Last Song Syndrome: Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson - "Candy" (1991)

from the player of Renzie Baluyut

I remembered first hearing "Candy" over the radio back in my second year of college. Punk god Iggy Pop finally had a Top 40 hit- which actually sounded alright. But what made it better was that he had a B-52 singing along with him: Kate Pierson.

The B-52's were the trademark party band of the 1980's, with Kate being one of the lead singers, alongside Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson. So having heard a more sensitive side of Kate Pierson on this particular collaboration was a serendipitous treat.

The song wasn't commercially available in the Philippines, so a fan like me really had no choice but to tune in and wait for "Candy" to be played every 4 hours or so.

Just over the weekend, I put together a 90's easy listening mix and pulled out some tracks I haven't quite heard in a while. So here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy!

Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson
"Candy" (1991)

Its a rainy afternoon in 1990
The big city... geez, it's been 20 years-
Candy- you were so fine...

Beautiful beautiful
Girl from the north
You burned my heart with a flickering torch
I had a dream that no one else could see
You gave me love for free

Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go
All my life you're haunting me, I loved you so
Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go
Life is crazy
Candy baby

Yeah, well it hurt me real bad when you left
Hey, I'm glad you got out, but...
But I miss you

I've had a hole in my heart for so long
I've learned to fake it and just smile along
Down on the street
Those men are all the same
I need a love
Not games
Not games

Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go
All my life you're haunting me
I loved you so
Candy, candy , candy I can't let you go
Life is crazy
I know, baby
Candy baby

Woh oh oh
Candy, candy, candy I can't let you go
All my life you're haunting me
I loved you so

Candy candy candy
Life is crazy
Candy baby

Candy baby,
Candy, candy

Special thanks to male70s for posting the vid up on YouTube. Check out Iggy Pop's wikipedia entry here, and his official website here. As for Kate Pierson, you can read up on her here, and check her out on the B-52's official website.

Can't get that song out of your head? Then check out more of Renzie's Last Song Syndrome Project, the only blog service dedicated to getting that persistent tune out of your system- by giving you lots more of it!

Cheers, everyone!

Last Song Syndrome: Paul Simon - "You Can Call Me Al" (1985)

Now here's some more happy music for you. Was listening to this song on my way to this fantastic beachfront property in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Anyway, I remembered having a challenge figuring out the words and lyrics to "You Can Call Me Al", way back in 1985- I was just about 11 or 12 back then, mind you :) But it's always been a fun song, with an equally fun video featuring Chevy Chase lip-syncing as Paul Simon.

Naturally, I had to post it here on this blog. Good times. Enjoy!


Paul Simon
"You Can Call Me Al" (1985)

A man walks down the street
He says, "Why am I soft in the middle now?
Why am I soft in the middle?
The rest of my life is so hard
I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon in a cartoon graveyard.
Bonedigger, bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know I don't find this stuff amusing anymore."

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al

A man walks down the street
He says, "Why am I short of attention?
Got a short little span of attention
And -woh- my nights are so long
Where's my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who'll be my role-model,
Now that my role-model is
Gone, gone?"
He ducked back down the alley
With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
All along, along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound, the sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! and Hallelujah!

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

Video of Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" courtesy of curedude77 on YouTube. Check out Paul Simon's Wikipedia entry here.

Can't get that song out of your head? Then check out more of Renzie's Last Song Syndrome Project, the only blog service dedicated to getting that persistent tune out of your system- by giving you lots more of it!

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie's 100 Songs: Retro Trip

One fine Tuesday afternoon, I find myself doing some cleaning at home, sorting out through some stuff and trying to figure which stuff I'm taking with me to Los Angeles, and which ones to get rid of.

I felt retro-ish today, so I cued up some oldies on my player. So here are a hundred songs you might actually like as well if you're into a variety of 60's and 70's stuff- though looking at the list now, it seems there are more 70's stuff on this playlist.

Enjoy!

1. 10CC - I'm Not In Love
2. ABBA - Take A Chance On Me
3. America - Sister Golden Hair
   
4. Argent - Hold Your Head Up
5. Bachman Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care of Business
6. The Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night
   
7. The Bellamy Brothers - Let Your Love Flow
8. Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love
   
9. Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law
10. David Bowie - Fame
11. Blood, Sweat and Tears - Spinning Wheel
12. Blue Magic - Sideshow
13. Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper
14. Boston - More Than A Feeling
15. Brownsville Station - Smoking In The Boys' Room
16. Steve Carlisle - WKRP in Cincinatti
17. Chad and Jeremy - Before and After
    
18. Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me
19. Chicago - Saturday In The Park
20. Climax Blues Band - Couldn't Get It Right
21. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire
22. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
23. Pablo Cruise - Worlds Away
    
24. Daddy Dewdrop - Chick-a-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It?)
25. The Doobie Brothers - Jesus Is Just Alright With Me
26. The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It To The Streets
27. The Edgar Wynter Group - Free Ride
    
28. Exile - Kiss You All Over
29. Firefall - Always
30. Flash and the Pan - And The Band Played On (Down Among The Dead Men)
    
31. Free - All Right Now
32. Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up, Part 1
33. Dobie Gray - Drift Away
    
34. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
    
35. Nick Gilder - Hot Child In The City
36. Marshall Hain - Dancing In The City
    
37. Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds - Fallin' In Love
    
38. George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
39. Heart - Barracuda
    
40. Heatwave - Mind Blowing Decisions
41. The Hollies - Bus Stop
42. Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
43. Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
    
44. The Ides of March - Vehicle
45. The Isley Brothers - Fight The Power
46. Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love
    
47. Jigsaw - Sky High
48. Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breakin' My Heart
49. KC & The Sunshine Band - My Boogie Shoes
    
50. Carole King - You're So Vain
51. Kool & The Gang - Jungle Boogie
52. Led Zeppelin - The Immigrant Song
    
53. Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
    
54. Leo Sayer - You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
55. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
    
56. The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreaming
57. Maria Muldaur - Midnight At The Oasis
    
58. Malo - Suavecito
59. The Marshall Tucker Band - Last of the Singing Cowboys
60. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
    
61. Paul McCartney and the Wings - Band On The Run
    
62. Paul McCartney and the Wings - Silly Love Songs
63. Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction
64. MFSB ft The Three Degrees - T.S.O.P.
65. Van Morrison King Harvest - Dancing In The Moonlight
    
66. David Naughton - Makin' It
    
67. The New Beats - I Like Bread and Butter
68. The New Seekers - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing
69. The Nylons - Duke of Earl
70. Odyssey - Native New Yorker
    
71. Ocean - Put Your Hand In The Hand
    
72. The O'Jays - For The Love of Money
73. The O'Jays - I Love Music
74. Parliament - Give Up The Funk
75. The Pointer Sisters - Yes We Can Can
76. Gary Puckett and the Union Gap - Young Girl
    
77. Ram Jam - Black Betty
78. Rare Earth - I Just Wanna Celebrate
79. Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find
    
80. Reunion - Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)
81. Rhythm Heritage - The Theme from S.W.A.T.
82. Santana - Evil Ways
83. Sniff N' The Tears - Driver's Seat
84. The Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin'
85. Spiral Starecase - Our Day Will Come
    
86. The Stampeders - Sweet City Woman
87. Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight
88. Donna Summer - Hot Stuff
    
89. Sutherland Brothers and Quiver - Arms of Mary
    
90. Sweet - Love Is Like Oxygen
91. T-Rex - 20th Century Boy
    
92. Tower of Power - So Very Hard To Go
93. The Turtles - Happy Together
94. Vanity Fair - Hitching A Ride
    
95. The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
96. WAR - Why Can't We Be Friends?
97. Bill Withers - Lovely Day
    
98. Stevie Wonder - As
99. Stevie Wonder - I Wish
100. Gary Wright - Dream Weaver
     

Wanna know what Renzie is listening to right now? Welcome to "Renzie's 100 Songs"- a special feature on "My Thoughts In Stereo" featuring a hundred songs currently playing on Renzie's digital music player- a little over 7 hours worth of great tuneage to set the mood for whatever it is you need to get done.

Share your list by emailing Renzie, or by posting a list of your own via a comment.

Cheers, everyone!