By Maki
This week’s topic was sprung on me just like it was on the rest of you. I normally ask Peter, our Landlord, for a specific topic just because I want to see how different other people’s takes on a topic that I have had time to think about can actually turn out to be. But this week I thought I’d try to get to grips with a surprise one along with everyone else, and maybe end up being a little more flexible about where things were going to go.
So, I spent most of the weekend feeling pretty lost!
In the end I thought I’d just pick the songs I enjoyed discovering, rediscovering, and finally admitting to liking and to hell with the narrative and any last, lingering vestige of hope of writing anything even vaguely coherent
Defunkt are a band I had heard of but never really listened to. The Razor’s Edge has put that right.
Madge on the edge. I was sure Borderline had to be zedded but it wasn’t. It is now. I make no apologies for listing this classic piece of eighties pop. Neither should amylee who seemed to think she was taking one for the team.
Billy Mackenzie’s At the Edge of the World is just beautiful. As is Einstürzende Neubauten’s Stella Maris which fits nicely here both musically and lyrically with the line Wenn du kommst, seh' ich dich kommen schon vom Rand der Welt (When you come, I’ll see you come from the edge of the world).
The Radiohead song Lucky was one of the first to spring to mind. Looks like happyclapper and I are often on the same wavelength. I’m better at posting links, though!
TatankaYotanka continues my education in all things Peter Hammill and his tribute to Primo Levi was my favourite new find this week.
Vainica Doble are the only band I know who are named after a stitch (Double hemstitch, seeing as you asked). This duo from the early seventies were quite brilliant and as pejepeine says: “The third verse of this, when the singers break from close harmony to swoop, dive and fly around the wonderful lyrics, always kills me.””
The Doobie Brothers’ Livin’ on the Fault Line would seem to be even more relevant today than when it was written – the metaphor about being unaware of how easily the world around you can subside and disappear was certainly true in the seventies but in this post truth, conspiracy theory ridden, social media bubble so many seem to call home these days, I’d say it’s even more pertinent.
BB King is here because he’s BB King and I love him, OK? And Yes? Well, yes of course.
The Edgy A-List Playlist:
Defunkt – The Razor’s Edge (pejepeine)
Madonna – Borderline (amylee)
Billy Mackenzie – At the Edge of the World (philipphilip99)
Einstürzende Neubauten feat. Meret Becker – Stella Maris (Traktor Albatrost)
Radiohead – Lucky (happyclapper)
Peter Hammill – Primo on the Parapet (TatankaYotanka)
Vainica Doble – Alas de Algodón (pejepeine)
The Doobie Brothers – Livin´on the Fault Line (OliveButler)
BB King – Standing on the Edge of Love (Loud Atlas)
Yes – Close to the Edge (megadom)
Bordering on the Brink B-List Playlist:
Richard Hawley – Standing at the Sky’s Edge (ToffeeBoy)
Fairport Convention – Meet on the Ledge (tubby Brewster)
Oyster Band – On the Edge (Suzi)
Grateful Dead – Estimated Prophet (Chris7572)
Culture – Iron Sharpening Iron (nosuchzone)
Los Mocosos – The Border (Pop Off!)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Water’s Edge (megadom)
U2 – Vertigo (SweetHomeAlabama)
XTC – Jump (megadom)
The Go-Betweens – Boundary Rider (Nilpferd)
Guru’s Wildcard Picks:
Milltown Brothers – Which Way Should I Jump?
Bernardo Bonezz – Mujeres from Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown OST
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Enjoy the view: songs about edges, ledges and thresholds. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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