30.7.09

Damnation

Remember the mid/late 90s, when people were into that swing phase? Bands like the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Royal Crown Revue, Cherry Poppin Daddies and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were all over the place. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were in that movie, Swingers. One of the bands I actually liked was the Squirrel Nut Zippers. The reason I'm thinking of this is that the SNZ song, Hell, popped into my head today. So weird. I used to like this a lot and I haven't heard it in ages. My favorite part is where the singer spells out the word 'damnation' (D and the A and the M and the N, A and the T and the I-O-N). I even remember an episode of the X-Files where Fox Mulder walks into a morgue to check on an autopsy. The attendant down there is listening to this song, and (I think) Mulder actually mentions the band's name on the show. I even saw the Squirrel Nut Zippers live one time, but it was a complete shamble. It was the last night of their tour, and they were so visibly tired and out of it that the music sadly fell flat. Oh well, whaddya gonna do?

Listening to this song again, I can say that I still like it. The rest of the album sounds good as well. Kind of a nice trip back, I'm glad the song somehow found its way into my brain on my dreary bus ride home.

Squirrel Nut Zippers > Hell

3 comments:

jedipan said...

they were one of the best local bands to come out of n.c... i wish you could have seen their shows here.. before 'hell' blew up, they gave the BEST, high-energy concerts.. after that, it was difficult to even get in.. a great time to be alive, i tell ya.. :)

String Bean Jen said...

Haha! That swing revival was so bizarre. I DID own the Cherry Poppin' Daddies album (I'm surprised I wasn't up in arms about their name at the time - grrr). I never got into the Squirrel Nut Zippers but I could tell they were the most sincere and talented of the lot.

Have you ever heard Katherine Whalen do the song 'You You You You You' as a guest singer for (Stephin Merritt's) The 6th's? That's my favorite song on The 6th's album 'Hyacinths and Thistles.' It can bring me to tears!

robot hero said...

that was her on "you you you you you"?? i had no idea, but it makes sense. great song.