Jesus Wept

I even surprised myself with this one.

 

A loose JC theme for today's selection, whether in the title, lyrics...or artist's initials. A forty-five minute variety show featuring some (ir)reverential tunes by several Dubhed favourites and a few first-timers.

No Christmas Day selection would be complete without Andrew Weatherall and Julian Cope. 

 

Andrew teams up with Keith Tenniswood as Two Lone Swordsmen for a brilliantly titled track from their 1999 album A Virus With Shoes. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, I've...well, basically, I've just played it in reverse. If you're a lover or hater, it'll be proof that Weatherall's music either sounds fantastic or shit, whichever direction it's played. Naturally, I'm in the former camp.

Julian gets as close as he ever will to a Christmas song with a B-side from 1988's Charlotte Anne EP and typically one of the best things he's ever written and recorded. But then, I would say that, wouldn't I?

Forget About Jesus by Swell blew me away when I first heard it on the John Peel show in 1994. For it's 30th anniversary, I've spliced together sections from the two versions that featured on the CD single back in the day to create a six-and-a-half minute extended version. Dean Kirkpatrick is co-founder Sean's dad and provides the opening and closing spoken word sections.

Add to the above, liberal helpings of The Jesus & Mary Chain, Ash, The Birthday Party and The The amongst others, and you have a treat that you can enjoy between meals without spoiling your appetite.

 

Have a great day everyone, whether you're celebrating, commiserating, isolating or entertaining. With especially big love for all those working today and tomorrow, putting others before themselves.

Thanks for dropping by, be sure to drop by tomorrow for a Boxing Day special.

 

1) Jesus Says (Album Version): Ash (1998)

2) Jesus H Christ On A Surfboard: Gary Cassin (2024)

3) Christ On A Stick: Creamboy (2020)

4) Cloned Christ On A Hover Donkey (Be Thankful) (Khayem's Crunching The Reverse Gear): Two Lone Swordsmen (2024)

5) Reverence (Album Version): The Jesus & Mary Chain (1992)

6) Forget About Jesus (Khayem's Reinterred Vocal Re-Edit): Swell ft. Dean Kirkpatrick (2024)

7) Christ Alive: The Sea Nymphs (1995)

8) The Cult Of Lord Jesus H. Christ: Alex G (2015)

9) Jesus Built My Hotrod (Short, Pusillanimous, So-They-Can-Fit-More-Commercials-On-The-Radio Edit): Ministry (1991)

10) Christ On A Bike: Thingdom (2024)

11) Big Jesus Trash Can: The Birthday Party (1982)

12) Angels Of Deception (Album Version): The The (1986)

13) Christmas Mourning (Single Version): Julian Cope (1988)

Jesus Wept (45:45) (KF) (Mega)

A Christmas Classick From Uncle Al

With love and best wishes on 25th December, wherever you are and whether it's a day to celebrate, share, avoid or somewhere in between.

 

If you're finding all of the sentiment, sugar and schmaltz a bit much - and that's just King Charles at 3.00pm - then here's Uncle Al (Jourgensen) with an alternative Christmas message, because his wife asked him to.

And if you fancy a change from Louis Armstrong or most of the 900+ cover versions of Wonderful World by the likes of Joe Pesci, Joe Longthorne, Jo Marie Payton, Joseph Vincent, Joey Ramone and other artists not called Joe, then here's Uncle Al again, this time with Ministry.

Taken from the tail end of Ministry's 2009 DVD Adios Puta Madres, documenting their final tour, you get a slow and a fast version, with Al flippin' tha bird at the end, no doubt thinking of the turkey that he had to get home to baste the following morning. I don't think you'll need Google translation to have a good guess at what the DVD title means.

 

If that's all too much for you, then how about Satchmo put through a dub rinse by The Orb in 2008? 

 

No? Then how about this one, remembering an artist who would have celebrated their 66th birthday today and, let's face it, should also have been Christmas #1. 

Feliz Navidad!

Lay Lady Lay (Ten Times)

In a second nod to Bob Dylan this week, following Desolation Row's inclusion in Sunday's selection, recently the shuffle option on my iPhone has been relentless in offering up Lay Lady Lady, in various incarnations. 

 

To be honest, I had no idea I had so many versions of the song but why be selfish? Here's ten of them, stitched together in one 40-odd minute sequence for your aural pleasure or sonic torture, depending on your opinion of the song to begin with.

The selection starts off with Magnet (aka Norwegian singer-songwriter Even Johansen and not to be confused with this Magnet) joined by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes on a lush, orchestral version. 

 

Along the way, you get Byrdsian gospel, Ministry's grubby come hither, a soulful take from The Isley Brothers, Melanie's rousing folk and headphone indie from David Kitt, The Flaming Lips and The Dandy Warhols. Oh, and Duran Duran's offering from their frequently teeth-grinding mid-90s tribute album.

The only way to finish of course is with Bob Dylan's original from 1969's Nashville Skyline, a #5 hit in the UK and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA.

1) Lay Lady Lay (Album Version): Magnet ft. Gemma Hayes (2004)

2) Lay Lady Lay: The Byrds (1969)

3) Lay Lady Lay: David Kitt (2007)

4) Lay Lady Lay (Album Version): Ministry (1996)

5) Lay Lady Lay: Duran Duran (1995)

6) Lay Lady Lay (Album Edit): The Isley Brothers (1971)

7) Lay Lady Lay: The Flaming Lips (2021)

8) Lay Lady Lay: Melanie (1972)

9) Lay Lady Lay: The Dandy Warhols (2008)

10) Lay Lady Lay: Bob Dylan (1969)

1969: Lay Lady Lay (7"): 2 

1969: Nashville Skyline: 10

1972: Garden In The City: 8

1976: The Best... Isley Brothers: 6

1995: Thank You: 5

1996: Filth Pig: 4

2004: On Your Side: 1

2007: Misfits Vol. 1: 3

2008: ...Earth To The Dandy Warhols... (Japan bonus tracks edition): 9

2021: Dylan Revisited (Uncut magazine promo CD): 7

Lay Lady Lay (Ten Times) (43:31) (GD) (M)

 

...and if you're a glutton for punishment, I did the same thing with Dylan's Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands last summer.