(Photo Credit - Tristane I. Mesquita Lo Res)
When I worked in the bar industry, I was flexible with the music choices, for the most part. I could listen to anything from Classic Rock to Alternative to Punk, Hip Hop, Trapp, House, Jazz, Blue Grass, and even some Yacht Rock if I was in an extremely good mood. However, there were days when I needed my music no matter what anyone said. For example, on Thom Yorke’s birthday, I chose Radiohead music. (Although I love some of Thom Yorke’s solo work, a lot of times it was too much for the type of bars I worked at and people would complain immediately.) Another example was when the bartenders at one bar went through an “oldies” period’; at one point, I had to say, “Enough.” And when I needed a little kick in the butt, I put on LCD Soundsystem, particularly “Throw.”
Some of my friends and co-workers dug the Brooklyn band, so they did not mind when I played one of their albums or their radio. In fact, the album american dream was on the verge of rising to the same status as Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, one liked by everyone and selected at any given time. “oh baby” and “tonite” were two favorites. However, “Throw” is an extra track on a deluxe album, is rarely known, and is a whole other story.
An extended cover of a song off the album, The Secret Tapes of Dr. Eich, by Paperclip People (Check out Carl Craig), the LCD Soundsystem version runs ten minutes and one second. Although it is not as long as another favorite, 45:33, which actually clocks in at forty-six minutes and five seconds, the minimal lyrics do not start until the six minute and three second mark, and for some reason, a lot of people begin losing their patience two minutes in. I am not into torturing my friends, co-workers, or even most customers, but in my humble opinion, the prolonged build-up delivers with some of the greatest lyrics of all time.
The original version of “Throw,” only contained the phrase, “I wanna see your hands,” repeated, four times. James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem took the song, tweaked it, and after repeating “I wanna see your hands” twice added:
Ladies...
If your man is not the epitome of love
If your man is not the epitome of devotion
If your man is not the epitome of love and devotion
Well, (Well what)
Well, then he ain’t the right man
Well, then he ain’t the right man
Well, he ain’t the
Well, he ain’t the
Well, then he ain’t the right
I wanna see your hands
Yes! There are few songs that make me as happy and ready to take on the world. It has a build-up that feels like it is never going to end (reminding me of Radiohead’s “Ful Stop,” another favorite song); it breaks from the original lyrics but goes back to them (a trick that jam bands use), and it comes from one of my all-time favorite albums, This is Happening (Deluxe Edition). Plus, writing this article led me to an EP (Single Release) I am thoroughly enjoying listening to, 4 My Peeps by Blutch.
Who can argue against that?