BM PLC, WK31, Mr Grumpy: WAR.
I was listening to the last track on my playlist as I was reading (discovering) this thread and thought to myself that war would make a good theme.
Then I read the plea for new entrants and the die was cast. I've no pithy intro as to why war was chosen but on reflection, it's a deep mineshaft so should be ripe for the unearthing of some diamonds. This subject also allows me to crowbar some cultural and non-indie music into the sub :)
For format, I have a subscription to YouTube Music unlimited and I'll be posting those links which should be available on YouTube standard. As per the post early on in this thread, if you don't have YTM, then google is your friend.
So onto the tracks:
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1) Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Two Tribes. 12"
Anyone growing up (i.e. early teens) in the 80's, can attest to the cold war USSR-USA tension that was thick in the air. This was time of films such as threads, when the wind blows, & the day after. Bands too, followed suit with songs about Armageddon, the cold war. Cheery stuff.
I picked up this 12" remix of two tribes in the late 80's as it caught my eye in the record shops (remember them?) I started frequenting after buying my new HIFI system with the money from my 1st job. This 12" uses sound clips from the very disturbing (because they are real and actual public service broadcasts!) nuclear war preperation series "Protect and survive". Poor Grandma. Bonus quiz: Who's the voice of President Reagan? (clue: He's a smeg heeeeeeeeeeed)
Trever Horn at his finest.
Listener Notes: Play it LOUD and on decent gear.
Further reading:
https://rcrdkeeper.wordpress.com/2021/01/26/review-of-the-two-tribes-single-and-12-extended-mix/
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2) U2: Sunday Bloody Sunday.
According to the UK government at the time, "the troubles" were just that and not a war. Those involved in that period would beg to differ.
The events of 1972, put down on vinyl in 1983 by a young Irish group just starting out on their own version of world dominance.
Perhaps the finest record they made, everything is absolutely tight and highly tuned with the horrors of the day(s) perfectly narrated to the ignorant world of the time.
This, to me, is how political pop music should be. Nothing finer.
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)
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3: Don Mclean: The Grave.
I bought the LP American Pie for a friend a few years back as a thank you for a favour he did (We used to talk a lot about music). He mentioned the LP a few times and i thought it a nice change from the usual pint/ chocolates/smelly candle* friends sometimes give each other.
I got the best version i could find and it was 2nd hand (now long out of pressing). Before wrapping it up, I gave it a spin to see how it sounded and oh boy, what a gem of an album. It is one of those albums where the title track is probably the worst on it and becomes forgettable the more you play the album. "The Grave" hits home hard. Very hard. I won't expand on it's lyrics or composition, that's for you, the listener to discover but it is not track to be listening on a personal high point...
Notes: A track for listening, not hearing.
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4) Guns n' Roses: Civil War
Taken from the 1st track of the double album: Use your Illusion II (and originally from Nobody's Child), this track has perhaps the greatest sample intro ever.
Fans of the band argue it is their best track. Hard to argue against that and I think it's them at the peak for sure.
I wasn't a huge fan of GnR, I'm not really a hard rock/metal fan but this just carries across all genres. It's a fantastic, energetic stomper of a track with some superb musicianship and penmanship on show.
Bonus quiz: Name the film from the opening sample.....
What's so civil 'bout war anyway?
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5) Platoon soundtrack: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: Adagio for strings.
I had another (forum controversial) track earmarked for the bookend of this list, but I dunno, this just seemed to be a perfect ending, rather than just another good track. If you are going to source this from anywhere other than the link, please make sure it is the official soundtrack version as it has the haunting dialogue of the films main character which is essential.
Is platoon the finest war film ever made? Some would say yes, some no. Personally, it's up there although I would say that Full metal Jacket would have been mine had they finished filming after the scene in the toilet.....
How ironic, that despite the eons of classical music emanating from across the globe, one of its finest pieces is by a 20th Century Yank :) .
In a series of tracks where the lyrics are the keystones, perhaps perfect that this last track says the most by saying nothing.
I played this to my wife once, on a evening, sat down on my listening couch, lights dimmed, glass of wine, no words. We were both in tears at the end.
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Epilogue.
I had intended to add something fun and light hearted in the list of tracks but decided to leave that for next week. War is not fun.
To finish off this post, no finer words than from the Last Post:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
