A Metal Playlist

Introduction

I had "Metal Guru" by T. Rex going through my head and though it is glam rather than metal, I thought what about a playlist of songs with a metal in their title, that are maybe not metal songs?

I realise I have just made it harder for myself so there won't be an "Iron Fist" by Motor or "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath but maybe bands like Hayseed Dixie and Big Daddy might help me out there, so here we go.

T. Rex - "Metal Guru" from "The Slider"

This was the band's final UK number one and, of course, was an immediate purchase by me. It is the song that made me decide to put this playlist together and is obviously generic rather than specific metal for the purpose. This is definitely "glam rock".

Suede - "Metal Mickey" from "Suede"

Another generic use of metal, and although this comes in quite muscular its genre is pos-punk / Britpop, and is rather excellent.

Graham Parker and the Rumour - "Mercury Poisoning" - "'B' Side" included on expanded "Squeezing Out Sparks"

I wasn't sure about this, but Mercury IS a metal and you can read about it here:

The song had a convoluted and controversial release journey and you can read about that here:

Many of the words struck big chords with me about some of the rubbish managers and companies that I was involved with, if you listen to the song song or read the lyrics you will know why. These lines really stood out for me:

I gotta dinosaur for a representative

It's got a small brain and refuses to learn

and

The company is crippling me

the worst trying to ruin the best, the best

Their promotion's so lame

They could never ever take it to the real ball game

Remind you of anyone 🐱?

Echo and the Bunnymen - "Silver" from "Ocean Rain"

How the hell the band were not as big as U2 or The Cure I don't know. This is an absolute beauty, I could listen to this for a long time. One of Liverpool's finest-ever bands. If you don't know them listen to this then explore and they are still making music today. Are they post-punk or Goth, I don't know but they are one of my favourite bands.

Bob Marley and the Wailers - "Iron Lion Zion" from "Natural Mystic"

Though The Wailers are still touring we lost Bob too long ago, but this one is a reggae entry and has reminded me of other metal-related reggae tunes.which led me to

Dreadzone - "Iron Shirt" from "Once Upon A Time"

"Chase The Devil" by Max Romeo starts with the line "I'm gonna put on an Iron Shirt"and was also sampled by The Prodigy for "Out Of Space".

Split Enz - "Bold As Brass" from "Dizrythmia"

Split Enz eventually metamorphosed into Crowded House, but I was lucky enough to see them at a University gig in Preston in the seventies.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally 66% copper and 34% zinc.

Sugar - "Copper Blue" - album title track

Bob Mould's post Hüsker Dü band and this is very muscular. Hüsker Dü are classed as punk but I think they were more than that and the melodies are often beautiful. I love this song.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - "Silver Star" album title track

I am closing this playlist with my favourite Four Seasons song. It is six minutes long and is very different to their "Jersey Boys" signature sound.

Thank you for reading and I hope you have found some songs you like and maybe discovered some new music.