Whilst listening to music, I find that there are little magic moments within certain songs that warrant further listening. Beit a nice instrumental piece, or a synth, or cool guitaring that elevates that part of a song over the rest.
In time, it feels like these parts enrich your soul a little. I’ve been trying to isolate these moments within songs, and as a result its left me thinking about certain songs that fit the bill.
The first song I’d like to breakdown is Ian Dury and the blockheads, and ‘dance of the screamers’ from the 1979 album do it yourself.
The song begins in an energetic manner, Charley Charles superb drumming starting proceedings, then on six seconds that bass kicks in, serving as a starting pistol for the rest of the band, and the beat, like a disco beat mixed with punk mixed with sheer madness and fire, drives through to the whole song. On twenty-seven seconds, the fun begins. It’s the way the bass, drumming, piano and whole arrangement pushes the song on, it feels like musical perpetual motion.
Ian Dury was on top form for this song, the opening lyrics:
‘So I’m screaming this to you’
– then letting out the most incredible scream –
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! (listen for yourself if you don’t believe me)
‘From the last past in the queue, (cue more guttural screaming)
‘I really think you’d like me given half a chance
But since we ain’t got that I’ll do the screamers dance’
‘Some of us are ugly angel, some of us are only small
Some of us are useless sailor, havent got the where with all
We went and missed the ending, babe, we never quite caught the bus
We never speak our minds, my love, we aint got nothing to discuss
Some of us are useless, love it comes from facing up to facts
Its hard to be a hero handsome when youve had your helmet cracked
Cheerfulness is catching sweetie when the fevers you have got
We’ve got a temperature, my dear, we simply haven't got the hots
So Im screaming this to you, waaagh
Silly season, skies are blue, waaah, waaah, waaah
I hardly ever think, Ive made a small advance
I keep my elbows in and do the screamers dance,
DANCE
Waw, some of us are stupid sister, some of us are very shy
Some of us get nervous chicken when you look us in the eye
We're ever so pathetic, chickie, we know quite well that we try too hard
Some of us were born like this while others got it by the yard
So Im screaming this to you, waaagh
'Cos I havent got a clue, wuaaarh
I really think Id like you given half the chance
As we ain't got that, Ill do the screamers dance’
The song, and the lyrics, to me are something special, it’s a hymn for the maligned and those who are made to feel like they don’t fit in...but that isn’t what makes this song stand out for me.
The part that really sends me to my own musical Valhalla is a synth break toward the end. It comes in at 5:05, but peaks at 5:20-5:34. Those fourteen seconds are as good and as perfect a piece of music I have ever heard. They didn’t need the synth, there’s enough going on for the ears, but they added it anyway. Dury the perfectionist. Yes, yes you were, and it shows. Thank you Mr Dury, you took this shit seriously.
Ian Dury and the blockheads - Dance of the screamers
In time, it feels like these parts enrich your soul a little. I’ve been trying to isolate these moments within songs, and as a result its left me thinking about certain songs that fit the bill.
The first song I’d like to breakdown is Ian Dury and the blockheads, and ‘dance of the screamers’ from the 1979 album do it yourself.
The song begins in an energetic manner, Charley Charles superb drumming starting proceedings, then on six seconds that bass kicks in, serving as a starting pistol for the rest of the band, and the beat, like a disco beat mixed with punk mixed with sheer madness and fire, drives through to the whole song. On twenty-seven seconds, the fun begins. It’s the way the bass, drumming, piano and whole arrangement pushes the song on, it feels like musical perpetual motion.
Ian Dury was on top form for this song, the opening lyrics:
‘So I’m screaming this to you’
– then letting out the most incredible scream –
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! (listen for yourself if you don’t believe me)
‘From the last past in the queue, (cue more guttural screaming)
‘I really think you’d like me given half a chance
But since we ain’t got that I’ll do the screamers dance’
‘Some of us are ugly angel, some of us are only small
Some of us are useless sailor, havent got the where with all
We went and missed the ending, babe, we never quite caught the bus
We never speak our minds, my love, we aint got nothing to discuss
Some of us are useless, love it comes from facing up to facts
Its hard to be a hero handsome when youve had your helmet cracked
Cheerfulness is catching sweetie when the fevers you have got
We’ve got a temperature, my dear, we simply haven't got the hots
So Im screaming this to you, waaagh
Silly season, skies are blue, waaah, waaah, waaah
I hardly ever think, Ive made a small advance
I keep my elbows in and do the screamers dance,
DANCE
Waw, some of us are stupid sister, some of us are very shy
Some of us get nervous chicken when you look us in the eye
We're ever so pathetic, chickie, we know quite well that we try too hard
Some of us were born like this while others got it by the yard
So Im screaming this to you, waaagh
'Cos I havent got a clue, wuaaarh
I really think Id like you given half the chance
As we ain't got that, Ill do the screamers dance’
The song, and the lyrics, to me are something special, it’s a hymn for the maligned and those who are made to feel like they don’t fit in...but that isn’t what makes this song stand out for me.
The part that really sends me to my own musical Valhalla is a synth break toward the end. It comes in at 5:05, but peaks at 5:20-5:34. Those fourteen seconds are as good and as perfect a piece of music I have ever heard. They didn’t need the synth, there’s enough going on for the ears, but they added it anyway. Dury the perfectionist. Yes, yes you were, and it shows. Thank you Mr Dury, you took this shit seriously.
Ian Dury and the blockheads - Dance of the screamers
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