Sneaky Dragon Episode 284

Bonus title card! While looking for a suitable image to debase, I came upon the one below. I couldn’t resist doing it, but not as the only title card because it would have been so cheap – just a simple silhouette of Sneaky D in a window. So lazy!

Hola, Sneakers! Welcome to Episode 284. This week on the show, Ian and David recommend you sell now; debate the most formative time; agree on the best flags; can’t decide if they should take the high road or the low road; get stumped by ghost songs; have a short attention span; eat filthy sandwiches; feel that one lottery win is enough; listen to a “One That Got Away” story from listener Marcus Harwell; move on with their friendships; experience bad school discipline; experience bad parental discipline; finish things our parents dreamed of doing; live up to their parents expectations – for better of worse; feel left behind by art; think art could be taught better; and, finally, get the blues in the kitchen.

Thanks for listening.

The One That Got Away – Marcus Harwell

This week, we heard Marcus’ touching story of bored schoolboys, angry principals and adult mind-fuckery. Here is the playlist:

Schooldays – The Starjets – I don’t care if the lyrics have little to do with Marcus’ story. It’s a great song about school and a good set-up for…
Friends – The Beach Boys – From their great album of the same name, Friends is a jaunty little song celebrating the friendship of Marcus and his two pals, Mark and Craig.
Brink of Disaster – Lesley Gore – A song of wrong-headed love and temptation. Childhood friendships can often be as torrid as romantic relationships, speaking as someone who had more than one tearful fight with childhood friends. Marcus is under the spell of Mark, the bad boy who leads him down a path that can only result in…
Headmaster – The Kinks – The fateful meeting with the school principal. Time for some begging and heartfelt soul-searching (or the appearance thereof).
What’s Happening?!?! – The Byrds – As the unusual punctuation suggests, this song reflects Marcus’ confusion as he leaves the principal’s office with the jubilant and unrepentant Mark. Marcus begins to wonder…
You’re Supposed to Be My Friend – The 1990s – This song could be read from either Mark’s or Marcus’ point of view as they begin to drift apart and become almost strangers on the playground.

Don’t forget about our two ongoing contests:

  1. Have some dinner with Ian and Dave, and, if you want, watch Sneaky Dragon being recorded. All you have to do is send us a little message that says, “I’d like to eat with you!” and Ian and Dave will treat you to an after-show meal at their favourite White Spot.
  2. Send us your story. That’s right. Just your story. If you need a prompt, Ian suggested “your secret origin” and Dave suggested “how how you found Sneaky Dragon” Please record a two to three minute story and send it to us via email (sneakyd@sneakydragon.com) or our Facebook page. Or Skype Sneaky Dragon and leave a message on our voicemail. David will add a playlist for your story as well.

Well, after saying he couldn’t think of any songs sung by ghosts, a couple have occurred to us post show:

Yankee Bayonet by The Decembrists:

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean by Bob Dylan (Originally by Blind Lemon Jefferson, but Dylan’s version from his first album is one that I know):

Long Black Veil (There are many versions, but let’s here The Band’s):

And one of those tragic ballads: The Unquiet Grave (sung by Shirley Collins):

4 thoughts on “Sneaky Dragon Episode 284”

  1. Chris Roberts

    ‘Wuthering Heights’ (Kate Bush) is sung by Cathy’s ghost. My wife Diane also came up with the two Marleys’ song to Scrooge in Muppets Christmas Carol. Couldn’t think of any ghost bands, though Dead Kennedys might just qualify. I guess The Zombies don’t count?. Thanks for another fantastic show, guys.

  2. Ghost songs:
    It’s not a pop song (more like a poppy song) but the poem “In Flanders Fields” has been set to music by various composers over the years. It’s sung every year at Remembrance Day ceremonies and still packs a punch.

    We are the Dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Lots of musicals have songs sung by ghosts…Tevye’s Dream from Fiddler on the Roof…Les Miz when all the characters who died in the show come back to haunt the audience in the “Do You Hear the People Sing?” finale…Carousel where the main character is a ghost dad for most of Act 2…Blithe Spirit was turned into a musical called High Spirits where it’s all about the ghosts.

    But one of the most touching musical ghost songs is “The Letter” from Billy Elliot the Musical. It always make me cry. (Thanks a lot, Sir Elton John). It’s a letter written to Billy by his dying mom to be opened on his 18th birthday (but he opened it early). She comes back to sing the message every kid needs hear from a parent at some time in their life.

    And you must promise me this, Billy
    In everything you do
    Always be yourself,
    And you always will be true
    And I will have missed you growing
    I’ll have missed you crying
    And I’ll have missed you laugh
    Missed your stamping and your shouting
    I have missed telling you off
    But please, Billy, know that I was always there
    I was with you through everything
    And please, Billy,
    Know that I will always be
    Proud to have known you
    Love you forever

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