1001 Songs Challenge #728: Loaded (1990)

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenging of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post everyday (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be…

 

Primal Scream – Loaded (1990)

 

 

We’re continuing in the UK, dear reader, but making our way to Glasgow in Scotland. Primal Scream were formed in 1982 but their career only took off in the mid-1980s when Bobby Gillespie of Jesus and Mary Chain joined as lead singer. Moving from indie pop to garage rock and psychedelia, we join Primal Scream in 1990 as they work on their third album, Screamadelica. 1001 Songs have had a listen and decided to go with Loaded.

Loaded is actually a remix of an earlier track by the group entitled – I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have. It was worked on by DJ Andrew Weatherall who threw in recorded dialogue from The Wild Angels (1966) as well as samples from other tracks. Dialogue opens the song before a drum beat and piano accompaniment comes in. Lyrically, there is not a lot going on with the refrain of not losing one’s love before the track’s title becomes relevant at the end as the narrator is determined to get “loaded” and have some fun. 

I found Loaded to be a peculiar track but definitely an experimental one. It blends recorded dialogue with a sung chorus and samples from various other artists who, rightly, are credited as songwriters here. Screamadelica would be critically acclaimed upon release in 1991 and won the first Mercury Music Prize in 1992. Primal Scream continue to perform to this day with their eleventh album being released in 2016.

 

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

The Doors – The End (1967)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now (1978)

Ultravox – Vienna (1980)

The Smiths – How Soon Is Now? (1984)

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (1988)