You think a song’s about one thing, you do some research and you find out it’s about something else entirely.
Item one, Michael Caine by Madness. This has long been my preferred track from this band, a hangover from the days when I had an allergy to people having too much fun with their music and consequently their ‘Nutty Boys’ persona jarred. But Michael Caine isn’t nutty at all. Sung by Chas not Suggs, for one thing. I wish he’d sung more.
And it turns out it’s about informers during the troubles in Northern Ireland. I’m tempted to say “Who knew?” but clearly some people already do. They chose Michael Caine because of his role as Harry Ipcress in the ‘60s spy thrillers. He wasn’t going to lend his voice, then his daughter explained how big Madness were and he changed his mind.
Item two, The Union Forever by The White Stripes. I’d guessed this track was about something specific but I didn’t know what. (It also falls into another category of ‘two tracks smashed together into one’ which I’m currently researching.)
Well, this one’s about Charles Foster Kane, aka Citizen Kane from the movie of obviously the same name. In which a band pay one of those folksy tributes to the ‘Great Man’ everyone seemed to love before Elvis and some others invented rock’n’roll. The words from that song are repeated here:
“There is a man, a certain man
And for the poor you may be sure that he'll do all he can
Who is this one? Whose favorite son?
Just by his action has the traction, magnates on the run
Who likes to smoke, enjoys a joke
And wouldn't get a bit upset if he were really broke
With wealth and fame he's still the same
I'll bet you five you're not alive if you don't know his name”
This eulogy is sung at a brisk pace, while the “You’ve gotta love me” parts concern the angst in his private life and are sung at a very different tempo.
Clever movie, clever song.
A final word for the final track, Donne Darko. It’s long at 11 minutes. It’s not much about movies beyond the title and a fleeting reference in the lyrics. But it’s superb and happens to be on my all-time favourite films. So it’s in. The benefits of not reporting into anyone.
Tracklist:
Michael Caine, Madness
Underground movies, The Auteurs
Kids 1995, Been Stellar
I wish I knew Natalie Portman, K-OS, Saukrates, Nelly Furtado
Clark Gable, The Postal Service
Nurse Ratched, Cherry Glazerr
Jo Jo’s jacket, Steven Malkmus
Crispin Glover, Scarling
The union forever, The White Stripes
Movies, Weyes Blood
Donnie Darko, Let’s Eat Grandma