Saturday, January 31, 2009

Tagged and Despondent: The Conclusion (and Answer Key)

I didn't expect much, and I didn't get much. I figured there would be four or five correct guesses at most, and that is what happened.

For those interested, here are the answers to my post Tagged and Despondent Part II that I put up ten days ago, which gave the opening lines to thirty random tunes on my iPod. Nearly anyone who cared to check out the list easily guessed Fortunate Son, of course... that was pretty much one of only three or four gimmes on the list. I think part of the success in guessing these lists, if you actually know the person or persons compiling them, is how well you can guess what sort of music they would have on their iPod. How much music or the size of the iPod, and how diverse a list that might incorporate, also plays a part. My pal Erin just put her list up the other day, and already much of her list has been correctly completed by our group, and owing to her (and the group's) background in theatre, it is no surprise that there are a handful of showtunes on there. My buddy Squeak was bound to have Blues Traveller somewhere on his list, at least a couple of times, and Mattman was certain to have Warren Zevon (as did I).

I suggested on Facebook that these lists be taken down in size so that they can be done quicker and made far more manageable. I find it amazing that people use places like Facebook and MySpace to make their contacts with friends and family more immediate, but then decide to bog down large blocks of time with "25 things" lists, when 5 or 10 in a dose would make things far more effective for both constructor of the list and the reader/respondent. I announced my intention to only do, at most, a list of 10 next time.

But now that I am putting the answers up, I feel I shall not take part in this again. The rewards are too few; the guesses too sparse. As it is with comments on this blog in general, but I really do need to concentrate on my true purpose for this blog, which is actually writing and reviewing, not taking part in fruitless sideshows.

Here are the lyrics and their answers. Thanks to those few who did take part, and my gratitude for at least trying to guess.

THE ANSWERS:
1. Talk of the town, and you're always so around // Holding me down to that sultry, sexy sound...
Veronica Fever - The Raveonettes
2. Well, they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month // Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none...
Johnny 99 - Bruce Springsteen
3. Brother finds trouble on the street // A piece of rock to make men weak // Trembling eyes at everyone he meets
Sister holds her baby in the bed // Dreams and wishes dancin' in her head // A love forever is what he said...
The Neighborhood - Los Lobos
4. That there // That's not me // I go // Where I please // I walk through walls...
How To Disappear Completely - Radiohead
5. Yeah, said it's all right // I won't forget // All the times I've waited patiently for you // And you'll do just what you choose to do...
Alone Again Or - Love
6. There's a man in the funny papers we all know...
Alley-Oop - The Hollywood Argyles
7. I slipped away // I slipped on a little white lie // We've got heads on sticks // You've got ventriloquists...
Kid A - Radiohead
8. Well there's a sick sick feeling in the pit of my brain // And drinking bourbon and orange will not heal the pain
And there's a one-armed man beating on his wife // It's the end of the road // The end of this life...
Vulture - The Minus Five
9. OK, check this out // It ain't impossible, it ain't easy // Opportunity shifting here // So far, the strategy ain't working // The facts are in, it's so very clear...
Let Me Go - Rancid
10. When this old world has let you down // And friends no longer want you around // When you feel burdened down with care // And troubles seem so hard to bear...
Call My Name - Them
11. I live up here on this hill // She lives down there in the greenbelt // Her parents don't like me 'cause I come from the hill // Their little girl's future is in doubt...
Semaphore Signals - Wreckless Eric
12. Me and Jan and Brian bought a pretty little hole // It was cheapish and we split and we're fixing it up
So Mr. Sokol does everything, rewires, fixes cracks // I can only break walls, moves stuff, and get snacks...
I'm Downright Amazed What I Can Destroy With Just A Hammer - Atom and His Package
13. Nothing to mourn // We die and die until // Until we're born // Recast as forms // So pleasing to the soul
I never miss anyone // To me, they're never gone // If that makes you uncomfortable, baby // Don't be too long...
You Become the Dawn - Ken Stringfellow
14. When you got the blues // Who do you tell them to? // When you’re all alone // What do you want to do? // Do you want to die // Or is it...?
The Strangeness In Me - The Cramps
15. Time runs backwards at the end // You turn into a child again...
Then You're Dust - Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
16. Well, I fell outta bed this mornin' // Saw what the guy on TV said // The big rock awards crowned a brand new king // It shoulda been me instead // Don't they know I'm...?
Elvis Fucking Christ - The Cramps
17. There's no point in asking // You'll get no reply // Oh just remember, I don't decide // I got no reason, it's all too much // You'll always find us // Out to lunch!
Pretty Vacant - The Sex Pistols
18. Over the moor, take me to the moor // Dig a shallow grave // And I'll lay me down (repeated once more)
Lesley-Anne and your pretty white beads // Oh John, you'll never be a man // And you'll never see your home again // Oh Manchester, so much to answer for...
Suffer Little Children - The Smiths
19. She tells him she thinks she needs to be free // He tells her he doesn't understand // She takes his hand //She tells him nothing's working out the way they planned...
Hasten Down the Wind - Warren Zevon
20. Gonna make my move // Gonna make it stay // Gonna make it last // Never mind the past //Living for today...
Glorious Days - Weezer
21. Some folks are born made to wave the flag // Ooh, they're red, white and blue // And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief" // Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord...
Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
22. I dedicate this song to the workin' man // For ever' man that puts in a hard eight or ten hours a day of work and toil and sweat // Always got somebody lookin' down his neck // Tryin' to get more out of 'im // Than he really ought to have to put in...
Oney - Johnny Cash
23. I can hear the ocean and it's calling you to come // It goes, "Hey, Joe // Come on in the water's warm, we've been here waiting for ya // Oh, hey, Joe // Come on back and see us more // And everyone adores ya"
Swim - The Glands
24. Everything that keeps me together is falling apart // I've got this thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over // My boss just quit the job says he's goin' out to find blind spots and he'll do it...
3rd Planet - Modest Mouse
25. Literally the first minute I get back to town the cops // They shot a crazy lady with a screwdriver in her hand // Maybe we'll have another riot, hey wouldn't that be fun, well // This time I'll get a VCR and a big screen and a gun...
Tape - Dan Bern
26. Detective is flat // no longer is always flat out // Got the number of getaway car // Didn't get very far // As lucid as hell and these images // Movin' so fast like a fever // So close to the bone // I don't feel too well...
Pineapple Head - Crowded House
27. This happened once before // When I came to your door...
No Reply - The Beatles
28. A telepathic line to a shadow on the wall // Just a passenger and that is all // Taking off on a midnight flight // The airline ticket in his hand held tight // Polar route, destination: oblivion...
The Passenger - Wall of Voodoo
29. Music has charms, they say // But in some people's hands // It becomes a savage beast // Can't they control it // Why don't they hold it back?
You see my friend and me // Don't have an easy day // And at night, we dance not fight // And we need the energy // If not the sympathy...
A Slow Song - Joe Jackson
30. Up those stone steps I climb // Hail this joyful day's return // Into its great shadowed vault I go // Hail the Pentecostal morn
The reading is from Luke 24 // Where Christ returns to his loved ones // I look at the stone apostles // Think that it's alright for some...
Brompton Oratory - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

4 comments:

Eric said...

Well, I did 2 for 2. Did Matt at least nail the Zevon track?

The Working Dead said...

I am completely ashamed at how many of these songs I love, and how few of them I got. Radiohead? Springsteen? How did I miss those?!?

Anonymous said...

No, I did not... Shame on me.

"Hasten Down the Wind" is not one of my more familiar Zevon songs, but I still should have known it...

There are a couple of those that I'm going to have to check out. Thanks for doing the list, Rik!

Mark Otis said...

I am sorry I missed this initial opportunity to participate, but with your varied musical taste and catalog (which I admire), I only knew a few offa your list.

Alley Oop
Beatles
Robyn Hitchcock and Egyptians
Joe Jackson
CCR

Didna even get the Sex Pistols

I feel sad

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