and the people who inhabit it.
Any of you guys who also own 'All Things Must Pass' will definitely know the song, 'My Sweet Lord'. That song was George's first single as a solo artist, and topped the music charts worldwide upon release in 1970. It got to number one in the UK again after his death in 2001.
'My Sweet Lord' is a very religious song, for obvious reasons. But for those who haven't heard it, Harrison incorporates the use of the "Hare Krishna" mantra and chants of hallelujahs which build up as a countermelody whilst Harrison sings, building an epic climax which eventually fades out. With Phil Spector's 'Wall of Sound' production technique, there is this gigantic albeit very echoey atmosphere.
'Awaiting on You All' is quite religious too, and if 'My Sweet Lord' is the music that plays on the organ in church when the service is starting, everyone is sitting down and the pastor or whoever is up on the stage announcing what will take place, then the former is when the first hymn starts and everybody is up on the feet, yelling rejoice to the heavens, bellowing the lungs to the skies above and break dancing in the middle of the aisle. Maybe I'm thinking of The Blues Brothers, but that's what it reminds me of.
'Awaiting' has more of a
political message to it than My Sweet Lord. Harrison desires to
experience spirituality directly whilst rejecting organised religion as
well as political and intellectal substitutes. That is basically what it
says on the song's article on Wikipedia. He criticises the Pope, and
includes jibes at John Lennon and Yoko Ono about their week in bed.
"THE LORD IS AWAITING ON YOU ALL TO AWAKEN AND SEE. BY CHANTING THE NAMES... OF THE LORD.... YOU WILL BE FREE!"
HALLELUJAH, TESTIFY!
Come on, that sounds like something a guy would say in church, am I right? Or am I right?
Oh well. That's the end for now. You won't be hearing from me for some time. Got work to do.
'My iPod' will be back in June! When the 'B' series begins!
All You Need Is Blood! Get it? It's almost like that Beatles song.
Test Icicles certainly weren't the band who sounded like they were influenced by The Beatles. Again, they were a band, but unfortunately the music that made was not the music that they were particularly interested in. They formed in 2004, and later split two years later in 2006.
The album this track was released on 'For Screening Purposes Only', was released to positive praise on Halloween 2005. Test Icicles were the next biggest thing in dance-punk indie rock terms. Considered to be 'bigger than The Beatles' by NME and 'all cobra' by Pitchfork Media, the album indeed is very eccentric and filled to the brim with bursting energy, backed up with crazy guitars and a booming, yet pre-recorded, rhythm section.
My sister went through a period around 2005/06 when she started borrowing various albums from her friends. She borrowed this one.
Test Icicles had three main vocalists who all brought their own sound to the table. The main vocalist on this song is Devonte Hynes, though you may know him better as Lightspeed Champion. In fact, Hynes only sings this song and the mindfuck that is 'Catch It!' Sam Mehran sings part of the chorus and pre-chorus too.
I don't know what this song is about to be honest. You would have to listen to it for yourself to try and get something, but you don't have to understand a song to enjoy it.
Look out for the backwards rap at the end of the song, also done by Sam Mehran.
If you want to know how the rap sounds like forwards, click here. That's my video :D
The song ends. Then, out of nowhere, a bass riff starts. Reminds you of Jaws doesn't it? It hypnotises you, sets you in a real mysterious, foreboding mood. It leads right into the next song. That's for another post.
So I've spent almost a month bleeding my heart out into these blogs, hoping that you like them and share them and whatever. It's been quite fun.
If you are regularly viewing these posts and taking an interest in what I say, then I thank you very much. It would be silly to say that I expected more than 100 views a day. But that is what I thought I would be getting. The blog with the highest views is my third one, and that only has about 30.
I should probably understand that it takes a slow process to become popular. This isn't like YouTube where you can just upload one thing and then suddenly get millions of views. I believe that blog sites are much more respectable, and certainly more peaceful. I would be happy with one sensible comment than with a tirade of those which don't make any sense or annoy me to no end.
So, about the song. 'All Us Authors' is the second track of the band Danananananaykroyd's second album, 'There Is a Way'. That album was their last. Released in June 2011, they split up a few months after in November.
I was like a deer caught in headlights when it came to 'There Is a Way'. I think it was the day after I had finished my last exam for my GCSEs. A year of highs and hard work, I could forget everything that I had revised. I could stay in bed for ages, and not worry about anything until August. It was a good time to be alive.
I woke up about seven in the morning to tune into Channel 4 and watch the daily music programme 'Freshly Squeezed'. That show's not on anymore and understandably so, it got incredibly dull and I doubt that anyone really watched it at that time of day after The Hoobs had just finished.
Anyway, it was then that the show played the band's new single, 'Muscle Memory', which led me to think "Shit! They have a new album, no way. Huh! I have to download it."
I was already a fan of the band after listening to their debut "Hey Everyone!". I'll probably go into more depth on that in another post.
So, I downloaded it and listened to it the whole way through. Initially, this song was one that stuck in my mind. Maybe it was because of the unorthodox time signature in the verses, (10/4 I think), and the chorus, "Just when you got comfy", which is firstly sung in the song, and then repeatedly yelled at the ending. It's the second shortest song on the album, and for me was the first that sounded like a song that could have been released on their first album.
I can remember listening to the album and thinking that the band sounded much more fuller. Originally, the band made use of two drumkits in the songs on their first album, but the co-lead singer (who played one of those drums) broke his arm in two places during a gig and had to retire from that post. Also, they had a female bassist who left during the years between the two releases and was eventually replaced. The 'fuller sound' might have also been a result of their use of producer Ross Robinson, who has worked with bands ranging from The Cure to Korn.
'There Is a Way' is one of my favourite albums, and it's a shame that the band split when they did. I feel that they could have achieved so much more, with just one more release! Ohhhhhh. People say the third album's always the best right? Or third time's a charm? Whatever. It's just so energetic, the only time that there is time for a rest is in a minute long recording of a street after the song 'Time Capsule'. That will also come in another blog. That's won't be on here anytime soon.
The Rakes were an indie band that broke up in 2009 after the release of their album 'Klang'.
Again I was introduced to them by MTV2. I've said many a time that MTV2 was a great channel to watch back in 2005-2006. Without it I definitely wouldn't be as ecelectic as I am in my musical tastes, if I do say so myself.
The Rakes released their debut album 'Capture/Release' in August 2005, and originally this song wasn't on it. It was only when they released it as a standalone single the following year, that the band decided to re-release the album with 'All Too Human' listed as the final track.
The video premiered on MTV2 as part of its 'New Releases'. I haven't actually watched it in a long time, so I can't really remember what's happens. From its thumbnail, I can see that it's black and white.
The song itself is very good in my own bias opinion. The narrator has been in a relationship that is failing in front of his eyes, and he's now pining with self-pity. He knows that she would be fine without him, but knowing this makes him feel even worse.
However morose and depressing that sounds, the key and the melody has a very light tone. The ending of the song uses vocals from all members of the band chanting 'Human, All Too Human', providing a satisfying conclusion to the song and the album.
'Capture/Release' received quite a bit of praise on its release, so if you're into Arctic Monkeys, The Futureheads, Bloc Party - bands like that, you might like the album.
Starr couldn't reach the high notes of the song. Apparently, he didn't like the lyrics either. Then, on a cold winter night in December 1980, John Lennon died.
Therefore, Harrison made it into a tribute - dedicated to his friend and colleague. It's a beautiful song, with lyrics depicting a brother in awe of his elder. Subtle references to Lennon's life and music can be found in them too, and to top it off you only have Paul McCartney playing the bass, Ringo on the drums, Linda McCartney and Denny Laine on backing vocals and George Martin as the producer. Although, that last one is argued to just be added for effect.
All in all, it's pretty sad. The song was written after a devastating and painful time, but it's played in a way that makes you want to remember the good times in the past.
The songs I've put up on here have been quite depressing lately. Let's hope for a bright one tomorrow.
So... the year is 2010. The Beatles: Rock Band had been released on the 9th September 2009, and I was already Beatles crazy, if you want more information see Across the Universe.
By the year 2010 started, I had downloaded Sgt. Pepper, Revolver, Abbey Road and Let It Be. I then went on to download more of their albums as the year progressed.
I received The Beatles: Rock Band as a present for Christmas 2009. I originally wanted my cousin to get it for me, so when my mum, sister and I went to her house, I would know what what be in that huge box covered in wrapping paper. It turned out she wasn't able to get it. She did, however, get me a Sgt. Pepper mug. I didn't want a mug. I wanted The Beatles Rock Baaaaaaaand :( Of course I couldn't complain to her. I was still quite depressed though.
My mum got it for me instead. It was the limited edition, with the postcards, the drums with the Beatles skin, and the Hofner controller. It was happy times, I played almost every day the first week I got it.
I had no friends to play with though. Not a lot of people in my school had a Wii..... or cared about The Beatles. Yes, I did get the Wii version. But only because I didn't have a PS3 or XBox at the time.
I have a PS3 now. If anyone wants to add me, my PSN is 'Kyei-ManJamie' :D
I've been going on for quite a while now. I am going to tell you why the song is on my iPod. All in due time.
I probably searched for 'The Beatles: Rock Band' in Google one day, because I found the Rock Band Forums which had its own TBRB sub-forum. I joined that shit, and spoke with everyone about how much I loved the game.
One particular thread that caught my eye was the Community Mash-up album thread, I am the member 'jamzftw' by the way, and basically it was just an fan album influenced by 'LOVE', the soundtrack album released in 2006.
This will probably be my longest blog.
So, to put things short, that album was completed and I practically went on a one man mission to complete the second.
At that point I was into The Beatles music, and their solo efforts too.
Before I knew Spotify existed, I used we7.com to stream my music for free. I had 'Imagine' and 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' already on the computer, and I found out that 'All Things Must Pass', George Harrison's cathartic debut release, was the highest-selling out of all the ex-Beatles members.
What an album it is. It has so many great songs, ranging from large-'stadium' rockers e.g. Wah-Wah to gospel-churchy efforts e.g. Awaiting on You All. It must have been a relief for Harrison to get all his material out after years of being overshadowed by Lennon/McCartney. It absolutely deserves the five star, 10/10 reviews that it got in 1970 and the continued praise it receives today.
'All Things Must Pass' is a very hopeful song about death. Don't look at death with a sense of foreboding, when it's time to go.... it's time to go. Don't be scared. Sunrise doesn't last all morning. A cloud burst doesn;t last all day. It's not always going to be this grey. All Things Must Pass away.
R.I.P. George Harrison
Until next time.
Jamie.
NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
The Strokes new album 'Comedown Machine' is released next week.
I also have to say, if you aren't a fan of 'Angles' then you probably won't be much a fan of this new album. You could probably label it as 'Angles Part II'.
When 'One Way Trigger' first came out earlier this year, I wasn't really into it. Listening to it again today, I still couldn't bear to hear Julian Casablancas' falsetto vocals. It's just not something that suits him.
Then 'All the Time' was released around Valentine's Day, and that was the one where I thought, 'Yeah! This is good! It's like old Strokes blah blah blah.' It was like how 'Under Cover of Darkness' went down with almost everyone. 'All the Time' just sounds more Strokes-y to me.
However, people who want that old Strokes sound back will probably be waiting for an eternity. Yes 'Is This It' and 'Room on Fire' are albums that can't be beat. But that was ten-twelve years ago, dudes.
The Strokes have changed their sound and will probably continue to carry on changing it for years to come. We will all have to face this fact. Besides, we should take this album into open arms, cradle it, share it with friends. Strokes fan should appreciate it. I am a Strokes fan, I've only listened to it once. Who knows? It may just be my new favourite after another listen. Maybe.
I bet their next album will be released early days of 2016.
Again, 'All the Time' isn't probably the most memorable song that people will remember from Nimrod. There's probably one good reason for that. The album itself was the one that began their movement from three-chord punk rock songs to songs which, I guess, carried a deeper meaning to them. They were becoming mature. Eww.
Although the song wouldn't have found itself on Dookie, nor definitely Insomniac, 'All the Time' seems the closest on the album that could have been written in those recording sessions. If 'Haushinka' was considered for Dookie, 'All the Time' certainly could have been.
The song's overall message? Time goes fast.
That's the song for the day. Hope you enjoyed it :)
Well... shit. Late for two days in a row? I'm sorry. Almost half past nine GMT too? Oh damn.
I apologise. I went out with my friends to Leicester Square today. One of them turned 18 on Wednesday, so we celebrated by going to the cinema, watching 'Side Effects' starring Jude Law and Rooney Mara, stuffing our faces at 'Planet Hollywood' and finally watching a dance act outside Picadilly Circus Station whilst making fun out of them.
'Side Effects' was good. It kinda dragged on for a bit, but I do recommend it for fans of Jude Law and those into psychiatric stuff.
'All the Small Theeengs', as sung by Tom DeLonge, was released as the second single from their 'breakthrough' album 'Enema of the State'.
I can't really say much, I've heard it for years and years, you've probably all heard it for years and years. Jedward then butchered it a few years ago, but no one cares about them anymore so don't even try and look for that cover.
It's just a love song really, it was made to be a song for the radio, and for good reason. Who can't resist singing to the 'Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-nanana' chorus, or just generally making out during the song. You can't stop that. It's just instinct. It's a very nice song, you can't be angry whilst listening it.
If you want a girlfriend you could probably just play this song for her, then she's allllll yours. Guaranteed. Coming from someone who doesn't have one right here.
Mark Hoppus met his wife during the making of the video for the song, so that's saying something right?
Hi everybody. I'm a bit late, I'm sorry. I'm on my iPod right now, my mum wouldn't get off the computer, but it's fine. I may have to make this quick, the battery's running out.
'In Love and Death' is some album. It's not regularly considered to be something of a concept album, but it could easily, seeing as it is about those two themes. Written during a particularly miserable period for Bert McCracken, it can sound really happy in some parts and downright pissed off and depressing in others.
'All That I've Got' first came into my life through a friend of my sister. Her friends must have sent her the song through MSN or something, but I can't remember if sis liked it or not. I used to watch Kerrang! too, and it showed ten seconds of their new single at the time 'I Caught Fire' when it advertised the new videos that were the 'ones to watch'. However, I wasn't really interested, I don't think I liked the look of make up on lead singers so I didn't really bother listening to the song.
Coming after 'Let It Bleed' on the album, 'All That I've Got' is quite a sad song :( You wouldn't think it listening to the lyrics or the actual music. According to Wikipedia, it was written after the lead singer's pet died, and it's never great when that happens.
I think the song describes any person in a situation when a loved one has died. It's shown on soap operas all the time. There's a character whose dad or brother has passed away. A friend asks "Are you ok?", and the person answers, "Yeah, sure, why wouldn't I be? Haha." Then you see them crying in their pillow when they go to bed.
The narrator of the song does the same thing, and putting on the strong, 'I don't give a shit' facade is the only thing he has from making himself look like a pussy in front of other people.
To anyone who has had that experience, it's alright to feel sad. It's never happened to me before so I don't want to sound patronising. Whoever has left will always be with you, in your head and in your heart.
No single this time. Just a standard album track on the album 'All Killer No Filler', the debut album by Sum 41, released in 2001.
I may have only been six when the album came around, and pop punk was still big around then. Blink-182 were still riding on their success with their then new album 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket", Green Day were still pretty relevant with "Warning" being released the year before.
I may have been young yes, but 'Fat Lip' and 'In Too Deep' were pretty popular in the UK, so I heard those two many a time.
I downloaded 'All Killer' back in 2009. I don't really know why though, I just started to download albums around that time, and I guess I wanted some songs on my old iPod Nano.
'All She's Got' is the third last song on the album, but it segues into the next song 'Heart Attack' which also fades into the final song 'Pain for Pleasure.' I like when songs fade into one another, I think it's cool.
It's hard to describe Sum 41's music. Music isn't something to be described, but to be listened and admired. It's punky, but it's not angry punk. It's more of a rebellious, youth, stick a finger in the air at the authorities kind of punk. You couldn't really imagine any other band singing it except for Sum 41. There's something about Deryck Whibley's voice that just can't be matched by anyone. It's not that he's an amazing singer or anything, but he captures the 'emotion', if that's the correct word, in each song.
It's not the best song, but it's one that does sound like it should be placed near the end of an album. Like the sun setting down, on a beach, in California or something.
WARNING: This video has been identified by Epilepsy Action to
potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Viewer discretion is advised.
Please take heed of that warning, seriously.
'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', the fifth album by Kanye West. The one which received positive reviews from every music magazine and website you could imagine. The one with the controversial artwork. The one which had a film released along with it. The one that gave rise to memes such as 'Yeezy taught me', 'No one man should have all that flour' and 'Let's have a toast to the douchebags'. What made it so good?
Well, it was his first album after 808s & Heartbreak, for a start.
So what did Kanye do? He only went into some sort of exile to Hawaii and recorded his, arguably, best work of ALL TIME. ALL TIME.
'All of the Lights' is preceded by its short interlude, a cello/violin and a piano play the melody of the intro. Then the main song starts, "ALL OF THE LIGHTS", triumphant horns set up the scene, a crescendo of strings build up the mood, Rihanna sings the post-chorus, "Turn up the lights in here baby etc etc." Then the beat kicks in, and it's just awesome from then on.
The song kicks arse. It's a highlight for me from the album. It's just the rapid drums and bass, the horns, Kanye's rhymes and delivery. It's such an adrenaline rush, I don't think anyone could sit calmly in a chair and bob their heads. No! You're headbanging, you do a forward roll and you flail about when there's no one else in the room with the lights flickering on and off. That's what you do!
Another thing that's great about the song is also the number of guests he gets on it. No, this song doesn't just feature Rihanna. You've got Kid Cudi in the first bridge, "Getting myyyyyyyyyyyyy eh, you should go and get your oowwwwwwwwwwwwn," Fergie-Ferg from the Black Eyed Peas in the second bridge, Alicia Keys AND Elton John at the end, and even La Roux. La Roux! How? Why? When?
The song just gives off a sense of glory. "Lights, Cop lights, flash lights, spot lights, strobe lights, street lights, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ALL OF THE LIGHTS, fast life, drug life, thug life, Roc life, every night, ALL OF THE LIGHTS." If you don't have 'MBDTF', I suggest you get it. It is probably one of the best hip hop albums released in the last five years. Who even likes Taylor Swift now anyway? Until next time. Jamie.
This one's for all the Catholics out there. Pope Francis all the way.
Got MTV2 to thank for this song again. You guys might not know a lot about Brakes. So I'll probably just give you the gist.
Brakes are another British band, from Brighton this time, who formed in 2003. They released their first single, 'Pick Up the Phone' (song starts at 0:21), and followed that up with the song above. Those two singles can be found on their first album 'Give Blood' which got quite good reviews, even from Robert Christgau and Pitchfork. They also go by the name BrakesBrakesBrakes in the US.
This song is so hypnotic. The bass groove, the descending guitar riff in the verses.... The repetition of the song title just sets a tone of anticipation, you're walking with your mates down the street to the biggest party that has been hyped for months. You find the door, you hear the thumping music, and then you walk inside. That's when the chorus comes in.
EAST WEST. NORTH SOUTH. LEFT RIGHT. CROQUE-MONSIEUR, CROQUE MADAME.
Yes, the chorus doesn't make any sense at all. When I first heard the song, I thought that the lead singer was speaking in a different language/from a different country altogether. I think Brakes are known for their nonsensical lyrics, I mean listen to 'Porcupine or Pineapple', or 'Hey Hey' for example. Don't let that take away from the song's message though, who cares about anything when you're at an awesome party? You don't listen to the lyrics in the music, you just dance around and hopefully get some.
This song would be suitable to play at any party. At least an indie disco party anyway.
Also, for more information on a croque-monsieur and croque-madame, click here.
So I'm watching standard TV one day, I change it to MTV2 and then suddenly "ALL I WAAAAAAAAAAAANT YAH YAH YAH YAH YAH" and a guy falls into a pit of mud and the video ends.
Wh-what.
I should probably start from the very beginning. Everyone knows 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)' right? If you have heard this song, even a clip of it in the shop or an advert or what not, this is the band who made that song.
I probably knew that song when I was, like 4. It got to number one in the UK for about a week, and I think I liked it and I remember my sister singing it too. Of course then I didn't know who it was by, but the counting in Spanish and 'Give it to me baby, UH-HUH UH-HUHs' were too catchy. I barely like it anymore, it's really cheesy for me anyway. I haven't got it on my iPod.
My cousin bought me The Offspring's Greatest Hits compilation for Christmas 2005, but that was because I knew that songs like 'Hit That', 'Original Prankster' and 'Can't Repeat' were on there, so I didn't pay as much attention to 'All I Want'.
I would probably talk more about how I got to like The Offspring. But that will probably in the blog for 'Hit That' when I come to it. Maybe next year. Or 2015.
In regards to 'All I Want', that split second of the ending of the video left me really puzzled. I never listened to 'All I Want' before so I went onto YouTube. The comments below were mostly along the lines of 'Yeah, this song rocks' to 'Yeah, Crazy Taxi' to which I thought, 'OK... back to the video.'
The song is very quick. It's on their album 'Ixnay on the Hombre' released in 1997 and was released as the first single from it. It's a fast, punchy, all-up-in-your-face punk song about breaking free, fuck the system, 'I DON'T WANNA BE CONTROLLED, 'SALL I WAAAAAAAANNT.'
Dexter Holland singing 'Want' in the chorus probably takes up half the song, but it's a hell of a chorus. You just feel like running down a corridor screaming that shit.
The video is something else too. It's pretty funny, you get the band performing the song in a house with different colour effects, a guy pushing women over, stepping in some weird shit on the ground, running past policemen on pogo sticks and random clips of a guy with sunglasses and a mask over his face whilst playing the piano. It's crazy. It's cool. IT'S ALLLLL I WAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNT. YAH YAH YAH YAH YAH.
'In Rainbows' was the long awaited Radiohead album that was released as a download, pay-as-much-as-you-want in 2007.
I'm not a great fan of the band, in comparison to other crazy Radiohead fans, I am nothing - I might have already said this in my 'Airbag' blog.
So when 'In Rainbows' way back when, I didn't really see the fuss about it. I thought it was cool that people could pay whatever they wanted like 1p or £100, most fans paid nothing anyway, which resulted in many complaints about how companies don't get enough money for their stuff being released or whatever. Apparently, pre-release sales were more profitable than the total money from sales of 'Hail to the Thief.' So they must have done something right from changing their selling tactics.
I have to admit too that as an album, I still haven't given 'In Rainbows' a chance. I've never sat down and fully listened to the whole package. I should do. I really should. Most fans like it more than 'Hail to the Thief' and I think that 'HTTT' is a very good album, so what could go wrong?
The songs on my iPod from this album are not those I liked upon listening to the album once I received it for Christmas 2007. 'Jigsaw Falling into Place' played repeatedly on MTV2 and I liked that song and the video too, no matter how weird the cameras were. The song would be the first I would hear from 'In Rainbows'.
I first properly paid attention to 'All I Need' when MTV2, again, dedicated five minutes of its schedule to advertise its EXIT campaign. The 'advert' was basically a music video for 'All I Need', which you can watch by clicking these two words.
Still, I didn't think much of it.
Listening to it many times after though, I realised that the song is great. Quite calming actually. You're provided with a smooth, soothing vocal by Thom Yorke with a steady backbeat by Phil Selway and a strong bassline by Colin Greenwood. The lyrics come off kinda stalkerish, 'I am all the days, that you choose to ignore', 'You are all I need. You're alll I neeeeeeeed.' You probably wouldn't recognise this, because the instrumentation is very calming. It's like slowly sinking into a beanbag when you begin to sleep in it. But then, the song picks up and there are thrashing cymbal crashes, a chorus of piano and, overall, a real build in tension of atmosphere with Thom singing 'It's all right, it's allll riiiiiiiight!' And just when you think the song is going to climax, it ends.
It's a magical song. I really need to listen to 'In Rainbows'. Fully though, not just the singles.
