Those of you who read my journal regularly (yes, both of you!) will know that I have a reasonably varied taste in music, though there is a lot I do not like. There are genres in which I have no interest, and therefore no experience or expertise with. However, from time to time songs jump out at me from odd angles, attacking me and before I can even say “No, I don't like that kind of music!” they're IN MY HEAD AND THEY WON'T GET OUT!!
Which is another way of saying that there are songs I listen to or enjoy which are outside the normal sphere of the music I usually prefer, but that doesn't make them bad songs, nor does it mean I am suddenly into that particular genre, album or artiste. Here I want to highlight a few “weird” songs I tend to listen to,just to break things up and show that even I can occasionaly let down what little hair I still have left, and take a short trip outside the box. Most if not all of these are albums/tracks I would never feature in any of my usual sections, so this is a chance for me to show off my quirky side.
Hey, I can be as spontaneous as the next guy, but you know, it has its time and place. 
First up is this classic so-bad-it's-good song from Jilted John, from 1978. Now my regular readers will know that punk rock is not an alley I enter normally, unless I have a good Genesis or Pendragon on the ipod, but this song is special! With lyrics like
“I was so upset that I cried/ All the way to the chip shop!” and
“John you know I love you/ But there's this guy I fancy/ I don't want to two-time you/ So it's the end for you and me!” you can't help but love it.
And at the total opposite end of the scale, Jesus and Andrew Lloyd-Webber! I'm not normally that into rock operas, but I must admit I
love “Jesus Christ Superstar”, though it has to be the TV version from 1973, with Ted Neeley as Jesus. The very best track on it in my opinion is “Gethsemane (I only want to say)” where Jesus questions the need for him to die, and challenges his Father in Heaven. Whether you believe or not, it's a powerful, emotional song with fantastic lyrics and brilliant instrumentation, but the star of the song is no doubt Neeley as the frightened and confused Jesus. Just perfect.
And after that emotion-sapping performance, let's lighten the mood again with the Firm from 1987. I've always been a huge Star Trek fan (hey, no sh*t?), so maybe I should have been offended by the irreverent “Star Trekkin'”, but I loved it. Hey, if you can't laugh at yourself, right? Plus the claymation video is so cool!
Disco and dance is again not an area I venture into (you do NOT want to see me on the dance floor, believe me!) but this song captured my imagination back when I was a kid (well, okay, fifteen!) and I loved it. Ceronne with “Supernature”.
And finally, the enigmatic Laurie Anderson. I remember hearing this when I was staying over in my mate's apartment in London in the early eighties, and dog tired, wondering what the hell all that racket was? But when I woke up and listened to it properly, I really liked it. As it happened, “O Superman” went to number one, I believe, so I wasn't the only one who liked that weird sh*t!
Well, that's it for the first round! Man, you'd hate to be trapped in
my brain, wouldn't you?
