Category: My Sunday Song

The Original vs. The Cover – “Proud Mary”

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For the next edition of The Original vs. The Cover, we are going with the classic song “Proud Mary” originally done by Creedence Clearwater Revival and covered by Ike & Tina Turner.  The song was written by John Fogerty and released in January 1969 on the band’s album ‘Bayou Country’.  This song has had 100’s of covers made of it, but in 1969 alone, there were 35 covers…35!!!  Unbelievable.

The song was written by Fogerty after he was discharged from the Army in 1967 which was the the “good job” he left in the city.  “Proud Mary” is the name of the River Boat and the song is about that journey down the river with the big water wheel rolling around and around pushing them down the river.  The song went to #2 for CCR and #4 for Ike & Tina on Billboard Hot 100 charts which is pretty respectable for both.

But enough about that.  Let us focus on the song and which version is better.  We will start as we usually do with the Original and then discuss the Cover ending with a wonderful Verdict of which one I like more.  And away we go…

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My Sunday Song – “Blood Runs Cold” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #157, “Blood Runs Cold” from the 1996 album ‘Slang’ is our song of discussion this week.  The song is certainly a deep cut as it was never a single and not sure if they played it live.  ‘Slang’ was a highly underrated album and was at a time when Grunge had killed the 80’s rock so Lep went out and did their own thing.  Most people wanted more of the same, but this was from it. This song is a ballad, but not like any ballad they had done before.

The song is another tribute to their fallen comrade, Steve Clark.  “Blood Runs Cold” was written by Joe Elliott and Phil Collen and this is the second tribute they had written for Steve, the first being “White Lightning” which we discussed several weeks back.  This one was a cold, feeling ballad full of sadness and emptiness for missing their friend.

It really is a dark song and I love how the bass playing by Rick Savage is really the focused instrument.  Just give a listen to how he plays the song and how the notes are hit with the right tone and timing.  He does a stellar job with this song.

Joe’s sadness shines through as he sings the lyrics and I love in the middle of the song, Phil’s backing vocals sound amazing and adds an extra level of pain to the lyrics with his delivery of the lyrics.  Then the guitar solo also has the sad feel to it as well.  It is really a heartbreaking song especially when you listen to the lyrics.

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My Sunday Song – “Gods of War” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #156, we are going to talk about one of Def Leppard’s few politically charged songs and one of the few songs from Hysteria that was not a single.  The song is “Gods of War”.  It is an epic song at over 6 minutes and I loved it when they used to play this one live long, long ago.  They still do play it when they do the whole Hysteria album in concert of course.

This was the 80’s and there were all these little military skirmishes going on around the world and it was the end of the Cold War.  Ronald Reagan was President of the United States and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  Intermixed in the song were lines from the world leaders threatening the terrorists and even gun fire and battle sounds.  One of my favorite lines was towards the end when President Reagan said, “He counted on America to be passive, He counted wrong” and then there was gun fire and explosions.  For a teenage boy, that was really badass!  Plus, I can do a really great Reagan impression so I would say those lines in his voice every time I would sing it.

Joe came up with the song from watching the news and what was going on in the world. It was Def Leppard’s version of protest song which I am sure was overshadowed by the songs that the band was releasing such as “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.  People didn’t look at Leppard as a socially conscience band, but they could be and were.

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My Sunday Song – “Scar” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #155, we are on to a very underrated album called ‘X’.  The song is “Scar” and is another unsung classic in their catalog.  The album ‘X’  didn’t do terribly, it just didn’t do as well as a lot of their previous work. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard charts.  Part of the problem was this was not released as a single.  “Scar” has all the elements people love about the band.

The song is full of layer upon layer of vocals and harmonies that give it the unique Lep trademark vocals.  It has a power ballad feel to it which suits Joe Elliott’s vocal perfectly and it actually seems like it would have fit nicely on one of their best albums, ‘Slang’.  It has a lot of the same tone and feel of that album.

Another piece that I like about the song is the guitar playing of Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell.  There is a hypnotic element to the riffs and when you get to the solo, the back and forth between the two is sensational.  It takes me back to when Phil and Steve would play off each other.  Overall it made feel good.

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My Sunday Song – “White Lightning” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #154, we are covering the 7 minute epic, “White Lightning” off the band’s 1992 release ‘Adrenalize’.  The album sold millions, went to #1 and released 7 singles (not all in the States) and this was not one of them.  This is one of those deep cuts that is actually probably better than everything else on the record.

The ‘Adrenalize’ album was the first album without Steve Clark and even prior to Vivian Campbell joining the band.  The song was written about Steve Clark and his addicitions and untimely death.  Steve’s nickname from the band was White Lightning as he normally dressed in all white on stage and ran around the stage like a bolt of lightning.  It is such a heartfelt tribute and you can feel the love and passion the band had for this man.

The song opens with a guitar solo by Phil Collen that was played in the style of Steve and his personal tribute to him.  The solo starts off slow, with an eerie feel to it…a sadness.  In fact, Phil played all the parts and even with the dual guitar parts he played as if it was he and Steve going at it together.  It is very touching.

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My Sunday Song – “Paper Sun” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #153, we are exploring the great song “Paper Sun” from the band’s 1999 album ‘Euphoria’.  The song was released as a single in the U.S., but to little fanfare despite it being one of the best songs on the album.

The song is about the Omagh terrorist bombing on August 15, 1998 in Northern Ireland.  Here is what wikipedia says about the bombing…

It was carried out by a group calling themselves the Real Irish Republican Army, a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) splinter group who opposed the IRA’s ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement. The bombing killed 29 people (including a woman pregnant with twins) and injured some 220 others, making it the deadliest single incident of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Lyrically and musically, the song is very dark and sad.  At over 5:26 minutes, the song takes you on a journey through the emotions of that sad day.  It feels like they are losing hope in humanity and in life.  The world is so fragile as if made of paper that could burn up in an instant.  Lyrics, like “Do you still hear ’em screamin'” is full of the pain that one would feel if they were at the bombing and could hear the cries for help and the cries of sorrow for those lost.

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My Sunday Song – “Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #152, we are discussing the song “Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” by Def Leppard off their 1981 album ‘High N Dry’.  The song was written by the late Steve Clark and Joe Elliott.  It is one of those deep cuts that sticks with you and at times you feel is even better than anything else on the album (at times, not all the time).

The song is up for interpretation.  It could be about two different, but similar things.  The one I like to go with is that the “Mirror” is that mirror on the table with lines of Coke on it.  As he is sniffing up the coke and the lines disappear, the mirror is suddenly staring at him and he has to face his demons.  It is a rather dark viewpoint, but the one I feel is quite plausible.  The lyrics in this verse is what leads me to that conclusion…

Mirror mirror 
Hangin’ there with that crack in your eye 
You make me stumble, make me blind 
Time after time and line by line 

The “line by line” part fits in to the theory nicely.  But the “hangin'” part leads me to the other theory.

The other theory is that he is just standing there looking in the mirror and it is forcing him to take a deeper look into what he has become.  He doesn’t like what he sees, but he feels so lost.  The anger builds up and he smashes the mirror into little pieces.  Those pieces are his life.

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My Sunday Song – “From the Inside” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #151, we are now going to spend the next 10 weeks exploring some of my favorite Def Leppard songs.  These won’t be the hits you have heard on the radio or in concert (okay, some may have been played live, and one might be a single but that is it).  These will be songs that I think are some of their best deep cuts and something I think is worth checking out if you want to get a better understanding of what the band is about.

The first song is off the 1993 album, ‘Retroactive’ and it was the B-Side to the song “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” off ‘Adrenalize’ from 1992.  The song is called “From the Inside” and was written by Joe Elliott.

The song is one of the darkest songs they have ever written or performed.  The theme of the song is about drugs and addiction and the point of view of the song is actually from the drugs.  The drugs describe to the user what it will do them and how it will take them up high and drag them to their lowest of lows.  With lyrics such as…

And I’ll laugh while you’re up there 
And I’ll laugh when you’re down 
Though your screams break the silence 
Oh, they won’t make a sound 

…it is quite disturbing and sadly, so true.  Written around the time I think Steve Clark died, my guess is that Joe was inspired by what happened with Steve write this track.

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My Sunday Song – “Mean Street” by Van Halen

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For My Sunday Song #150, we are ending the Van Halen set of 10 songs with “Mean Street” off the album “Fair Warning”.  The song reached #13 on the Mainstream Rock station and help propel the album to #5 on the Billboard charts.  It is the opening track and the song were the title of the album comes.

The song comes blazing out of the gate with the vintage Eddie style riffs that scream…I am the best guitarist and don’t you forget it!!  The opening was inspired by the slap funk bass style and I would say there is nothing the man can’t do with a guitar.  Then the song gets dirty and a little nasty.  Musically and Lyrically, it is a dark song for the band. I also love the fade out at the end with those wicked guitar parts Ed is playing while it is fading out.

The song seems to be about life on the streets.  The pain and agony of living on the street and the fighting to stay alive.  The streets will basically chew you up and spit you out.  Funny thing, the band aren’t from the streets so they really have no idea about “mean streets” now do they. Don’t get me wrong, that takes away nothing from the song.  It is badass and delivered very convincingly.

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My Sunday Song – “Panama” by Van Halen

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For My Sunday Song #149, we are not going real deep for this one.  We are going to one of their big hits and a personal favorite called “Panama” off the album ‘1984’.  The song reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.  For me, the song brings back memories of my Senior Trip in High School when we went to Panama City, Florida…the song was blasting in the car on the way down!!

The song has two theories behind its meaning.  The first is it is about a car and the second theory is it is about a stripper.  The lyrics work either way as it is a wonderful double entendre.  The song does mention all the typical car parts and hell there is even a part during the bridge where you hear an engine revving.  That car engine is actually Eddie’s 1972 Lamborghini Miura S with a mic up to its tailpipe.

The album 1984 brought the keyboard sound into the bands music, but this song would have none of that.  It had Eddie blasting through some brutal riffs and Alex was pounding away at the drums and the brothers gave us the Van Halen of old.  Dave is his classic self and is belting out the lyrics and even giving us a little of that spoken verse style he does so famously towards the end.

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