Thursday, April 22, 2010

Today is Earth Day, Tomorrow is Robyn Hitchcock Day


photo by Michele Noach

Criminally underrated Robyn Hitchcock would now like you to have two more free songs courtesy of his Phantom 45s page.Comme Toujours (Here I Stand) and Halo Mary are your free just for visiting here. The Museum of Robyn Hitchcock says that Halo Mary was written "Written for the movie Elektra Luxx, where Carla Gugino plays a recovering Catholic and porn star. Catholicism and sex…what a team! Paul and the boys bring out all the flaming colours in the prism of guilt, in under 3 minutes." A swirling, driving Hitchcockian version of powerpop, with poppy yet desperate vocals, tasty organ, and a nifty little buzzing guitar solo.


Halomary by scruffy the yak

Comme Toujours was "originally conceived for Bryan Ferry as Humphrey Bogart, a man alone consoling himself with a cigarette. Finally brought into being for Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar, who very kindly named their play after it. Sublimely accompanied on cello by Jenny Adejayan." I'm pretty sure this is the first Hitchcock tune featuring another language. Mellow, delicate, and yes, I'd like to hear Ferry do it.


Commetoujours by scruffy the yak

On Record Store Day I bought two Robyn Hitchcock discs, Propellor Time and I Often Dream of Trains in New York. The latter is now one of my top records of the last ten years, if not forever. It comes with a dvd of the show, and many of the songs are better than the originals. It's true, I wouldn't make that up. I have a difficult time understanding why Hitchcock isn't more popular despite his sometimes-unusual voice. He writes catchy melodies and amazing, oft-funny lyrics, his live shows are always entertaining and include amusing, between-song banter, and he rocks mean polka-dot shirts. What more can you ask for? Anyway, some video recently surfaced of Mr. Hitchcock playing live.

ROBYN HITCHCOCK from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.



This one's from Feb 2009 but has just come to my attention. If the collection of songs is too long, try the interview segment.



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