Saturday Snapshots #5: The Answers

As usual, a sterling effort by everyone...

I would leave it a bit longer to reveal the title of number #6, but I was up at 5 this morning and need my beauty sleep...


10. When your ears get blocked in Detroit or Philly, don't say we didn't warn you!

Detroit & Philly = Soul

Blocked Ears = Wax

Don't say we didn't warn you = Much Against Everyone's Advice

Martin's first point of the evening.

Soulwax - Much Against Everyone's Advice

9. I know you'll solve this puzzle with the fourth Thunderbird.

Thunderbirds were F-A-B.

The fourth one would be FAB Four.

Lynchie overthought this one a bit: I didn't even know Thunderbird 4 was yellow. Martin came to his rescue...

I know you'll solve this puzzle = We Can Work It Out

The Beatles - We Can Work It Out

8. First in court today: a very small motorbike.

George was first out of bed this morning, and had no trouble with this.

10cc - Good Morning Judge

Great video.

7. Directory enquiries? Do you know the number for table tennis?

The clue was pretty obvious if you knew the track. Which not many people do.

Another point for Martin.

Number is, of course, another word for song. As in "Here's a little number I call..."

Operator Please - A Song About Ping Pong

Don't know know beef jerky has an aftertaste?

6. Adrian thaws in a hurry: don't make cake.

Hurry: don't make cake = Run DMC.

Well done, Chris.

Adrian thaws... or should that be Adrian Thaws?

Who is Adrian Thaws?

Run DMC - It's Tricky

5. Walt avoids sinking through humility.

Walt = Disney, otherwise known after his most famous creation... The Mouse.

Humility = Modest

Avoid sinking? Float on...

Modest Mouse - Float On

Well done again, Martin.

4. Man, waiting three days for a bit of affection really sucks.

Man = Mann... Aimee Mann

If you wait 3 days (from today), you'll be waiting 'Til Tuesday (Aimee's original band).

Affection that really sucks... Love In A Vacuum.

Extra points to Chris for getting 'Til Tuesday. That was a tough one. And to George for getting the song.

'Til Tuesday - Love In A Vacuum

3. Tarzan's fictional favourite gets aid from a drink you don't want.

Don't drink the Kool Aid.

Tarzan was Lord of the Jungle.

Fictional? From the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction.

Kool & The Gang - Jungle Boogie

Martin's making this look too easy.

2. Little ones shipwrecked while thumbing a ride to the frontline.

Who was shipwrecked? Robinson Crusoe.

Thumbing a ride? Tom Thumb.

Frontline + little ones = War Baby.

Only the very young and the very beautiful (George and CC) can be so aloof...

Tom Robinson - War Baby

Great sax on that.

1. Quarreling in an old airport is like watching polygons.

 An old airport = Idlewild (the former name of JFK International Airport in New York).

Quarreling is like watching polygons? I still have no idea what this song about... but I always loved it.

Well done Lynchie & George. (George, you were on fire today. As was Martin.)



If you liked this and you can't wait till next Saturday, go do Martin's crossword if you haven't already...

My Top Ten Operator Songs

Many, many years ago, when they had such things, my mum used to be a switchboard operator. The stories she could tell about the things she heard! Do we even still have operators? I can't imagine too many people dedicating a song to a pre-recorded "virtual switchboard". Press one for "the romance is dead".

Special mention to Operator Please, the band who recorded the amazing Just A Song About Ping Pong and The Operator by The Coral, which is actually about getting kidnapped and operated on by a bunch of psycho surgeons. Or something.


10. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Operator

As if calling her boyfriend to apologise for all the bad things she's done wasn't enough of a chore... poor Gladys has to go through the operator too!

9. Pete Shelley - Telephone Operator

Ever fallen in love with a video you shouldn't have?

Wikipedia informs me that if you play the arcade game Dance Dance Revolution, you get to dance to this song... in an arcade. Glad I don't believe anything I read on wikipedia.

8. Talking Heads - Dream Operator

Probably has nothing to do with making a telephone call... though you can never be sure with David Byrne. Still: quite lovely.

7. Nick Lowe - Switchboard Susan

How many telephone puns / innuendos can one songwriter squeeze into one song?

When I'm near you girl, I get an extension
And I don't mean Alexander Graham Bell's invention

6. Jim Croce - Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)

Or, if Jim's moustache is too much for you, can I recommend the rather fine Jesse Malin cover version?

5. Chuck Berry - Memphis, Tennessee

I make no apologies for the fact that this was already featured in my Top Ten Memphis Songs. It's a stone cold classic.

4.  The Rah Band - Clouds Across The Moon

In space, the intergalactic operator can't hear you scream.

If the future really looks like the Rah Band imagined it would in this video, I'll want my money back.

Never mind. I'll try again... next year... next year... next year...

3. The White Stripes - Hello, Operator

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Jack White's phone still had an operator. He probably refuses to use any of them new-fangled ones.

2. Dr. Hook - Sylvia's Mother

Dennis keeps trying to get through to Sylvia. Her mother just wants him to leave her alone. The operator keeps demanding "forty cents more" to continue the conversation "for the next three minutes".

1. Tom Waits - Martha

I almost gave this one to Dr. Hook, which would have been suitably anti-cool of me. But then I remembered
this...

Operator, number please
It´s been so many years
And she´ll remember my old voice
While I fight the tears
Hello, hello there, is this Martha ?
This is old Tom Frost
And I am calling long distance
Don´t worry ´bout the cost...

Tom Waits sounds like a weary old man on this recording. The scary / crazy thing is, he was 24 years old when it was released...



Those are the songs that get me calling the operator - but which one would be your hold music of choice?

My Top Ten Olympic Sport Songs

I've already covered running, jumping, gymnastics, swimming and cycling... here are a few songs about the remaining Olympic sports.

10. The Magic Theatre - Rowing Boat Love Song

If you were wondering whatever happened to Dan Popplewell and Sophia Churney of Ooberman, here's your answer... and it's quite, quite lovely.

9. MC Hammer - Can't Touch This

Stop.

Hammer time!

8. Slow Club - Horses Jumping

A song that covers a number of sporting disciplines, including swimming, sprint, pool and horses jumping... out of a boat. Don't ask me.

7. Heartless Bastards - Marathon

We're all racing for our own reasons

6. Beach Boys - Sail On, Sailor

If you were expecting Rod Stewart... isn't this so much better?

5. Operator Please - (Just A Song About) Ping Pong

Don't you know beef jerky has an aftertaste?

4. Prefab Sprout - I Never Play Basketball Now

After that last unholy row
I never, ever play basketball now.
It joins the list of things I'll miss
Like fencing foils and lovely girls I'll never kiss.

3. Julian Cope - Trampolene

No gold medal for Julian's spelling.

2. Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting

Pumping iron never sounded so beautiful.

1. Ben Folds Five - Boxing

Boxing's been good to him...



So... which one's your Olympian?