Hola, Sneakers! This week on Episode 332 of Sneaky Dragon things get uncomfortable and awkward.
So same old same old then. Like: Ian and Dave get mad; Ian is allergic to Don Martin; whither original art; we have a library spy; Timewell is a terrible title; Timecop misinformation; Ian likes Mike; lovely Rita; the show takes a turn; more car troubles; breathalyzer outrage; playing possum; hiding a key pro-tip; famous water skier; uncomfortable movie going; don’t wheeze; it’s Stephen Lang, goddamit; Rampage is all the rage; Tyrannosaurus Rex machina; the Fast and Furious is bad for hair; reader’s letter; let’s call Ian out; time for filler: Top 5 songs that start great, but then go downhill in some way as requested by Dylan McConnell; art can be uncomfortable; Ian doesn’t enjoy repetition; and, finally, Andy Kaufman feelings.
This week’s Top 5 songs that start off great, but go downhill as chosen by Dave:
1) “It’s All Too Beautiful” by The Beta Band from their 1999 album The Beta Band
2) “Tonight’s Gonna Be” by Black-Eyed Peas from the 2009 album The E.N.D.
3) “Venus and Mars” by Wings from the 1975 album Venus and Mars
4) “All of Your Toys” by The Monkees from the 1991 box set Listen to the Band
5) “The Child with the Star on His Head” by Sufjan Stevens from the 2012 box set Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6–10
and the usual bonus track (this time chosen by Ian):
6) “Live and Let Die” by Wings from the 1972 soundtrack to Live and Let Die
Department of Corections:
Timecop was not produced by Mike Nesmith. He was the producer of Timerider (as well as Repo Man)
Black-Eyed Peas are not, no matter what Dave thinks, a Canadian band (although they did play at intermission during a Grey Cup game.)
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I really love that Black Eyed Peas song! I have for years! I was genuinely enjoying it, then you abruptly cut it off. THANKS DAVE
Ugh! I said to “enjoy” it on your time, Matsumoto!
And here’s The Cleveland Show version that no one asked for… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UwGvorVx-I
Wow, I’d forgotten what a train wreck ‘Rock Show’ turns into. When McCartney toured in 2010, he opened with Venus and Mars, played only the opening ‘Madison Square’ section of Rock Show, than jumped straight into Jet, which actually worked brilliantly.
Another great list, Dave, though I had to turn off the Black Eyed Peas a couple of seconds before you did, sparing us all further pain (sorry, Nina). Sufjan Stevens was great all the way, but then I also like Don Martin…
The coda to Layla is great, but it does sound like a different song, which may be why it jars with some. I’m sure you know Rita Coolidge claims to have written or co-written that part, but was denied credit by the guys. It was also used, of course, to great effect in that scene in GoodFellas where various people involved in the gang’s big heist suddenly stop breathing.
Personal choices for songs that start well then turn bad would have to include Here Comes the Night (Them / Van Morrison) for the way it pairs a passionate, riff-driven chorus with a truly mismatched, skipping pixie of a verse, and (sorry, Dave) MacArthur Park. Now, I LOVE MacArthur Park, but that ‘There will be another song…’ bit in the middle is just criminal. Incidentally, would you agree the horn parts in MacArthur Park and Live and Let Die are strikingly similar?
After listening to all of “The Child with the Star on His Head” while editing the show, I decided that it’s too great a song to be on this list so – despite Mary’s feelings on the matter – I’m going to have to think of a different song.
Hey guys – Thanks for the list! Wow, my son was obsessed with that Blackeyed Peas song when he was five – no idea where he heard it from. I refused to buy it too: I think I borrowed the CD from the library and ripped that song to his iPod. ‘Go out and smash it, like, oh my God’. Give me a break.
Thanks for playing Venus & Mars/Rock Show. Loved it all! 😉 Especially like the Les Paul reference – I’ve always wanted one that looks like the one used by Jimmy Page…
I’d include ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ by the Stones; about 2.40 of a great rock song, which then devolves into 4.30 of Santana-esque noodling. This is of course subjective – I’ve known people who loved the jam and didn’t care much for the start of the song…
I’ve tried to listen to Sufjan Stevens before, based on your recommendations Dave. Find it really hard to get past the droning nature of his singing, so I turned that one off after about 30 seconds. Then I gave it another try gritting my teeth through the first part, kind of liked the guitar solo (mostly because he’d pretty much shut up at that point) and then… yeah, physically ill.
Thanks, Dave.