Musical instruments in popular music

[Legs]

The iconic "cowbell" on Concrete and Clay".  Just about the best intro in Pop music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVmeqwsbAL8

Randy Edelman's version of that is firmly in the camp of 'great songs where the original just ain't as good as the cover'.  See also, Russ Ballard's version of Since You Been Gone, Argent's version of God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You...

Legs, tell me you are joking!  Or do you think Randy Edelman's was the original?  There is no comparison, it was written by two of Unit 4 + 2 and Randy's version is, frankly, wet!  This is just my opinion, of course - but once again, almost the whole world agrees with me - even Randy's mother!

Oh, should have checked my facts - for some I had it in mind that Randy Edelman had written and originated it...  Definitely agree with you, that the Unit 4 + 2 original is supreme.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Several uncles are taking this chance to nip out for fag.

I got in trouble in a facebook group for readers and writers of a particular genre.

I grumbled that I'd tried reading a book, and abandoned because of consistent use of 'frig'  (refrigerator).
It just jarred with me.

Leftpondians informed me that 'frig' is correct, and 'fridge' is some odd european coinage.
I did my checking, and they are correct, for the USA.

So I responded, admitting their correctness, but suggesting that writers (and editors) should be sensible of foreign word usage - then gave the example that an English writer should avoid using the word 'fag', since that could upset/jar with a leftpondian audience.

I nearly got banned, for offensive language.

(think I made my point there, but the wooshing sound was it passing over the mods heads)

[Peter]

@ legs - relief all round! 

[rogerzilla]

ELO's "Mr Blue Sky" famously uses a fire extinguisher for percussion at the end of each verse and half-verse.

Madness used the xylophone quite a bit.  You can hear it in One Better Day.

[citoyen]

ELO's "Mr Blue Sky" famously uses a fire extinguisher for percussion at the end of each verse and half-verse.

That reminds me...

Back in 1990-whenever, I was browsing through the sleeve notes of Pulp's His 'n' Hers album and saw mention of a fire extinguisher in the credits. So I wrote in to the NME's Write Said Fred column, a kind of musical Notes & Queries curated by veteran writer Fred Dellar. Apparently, it is used on the final track of the album, David's Last Summer. I think I can pick it out but you wouldn't notice it if you didn't know it was there.

Anyway, I think this is strictly diverging from the topic - I would call this more sound effects than instruments (same with the bicycle bells in the Queen song).

[Mr Larrington]

Anyway, I think this is strictly diverging from the topic - I would call this more sound effects than instruments (same with the bicycle bells in the Queen song).

And the old-skool alam clock and mighty yawn that kick off Be-Bop Deluxe's “Sleep That Burns”.  And according to Robyn Hitchcock the percussion effects on one of the tracks on “Respect” was obtained by drummer Morris Windsor “shaking a bag of rats' feet”.

[citoyen]

If we are doing sound effects as well, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life by Indeep is a classic - the only song I know that includes the sound of a toilet flushing.

Also a telephone ringing. Which reminds me...

Telephone and rubber band by Penguin Cafe Orchestra

[Woofage]

If we are doing sound effects as well, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life by Indeep is a classic - the only song I know that includes the sound of a toilet flushing.

There's a track on "Bootsy? Player of the Year" by Bootsy's Rubber Band with a flushing toilet sound. I'll look it up...

ETA:  The track is Roto-Rooter and the flush happens right at the end.

[Mr Larrington]

I think The Stranglers' “Down In The Sewer” has a flush too.

[spesh]

I think The Stranglers' “Down In The Sewer” has a flush too.

Terry Scott's "My Brother" springs to mind - I'm sure there's a flushing sound right after he sings "Who locked Grandad in the loo?"

Mind you, it's been a loooooooong time since I've heard that ditty, so my memory may be playing tricks on me...

[citoyen]

Well, I never. Sounds like toilets in popular songs could be a thread in its own right.

[rogerzilla]

The only contribution, apart from vocals, that FGTH made to "Relax" was a recording of the band jumping into a swimming pool, which Trevor Horn turned into a sort of gushing-orgasm sound.

[Woofage]

Well, I never. Sounds like toilets in popular songs could be a thread in its own right.

Every day's a school day

[jsabine]

Well, I never. Sounds like toilets in popular songs could be a thread in its own right.

Every day's a stool day

FTFY

[Kim]

Apropos of nothing, I just misread the topic as "Medical instruments in popular music".

[spesh]

Vivian Stanshall: "On the forceps, it's Magdi Yacoub..."

[Legs]

Apropos of nothing, I just misread the topic as "Medical instruments in popular music".

In my inherited collection of vinyl, I've got this...

https://blogfiles.wfmu.org/DP/2007/04/097_1_Marin_Marais_-_Tableau_Of_A_Lithotomy.mp3

The surgeon maketh his first incision.... the blood, it floweth...

[Mr Larrington]

Hawkwind's “Valium 10” has what sounds like a dental drill.

[Mr Larrington]

Back closer to the original topic: I must’ve heard Hendrix' “Little Wing” a thousand times but have only just noticed that there’s a glockenspiel – played by Jimi himself – in there as well.

[cygnet]

The NME's 35th best album of 1996 has a lot of glockenspiel.
Does that count as popular?

[Mr Larrington]

Something DJ Random played this afternoon reminded me that in addition to the drums, my chum Cara Robinson – the Irish half of Hat Fitz & Cara – also plays the penny whistle and the washboard.  Although not at the same time.

[MattH]

Strangely that reminded me of another instrument, that did feature on a single that got to number 1 on 1970 and I probably haven't heard for over 40 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOGOyeSVfqI

Clive Dunn, I Play The Spoons.
Sorry.

[Mr Larrington]

I remember seeing former Fabulous Poodle Ronnie Golden playing the spoons when I was a Penniless Student Oaf and, following some heckling, challenging my mate Chris to try it if he was so clever.  Which Chris duly did, with considerable aplomb.

[perpetual dan]

The Chameleons used one of those tubes you whirl above your head to get a note.

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

[sg37409]

Midnight Oil used a bullroarer in their cracking debut album, Diesel and Dust track, Bullroarer. They've also used a digeridoo on a few tracks. (see also, the levellers)
Also I've been at a page and plant gig where a hurdygurdy was pretty damned good on the intro to a couple of tracks


edit: oh, it was a fake bullroarer per wiki.
An Australian band Midnight Oil included a recording of an imitation bullroarer on their album Diesel and Dust (1987) at the beginning of the song "Bullroarer". In an interview, the band's drummer Rob Hirst stated "it's a sacred instrument... only initiated men are supposed to hear those sounds. So we didn't use a real bullroarer as that would have been cultural imperialism. Instead we used an imitation bullroarer that school kids in Australia use. It is a ruler with a piece of rope wrapped around it.