Year: 2021
Original Format: mp3
Playlist:
Warriors, Come Out to Play David Patrick Kelly
“Hollywood lore states that Kelly tossed out the very creepy line in a fit of pique while filming at Coney Island. And while that’s certainly a cool story, it’s not actually what happened. Actor David Patrick Kelly says that the director Walter Hill worked together in order to bring some tension into the scene. While Kelly came up with clinking the bottles together, he’s strident about the fact that Hill fed him the line. ‘Walter gives me credit for that. I found the bottles, but he says I did it all. It wasn’t in the script. I’ll take credit for the bottles and how I said it. But I remember him kicking in the lines.’” —Groovyhistory.com
Come Out and Play The Offspring
I present this video of the Offspring karaoke-ing this song in the cockpit of Dexter Holland’s private jet without further comment.
Up to No Good Rancid
I never had much use for this style of ska-punk, but I’ve always liked this tune for some reason. Only looking it up just now did I learn that it has Booker T. Jones on organ; maybe that’s why.
Diversion The Equals
A few years ago I started looking into the history of “Police on My Back,” which the Clash recorded in 1980. After that I had my mind blown several times — learning first that it had originally been done in 1967 by an interracial British band called the Equals; then that none other than Eddy Grant was the leader of said band; then that they had a whole history and catalog that seem now to have been largely forgotten. They’re well worth checking out, and this Pitchfork article is not a bad place to start.
Botched Execution Shovels & Rope
Wikipedia has a whole list of botched executions, from Thomas Cromwell in 1540 right up to the present day. If your sense of humor runs to the morbid, as mine does, you’ll get a kick out of it.
The Bandit Starlight Mints
The album this is from, 2000’s The Dream That Stuff Was Made Of, is a bit of a lost classic. Though clearly and shamelessly Pixies-derived, it took the influence in some interesting directions and made something new out of it.
Bandits Taking Over Wailing Souls
The Wailing Souls started in 1968, had hits in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and made an album as recently as 2020. Whatever they’re smoking, I’d like some of it.
Police and Thieves Junior Murvin
“The English punk rock band Clash’s punk/reggae version [of ‘Police and Thieves’] appeared on their eponymous debut album. The Clash’s version, which is six minutes in length, is an example of a rock band incorporating reggae into their repertoire. Murvin’s first commentary was ‘They have destroyed Jah work!’…. [Lee] Perry considered that the Clash had ‘ruined’ the song with their version, but later agreed to work with them nonetheless…. Bob Marley was inspired to write his song ‘Punky Reggae Party’ after hearing the Clash’s version – his reaction after hearing it for the first time was ‘It is different, but me like how him feel it.’” —Wikipedia
Bankrobber/Robber Dub The Clash
“What started out sometime in 1979 as a jaunty ska tune demoed as ‘The Bank Robber’s Song’ became what was supposed to be the first in a long line of singles released through 1980. Except record label CBS hated it, calling it ‘all of David Bowie’s records played backwards.’” —Songfacts.com
Scooby Snacks Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Among the definitions offered for “scooby snacks” in the Urban Dictionary:
- “When your smoking a bowl with no screen and pieces of weed goes into your mouth.”
- “The infamous dog biscuts of the 70’s Scooby-Doo tv show. Now recognized as weed brownies. If you think about it, this makes sense. Why could the gang hear Scooby talk? Why were Shag and Scoob always hungry?”
- “Northeastern U.S. slang for Valium (AKA diazepam) tablets and/or Vicodin tablets. Can be heard in various songs, including the Fun Lovin’ Criminals song, ‘Scooby Snacks.’”
Criminal The Roots
“Every time I get followed around a retail store by some minimum wage working security guard…this song pops into my head.” —YouTube commenter “MontUHURU Mimia”
Kill ’Em (OJ Simpson Remix) Madlib
“I have trouble with L.A. People may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this. I figured eventually somebody would confess to something, you know? I had one suspect I told my lawyers to look at. I still think he might be involved, but I can’t talk about it.” —O.J. Simpson, The Athletic, August 2021