“Dropping Bomb on the White House
by The Style Council
“Yours Is No Disgrace”
by Yes
“The Rooster”
by Alice in Chains
7 thoughts on “VOLUME 17.4.3”
SC- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Man do I love me a good horn section. This was right up my alley.
YES – Yes! I knew most of their hits, then acquired a best of double CD compilation and got to hear even more great music. Was not aware this was a “war” song. Going to have to check out the lyrics.
AC – Big fan of Alice in Chains. Excellent song but overplayed to the point where I don’t enjoy it as much. If you have never listened to it, Give the Alice in Chains Unplugged (MTV session a go) Outstanding collection of music.
So I looked into the lyrics, and ok, I get it now. Never really knew what the lyrics were for this song except for the first line and the chorus. Now I know.
The Style Council – Dropping Bombs on the White House
Swingin’ jazzy scrumptiuosness. It’s not tied up all neatly – love that.
Yes – Yours is No Disgrace
Chris Squire remains one of my favorite bassists. I wouldn’t have guessed the warring notes in this one. Ah, the recurring motifs! Yes at their best (and most accessible?). Man, I enjoy the anticipation of some of those musical phrases.
Alice in Chains – The Rooster
Not familiar with this one. Like the opening. Am familiar with the aching sound of the vocals. I am getting a bit of a Sabbath vibe. Appropriate vibe for the drudgery (probably not a strong enough word) of war.
“Dropping Bombs on the White House” / Style Council. Given that this swingin’ little instrumental dates from ’84, I’m guessing its title was an example of pre-social-media political trolling of the Reagan admin (including, surely, and with due irony, its military ambitions). Anyway, fun number.
“Yours is No Disgrace” / Yes. Despite its prodigious length, I recall this showing up on MMR or whatever during the halcyon days of AOR. Or maybe I’m just recalling it fondly from a home cassette I dubbed off someone’s vinyl. Haven’t heard it in years but it really holds up. Lots of great hooks and other inventiveness justifies its length and structural complexity. The iconic walking-bass breakdown at 3:15. The fun stoner stereo toggling at 4:45. At 6:30, the jazz portion of our program. Etc. Like Ian, had never listened to the lyrics all the way through; it’s a rather sarcastic post-nuclear postmortem on humanity. Thankfully, we solved that problem years ago!
“The Rooster” / Alice in Chains. Don’t know much about this band, but I have heard this song before. A bit plodding, but somehow an earworm. The protagonist is menaced, threatened, defiant. Sonically of its time. (Side note: I just read the indie-rock history “Our Band Could Be Your Life,” and boy, did proto-grunge Pac Northwest scene types come down hard on AIC, whom they saw as archetypical commercial sell-outs. I have no opinion on the matter myself.)
Yes- Except for maybe the more overt inclusion of odd time signatures, this could fit the bill as a prolifically Yes tune
Despite hearing it a bunch, listening now I am really drawn to how the keys jump into the intro mix almost in a halting way which sets things delightfully askew. Howe’s guitar work is stunning: funky, fluid, tasteful. Agree with Ed about the Chris Squire bass- that percussive plucky sound is awesome.
Alice- Not a big AIC fan but not a hater either. Among the grunge-types, they’re okay. Something about the harmonies they do bothers me. Either it’s a certain tonal interval or maybe I just don’t like his voice. I also have associations to the ‘Rooster’ that get in the way (my issues clearly), namely Jaco Pastorius’ song and Foghorn Leghorn.
“Dropping Bomb on the White House” by The Style Council – Not what I was expecting at all! A groovy, at times funky instrumental. Fantastic brass section – and feels a bit improvised at the same time? All good in my book.
“Yours Is No Disgrace” by Yes – From The Yes Album released in 1971? Hits all the Yes notes with the harmonizing and the fast-paced breakdowns featured throughout its (almost) ten minute run time. The guitars that kicked in around the 4:45 minute marker did grab my interest as the tune shifted gears. A nice deep cut from YES.
“The Rooster” by Alice in Chains – A fitting Alice In Chains tribute to Jerry Cantrell’s father who served in Vietnam. While anti-war in its presentation, the album Dirt itself is a fine staple in the early 1990’s alternative rock/grunge scene. It’s an album that I spin a few times a year.
“Dropping Bomb on the White House by The Style Council: The title does not beat around the bush. This is a real jazz number and I thought The Style Council was a pop/rock band. I will have to research this but do not feel like doing that now. Digging that piano work. Yes, this tune has it going on. Well Done. Let’s hit that dance floor.
“The Rooster” by Alice in Chains: Through playing now in several iterations of different cover bands over the last 20 years I have grown to know this song in that forum and it prob has effected my ability to want to immerse in the song outside of practice and gigs as I am weary of it. …. still been a long while since I played to it. Having said that, I do think it is a very cool track with a certain brooding power that grabs hold. I never thought of it as a war related track but I guess it is (shows how close I listened to the lyrics in any deep way I guess).
SC- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Man do I love me a good horn section. This was right up my alley.
YES – Yes! I knew most of their hits, then acquired a best of double CD compilation and got to hear even more great music. Was not aware this was a “war” song. Going to have to check out the lyrics.
AC – Big fan of Alice in Chains. Excellent song but overplayed to the point where I don’t enjoy it as much. If you have never listened to it, Give the Alice in Chains Unplugged (MTV session a go) Outstanding collection of music.
So I looked into the lyrics, and ok, I get it now. Never really knew what the lyrics were for this song except for the first line and the chorus. Now I know.
The Style Council – Dropping Bombs on the White House
Swingin’ jazzy scrumptiuosness. It’s not tied up all neatly – love that.
Yes – Yours is No Disgrace
Chris Squire remains one of my favorite bassists. I wouldn’t have guessed the warring notes in this one. Ah, the recurring motifs! Yes at their best (and most accessible?). Man, I enjoy the anticipation of some of those musical phrases.
Alice in Chains – The Rooster
Not familiar with this one. Like the opening. Am familiar with the aching sound of the vocals. I am getting a bit of a Sabbath vibe. Appropriate vibe for the drudgery (probably not a strong enough word) of war.
“Dropping Bombs on the White House” / Style Council. Given that this swingin’ little instrumental dates from ’84, I’m guessing its title was an example of pre-social-media political trolling of the Reagan admin (including, surely, and with due irony, its military ambitions). Anyway, fun number.
“Yours is No Disgrace” / Yes. Despite its prodigious length, I recall this showing up on MMR or whatever during the halcyon days of AOR. Or maybe I’m just recalling it fondly from a home cassette I dubbed off someone’s vinyl. Haven’t heard it in years but it really holds up. Lots of great hooks and other inventiveness justifies its length and structural complexity. The iconic walking-bass breakdown at 3:15. The fun stoner stereo toggling at 4:45. At 6:30, the jazz portion of our program. Etc. Like Ian, had never listened to the lyrics all the way through; it’s a rather sarcastic post-nuclear postmortem on humanity. Thankfully, we solved that problem years ago!
“The Rooster” / Alice in Chains. Don’t know much about this band, but I have heard this song before. A bit plodding, but somehow an earworm. The protagonist is menaced, threatened, defiant. Sonically of its time. (Side note: I just read the indie-rock history “Our Band Could Be Your Life,” and boy, did proto-grunge Pac Northwest scene types come down hard on AIC, whom they saw as archetypical commercial sell-outs. I have no opinion on the matter myself.)
Yes- Except for maybe the more overt inclusion of odd time signatures, this could fit the bill as a prolifically Yes tune
Despite hearing it a bunch, listening now I am really drawn to how the keys jump into the intro mix almost in a halting way which sets things delightfully askew. Howe’s guitar work is stunning: funky, fluid, tasteful. Agree with Ed about the Chris Squire bass- that percussive plucky sound is awesome.
Alice- Not a big AIC fan but not a hater either. Among the grunge-types, they’re okay. Something about the harmonies they do bothers me. Either it’s a certain tonal interval or maybe I just don’t like his voice. I also have associations to the ‘Rooster’ that get in the way (my issues clearly), namely Jaco Pastorius’ song and Foghorn Leghorn.
“Dropping Bomb on the White House” by The Style Council – Not what I was expecting at all! A groovy, at times funky instrumental. Fantastic brass section – and feels a bit improvised at the same time? All good in my book.
“Yours Is No Disgrace” by Yes – From The Yes Album released in 1971? Hits all the Yes notes with the harmonizing and the fast-paced breakdowns featured throughout its (almost) ten minute run time. The guitars that kicked in around the 4:45 minute marker did grab my interest as the tune shifted gears. A nice deep cut from YES.
“The Rooster” by Alice in Chains – A fitting Alice In Chains tribute to Jerry Cantrell’s father who served in Vietnam. While anti-war in its presentation, the album Dirt itself is a fine staple in the early 1990’s alternative rock/grunge scene. It’s an album that I spin a few times a year.
“Dropping Bomb on the White House by The Style Council: The title does not beat around the bush. This is a real jazz number and I thought The Style Council was a pop/rock band. I will have to research this but do not feel like doing that now. Digging that piano work. Yes, this tune has it going on. Well Done. Let’s hit that dance floor.
“The Rooster” by Alice in Chains: Through playing now in several iterations of different cover bands over the last 20 years I have grown to know this song in that forum and it prob has effected my ability to want to immerse in the song outside of practice and gigs as I am weary of it. …. still been a long while since I played to it. Having said that, I do think it is a very cool track with a certain brooding power that grabs hold. I never thought of it as a war related track but I guess it is (shows how close I listened to the lyrics in any deep way I guess).