Two great songs
2 August 2011When I did my favourite 50 songs ever a few years back I don’t know how I missed these two.
“Pump It Up” by Elvis Costello. Wow, this is the very definition of infectious. Those drums are tribal. Then the descending synth line hooks you and you are done. Dance, New Wavers.
“Don’t Bring Me Down” by ELO. It’s ludicrous. It shouldn’t work, it’s so oddball. Again, the thumping drums draw you in, and a descending riff – this time on guitar – snags you. But here the simple (but silly) rhymes and heavily multi-tracked vocals impel you to sing along. The slight change-ups in the chorus also engage you in future listens, because you know they’re there and you wait for them.
I accept the first. I reject the second wholeheartedly.
Don’t know if Dino told you, but “Pump It Up” is a song that his band plays….and he sings lead. We’ve been grooving to that one a lot lately.