That year there was a huge drought and famine in parts of Africa (Ethiopia in particular), leading to starvation and death. And although there have been many music-related efforts for charity in the past, what happened in 1984 was a big event in the music industry. Bob Geldof of the Irish band Boomtown Rats (of "I Don't Like Mondays" fame), got together with Midge Ure (of Ultravox) and wrote a song about those in Africa who won't have or know about any Christmas because they are struggling just to stay alive. Geldof gathered all the British starts of the day, including Bono of U2, Boy George of Culture Club, Duran Duran, Bananarama, Phil Collins, George Michael and many, many others, to perform this song, with all proceeds going to help with the situation in Ethiopia.
Until then, Christmas singles were pretty much on the wane. Up until the 1970's new singles were a staple of every holiday season, and those released after that (such as Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time", although that has grown in recent years) made little impact on the charts. A massive publicity campaign no doubt helped by MTV, resulted in widespread airplay not just on pop, but also on rock stations (as many of these artists were receiving airplay on album rock stations at that time). The result was an instant hit, making the top 20 in the U.S. and number one in the U.K. It resulted in a similar situation a few months later with "USA For Africa" by American artists, and other charity records, and eventually concerts such as Live Aid, Farm-Aid and many others. It also resulted in more holiday output, not just charity compilations such as the Special Olympics-benefiting "A Very Special Christmas" series, but many artists started to release full albums again as well as standalone singles.
Which brings me to "Live Aid 30". As you may know, one of the stories of 2014 was the outbreak of the Ebola virus in western Africa. Needing to come up with funds to fight this deadly disease, Geldof came up with the idea of remaking the song with new current artists from Ireland and the UK. This is the fourth incarnation of the song by Band-Aid (the others were the fifth anniversary in 1989 and the 20th in 2004)
A bit more in a contemporary groove, it features current teen heartthrobs like One Direction but also some artists familiar to my blog. Bono is back the only artist to appear in both incarnations (aside from Geldof and Ure). Artists like Ellie Goulding (whose "Lights" topped SNS three years ago), Emile Sande, Dan Smith from Bastille, and pop stars Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran (both who had songs on my list). Relative "veterans", such as Chris Martin from Coldplay, Seal, and Sinead O'Connor also appear.
It's a nicely done song and all, and it will go and help an important cause. But redoing "events" like this is not really the same as the first time you heard this. You can't really go back. When you think of Woodstock, for example, you think of half a million strong at Yasgur's farm, not the 1994 and '99 incarnations. Ten years from now, will "Band Aid 30" say in your head like the original has done thirty years later? It would be nice to try something new and innovative next time the situation arises. For example, I completely forgot about the 1989 and 2004 incarnations.
In spite of this, it's a nicely-done version and I have added this version to my holiday playlist since it does go to help a grave situation overseas, and it's different enough from the original to merit an add. After all, I have countless versions of other classic Christmas tunes. No doubt this will hit my main portion of my list next week.
LOVE IS STILL LIKE: Foxygen holds at #1 for a second week with "How Can You Really", a song that has been going thru my head like gangbusters all week. The song has a Todd Rundgren feel; even the lead singer in the video looks like Rundgren did in the 1970's. In a recent interview that coincided with the release of their third effort "And Star Power", member Jonathan Rado indicated that the road the band faced has been a rocky one. Trial and error, both in the studio and on the road played a factor. What I love about this band (and all three albums have included top five SNS singles like "Make It Known" and "San Francisco") is that they can reinvent themselves while still incorporating what rock music is all about. It has the neo-psychedelia vibe from the 1960's and early 70's that is right down my alley. And unlike bands like, say, The Raveonettes and Fitz & the Tantrums, they haven't yet refined their sound in order to sound relevant in this day and age. They of course may have to do that eventually, but for now, let's enjoy them. Rado also mentions fellow artists Mac Demarco and Ty Segall, two other artists featured in my blog with top 10 SNS songs as fellow artists worthy of a look.
If rock music is to become a viable popular genre once again, if will be up to artists like these to get it jump-started once more.
Elsewhere on my list, "Take Me To Church" by Hozier slides back into the #2 position, where it also sits on the Billboard Hot 100 (behind Taylor Swift's "Blank Space"). Which (if either) will get to the top first? Up to #3 is Fitz & the Tantrums' "Fool's Gold"; it's the fifth track from their More Than Just A Dream set to reach the top 3 as "6 AM" still sits at #9. "Fool's Gold" is the third official single after "Out of My League" and "The Walker". Both those songs hit #1 on the Alternative chart; however it looks like this one will fall short: It peaked at #13 on that chart two weeks ago. The two new top 20 entries are Foster the People's "Are You Want You Want to Me" and the ever-popular "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift which can now add my blog list to her "accomplishments".
LUCIUS BE A LADY: The top debut this week goes to "Hey Doreen" by Brooklyn indie-pop outfit Lucius. It's the follow-up to "Turn It Around" which peaked at #11 on my list and just recently fell off after a 38 week run. Both songs are from the band's 2013 album Wildewomen, the band's second. The sound of "Doreen" is a bit different from "Turn It Around"; it's almost haunting at times but catchy and soulful as well. The band consists of two female lead singers and three males. Unlike, say the Vivian Girls, it is more of a contemporary indie pop sound rather than retro and it's something you need to play over and over again. This will be their second top 20 SNS hit in no time.
PUSH PUSH: Debuting next is "The Only Way Out" by veteran post-grunge British band Bush. This comes from the band's second album since their reformation; the recently-released Man on the Run. Their last effort, 2011's The Sea of Memories yielded three top 20 SNS hits, including the #2 "Afterlife" and the #1 Billboard alt-rock hit "The Sound of Winter". The band, led by Gavin Rossdale (the husband of pop star and current "The Voice" coach Gwen Stefani) had toured extensively for two years in support of the last effort. The new album was written almost entirely by Rossdale with touring in mind. As for the single itself, it's a bit subdued to previous efforts, if only by comparison. Rossdale's vocals are slightly understated as is the entire song. While it's not a big standout nor one of their best efforts, it's great to see a familiar band from alt-rock's "golden age" release new material. The song comes in at #72.
IT WILL BE LONG: Next (not counting the two Christmas songs that were on the up-and-coming Tremors list) is the Imagine Dragons' new single "I Bet My Life". They are best known for "Radioactive", which had a 49 week run on SNS (then a record; it was subsequently passed by "Keep You" by Wild Belle and "Out of My League" by Fitz & the Tantrums), despite peaking only at $42. Better yet, the song had an 87-week run on Billboard's Hot 100. It was released in 2012, reached the top 10 and didn't drop off the chart until May of this year! The band had some other mid charters on SNS after that. The new one is the lead single off of their new album Smoke + Mirrors, due in early 2015. Lorde debuts after that with "Yellow Flicker Beat" from the soundtrack to the latest Hunger Games movie "Mockingjay Part 1".
WE'RE OFF TO SEE: Counting the Band Aid 30 song at #101, there are ten "holiday" songs on the countdown, led off by "Joel the Lump of Coal" by The Killers, and Kelly Clarkson's "Wrapped In Red" at #34 and #38 respectively. With just one more blog left, this may be the first time a holiday song fails to reach the top 20. Will one of them do it next week? Stay tuned. Meanwhile, the one new entry in that genre is at #89 called "Gales of December" by The Wizards of Winter. Although the name is similar to SNS faves The Hounds of Winter (and there is a connection which I will get to shortly), it may seem that this band takes its name from a song called "The Wizards in Winter" by holiday outfit Trans-Siberian Orchestra; this track echoes this band as well as a hint of a throwback to prog-rock bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
The album, self-titled and released last month was produced by Tom Corea at his East Hanover studio (I believe that's the connection). Corea is, of course, no stranger to SNS and holiday music; he recorded numerous holiday albums with his studio outfit The Hounds of Winter as well as his band Bad Attitude. However, the Wizards are different. I mentioned the Trans-Siberian Orchestra similarities; that's no accident as four of the members of the Wizards were once part of TSO. Their website (which you can access here) explains that they are not a "tribute" band, but a performing outfit of new material; they have been around since 2010. If you like the TSO especially this time of year, I suggest you check out the Wizards.
NEAR THE END: There will be one more regular blog coming out early next week, at which time I take a vacation break until January. If you're a Facebook friend, you will know that I am counting down my top 100 holiday songs; I will also publish my annual top 100 songs of the year shortly after that. Given my issues in blogging this year, the list should be rather interesting. As of now, I only plan on posting some songs on my timeline; however I do plan on counting them down on my special "Scenes 'n'Soundwaves" Facebook page. If you want to know what I was listening to this past year, please "like" my page.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
December 14, 2014
.
.
.
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
1
|
1
|
NUMBER ONE:
FOXYGEN
"How Can You Really/"
Album: ...And Star Power
(2 weeks at #1)
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
Hozier - Take Me To Church
|
17
|
3
|
4
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Fools Gold
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
Vivian Girls - Take It As It Comes
|
15
|
5
|
5
|
The Big Takeover - Children of the Rhythm
|
9
|
6
|
8
|
Meghan Trainor - All About that Bass
|
6
|
7
|
6
|
The Black Keys - Turn Blue
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
White Fence - Like That
|
7
|
9
|
7
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - 6AM
|
15
|
10
|
11
|
The Fresh & Onlys - Animal of One
|
13
|
11
|
12
|
Strand of Oaks - Goshen '97
|
11
|
12
|
17
|
Ty Segall - Tall Man Skinny Lady
|
4
|
13
|
10
|
SomeKindaWonderful - Reverse
|
21
|
14
|
16
|
St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Call Me
|
5
|
15
|
13
|
Jessica Lea Mayfield - I Wanna Love You
|
13
|
16
|
15
|
Alabama Shakes - Heartbreaker
|
7
|
17
|
19
|
Yast - Heart of Steel
|
4
|
18
|
31
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
FOSTER THE PEOPLE
"Are You What You Want To Me"
Album: Supermodel
|
3
|
19
|
20
|
Interpol - All the Rage Back Home
|
5
|
20
|
25
|
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
|
4
|
.
21
|
30
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
CAGE THE ELEPHANT
"Cigarette Daydreams"
Album: Melophobia
|
3
|
22
|
18
|
The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt
|
9
|
23
|
14
|
Brick + Mortar - Locked In A Cage
|
34
|
24
|
23
|
The Satelliters - I Said Yeah Yeah Yeah
|
7
|
25
|
22
|
Phantogram - Black Out Days
|
9
|
26
|
21
|
Sam Roberts Band - Shapesifters
|
11
|
27
|
24
|
Train - Angel In Blue Jeans
|
9
|
28
|
32
|
SomeKindaWonderful - California Love
|
3
|
29
|
29
|
Grouplove - I'm With You
|
7
|
30
|
40
|
The Killers - Joel the Lump of Coal
|
3
|
31
|
27
|
Dum Dum Girls - Rimbaud Eyes
|
11
|
32
|
39
|
Foo Fighters - Something From Nothing
|
3
|
33
|
26
|
The Hounds of Winter - Amy's World
|
25
|
34
|
68
|
Kelly Clarkson - Wrapped in Red
|
2
|
35
|
55
|
The Black Keys - Gotta Get Away
|
2
|
36
|
38
|
You+Me - You and Me
|
4
|
37
|
44
|
Colony House - Silhouettes
|
5
|
38
|
36
|
The Decemberists - Make You Better
|
5
|
39
|
35
|
The Drums - Magic Mountain
|
7
|
40
|
74
|
Cold War Kids - All This Could Be Yours
|
2
|
41
|
54
|
Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine
|
14
|
42
|
59
|
Pentatonix - Mary Did You Know
|
4
|
43
|
28
|
Foster the People - Best Friend
|
19
|
44
|
43
|
The Eeries - Cool Kid
|
7
|
45
|
45
|
Alt J - Left Hand Free
|
6
|
46
|
51
|
A Day to Remember - End of Me
|
4
|
47
|
37
|
Meg Myers - Desire
|
13
|
48
|
33
|
Avi Buffalo - So What
|
15
|
49
|
34
|
The Orwells - Who Needs You
|
19
|
50
|
63
|
Idina Menzel - Let It Go
|
21
|
51
|
64
|
Lykke Li - I Never Learn
|
3
|
52
|
72
|
Idina Menzel (duet with Michale Buble) - Baby It's Cold Outside
|
3
|
53
|
42
|
Afghan Whigs - Algiers
|
27
|
54
|
61
|
Valerie June - You Can't Be Told
|
22
|
55
|
79
|
The Orwells - The Righteous One
|
2
|
56
|
41
|
Damien Jurado - Silver Timothy
|
25
|
57
|
49
|
MS MR - No Trace
|
7
|
58
|
60
|
Jungle - Time
|
13
|
59
|
67
|
Lana Del Rey - Shades of Cool
|
3
|
60
|
48
|
MS MR - Think of You
|
25
|
61
|
73
|
Broken Bells - After the Disco
|
3
|
62
|
47
|
Rachel Allyn - Restless Times Call for Reckless Measures
|
15
|
63
|
70
|
Royal Bangs - Better Run
|
11
|
64
|
83
|
Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me
|
3
|
65
|
69
|
Kongos - Come With Me Now
|
34
|
66
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
LUCIUS
"Hey, Doreen"
Album: Wildewomen
|
1
|
67
|
50
|
The Kooks - Around Town
|
11
|
68
|
86
|
Maroon 5 - Animals
|
2
|
69
|
82
|
Guster - Simple Machine
|
2
|
70
|
53
|
The Black Keys - Fever
|
25
|
71
|
78
|
Anna Calvi - Suddenly
|
3
|
72
|
----
|
Bush - The Only Way Out
|
1
|
73
|
71
|
Kings of Leon - Family Tree
|
5
|
74
|
----
|
Meghan Trainor - I'll Be Home
|
1
|
75
|
46
|
Tacocat - Bridge to Hawaii
|
17
|
76
|
66
|
Milky Chance - Stolen Dance
|
13
|
77
|
77
|
The Griswolds - Beware the Dog
|
7
|
78
|
----
|
Pentatonix - That's Christmas To Me
|
1
|
79
|
85
|
American Authors - Believer
|
4
|
80
|
88
|
Bear Hands - Agora
|
6
|
81
|
65
|
The Shins - So Now What
|
11
|
82
|
87
|
Knox Hamilton - Work It Out
|
4
|
83
|
----
|
Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life
|
1
|
84
|
56
|
Lorde - Glory and Gore
|
17
|
85
|
81
|
J. Roddy Walston and the Business - Marigold
|
5
|
86
|
----
|
Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat
|
1
|
87
|
90
|
OneRepublic - Love Runs Out
|
4
|
88
|
94
|
Jack White - Would You Fight For My Love?
|
2
|
89
|
----
|
Wizards of Winter - Gales of December
|
1
|
90
|
75
|
Horse Thief - Devil
|
11
|
91
|
93
|
Airborne Toxic Event - Wrong
|
3
|
92
|
52
|
Maroon 5 - Maps
|
15
|
93
|
80
|
Bastille - Flaws
|
6
|
94
|
57
|
Weezer - Back to the Shack
|
6
|
95
|
58
|
Terraplane Sun - You Never Know
|
23
|
96
|
62
|
Jenny Lewis - Just One of the Guys
|
13
|
97
|
89
|
Benjaman Booker - Valent Shiver
|
6
|
98
|
97
|
My Brightest Diamond - Pressure
|
5
|
99
|
98
|
Digitalism f. Youngblood Hawke - Wolves
|
5
|
100
|
100
|
Lily Allen - Air Balloon
|
2
|
..
Tremors:
101. Band Aid 30, Do They Know It's Christmas (2014)
102. Shakey Graves, Dearly Departed
103. Stater-Kinney, Bury Our Friends
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