But fall is about the leaves turning color, Halloween, warm campfires at night....and football. As some of you may well know, I've been tailgating at New York Jets football games at the Meadowlands since 1997 (actually 1992 if you count pre-season games). We have a nice little community going on which dates back to the mid-1980's when several unattached groups started hanging out together and creating a bigger and bigger tailgate. Of course, all of us contribute food-wise, but two brothers---Alan and John Corso provide an essential service. John is in charge of the test-tube kamikaze shots. During the course of the day (encompassing five hours before game time), he will mix the drinks with the seriousness of a brain surgeon, carefully pour them into the test tubes, and then make his rounds around the party. It's a tradition.
But equally a tradition is what his brother does. Alan is the DJ of lot 13-B (now called K-9 with the restructuring of the new stadium's parking lot, but it will always be 13-B to us). He mixed it up, and it's a lot more than the usual party tunes you would hear, say, at bars down the shore, or at weddings, for example. He'll start out at eight in the morning, with some mellow instruments (I keep thinking "Hunt for Red October" soundtrack), then start with some classic rock, foreign stuff, new wave, British invasion and even some new music. Django Django and Foxygen are some of the SNS bands he's played.
And then of course is the song "Who The F**K is Alice". He played it as a goof about 10 years ago, and its stuck. Week after week, somebody requested it, and for awhile, Alan was visibly upset when having to put it on again, but I think he's used to it and has accepted it by now.
"....Alice", has an interesting story to it. The original song was called "Living Next Door to Alice", by the British band Smokie; the song hit the #25 on the Billboard chart in early 1977 (it actually originaled five years earlier by another band). The lead singer was Chris Norman, who two years later would have a hit duet with Suzi Quatro, "Stumblin' In". But, in 1995, a Dutch band named "Gompie" redid the song. When the song was played, after the refrain, a DJ would turn the volume down and the crowd would yell, "Alice? Who the F**k is Alice?" A couple versions of this song would then come out around the world that same year, including a remix version by Smokie, with comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown leading the "Alice?" chant.
Since then, I've heard this version in so many places. A German hall near me, Germania Park in Rockaway NJ, had the polka band play this once, and a few years ago at a Celtic Festival up in Hunter Mountain NY, a band was playing this as well. It was spreading like wildfire. At our tailgate, Alan usually saves the song towards the end of the party, and most of us join in on the refrain.
Alan wasn't present at the second home game, so guess who stepped in as DJ? My playlist encompassed more new stuff, but added some classic rock tracks ("Whipping Post", "I Put A Spell On You", "Soul Sacrifice"), 80's tunes some oldies and some bands I featured here on my blog list. Some liked it, some were indifferent. And yes, I did play "Who the F**k is Alice?", but my reception wasn't as great as Alans.
But at least I have my blog.
CHART MUSINGS: A third double-issue results in the resilient "Keep You" by Wild Belle, making it its 5th and 6th week at the top in its 29th and 30th week on SNS. It holds back Cage the Elephant's "Come a Little Closer" at #2. Fitz and the Tantrums' taking-forever-to-break "Out of My League" has finally hit #1 on a chart (Alternative) and making roads at Triple-A and Adult top 40, but mainstream top 40 still won't play it; it hasn't hit the Hot 100. It tells you more about these radio stations nad co-called current music "fans", than about this great band. My featured track from their More Than Just a Dream, "Keeping Our Eyes Out", moves to #3, while Terraplane Sun and Man Man round out the top five with strong songs.
BLURRY-EYED: Sometimes it takes a long time for me to catch onto a song, but once it does, it becomes infectious. Such as the case of "Blurred Lines", the Robin Thicke song which was the chart topper in Billboard for most of the summer. I was late to the party, but I now have it in my top 10. I can't get the damn song out of my head now. Now I can understand why it's so popular--because it has the same effect on others as well. It moves from #12 to #8.
The Voice is back on the air--just in time as one of the judges, Blake Shelton, jumps into the top 20 with "Boys 'Round Here", which I played at the last tailgate, incidentally. It's the first country song by an artist not named Rachel Allyn, to make this upper echelon since Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" (another presence at the tailgate--not the song, but the cup, that is).
DEBUTS: Smith Westerns has the top debut, at #62, with "Varsity". The band hails from Chicago, but has some influences from across the pond. They are playing Webster Hall in New York on November 11. The other notable debut is from an artist named Taylor Centers, with "Alibi". This came to me from friend and fellow Roselle Park Alumni Mary Anne Reed Nolan. I love it when others will recommend an artist to me. She hails from Charlotte NC, and her music in the pop/rock realm. Her influences include Joss Stone, Christine Aguilera and Miley Cyrus (presumable the pre-twerk version). I can hear a little Fergie in her as well. It is contemporary pop for sure, but music that is enjoyable. Give this one a listen. Finally, in a similar vein is Bonnie McKee, with "American Girl". Although you don't know her name, she's been around. She co-wrote several hits with Katy Perry; in fact, she's has nine number one singles to her credit. She has worked with Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Ke$ha, Kelly Clarkson and several others. This one sounds a bit like Lavigne or Miley Cyrus. Another piece of pop music that's a pleasure to listen to these days.
ON THE WAY BACK: Leila Hegazy and Rachel Allyn, whose debut full-length albums have been out a while now, and whose songs (three from each), I have featured, look like they are finally coming out with official singles. Or at least videos. Leila has released "Mirror Mirror" as a video. The song peaked at #6 in the 30-week run earlier this year. I may consider re-adding the song. As for Ms. Allyn, no word yet, but she posted that she was shooting a video from her latest effort Do It Yourself. I have featured three tracks so far, plus two prior singles released before the album. Could it be "October" to match the month? Stay tuned. Speaking of Rachel, who opened up for Kenny Rogers recently, will now open from Bo Bice (a former American Idol runner-up) at B.B.King's Blues Club in New York.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
September 22 and 29, 2013
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
1
|
NUMBER ONE:
WILD BELLE
"Keep You"
Album: Isles
|
29
|
|
2
|
2
|
Cage the Elephant - Come A Little Closer
|
7
|
|
3
|
8
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
"Keeping Our Eyes Out"
Album: More Than Just A Dream
|
5
|
|
4
|
7
|
Terraplane Sun - Get Me Golden
|
9
|
|
5
|
9
|
Man Man - Head On
|
8
|
|
6
|
4
|
Rachel Allyn - Dear Prudence
|
9
|
|
7
|
5
|
Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness
|
11
|
|
8
|
12
|
Robin Thicke f. T.I. & Pharrel Williams - Blurred Lines
|
10
|
|
9
|
3
|
Phoenix - Trying to Be Cool
|
16
|
|
10
|
11
|
Train - Bruises
|
13
|
|
11
|
14
|
Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red & Blue
|
13
|
|
12
|
6
|
Paul Czekaj - At the Beach
|
15
|
|
13
|
15
|
Dan Croll - From Nowhere
|
24
|
|
14
|
18
|
Pink f. Lily Allen - True Love
|
10
|
|
15
|
23
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
BLAKE SHELTON'
"Boys 'Round Here"
Album: Based On A True Story....
|
12
|
|
16
|
17
|
Case Studies - Everything
|
15
|
|
17
|
22
|
Bruno Mars - Treasure
|
11
|
|
18
|
21
|
Silversun Pickups - Dots and Dashes
|
12
|
|
19
|
10
|
Cayucas - High School Lover
|
17
|
|
20
|
13
|
Paramore - Still Into You
|
13
|
|
21
|
33
|
Field Mouse - How Do You Know
|
8
|
|
22
|
19
|
Palma Violets - Best of Friends
|
14
|
|
23
|
31
|
Golden Void - Rise to the Out of Reach
|
7
|
|
24
|
26
|
Foxygen - No Destruction
|
11
|
|
25
|
16
|
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Under the Earth
|
15
|
|
26
|
20
|
I Am Dynamite - Hey Girl
|
15
|
|
27
|
30
|
Foals - My Number
|
12
|
|
28
|
32
|
Atlas Genius - If So
|
15
|
|
29
|
40
|
Katy Perry - Roar
|
7
|
|
30
|
41
|
Matthew Koma - One Night
|
7
|
|
31
|
42
|
Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
|
9
|
|
32
|
24
|
Pixies - Bagboy
|
10
|
|
33
|
37
|
Franz Ferdinand - Right Action
|
10
|
|
34
|
36
|
Leila Hegazy - The Reason Why
|
8
|
|
35
|
39
|
Tame Impala - Elephant
|
14
|
|
36
|
25
|
Foxygen - San Francisco
|
23
|
|
37
|
35
|
Jay Arner - Don't Remind Me
|
22
|
|
38
|
48
|
Lorde - Royals
|
6
|
|
39
|
43
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
|
32
|
|
40
|
28
|
New Politics - Harlem
|
30
|
|
41
|
27
|
The Thermals - I Go Alone
|
16
|
|
42
|
46
|
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Better Days
|
8
|
|
43
|
29
|
Portugal. the Man - Evil Friends
|
19
|
|
44
|
47
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
42
|
|
45
|
34
|
Omnia Hegazy - Aziza
|
19
|
|
46
|
44
|
Neko Case - Man
|
15
|
|
47
|
50
|
Waaves - Demon to Lean On
|
18
|
|
48
|
54
|
The Veils - Another Night on Earth
|
5
|
|
49
|
53
|
Florence + the Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name)
|
6
|
|
50
|
45
|
Kurt Vile - Waking on A Pretty Day
|
18
|
|
51
|
38
|
Lana Del Rey - Young and Beautiful
|
17
|
|
52
|
58
|
Passenger - Let Her Go
|
10
|
|
53
|
65
|
Lady Gaga - Applause
|
5
|
|
54
|
73
|
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
|
3
|
|
55
|
49
|
The Neighborhood - Afraid
|
14
|
|
56
|
61
|
OneRepublic - Counting Stars
|
8
|
|
57
|
62
|
Mikal Cronin- Change
|
6
|
|
58
|
92
|
Zedd f. Foxes Clarify
|
3
|
|
59
|
51
|
Sara Bareilles - Brave
|
16
|
|
60
|
88
|
The Avett Brothers - Another Is Waiting
|
3
|
|
61
|
84
|
The Satelliters - Where Do We Go
|
3
|
|
62
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
SMITH WESTERNS
"Varsity"
Album: Soft Will
|
1
|
|
63
|
69
|
The Unlikely Candidates - Follow My Feet
|
9
|
|
64
|
77
|
Dawes - Most People
|
3
|
|
65
|
83
|
The Livesays - Until You Kissed Me Like That
|
3
|
|
66
|
57
|
fun. - Why Am I The One
|
12
|
|
67
|
63
|
Grouplove - Ways to Go
|
13
|
|
68
|
55
|
Daft Punk f. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky
|
22
|
|
69
|
59
|
Smallpools - Dreaming
|
12
|
|
70
|
82
|
Porchistas - Johnny Miner
|
5
|
|
71
|
72
|
Ellie Goulding - Burn
|
8
|
|
72
|
64
|
Alt-J - Breezblocks
|
10
|
|
73
|
93
|
Wig Party - She Figured It Out
|
3
|
|
74
|
74
|
The Mowglis - Great Divide
|
6
|
|
75
|
80
|
The 1975 - Chocolate
|
6
|
|
76
|
52
|
Civil Wars - The One That Got Away
|
11
|
|
77
|
60
|
ZZ Ward - 365 Days
|
14
|
|
78
|
100
|
Avicii - Wake Me Up
|
3
|
|
79
|
79
|
Nonono - Pumpin Blood
|
6
|
|
80
|
98
|
Daft Punk f. Panda Bear - Don It Right
|
3
|
|
81
|
----
|
Emeli Sande - My Kind of Love
|
1
|
|
82
|
71
|
Golden Void - Shady Grove
|
28
|
|
83
|
97
|
Hands - The Game is Changing Us
|
3
|
|
84
|
----
|
Phillip Phillips - Where We Came From
|
1
|
|
85
|
68
|
Swedish House Mafia f. John Martin - Don't You Worry Child
|
19
|
|
86
|
----
|
Brent Dennen - Wild Child
|
1
|
|
87
|
91
|
Vampire Weekend -Unbelievers
|
7
|
|
88
|
94
|
Calvin Harris f. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love
|
11
|
|
89
|
96
|
Acken Road - Busted
|
5
|
|
90
|
66
|
Matchbox Twenty - Our Song
|
19
|
|
91
|
----
|
Taylor Centers - Alibi
|
1
|
|
92
|
56
|
Pearl Jam - Mind Your Manners
|
10
|
|
93
|
----
|
Bonnie McKee - American Girl
|
1
|
|
94
|
81
|
Matthew Koma - Parachute
|
23
|
|
95
|
87
|
Mona - Goons (Baby I Need It All)
|
9
|
|
96
|
----
|
Taylor Swift f. Ed Sheeran - Everything Has Changed
|
1
|
|
97
|
----
|
J Roddy Wilson and the Business - Heavy Bells
|
1
|
|
98
|
----
|
Blue October - Bleed Out
|
1
|
|
99
|
76
|
Anna Kendrick - Cups
|
12
|
|
100
|
95
|
Parade of Light - We're the Kids
|
5
|
TREMORS:
101. Panic! at the Disco, Miss Jackson
102. Jack Johnson, I Got You
103. Saints of Valory, Neon Eyes
104. The Head and the Heart, Shake
105. Fall Out Boy, The Phoenix
106. Coldplay, Atlas
107. Goo Goo Dolls, Come to Me
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