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B-Movie is a really cool sounding song from the Get Happy! album, punctuated by some excellent bass work by Bruce Thomas. The song seems to be about a short-term affair that gets a little more serious than the singer intended, as he develops feelings for the girl.

Here’s a link to a fan video

And of course, the lyrics:

I found America hiding in the corner of my wallet
It’s a well kept secret, thought that I had better swallow it
Before they make me spit out the truth
Before they find you’re lying about your youth

Turn out the lights
I’m thinking that I want to go to sleep now
Just give me a promise that I’m supposed to keep now
I don’t want some fool asking me why
When I find you’re finally making me cry

Yeah, I know this is late. Ask for a refund…

Vietnamese Baby is one of those rock songs that just plain–well, rocks. There are some interesting lyrics with sort of a war theme–seemingly about someone who perhaps fathered and abandoned a baby in Vietnam, and David Johansen’s vocals are strong as always. Beyond that, the song just plain rocks–oh, did I say that already?

Here’s a link to a fan video

And of course, the lyrics:

When I’m getting home to you
I gotta show you what I can do
But everything connects and that ain’t nowhere
Well, but maybe they’re just giving you all you’ve ever wanted
And maybe you never ever know what that was
And maybe you’re just finding it out now
With a Vietnamese baby on your mind

When I’m getting home to you
I’ve got to show you what I can do
But everything connects and that ain’t nowhere
No no no baby no nowhere
It just won’t give a no
I’m talking about your overture
Talking bout your overture
Got to shout about your overture
Now that it’s over, now that it’s over
Now that it’s over, what ya gonna do?

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This is a very fun song, from a man with one of the most distinct voices in the business. Great rhymes, a great tune, and a really smooth, believable delivery makes this one of the better rap songs.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Uh.. check it out now
Uh.. no doubt now
Uh.. yo, check it out now
Uh.. no doubt yo

Gettin back to my MC status
All the Willie that I kick make the other niggaz mad it’s
movin, to your town and situation
Shorty thought she subtle but she really was blatant when she
shook her thing and violated
Now these wolf-like thoughts are formulated
I’m sayin, “Yo is this some heartfelt shit here?
Am I strong-backed nigga? Well shit yeah
Plus we can hold a convo’
or go to the movies, my crib, whatever yo
Just wanna see you by my side”
We on 95, know the stash is in the ride
A rappin nigga for real
You would find me in a cypher if I didn’t cop a deal
Rap slate like big weight
You buy, I sell, we split big cake
Uh uh, just move your little thing
Move it around and shake your little thing
Uh uhh
Yo.. such a vivrant thing
Vivrant thing, a vivrant thing
Uh, yo, you such a vivrant thing
Vivrant thing, a vivrant thing yo
Uh, such a vivrant thing
Vivrant thing a vivrant thing uh
Vivrant thing a vivrant thing uh
Vivrant thing ah out yo uh uh
Yo..

This is one of those great songs that seems both lost in time and timeless at the same time. The sentiment behind the song is eternal, and while it does have a style that places it squarely in the 1940’s, it’s still timeless.

From Wikipedia

It was co-written by Jordan and Billy Austin. Austin (March 6, 1896 - July 24, 1964)[1] was a songwriter and author, born in Denver, Colorado. The phrase “Is you is or is you ain’t” is dialect, apparently first recorded in a 1921 story by Octavus Roy Cohen, a Jewish writer from South Carolina who wrote humorous black dialect fiction[2].

In 1946 the song was sung by Tom in the Tom and Jerry cartoon “Solid Serenade”.

Here’s a link to a fan video

And of course, the lyrics:

I got a gal that’s always late
Every time we have a date
But I love her
Yes I love her

Is you is or is you ain’t my baby?
The way you’re actin’ lately makes me doubt
Yous is still my baby-baby
Seems my flame in your heart’s done gone out
A woman is a creature that has always been strange
Just when you’re sure of one
You find she’s gone and made a change
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby
Maybe baby’s found somebody new
Or is my baby still my baby true?

This is my favorite Dead Kennedys song…really.

For me, what really makes this work is the tremendous glee with which Jello Biafra sings this one. Whether this is meant to be sarcastic or it’s a little more serious, it’s obvious that he’s really having just so much fun with this one. Also, it does rock, and it’s got that trademark Dead Kennedys snark.

Here’s a link to a fan video

And of course, the lyrics:

We ain’t going to the party
We ain’t going to the game
We ain’t going to the disco
Ain’t gonna cruise down main

We better not get caught
We’ll be dumped in institutions
Where we’ll be drugged and shocked
‘Til we come out born-again Christians…

I’m not really sure whether this song is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek or dreadfully serious–The band has many songs with heavy handed lyrics such as these (i.e. Meat Is Murder), so it’s really difficult to tell.

However, one thing is undeniable: this is a great song. The simple music hall beat, the thoughts of the boyfriend and the cool melody combine to make this one of the great two minute songs.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

I know - it’s serious

For those of you that think that rap music is all about thugs, drugs and violence, I’d like to present Heavy D and the Boyz to you. Positive, upbeat, funky, and just plain fun, both visually and verbally (Heavy D is one of the smoothest, most articulate rappers out there, not to mention that the group were very good dancers as well), they really just kept it all upbeat and fun.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Everybody, shake your body, we don’t ill, we chill at party
Keep a groove that’s sensual, three-dimensional, unquestionable
The lover is professional
Got a category, my own and I’m the president
With my particular style, particular, extracurricular, smoother and
trickier
Throwing on lyrics like you throw up a flapjack
You’re a Chicen McNugget and I’m a Big Mac
Brainstorm soloist, have a Coca-colaist, doing very well
Because it took the right road to this
Path, make the undertake, the recordbreaker
Get up on the floor and do the Heavy D shake
Started with a pow and I’m going to end with a bang
We’ve got our own thang
Picture the set, girlies wet with sweat
In the corner people sitting down
They’ve had as much as they could possibly get
Here while I’m lamping
Feeling like a champ and push up on a cutie
Phone digits I’m stamping
The place was packed though, stuffed like an Oreo
Everybody broke for a Heavy D video
Pumping in stereo, people said, “Here we go,”
A cutie down in front said, “Heavy you’re my hero”
Understand this, before you make a comment
Because there’s always a meaning in a Heavy D statement
In this life, I strive for improvement
Be your own guide, follow your own movement
Loving is a legend
Me, I’m legendary at it
Living on the mike makes me a rapping acrobat
Don’t try to swing, because you couldn’t even hang
We’ve got our own thang
We’ve got our own thang
Original, smooth criminal, dance a lot, dance a little, shuffle to the
middle
Don’t clock anybody, let them all clock you
Don’t be down with anybody, let them all be down with you
Stay self-managed, self-kept, self-taught
Be your own man, don’t be borrowed, don’t be bought
Started with a pow and I’m going to end it with a bang
We’ve got our own thang
We’ve got our own thang

You know this song. You’ve heard it a bunch, but you probably never knew who it was.

I’ve loved Ca Plane Pour Moi from the first time I’ve heard it. Not just the incongruity of French punk-surf music, but also because it’s just a cool rock and roll song.

Oh, someone posted an English translation at SongMeanings.

Here’s a link to a perfomance on Top Of The Pops

And of course, the lyrics:

(Yam! Bam!)
(Mon chat “Splash”)
Gît sur mon lit
A bouffé sa langue
En buvant (tronc) mon whisky
Quant à moi
Peu dormi, vidé, brimé
J’ai dû dormir dans la gouttière
Où j’ai eu un flash
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
En quatre couleurs

Ça plane pour moi
Ça plane pour moi
Ça plane pour moi moi moi moi moi
Ça plane pour moi

B-Line is a nice mixture of a smooth jazz tune with a Drum and Bass arrangement. The song itself is just really cool, and Lou Rhodes’ vocals really give a feeling of hope and passion. The video is pretty cool too, especially with the puppet heads.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course the lyrics:

Ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
It’s in
Your eyes
And the way you move
You got music in your step
A kind
Of glow
Like you walk with the heat turned up
So brightly above

Suddenly I see
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you walk in the room
No escape for me
I go ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da
Everytime you’re close to me