1984 – Think Bensonium

Song 3: Nobody told me, John Lennon

Roderick Benson — Thu, 26 May 2022 23:00:11 +0000

So today I have been watching the news and a Youtube commentary by a Russian intellect on understanding what is driving Putin’s insane war with Ukraine. In relation to Russia and how this great nation sees herself, she is like a charging horse that is trying to get somewhere but no-one knows where that destination actually is. Then the current UK political and economic crisis came to mind along with the seismic shift in traditional ethics that drives the 21^st century culture wars.

I was saying to friend how disorientating everything feels in late May of 2022. As I said this, it reminded me of a song by the late great John Lennon and I wondered what this rather eccentric yet genius-gifted musician would make of it all if he was still alive today. If he thought the late 1970s were odd, he would be apoplectic living in the 21^st century. I did not realise this song was not released until 1984 over 3 years after his tragic assassination in 1980.

Analysis of why Russia starts insane wars by Vlad Vexler

Day 470: I send a message, INXS

Roderick Benson — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 23:00:08 +0000

Ok time for another INXS song. This is another song that I changed the lyrics of to create a joke song for a St Paul’s fellowship weekend away all the way back when this song was first released on the radio in 1984. As with the 1985 song, which was to the Beach Boy’s classic California Girls, I still have the original piece of paper on which I first penned the joke lyrics to this song all those years ago.

The first verse and chorus of this song went:

At Galstone, I think its true
The water’s freezing I think it gets through
Oh I wonder how they design
The showers to be so unkind

Chorus
I miss my bathroom
I miss the fun
Of having a shower
Whose temperature is 31

Day 460: Heaven knows I’m miserable now, The Smiths

Roderick Benson — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 23:00:32 +0000

So last week was meant to be the final week of Covid Island Discs until the new delta variant of the virus put an end to the final restrictions of the UK lockdown being lifted. In the final week I cited for the first time a Smiths song which I guess was a bit of an oversight on my part given they are such an iconic English band. Anyway, with the extra month of Covid Island Discs it has given me an opportunity to cite a second Smiths song. This one is probably one of their better known ones.

Day 331: Heaven, Bryan Adams

Roderick Benson — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 00:00:39 +0000

I remember exactly what I was doing when I first heard this classic track from Brian Adams. I was working in a Woolworths shop in a place called Manly (Sydney Australia). It was a University vacation job and I was working on the back cash register (from here it was about a 3 minute walk to the glories of Manly beach). If only I appreciated the beauty of that wonderful place as I do now. For some reason I associated this song with a girl I used to like at the time even though the lyrics were completely inapplicable because we never actually went out. Ironically, the line in the song that resonated with me (and which now brings a smile to my face) is the line “thinking about our younger years”. I first met this girl when we were both at school in about ’82. Apparently the song was released in 1984 although I definitely couldn’t have heard it on the Aussie charts until 1985 as this was my first year at the University of Sydney. As a very young 19 year old, 3 years was like a lifetime ????.

Day 276: Do they know it’s Christmas?

Roderick Benson — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

So it’s Monday of Christmas week and over next days I will be releasing Christmas classics that have been produced by rock stars over the years; let’s face it, there are quite a few! We shall start with the 1984 Christmas hit that was produced to raise money for those suffering from African famine. Sadly human suffering does not stop at Christmas time.

Day 247: Jump, Van Halen

Roderick Benson — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Another very famous rock classic. Even after so many days of Covid Island Discs there are still classics to find on Youtube.

Day 230: Boys of Summer, Don Henley

Roderick Benson — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Oh the pain. Today the UK re-enters lockdown although this was announced last Saturday as obviously the last thing you need to do when a contagion is in exponential growth phase is act quickly. I just hope one day I live to see better government in the UK and the USA. Anyway, in order to escape the spiteful British winter in the middle of a lockdown this great song came to mind. A very happy tune indeed.

Day 103: One night in Bangkok, Chess

Roderick Benson — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:20:30 +0000

Over the years I have had a love/hate relationship with chess. A game I would love to be good at but alas stuck at a rating of about 1200. Great musical though.

Day 88: When Doves Cry, Prince

Roderick Benson — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 19:00:52 +0000

This song was released when I was in first year at Sydney University. Still have such a distinct memory of listening to it with my biology class mates in the Carslaw building. I wonder what became of all those folks? Sadly my guess is that probably like Prince, some of them are no longer with us.

Day 58: Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams

Rbenson — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 20:29:53 +0000

“Got my first real six string, bought it at the five-and-dime, played it ’til my fingers bled, was the summer of ’69 ..“