Not an A-Z of my CDs: Z

Well, here we are, at the very end of Not an A-Z of my CDs and the entry for Z. But we're not going to end on a low, oh no. Instead, we're going to Rock Out with ZZ Top and their cover of The King's Viva Las Vegas:

I'm still undecided as to what I'll do next... I may go round again, or I may start some other music-related strand - stay tuned!

Andrew

P.S. For those of you who may be wondering, last week's two entries, Yazz and Yello, were from 1988.

Not an A-Z of my CDs: Y

This week it's an eighties double header with The Only Way Is Up by Yazz and The Race by Yello (albeit a 2007 remix version). Don't say I don't spoil you...

A bonus point if you can identify which year both tracks were origially released... No Googling!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: X

And so we reach X... I must confess that I had almost given up on choosing a track for this week. Having done various internet searches, consulted my Guinness Book of Hit Singles and Albums and considered choosing a song or album with X in the name, I alighted on this, which should please the older demographic of my blog readership...

The music video can be found here - very creepy but unfortunately the sound isn't as good as on the video above.

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: W

So, after a break, here we are at W... and I've chosen The Waterboys and "The Whole of the Moon":

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: V

An album I wanted some years ago, and probably flirted with getting on more than one occasion, was The View's Hats of to the Buskers. Although that album, their first, was Mercury nominated, subsequent commercial success has evaded them.

Here they are with Same Jeans, which reached Number 3 in the charts. Apparently he's been wearing them for four days now, but that's just the way they roll in Dundee...

It's W next week... could you be in line for some Kim Wilde? What would you choose/not choose?

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: U

And so we reach the tricky end of the alphabet but somehow this entry for U was not at all difficult. Here for your delectation is the unrivaled synth pop of Ultravox with Vienna. This means nothing to me...

Andrew

Not and A-Z of my CDs: T

For this week's entry you almost got Bruce Springsteen until I realised I'd covered S last week. The Boss is going to have to wait until another day... Having gone back to the drawing board, I decided to feature a bit of Transvision Vamp. If you don't like it, well I Don't Care...

Andrew

Not an A-Z of My CDs: S

Suede are a band that I'm slightly ambivalent about but, like most people my age, their music was part of the backdrop of my formative years. On that basis, I've chosen them for this entry on by Not an A-Z... Here they are with "She's in Fashion":

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: R

And so we reach R, and a choooon from a band who did have other hits but will forever be associated with today's song - Reef. Actually, this is one of those songs which I wasn't necessarily a huge fan of at the time but really like now.

Here it is - Place Your Hands:

Reef - Place Your Hands on MUZU.TV

Enjoy!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: Q

There was never - despite seeking alternate candidates from my followers on Twitter - much dispute about who would be featured artists for this entry. Even those, like me, who aren't particular fans have a favourite Queen song or two. So here are 5ive + Queen with We Will Rock You:

...Only joking!

Here is my chosen track... Enjoy!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: P

This week: Prince. But, for my first choice, I'm taking liberties with my own rules... I've gone for When Dove's Cry but Quindon Tarver's version from the soundtrack to Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet.

As it happened, it is next to impossible to find the Prince version on You Tube as where it does appear, the soundtrack has been muted for copyright reasons. A bit of an odd position, I feel, for an artist who has previously released an album as a free give away in the Mail on Sunday!

Anyway, I was able to get a copy of my second choice for today, Cream:

Enjoy!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: O

When I was home a couple of weeks ago, I noticed an old cassette (younger readers should click here for further information) of Roy Orbison which had belonged to my Grandfather. Having decided that he should feature on this blog, I can think of no better choice for "O" than The Big O himself.

I've resisted the temptation to go with Pretty Woman (too obvious) and after much deliberation have decided to feature You Got It:

And here's a version of Crying he did with k.d. lang:

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: N

This week here's a bit of New Order for your aural pleasure:

Andrew

Not An A-Z of My CDs: M

I recently had today's entry for this series in my head at work the other week and it prompted this exchange with one of my young colleagues.

Me: I've got Madonna stuck in my head.

Colleague: Oh, what song?

M: Like a Prayer.

C: Ah. I can take or leave Madonna but I don't mind some of her earlier stuff like Ray of Light...

Cue much laughter on my part!

Unfortunately "Embedding has been disabled by request" so here's a link to the video of Madonna with Like a Prayer. It always reminds me of going to the shows in Bo'ness and, in particular, my first time on the Waltzers.

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: L

And so we reach "L" and a track from an album I once had a taped copy of. This reminds me of my brief career at University and, in particular, the Chemistry Labs at King's Buildings in Edinburgh. Anyway, this is a great song and I'm so pleased I remembered it (and the band) on Monday while trying to work out an artist for "L"... Here is Live with Lightening Crashes:

I've always thought that "Live" was a great name for a band - especially when touring. "See Live Live at..." is a phrase that can be read four different ways!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: K

A glaring omission in my CD collection is the lack of anything by today's featured artists - Kings of Leon. This is obviously something I shall have to rectify soon. 

Here they are with Sex on Fire:

Andrew

And now a chance to get Laid...

...courtesy of James.

I couldn't stop at Sit Down, so here's Laid. If you're now expecting "Say Something" to be posted later, though, you'd be very much mistaken! I'm going to stick with this, so get your lugs round it:

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: J

This week I feature a band whose music takes me back to the latter years of my schooldays.... James. And while they had a number of anthems, it's hard not to regard Sit Down as their most iconic song (although if you want to argue in favour of Laid, that's allowed.)

So here, for your aural pleasure, it is:

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: I

I feel like I've already posted an entry for this as I didn't have anything to post for the letter "I" when I was doing my A-Z of my CDs series... As you may recall, I featured a band called Ice, Sea, Dead People - you can read that post here.

The artist and song I've chosen today is mentioned in the comments to that post. As I said there, this song always make me think of my Grandad - here's INXS with Suicide Blonde:

Enjoy!

Andrew

Not an A-Z of my CDs: H

This week's entry is a song from my mum's era which always reminds me of my grandad. It was also a Number 1 hit in 1988 when I was 13 going on 14. 

Originally a number 3 hit (and featuring Elton John on Piano, according to Wikipedia) it was re-released in direct competition with Bill Medley. The latter's version reached number 25 while The Hollies climbed to the top. It is, of course, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

I can remember it being on the wireless and my Grandad commenting on how much better songs were when you could hear the words properly - unlike modern music. I've often wondered, though, how accommodating he was of my mother's musical tastes at the time!

No need to say "enjoy" - how could you not?!

Andrew