FICTIVE FRIDAYS : #7

Accidents Will Happen – Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Apparently written after an “awkward tryst” with a cab driver at her home in Tucson, Arizona. The second single from Armed Forces, when EC and the boys could only make outstanding albums.

Accidents Never Happen – Blondie

Written by keyboardist Jimmy Destri as a parallel to Elvis’s song (they were both released in 1979). Supposedly about the mysticism former bassist Gary Valentine inspired in the band. Incongruously, featuring Judy Garland‘s daughter Lorna Luft on background vocals.

I Believe You –  Todd Snider

Poor Todd Snider. He died of pneumonia this past November, aged 59. He was a great storyteller, with songs full of funny lines about serious situations. (See Some Songs Are Great Short Stories, Chapter 35). From his 1996 LP Step Right Up.

I Don’t Believe You –  Magnetic Fields

If there’s a better lyricist than Stephen Merritt writing today I can’t imagine who it could be. He’s our century’s Cole Porter. This song comes from the 2004 album i, which is a collection of 14 songs beginning with the letter ‘I’ in alphabetical order. In other words, he’s as weird as I am.

Everyone Knows – Slowdive

The shoegaze stalwarts disbanded in 1995 and lead songwriter Neil Halstead went on to form Mojave 3. When that outfit packed it in he released all kinds of music before resurrecting the Reading quartet with a new drummer. The band’s self-titled comeback album came out in 2017–22 years after their last release.

No One Knows –  Queens of the Stone Age

First single from 2002’s Songs for the Deaf. Co-written with the late great Mark Lanegan who at the time was a band member. Lanegan isn’t on the single but the ferocious drums are courtesy of Dave Grohl. And the strings are performed by Ana and Paz Lechantin, before the latter joined Pixies.

Too Little Too Late – Metric

Has Metric ever made an appearance here at TVV?  (JC interjects – NOPE!!!) If not, it’s high time. The Canadian group, led by the wonderful Emily Haines, has been at it for almost 30 years and have released 10 solid records since 2003. This is an album track from the second one, 2005’s Live It Out, which featured a great single called ‘Monster Hospital.’ [note to JC, add that one as a bonus track at the end, if possible]

Too Much Too Soon – Green Day

I loved Green Day when they hit the scene. They were just the right mix of energy, irreverence, pop, and punk. Then they got popular, which is always irritating. But they kept making solid records, including 2004’s American Idiot, which this track is taken from. My cover band plays the title track, which I’m ashamed to say became the theme song for our government.

Everything I Need – Men At Work

The Australian combo only released three records in their day. They all went gold, including Two Hearts, which includes this track as its lead single. But the band was fracturing, and only three of the five original members appeared on it. Guitarist Ron Strykert actually bailed during the sessions. But MAW were always all about Colin Hay, anyway. He has that singular voice and wrote their best songs. Hay proved to be a nice guy that moved to my adopted hometown of Santa Monica, CA. I see him at Truetone guitar shop from time to time, and he gets involved with the music program at my kids’ high school.

Nothing I Need – Lord Huron

You’d be right in observing that half the music I listen to was released in 1979. But that doesn’t mean I don’t keep an ear open for great new music. This single was released by the Los Angeles indie stars in March of this year, from the album The Cosmic Selector Vol. I, which came out in July.