Tag Archives: synthpop

“Reasons To Be Miserable” by Marvin, The Paranoid Android – 45 RPM Double B-Side

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“Reasons To Be Miserable” was released in 1981 in the UK only. It was the ‘A’-Side of 45 RPM 7 inch release called The Double ‘B’-Side on Depressive Discs (Polydor).

The part of Marvin is voiced by Stephen Moore, the same actor that voiced the emotionally disturbed android in the 1981 BBC Television miniseries based on The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy series of novels and stories by Douglas Adams. If you are a fan of the books or the movie, I highly recommend that you check out the BBC TV miniseries. It’s brilliant and campy. I love it. Here is a clip from the series.

You can also check out the BBC Radio series that was first broadcast in 1978.

The song involves Marvin describing his views on life (“I’d feel a little better if they broke me up for spares”, “If I had my time again, I’d rather be a lemming”), to a rather clever synthpop backing track.

Apparently the title is a reference to the hit song “Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3” by Ian Dury and The Blockheads.

You can still find copies of the record for sale today on the secondary market but the prices are kind of out there.

front side of the sleeve
back side of the sleeve
close up on the label

images courtesy of discogs

“Go Go Mario” by Hiroko Taniyama as Princess Peach

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I can’t think of a better track to celebrate National Video Game Day. The story behind this track is pretty interesting.

It’s hard to track down the original recording of this song because it’s been redone a number of times and the original was released only in Japan.

In 1986, a Japanese talk show called All Night Nippon held a contest that asked fans to mail-in their own lyrics written to the tune of the Super Mario theme song. A winner was selected and singer Hiroko Taniyama is thought to have recorded the vocals but the performance was credited to Princess Peach, a character in the game.

The single was then produced and released on 7inch vinyl and cassette. The original title was “Mario No Daibouken: or “Mario’s Big Adventure”.

courtesy of discogs

The single made it to the top 40 in Japan and was re-recorded in other languages as well but it never quite made it to the English-speaking world.

“Build The Bridge” by Deee-Lite

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This song is great for meditation. It also has the feeling of being out in nature. There are no vocals outside of a few animal call sounds. This track is essentially instrumental. There is a lot of stereo movement. It will help you clear your mind for a few moments. Or maybe you’ll just giggle a bit. IDK.

Oddly enough, today is National Garden Meditation Day. If you like that Blue Buddha in the image above, it is available for purchase.

-Wacky Alex