OK we keep going backwards to report on our summer vacation. On two consecutive nights last week we risked musical whiplash by first attending the Lilith Festival, then a Ted Nugent concert. The only way it all could have been more fun is if they paired them together. Oh, actually, I have a serious suggestion for Lilith 2011: Eagles of Death Metal. Everybody knows Jessie does every song “..for the ladies.” But you can read about those by clicking on either name, let’s get to our first daily sixty seconds of heaven in a dog’s age.
It’s from Billy Idol, who doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his songwriting abilities. He was on a big tear for a while there, with albums full of cleverly written songs with surprisingly sophisticated arrangements. Everyone knows “Rebel Yell,” “Cradle of Love” and “To Be a Lover,” but check out “Mark of Caine,” “Shock to the System” someday, or my current favorite, “All Summer Single,” from 1986′s Whiplash Smile.
It doesn’t jump right out at you, the opening keyboard sounded a bit dated even then, but as it slowly simmers along and adds some nice guitar texture, you start to get swept up into the moodiness of it all. Billy should really do an album of Elvis covers someday, if he wants to get back in with his former mall set of fans, he’s got the voice for it. The lyrics are intentionally vague and impressionistic, but his voice captures the restlessness and yearning of someone just looking for some simple piece of mind. Or something.
The kicker for me, though, and our daily slice of heaven, comes after the last chorus, when he lets Steve Stevens ride the end of the song out with a repeated melodic guitar lead line. If I embedded this properly, the youtube clip below should start right then: