After doing the post on Blue Harlem… I noticed both lead singers but started to listen to Imelda May. She has so many good songs that I could have flipped a coin. This song was the title cut off of her album released in 2010. The guitar riff that the lead guitarist Darrel Higham played as the intro won me over right away.
Her influences include Billie Holiday, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent. That sounds about right after hearing her perform. A few weeks ago, CB featured this song (Johnny Got A Boom Boom) on his site. I wanted to feature that one but I figured I would try something else…give it a listen! She has collaborated with artists such as U2, Noel Gallagher, Sinéad O’Connor, and Ronnie Wood to name a few. She also has worked with producers such as Tony Visconti, Peter Asher, and T Bone Burnett.
The album Mayhem peaked at #1 in Ireland, #7 in the UK, and #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Charts. The song Mayhem peaked at #24 in Ireland in 2010. The album won Album of the Year in Ireland as well.
It would be fair to say I’m picky about female artists’ voices. I was discussing with Stewart on his UK Number Ones Blog about female pop singers. The female singers I like are Janis Joplin, Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin, Tanya Tucker, Bonnie Tyler, and voices like that. Imelda May belongs to that group. What a voice May has and it can go from 0 to 60 in a split second.
I have quotes on this blog quite a bit…but these I really like.
Imelda May: Some people think the only way of doing well or of having a career in music is to go the X Factor route, but a lot of people lose the joy out of music by going that way, possibly because they’re so incredibly focused on other people’s ideas of success.
Imelda May: For me, rockabilly is very, very exciting music. It’s electric and kind of wild, you know? It’s ‘make your hairs stand up on the back of your neck’ kind of music.
Imelda May: I don’t tend to set out on huge world domination goals or have anything in mind. I just like to play. I like to gig a lot; I like to write music.
The below live Walking In The Sand has to be one of the best entrances ever. You have Billy Gibbins, Ronnie Wood, Johnny Depp, and Imelda May. This entrance is burned into my mind.
Mayhem
He said he didn’t even hear trains let alone the few wordsThe ladies maybe sayin’ about himShe freaks and tells her closest friendThat she’ll never love againBut she’ll never, no not everLive without him
Wouldn’t believe it, if you seen itOh, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopA lotta mayhem, woh oh oh yeah
She said he didn’t mean a thingSo she threw her diamond ringOut the window of a black cab in CamdenHe couldn’t take it, what she did,So he threw a hissy fitAnd he took it out on anyone at random
Wouldn’t believe it, if you seen itOh, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopA lotta mayhem, woh oh oh yeah
Dinning sound, lights spinning round,Some mother’s sonGotta fight or got to run run run runRun run run run run
Ten pints and then he starts a fightAnd he lands himself a nightIn a cell wearing gray pants and bruisesTwelve mates bangin’ on the door,Oh the back up vans galoreNever saw such a street full of losers
Wouldn’t believe it, if you seen itOh, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopA lotta mayhem, woh oh oh yeah
Mayhem doo doo doopYeah, mayhem doo doo doopA lotta mayhem doo doo doopA lotta mayhem oh yeah
Oh mayhem
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