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Eighties’ best 100 redux: #86 Public Image Ltd. “Rise” (1986)

<< #87    |    #85 >>

At song #86, we’ve got “Rise” by John Lydon’s (aka Johnny Rotten) other band, Public Image Ltd (or PiL).

Fans of the band might call this pick an obvious choice because it was one of PiL’s biggest hits and one of their more accessible tunes. To be frank, I’ve never considered myself a fan of either of John Lydon’s bands. I get that both are groundbreaking (though PiL was around infinitely longer than The Sex Pistols, their influence is not quite as wide-reaching) but they’re both bands that I could never get into. So why did this song make it to my top 100? Let me tell you a story.

I got a hold of the very excellent alternative 80s box set, “Left of the dial” by Rhino records, a number of years ago and began listening to it with only a cursory scan at the track listing. The compilation is filled with a nice mix of songs I already loved, songs that were new to me, and lost nuggets. One of these nuggets came upon me towards the end of the third disc. I can’t remember what I was doing at the time (I might’ve been at work) but I had instant recall at the song’s first few notes and was bopping along to the groove (yes, I just said “groove”) so much so that I had to check to see who it was. To say I was surprised to see it was Public Image Ltd. is an understatement but it made total sense once I got over the shock. I think what sets “Rise” apart from the others for me is the juxtaposition of Lydon’s discordant vocals with the melodic, almost singalong background vocals.

I shortly thereafter went back to listen PiL’s greatest hits album to see if maybe they’re a band I just didn’t get at the time but could only make it halfway through the disc. So I still wasn’t a fan at the time but I did and do love this song. Maybe it’s time to give them another go.

Original Eighties best 100 position: #84

Favourite lyric: “They put a hot wire to my head / ‘Cos of the things I did and said / And made these feelings go away / Model citizen in every way” John Lydon: rebel with a cause.

Where are they now?: Public Image Ltd. reformed with a new lineup in 2009 and released “This is PiL” in 2012, their first album of new material in 20 years. This was followed by album reissues, a new compilation, further touring, and two albums of new material, including last year’s “End of world”.

For the rest of the Eighties’ best 100 redux list, click here.

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Eighties’ best 100 redux: #87 Wall of Voodoo “Mexican radio” (1982)

<< #88    |    #86 >>

At song #87 is Wall of Voodoo’s hit “Mexican radio”, easily the most accessible track in the band’s early catalogue.

Wall of Voodoo was an American New Wave band whose beginnings in film scores informed the band’s early spaghetti western-infused sound, along with original frontman, Stan Ridgway’s dark lyrics and easily recognizable droll vocals. “Mexican radio” took the band’s normal dark and unique sound further, almost to an oddball or kitschy place, and produced for Wall of Voodoo their only radio hit, boosting record sales of their second album, 1982’s “Call of the west,” to their highest charting. Ridgway left the band shortly afterwards for a solo career, was replaced by Andy Prieboy, and the band’s unique sound was lost to a more conventional New Wave sound. The group would release two more albums before disbanding for good in 1988.

I discovered/rediscovered “Mexican radio” on a retro compilation I purchased in 1999 called “Retro 80s volume 2: Rare and brilliant” and it quickly became a favourite of mine. It’s quirky and vibrant, and has inflecting lyrics that drum up images of picking up foreign language radio signals, a repeating chorus line that you really can’t help but digest and join in. I distinctly remember drunkenly dancing-slash-stumbling and shouting along to this song one Sunday retro night at Studio 69, a long-defunct downtown Toronto bar with my old housemate, Ryan. This one’s for you, buddy, wherever you might be.

Sing it with me: “I’m on a Mexican whoa-oh radio”

Original Eighties best 100 position: #95

Favourite lyric: I wish I was in Tijuana / Eating barbequed iguana” That’s some serious rhyming…

Where are they now?: The last we heard from Wall of Voodoo was in 2006 when Stan Ridgway resurrected the name, put together a band that included none of the other original members, and toured in support of Cyndi Lauper. No other real reunions have been serious discussed, especially since Marc Moreland, the other founding member died in 2002.

For the rest of the Eighties’ best 100 redux list, click here.

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Eighties’ best 100 redux: #88 The Pogues “Sally Maclennane” (1985)

<< #89    |    #87 >>

(So it’s been a very long time (almost six months!) since we’ve seen a post in this series and the band featured today is the very reason why. The death of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan last November hit me hard, perhaps harder than any other musician’s death in recent memory. When I saw that this song was the next on the list, I wondered whether I should use this space to commemorate how much MacGowan’s songwriting meant to me and how special he was to so many and I wondered whether I was up to the task. In the end, I decided to keep this post about the song at hand and of course, about the (entire) band that wrote and performed it.)

The Pogues were originally named Pogue Mahone when they formed in 1982, which is an anglicized play on a phrase in Gaelic meaning ‘kiss my arse’. The band sanitized and shortened it to their more popular name just as they were releasing their first album, “Red roses for me”, in 1984. The band and their unique celtic folk-infused punk sound drew international attention and success with their next two albums, 1985’s “Rum, sodomy, and the lash” and 1988’s “If I should fall from grace with god“. After which, the band began to fall to pieces due to the unreliability of the aforementioned founding member and frontman, Shane MacGowan, and his penchant for drinking. He made only cursory contributions to 1990’s “Hell’s ditch” and was finally sacked in 1991. The band carried on without him for a while, without the same success, but called it a day 1996.

The Pogues are still considered one of the more influential bands of the eighties. They practically invented the Celtic punk genre by fusing politically-charged lyrics and punk ethos with the use of traditional Celtic instruments and song structures. Without their existence, we likely wouldn’t have bands today like The Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and The Mahones. And this song here is a perfect example of the template those other bands use.

“Sally MacLennane” was the second single released off “Rum, sodomy, and the lash” and incidentally, the second of the band’s singles to crack the UK singles charts. It is a drinking song that was reportedly inspired by a bar owned by MacGowan’s uncle. It’s upbeat with a machine gun drum line that punctuates each line, a hammering bass drum pace, swirling accordion and tin flute, and MacGowan’s inimitable debauched delivery that is oft answered with shouting backing vocals. It tells the story of a promising young man that leaves a home that he feels is impeding his potential. After years of absence, he realizes he misses his home but then, it isn’t the same upon returning. It’s about memory and loss and nostalgia, all things that often surface after a few pints.

Original Eighties best 100 position: n/a

Favourite lyric: “I’m sad to say I must be on my way / So buy me beer or whiskey cause I’m going far away.” It’s not so much the words, as cool and heavy as they are, but the way they are sung or shouted and make for meaningful drunken memories with friends.

Where are they now?: In 2001, The Pogues re-formed, including Shane MacGowan, and toured sporadically until 2014, but there was never any new music released. MacGowan’s death seems to have put an end to any talk of another reunion for now.

For the rest of the Eighties’ best 100 redux list, click here.