Urban Legend, Myth, Apocrypha & Other Diversions
Jan Harold Brunvand, professor of English at the University of Utah, made two key points within his collection of legends "The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings" : Firstly, that legends and folklore do not occur exclusively in so-called primitive or traditional societies, and secondly, that one could learn much about urban and modern culture by studying such tales.
In this respect, here's an ever-growing random list of musical folklore, the kind of thing for which the Italians have an apt expression "se non è vero, è ben trovato" [even if it is not true, it is well conceived]. Readers may also find comfort in Tertullian's writing “Credo quia absurdum est“ [I believe because it is absurd], which is in itself a paraphrase or misquotation of “Credibile est, quia ineptum est", for which there is no known catalog#!.
As good a reason as any for bringing a range of arbitrary recordings to the attention of others.
In this respect, here's an ever-growing random list of musical folklore, the kind of thing for which the Italians have an apt expression "se non è vero, è ben trovato" [even if it is not true, it is well conceived]. Readers may also find comfort in Tertullian's writing “Credo quia absurdum est“ [I believe because it is absurd], which is in itself a paraphrase or misquotation of “Credibile est, quia ineptum est", for which there is no known catalog#!.
As good a reason as any for bringing a range of arbitrary recordings to the attention of others.
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1
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2
"Mother And Child Reunion" was written by Paul Simon after being inspired by a chicken and egg dish in a Chinese restaurant.
"Which came first ?" we ask, "The tune, or the lyrics?" -
3
The 'freak-haired' young lady emerging from the bunker on the cover of "Hot Rats" is Christine Frka.
One time babysitter for Frank Zappa and a member of the GTO's. -
4
An anagram of Guns N' Roses lead singer "Axl Rose" is "Oral Sex". Or is it the other way around? -
5
The track "SWLABR" is an acronym for "She Was Like A Bearded Rainbow".
(Bearded Rainbow is a variety of the Iris flower).
Co-written by Pete Brown, who had an affinity with odd titles e.g.
"A Meal You Can Shake Hands With in the Dark", released in 1969, and the 90's "Coals to Jerusalem". -
6
"Steely Dan" is a large dildo featured in the William S. Burroughs book "Naked Lunch".
A novel source of reference for many a musician. -
7
"Spandau Ballet" was a descriptive term given to the dying act of Allied soldiers.
Their bodies would seemingly 'dance' in the air when repeatedly hit by bullets from a Spandau machine gun. -
8
Don Van Vliet was once a vacuum cleaner salesman.
His chosen sales line to customers was "This machine really sucks". -
9
Legend has it that Gene Simmons had a cow's tongue grafted onto his own.
Disbelievers may wish to know KISS really did use their own blood in the printing of their first comic book. -
10
Bob Holness, was host of the 1980's TV game show "Take A Letter".
He was cited in the UK's "New Musical Express" column "Would You Believe It?" as the sax player on "Baker Street".
Writer Stuart Maconie would often perpetuate such myths when bored. -
11
"Joy Division" were once the "Stiff Kittens", who were quickly buried in favor of the more angst-ridden "Warsaw".
Which, naturally, led them to finally settling on the wry name "Joy Division".
A prostitution wing in a Nazi concentration camp mentioned in the 1955 novel "The House of Dolls". -
12
Although Gilbert O'Sullivan wore a little cap and short pants he was never a member of AC/DC.
It's questionable that his music teacher made him stay after school and write a hundred lines;
"I must not bring the name of opera composers into disrepute".
Although he did later wear a sweater with the letter "G" on it that superficial research suggests stood for "Garbage".
His handful of fans may disagree. -
13
Typists of the world rejoice! Michael Nesmith's mother invented liquid paper correction fluid. -
14
Dweezil was affectionately named after his mother's strange little toe.
At the LA hospital where he was born they refused to register the name.
His father quickly conjured an official name for him using those from his group accomplices.
Ian [Underwood], Donald [Van Vliet], Calvin [Schenkel], Euclid [James Sherwood] Zappa.
Dweezil later legally reverted his birth certificate to his nickname. -
15
Sun Record's producer and Presley's original manager, Sam Phillips, signed away Elvis for $35,000. -
16
Thanks to "Caravan" fan Betty Swollocks for bringing my attention to the use of a Malapropism in the title of this album. -
17
"Gloomy Sunday" was popularized as a 1941 hit for singer Billie Holiday.
In the United States, due to unsubstantiated urban legends about its inspiring hundreds of suicides,
"Gloomy Sunday" was dubbed the "Hungarian suicide song".
Its Hungarian composer, Rezsoe Seres, jumped to his death in 1968. -
18
"The Soft Machine" is the title of a novel by William S. Burroughs, first published in 1961.
In 1957 the Dutch-American hematologist and poet Leo Vroman had already described man as "a soft machine"
["Mens is een zachte machine"] in his works "Slaapwandelen" [Sleepwalking]. -
19
A proprietary cream [medical, not fresh] is available for Non-Specific Urethritis, aka "NSU".
If you think the band are dressed for riding NSU Motorenwerke AG, German manufactured motorcycles, you're excused. -
20
Peter, Paul & Mary made "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" famous. A young J.J. Cale does it here.
Hands up those who believe Little Jackie Paper is helping roll up a spliff for Puff to get totally 'magic'.
(And do some dragon-dancing down by the sea). -
21
Thou shalt not sample unless the green light is on.
The pop trio "Soho" had a UK and Stateside hit with "Hippychick".
It features a sample from the recording "How Soon Is Now?" by "The Smiths".
However, someone forgot to get clearance from Marr and Morrissey.
They sought satisfaction to the tune of 25% of sales. -
22
Cynthia Albritton and her assistant became renowned in the 'Swinging Sixties' as "The Plaster Casters".
This due, in no small measure, to promotional attention created by Frank Zappa.
Plus the willingness of Jimi Hendrix to have his manhood immortalized as a novel statuette.
The activities of "The Plaster Casters" are the subject of two tracks on this album. -
23
"The Surfaris" were wiped out to discover this album deal meant only two edited tracks of their original single appeared.
The remaining tracks were performed, uncredited, by "The Challengers". -
24
Simon & Garfunkel didn't feature on the CD reissue.
A) Because the compiler hated them.
B) A housemartin was found nesting on the master tape at the time.
C) Neither. -
25
There's a perfectly simple explanation for this album having two titles.
It was common practice for UK albums to be retitled to better suit the US market.
When E.L.O. released this on the UK's "Harvest" label the newly-formed band called it "The Electric Light Orchestra".
A clever and descriptive name for a 'light orchestral-style' pop-rock oriented group.
However, when a caller from United Artists rang Harvest to find out the title for the US the call didn't get through.
The caller logged the result as "No Answer". This inadvertently became the title of the US release. -
26
A young aspiring musician was auditioned by composer (of Track A1) Giacomo Meyerbeer in 1839.
Meyerbeer graciously received the young man and gave him a letter of recommendation.
The letter was sealed and addressed to Leon Pillet, director of the Paris Opera.
It contained the recommendation to Pillet: "Please take this imbecile off my hands!"
The unwitting imbecile and bearer of the note was Richard Wagner. -
27
Early in the band's career the Chili's played the "Kit Kat" strip club.
At one point they decided to perform naked, wearing only strategically-placed socks.
According to their singer, Anthony Kiedis, the episode was filmed.
He says he is uncertain if this 'footage' still exists. -
28
Silence is golden...
Performance of the modernist composition 4'33" has caused controversy over the years.
Originally performed by John Cage in 1952, the piece is 4.33 minutes of 'environmental' silence*.
(*A piano lid being raised and lowered to signify the composition's movements).
Ultra-Red have done six 'location covers' of 4'33" on their MP3 file "An Archive Of Silence".
(Downloading this kind of silence may be tricky for the uninitiated). The 4'33" story continues... -
29
Silence at the back...
Frank Zappa includes his homage to 4'33" on "A Chance Operation - The John Cage Tribute" album.
(A double CD of 183 inter-changeable tracks, enabling use of the 'random play' facility)
Better still, this Amadinda Percussion Group's album, 4'33", provides two particularly legendary works;
Their 'silent' rendition of 4'33" and a cracking version of Edgard Varèse's "Ionisation*"
(*The original Varèse work inspired a young Zappa into musicianship). The 4'33" story continues... -
30
Silence in court...
Things soured when composer Mike Batt originally credited the silent divider on this release to "Batt/Cage".
This 'track', "A One Minute Silence" preceding 4 remixes, was perhaps a tongue-in-cheek bit of 4'33" fun.
Cage's catalog administrators thought not, presenting Batt with a royalty payment demand for copyright infringement of Cage's silence.
Batt fought the case, involving live performance 'comparative reviews' of the two silent works.
He also began registering copyright on portions of silence for future silent recordings.
Batt later added mischieviousness to the event, releasing "A One Minute Silence" as a UK single. -
31
"Matching Mole" is a humorous word-play on the French "Machine Molle" which, translated into English, is "Soft Machine".
The name has nothing to do with Wyatt spotting a mole in his garden that looked like one he saw on tour. -
32
Composer Jacques François Halévy awoke to the sounds of an organ-grinder outside his home.
Much to Halévy's annoyance the man was busy grinding out tunes from Rossini's "Barber of Seville".
Halévy finally confronted the man.
"I will pay you," he offered, "to go to Rossini's lodgings and play one of my tunes beneath his window."
"But I cannot," replied the organ-grinder. "Monsieur Rossini has already paid me to play his music beneath yours!" -
33
Melissa Etheridge and her partner, Julie Cypher, went public in 2000 regarding their offspring.
Their announcement was to the effect that musician David Crosby was the donor. -
34
Columbia's production department misunderstood the album info sheet supplied by Terry Melcher.
For the album name The Byrd's producer/manager Melcher had temporarily written in "(Untitled)".
Before Roger McGuinn's band could agree a title (that might have been "Phoenix") this recording was released. -
35
Those who understand Italian can snigger at the rude phrase on the back of this album cover.
Fans will have already noted the many clues buried in the front & back illustrations. -
36
Keith Moon was renowned for laying waste to hotel rooms.
He once drove a car into the pool of a Holiday Inn in Michigan.
The Who were permanently barred from the venues of the hotel chain.
This made Moon an ideal candidate for a cameo role in Zappa's film "200 Motels".
He played a nun, ever fearful of overdosing on pills.
Ironically, Moon died of an overdose of the medication he was prescribed to wean him off alcohol. -
37
On this single Boy George sings the line "I'm a man without convictions".
Little did this excellent singer realize how his future in the spotlight of entertainment would turn out. -
38
"I wouldn't mind dying in a plane crash. It'd be a good way to go.
I don't want to die in my sleep, or of old age, or OD...I want to feel what it's like.
I want to taste it, hear it, smell it.
Death is only going to happen to you once; I don't want to miss it."
Jim Morrison
Morrison was, reportedly, found dead in his Paris apartment bathtub. No autopsy was performed.
His 'soulmate' Pamela Courson made the discovery, July 3, 1971. He was 27. -
39
Prodigy found themselves in the doghouse over the meaning of this lyric.
Whatever, Tom Morello's work on this release certainly smacks my bitch up... -
40
"Weird Al" Yankovic had his song "Christmas at Ground Zero" banned by some radio stations.
They obviously missed his point about it's subject; nuclear war in the Yuletide season.
Yankovic had his first hit with this 'My Bologna' parody of The Knack's classic "My Sharona"
His pet dog "Little Bit" was eaten by a wild coyote in the grounds of his Hollywood home.