One More (?) Go Around: A Hundred Songs I Absolutely Must Have With Me on 1/48/50

#322) "Red Red Wine" by Neil Diamond - Until very recently, I had no idea "Red Red Wine" was originally a Neil Diamond song, released in 1968 on his Just For You album. Now that I know, I'm not the least bit surprised. Buried deep in UB40's reggae-infused version (which was all I ever knew, and have always enjoyed), is an unmistakable Neil Diamond melody. It seems so obvious now, and it means that although I planned to list the UB40 cover here, in a very short time I've became an ardent fan of the Neil Diamond version, and now greatly, greatly prefer it.

It's kind of stunning, actually. Stunningly beautiful.

"Red red wine, it's up to you / all I can do I've done, but memories won't go, no memories won't go..."


#323) "Red Red Wine" by UB40 - Ah, what the hell, I still like this version too, especially the chanting at the end, which is what caught my attention 30 years ago.

"Red red wine you make me feel so fine, you keep me rockin' all of the time..."


#324) "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel - Like most people who were around when it was new, it's the video for "Sledgehammer" that I remember, more than the song. Its painstakingly detailed stop-motion animation was a pretty big deal in 1987, garnered a lot of buzz, won a lot of awards. I remember checking in to MTV frequently, in hopes of catching it being played, and pressing the record button on the VCR quick enough to make it worth recording.

But now, all these years later - and I guess I'm lucky to be able to say this - I don't need the video. There's a kind of rare, crazy visual going on in my mind just listening to the song. In its own way, this fun, funky, kooky jam is pretty inspired, to a point where the video is almost a needless distraction.

Still cool, though. ;-)



"You could have an aeroplane flying, if you bring your blue sky back..."