Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off

Boxing Day blues kicking in already?

Fear not, I've created a brand new hour-long Dubhed selection to banish the blues and hopefully not leave you seeing red!

I worried that my 2021 Boxing Day offering was too obvious, being themed around boxes. Four years later, I've clearly not learned my lesson, as today's selection is based on boxing-themed song titles. 

In fact, it turned out that I hit a rich seam of gold in my digging, unearthing enough songs for at least one more selection. 

Left out of the ring on this occasion were The Affectionate Punch by Associates, Pulling Punches by David Sylvian, Punch Drunk by Gene Loves Jezebel, One Armed Boxer by Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters, Saved By The Bell by Robin Gibb and of course Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) by Talking Heads.

Decayed, my recent series focussing on the 1990s, also featuring boxing obsessed songs like Muhammad Ali by Faithless, Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III by Cornershop and Heavyweight Champion Of The World by Reverend & The Makers, all left in the changing room on this occasion.

I think, blow-by-blow the fifteen rounds here deliver a knockout selection, an (upper) cut above the rest and proof if needed that I'm in your corner. 

And before I stretch my efforts to insert boxing references too far, it's time to hang up my gloves, know what I mean, 'Arry?

1) The Boxer (Album Version): The Chemical Brothers ft. Tim Burgess (2005)

2) Knockout Position (DJ Muggs Remix): Kaliphz (1995)

3) Another Blow On The Bruise: Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer (1989)

4) Sucker Punch: Fujiya & Miyagi (2006)

5) Fighting Fit (Album Version): Gene (1996)

6) Southpaw (Fluke's Glassjaw Remix): Trisco (2005)

7) Lazyitis (One Armed Boxer): Happy Mondays ft. Karl Denver (1989)

8) Lightweight: Marco Rossi (2024)

9) Down And Out: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (2015)

10) The Boxer (Cover of Simon & Garfunkel): Bob Dylan (1970)

11) Still Fighting: The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Denise Johnson (1993)

12) Knuckle Sandwich Nancy: Slade (1981)

13) Reign Of Blows: XTC (1984)

14) Boxerbeat (Album Version): JoBoxers (1983)

15) Boxing Clever: The Selecter (2023)

1970: Self Portrait: 10

1981: Till Deaf Do Us Part: 12

1983: Like Gangbusters: 14

1984: The Big Express: 13

1989: Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves: 3

1989: Lazyitis EP: 7

1993: Sabresonic:: 11

1995: Seven Deadly Sins: 2

1996: Drawn To The Deep End: 5

2005: Push The Button: 1

2005: Southpaw EP: 6

2006: Transparent Things: 4

2015: Freedom Tower No Wave Dance Party 2015: 9

2023: Human Algebra: 15

2024: Since Returning From The Moon: 8

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off (1:01:50) (GD) (M)

Still Crazee After All These Years...

...or, Slade Saturday, if you haven't already twigged from the picture.

 

For years, I've barely had half a dozen Slade songs in my collections, including a few of the obvious ones and of course that Xmas single. However, it was Miles Out To Sea (from 1974's Old New Borrowed And Blue) popping up again recently on a random shuffle that prompted me to finally have a crash course in Slade's music. This has come via the 4CD behemoth The Slade Box, an 84-track journey from 1969 to 1991. Which, ironically, doesn't include Miles Out To Sea...

I've only had a brief run through during my daily commute to work this week but bloody hell, it's good and admittedly much better than I was perhaps expecting. And it's loud, in a very satisfying way. I was only really familiar with their 1970s glam material so it's been a pleasant surprise to see how Slade navigated the punk years, took a detour into Van Halen territory in the 1980s and somehow found a new popularity (albeit briefly) at the start of the 1990s.

Today's selection is a C90-friendly trawl through a baker's dozen of Slade songs. I've narrowed the focus to 1970-1985, with roughly half the songs from their imperial period of 1973-1974. It's very much a 'first impression' compilation as I've only heard the majority of songs for the first time this week, but it works for me.

This will be played loud at Casa K...well, at least until Mrs. and Lady K tell me to turn that racket down and go do something useful.

 

1) Don't Tame A Hurricane (1983)

2) Cum On Feel The Noize (1973)

3) One Way Hotel (1970)

4) Miles Out To Sea (1974)

5) Ruby Red (1981)

6) Little Sheila (1985)

7) Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonite (1973)

8) Far Far Away (1974)

9) How Does It Feel? (1974)

10) It's Alright Buy Me (1978)

11) Night Starvation (1981)

12) Burning In The Heat Of Love (1977)

13) When The Lights Are Out (1974)

1970: Play It Loud: 3

1973: Cum On Feel The Noize EP / Sladest: 2

1973: Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me EP: 7

1974: Old New Borrowed And Blue: 4, 13

1974: Slade In Flame: 8, 9

1977: Burning In The Heat Of Love: 12

1978: Rock 'N' Roll Bolero EP: 10

1981: Till Deaf Do Us Part: 5

1981: We'll Bring The House Down: 11

1983: My Oh My EP: 1

1985: Rogues Gallery : 6

Still Crazee After All These Years... (45:45) (Box) (Mega)