Songs related to photography...

<p>Okay, so after a couple day of dealing with the <a href="../film-and-processing-forum/00Tj1r">fallout</a> from the recent <a href="../learn/film/slide-film/kodachrome-discontinued/">Kodachrome announcement</a> , that damn Paul Simon song has permanently etched itself into my brain. To save my sanity, I thought it might be fun if we could come up with other songs that are about (or even mention) photos or photography.</p>

<p>My first vote is "Picturebook" by the Kinks. Was actually used in a clever Epson (I think) commercial a few years back:</p>

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<p>"Turning Japanese" by the Vapors:

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<p>I can't think of a single song about photography except for Paul Simon's classic.<br>

Nor are there any songs about going to Sears and buying a Kenmore washer and dryer. I wonder, why is that?</p>

<p>I happen to like Jim Carroll's <em>I Want the Angels</em> , which has this verse:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I want the angel<br /> Whose bones are so sharp<br /> That they can break through their own excuses<br /> Well, to be a blind man,<br /> Hey, that would be a fine thing<br /> Then I could dream at night of total strangers<br /> And all the music would be so spaceless<br /> And all the women would be so faceless,<br /> They'd be so faceless they'd be like old film<br /> Just like old film I never did process</p>

</blockquote>

 

<p>"Photograph" by Def Leppard: (WARNING! Bad song! BAD video!)

<p>Here's a good (good meaning bad in this instance) one, "Freeze Frame" J. Geils Band</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Thursday morning was a hot flash-factor<br /> Her face still focused in my mind<br /> Test-strip proof-sheet love is hard to find<br /> Friday night we'll dance the spotlight grind<br /> Stop-time heart for me if she's not mine</p>

</blockquote>

<p>http://www.imeem.com/jukeboxmusic18/music/utWwShok/j-geils-band-freeze-frame/</p>

<p>I'm going to data-mine SXSW for a minute...</p>

<p>1. Bishop Allen's "Click click click click" <br>

They released it as their single from SXSW 2007 and Sony picked it up for a camera commercial later that year.<br>

<p>2. Elephone's "The Camera Behind the Camera Behind the Camera"<br>

http://2008.sxsw.com/music/showcases/band/3919.html</p>

<p>3. 13Ghosts have a song just called "Photographs"<br>

http://sxsw.com/music/shows/schedule/?a=show&s=6070</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Take all these photographs<br /> And throw them away<br /> I'm not half the man that I was<br /> Back in the day</p>

</blockquote>

 

<p>The English lyrics to the bossa nova song <em>Desafinado</em> contains the following:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I took your picture with my trusty Rolleiflex<br /> And now all I have developed is a complex</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The original lyrics were by Newton Mendonça. The English lyrics were by Jon Hendricks and Jessie Cavanaugh</p>

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<p>"Picture in a Frame" by Tom Waits (and covered by plenty of other people):</p>

<p>(not an official video)

<p>There was the horrible, horrible Nickelback song "Photograph," popular a couple of years ago. I ashamed even to have remembered it. JR</p>

<p>John Mayer - "3x5"</p>

<p>Flock of Seagulls - "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"</p>

Gentleman Take Polaroids - Japan

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq-XvZ9TK98

<p>I noted recently that <em>Walkabout</em> by Red Hot Chili Peppers would make a great photowalk theme song:<br /> "A detective of perspective I / Need to try and get a bigger eye" <a rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/msirota/status/2208709596"></a></p>

<p>Aw shucks, even though it may seem like I post a link to this about every week, my favorite film song is still Nina Hagen's <em>Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen</em> (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMhkV-QCPCw">link</a> ). The link is the original as performed on East German TV, note the sponsor is the DDR Travel Service.</p>

<p>"F-Stop Blues" by Jack Johnson</p>

<p>I've had Kodachrome also stuck in my head the last few days.<br>

The cure was to listen to it so I would stop guessing at all the lyricks. </p>

<p>Didn't work going to try listening to Jazz or Classical to clear the mind.</p>

<p>Beatles: A Day In The Life</p>

<p>I read the news today oh, boy<br />About a lucky man who made the grade<br />And though the news was rather sad<br />Well, i just had to laugh<br />I saw the photograph<br />He blew his mind out in a car<br />He didn't notice that the lights had changed<br />A crowd of people stood and stared<br />They'd seen his face before<br />Nobody was really sure if he was from the house of lords<br /><br />I saw a film today oh, boy<br />The english army had just won the war<br />A crowd of people turned away<br />But i just had to look<br />Having read the book<br />I love to turn you on.<br /><br />Woke up, got out of bed<br />Dragged a comb across my head<br />Found my way downstairs and drank a cup<br />And looking up, i noticed i was late<br />Found my coat and grabbed my hat<br />Made the bus in seconds flat<br />Found my way upstairs and had a smoke<br />Somebody spoke and i went into a dream<br />Ah<br /><br />I read the news today oh, boy<br />Four thousand holes in blackburn, lancashire<br />And though the holes were rather small<br />They had to count them all<br />Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the albert hall<br />I'd love to turn you on</p>

<p>Didn't Outkast's "Hey Ya" actually result in Polaroid advising folks not to "shake it like a Polaroid picture" ... in those days when there was such a thing as a Polaroid picture?</p>

<p>Souvenir of China - Jean-Michel Jarre.</p>

<p>Seeing Fred's entry of the Beatles immediately made me think of this one called 'Photograph' written by Ringo Starr and George Harrison.<br><br>

Ev'ry time I see your face,<br>

It reminds me of the places we used to go.<br>

But all I've got is a photograph,<br>

And I realise you're not coming back anymore.....<br>

[...]<br>

I can't get used to living here,<br>

While my heart is broke, my tears I cried for you.<br>

I want you here to have and hold,<br>

As the years go by and we grow old and grey...<br><br>

But all I've got is a photograph,<br>

And I realise you're not coming back anymore.....<br> </p>

 

You can listen to a version here ~ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfde3y1noHA&feature=related"> Photograph:Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band</a>

<p>The Prisoner by Howard Jones:<br /><br /><em><strong>You have watched me, safe in your anonymity<br />I have dreamed you, held in your security<br />Some people believe a photograph traps your mortal soul<br />Your eyes were the camera and youve take hold<br />And you captured me<br />I need you to take control<br />I am a prisoner of no confidence<br />Youve entered me now make me whole<br /><br />Every place I go I feel your lenses trained on me<br />This distant concentration takes away my energy<br />Your image burns its negative<br />Behind my waking eyes<br />Then the night comes and you stalk your prize<br />And you captured me<br />I need you to take control<br />I am a prisoner of no confidence<br />Youve entered me now make me whole<br /></strong></em><br />I am sure there is a video on you tube. It is a pretty cool video...for the 80's.</p>

<p>How about Freeze frame and Centerfold by the J Geils Band?</p>

<p>By the way Josh, the way to clear an ear worm(song stuck in your head) is to replace it by singing 99 Luft Balloons by Nena (to yourself please). It's weird but it works and doesn't leave a residue.</p>

<p>Jackson Browne</p>

 

<p>Looking through some photographs I found inside a drawer<br /> I was taken by a photograph of you<br /> There were one or two I know that you would have liked a little more<br /> But they didn't show your spirit quite as true<br /> You were turning 'round to see who was behind you<br /> And I took your childish laughter by surprise<br /> And at the moment that my camera happened to find you<br /> There was just a trace of sorrow in your eyes<br /> Now the things that I remember seem so distant and so small<br /> Though it hasn't really been that long a time<br /> What I was seeing wasn't what was happening at all<br /> Although for a while, our path did seem to climb<br /> But when you see through love's illusions, there lies the danger<br /> And your perfect lover just looks like a perfect fool<br /> So you go running off in search of a perfect stranger<br /> While the loneliness seems to spring from your life<br /> Like a fountain from a pool<br /> Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light<br /> etc<br>

<em>Jackson Browne FOUNTAIN OF SORROW lyrics</em></p>

 

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<p>"Girls on Film" Duran Duran. There was a cool video for the song.</p>

<p>Another-- "Back on the Chain Gang" The Pretenders.<br>

"I found a picture of you. It was the happiest day of my life..."</p>