People don't reference this song enough! Glad it did so well. The playground noise is a weird masterstroke; "the vicar or whatever" similarly.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 13:41 (five years ago) link
In a discography full of prettiness, this is their prettiest song.
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 13:42 (five years ago) link
the playground noise gives it this weird sense of 'passing through' if that makes any sense? i really like the effect it has, it's sort of breezy
― ufo, Monday, 17 December 2018 13:42 (five years ago) link
http://i66.tinypic.com/vnz12e.jpg
6. I'm a Cuckoo From Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)Original promo videoAvalanches remix, audio trackPoints: 728 Votes: 31, including 2 votes for the Avalanches remix.#1 Votes: 2
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:06 (five years ago) link
awesome
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:06 (five years ago) link
brilliant song, voted for it, the Avalanches remix is overrated
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:07 (five years ago) link
Still good though.
― Mark G, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:09 (five years ago) link
Great song. That moment when the brass section goes into overdrive is deliciously over-the-top and perfect.
― lbi's life of limitless european glamour (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:10 (five years ago) link
XP: Sinister, the album, has so many songs with these long melodic phrases, and the title track is a good example:"He'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever" comes out in one long stream where you keep expecting the melody to resolve but it keeps pushing on just a little bit further.
(see also: "Well if I remain passive and you just want to cuddle then we should be ok and we won't get in a muddle cause we're seeing other people, at least that's what we say we are doing")
― enochroot, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:10 (five years ago) link
I’m a Cuckoo was my number one, the avalanches remix is what put it over the top for me
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:12 (five years ago) link
Love, love this song.
― Sam Weller, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:12 (five years ago) link
The playground noise is a weird masterstroke
This is so true, and it's not exactly clear why it works so well. It doesn't really tie to the lyrics in an obvious way.
Hillary's musings reference a scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Perhaps it's a meditation on lost innocence and lost youth. Murdoch does a lot of repurposing of popular kids culture that serves a similar purpose, right down to the band name.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:13 (five years ago) link
Does anyone remember the DVD singles? B&S were well served with those. I have most (if not all) of them.
― Mark G, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:14 (five years ago) link
IwasthebossofyouandIlovedyouyouknowIlovedyouIt's all over now
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:18 (five years ago) link
yeah going through this ballot has really made me notice Murdoch's unique sense of phrasing (in every sense)
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:20 (five years ago) link
“Never read this before, Stuart Murdochon Sleep the Clock Around:
"That song was about walking over the brow of a hill, away from the two people I loved most, when I had betrayed them somewhat: after they cast me out of their confidence and out of the cafe. So it’s a song that cries out for recovery."
♥️
― Alba, Monday, December 17, 2018 2:53 AM (six hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink”
I love this. Like I said last night this is my fave B&S song. Very strong top ten so far as precdicted.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:20 (five years ago) link
Funny little I'm a Cuckoo fact I noticed the other day. In Stuart David's B&S memoir he mentions the other Stuart in the pre B&S days having a song called Sunday Gang.Have found no other reference to it except the line in I'm a Cuckoo "Watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku".
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:22 (five years ago) link
I thought it was 'Sunday gang in Harrods'! What the chuff is Harajuku?
― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:24 (five years ago) link
A neighborhood in Tokyo.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:25 (five years ago) link
They like Thin Lizzy. and stuff.
― Mark G, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:25 (five years ago) link
And this, I guess, is the Sunday Gang he's talking about?
https://www.tvcream.co.uk/telly/tv-a-z/n-z/s-is-for/sunday-gang/
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:25 (five years ago) link
xp That's one hell of a rhyming dictionary.
― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:26 (five years ago) link
Harajuku is a trendy neighbourhood. I guess SM has been there when visiting Toyko.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:28 (five years ago) link
"I'm a Cuckoo" looked like it was steady at #4, for pretty much all of the voting period. I was impressed. Still impressed, despite it losing ground with the last day's ballots.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:31 (five years ago) link
I mean, I don't think he's actually singing about watching an old religious TV show for kids while in Toyko. I just mean I imagine that's the reference he's playing on when he talks about people watching in Harajuku.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:32 (five years ago) link
Then again, I wouldn't put it past him.
― Mark G, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:34 (five years ago) link
Rather be in Tokyo, listening to Thin Lizzy-o *thin lizzy guitar riff*
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:34 (five years ago) link
I always hoped he was referring to the Sunday Gang tv show, as an 80s RC kid i was very familiar with it. It was pretty well known iirc, there's a Lucas and Walliams mid 90s piss take (Pray Away) of it on You Tube.
― piscesx, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:35 (five years ago) link
http://i63.tinypic.com/2urxpwl.jpg
5. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying From If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)Live at Lowlands, 2006Points: 762 Votes: 37 #1 Votes: 0
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:45 (five years ago) link
"i'm a cuckoo" was my #1, on its own merits (avalanches remix is perfect too)
the thin lizzy meets highlife thing works so well
― ufo, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:49 (five years ago) link
*whispers* “like dylan in the movies” 4 no. 1
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:51 (five years ago) link
This is the song I always forget is on IYFS and it's always an awesome surprise
― Vinnie, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:54 (five years ago) link
No #1 votes!
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 14:56 (five years ago) link
Classic song, one I’ve probably taken for granted.
I could kill you sure, but I could only make you cry with these words
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 14:57 (five years ago) link
Wow, we're in the top 5.If you're feeling sinister has jumped mightily in my esteem as a top track, when I thought I was mildly annoyed by the silly chorus lyrics. I love that long intro that makes you think it's an instrumental. Mesmerizing track. I wish I had put it even higher.Get me away from here I'm dying I'm not very objective on. My original favorite, it's so unique and deceptively simple I sometimes doubt its perfection. Their best lyrics maybe (at least the lines I know). It is mightier than swoords. I could... only make you cry!... with theeese woords.
― Nabozo, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:00 (five years ago) link
Before anyone sent any ballots I thought this a likely #1. But only because it won some poll I participated in, in maybe...1998. LOL. (Not sure where though. Did the Sinister list do polls?)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:03 (five years ago) link
I get that—I’ve always thought of it as their “signature song,” as much as a band as prolific as this one can have one
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:05 (five years ago) link
Yeah, 'signature song' captures the vibe. It might have been clearer when they'd only released 32 songs or whatever.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:14 (five years ago) link
http://i63.tinypic.com/2hwgvn4.jpg
4. Like Dylan in the Movies From If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)'Fans Only' segmentPoints: 812 Votes: 34 #1 Votes: 4
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:17 (five years ago) link
this was my highest IYFS track, undeniable vibe
I realized while assembling my ballot that the early albums are associated with a time in life I don't care to think about anymore, which probably contributed to my preference for the more recent stuff (DCW and onwards) and b-sides / stray tracks
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:21 (five years ago) link
Heard it on the radio a while ago and yes went back to another time. I know I said I voted Me and the Major my top Sinister track but really this can't be beaten.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:21 (five years ago) link
For this poll I had decided (very unoriginally) that this was my favorite B&S song. Can't complain even if it misses the top 3. I'm still happy with my choice, it's the most perfectly balanced in everything: bassline, vocal lines, piano, impressions of "rising" and accelerating, guitars, details, xylophone-triangle whatever it is.You can concentrate on the one you love...I will love you over, I will love youuuuuIf they foooollow youSeriously, it's perfect. We said the songs with 4 #1 votes win right. Right.
― Nabozo, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:23 (five years ago) link
a great song but still only middle of the pack in IYFS to me
― ufo, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:25 (five years ago) link
Please don't let LLPJ beat The State I Am In.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:27 (five years ago) link
I hope it does tbqh
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:28 (five years ago) link
Oh yes did anybody compliment you on the blue - red - green - yellow color thing ? I swear I only actually noticed today, great idea.LLPJ doesn't deserve it.
― Nabozo, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:30 (five years ago) link
imagine thinking that "lazy line painter jane" isn't one of the best b&s songs and would be a totally excellent no. 1
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:30 (five years ago) link
wouldn't*
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link
Comes back to preference for his personal songs over the character ones, I guess. TSIAI just means everything to me and I've never really got a handle on this Jane person.
― Alba, Monday, 17 December 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link
seeing other people as the highest-ranked sinister track?
― bros before HOOS (voodoo chili), Monday, 17 December 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link