Posts by Robyn Gallagher
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I'm sad we didn't do a "We Are The World" style ad again...
Once of the happiest moments in recent years was when Smashproof's single "Brother" broke the record "Sailing Away" held for the longest number of weeks for a NZ single at #1.
Though, no one's beaten Boney M's 14-week run at #1 in 1978 for "Rivers of Babylon".
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It really tickles me that many of my (male) twitter pals following this were tooting about the dress sense (or lack thereof) of the scentists.
I'm not sure if there was some sort of expectation that the scentists would be all dressed like something out of the Matrix, or perhaps rocking the 1960s NASA control room nerd look, but it seems that their less-than-styley threads were almost as notable as the business happening in Hadrian's Collider.
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Here's the ad with the Feelers:
- James Feeler has a very similar huskiness to Mike Jesus-Jones. Except he seems to have trouble with the high notes.
- Oh look - a chap in a comedy sombrero.
- "I saw the decade in wishing the world would change in the blink of an eye". This is relevant now because it is a new decade (just like the '90s was!!!) -
Any reason why you would say that beyond a thoughtless and rather cheap cynicism?
Well, I only do thoughtful cynicism, though I'm always looking for a bargain.
Here is a poem I wrote for my 3rd form English class. I'm sorry it doesn't scan properly, and that the rhymes are often clunky and it doesn't have much lyrical grace.
My biggest regret is not mentioning "yellow" people along with "black" and "white". Sorry, yellows!!!!
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JOIN TOGETHER
We've got to join together.
Let our laughter fill the air.
It's time for every race and creed
to throw away their every care.Let sport unite us all as one
in the spirit of the Lord above.
And let us all remember
the Games are for the fostering of peace and love.Once in every four years
the Commonwealth becomes
a unit to which everyone
from anywhere belongs.They gather in the place it's named.
This time it's in Christchurch.
And getting on together.
Play sport with a feeling that should surround the earth.Here in our country
the Games will now be held.
And people, black and white, will come
from all parts of the world.And for the time that they are here
we'll get to know them well.
And hope that in the future
our relationships will tell. -
But the really big question is who will perform the obligatory version of "World in Union".
Our Kiri and Our Hayley have already had their turn for other countries. Maybe Hollie Smith and Gin Wigmore could do a sexy version, with a video involving cupcakes.
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Dishonourable mention: the 1974 Commonwealth Games theme song, "Join Together".
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What was the song for the 1990 commonwealth games?
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Because The Feelers are a bit shit, radio-friendly nothing-rock. But isn't that why they got the gig?
If that's so, when maybe we should ask why the organisers were looking for a bland, middle-of-the-road band playing a bland, middle-of-the-road song.
The Feelers and "Right Here, Right Now" both have their merits, but putting them together is like serving a meal of mashed potatoes with mashed kumara. Where is the meat? Where is the sauce?
That song has moved from being a pop song that captured the poltical zeitgeist of the early '80s, to being a one-size-fits-all corporate launch/political rally song for hire.
It's a song for people who don't like music. Maybe the NZRU doesn't want anything to overshadow the rugby.
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Whether or not "Right Here, Right Now" does end up as the RWC song (oh please no), I recommend reading this 2003 Guardian article by Jesus Jones frontman Mike Edwards.
At the time it was written, Jesus Jones were happily working as professional musicians, playing corporate gigs in America - flown in to play that one song.
He knows he's not being cool, and it's not quite his boyhood dream, but he seems really happy that he's able to make a living as a muscian.
Rereading the piece, one sentence jumped out at me:
Each evening also featured the kind of entertainment designed neither to offend nor largely appeal to anyone.
That precisely describes the idea of "Right Hear, Right Now" performed by the Feelers.
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The Dirty Sesh news manages to make the rumour of the Feelers covering "Right Here, Right Now" as the RWC theme tune seem like good music news in comparison.