Full Transcript for Every Day

--> 00:03:54.319 That's good. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:55.840 God, this is this feels good. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:57.680 I know what it's like to have power. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:58.159 Yeah. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:03:59.280 But you didn't pick it. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.400 But honestly, I don't think there's a lot of songs with all seven days mentioned. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:05.520 I think there's a few. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:05.919 Okay. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.159 So The Cure has Friday, I'm in love. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:08.719 Okay. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:11.120 That's a good one, in my opinion. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:19.839 It's funny because it's very poppy and it feels a little bit like almost Twee for the cure, who's a little dark, dark wave, you know. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:21.120 But that's a good one. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:22.800 And then there's the Beatles song. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:27.279 Lady Madonna is the Beatles song that says six of the seven days, which wouldn't count. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:36.720 But the thing that I realized when I was listening to that song today, I just realized that the same like melody and pacing is used in Sublime's what I got. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:39.439 We were just talking about Sublime with your hometown sound. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:40.079 Yeah, yeah. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:41.040 Did you pick up on that? 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.040 No, I definitely not. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:44.319 Okay, go check it out. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.000 Actually, I should link to both of those. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:48.560 So let me uh remind myself. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.480 I love it when that happens. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:54.399 And then there's a very stupid song called Seven Days by Craig David. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:55.120 Do you know this one? 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:56.319 I don't know who that is. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:59.680 He is a I think British singer. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:01.839 This came out probably in the early 2000s. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:05.040 And he's basically going, I met this girl on Monday. 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.680 I took her for a drink on Tuesday. 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:11.759 And then he talks about how they had sex every other day of the week except Sunday. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:13.600 That's a fun one. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:15.680 You move fast, dude. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:17.279 You move fast. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:18.079 Anyway. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:31.600 But yeah, I I was wondering because I obviously had a song in mind when I picked this because I was listening to my song pick when I thought of the theme. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:34.800 And this song, in my opinion, is a jam. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:35.680 It is. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:41.040 And yet, it still covers every day of the week, and they say them so many times. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.519 It's kind of ridiculous how many times they say it. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:44.399 It's a lot of

fun. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:45.360 It is so fun. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:52.959 So let's take a quick listen to Saturday Love by Alexander O'Neill and Sherelle from the 1985 album High Priority. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:20.000 You will notice I didn't play any part of the epic opening where Sherelle and Alexander O'Neill see each other at the club. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:27.199 Because the opening of this song is one minute and 55 seconds of like just a skit, essentially. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.720 It takes a while to get into. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:31.759 It's just talking and yeah, it's an act. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:33.519 So talk about say less, right? 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:34.720 Yeah, exactly. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:35.920 Nice call back. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:37.199 Thank you. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.279 But do I remember correctly? 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:41.519 Did you think I was crazy for picking this song? 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:42.720 Not crazy. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:48.399 Just like it was it was funny that you picked it because I knew this song growing up. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:52.720 Like this would be a song on the radio that my brother and I would sing along to. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:07:03.519 It wasn't necessarily a song I love, but it was a fun one of those fun songs that you hear on the radio and it's like not go get the tape recorder, let's let's record this, but like let's be silly to it. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:04.079 Uh-huh. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:14.560 Oh, I can totally, even though this song came out in 85, I could have seen myself like grooving along to this at the grocery store, you know, when it when I was a little kid. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:19.040 And I don't even know how I discovered this song, which is to think about. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.560 But it's kind of a deep cut for someone of your age. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:28.560 Yeah, it seems like something you might have heard at the club back in that time frame, right? 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:29.519 Yep, for sure. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:30.959 Which I was not there. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:31.199 Yeah. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:32.879 And I'm guessing you weren't there either. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:33.759 Not at that time. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:34.800 Not at 85. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:35.040 Yeah. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:35.680 No. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:43.120 But I will have you know when I was prepping for our episode and playing this song, Andrew heard it and goes, I love that song. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:47.839 And I don't know if he was kidding or not, but I do love this song. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:54.480 So I will recommend for our listeners, if you go seek out the song, just go ahead and listen to the radio edit. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:54.879 Yeah. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:08:02.639 Listen to the the full song in its entirety once, just because it is like almost seven minutes long. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:08.160 And I'm telling you, almost two minutes of that is them playing this little, oh, who is that? 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:08.560 Mr. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:09.199 O'Neal. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.720 There's a lady asking for you, but is it's still a jam. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:25.360 So let me tell you a little bit about these musicians, or at least Sherelle, who was born Cheryl Ann Norton, and changed her name to Sherelle after a manager yelled, Cheryl, you're late again. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.480 I don't know if that's true or not, but I like that. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:30.079 No, I didn't make it up. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:32.080 I saw it on her Wikipedia page. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:44.559 But yes, her debut album was released in 1984 under the production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who we recently spoke about in our explicit episode, as they also produced many of Janet Jackson's number one hits. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:53.600 And while Saturday Love didn't make it to number one, it did reach number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the US RB chart. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:55.360 The song's not deep. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:09:09.600 I mean, it's you're hearing the the days of the week over and over, but it's basically talking about some ex-lovers seeing each other at the club and recounting how they met on Drumroll Please, a Saturday. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:11.759 I love it. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.759 It's so simple and obvious. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.759 And I mean, sometimes pop songs just are, which is really fun. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:23.840 But one thing I do like is they mention another song that names all the days of the week. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:25.279 And I'm curious if you caught it. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:26.960 Let me play it real quick. 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:28.000 Let's sing it. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:54.000 Alright, so they say, and this is one of my favorite parts, which we've just played, when they say never on a Sunday. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:54.559 No. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:58.240 I mean, it's now it's familiar, but just tell me. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:58.799 Okay. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:00.799 That I did not catch it. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:01.360 Okay. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:08.720 And and I'm curious if you know, well, that to me it stood out because I was like, hmm, that sounds like something I've heard before. 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:15.679 Not only is it a song from 1950 by the Cordettes, which of course I'm going to link to. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:15.919 Yeah. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:17.360 But it's also a movie. 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:20.000 But the movie's actually called Never on Sunday. 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:20.480 Oh. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:29.120 And apparently it's a Greek rom-com about a free-spirited sex worker named Ilya and her American love interest, Homer. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:30.159 That sounds like fun. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.279 It does sound fun. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:33.039 I think I would love to watch that

actually. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.039 Wait, what year did that come out? 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:36.159 1960. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:36.960 Oh wow. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.279 Okay. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:41.519 I have a feeling it might not be um very politically correct. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:42.559 Probably not. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.399 And maybe not even that interesting. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:51.039 Yeah, because when I read it a little bit about this movie, it was like talking about how, oh Homer, he meets this. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:55.440 They quote, and this is not my, I use the word sex worker. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:56.080 Yeah. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:00.639 They call the, I guess it's a character trope, uh, the happy hooker. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.120 Oh. 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:02.720 Which is kind of messed up. 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:03.279 Yep. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:09.679 Anyway, but who knew you could have another day of the week Easter egg in a day of the week song? 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.840 And that quorette song is pretty goofy. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:23.519 Do you did you ever see the uh SNL sketch where it's like the sisters who are singing like on the Bob Hope show, and then they've got Kristen Weed with the weird little hands. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:24.399 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:27.679 It kind of reminded me of that type of, you know, okay, okay. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.799 You know, that kind of thing. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:44.559 Anyway, well, back to my my song, since I'm going off on a tangent, since I haven't said much or anything really about Alexander O'Neill, I'd love to give a little bit uh of excellent music trivia about him. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:46.399 So after Mr. 00:11:46.480 --> 00:12:01.600 O'Neill moved to Minneapolis at age 20, he started a few bands, most notably Flight Time, and that's spelled with a Y in Flight and Time, which included Monty Moir, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.159 Okay, a couple of very famous friends. 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:04.720 Uh-huh. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:14.960 And then based on his success with Flight Time, he met with none other than Prince to discuss starting a band called You Guessed It. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.279 Oh. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.159 The Time. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:17.039 That's amazing. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:18.080 Isn't it crazy? 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:19.200 Yeah, it is kind of crazy. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.559 Guess what's crazier? 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:21.679 What Mr. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:28.480 O'Neill had a disagreement with the purple one and was reprince? 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:29.840 The Prince. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:35.360 Because he got into an argument with him and I think was being a little bit too egotistical. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.960 He was replaced as lead singer by Morris Day. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:40.240 Wow. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:45.279 Can you imagine

how differently his life would have been if he would have been the lead singer of the time? 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:47.440 Oh, that's that's a fun bit of trivia there. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.200 It is a little fun, fun fact. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:50.960 But I also love Morris Day. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.519 So I mean, I'm really glad he's in the time. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:54.159 Yeah. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:55.840 You've seen Purple Rain. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:56.720 Yes, of course. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:57.120 Okay. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.879 And and I love the time. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:12:59.519 Oh, yeah. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:03.679 So the first time I saw Purple Rain was in the movie theater. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:04.080 Uh-huh. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:08.080 I was like in my 20s, but I was so happy and excited. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.600 Like, because I had never seen it before. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.440 I was like standing up and cheering. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:12.320 Oh, wow. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:13.039 I loved it. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:13.919 It was incredible. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:18.159 Anyway, speaking of Morris Day, and we're talking about days. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.279 Do you see? 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:19.919 Does that work? 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.080 Yeah. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:20.879 Can I get away with that? 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:22.240 Yeah, you yeah, you got that one. 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:22.639 Okay. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.399 That'll be my ending note. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.320 So I appreciate you joining me on my wacky journey, Christine. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:31.440 And I can't wait to hear about your days of the week jam. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.120 Okay, well, thank you for that. 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:35.360 That was kind of a blast from the past for me. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:38.720 So I enjoyed re-listening to that a few times. 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:42.080 When you proposed this, Eight Days of the Week was the one that came to my mind. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:44.240 I couldn't think of other ones right off the top. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:46.399 I did think of a lot of Monday songs. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:46.960 Yes. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:50.240 Monday, Monday, Manic Monday. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.120 Oh, that's a good one. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:51.919 The song you picked. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:52.720 Blue Monday. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:54.159 Yeah, Blue Monday, of course. 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:55.519 I don't like Mondays. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.480 The one you just talked about. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:57.600 Oh, yeah, that's right. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:58.320 OMG. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.120 So I'm like, oh, this is gonna be a hard one for me. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.960 Like, I really thought this would take the entire week for me to figure out. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.960 But then, like, all of a sudden, I felt the song. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:10.159

It just came to me. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:10.879 Oh, yeah. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:27.279 It's such a great feeling when like you have it's almost like a loop, and it's not exactly the lyrics that you want that you need to be confirmed, but you kind of like you you hear it in your mind, and then you you like try to play it out, and then you like it's it's a Eureka moment. 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:28.960 Oh I love that moment. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:34.720 And I kind of think I I pretty quickly, like maybe an hour later, sent it to you after you proposed it. 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:35.200 Nice. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.320 So yeah, I just I let go and and I got it. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:45.759 And no days of the week are in the title, but in a way, they are really the heart of the clashes police on my back. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:15.679 I was very proud when I shared this with you. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.120 Were you impressed? 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.480 I was super impressed. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.159 Were you thinking of that one? 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:20.879 I wasn't. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.799 And when you said it, I was like, oh shit, that's a really good one. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:25.360 Yeah. 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:31.360 Like, and I love this song, I love the clash, but I was like, holy crap, because I didn't even think of that one. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:33.919 I think I was like laser focused on my pick. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:35.679 But then I was trying to think of some of the other ones. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.080 Uh-huh. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:44.000 And speaking of your Eureka moment, I was trying to have that with a Beatles song, thinking it was a days of the week song, but it was actually just them counting. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:46.000 And I'm like, that's stupid. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.559 Anyway. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:48.240 Well, do you remember what the song was? 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.080 No, give me a minute and I'll think of it. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.200 Sure, sure, sure. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:55.360 But anyway, I had been listening to a lot of Clash when you pitched the theme. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:16:02.879 It was the one song episode on London Calling with Fred Armison that really reignited this flame I had for the clash. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.480 Did you listen to that episode? 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:05.360 It was last year. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:06.960 No, I haven't listened to it. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:09.120 I actually haven't listened to enough one sound. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:09.759 Oh, okay. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:11.759 Yeah, I'll send this one to you. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.720 I mean, it's it's actually it's it's linked in our show notes. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:16.720 Wait, did I say one sound? 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.240 I think you said one song. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:19.120 Okay, sorry. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:25.039 But I was so excited when I learned that Fred's favorite clash song was the same as mine, Train in Vain. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:30.639 Do you have a favorite clash song or or two that you wanna let me know? 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:32.799 I love Straight to Hell. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:33.679 Oh, yeah, yeah. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:41.679 Even though it's so sad, like it's such that's one I think we talked about with chills when like maybe, but I that's one of my favorites. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.639 And then oh wait, Lost in the Supermarket, is that embarrassing? 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.000 I love that one. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:46.639 That's fun. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.799 Okay, yeah, no, I think that's a good one. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:50.720 They're a good band. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:51.679 Yeah, good. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:54.559 I kind of forgot about how big a fan I was. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:59.279 I was not like obviously when the band was together, I was a little too young for that. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:08.960 Although in 1982, when Combat Rock came out, like Rock the Caspa was on the radio a lot, and that's kind of when I was like having my musical awakening. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:15.920 They were one of the few somewhat contemporary bands in high school to break the Bob Dylan barrier. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.559 Oh wow. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:27.599 Yeah, I think it was that social, like socially conscious, like they were writing about problems and justice, and they were really fun too. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:33.519 It was it was it was punk, but it was like I it was very like pleasant to listen to. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:43.759 It was enjoyable, it was almost like sometimes a little rockabilly, sometimes just like poppy punk, which I I hope I'm not being offensive by saying that. 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.200 But it's like palatable punk. 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:46.720 Palatable punk. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:48.559 That's that's a better word for it. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.240 Um but plot twist here, once again. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:56.400 We're not going to focus too much on the Clashes version today. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:57.599 Interesting. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:02.319 Even though that's the one we are going to be playing, and it is my favorite version. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:11.839 I want to talk a little bit about the writer of the song, Eddie Grant, who released it 13 years earlier in 1967 with his band, The Equals. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.039 And yes, we're talking about the Eddie Grant. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:16.640 Do you know who this is, Christina? 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:17.680 I don't think so. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.240 Should I? 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:18.799 Ah. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:19.599 Oh, good. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:21.039 No, this is wonderful. 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:26.160 So I knew Eddie Grant because of his early 80s hits like Electric Avenue. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:26.960 Do you know that one? 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:27.920 I

definitely know that one. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.559 Okay, good, good. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:30.400 And I don't want to dance. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.079 Maybe. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.359 You you probably know it. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.000 I bet. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.119 And I won't sing it. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:43.119 Then in 1984, he did the track for a fun little Michael Douglas Kathleen Turner movie called Romancing the Stone. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.720 That one's not. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:45.279 Yeah, no. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:45.440 Okay. 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.559 But I didn't know about the equals. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.880 And and I'm guessing you also did not know. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.160 I don't think so. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:55.839 So that's not part of like who did Electric Avenue? 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:01.839 No, the the Equals were a band that he formed in London in 1965. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:05.680 His later work was a part of his solo career, basically. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.440 He he left the band um because of some health issues. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:18.640 But anyway, so so the equals they did form in 65 in London, and they were known as the first interracial rock group in the UK. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.279 Wow. 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.960 And this is like a year before Sly and the Family Stone formed in the US. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:24.480 So it is pretty remarkable. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:25.680 Yeah, I'd say so. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:30.960 And Eddie Grant moved from Guyana to London at 12. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:35.039 He formed the Equals at around 16 with some school friends. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:40.160 Their biggest hit at the time was Baby Come Back in 1968. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:47.759 And you might be more familiar with the Pato Bonton cover from 1994 featuring a couple UB40 members, maybe. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:48.640 I don't know. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.079 I will link that one too, and I I bet you've heard it. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.480 Yeah. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:20:06.079 Now, y'all know we we love a scholarly article on stereothematica, and I was so happy when I found one about today's pick titled Police on My Back and the Post-colonial Experience. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:06.640 Nice. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.079 I'm giving fingershots. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:08.720 Oh yeah. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:09.279 Yes. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:23.119 So the writer John Stratton talks about how the song evolved from Grant's original version about a Jamaican Rude Boy fleeing the police to an anthem about racialized policing, migration, and colonialism. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:28.079 Now I'm not gonna go into all that, but I will link the article for further learning. 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:34.079 But real quick, Rude Boy, I feel like you've talked about this before, have you? 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.200 I don't know if I've talked about Rudeboys in particular. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:40.559 I'm familiar with the term and ska. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:41.440 Yeah. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:51.839 No, it's sc was really more of like a cultural movement that started in Kingston, Jamaica after um independence from the UK in the early 60s. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:55.519 It's a political expression of working class defiance. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:04.400 But these young men and women wore these like sharp tailored suits and pork pie hats, and were getting into ska and reggae at the time. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:13.039 And the Stratton piece does get into a bit more detail, but I'll link to actually a couple of articles that talk about the Rudies. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:19.359 And like if you listen to any ska, like every band's got a song referring to a Rudy. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.400 I think even the Clash does. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:22.480 I was gonna say Rudy Can't Fail is another one. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.039 Exactly. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:23.359 Absolutely. 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:38.480 So in the article, Stratton spans about 40 years of covers and recognizing that there are several out there, he focuses on the original and four others, including, of course, the clash's 1980 cover. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:40.799 So we are talking about it somewhat. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:51.920 He also talks about the Spanish band, Amparanoia's La Semana from 1997, which was really exciting for me to learn about because I love Amparo Sanchez's solo work. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:56.640 And I hadn't realized how political she was and how like influenced by the clash she was. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:58.720 And of course, La Semana, the week. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:00.480 So Yeah. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:06.400 And then in 2003, there was a cover from Zebda and Asian Dub Foundation. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:14.960 Both groups were products of post-colonial Britain and France, and were actually using like real police sirens in their song. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:24.799 And then finally in 2007, there's Lethal Bizzle's cover, which is more of a hip-hop reimagining, where he samples the Clashes version. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:35.440 And in Lethal's telling, the protagonist has actually committed a crime, car theft, but as a result of unemployment and economic marginalization. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:39.920 So in the Clash's version, you got Mick Jones's guitar. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:45.119 It's like this police siren sound, and it's a part of this emotional chaos of the song. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:51.599 And then his vocals make the narrator sound confused and frightened, especially when he sings, What Have I Done? 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:29.359 Interestingly, in the Zebda version, they changed the lyrics from what have I done to what have you done, eliminating any sort of ambiguity. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.400 And the accusation is kind of directed back at the cops. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:32.960 Nice. 00:23:33.200

--> 00:23:45.839 So to get back to the quotidian of it all, the singing of each day of the week, while pretty catchy, especially in the clash version, and well, all the versions, it's it's kind of a fun, fun hook. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:55.839 It's really about that relentless pursuit and fear and all the trauma that comes along with being a black person in a systemically racist society. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.599 Like there's no escape. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:59.039 It's just every day. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:06.559 And when you think of a socially conscious activist punk band like The Clash singing about that in 1980, that's one thing. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:19.200 But when you go back to the origins with the equal singing about the daily plight in a very poppy and accessible way, it actually feels even more subversive than the more recent and overtly political versions. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:27.680 And when the equal song came out in 1967, the clashes, Nick Jones and Joe Strummer, were around 12 and 15. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:38.240 And it's kind of fun to imagine how that song may have made an impression on them and like just got them thinking about what they want to do with their lives. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:38.799 Yeah. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:46.880 In the article, Stratton quotes Tony Fletcher's book, The Clash Music That Matters, which is about every clash song ever written. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:47.440 Wow. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:53.519 And in this, he quotes that the band loved the equal song and that it was a tour bus favorite. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:57.279 And they often played it to ease into their own recording sessions. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.240 I love that. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:01.119 And more importantly, Eddie Grant approved of it. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:08.079 In a pop essentials interview in 2018, he said it was one of his favorite covers of the song. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.960 Wow, cool. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:09.599 Yeah. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:14.000 And I realize I did not talk much about the clash today. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:17.680 There's so much to say about them. 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:25.200 And I feel like since we both love them so much, maybe that's a special episode at one point. 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:30.160 But all I could say for our listeners, just go listen to their music. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:38.960 This this songs on their fourth studio album, Sandinista, and another stellar, though not perfect album to listen to is London Calling. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:39.440 Yeah. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:43.039 I'm not really into their um reggae stuff. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.200 I I have a feeling you probably like it more. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.240 I have to like think about that before I answer. 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:51.200 So let me let me revisit and then I'll let you know. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:58.960 Yeah, those are the ones that I like kind of skip over, but with the record, I do have London Calling on vinyl, and it's it's harder to skip. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.960 So you kind of just have to win endure. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:12.799 Um, but there's also a lot more to say about Eddie Grant, and I'll link to a podcast interview where he talks about the origins of the equals and his brushes with death. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:22.160 He was in a car crash with the band in like 1969, and that almost killed him. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:22.720 Oh no. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:29.440 His band members were mostly unscathed, and then like a couple years later, he had a heart attack. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:31.200 Totally healthy guy. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:41.440 Like I vegetarian, non-smoker, non-drinker, and and that kind of was the thing that made him stop touring with the band, go solo. 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:55.119 And eventually in the 80s, he broke out, broke out in the US specifically with Electric Avenue, which actually I think hit number two with the hot 100 in 1983. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:09.200 But final fun fact Trump used Grant's biggest US hit, Electric Avenue, in a 2020 campaign video where a Trump train outruns a Biden hand cart. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:22.319 Of course, the fools didn't get permission to use the song, and Grant, appalled for so many reasons, sued the campaign for 300,000, which is very reasonable. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:22.720 Yeah. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:26.240 And after four years, they eventually settled out of court. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:30.319 So I guess you could say Eddie fought the law and he won. 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:34.640 Or rather, Trump ignored it again and again and lost. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.680 Well, yeah. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:38.000 I like that final fun fact. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:39.440 Yes, I know. 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:40.480 So stupid. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:41.519 Anyway. 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:51.039 Also like the yin and yang of our songs, where mine is like lol seven days, and yours is like uh post-colonialism and racism. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:56.720 It's like goes to show we can cover a lot of ground with our selections. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:58.400 No, that it's it's true. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:09.359 And honestly, getting into it, I mean, obviously it's the clash, so I knew it was political, but I didn't expect this little twist of going back to the equals. 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:12.640 So um, so that kind of opened it up a little bit more for me. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:13.440 Unexpectedly. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:19.119 I'm not gonna lie, I did forget to share one other cool thing, which was my song, Saturday. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:23.599 Yeah, Saturday Love, sorry, has been sampled over a hundred times. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:24.480 Oh, really? 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:26.799 Even by my buddy Charlie XCX. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:28.319 So I'm gonna go. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.839 Yeah, you gotta link to that one. 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:33.279 I'll link to that because that's gonna be a really cool thing to check out. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:36.720 No, I I love finding all the samples and listening to those. 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:39.759 I love how it's on who's sampled, they make it so easy. 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:44.400 Yeah, like they go to directly to the part and then they have a comparison video. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.519 It's just it's perfect. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.960 Yes, I love it. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:48.000 Well, thank you. 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:49.680 That was thank you, Christine. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:51.920 I really uh appreciate you indulging me. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:56.559 And since we're winding down, do you mind if I just give a little bit of unsolicited advice? 00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.839 I'm ready for it. 00:28:58.160 --> 00:28:59.440 Have a hot dog. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:01.440 Summer's almost over. 00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:04.319 Well, hot dogs can certainly be consumed year-round. 00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:12.400 There's something magical about holding a scrumptious frankfurter in one hand and an ice cold beverage in the other while you're standing by a body of water. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.519 Um, what? 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:15.680 Wait, aren't you vegetarian? 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:17.680 Indeed, I am, Christine. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.119 Indeed I am. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:23.920 And the veggie dogs these days are far superior to the tofu dogs of yesterday. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:31.119 You can find all kinds of delicious vegan francs at the grocery store, at IKEA, and even at Dodger Stadium. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:36.720 I am a fair weather fan of the Astros, but I'm a veggie Dodger Dog devotee. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:42.160 Oh man, I can't believe I'm still learning things about you, things that disgust me. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.039 Sorry. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:44.160 Fear not. 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:47.119 There's nothing disgusting about a veggie hot dog. 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:53.759 There is something disgusting about denying yourself tubular meat squish between bread and absolutely smothered and mustard, though. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.200 Advice over. 00:29:55.920 --> 00:30:00.480 Christine, what will you be delighting us with for our next episode? 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.880 I think it's gonna be a surprise. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:06.079 Thank you for listening to Stereothematica. 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:10.240 If you like what you're hearing, please consider a review, a rating, or sharing with a friend. 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:15.200 And follow us on Instagram at Stereothematica, where you can share your favorite days of the week song. 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:18.960 We've also got our infinite Spotify playlist linked in our show notes. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:22.880 And visit stereothematica.com for more fun.