Sometime in the late 1990s I saw Black Rider by Tom Waits performed at the local theatre. Not knowing much about Tom Waits or his music this experience really surprised me. A story hard to understand combined with the music that to me sounded very weird live in the theatre. But something must have hit me anyway because I bought the Black Rider album shortly after but the music was difficult for me to take in. Still today some 20 years on I have to sit down with no disturbances to concentrate on Waits hoarse vocal when I listen to it because there are so many elements on this record that I feel that something new comes up every time. Black Rider is therefore a favourite of mine although I still have difficulties understanding it – but maybe this is the charm about Tom Waits.
Alphaville – Forever Young (1984)
Forever Young by Alphaville has followed me for many years. Not because I have any intentions of being forever young but I think it is a nice popsong which sound a little melancholic to me. At release I did not know it. I first head it when I was in high school but went strait out to bye it.
The lyrics are quite funny:
“Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music’s for the sad man“
Are music only for the sad people? I do not agree with Alphaville! Music are for sad as well as for anybody else no matter what mood you are in. Later Alphaville sing that:
“The music’s played by the madman”
Off course this might be the case but I do not think all musicians will label themselves as mad. Byt hey, it is a song and we do not have to agree on everything. And besides take a look at the members of Alphaville. They are stylish!
Here at MusicNostalgic we do not want to live forever. Do you?
Forever Young is on the album by the same name.
State of the art 1980s hair Alphaville had back in the days:-Find your inner 80s pop spirit and revisit Alphavilles video here: