By ajostu
The A-List Side 1: Pained and Personal
Maybe it begins with attraction. With attractiveness. With the beautiful realising the disproportionate attention they receive and learning to wield that power.
Even though we should know better, we let ourselves be pulled into their orbit. We are impressed (even as we try to scoff), we want the popular to be our friend, to love us a bit more than the rest. And afterwards, íf we're left behind, we can laugh, or rue, or despair. They'll be dazzling someone else.
Japanese Breakfast - Everybody Wants To Love You
Aimee Mann - Labrador
Suede - Daddy's Speeding
Carly Simon - His Friends Are More Than Fond Of Robin
Ella Fitzgerald - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
The A-List Side 2: Power and Projection
We know we should watch the hand, but still we follow the coin. Dexterity is a talent, but sleight of hand takes practice. But whether the skills are innate or rehearsed, there is a choice to be made when it comes to their use. Charisma is power and power reveals.
Flobots - Handlebars
Richard Thompson - Bathsheba Smiles
The Jigsaw Seen - Celebrity Interview
Missy Higgins - Everybody Wants To Touch Me
The Who - See Me Feel Me/ Listening To You
Mountain Goats - Satanic Messiah
The B-List: Riffy and Funky, Offbeat and Oddbeat
It should be easy, right? Choose songs you like in an order you like them. There were twice as many tracks again I would have loved to fit in. The conceit? I imagined a double album that would fit comfortably on a C90.
If it fits …
On reflection, there's a sardonic edge to this compilation. Nowadays, I find charisma irritating more than impressive, and while I had no agenda going in, that seems to be the message coming out.
Side 1:
John Kongos - He's Gonna Step On You Again
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Dana Bryant and Ronny Jordan- The Jackal
Marvin Gaye - You're The Man
Sugarhill All-Stars - Malcolm X: No Sell Out
Side 2:
Chew Lips - Karen
The Unthanks - Lucky Gilchrist
The Shins - Saint Simon
The Grateful Dead - Estimated Prophet
Guru's WIldcard Pick:
Somi – Be Careful, Be Kind
This languid, ruminative song lyrically falls into two parts. In the second half, the chorus reflects the exhortation of the title. But in the opening verse, Somi sings a portrait of her own brilliant friend: her laugh would sparkle in the evening, even when she laughed at me.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: My brilliant friend: songs about charisma. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube. Subscribe, follow and share.