Song of the Week w/c 11th August 2025

So, I've been thinking about songs that are very simple and very good this week. Often, I go big in for songs that are over the top and dramatic and layered. And, you know, that's a lot of fun. But a lot of the best songs are ones that are much more than the sum of their few parts. So, that's what I'm focusing on today.

The song that actually crystallised this into a theme for this week in my mind was Tracy Chapman's inimitable Fast Car. I think the story my mum was telling me about how it got popular sums a lot of it up; in 1988 Tracy Chapman was set to perform at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute in Wembley (also known as Free Nelson Mandela Concert). She was mostly performing covers, and wasn't well-known for her own music. Stevie Wonder was about to come on stage as a surprise guest, when he realised the floppy disk he needed for his set had gone missing, delaying his start. The organisers knew Chapman was the only performer who could perform on short notice with little set-up, and sent her out on stage with only her guitar and a microphone, when she performed Fast Car for the first time to the audience, launching it in to fame. If you'd like the see the performance, check out this video. The simple guitar line, Chapman's sometimes-shaky voice, a powerful and cutting message that almost everybody can relate to. It's really just perfection. Dreaming of something better, saving what you can, the hope represented in a fast car, streaking down the road of something more. The security of going through it all with someone else. And, of course, it helps that Chapman's voice is just gorgeous.

Last week or so I picked up some new piano books from the Oxfam Books, and I finally got a chance recently to sightread my way through them and see what interested me. Probably my favourite was Harmonie des Anges from Burgmuller, which in a round-about way through the simple openness of the unaccompanied piano reminded me of one of my favourite piano tracks, Dawn from Pride & Prejudice. The 2005 version isn't my favourite (the 1995 BBC series stays unmatched as of yet) but the music is so wonderful throughout, and I think this track captures all the best of it so well. It's so beautiful, the lonely opening E leading into the slow and expressive running quavers. I don't even need to close my eyes to see the flowing fields and open meadows of the movie, the sun creeping its way across the horizon, love and hope intertwined together. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite ever books, and I bring it up all the time. It is the ideal that any other romance is held up to, and most fail the test. To be loved is to be changed, and Austen understood that better than maybe anybody else.

We all like the Velvet Underground here, right? Well, I dont' really (although I like Lou Reed). But I do like Anna and she is always weaseling Oh! Sweet Nuthin' onto my daily playlists and what can I say, it's a great song. I actually was shocked today when I realised for the first time that it's more than seven minutes long, because I just get whisked along with the lovely music and don't register how long it's going on for. It's quite funny, actually, that it's so long, given this album resulted from The Velvet Underground being directed to produce more hits and singles that would get radio play --- I'm not sure this is the most radio-ready song, but what do I know. It's sort of similar to Tom's Diner (which almost made this list) in the little vignettes it gives you of characters. I like that about it, the simplicity of presenting you with these slices of people and nothing more. It's fun. The song itself is a lot of fun too. Lovely simple bluesy guitar to carry you away on a lovely journey. It's great to sing along to and I like it, ain't that enough?

I said that Tracy Chapman was the ultimate example of this theme, and don't worry I've not forgotten about her. This week, I've chosen my song of the week as Talkin' Bout a Revolution, also off of her self-titled debut album. I think this song is generally less well-known, perhaps related to the lack of 2010s club remixes of the track (how I was haunted by that remix of Fast Car when I was at school). Anyway, I think this track has a lot of the same power in Chapman's guitar and voice, but I just really love the lyrics so much, which puts it over the edge. It's also a little bit in honour of how much time I've spent reading about Che Guevara this week. "Don't you know/ They're talking about a revolution?/ It sounds like a whisper".

Now of course, it is also true that Ethel Cain's new album came out this week, and I do feel it would be quite remiss did I not comment on it. So here we go, my rapid(ish) review of the album as I see it now:

Janie - Lovely classic Ethel song. Strumming guitars, ethereal singing. I'm sure, as with most of the tracks, there's a narrative that I'm missing because I haven't be bothered to read the lyrics in enough depth. Great opener that establishes her current direction, blending Perverts with Preacher's Daughter.

Willoughby's Theme - Probably my favourite track right now, I am easily grabbed in by piano and dissonant weird noise, so both together is even better. Hauntingly atmospheric. Feels shorter than its runtime, which is true of most of these tracks. Feels like you're drowning in the swirling synths.

Fuck Me Eyes - We've already heard this one. I'll steal Anna's description --- it feels like the American Teenager of the album. It's accessible, digestible, cribs from well-known music. Bit more upbeat with more singing & a thrumming bridge filled with drums but still sonically cohesive.

Nettles - We've already heard this one even more. I've listened through so many times and already made it my song of the week ;) The long stretching intro is so worth it for a delicate lilting melody that flows through the track, no need for delineation of verse/chorus/bridge. My favourite section is "after the wedding (after the wedding)" but I like it all, and familiarity helps.

Willoughby's Interlude - Very ambient. Enjoyable but doesn't stand out in my mind. I like some crunched up recorded talking in my song, but there's only a bit near the start.

Dust Bowl - Sort of surprised that of the non-single tracks on this album this is the one doing the best. I suppose we can't account for taste. I also need to listen to this one more I guess, but there isn't a hook I hold on to the same way as the other songs. In terms of nice Ethel singing on tracks, I'm liking Janie more right now.

A Knock at the Door - I like the very loud sounds of moving across the strings of the guitar, it's a sound that I love. Love the humming that fills out most of this track, too. Nice.

Radio Towers - Another immediate grab on the first listen. This one is really Perverts to me in a way I love. The soft background beeping is gorgeous. Addictive, sweeping, gorgeous. Fuzzy static and floating chords.

Tempest - I forgot this one existed... being sandwiched between two tracks I love is unfair, I'm sorry! Heavy drums are always a plus.

Waco, Texas - A track I want to throw on all my playlists. Fifteen minutes of delight. I put it on and somehow it seems to finish immediately so I have to put it back on again. Where is the time going? Where am I getting whisked away to? I don't know. Wonderful.

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