Thursday, 2 March 2023

There Must Be Stuff Worth Seeking Out

Firmly in the category of "And why not?", here's Bach Ze by The High Llamas, released on the album Snowbug and as a promo video (but not a single) in 1999.
 
As noted in the YouTube comments, the chord progressions reference Johan Sebastian Bach during the verses and Tom Zé during the chorus. The lyrics are completely unrelated and loosely based on the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union in the 1960s, more specifically the decision in 1961 to locate NASA’s Manned Spaceflight Centre in Houston, Texas, believed to be a political decision to garner votes in the South. Sean O'Hagan revisits the song and it's origins in an interesting 2003 interview with Scram Magazine which is well worth a read.
 
A lovely song and a reminder that I need to post more by The High Llamas...


Did no one see
The vigil through the night
By candlelight
Not meaning to amuse
It's now a flashback for
A dedicated few

We're history
Consign this estuary
To northern seas
And ornamental ships
It's now a flashback for
A dedicated few
 
From moon to Mars
The slightest slip
But now we rarely make the trip

The skyline change
May draw them to the park
With pencils sharp
Competing for a view
It's almost summer now
But winter for a few

From moon to Mars
The slightest slip
But now we rarely make the trip
A run to space could save the South
There must be stuff worth seeking out
 
Ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba ba

The skyline change
May draw them to the park
With pencils sharp
Competing for a view
It's almost summer now
But winter for a few
 
From moon to Mars
The slightest slip
But now we rarely make the trip
A run to space could save the South
There must be stuff worth seeking out

From moon to Mars
The slightest slip
But now we rarely make the trip

2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Sometimes the Apple Music random shuffle function is a very fine thing for reminding me of songs and artists that I haven't heard for a long time. This is a good example.

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