On a whim I went searching for video footage of Peter Blegvad performing anything from his 1983, Andy Partridge-produced album, The Naked Shakespeare. I’ve always loved this album. Colin Moulding contributes bass to a few songs. Terry Chambers may appear as well. I need to dig it out and digitize it.
Anyhow…to my surprise, I found a clip of Blegvad lip-syncing “Karen” on Top of the Pops, or some English show like that. The video is mildly not safe for work owing to the appearance of a tastefully naked butt.
Anyhow…rather that attempt to strike up an in-depth conversation over the works of Blegvad, I thought I’d do my part by simply exposing him to some of you and then launching a Last Man Standing on Name Songs. There’s one catch: We must list them in alphabetical order, beginning with my entry, “Karen,” a name that begins with the letter K.
It shouldn’t be hard to list a name song beginning with an L, M, N, O, or P, but we’ll see how far we get toward the end of alphabet. We will exclude the letter X from play. How many name songs are written to Xavier? (NOTE: If we can get through Z one time, we can consider eliminating that letter from play in the second round.) If we get all the way through to J, we will start over at K.
Got that? Let the first name song, beginning with L, appear in the Comments!
UPDATE: Comments are set to close sometime tomorrow (1/20/14). Consider the conclusion to this Last Man Standing a race against the clock!
Lucille, Little Richard
Mary, Mary — The Monkees
“Nadine,” Chuck Berry
“Ophelia”, the Band
The Divine Comedy – Our Mutual Friend
Oops – “Power Lines” by Telekinesis.
Gotta be a name, MrHuman, such as “Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly.
I am an idiot and I apologize.
to err is Human
Shoot, we’re up to Q names. This is another letter that may be out of play following this round. We’ll see. For now, “The Mighty Quinn” moves us onto what should be an easy R name!
Roxanne Roxanne – UTFO
“Sussudio” — Phil Collins
Timothy Leary’s Dead – The Moody Blues.
Under the Milky Way: – The Church
Unless you mean there’s a woman named Under, I don’t think that answer works.
But, “Tales of Brave Ulysses” does. Just ask the tiny purple fishes.
Veronica – Elvis Costello
Matthew Sweet – “Winona”
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots – The Flaming Lips
“Ziggy Stardust”
Bam!
Sweet! There’s probably at least one other Z name. I hadn’t thought of that obvious one.
Onto an A name…
“Amy,” by Poco, or whatever Southern Lite Rock band that was.
X?
The original rules stated that X was out of play. If you’ve got a song with a name that begins with X, by all means show off and play it! Thanks.
Madam X by Smokey Robinson?
Oh whoops!
B.
Bertha – Grateful Dead
Greatful. I’m making a mess of this page.
“Caroline” – Link Wray & The Wraymen
David Watts – The Kinks.
Eleanor Rigby
“Frank’s Wild Years” – Tom Waits
Gabrielle – The Nips
I think you spelled it right the first time.
I’m Henry the 8th -Herman’s Hermits
I was seriously making hash last night, don’t know what was up with me. In the “this is your rock town hall” thread, I spelled “Prince” as “Price.” Ugh.
Iris’ Song For Us – Vashti Bunyan
Jolene – Dolly Parton
(searches iTunes Library….)
Xerxes’; HWV 40 – George Frideric Handel
What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? – REM
Laura, Scissor Sisters
Martha My Dear
Roy Wood – Nancy Sing Me A Song
Oliver’s Army – Costello
Johnny Hit and Run Pauline – X
“Little Queenie,” by Chuck Berry. We’ll see if any more Q names are available.
“Quincy Punk Episode” – Spoon
If we go around the horn again I think we should drop the letter Q because this one hurt my brain.
Ricky’s Theme – Beastie Boys
We must have posted almost simultaneously. Let’s hold onto this one and use it in the third round. I’m pretty sure we’re going to make it that far.
“Sarah Smile,” by Hall & Oates, Mrs. Andyr’s favorite band.
Sorry to bogart the next letter, but in honor of Mr. Everly, I wanted to make sure “S” was properly memorialized:
Wake Up Little Susie
“Tony’s Theme” – Pixies
Can we use the same name twice (different song)? If so, U could be re-represented by “Ullyses,” this time by Dead Can Dance.
Or would you consider Uncle Albert?
Although he appreciates the thought, Phil is PISSED that you bogarted the next letter. Just look at his face! 🙂
I think we should avoid repeating proper names in different songs, but I will accept titles, which will give us at least another round or two for the letter Q. “Uncle Albert” is Albert’s name, as far as his nephews and nieces are concerned.
Victoria – The Kinks
Sticking with the Kinks, “Do You Remember Walter.”
Remember, X is most likely out of play. After Y, I think we can find another Z name song.
Yuri-G – PJ Harvey
Tommy Guerrero – “Zapata’s Boots”
Bam! Z again!
You may be our Most Valuable Player to this point! Onto the letter A!
Amos Moses – Jerry Reed
Bruce Springsteen’s Zero & Blind Terry
Let’s save this for the next time through the rotation!We need another B song, which shouldn’t be hard to find.
Nevermind, it’s Blind Terry who is satisfying the needed B. Onto a C name song!
“Caroline No,” The Beach Boys.
Do I hear a D name song?
“Daniel and the Sacred Harp”, by the Band.
Evangaline – Matthew Sweet (again)
No, that was timing. I intended that for Z
OK, if need be we’ll allow it the be used the next time Z comes up.
Freddie’s Dead – Curtis Mayfield
Gary Gilmore’s Eyes – The Adverts