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Post by queenofthehours on Aug 9, 2017 16:23:11 GMT
How many songs are there written about record labels?
bluey 's mention of Jeff possibly joining the Salvation Army with his tambourine skills in the ELO rare photos/pictures thread and the fact that the Move's label, Regal Zonophone, specialised in SA recordings brought to my mind Procol Harum's 'Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)'. It's a song referencing their label but are there any other bands that have recorded songs about or songs that use the names of record labels? I thought there was one about Tamla Motown but I might be imagining that. I would guess that if a band had written about a label it would be in quite a disparaging tone! But not this Procol song, it's lovely.
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Post by dillwyn on Aug 18, 2017 22:14:07 GMT
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Post by Chippa on Aug 18, 2017 23:43:45 GMT
David Lowery from the band Cracker, had huge issues with his former label Virgin Records. He wrote this brutally scathing song about them.
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Post by bluey on Aug 20, 2017 17:04:49 GMT
Here's EMI by the Sex Pistols.
This song was their response to being fired by the EMI record label.
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Post by Timeblue on Aug 21, 2017 14:09:41 GMT
So Wings weren't singing about ELOs future label then back in 1973?
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Post by queenofthehours on Aug 21, 2017 17:25:14 GMT
'EMI' yes! That's probably the most famous record label song. I see Nick Lowe is on the Buzzfeed list, I would certainly assume that he would be glad to pen an ode against his record company. Didn't the Beatles ever write anything like this? They certainly had a lot of issues with the music business and I'm sure Lennon could have slipped in a few remarks.
I've remembered another song Procol Harum wrote about their label. This time is isn't as lovely as 'Magdalene'. It was written when they moved to Chrysalis and it's called 'Butterfly Boys' (don't make me have to explain the pun to you!  ). Did you know Chrysalis is a combination of the names of founders Chris Wright and Terry Ellis's names?
'It's definitively about Terry and Chris swanning it up, doing very well and running a multimillion pound record label. Procol Harum is the 'sinking ship' here,' explains Gary, 'and the label owners, who were also our managers, are the ones that 'get the cake'. We weren't exactly ripped off, not like in the past, but Reid had spotted an imbalance! They were very upset about the song, and wanted us to change the words and title to Government Boys. We said 'Bollocks.''
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Post by fourlittlediamonds on Aug 23, 2017 2:53:37 GMT
This one mentions a few, if you listen carefully enough!
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Post by jrmugz on Sept 8, 2017 1:36:53 GMT
I know Queen's "Death on Two Legs", the kick-off song from "Night at the Opera" was fairly damning of the record company. I believe a Freddie Mercury composition.
Jim
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' for some reason the word -
). Did you know Chrysalis is a combination of the names of founders Chris Wright and Terry Ellis's names? 
