Chicks In Music: Shirley Manson of Garbage

by Renzie Baluyut

Shirley Manson, where the heck have you been all this time?

You probably remember Shirley Manson best as frontwoman for 90's rock group (one of the best 90's acts, in my opinion) Garbage. That's her below with Steve Marker, Duke Erikson and Butch Vig, taken on the set of the video for "Only Happy When It Rains" in 1995.

I'm a huge Garbage fan myself. Since the band exploded into the music scene in the mid-90's, they've come out with five albums: their self-titled debut in '95, Version 2.0 in '98, beautifulgarbage in 2001, Bleed Like Me in 2005 and finally a compilation Absolute Garbage just last year.

Here's one of my absolute favorite Garbage songs: Steve, Duke and Butch were all music producers and had already been working on some songs, but wanted a female vocalist. They caught Shirley Manson performing for Angelfish (her pre-Garbage band), and asked her to come audition.

She did, but hadn't quite nailed it the first time. She auditioned once again though, after Angelfish disbanded. And the vocals for that very same audition made it to the final cut of "Stupid Girl".

So here's Shirley Manson and the dudes of Garbage with the song that made the band famous virtually overnight. Enjoy!

Garbage "Stupid Girl" (1995)

"Stupid Girl" made use of a drum sample from one of The Clash's more radio-friendly tunes that made a hit in 1984 , "Train in Vain". The entire video was shot in just four hours in a warehouse they got for the production. Inspired by the opening sequence of the 1995 movie Se7en, Director Samuel Bayer cut the footage into pieces, soaked it in his bath, then deliberately added thumbprints and abrasions onto them before putting it back together by hand.

In May 2008, Shirley Manson joined the cast of The Sarah Connor Chronicles as a regular, and having seen the first three episodes of the second season, well, let's just say that you know there's definitely a Terminator-on-Terminator smackdown sometime in the near future.

Right now though, we know Shirley's working on a solo album, though no word yet when her album is going to be released.

What I'm Listening To From Shirley Manson Now

The second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles premiered on TV some two weeks ago, picking up from where the first season left off. Without spoiling anything, you have Cameron (the Terminator character played by geek favorite Summer Glau) restoring herself and making her way to the Connor household in the opening scene, to the unmistakable sound of Shirley Manson's vocals- her version of The Grateful Dead's "Samson & Delilah"

A lot of the old Garbage songs are still on my mp3 player, most of which are from the first two albums, including "Milk", "Only Happy When It Rains", "The Trick is to Keep Breathing", "When I Grow Up" and "I Think I'm Paranoid".

Right now though, I'm revisiting "Vow" and "Queer", two songs Garbage released right before they became famous.

Check out Shirley Manson here on her entry on Wikipedia, or you could go ahead and check out the official Garbage website here.

Cheers, everyone.

Chicks In Music is a regular feature on My Thoughts In Stereo. We pay tribute to the hottest ladies in the music industry- with updates, trivia, video clips and links to their websites and social media. Checking out your favorite females in rock, pop and R&B online has never been so gratifying- Chicks in Music!

Last Song Syndrome: Boy Meets Girl - "Bring Down The Moon" (1988)

The pop duo of Boy Meets Girl- keyboardist and vocalist George Merrill, and singer Sharon Rubicam- is actually best known for their hit song "Waiting For A Star To Fall" in 1989 (a song featured on the OST of the movie Three Men and a Little Lady), but is also known for their song-writing creds- most notably for Whitney Houston on her hits "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "How Will I Know?".

Oh, and they also did backing vocals for Deniece Williams' 1985 hit, "Let's Hear It For The Boy", as well as other collaborative efforts with other artists.

"Bring Down The Moon" is the second single off their Reel Life album (same one that had "Waiting For A Star To Fall"), and was a modest Billboard hit in 1989. But I fell in love with the song when I first heard it on a countdown show back then, and Sharon Rubicam's vocals continue to give me goosebumps to this day.

Even better was that I found a video of the song on YouTube, so here we have it along with some lyrics for you to sing to. Enjoy!


Boy Meets Girl
"Bring Down The Moon" (1988)

I'm walking in darkness with no shadows
Tears fall in silence with no sound
I've got to let go of visions I've outgrown
Even I know, so let the rain come down

Bring down the moon
The mythic and mighty that fall when you lean
Bring down the moon
Building love on thin air and dreams
Perfect love is a desperate creed
And one that we all try to believe
So bring down the moon

I'm finding some comfort in closing the distance
Between my life and my dreams
Ooh if love's not forever I need to discover
The spirit of romance and magic
In living from day to day

Bring down the moon
The mythic and mighty that fall when you lean
Bring down the moon
Building love on thin air and dreams
Perfect love has no guarantee
Still we keep trying to believe
So bring down the moon, yeah yeah
Bring down the moon

Well, there's no guarantee
That there ever will be perfect love
(Perfect love)
(So let the rain come down)
I know that it hurts 'cause I used to believe
(So let the rain come down)
I know how it hurts, yeah!

Bring down the moon
The mythic and mighty that fall when you lean
Bring down the moon
Building love on thin air and dreams
Perfect love, there's no guarantee
(Perfect love, perfect love, perfect love)
And still we believe
(Perfect love, perfect love, perfect love)

Bring down the moon
So bring down the moon
Bring down the moon
So bring down the moon


Boy Meets Girl's official website is right here, and you can check out their Wikipedia entry here, and an informative interview on Songfacts, 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!

Much More Music: Icehouse - "Electric Blue" (1987)

Did you know that Icehouse's biggest hit, "Electric Blue" was co-written by John Oates of Hall and Oates?

Yes, he did. It was also written by Icehouse's lead singer Iva Davies. It came from the 1987 album Man of Colours, which also spawned another great Icehouse song, "Crazy".

Even if the band would never surpass the commercial success or the popularity the enjoyed with Man of Colours, both songs- "Crazy" and "Electric Blue" would continue on as favorites for Icehouse fans everywhere, including myself.

And to everyone who's enjoyed the music of Icehouse, here's something you can check out. We found a video on YouTube, chords from Arabella Clauson, and lyrics to sing to. Enjoy!


Icehouse
"Electric Blue" (1987)

  Dm
If a boy had a chance
                       G        C      Dm
A chance with someone like you
          F                G
Are you gonna break his heart?
                       Dm
Let him cry for the moon?
            F                     Bb
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?


(I just freeze)
F                     Bb
I just freeze every time you see through me
    F               Bb
And it's all over you, electric blue
   F
(On my knees)  On my knees
Bb                    Dm          Eb
Help me baby tell me what can I do?  Electric blue

 Dm
Oh I had a dream
                           G       C      Dm
For a moment I believed it was true
              F          G
Oh, I'd have given anything
                       Dm
Just to be there with you
            F                     Bb
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?


(I just freeze)
F                     Bb
I just freeze every time you see through me
    F               Bb
And it's all over you, electric blue
   F
(In too deep)  In too deep
Bb                             Dm                Bb
Standin' here, waiting as I'm broken in two, electric blue
  F
(I can see)  I can see, can
Bb                        F                Bb
See that it may be just a vision of you, electric blue.
    F
(On my knees)  On my knees,
Bb                    Dm            Eb
Help me baby, tell me what can I do?  Electric blue


Cm  Ab  Cm  Gm


Dm               F                     Bb
Are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?
     F
(In those eyes)
F                     Bb
I just freeze every time you see through me
    F               Bb
And it's all over you, electric blue
   F
(In too deep)  In too deep
Bb                             Dm                Bb
Standin' here, waiting as I'm broken in two, electric blue
  F
(I can see)  I can see, can
Bb                        F                Bb
See that it may be just a vision of you, electric blue.
    F
(On my knees)  On my knees.
Bb                    Dm            Eb
Help me baby, tell me what can I do?  electric blue

(In those eyes)
F                     Bb
I just freeze every time you see through me
    F               Bb
And it's all over you, electric blue
   F
(In too deep)  In too deep
Bb                             Dm                Bb
Standin' here, waiting as I'm broken in two, electric blue
  F
(I can see)  I can see, can
Bb                        F                Bb
See that it may be just a vision of you, electric blue.
    F
(On my knees)  On my knees,
Bb                    Dm            Eb
Help me baby, tell me what can I do?  electric blue

You may want to visit Icehouse's official website here, or check out their entry on Wikipedia here.

Check out more of the Much More Music Project- this blog's attempt to put together my personal views on favorite songs, along with lyrics to sing by, an embedded music video
from YouTube, and even guitar chords, if you feel like playing along with it.

Cheers, everyone!

Did You Know? Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (1983)

You'll probably never listen to this song the same way ever again.

Did you know that "Total Eclipse of the Heart", the massive 1983 radio hit by Bonnie Tyler may actually have pedophilia elements?

True, the song sounds harmless enough- heck, the listening public loved it, and continues to play on hundreds of radio stations and mp3 players all over the world.

The song is completely overplayed in the Philippines, though, but the fact that Max Weinberg (music director on Late Night with Conan o'Brien, band leader for the Max Weinberg 7 and resident drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) played the drum tracks on "Total Eclipse of the Heart" just made it awesome for me once again.

But check this out: watch the video closely, and look at the various elements in it. It would seem that Bonnie Tyler (the singer) is floating around in a dream, going through a hallway with rooms- lots of rooms, with lots of boys- in a classroom, some with bright orbs for eyes ("bright eyes", indeed), others dancing around, etc.

As the song goes on, everybody is worked up to a dancing frenzy (at least some form of intetpretative dance, anyway), and then a teenage boy in underpants with giant wings growing out of his back (an angel, apparently), wraps his arms around a crying Bonnie Tyler.

Video concludes with a scene on the steps of a private school, and we see Bonnie Tyler's character is, apparently, a school teacher. She gets introduced to the boys in her class- seemingly harmless enough- until one of them grabs hold of her hand and looks at her with...bright orbs for eyes- "Bright Eyes" Boy from the dream!

So the dream was probably all about the schoolteacher's fantasies about her students- and that the events that transpired the night before probably wasn't even a dream after all!

Read more about "Total Eclipse of the Heart" on Wikipedia, here. In the meantime, check out the video provided below, and watch for yourself. Lyrics provided if you want to sing along- just in case. Of course, you'll probably want to read them all over again and you might actually find some hidden meaning behind the lyrics, now that you know what the video was all about. Again, that's Max Weinberg on drums.

Cheers everyone!

Bonnie Tyler
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" (1983)

(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit lonely
and you're never coming around
(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit tired
of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit nervous
that the best of all the years have gone by
(Turn around) Every now and then I get a
little bit terrified
and then I see the look in your eyes

(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart



(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit restless
and I dream of something wild
(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit helpless
and I'm lying like a child in your arms
(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit angry
and I know I've got to get out and cry
(Turn around) Every now and then
I get a little bit terrified
but then I see the look in your eyes

(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
(All of the time)
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
(All of the time)
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
(Turn around bright eyes)
(Turn around bright eyes, turn around)

Other "Total Eclipse of the Heart" trivia you might want to know:

1. This song was written by Jim Steinman- same dude behind a lot of Meatloaf's songs, including the power ballad "I'll Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)." Notice the tendency for surreal imagery, elaborate production, and a comparatively long running time- the song clocks in at 6:51.

2. The radio edit of the song takes away the third verse and fades the ending out earlier, chopping the song to a more radio-friendly 4:28.

3. The song was featured prominently in the 2001 movie Bandits. Cate Blanchett's character loves the song, describing it as "The ultimate haiku to the complexity of love." She soon finds out that Bruce Willis' character also loves the song, and so now they have a relationship of sorts going on, much to the dismay of Billy Bob Thornton's character.

4. In addition to Max Weinberg, another E Street Band member- Roy Bittan- also played on the song. Roy played the keyboards.

5. From Songfacts: A wedding band sings a surprisingly vulgar version of this in the movie Old School. It was performed by The Dan Band, which is a real group specializing in obscene versions of songs made popular by female singers. Here's a video of The Dan Band in action- their version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart".



Did You Know? is a continuing project of "My Thoughts In Stereo" to educate the music-listening radio audience. There's a lot more to your songs than you might actually know. And with more stories about your favorite songs, you might actually appreciate them more.

Cheers once again!