From Vera to Amy
September 5, 2012 10:46 AM Subscribe
Next year, BBC Radio Two's series The People's Songs, will tell the history of modern Britain in 50 songs. They have just announced what ten of them will be.
We’ll Meet Again - Vera Lynn (1939)
Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan (1954)
She Loves You - Beatles (1963)
My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small (1964)
A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procul Harum (1967)
Je T’Aime... Moi Non Plus - Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (1969)
God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols (1977)
Two Tribes - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984)
Ebeneezer Goode - The Shamen (1992)
Rehab - Amy Winehouse (2006)
We’ll Meet Again - Vera Lynn (1939)
Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan (1954)
She Loves You - Beatles (1963)
My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small (1964)
A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procul Harum (1967)
Je T’Aime... Moi Non Plus - Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (1969)
God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols (1977)
Two Tribes - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984)
Ebeneezer Goode - The Shamen (1992)
Rehab - Amy Winehouse (2006)
Common People by Pulp, I wonder?
posted by kariebookish at 10:56 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by kariebookish at 10:56 AM on September 5, 2012
The real question is which David Bowie song is going to end up on the list or how many of them show up.
posted by The Whelk at 11:01 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 11:01 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Episode 11: Ying Tong Song- Britain does what Britain does best.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:08 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:08 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Whiter Shade of Pale
Also available with extra Harry Dean Stanton.
posted by Artw at 11:10 AM on September 5, 2012
Also available with extra Harry Dean Stanton.
posted by Artw at 11:10 AM on September 5, 2012
I wonder if Fairytale of New York will make it.
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:12 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:12 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Whiter Shade of Pale
Also available with extra Harry Dean Stanton.
I'll raise you "Rock Island Line" with extra Stan Freberg.
And I see "She Loves You" on the list, but I really hope "A Day in the Life" makes the cut. It's always struck me as a crystalline artifact of its time.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:18 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also available with extra Harry Dean Stanton.
I'll raise you "Rock Island Line" with extra Stan Freberg.
And I see "She Loves You" on the list, but I really hope "A Day in the Life" makes the cut. It's always struck me as a crystalline artifact of its time.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:18 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Of course, I can't hear We'll Meet Again without visions of nuclear apocalypse going off in my head.
posted by Hactar at 11:21 AM on September 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by Hactar at 11:21 AM on September 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday sun!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:22 AM on September 5, 2012
Go out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday sun!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:22 AM on September 5, 2012
You know they're talking about the Lonnie Donegan version and skiffle is important and all, but seeing an American folk song on that list is weird.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:23 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:23 AM on September 5, 2012
Heh. Teaching Americans about their own Folk and Blues is a british speciality!
posted by Artw at 11:28 AM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 11:28 AM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
It definitely seems odd to see a Lead Belly song about a midwestern railroad in there.
posted by octothorpe at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
New Order's Blue Monday needs to be on there.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
If they're sticking to only 50, there's no way that Ray Davies is going to be anything but underrepresented on that list.
posted by Kinbote at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by Kinbote at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
First, I like that version of "We'll Meet Again," but I like the one from the movie better. (No, not that movie – the original Vera Lynn movie, "We'll Meet Again." Although it is interesting that the song was used at the end of that movie, and much more blasphemous than Americans really understood when it came out.)
Second, if The Small Faces' "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" isn't on there, I will be disappointed.
posted by koeselitz at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012
Second, if The Small Faces' "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" isn't on there, I will be disappointed.
posted by koeselitz at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012
Zeppelin and Sabs better be there.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by GallonOfAlan at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012
Whatever, Close To The Edge won't be on the list. Thus, it is incomplete.
And no Supper's Ready either.
posted by philip-random at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
And no Supper's Ready either.
posted by philip-random at 11:31 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, pick a Dr Feelgood, any Dr Feelgood, but spare a moment for Oil City.
posted by Kinbote at 11:33 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by Kinbote at 11:33 AM on September 5, 2012
/suspects there may be a fair amount of point missing going on here in the rush to get in as many know-it-all complaints about the partial list as possible.
posted by Artw at 11:35 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 11:35 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I was expecting more along the lines of Sumer is Icumen In.
It's got a great beat. You can (morris) dance to it!
posted by Bummus at 11:40 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's got a great beat. You can (morris) dance to it!
posted by Bummus at 11:40 AM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I wonder if The Red Flag will be included as one of "the people's songs"?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:40 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:40 AM on September 5, 2012
Also, it would be nice to see The Village Green Preservation Society featured as well.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:43 AM on September 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:43 AM on September 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
There should be some Clash in there.
posted by pointystick at 11:44 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by pointystick at 11:44 AM on September 5, 2012
know-it-all complaints about the partial list
Pish tosh, my good man. Give the people what they want.
posted by Kinbote at 11:45 AM on September 5, 2012
Pish tosh, my good man. Give the people what they want.
posted by Kinbote at 11:45 AM on September 5, 2012
There had better be a Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep in there.
posted by Splunge at 11:49 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Splunge at 11:49 AM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Wannabe" by the fuckin' Spice Girls dammit
Complaint or request?
I'm not a fan, but it's certainly very emblematic of that period.
Although I think R2 should pick a Stock/Aitken/Waterman song myself; they pretty much created that iteration of assembly-line pop. Also: an opportunity to rickroll the nation.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:51 AM on September 5, 2012
Complaint or request?
I'm not a fan, but it's certainly very emblematic of that period.
Although I think R2 should pick a Stock/Aitken/Waterman song myself; they pretty much created that iteration of assembly-line pop. Also: an opportunity to rickroll the nation.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:51 AM on September 5, 2012
I was expecting more along the lines of Sumer is Icumen In.
You'll always have 1000 Years of Popular Music.
posted by Copronymus at 11:52 AM on September 5, 2012
You'll always have 1000 Years of Popular Music.
posted by Copronymus at 11:52 AM on September 5, 2012
Idly wondering about what the equivalent list for the US would be... and quickly got caught up in "history of the US" or "history of US pop culture"? Then I realized, like the UK listmakers apparently did, that after the mid 50s it's one and the same.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:56 AM on September 5, 2012
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:56 AM on September 5, 2012
The Shamen? Really? Better swapping out and put in Underworld.
posted by arcticseal at 12:09 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by arcticseal at 12:09 PM on September 5, 2012
If the complete list doesn't have "Wired for Sound" it's bogus.
posted by MartinWisse at 12:14 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MartinWisse at 12:14 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Waterloo Sunset didn't make the first 10?
posted by TomSophieIvy at 12:30 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by TomSophieIvy at 12:30 PM on September 5, 2012
For item 6, see also Frankie Howerd / June Whitfield parody Up Je T'aime (NSFW)
posted by larrybob at 12:52 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by larrybob at 12:52 PM on September 5, 2012
Nah, Skiffle has to be in there, despite its extremely short shelf-life. It was the do-it-yourself culture that spun off from the slightly Ivory Tower-air that the Trad Jazz boom had; the punk of its day.
posted by scruss at 1:06 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by scruss at 1:06 PM on September 5, 2012
drezdn, Father Ted's Irish which is the only reason My Lovely Horse won't make the cut. (Although Neil Hannon who wrote it is from the North so maybe it could slip in on a technicality?)
posted by merocet at 1:56 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by merocet at 1:56 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
...David Bowie ... how many of them show up.
Whatever the number, it is Too Few.
The Thin White Duke disagrees with this list, and it is our duty as His subjects to enforce His will. Therefore, let us commence The Great Burning.
Too Few. All Must Burn.
posted by aramaic at 4:16 PM on September 5, 2012
Whatever the number, it is Too Few.
The Thin White Duke disagrees with this list, and it is our duty as His subjects to enforce His will. Therefore, let us commence The Great Burning.
Too Few. All Must Burn.
posted by aramaic at 4:16 PM on September 5, 2012
...David Bowie ... how many of them show up.
which is why I hate lists like this so much. They're so inherently reductive. A quick check of my itunes reveals 78 Bowie tunes in the vinyl-rip folder. That's 78 songs I've gone to the trouble of actually ripping from the original vinyl. I'm guessing at least twenty-five of them would have to rate as essential.
posted by philip-random at 4:48 PM on September 5, 2012
which is why I hate lists like this so much. They're so inherently reductive. A quick check of my itunes reveals 78 Bowie tunes in the vinyl-rip folder. That's 78 songs I've gone to the trouble of actually ripping from the original vinyl. I'm guessing at least twenty-five of them would have to rate as essential.
posted by philip-random at 4:48 PM on September 5, 2012
The history of England is incomplete without Tin Machine.
posted by Artw at 4:52 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 4:52 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm taking bets in Elvis Costello's showing, Shipbuilding or Radio, Radio at least....
posted by The Whelk at 4:53 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 4:53 PM on September 5, 2012
Some brothers gonna get filled in... If they don't include shipbuilding.
posted by Artw at 4:55 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by Artw at 4:55 PM on September 5, 2012
Needs Billy Bragg if we're going to be covering the 80's.
posted by arcticseal at 7:24 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by arcticseal at 7:24 PM on September 5, 2012
I'd want A New England but maybe more To have and have not
posted by The Whelk at 8:35 PM on September 5, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 8:35 PM on September 5, 2012
Note, 'tis the history of modern Britain, not modern British music...
In this context, Ghost Town by The Specials springs most quickly to mind.
posted by protorp at 2:42 AM on September 6, 2012
In this context, Ghost Town by The Specials springs most quickly to mind.
posted by protorp at 2:42 AM on September 6, 2012
The Shamen? Really? Better swapping out and put in Underworld.
which is why I hate lists like this so much. They're so inherently reductive. A quick check of my itunes reveals 78 Bowie tunes in the vinyl-rip folder. That's 78 songs I've gone to the trouble of actually ripping from the original vinyl. I'm guessing at least twenty-five of them would have to rate as essential.
Not really. This is about social context, good music is secondary to it. I think this should be really interseting and look foward to listening to it.
posted by protorp at 3:04 AM on September 6, 2012
which is why I hate lists like this so much. They're so inherently reductive. A quick check of my itunes reveals 78 Bowie tunes in the vinyl-rip folder. That's 78 songs I've gone to the trouble of actually ripping from the original vinyl. I'm guessing at least twenty-five of them would have to rate as essential.
Not really. This is about social context, good music is secondary to it. I think this should be really interseting and look foward to listening to it.
posted by protorp at 3:04 AM on September 6, 2012
If it's going to be a proper social history they'll be having some real shite on it... roll on the Bay City Rollers, Jive Bunny and James Blunt
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:17 AM on September 6, 2012
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:17 AM on September 6, 2012
'The people'
What 'people'?
What a ridiculous conceit. This plays to the white, London-centric, upper-middle class establishment which the BBC persists in perpetuating.
Where's the Dub, Reggae, Metal, Folk, Bangra, Two-tone, Goth?
Bob Marley? Motorhead? Iron Maiden? The Levellers? Linton Kwesi Johnson?
It'll be another passive-pompous piece of self justifying irrelevance.
They could prove me wrong. They could include 'crazy frog'...
posted by BadMiker at 5:15 AM on September 6, 2012
What 'people'?
What a ridiculous conceit. This plays to the white, London-centric, upper-middle class establishment which the BBC persists in perpetuating.
Where's the Dub, Reggae, Metal, Folk, Bangra, Two-tone, Goth?
Bob Marley? Motorhead? Iron Maiden? The Levellers? Linton Kwesi Johnson?
It'll be another passive-pompous piece of self justifying irrelevance.
They could prove me wrong. They could include 'crazy frog'...
posted by BadMiker at 5:15 AM on September 6, 2012
Where's the Dub, Reggae, Metal, Folk, Bangra, Two-tone, Goth? Bob Marley? Motorhead? Iron Maiden? The Levellers? Linton Kwesi Johnson?
I would imagine most of these will make appearances throughout the series. I'd be surprised if the "Two Tribes" anti-Nukes episode doesn't have a lot of metal in it, for example.
Sounds like a fascinating documentary series, hopefully it'll be available as a podcast.
posted by IanMorr at 9:49 AM on September 6, 2012
I would imagine most of these will make appearances throughout the series. I'd be surprised if the "Two Tribes" anti-Nukes episode doesn't have a lot of metal in it, for example.
Sounds like a fascinating documentary series, hopefully it'll be available as a podcast.
posted by IanMorr at 9:49 AM on September 6, 2012
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"Wannabe" by the Spice Girls
"Wannabe" by the fuckin' Spice Girls dammit
posted by mightygodking at 10:53 AM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]