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Song of the Day #2,998: ‘They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo)’ – Sting

nothing_like_the_sunIf a prosecutor had to try Sting for pretentiousness, Exhibit A would of course be his lute album.

But Exhibit B may well be ‘They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo),’ from the 1987 album …Nothing Like the Sun. Start with the fact that the album on which it appears is named for a Shakespeare sonnet, then cite its length (seven minutes, 10 seconds), mention that it contains the phrase “Hey Mr. Pinochet” and finally point to the spoken-word interlude. The Spanish-language spoken-word interlude.

The defense would shrug, rest her case and try to make an early movie.

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Song of the Day #2,997: ‘Christmas Must Be Something More’ – Taylor Swift

taylor_swift_christmas_moreToday’s Random iTunes Selection is the most disturbing song ever recorded by Taylor Swift.

One of two original tracks on her 2007 holiday release Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, ‘Christmas Must Be Something More’ sounds just like a dozen Swiftian pop songs, but its message boils down to a ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ bumper sticker.

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Song of the Day #2,996: ‘Freedun’ – M.I.A.

miaRapper M.I.A. is the hottest 41-year-old London-born Sri Lankan political activist to spend time on the US Homeland Security Risk List while recording a critically-acclaimed and commercially successful album. At least the hottest one I’m aware of.

Word is her latest album, AIM, is more upbeat and personal than her usual politically-charged fare. ‘Freedun,’ featuring Zayn Malik, seems to back that up.

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Song of the Day #2,995: ‘Physical’ – Olivia Newton-John

physical_olivia_newton_johnWhile I’m on the subject of Olivia Newton-John, I kind of have to give a nod to ‘Physical,’ the 1981 single that spent ten weeks at #1.

This song, which signaled a distinct change of style for the wholesome Newton-John, spent more time at #1 than any other 1980s single.

In 1981, ‘Physical’ was considered racy enough to spark controversy and it was banned from certain radio stations because of its sexual references (apparently a reference to getting “horizontal” was just too suggestive back then). How far we’ve come.

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Song of the Day #2,994: ‘Magic’ – Olivia Newton-John

olivia_newton_johnEvery so often I’ll hear an old song on the radio and fall for it in a way I never managed to the first time around. This usually happens with songs released in the late 70s through early 80s, a time when I was between 6-11 years old and not exactly in control of my own musical landscape.

Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Magic,’ from the 1980 movie Xanadu, is the most recent example. I heard it on an easy listening or oldies station (remember when “oldies” meant 50s and 60s?) and immediately succumbed to the glossy perfection of peak Newton-John.

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