By Dave Cusick (CIVL Director of Programming / Candlejack) – Email
Just thought I’d wax poetic about a few songs this week. Light some candles, let’s get some music on.
Steve Taylor
“Meltdown at Madame Tussaud’s”
In the 1980s, non-conformists in the Christian church had few sanctified musical options, but Steve Taylor was at the top of the list for those who knew. Taylor used the image of a wax museum overheating as a metaphor for the inescapability of death, and musically, the song could have been used in a montage sequence in any of John Hughes’ films.
Stray Cats
“Sixteen Candles”
And speaking of John Hughes films, you’ve most likely seen The Breakfast Club, but probably not Sixteen Candles, another of his high school films, which came out the previous year and also starred Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. Ringwald’s family have forgotten her 16th birthday, nerds have stolen her underwear and are charging admission for viewing them (there was no internet yet, so … ), and her crush is oblivious to her. But maybe, just maybe, we’ll all come of age by the end.
Monkees
“Daydream Believer”
“The shaving razor’s cold and it stings … ”
Nightmares On Wax
“Nights Interlude“
If you’ve listened to the radio show This American Life (see review on page 14), you’ve heard the first song on the first album by Nightmares On Wax, which happens to sample Quincy Jones’ “Summer in the City” from 20 years prior.
Weezer
“Surf Wax America”
My friend Drew has lots of serious bands he’s in, but also puts together a Weezer cover band that plays one show a year. This summer, I stood in a sweaty basement as they blistered through songs off the 1994 self-title debut, known as the Blue Album. That was some joy.
Def Leppard
“Pour Some Sugar on Me”
“…in the name of love!”
