Songs with News-reading samples

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Chili
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Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Chili »

I wonder if there are examples earlier than "That's The Way The Money Goes" by M in 1979
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

Is that "Pop Goes the Weasel"? That's not a "news-reading sample". It's an obscure nursery rhyme that nobody seems to know the meaning of.
Chili
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Chili »

ok so here's another one
Mainframe – 5 Minutes - from the 1980s
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

I don't know that one and I don't know what you're trying to do. Are you trying to find song lyrics or titles that are quotes from newspaper stories of the time?
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Sy Borg
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Sy Borg »

A Day in the Life referred to real life headlines: http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/756/
Georgeanna
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Georgeanna »

Steve3007 wrote:Is that "Pop Goes the Weasel"? That's not a "news-reading sample". It's an obscure nursery rhyme that nobody seems to know the meaning of.
That reminds me of 'London Bridge is Falling Down', another nursery rhyme.
Wiki tells me it has international relevance from way back in 14th century Italy.
There are a number of theories as to the meaning but perhaps it was a form of political game-playing.
Innocent children spreading the news of decaying infrastructure.

I can't think of any current songs as news media...but then again I don't have a tranny pinned to my ears.
( Oh how words have changed ! )
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

Yes. Good one. That's the classic example. "Four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire".

In the 80's there was the band "Frankie Goes to Hollywood". Their name was a line from a newspaper story (about Frank Sinatra). I don't know if that is admissible.
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Georgeanna »

Steve3007 wrote: "Four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire".
Someone spent time, money and energy counting the potholes in the streets ?!
I bet they missed one. Apparently the council report cost so much, they couldn't afford to repair them.
(Reminds me a bit of lengthy political investigations so that 'lessons might be learned' - and then recommendations ignored. Or belated assessments into the effects of e.g. Brexit )

But yeah, reading news as song inspiration. Take a sad line and make it better. Remember to let it into your heart. Anytime you feel the pain. Refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah...
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

Isn't it "take a sad song and make it better"? (Sorry to be a pedant).

Back on the subject of "A Day in the Life", where John says "He blew his mind out in a car. He didn't notice that the lights had changed." I've never got that lyric. Odd choice of words. People normally blow their minds out with a gun. And, in a car, if you don't notice that the lights have changed the worse that normally happens is that the person behind you beeps their horn. You don't get your mind blown out.

Curious.

-- Updated Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:48 am to add the following --
Someone spent time, money and energy counting the potholes in the streets ?!
I expect the council probably keeps a log so that they can send someone back to repair them at a later date. I expect it's probably something like that.
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Georgeanna »

Steve3007 wrote:Isn't it "take a sad song and make it better"? (Sorry to be a pedant).

Back on the subject of "A Day in the Life", where John says "He blew his mind out in a car. He didn't notice that the lights had changed." I've never got that lyric. Odd choice of words. People normally blow their minds out with a gun. And, in a car, if you don't notice that the lights have changed the worse that normally happens is that the person behind you beeps their horn. You don't get your mind blown out.

Curious.

-- Updated Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:48 am to add the following --
Someone spent time, money and energy counting the potholes in the streets ?!
I expect the council probably keeps a log so that they can send someone back to repair them at a later date. I expect it's probably something like that.

Yes, it was deliberate, thinking of a line of newspaper text... never mind, I knew somebody would pick up on it. Not important.
Various meanings to the lyrics are in the link, provided by Greta.
There are a few interpretations suggesting that rather than look at the individual incidents, we look at the bigger picture.

Examples:
1.....We all have societal cravings to see the worst in our world. But we have to remember that we can't just look at the dark; there must be times when we can shed light on the good in our world.

2....What this song is about isn't the details of the three or four small anecdotes. It's about the detachment, in John's and Paul's two different ways of narrating it, and how they'd like to turn us on.
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

Yes, it was deliberate, thinking of a line of newspaper text
Oh yes. I see. Sad line. Sorry. My pedantry made me a bit dim.

-- Updated Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:51 am to add the following --
It's about the detachment,
Yes. When describing a man's death, John sings the lyrics in a deliberately detached, unconnected way. And it says "a crown of people stood and stared" and then "a crowd of people turned away". If it was nowadays, I would imagine that those people would all be emotionlessly, boredly, recording the incident on their phones.

-- Updated Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:52 am to add the following --

Meant "crowd", not "crown".

-- Updated Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:00 am to add the following --

Interesting to listen to this song again. I like the part in the busy daytime routine (Paul's part) as opposed to the dreamy detached assimilation of random information part (John) where he says "found my way upstairs and had a smoke". I remember when you could smoke on the top deck of double-decker buses. Happy days.

-- Updated Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:16 am to add the following --

And also, of course, there's the infamous part at the end which, if you play it backwards, says "Paul is as dead as a dodo. Honestly."
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Present awareness
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Present awareness »

[quote="Steve3007"]Isn't it "take a sad song and make it better"? (Sorry to be a pedant).

Back on the subject of "A Day in the Life", where John says "He blew his mind out in a car. He didn't notice that the lights had changed." I've never got that lyric. Odd choice of words. People normally blow their minds out with a gun. And, in a car, if you don't notice that the lights have changed the worse that normally happens is that the person behind you beeps their horn. You don't get your mind blown out.

Curious[quote]

John was referring to the death of Paul McCartney, whom died in a car crash in 1966 and was replaced by Billy Shears (“so let me introduce to you, the one and only Billy Shears, Sargent Peppers Lonley Hearts club band”). Paul didn’t notice the light had turned red and the resulting accident caused his car to explode and he was decapitated, or so the story goes.
Even though you can see me, I might not be here.
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Sy Borg
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Sy Borg »

Steve3007 wrote:Yes. When describing a man's death, John sings the lyrics in a deliberately detached, unconnected way. And it says "a crown of people stood and stared" and then "a crowd of people turned away". If it was nowadays, I would imagine that those people would all be emotionlessly, boredly, recording the incident on their phones.
Yes, "blew his mind out" is a way of looking at death. Boom - and your mind is blown out - but to where, if anywhere, we do not know :)

You are spot on with your 2017 take on crowds attracted by shiny baubles (even if shiny with blood, or perhaps, especially). The crowd turning away was the John of "Imagine" speaking - young people rejecting the Vietnam War. In context it's ironic that the Iraq War was the first war to be broadcast live on US TV.
Steve3007 wrote:Interesting to listen to this song again. I like the part in the busy daytime routine (Paul's part) as opposed to the dreamy detached assimilation of random information part (John) where he says "found my way upstairs and had a smoke". I remember when you could smoke on the top deck of double-decker buses. Happy days.

And also, of course, there's the infamous part at the end which, if you play it backwards, says "Paul is as dead as a dodo. Honestly."
I remember people smoking at the back of single deckers when I was going to school. Since Mum was a chaino it didn't worry me, unless someone lit up a cigar, which was a bit much. I also remember in the 80s in an open plan office, smoking with an ashtray by me. Another in my unit smoked too. It didn't seem to be an issue but at that time, incredibly, smokers were a protected species and criticism was considered to be overly fussy and precious. No doubt many non smokers were fuming (ahem) but biting their lips (ahem), hence the veritable explosion of resentment that happened once the witch hunt against smokers began. An eye opener.
Steve3007
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Steve3007 »

Present awareness:
John was referring to the death of Paul McCartney, whom died in a car crash in 1966 and was replaced by Billy Shears (“so let me introduce to you, the one and only Billy Shears, Sargent Peppers Lonley Hearts club band”). Paul didn’t notice the light had turned red and the resulting accident caused his car to explode and he was decapitated, or so the story goes.
Yes, it was a great story. And remember, there was also the front cover of St Peppers, with all its many "clues", to add to the mix. For example, the picture of the fab four dressed in black with Paul's arm consoling a sad looking Ringo. "Don't worry, mate. I've gone to a better place." I can almost hear him say in that scouse drawl.

The whole thing was parodied in quite a funny way in that old mockumentary "The Ruttles". Some of the Ruttles' parodies of Beatles-esque songs were actually quite good, I thought.

Greta:
The crowd turning away was the John of "Imagine" speaking - young people rejecting the Vietnam War. In context it's ironic that the Iraq War was the first war to be broadcast live on US TV.
Interesting. I can see how that would be one interpretation, but my first impression was that it was a statement about the detached way in which we "consume" news stories about the triumphs and tragedies in other people's lives. We simply stand and stare and then we turn away and do something else. That's also one reason why I thought John was recounting what he'd read in the news in that dreamy, sleepy, "don't really care" voice.
I remember people smoking at the back of single deckers when I was going to school. Since Mum was a chaino it didn't worry me, unless someone lit up a cigar, which was a bit much.
Neither of my parents smoked but I still started at the age of 15 (gave up at 35) probably as a rebellion and because, let's face it, smoking is cool and makes you look sophisticated and grown up and have more friends, which more than compensates for the hacking cough and the early death. At least when you're a teenager it does.
I also remember in the 80's in an open plan office, smoking with an ashtray by me. Another in my unit smoked too. It didn't seem to be an issue but at that time, incredibly, smokers were a protected species and criticism was considered to be overly fussy and precious.
Yes, I worked in an open plan office full of smokers in the late 80's when I'd just started work. It would seem absolutely horrible now.
No doubt many non smokers were fuming (ahem) but biting their lips (ahem), hence the veritable explosion of resentment that happened once the witch hunt against smokers began. An eye opener.
I wouldn't exactly call it a witch hunt. Even though I used to be a smoker myself, I think it was a fair cop really. I sometimes think I miss the traditionally smokey atmosphere in pubs. But that's just rose-coloured nostalgia for youth. What I'm really missing is probably all the stuff that went along with that smokey atmosphere. It's just a trigger. I don't think I'd really want it back.
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Re: Songs with News-reading samples

Post by Sy Borg »

Steve3007 wrote:Greta:
The crowd turning away was the John of "Imagine" speaking - young people rejecting the Vietnam War. In context it's ironic that the Iraq War was the first war to be broadcast live on US TV.
Interesting. I can see how that would be one interpretation, but my first impression was that it was a statement about the detached way in which we "consume" news stories about the triumphs and tragedies in other people's lives. We simply stand and stare and then we turn away and do something else. That's also one reason why I thought John was recounting what he'd read in the news in that dreamy, sleepy, "don't really care" voice.
Could be. I thought of it as the hippies saying no to the war as opposed to the straights turning away from the tragedy. It could easily be either or both, like Benny Hill's "What is thing called, love?" skit ... No! It's "What is this thing called love?" ... "What? Is this thing called Love?" ...
Steve3007 wrote:
No doubt many non smokers were fuming (ahem) but biting their lips (ahem), hence the veritable explosion of resentment that happened once the witch hunt against smokers began. An eye opener.
I wouldn't exactly call it a witch hunt. Even though I used to be a smoker myself, I think it was a fair cop really. I sometimes think I miss the traditionally smokey atmosphere in pubs. But that's just rose-coloured nostalgia for youth. What I'm really missing is probably all the stuff that went along with that smokey atmosphere. It's just a trigger. I don't think I'd really want it back.
The witch hunt is way beyond air quality in enclosed spaces - taxes, public excoriation with impunity, insurance companies avoiding payments by attributing every disease to smoking (but not equivalently to drinking, junk food, stress or risk taking).

Still, I agree. The smoky rooms were horrible. Even as a smoker I remember having to go outside to breathe at some gig venues.

The best thing about being a smoker - and being forced outside - was the excuse to get away from people, from the hurly burly. I often found it much more pleasant chatting quietly with other smokers than being amongst it all at parties and at work.
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