It’s something attempted to be trained into us from school to to the work place, and appears to be both necessary, but perhaps also unnatural. This week it’s time to pin down the essence of punctuality in song, with all the tensions and consequences of being early or late
Read morePlaylists: songs featuring choirs
If ever a music genre brought people together, this is it. Sublime selections in a heartfelt tribute by guest playlister magicman from mass nominations spanning South Africa to Russia, America to India, France, Wales and well beyond
Read moreCan you hear it? Songs with notable key changes
No technical knowledge required. Michael Jackson to the Beatles, they've all done it. From a single step up to lift or alter the mood, to more complex modulations, if you can feel or hear a significant change in the song, it could be a key one
Read moreHerd this one? Songs about four-legged livestock
From cows to horses, sheep, pigs, ox, goats, donkeys, alpacas, llamas and more, this week let’s look into songs about the farming and husbandry of quadrupeds, our relationship with them and also what they say about us
Read moreRefresh your page: songs about milk and other non-alcoholic drinks
This week at the Bar we're putting aside the booze, and ’cordial’ly invite song suggestions about any amount of softer beverages, from the fizzy to juicy, milkshakes to mocktails, and hot or cold water drinks
Read moreI told it my way: songs with unusual narrators
New perspective? Songs with storytellers that are different and on the fringes – repressed women, eccentrics, the mentally challenged, criminals, children, otherworldly spirits from gods to ghosts, animals, aliens, plant life, or even objects
Read moreDoctor, doctor! Bang goes the knighthood: songs featuring honorific titles
Earls to Dukes, Your Honour to Your Excellency, Knights to Dames and Mr and Mrs, privilege or deserving, let's explore the meaning, use and tone of honorific titles in song lyrics and why society bestows them
Read morePlaylists: Songs about sitting and standing
Standing up to sitting pretty, benches to balconies to boats, this week's guest playlister treefrogdemon takes on a beautiful and poetic knee-bending tour, arranged after very long legs of nominations
Read moreNot merely playing it: songs about innocence
Innocence lost or regained, from childhood to animals, in fact or fantasy, lyrics or style, this week we enter less cynical world, one of wide-eyed wonderment and promise, all in the form of songs and more
Read moreHang on a minute … it's songs about waiting
Anticipation, excitement or apprehension, for anything from the rapture to Robert De Niro, opportunity or a bus, the light, love or in limbo, place your songs in our waiting room and see what happens …
Read moreElection? Publish and be damned: songs about news, reporting and media
Headlines in lyrics or titles, to songs about the press, TV, websites and social media, this week it’s time to retell stories of how the news and its communication can also be a musical muse for songwriters
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