Reasons To Be Cheerful – Parts One, Two, Three!

IT. IS. WONDERFUL!

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Whenever I feel down (which, mercifully doesn’t happen often) or whenever I doubt myself, (THAT happens MUCH more often!) I will read Jim’s reply to this post and pinch myself until I bleed (I wouldn’t actually do that…I’m just being a tad OTT! I’d pinch myself, DEFINITELY, just not until I actually bleed).

I still can’t believe it’s real. That he said something SSOO wonderful TO ME about my stuff. It’s just…there are not enough superlatives in the English language for it.

Beyond all the silly fawning fangirly stuff…beyond me finding him utterly beautiful…there is that artist appreciation. The wordsmith…the songwriter, giving ME praise for my art.

My “muse”, I suppose it can be deemed, loving what I do.

It leaves me dumbstruck…and almost blasé.

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I’m Sick…

Sick of feeling sorry for things I haven’t done.

Sick of feeling guilty for the actions of other people’s idiocy.

Sick of hearing other people talk of their voice not being heard, while at the same time ignoring mine.

Sick of walking on eggshells.

Sick of trying to read minds.

Sick of having a heart.

Sick of being a caring person.

Sick of trying to be as selfless as possible.

Just. Sick.

And tired.

Lyric Of The Day – Sleeping

  
Song: Sleeping

Album: Our Secrets Are The Same

Year of release: 2000 (unofficial), 2004 (official – as part of Silver Box box set)

Composers: Jim Kerr/Charlie Burchill/Kevin Hunter

*lyrics never published and have been deciphered myself so could be erroneous. 

Why I Love…Constantinople Line

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(Lol…the home made video though…what is has to do with Istanbul or trains, I dunno?)

It’s the rhythm of it to begin with. Very reminiscent of David Bowie’s Station To Station. It reminds me of it, but is far enough removed not to sound a pastiche. Charlie’s guitar fade at the end is SSOO much like the beginning of Station To Station. Charlie does a pretty “Slick” nod to it (Bowie aficionados *may* pick up what I did there!).

A great bassline once again from “Big Dan”. And Charlie uses the guitar effects for a nice screeching sound. Maybe it’s just reverb. I can’t claim to understand what I hear, but I know I like it!

Absolutely one of the best set of lyrics Jim has ever written. They are very image laced. I see the pictures in my head when he sings them “I see a land, as we…

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Why I Love…Garden Of Hate

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The very first time I heard it, I fell in love with it. It’s Mick MacNeil’s organ playing (I’m assuming it’s an organ, it sounds like one) that first hooked me in. It is SO reminiscent of “Waltzinblack” by The Stranglers (another absolute FAVE instrumental – oddly enough, The Stranglers are the Minds’ support/co headliners for the November European and UK area gigs) but Garden Of Hate pre-dates it. Did Dave Greenfield hear Garden Of Hate and get ideas? That’s a nice thought!
Charlie Burchill’s guitar is actually quite hard rock on this. Guitar rock waltz!

It’s a curiosity for a Simple Minds track in that it’s OVERTLY dark. I love that! I love a band that can do “dark” convincingly. And their music had a darker edge to it in the early days…but this is something else! And I think that is why I was SSOO blown away by…

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Why I Love…Seeing Out The Angel

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It starts with, quite possibly, Mick MacNeil’s finest if nor most hauntingly beautiful piece of synth work. It’s quite a simple chord structure, but I find it just gives me goosebumps (chicken skin) EVERY TIME.

Then comes in another gem of a bassline from Derek Forbes. His bass comes alive, with the backing of the dramatic and atmospheric drum beats from Brian McGee. Then that haunting backing vocal from Jim. Just barely audible above the synth, bass and drums. Then those beautiful, haunting lyrics from Jim, including quite possibly, my favourite line of a song, ever, “in colourful, breathless, emotional sea”. His voice is deep. A song probably sung in the deepest register he could achieve. That juxtaposition of the depth of his voice and high, soaring chords of Charlie’s guitar just gives me goosebumps (chicken skin!).

I watched an interview with Jim from 1983 and he said, “I never…

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Why I Love…Life In Oils

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Because it is one of the (if not THE) sexiest songs they’ve ever made.

Jim’s vocals…

Just…OMG…WHAAAAA??! All those sounds and moans and and heavy breathing and god knows what…just…

I don’t know what half the words are. It never got an official release until Silver Box…and it’s obviously a demo. Some lines I do know “Unhappy the land that has no heroes. No, unhappy the land that needs heroes.” (Later used in 20th Century Promised Land).

It’s fairly slow paced, and kind of speeds and slows, and I love that synth *ping*.

I love the odd chorus, though again, I’m not entirely sure what he’s singing (“shadow/hollow/???/take” – I think. Can never decipher that third word.). And the way he emphasises the word “LIFE” towards the end of the song is, again…just…

Musically, there’s a kind of sultriness to it. It sounds like it could be strip music to…

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