Return of UL's Song of the Day (3 today, actually)

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UnforgettableLemon

Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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This is a tradition of mine, probably long forgotten by most of those who were here when I used to frequent the board, and completely alien to those who've joined in the last two years. That's right, Jason's song of of the day is back. I'm going to start off today with three songs. I no longer have the royal poster, I shall post the lyrics today.

The offical songs of the day are:
"Death or Glory" by the Clash
"Working Class Hero" by John Lennon

and the honorary song is:
"I Believe in Miracles" by the Ramones. RIP, J, J and D.

--------
"Death or Glory"

Every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world
And ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl
Love 'n' hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hands
The hands that slap his kids around 'cause they don't understand

How death or glory becomes just another story
How death or glory becomes just another story

'N' every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold
But i believe in this-and it's been tested by research
That he who fucks nuns will later join the church

From every dingy basement on every dingy street
I hear every dragging handclap over every dragging beat
That's just the beat of time-the beat that must go on
If you been trying for years-then we already heard your song

---------

"Working Class Hero"

As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they're telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

-------

"I Believe in Miracles"

I used to be on a endless run
Believe in miracles 'cause i'm one
I've been blessed with the power to survive
And after all these years i'm still alive
I'm outta here kickin' with the band
I'm no longer a solitary man
Every day my time runs out
Lived like a fool that what i was about oh,

I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world, for me and you
oooh, and I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you

Tatooed your name on my arm
I always said my girl is a good luck charm
If she can find a reason to forgive
Then i can find a reason to live
I used to be on a endless run
Believe in miracles 'cause i'm one
I've been blessed with the power to survive
And after all these years i'm still alive

Ohh I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Ohh I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you

I close my eyes and it think how
It might be
The future is here today
It's not too late
It's not too late no!

Ohh I believe in miracles
And I believe in a better world for me and you
Ohh I believe in miracles
And I believe in a better world for me and you
 
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Great choices - but are you going to tell us why they are the songs of the day and how you came to pick them?
 
First, the John Lennon song has been in my head for the last week since we'd been talking about institutions of social control in my intro to American Gov. class. Thus, "keep you doped with religion and sex and TV". That, and I just think it is one of the most overlooked Lennon songs. People tend to remember Imagine and Starting Over and Stand by Me or Instant Karma, and forget about the pervasive melancholy of his early solo records. My favorite Lennon song.

The Ramones song of the day should be an obvious one. It is not only in tribute to Johnny, but it is an inspirational work by a vastly overlooked band. It, I do believe, provides a nice contrast to the sullen and cynical Lennon song. Don't want to be too depressing.

Finally, the newly remastered and expanded London Calling is due to drop next week, and "Death or Glory" is my favorite track from that album. The lines

'N' every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock 'n' roll
Grabs the mike to tell us he'll die before he's sold
But i believe in this-and it's been tested by research
That he who fucks nuns will later join the church

are an indictment of both musicians who become part of the corporate monster and of the critics of said musicians. The implication is that as soon as you begin making music for many, you're there. Everyone who fucks nuns will join the church, business is inevitably going to become at least a partial focal point of a successful band. It is particularly dear to me because I really really really hate musical elitism (while I still despise prefabricated pop nonsense) because it encourages people to overlook mainstream music altogether. Not all mainstream music sucks, and being into mainstream and popular music does not mean you can't enjoy and seek out obscure indie bands too. Fuck the notion of indie cred, street cred, music is music, and I like it.
 
the clash - death or glory
one of my all-time favorite songs.

all three are great songs :up:
 
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