Back in 1993, I first heard about Cornershop doing some sort of protest against Morrissey for his song "Asian Rut". This was really uncall for, because if you listen to the lyrics carefully, Morrissey is singing about an Asian (in the West, we know Asians as Indians, don't ask) who got murdered by white hooligans. The song even identifies the storyteller as "I'm just passing through here, on my way to somewhere civilise."
Still, the protest got them noticed and the NME and Melody Makers picked up this story.
I saw Lock, Stock and Double-Barrel EP around this time for really cheap ($1 at Amoeba, baby!). I was thinking I'd dislike it, but you know what? I loved it.
By late 1997, their song "Brimful of Asha" made it BIG on the DJ dancefloor and eventually MTV.
So, the song is "England's Dreaming". I like the energy of this song, some crazy instruments thrown in and it looks like it was sung through a riot loudspeaker. At one point in the song, the singer (Tjinder Singh) sings out:
I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour.
The followed by "Fight the Power!"
If you know your Smiths songs, he was actually emulating Morrissey from "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (which is a play off "Heaven Knows I'm Missing Him Now" by Sandie Shaw, but that is another story).
Trivia: It is not advertised or written anywhere, but there is a fifth hidden track off of Lock, Stock and Double-Barrel. The song is "Houston Hash" by Johnny Cash. It tells the story of a truck driver who does whatever it takes (even breaking the law), just to get a taste of that sweet, sweet houston hash.
UPDATE: You can download these songs from wfmu.org ... Also worth noting, that the singer is, in fact, not Johnny Cash, but an impersonator.
[this is good] Or rather, this is
Good Shit!
Posted by: Sixbucksamonkey | 03/18/2007 at 08:50 AM
[this is good] I've been searching for the lyrics to that song, Houston Hash, for a long time! Do you have them, or do you know where I can find them? I can't even figure out what Johnny Cash album it was recorded on. It's like it doesn't exist.
Posted by: Derek | 10/03/2007 at 07:12 PM
Transcribed by vu:I drive a truck from Baton Rouge to Houstonand I get mighty hungry all the waybut I don't slow down for truck stopsnot even look around for the lawand I don't even stop for the scalesThere's a little old woman that waits for me in HoustonShe cooks a recipe that I really likeShe uses canned tomatoes, ground beef and onions tooand she mixes it all up with a cup of riceShe takes the ground beef and onions and nice green peppersand she puts them in a panand cooks them until they look really greatAnd then she mixes it all together with a little chili peppersome tomatoes and some sauceand she puts it in the oven to bakeBy the time she hears my air breaks in the front yardShe's got that Houston Hash all nice and browncos she knows I've got a craving all my hunger that I've been savingand I almost risk a crash for Houston Hashyes I almost risk a crash for Houston Hash
Posted by: W♥M | 10/03/2007 at 07:27 PM
Thanks!
Posted by: Derek | 10/04/2007 at 08:46 AM
I still cannot find any record of the original Cash track... any search on the 'net leads you right back to Cornershop. It's really odd because it definitely sounds like him!
Posted by: Dave | 09/26/2015 at 02:48 PM
You may be right, regarding not actually a Johnny Cash song. You can hear the track at http://weheartmusic.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/johnny-cash-houston-hash.html (click on the image of Cash).
Posted by: W♥M | 09/26/2015 at 03:06 PM
Aw, it was available in a 7" flexi from 1970... it is indeed by Johnny Cash: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2015/06/johnny-cash-and-friends-present-singing-rice-ipes-mp3s.html
Posted by: W♥M | 09/26/2015 at 03:09 PM
The article had an update that it's an impersonator.
Posted by: W♥M | 09/26/2015 at 03:11 PM