Another actual random ten, with a theme that occurred to me as I was compiling it.
1. Óró Sé do Bheath Abhaile – SixMileBridge
2. Broadway – Stew
3. (Making The Run To) Gladewater – Michelle Shocked
4. Snakedance – The Rainmakers
5. Harbour Lecou – Great Big Sea
6. Peace Like A River – Paul Simon
7. Crying In My Sleep – Squeeze
8. Long Time – Boston
9. Our House – Madness
10. Void In My Heart – John Mellencamp
I was listening to the song “Our House”, and it occurred to me that after all these years, I still have no idea what the fourth line of the first verse is. It goes like this:
Father wears his Sunday best
Mother says she needs a rest, kids are playing up downstairs
Sister [something] in her sleep
Brother’s got a date to keep, he can’t hang around
Sister “saying” in her sleep? Sister “slaying” in her sleep – maybe the song is from the perspective of Dawn Summers? I have no clue. I have found that one of the virtues of cover songs is that sometimes hearing a familiar yet undecipherable lyric sung by a different voice allows you to finally have that forehead-slapping “So THAT’S what he’s singing!” moments, but I haven’t heard a cover version of this one yet.
Yes, I know, I could look the lyrics up, but what’s the fun in that? Coming up with a Mondegreen is far more satisfying.
Anyway. Óró Sé do Bheath Abhaile, which the Internets say is more correctly rendered as Óró, Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile would make a nice tune for your next Labor Day rally; spend a little time on YouTube and watch Sinéad O’Connor or The Dubliners have a go at it. Harbour Lecou is a cautionary tale about running into an old buddy while stepping out on your wife. Peace Like A River is from Paul Simon’s first solo album. What are you listening to this week?
I believe that Madness were saying “Sister’s sighing in her sleep.” And right now I’m listening to House of Fun thanks to this post. 🙂