I’ve got a soft spot for “shout-out songs,” you know, about half of Van Morrison‘s songs and much of the first Dexy’s Midnight Runners album, in which the singer starts giving shout-outs to his or her heroes. Arthur Conley’s “Sweet Soul Music” is one of my personal favorites (in part because of it’s driving beat) and perhaps the most dedicated of all shout-out songs. This morning I was listening to that great, late-90s Cornershop song “Brimful of Asha” (I think that’s the song’s title). The singer gets into a shout-out section, presumabely shouting out names of Indian pop singers. The first one, I believe, is Townsman Fritz’s buddy, Mohammad Rafi! It’s a wonder how timing works. (I do hope, Townspeople, you are making time for your first batch of Thrifty Music.)
So, at least 3 questions developed during my morning drive:
- What’s your favorite shout-out song?
- Whats the most absurd, unexpected, or underserving shout-out in a song?
- If you were to write a shout-out song, to whom would you shout?
I look forward to your responses.
Favorite Shout-Out Song: “Alex Chilton”
Most Absurd: The Beatles’ “Dig It”
Were I to write a shout-out song, it would be to Richard Burton and it would contain the line “He’s the thinking man’s man’s man!”
Favorite Shout-Out Song: “Levi Stubb’s Tears” by Billy Bragg
“Norman Whitfield and Barratt Strong
Are here to make everything right that’s wrong
Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too
Are here to make it all okay with you”
Most Absurd: “Runnin’ Back to Saskatoon” by The Guess Who (I’m Canadian, eh)
“There’s a province up in Canada that’s right next door to ours. It’s called Saskatchewan. And, uh, in that province there’s a small town, uh, where nothing much ever happens, called Saskatoon. This is a tune about that town. This is called “Runnin’ Back To Saskatoon”
That last one – damn good question. I’ll have to think about that.
Not necessarily a shout-out to anyone in particular, but Eddie Bo’s song “Pass the Hatchet” has an awesome shout in it – I guess this could go for any James B song too… :
“Aaawwww, pass off the HATCHET BABY! … awwww CHOP it UP!” that would probably go great on a mix-tape after Mongoose:)
Here’s one from Morrisey/the Smiths:
A dreaded sunny day
So I meet you at the cemetary gates
Keats and Yeats are on your side
While Wilde is on mine
Van the Man gives a shout out to Yeats on some song or other.
Oats, that’s some funny shit! Bravo!
I only wish the shout-out to Mohd. Rafi took place in a song I actually like. That Cornershop tune, for me, is a real clunker. Goes nowhere, does nothing, sounds dated, yuck. Not for me.
As to your questions:
Fave Shout-out — The “Alex Chilton” nod is a darn good one, but I’ll have to think of this further. Do shout-outs about your band-mates count? If so, I’d have to go with “Two For the Price Of One” by “Guitar” Watson and Larry Williams.
Weirdest shout-out — I gotta give the nod to some band Townsman Rick Massimo was in, where they gave an unexpected shout-out to Paul McCartney. If he hasn’t told that story yet here, he should; it’s one of my fave band fuck-up stories. “Paul McCartney!”
If I could write a shout-out song… geez, I wouldn’t know where to start. Here are a few ideas: George Martin, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Dave Prater, for sure; that guy needs some love, Vanda and Young, Sib Hashian’s hair — I mean, the list goes on and on.
Sib Hashian’s hair??? 🙂
For intra-band shout-outs, I love the moment in “I’ll Take You There” when Mavis Staples, I presume, eggs on her “Daddy” – for real. How often does Daddy get a shout-out in rock?
Technically it may not quite be a shout-out but “Adolf Hitler on vibes” in Bonzo Dog Band’s “The Intro and the Outro” is the most absurd shout-out I enjoy. Good call, Oats, on “Dig It”. That may be the winner in this category.
Lou Reed’s “Doing the Things That We Want To” contains a series of shoutouts to Martin Scorcese. The song may be my favorite awkward shout-out song – could I expect no less from Lou? Also, his shout-out to an unnamed coach in the Take No Prisoners version of “Coney Island Baby” always sends an awkward chill down my spine.
Not to mention that on the original studio version of the song he gives a self-shoutout: “I’d like to send this one out to Lou and Rachel.” Rachel was the name of his then “girl” friend.
Funny, I was just thinking about the opposite the other day. How shout-outs usually make me cringe. The song that prompted this was “Punk-a-Rama”. Kim Fowley (who probably wrote it) plays it on his Underground Garage show. Embarrassing to listen to. The other painful one is Monterey. Ooofa.
Perhaps not technically “shout-outs” I like it when musicians take jabs at others- Neil Young/Lynard Skynard, Lennon/McCartney…
‘To the Girls’, whiich bookends Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys is my favorite shout out song.
The weirdest shout out I know of is the end of “Play it Safe” off Iggy’s album “Soldier” wherin the head stooge shouts out to strange combinations of 50’s rock and roll hits and mass murderers (as in “Splish Splash I Was Jim Jones!”)
I will go home tonite and write a shout out song to all my favorite horror movie monsters
Fave song about another artist: Stereolab’s “Brigitte,” about Brigitte Fontaine, is my favorite Lab track of all time. Added benefit: It also introduced me to Ms. Fontaine’s music, which I now greatly enjoy.
Favorite obscure shout-out in the midst of a song about something else: the reference to Paul Hindemith in the Negro Problem’s “Comikbuchland.”
Favorite intra-band shout-out: there’s this legendary version of Duke Ellington’s “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” that’s on the ELLINGTON IN NEWPORT album. The heart of the piece is a wild, lengthy tenor solo by Paul Gonsalves that the crowd starts going more and more nuts over, until by its end, it sounds like the entire audience is screaming and Ellington loses his customary cool, yelling “PAUL GONSALVES! PAUL GONSALVES!” like he just scored the winning touchdown with two seconds left.
I like Sebadoh’s “Gimme Indie Rock”, and also the Dead Milkmen’s “Air Crash Museum”!!!
i’ve given t-rex a shout out in a song before, right after shouting out to hipster jeeezus. if i had to write another one…hmmm…i’d probably shout out to ryan howard.
thoughts again turn to baseball….
and speaking of which: slade, i got a 6 pack.
stoked, art
Got one I just thought of. Rapeman’s “Kim Gordon’s Panties.” Mmmmmm…. Kim Gordon’s panties…
Really early on in my songwriting efforts I wrote and recorded a scorching shout-out song to my Uncle Joe, the person who first turned me onto music. A-Dogg probably recalls the recording. I made it on an old 2-track reel-to-reel, doing the sorts of things with tape speeds and overloading channels that only a 16-year-old beginner musician might think to do. Some day I’ll have to get back to that shout-out to my greatest musical influence.
I like these as well, though my favorite Dead Milkmen shout-out has to be from “The Fez”: “there’s a time for taking and a time for giving, but ripping off The Butthole Surfers is how we make our living”.
In the reverse category of disses, rhyming Depeche Mode with commode on “Moron” from that same Eat Your Paisley album and then later doing it again on “Instant Club Hit” was a stroke of minor genius.
I can’t say I’m fond of “Geno” (the song, not the singer) nor of much of that album. In fact, I quite agree with what Townsman Andy R. had to say about Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. It’s got a great cover but very disappointing music in relation to the cover. By the cover, you would think you’d be getting a great Clash or Stiff Little Fingers-like album but it’s really mediocre blue-eyed soul.
On the other hand, I always did like “Brimful of Asha”, though.
Most annoying shout out song: R.O.C.K. in the USA by John Couger Melloncamp. Why? Because it’s John Couger Melloncamp.
How about “Jackie Wilson Said”? I love that song. Also “White Man in Hammersmith Palais” has some cool shout-outs
And Jim, I barley remember that song you recorded for Uncle Joe.
“I like punk, and you know I like Sham
Cockney Rejects are the worlds greatest band”- Fun, Fun, Fun by the Big Boys.
How did I miss this one? That’s my favorite of all the ones that have been mentioned, along with “Alex Chilton”. Oh and to continue the line “I like Joy Division, Public Image, too, even though that’s not what I’m supposed to do…”. I love the Big Boys. What’s funny about that line is from what I understand there were a lot of punks at the time who thought post-punk was soft and wimpy or whatever so they didn’t like it, but many others who liked the artier end of things as well (Chuck or other old punks who were around back then; can you confirm this?). Nowadays it’s de rigeur for most who like old punk to also like stuff like Joy Division and Public Image despite the fact that rock subcultures got stratified further and further into smaller subdivisions.
Matt- Yes, there were some people who were into both the hardcore bands and post-punk bands like PiL, The Fall, Birthday Party etc. There was also this odd bi-polar thing where some of the folks who were into the most agressive
punk/hardcore bands also were into the Smiths.
Though I wasn’t around back then (I started going to shows in ’91), I’m definitely one of those “bi-polar” people. I know your feelings about The Smiths, so this will probably make you puke, but I consider them one of my favorite bands of all-time. Then again, I like a lot of ultra-aggressive hardcore. For example, the old New York band Sheer Terror is a personal favorite of mine from the early ’90s and have been in heavy rotation as of late after I picked up the 2 CD Bulldog Edition recently. Have you ever heard them? If not, I think you’d love them. It’s a great mix of hardcore, metal and bad attitude with ultra-gruff vocals.
In general, though, I just think that the world of music is too big for one type of attitude or style.
Furthermore, the post-punk bands you mentioned (esp. The Fall though I’m a pretty big Birthday Party and PiL fan, too) are personal favorites around these parts as well.
Also, I think the number of people in the hardcore/punk scene who like The Smiths has only increased as their legend/status/reputation has increased in the now 20 years since their breakup. This is esp. evident in the emo subgenre.
Yeh, I remember they did a fun version of Boys Don’t Cry that my little brother used to play all the time! Talk about mixing genres!
I’d be happy to send you an mp3 of it if you like or better yet, I’ll just guide you a place where you can still download it (I think):
http://www.somethingilearned.com/2007/02/sheer-terror
It was originally on the Live at CBGBs 7″ and then later re-released on the 1st CD version of Just Can’t Hate Enough. Eventually it made it onto the 2-CD Bulldog Edition when it came out in 2000. My favorite part of their version of “Boys Don’t Cry” is the hilarious intro. Those who have heard it know what I’m talking about.
Incidentally, Ed Rivadavia, the guy who wrote some Sheer Terror reviews for All Music Guide, said that the reason that some of the members of the band left was because of that cover. I don’t buy that for a second. It was a live cover on a one-off 7″. The real reason probably had more to do with the singer’s personality/attitude problem and he would probably admit as such. Then again his reviews of ST clearly show little knowledge and come more from a metal perspective and not a hardcore one.
Thanks Matt;) The. best. NYHC as my brother would say, 🙂 I was definitely amused by that one.
I always liked the shout-out that The Who (Pete) gave to T-Rex in “You Better You Bet”. He also gives a shout-out to himself (or rather The Who) in the same line:
“I got your body right now on my mind and I drunk myself blind to the sound of old T-Rex / To the sound of old T-Rex – oh, and Who’s Next?”
You’re welcome sally. Did you happen to download the other 2 tracks? If so, what did you think of the other spoken word bits? I love the one about “squatters’ rights”, though I don’t particularly agree with him. Then again Paul, much like Mark E. Smith, seems to be an equal opportunity spewer of bile. I’ve met him on several occasions. As you may imagine, he’s a bit tough to talk to him and guarded, but not a bad guy nonetheless.
That reminds me that Black 47 had a great shout-out to T Rex in their song “Green Suede Shoes”.
Oh and Bouncing Souls had a great Clash shout-out in one of their songs (it’s something off of Maniacal Laughter) and on that same note, there’s a great shout out to Joe Strummer on the most recent Pernice Brothers album in the song “High as a Kite”. Oh and “Strummerville” by Stiff Little Fingers is another good one in that vein.
Oh, wait — how could I have forgotten Cheap Trick’s most excellent “Surrender” and its most excellent shout out to KISS?
When I woke up, Mom and Dad were rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling, got my Kiss records out
Is the Accuser on this forum yet, ‘cos he may be the only one who will know this one? From Eddie “Hey There Lonely Girl” Holman comes a self-referential shout out in the song “Eddie’s My Name” – “Eddie’s my name; pleasing girls is my game!”
We may need an intervention for The Accuser. God bless the man. We can only hope he shows up one of these days.
Don’t even *start* with the self-referential sexual chocolate shout-outs; my recent Thrifty Music foray landed me an Eddie Floyd 45 I’d never heard that takes the cake in this category. I may include it in my next Digest. I was hoping to put together an entire collection of tunes with this songs-about-my-own-dick focus, but was somewhat disappointed with the lyric of a Jr. Walker song that sounded especially promising. I believe it was called “Look At My Love (See How Strong It Is)” or something very close to that. Sadly, it disappointed. Not so Eddie Floyd’s “Woodman.” Look for it on these pages soon.
Yeh, all seems a bit daft to me, taking an extreme and going with it to get a reaction from the crowd with his idiot remarks – funny how you hear the crowd explode into cheers when he says something… neanderthal “your mother has AIDS!”, or “you’re all a bunch of dicks” but amusing, nonetheless;) I never met Mark E. but I imagine he’s just as you say. A pal Keg and his band put together a Fall tribute comp that I’ve yet to get, but never really got into Mark E. so much, although my friend Marc loves them!
I’ve got an entire IKEA shelf (one off those miniature ones that holds about 50-75 discs) devoted to The Fall, so as you might imagine, my feelings are more similar to your friend Marc’s.
I think you misunderstood me, though. I’ve never met Mark E. Smith and frankly I’d be a bit scared to, but I was referring to Paul Bearer, Sheer Terror’s singer. Oh and I love the “your mother’s got AIDS, this one’s called Spoiler” quip. It’s just so damn funny to me, esp. if you know him and what he’s all about (insulting the audience and having them eat it up in the best punk rock tradition of Fear and bands of that ilk). I love how off-the-cuff it is. Oh and the line you were thinking of before “Just Can’t Hate Enough” is “you’re a bunch of lousy shitheads, but I love you”. Does he know how to turn on the charm or what?
that’s kind of funny that you’d be more scared to meet Mark E:) That’s cool though Matthew! I don’t have anything against The Fall, just don’t even know where I’d start with them because using your collection as an example – there’s just SO much. PS definitely sounds like a charmer, through and through:) The most punk-rock person I’ve ever interviewed was the lead singer for The New Bomb Turks.
Tell me more about this. I remember reading an interview with them in MRR around the time that Destroy, Oh Boy! came out where they were talking about filling turkey sandwiches with umm, special sauce, and other oddities.
As for Paul vs. Mark E. Smith, meeting Paul wasn’t a big deal because I was friends with the guy that did the hardcore punk radio show at my college and he would have Paul on his show all the time (he was a big ST fan), so whenever I’d hang out in the studio, Paul would be there sometimes, usually sulking in the corner and sitting on the floor. Also, I saw them play live many times and once I encountered Paul at this bar in the East Village called 9C, where he was the doorman (maybe still is for all I know).
I’ll have to re-listen to the tape again and get back to you with any juicy tidbits later this weekend – just found the cassette in a pile the other day along with one for stereo total and some of my other radio show blurbs, i knew there was a reason that I was keeping a lot of them:) I remember seeing them play with Pansy Division and The Smugglers in Vancouver though, and they all came on with Reagan masks to play their set – surreal! That would have to have been in ’94, and it was at the starfish room – The Smugglers all wore huge rain boots and crazy sunglasses… Fun times – Grant Lawrence is a cool guy! I also saw the Hanson Bros around that time too at the commodore, shaved my head (had a chelsea cut with died blonde fringe) and tossed around the idea of becoming a riot grrrl (ha ha)
I remember seeing Pansy Division at ABC-NO-RIO (a semi-legal venue on Manhattan’s Lower East Side that also serves as squatter’s headquarters and has art openings, etc.) back in the fall of 1993. They were great, but the opening band God is My Co-Pilot really blew me away. I’d been going to see punk and hardcore bands for a few years already at that point, but I’d never heard anything like that as it was a few years before I discovered any of the no-wave and post-punk bands who influenced them.
I never saw The Smugglers and wasn’t The Hanson Brothers a few guys from No Means No but in hockey gear and playing Ramones-style songs about hockey?
Yes, yes, and yes, but maybe a different drummer:) I still have a trader (hockey) card from that show and I picked up a long-sleeve jersey too, but I think my little brother wore it mostly:) The trader card says this:
🙂 🙂