Themes in Music

[Dngrsone]

So, it occurred to me, for the umpteenth time, that there sure are a lot of songs about strippers and hookers. Seriously, I could probably name a dozen.

And as I was pondering this once again today, I remembered a time long ago in days of yore (or something), when I used to listen to a music show called Flashback and how they used to have a running theme for the episode (one day, it was nothing but thirty minutes of covers of the song "Hey Joe", starting with the version done by Jimi Hendrix), and how I thought that if I ever became a DJ, or a teacher, then I'd do something like that. That is, do a game similar to if not exactly the same as this little exercise in personal amusement.

So, first round: Name a song (or three) that fits the theme. First, let's see how many songs we can find that fit my original thought-- songs about hookers and/or strippers.


Then we could try something like songs about historical events, or songs about specific people's names (let's not do cars or infidelity... those are too wide open)

 

[mikedt]

Something I like doing for some personal amusement is finding just how many covers of a well known song have there been. "Hey Joe" has been covered dozens of times or more.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

songs about strippers/hookers

(Hooker) Lady Marmalade - Labelle

 

[Dngrsone]

Nice. The Animals mangled it, but there are plenty of good versions of the song "House of the Rising Sun" that spells things out quite well... I like the White Buffalo version from the Sons of Anarchy Soundtrack.

*edit*

Round two has been started, so here's a few more to fill out round one:

"Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry, also covered by Reba McIntyre
"Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "Live-in Love-in Maid" by Led Zeppelin
"Roxanne" by The Police
"Mainstreet" by Bob Seger
"She's a Beauty" by The Tubes

 

[mikedt]

I liked the North Korean karaoke version of Anarchy in the UK.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Round Two:
Songs about War...

I Fell Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag - Country Jose and the Fish

 

[kct1975]

War What Is It Good For

 

[Dngrsone]

"Us and Them" Pink Floyd
"Rooster" Alice in Chains

 

[no one]

Dear Mary Steve Miller Band
The Wind Cries Mary The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Maryjane Megadeth
Proud Mary Creedence Clearwater Revival
Mary Had A Little Lamb Stevie Ray Vaughan

 

[Dngrsone]

Daniel by Elton John
Veronica by Elvis Costello
Angie by The Rolling Stones
Beth by KISS
Michelle by The Beatles

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Otay....

Carrie-Anne - The Hollies

 

[Dngrsone]

Amie by Pure Prairie League
Rio by Duran Duran
Panama by Van Halen

 

[no one]

Peace In Mississippi Jimi Hendrix
Peace Sells Megadeth
Peace (A Theme) King Crimson
Give Peace A Chance The Beatles
Peace Frog The Doors
Peace Train Cat Stevens

 

[basic 101 user]

Daniel by Elton John
Veronica by Elvis Costello
Angie by The Rolling Stones
Beth by KISS
Michelle by The Beatles

Alison - Also by Elvis Costello........Also (Whats so Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding.

 

[no one]

Walk, Don't Run The Ventures
Born To Run Bruce Springsteen
Band On The Run Wings
Run Around Blues Traveler
Run To The Hills Iron Maiden
Devil Better Run Here Come The Mummies
Take The Money And Run Steve Miller Band
On The Run Pink Floyd

 

[Dngrsone]

Run to the Hills Pink Floyd
Johnny Hit and Run Pauline X (okay, that might be a little off the mainstream...)
The Long Run The Eagles
Who WIll You Run To Heart
You Better Run Pat Benatar

 

[basic 101 user]

Runaround Sue - Dion.....back to earlier in thread, fast / loose women...... Wait, only women working it?

Just a Gigolo- Louis Prima (and others)
Midnight Cruiser - Steely Dan
53rd and 3rd - Ramones

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Back Door Man - The Doors

 

[no one]

Back Door Man - The Doors

Everything But Here Come The Mummies

 

[Dngrsone]

Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap) by AC/DC ("I'll be your back-door man")

 

[Bg260]

Lola The Kinks

Maybe two birds with one stone there.

 

[Bg260]

Read through thrice. Ummm

Roxanne

 

[basic 101 user]

Thanks to another member for the idea, elsewhere. Standard disclaimers.

"Interesting musicians who either transformed themselves, or started a parallel career track; Aside from front man, stage performer to "behind the scenes" as musical director or composer, film, television, etc.

Danny Elfman. Oingo Boingo; Then on to many, many Hollywood projects, as @shalemail pointed out. His single most important contribution IMHO: Opening theme song/ music for The Simpsons.

Spoiler: The rest of the blah, blah, blah.

Mark Mothersbaugh. Definitely paralleled, influenced and inspired by Danny. Interesting Bio. He joined Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis, co-founders of DEVO, when all were art students at Kent State University; Mutual friend was one of the students killed by National Guardsmen in the infamous riot, genesis of their notion that mankind was in fact DE-eVOlving.
After very interesting first career, did an enormous amount of scoring since, outstanding work both film and television; Pee Wee's playhouse, The Rugrats, video game soundtracks, Wes Anderson films, much else.
Saw DEVO a few years ago in a club, they can definitely still bring it!

Feel like I'm definitely missing significant one similar between Danny and Mark.......who? help me out.

Randy Newman. Favorite artist of mine, believe he grew up in the industry, father did score work. Very wry sense of humor, outstanding piano player, solo artist and showman, terrific songwriter, story teller unique personality, responsible for a lot of great quotes. More credits than could possibly list; Particular note, Disney/Pixar catalog. Are we sensing a "sub-theme" here yet? Cartoons, target audience=children (or arrested adolescent, adult children)

Mark Knopfler. Another HOF guy for me, favorite guitar player, nothing better than early Dire Straits.
Did significant film work, for some big names as well as small. Music for "The Princess Bride"......I know, "Inconceivable", right? "Local Hero", "Wag the Dog", others. Also on record as a fan of "(This Is) Spinal Tap", so how bad could the guy be? Story I read somewhere is that he agreed to do music for (Rob Reiner's) Princess Bride on the condition that the ball cap Reiner wore in Spinal tap appear on camera somewhere in PB. Yet to verify for self, but hear it is visible in the room, behind Peter Falk, when reading the story to young Fred Savage.

Others?

 

[Bg260]

Thomas Dolby

 

[basic 101 user]

Of course! Thank you.......Although now I have uneasy sense there is yet a fourth, again similar to all three now mentioned, I am still overlooking.............Hmmmmm.