El Somnambulo’s favorite REM song, from back in the day when Michael Stipe had hair, and ’80’s hair at that:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Ouyl7k_iU&feature=related[/youtube]
REM: ‘Harbor Coat’ from “Reckoning” (1984)
This aurally-gorgeous album (produced by Upper Darby’s Todd Rundgren) became even more gorgeous when artificial enhancements (such as ‘the things we did on grass’) upped the ante:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozu8KGFH-CU[/youtube]
XTC: ‘Grass’ from “Skylarking” (1986)
The Beast Who Slumbers got your attention w/XTC? Good, b/c XTC had an alter ego, called the Dukes of Stratosphear. They often did homages/parodies of their favorite bands. But here’s the catch…they didn’t do covers, they did songs that sounded sometimes even better than the bands they were saluting. If you like the Beach Boys as much as ‘bulo does, or even don’t for that matter, you just have to listen to this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRcXWGLummo&feature=related[/youtube]
The Dukes of Stratosphear: ‘Pale and Precious’ from “Psonic Psunspot” (1987)
As long as ‘bulo’s engaged in Saturday Morning Beautiful Harmony Immersion Therapy, he’s gonna cheat, just a little. While this song is from a seminal ’70’s album (if you like what you hear, buy the album, it’s a classic), this performance is from 1983. Since the harmonies and the song give him chills, he opts to share them with you:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e3sqtoRG-Y[/youtube]
The Roches: ‘Hammond Song’ from “The Roches” (1979)
We close out with a double shot of classic ’80’s soul. First, one of the great veteran soul men who deserves more than to just be remembered for “Across 110th Street”, although he certainly deserves to be remembered for that. Guys, tell ‘bulo if the guilt befalling the protagonist of this song has ever happened to you. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Bobby Womack:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovmS20sc2_U&feature=related[/youtube]
Bobby Womack: ‘I Wish He Wouldn’t Trust Me So Much’ from “So Many Rivers” (1985)
Finally, if this guy hadn’t, from the start, been a legend in his own mind, he truly could have been a superstar. This fleeting glimpse from his brief heyday (see if you remember this one) will show you what might have been, and will also show you the incipient narcissism that ultimately was his downfall:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmi_qbUGCKo&feature=related[/youtube]
Terence Trent D’Arby: ‘Sign Your Name’ from “Introducing the Hard Line According to…”
Barring hijackings, see ya next week. El Somnambulo’s finding so much cool stuff from the ’80’s that he’s just getting started…