If Music Could Talk

This song is another one of those odd exercises of Bernie-style self-criticism that were rearing their ugly head around this time, although I think the reason behind its inclusion is more mundane...don't forget, said imitation slap bass shit was quite big on both sides of the pond in '84-'85, and presumably, Joe (or Bernie) desired a bit of that action...it's as if somebody said, "Well, loud guitar punk's not in style anymore, boys, we need something that the pre-teen set can groove to." That the boys expended so much energy, production-wise, on such a slight song goes a long way toward summing up CTC's failure as a record.

Chairman Ralph wrote:This song is another one of those odd exercises of Bernie-style self-criticism that were rearing their ugly head around this time, although I think the reason behind its inclusion is more mundane...don't forget, said imitation slap bass shit was quite big on both sides of the pond in '84-'85, and presumably, Joe (or Bernie) desired a bit of that action...it's as if somebody said, "Well, loud guitar punk's not in style anymore, boys, we need something that the pre-teen set can groove to." That the boys expended so much energy, production-wise, on such a slight song goes a long way toward summing up CTC's failure as a record.

I'd love to be fly on the wall when Bernie renegotiated the contract, because I'm sure someone told him "listen, Rhodes, you tell that Strummer idiot to get with the program. We want this album to have dance music and drum machines and synthesizers on it. That's what the radio is playing, not this Punk bullshit. Get to work and your next round of demos better have some hits on them."

I "love" that I have four different versions of this song:

Fingerpoppin' (Album Version)
Fingerpoppin' (AOR Mix) - No Fade In
Fingerpoppin' (AOR Mix) - Fades In
Fingerpoppin' (Live)

I am calling upon anyone out there to do a remix or mashup of any version of this song. I would literally be ecstatic if we could get a remix/mashup made up so we can have a 5-song Fingerpoppin' EP. We could force Inder to make the art.

dont talk shop!

Flex wrote:I "love" that I have four different versions of this song:

Fingerpoppin' (Album Version)
Fingerpoppin' (AOR Mix) - No Fade In
Fingerpoppin' (AOR Mix) - Fades In
Fingerpoppin' (Live)

I am calling upon anyone out there to do a remix or mashup of any version of this song. I would literally be ecstatic if we could get a remix/mashup made up so we can have a 5-song Fingerpoppin' EP. We could force Inder to make the art.

Dear god Flex, your last.fm is glorious.

Hello,

Fingerpoppin' - It's Joe's attempt to stay current in the 80's. Mick tried to stay current with 80's hip-hop, Joe then decided to stay current in 80's synth-pop-new wave (Post new-wave? Now there's a pretensious cocktail party thread!). Bernie thought along similar lines or pushed Joe in that direction - dunno. Both Joe and Mick had to have some confidence questions once they parted - staying ahead of the curve is a tough task (best to say "screw the curve - I do what I do" - Joe eventually came to that conclusion, I think).

I take Fingerpoppin' in consideration of the time period - some music is classic, without time constraints - other music represents the time of creation, the fashion. Both have their place, the latter especially with people who came of age during that time (guilty as charged, Andy).

I can do a noise version of Fingerpoppin'.

eumaas wrote:I can do a noise version of Fingerpoppin'.

Oh god yes.

gkbill wrote: I take Fingerpoppin' in consideration of the time period - some music is classic, without time constraints - other music represents the time of creation, the fashion. Both have their place, the latter especially with people who came of age during that time (guilty as charged, Andy).

I agree completely. Doesn't that pretty much define most people's musical taste?

matedog wrote:The song's first and only live performance came at one of the Brixton NUM benefit shows in December 1984. The miners, subsequently, lost. 'nuff said.

LOL

Eleventh anniversary bump!

I really don't get all the criticism. It's a great song.



Oh wait, you mean the Clash song. Yeah, that's indefensible.