There are artists who grow to resent the success of their greatest songs and how they come to overshadow a broader catalogue. I remember in particular a story Professor Truck's friend tells about how Echo and the Bunnymen essentially played a speed-metal version of "Lips Like Sugar" in concert. They knew they had to play it, but they weren't all that happy about it.
Consider the case of Rick Astley, who saw his first and greatest hit become a global meme before any of us knew what a meme was. Rickrolling hit the internet in earnest in 2008 - it's a measure of its enduring power that it has its own Wikipedia entry. The song has been played on YouTube more than 1.4 billion times. It exists in a universe of its own, far out of Astley's control.
But rather than resent the phenomenon, Astley has - if not exactly embraced it - rolled with it. [Pun absolutely intended. I'm pleased with that one.] He's said that he finds it "bizarre and funny", and his only real concern is that his daughter doesn't get embarrassed by it.
What's lost a bit in the internet frenzy around "Never Gonna Give You Up" is the fact that it's a catchy tune, and Astley really can sing. In 1987, the year of its release, the song hit number one in 25 countries, including the U.S. In 2018, Time Out named it the 33rd best song of the 1980s. ("Purple Rain" was atop the list, which tracks.)
It turns out that Rick Astley is still some kind of entertainer. At the annual Glastonbury Festival, he delivered a set with English band Blossom where he covered several of The Smiths' hits, and then did a 'secret' set of his own, which (of course) included 'Never', but also featured a rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", as seen here:
Dude can still sing, and it appears he can play drums, wear a salmon suit, and take himself not all that seriously. I'm here for all of it.
Rick Astley & Blossoms covering ‘Panic’ by The Smiths (Glastonbury 2023)
— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) June 24, 2023
What a showman 🕺🏻
pic.twitter.com/6s6Qn8lJFH
Rick Astley and The Blossoms absolutely nailing The Smiths at #Glastonbury pic.twitter.com/9LmG55epiV
— 4K ᑕOᒪᒪEᑕTIᐯE (@the4kCollectivE) June 24, 2023
Rick Astley and Blossoms covering The Smiths’ 'Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now' 💐#RickAstley #Blossoms #Glastonbury #Glastonbury23 pic.twitter.com/HeWn2ERGoo
— Far Out #Glastonbury23 updates (@FarOutMag) June 24, 2023
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16 comments:
A legit set! Not a few songs and then out. Check it.
Includes my favorite Smiths song...
Setlist: Rick Astley with Blossoms, Glastonbury, UK — 6/24/23
1. “This Charming Man”
2. “What Difference Does It Make?”
3. “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
4. “Cemetery Gates”
5. “Ask”
6. “Hand in Glove”
7. “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others”
8. “The Boy With the Thorn in His Side”
9. “Girlfriend in a Coma”
10. “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”
11. “Panic”
12. “William, It Was Really Nothing”
13. “Barbarism Begins at Home”
14. “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”
15. “How Soon Is Now?”
16. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
they've played the smiths live a couple times previously. sound pretty good, too.
Watched about half of the Arnold documentary on Netflix and cashed in.
First of three segments was the bodybuilding stuff. Pretty interesting, lots of bravado.
Second was the acting. Some interesting tidbits (I never knew O.J. was going to be the Terminator), lots more bravado.
That got old after a while, and I don't need to see the politician part.
C-
They should do a documentary on Arnold from Happy Days.
This post seems like it could use some Steve Winwood references.
I watched the Arnold doc too and enjoyed most of it. Quit midway through the political/governor episode.
I was going to do a post detailing how "Arnold" explains everything wrong with American culture, but I guess there's no need now.
In other news, zson lives to Rickroll people. He had to give a presentation for school and included a Rickroll in the middle of it. He even convinced zwoman to include a Rickroll at the end of one of her presentations for work. She is still employed, mercifully.
Zman, I'd read that keenly if you wrote it up
And a LOT of Episode 1 about the bodybuilding included snippets that reeked of Hans and Franz
I'm ok with Marls giving some loving to Winwood. Did Rick really do a set and not play THE SONG? I didn't realize he had the clout to do that.
he played the song in his solo set. the smiths/blossoms set was a different one.
At a minor league ballgame. Balls and strikes being called by a robot. Weeyud.
Robodell got a new job?
gotta cash in on being sexy scientist guy while you can.
i’m sitting down to lunch in east palestine, ohio. planning to avoid the water.
Tides went down 8-0 over 5 and a half innings. Then scored 8 bottom 6. Now up 10-8. God bless minor league baseball and Thursday afternoons at the ballpark with a bucket of beers.
Which is different from a Buck filled with beers. By all reports, that is also entertaining at a minor league baseball game.
“Come to pappa…”
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