Showing posts with label compilation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compilation. Show all posts

Friday, 11 May 2012

Running out of ideas

Saw what may well be the most poorly-conceived compilation album I've ever laid eyes on the other day, Now That's What I Call Running - ironically, a really lazy title. There are no songs about running on it. Even if there were it would still be a nonsensical name - unless it were chock full of audio clips of people running, which come to think of it would be an even dafter concept (although it would at least involve some logic).

So anyway, no 'running' songs whatsoever, however tenuous. No Keep On Running, No Run To You, I Ran or Road To Nowhere (which, come to think of it, would have just the right rhythm and tempo for jogging); hell, no Tears For Fears or their largely-forgotten 1986 charity single Everybody Wants To Run The World, adapted from the then ubiquitous Everybody Wants To Rule The World in about five minutes as part of that year's big Sport Relief campaign. There wasn't even an attempt to introduce a touch of levity into proceedings by including Jarvis Cocker's Cunts Are Still Running The World (although in fairness that may have risked alienating the target audience). As for the absence of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill (or, if the rights were a problem, a cover version of said track), words fail me!

Instead the compilers have plumped for a hodge-podge of largely baffling and presumably cheap contemporary filler such as Sexy & I Know It by lmfao (Deluded & You Don't Know It, more like), Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 (about renowned keep-fit freak Mick Jogger Jagger) and, erm, Maneater by Nelly Furtado, with just the odd concession to anyone with an age or IQ over 15. Honestly, though, 1 out of 10 for imagination. To borrow an expression from the type of person who'd presumably be in Now That's What I Call Running's intended demographic, whoever cobbled this old guff together can jog on.

While we're on the subject, the following video features much jogging and is very funny, so you should have a look!




Monday, 17 December 2007

"Somebody's got to mind the sleigh..."

Every year for the past 4 years, I've made a Christmas CD for friends, containing absolutely no Slade, Wizzard or other shopping centre favourites. I can never guarantee a complete lack of Bing Crosby, but he definitely won't be singing White Christmas or Little Drummer Boy. Like most other bloggers, I try to avoid the commonly heard versions of Christmas songs.

This year the CD is entitled "Somebody's Got To Mind The Sleigh" - a lyric from one of the songs - and the front cover looks like this (it's my own work. Can you tell?):

In this year's compilation, Rudolph threatens to tell Santa's mama that her boy is a jive turkey, and Marlene Paul calls Elvis Presley a reindeer. You can download it from Rapidshare in two zipped folders because it's quite big. Sorry about that!

Part One: (61MB)
1. Christmas Is A-Coming - The Shitbirds
2. Once In Royal David's City - Sufjan Stevens
3. Winter In Canada - Elisa Gabbai
4. Disco Christmas - Universal Robot Band
5. Christmas Time - The dBs
6. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - Ella Fitzgerald & Frank DeVol Orchestra
7. All I Want - The Weepies
8. Happy Xmas (War Is Over - Daryll-Ann
9. Love For Christmas - The Gems
10. Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
11. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Aimee Mann
12. Christmas In Suburbia - Martin Newell
13. I Wanna Spend Christmas With Elvis - Marlene Paul

Part Two: (47MB)
14. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
15. In The Bleak Midwinter - The Pipettes
16. Noel - The Diskettes
17. Cozy Evenings - Dan Bryk
18. All The Right Reasons - Dressy Bessy
19. Winter Weather - Squirrel Nut Zippers
20. Soon After Christmas - Stina Nordenstam
21. Oh What A Christmas - El Perro Del Mar
22. Joy To The World - Clem Snide
23. Winter Song - The Fairways
24. Little Donkey - The Boy Least Likely To
25. Christmas Lullabye - Cary Grant

If you like any of these songs, please try to support the artist by looking for their music to purchase. It's not terribly difficult with all the search engines and online shops at our disposal these days!

Happy Christmas!