'Sing a simple song...' Cynthia Robinson, 1968.
She was on to something when she shouted those words at the start of the Sly and The Family Stone song.
Elaborate production, technological wizardry and esoteric time signatures all have their place. And have given us some classics. But sometimes you just need to 'sing a simple song'.
This is a simple song.
It doesn't 'push boundaries'. It doesn't 'challenge the mainstream'. It's not 'clever'. Or 'ground-breaking'.
But it does neatly sum up what's great about music. And does it all in two and a half minutes....

Punk was my first proper introduction to music. To what being a fan of music is about. Or was. Record shops on a Saturday. New singles and LPs. NME. Sounds. Badges on your lapel. Cutting out pictures and putting them on your wall. T-shirts.
And gigs. That magic of live music. The excitement of hearing people playing the songs you love. It wasn't just the music. It was growing up. Being a part of something. Singing along knowing every word.
The lyrics here are a bit corny. So what?
'We live our life in our own way, never really listened to what they say'.
Nothing wrong with that. More of us should try it. I'm 55. And am seeing my eldest experience some of those same feelings about songs. The youngest is just starting out on that too. It's a different experience. I reckon it's not as good, but every generation says that to the one that follows.
I chose this because it never fails to make me smile. And sing along at the top of my voice. It's become a favourite to drum along to which is a bit of a workout on the bass drum pedal.
The live versions raise an even bigger smile. I've posted a couple here. They capture what the song is all about. Look at the audience. They're not necessarily cool, they're not hip. But they're so in that moment. If music can't get you there, then you're already dead. Punk became a parody of its self eventually, but if it was and is about anything, even in its slightly more polished modern guise, it should be about that moment and that energy at the very least.
As Brian Kienlen says at the start of this '05 version 'this song is about you and it's about us'. And it is. He means it, they know it....

2022....