Music on Only A Game 8/29/2009

• The Terror of Mecha-Godzilla by The City of Prague Philharmonic (from The Monster Movie Music Album, Silva Screen Records, 1998)

Gary’s Take-I knew all those Saturday afternoons watching Creature Double Feature would pay off someday. I just had no idea it would contribute to my ability to select an eclectic music mix for a weekly Public Radio sports program. �

• Polamalu by Mr. Devious (I’m not sure if this ever made it to iTunes or CD, but it is available, of course, on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLK3IY6eE0o)

Gary's Take-Mr. Devious-if that really is his name-appears to have a gift for bringing together legions of Steelers fans and generations of Americans weaned on Sesame Street. I think it’s safe to say that’s the first time that’s ever happened. But will it be the last?

• Must Of Got Lost by The J. Geils Band (from The J. Geils Band Anthology, Rhino Records, 1993)

Gary's Take-No, I’m not a fan. But when a song works, you’ve got to-gulp-use it.

• Fortuna by Carl Orff (from Summon the Heroes by John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra, Sony Classical, 1996)

Gary's Take-This is from Carmina Burana, a collection of 24 13th Century Latin poems the German composer set to music in 1935 and 1936. It contains the following lines:

Fate - monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel,
stand malevolent,
well-being is vain
and always fades to nothing,
shadowed
and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game,
my bare back
I bring to your villainy.

It’s too bad the late composer never found the time to also weave his lighthearted magic on the poetry of Rod McKuen, Leonard Nimoy, Suzanne Somers or Jimmy Stewart. Only then would I have believed that, you know, wink-wink, he wasn’t a Nazi.

• Monday Night Football Theme (from Television’s Greatest Hits, Volume 6: Remote Control, TVT Records, 1996)

Gary's Take-Is there a musical composition more emblematic of the fact that Americans love them some sports on TV? If there is, please call it to my attention.

• One Mint Julep by Sarah Vaughn (from Cocktail Mix, Volume 3: Swingin’ Singles, Rhino Records, 1996)

Gary's Take-Hearing Vaughn sing this makes me want to order two mint juleps…

• I Walked With a Zombie by Roky Erickson (from You’re Gonna Miss Me: The Best of Roky Erickson, Restless Records, 1991)

Gary's Take-Judging by the amount of times Mr. Erickson sings the title line unfettered by any other lyric adornment other than the tag line “…last night”, he must have actually walked with a zombie. As Mark E. Smith of The Fall proudly sang in 1978, in the song cleverly titled “Repetition”:
We dig repetition in the music and we’re never gonna lose it. Repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition…