musicology #178

alternativesoundtrack2..Quadrophenia #10

(The Who - I’ve Had Enough)

LISTEN

final cut of the Quadrophenia selection and i’m finishing up with the piece of music that closes the film. pucker tune and one that definately had an impact on my mindset growing up.

Jimmy’s gone back to Brighton and had the final igmony of seeing ‘the face’ in his dayjob as nothing but a ‘bell boy’. it’s the final straw for him and reminds me of a saying that I once heard and took to heart…something like

“never try to reach out and touch a ‘golden idol’ as the gilding might come off in your hands..”

I always took it to mean, never idolise anyone as they chances are one day they will dissapoint you. it’s unfair to put such a weight of responsibility on someone elses shoulders because we are all human and full of contridictions.

for the record, even though I was introduced to ‘Mod Revival’ through the Jam’s first album ‘In The City’ a few years earlier than seeing the film the actual soundtrack was, for me, always a bit of a dissapointment. that said I rate Pete Townsend, (and the Who’s), original album from which the film was crafted. Townsend’s lyrics were a guide for themusicologist and will always hold fond memories.

“you were under the impression, that when you were walking forwards,
that you’d end up further onwards, but things ain’t quite that simple,

you got altered information, you were told to not take chances,
you missed out on new dances now your’e losing all your dimples,

my jacket’s gonna be cut slim and checked,
maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck,
I ride a GS scooter with my hair cut neat,
I wear my war time coat in the wind and sleet,

love reign o’er me, love reign o’er me…..

I’ve had enough of living, I’ve had enough of dying,
I’ve had enough of smiling, I’ve had enough of crying,
I’ve taken all the high roads, I’ve squandered and I’ve saved,
I’ve had enough of childhood I’ve had enough of graves,

love reign o’er me, reign o’er me,
love reign o’er me…looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove

I’ve had enough of dancehalls, I’ve had enough of pills,
I’ve had enough of street fights, I’ve seen my share of kills,
I’m finished with the fashions and acting like I’m tough,
I’m bored of hate and passion, Iv’e had enough of trying to looooooooooooooooooooooooooooove

you stop dancing”

musicology #105

sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #28

(The Jam - Start)

If themusicologist could slow time down and make a week last a month it might be enough to do the six/six/six artists justice…as already mentioned it’s a challenge to select such a small number of tunes from such great catalogues of work.

Take the Jam as an example, for me, there’s at least 20 cuts that deserve an outing on themusicologist and to whittle those down to 2 … well, lets just say that it’s as tough as old boots.

on this album, (Sound Affects), there’s five cuts here that I would like to, (and probably will over the years), throw down on themusicologist as well as another five albums, (+ singles), to ‘choose’ from so what strategy am I going to employ? … none. just going to throw ‘em as I feel ‘em.

this 1980 selection I remember from me days as a young blade, at the start of the teenage years when I was spending a lot of time knocking about the West End, (especially Soho and Covent Garden), as a second generation Mod.

I say ’second generation’ because both my parents were first generation London Mod/ernists, so we, (’the fox’ and I), grew up steeped in the culture, music and attitude of Englands first, (and most important), Youth movement as a birthright.

There were other influences of course such as Skin/Suedehead, ‘Hippie’ and, (later), Punk exposure through Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, (you know who you are), but Mod/ernist was and is the one where my heart resides.

So before I get too romantic and spend too much of me precious ‘time’ strolling down memory lane hold this one which, for some reason, always reminds me of Greek Street, (in Soho), the Thatcher years, and running battles with other groups of Youths at a time of great social unrest.

older and wiser, I now see that them days were just another stage of the ‘divide and conquer/rule’ strategy that poli-tricks always employs…you know what I mean…black against white, christian against muslim, rich against poor…the list is as long as yer arm…(brother Weller certainly knew and has always sung and wrote about it), so with that in mind..listen tune..

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