Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CLXIV--Thunderclap Newman: Something in the Air

This week's tune remains as relevant today as it did when it was originally released--there is something in the air here in 2018 and it does smell like revolution (just ask the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL)...

Thunderclap Newman was formed by Who mastermind Pete Townshend (who also produced their work) and its manager, Kit Lambert, in 1969 to showcase the talents of John "Speedy" Keen, a former roadie extraordinaire for the Who.  The band had a short history--by 1971 they were done, having released just one album and embarking on just one short tour...and having a hit single that even nearly fifty years later is almost universally recognized.  Sadly, all three of the band's original members--Speedy Keen, Andy "Thunderclap" Newman, and Jimmy McCulloch are no longer with us.

Fun Fact:  Townshend played bass for the band on its recordings, under the pseudonym Bijou Drains (you got me...).

Released in 1969, "Something in the Air" was originally written by Keen for the movie The Magic Christian.  It would go on to become #1 in England for three weeks, and hit #37 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.  Thunderclap Newman's only album, Hollywood Dream, was released nine months after the single, and had virtually no commercial success.  The band did have another minor hit in England with the song "Accidents"--which is most noted for rivaling only "Softly As I Leave You" for having the saddest subject matter of any song ever written....

"Something in the Air" is a literal and figurative call to arms--the world was changing and it was time to take it upon ourselves to make the world a better place.  The music and instrumentation has an almost otherworldly quality to it--its boldness matches the boldness of the call to revolution.  There's some nice guitar work by McCulloch (who was all of 16 at the time), and Keen's drumming helps to add to the song's power.  There's a dandy piano break by Andy Newman about two thirds of the way into the song that is at times both beautiful and chaotic before the song breaks on through to the other side (to quote a phrase) and closes with an almost hopeful, somewhat prayer-like plea for us all to get it together and embrace the moment.  It was a one-off moment of genius for Keen who had the good fortune to have Townshend's as a Muse--and they created a pop classic for the masses.

Liner Notes:  "Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right/And you know that it's right/We have got to get it together/We have got to get it together now..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee

The Twelve Dissents of Christmas: The Twelfth Day

Power to the people, right on...

On the twelfth and final day of Christmas:

I'm with this guy--despite the peace sign above, anyone who thinks we're going to win the soul of America by holding hands and singing "Kumbaya" while planting a tree is seriously deluding himself.  It's time for an all out war with President Oompa Loompa and his republican minions:

• Per Kos:  Trump is illegitimate so sing it from the rooftops.
• Meet our new best friend, Mr. Phil A. Buster.  We need to filibuster, filibuster, and filibuster some more until republicans nuke it (likely) or quit (not)--and if they nuke it, then they own every shit piece of legislation they ram through.
• What this guy says:  Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin, "We're not letting any prepped-out Harvard Business School neo-Nazi strategize us into becoming Germany 1933 and we will not let a cabinet of robber barons and white nationalists destroy everything the civilizing movements of the last century created."  More candidates like this for us, please!
• Hold Democrats feet to the fire--when Chuck Schumer tells republicans to make our day by attacking Medicare make certain that he's not only talking the talk, but walking the walk, too.

In the words of Thunderclap Newman,

               Hand out the arms and ammo
               We're going to blast our way through here
               We've got to get together sooner or later
               Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
               And you know that it's right...

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee