Eurovision Algorhythm

Laibach's new single Allgorhythm (sic) is simultaneously awful and the best song I've heard all day. 

This has been a repeated theme throughout their career, yet I can't help admiring them for it.

You may be interested to know that the song was co-prodced by Richard X and features guest vocals from Wiyaala.

Slovenia will not participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest but if they had, this would surely have beaten their previous peak of #7 (twice), if not won the blooming thing.

Allgorhythm is available to buy now and there's a whole album of original songs - Laibach's first such in over a decade - coming in May. Naturally, it's called Musick.

There's a lot of talking

When Laibach drops a song

Because we do it raw

Ignoring every law

We're shattering the rules

We're tearing down the walls

Hey -   (let's) go and do the dance

Hey - (let's) fall into the bubble trance

Hey -  this is our last chance

Hey, hey - We all go rhythm!

All go rhythm! All go rhythm!

All go rhythm! All go rhythm!

We must keep moving on

The past is dead and gone

No matter what you do

No one cares about your point of view

What matters is the algorithm works for you

Hey -   (We all) go and do the dance

Hey - (Let's) fall into the bubble trance

Hey -  this is our last chance

Hey, hey - We all go rhythm!

All go rhythm! All go rhythm!

All go rhythm! All go rhythm!

All the girls, and all the boys,  All go rhythm!

Let's get loud and make some noise, All go rhythm!

Here's a beat you can't escape, All go rhythm!

Step right in and match the shape! Let's all go rhythm!

Algorithm  Let's do it!

Algorithm  Slaves to algorithm!

All go rhythm! Algorithm 

All go rhythm!

All go rhythm! Rhythm! Rhythm!

All go rhythm!

All the tired and the poor

All go rhythm!

Huddled masses at the doors

All go rhythm!

The homeless and the rich

All go rhythm!

From all the teeming shores   

Let's all go rhythm!

Some people go kung fu fighting

Some people go bitcoin mining 

Oh yeah!

Some nations go dynamiting

We like to do some crazy rhyming

Yeah!

Wow, wow, wow, yeah... 

Wow, wow, wow...

All  go  rhythm!

Let's all go rhythm!

All  go  rhythm!

All  go  rhythm!

All  go  rhythm!

ALL....

With A Dream In Your Heart You're Never Alone

Celebrating Burt Bacharach, 12th May 1928 to 8th February 2023.

Burt Bacharach has been a huge part of my life lived through music, even when I was largely ignorant of this fact until I got to my teens and started paying more attention to the people behind the songs. Falling in love, falling out of love, Burt Bacharach captured the musical mood and, with Hal David, nailed the thoughts, feelings and dilemmas that listeners could relate to.

My initial 'shortlist' for this selection was ridiculously long, so I've ruthlessly cut it to ten songs and a little over half an hour. In the 1990s, I bought a budget compilation called The Burt Bacharach Songbook, a 23-track silver disc of solid gold songs. I could easily have just picked the ten from that alone and it would have been great. A few have made the cut here but I've interspersed them with some more contemporary cover versions from BMX Bandits, Terry Hall, Kevin Rowland, Espiritu aka Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones and Richard X featuring the unique talent that is The Flying Lizards' Deborah Evans-Stickland.

Given Bacharach and David's long and fruitful collaboration with Dionne Warwick, it would have been remiss of me not to start the selection with one of her songs, with three more covers along the way. The selection closes with my favorite cover of I'll Never Fall In Love Again, by Bobbie Gentry. 

Lots more for a future part two and part three, but this is a brisk reminder of Burt Bacaharch's brilliance with a tune that hits all the emotional sweet spots. Thanks for all the music, Burt.

1) Do You Know The Way To San Jose: Dionne Warwick (1968)

2) It Doesn't Matter Anymore (Cover of Ricky Nelson): BMX Bandits (1998)

3) Close To You (Cover of '(They Long To Be) Close To You' by Richard Chamberlain): Terry Hall (1997)

4) Anyone... (Edit By Rob Smith & Ray Mighty) (Cover of 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' by Dionne Warwick): Smith & Mighty ft. Jackie Jackson (1988)

5) You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart) (Cover of Dionne Warwick): The Stylistics (1976)

6) Walk On By (Cover of Dionne Warwick): Richard X ft. Deborah Evans-Stickland (2003)

7) Always Something There To Remind Me (Radio Version By Phil Bodger) (Cover of Sandie Shaw): Espiritu (1994)

8) This Guy's In Love With You (Cover of Danny Williams): Kevin Rowland (1999)

9) Only Love Can Break A Heart (Cover of Gene Pitney): Timi Yuro (1981)

10) I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Cover of Jill O'Hara & Jerry Orbach): Bobbie Gentry (1969)

A Dream In Your Heart (32:28) (Box) (Mega)