We Fell In Love In A Hopeless Place

We here at Heavy Metal Monday have been confronted with various awkward realities these past few days.  Firstly, why do we always open our pieces using the first person plural, when everyone knows we are just this one guy.  Secondly, we were unable to pen our Heavy Metal Monday post on, you know, Monday, because on the weekend we engaged in a dogged but ultimately doomed attempt to not get food poisoning while dining in Footscray.  Still feeble, but at least able to sit up in bed, we (I?) know attempt to somewhat make it up to you by presenting you with this weeks Music Wednesday.  But don't worry, I'm not going to bore you to tears with regards to Florida Death Metal, and it's various socio-political contexts but, instead, will examine my favourite party bangers.  Let's proceed...I mean dance.




There's talk in regards to Lady Gaga.  Whether you think she is some incredibly clever modern generation Andy Warhol who kinda, I don't know, makes some kind of statement about fame and US culture by herself being an integral part of it, I wouldn't be brave enough to venture.  What I do know is that this song, perhaps her first big hit, knocked this long haired metal head for six.  This was fantastic!  What a track!  I could dance all day to this shit and not even care that I was sweaty.  The epitome of banger.




While California Gurls is maybe a classically better song, Katy Perry's Part of Me is interesting for kinda weird convoluted reasons.  On the one hand you have the classic 'I don't need a man' to be my own woman' kinda schtick.  On the other, there is the obviously kind of urgent  need to find out just how much the the US. Marines payed Katy Perry to essentially glorify their beloved ranks.  It's irksome, but nor irksome enough to distract me from the fact that this track is enough to make you want to close your eyes, find Sean the Man in the crowd, and kind of entwine fingers with each other, as you both try not to cry and mutter..."sob....you go get 'em gurl...".  




It's true that I have developed somewhat of a reputation about this song.  Flat out, it is a banger.  I mean, we can sneer at the twelve year old girls from Kansas who breathlessly leave comments on youtube, the likes of, "Omg!  Surprise ending lol!!11!1!".  Know what?  That ending blew me away too.  Call me uncritical, but I did not see that one coming.  Last time I was out and this song came on I actually kind of shrieked, no, wailed, before launching myself onto the dance floor.  (As an aside, I still haven't really learnt how to deal with dance floors that aren't Morbid Angel mosh pits.  Not only are there far fewer fat men, there are usually heaps more beautiful people.  This doesn't stop me thrashing around like a stunned mullet.)  Anyway.  One hit wonder for sure.  Blue print for the coming ten years of pop?  No.  Banger?  Dunevenworry.





If you want to skip the slightly bewildering intro to this song, skip to 50ish seconds.  Last time this song came on when I was out, I actually think I started crying, such was my emotional vulnerability on hearing the first few hooks.  This may have been related to my alcohol consumption more than anything else, but I like to think Rihanna touched me in some way (insert filthy Sean the Man innuendo round about here).  Anyway, speaking of Sean the Man, he and I were kitting up to ride last week, when this song came on.  I say came on, as if it were on the radio.  The truth is is that I searched for it on Youtube, and clicked play.  Anyway.  As it started playing, we both felt the spiritual party vibe that this song creates in anyone who listens to it.  Standing there in the living room, bib straps hanging by our sides, base layers kind of on but not, Sean and I shared a moment.  I think he even closed his eyes and put his hands in the air, while whispering something.

Such is the power of pop music.