Wayne riffs on “Hotwired,” the third studio album by the Soup Dragons from October of 1992 (Pleasure / Divine Thing / Sweet Layabout / Mindless). ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: “I Gotcha” by Joe Tex (from the motion picture "Reservoir Dogs"). STAFF PICKS: “Jump Around” by House of Pain — Rob. “Jimmy Olsen's Blues'” by the Spin Doctors — Bruce. “Life Is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane — Brian. “At the Hundredth Meridian" by the Tragically Hip — Wayne. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK: “Forever In Love” by Kenny G. **(NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.)
A number of groups came out of the psychedelic pop scene in Northern England and Scotland in the late 80's including Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, Jesus and the Mary Chain, and The Soup Dragons. Their third album, Hotwired, was released in October 1992.
The Soup Dragons got their name from a character in a 1970's UK children's television series called "Clangers," which consisted of short films about a family of mouse-like creatures that live on a small moon-like planet. They speak only in a whistled language, and only eat green soup, which is supplied by the Soup Dragon.
The Soup Dragons lineup for this album were Sean Dickson on vocals and guitar, Jim McCullough on backing vocals and guitar, Sushil K. Dade on bass, and Paul Quinn on percussion. They started off as an indie-rock group, but switched to a more dance-rock oriented band when they were without a drummer and started using a drum machine on their second album.
The group received some club play with their first indie-dance track called "Mother Universe," but their first big hit was "I'm Free," a fast paced cover of the Rolling Stones song. They toured the U.S. for two years, and performed on both the David Letterman and Arsenio Hall late night shows.
The Soup Dragons would produce one more studio album after Hotwired, and would disband a year later in 1995.
We think you will enjoy the early 90's rock-dance groove of this most successful album of the Soup Dragon's discography.
Pleasure
Is everybody ready? This first track on the album made it to number 69 on the Billboard 100, and number 14 in the Modern Rock charts. It is about living your life - "Take it to the limit, live it to the full."
Divine Thing
The big hit off the album made it to number 26 on the Billboard 100, and was a staple of the burgeoning stable of alternative rock stations in the early 90's. It is an homage to Glenn Milstead, more famously known as Divine in John Waters movies. The music video for this song is the first to display transgender and drug culture to be placed in daytime rotation in the USA.
Sweet Layabout
This is a bit deeper of a cut. A layabout is a lazy person who is comfortable letting others do things for them. "Well, hallelujah. Why don't you sit there in your chair. 'Cause you ain't nothing but the Devil's clientele."
Mindless
This track is a softer song that describes the initial infatuation of an early relationship. You get mindless over the person and can't think of anything else. "Jesus Christ took his time when inventing you, and Mother Nature couldn't leave our dream come true."
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
I Gotcha by Joe Tex (from the motion picture "Reservoir Dogs")
Quentin Tarantino's debut features what Tarantino would become famous for - lots of violence, and great music.
STAFF PICKS:
Jump Around by House of Pain
Rob's staff pick dips into the hip-hop genre. Everlast, DJ Lethal, and Danny Boy formed the band, and the song made it to number 3 in the U.S. A lot of debate was created around what created the “scream” sound, with some thinking it comes from "Get Off" by Prince, and other's thinking it comes from Junior Walker and the All Stars. The University of Wisconsin plays this in the fourth quarter to hype up the crowd.
Jimmy Olsen's Blues by The Spin Doctors
Bruce features a song inspired by the Superman comics. Jimmy Olsen is the junior photographer. Chris Barron was inspired to write this when sneaking into the Brown University cafeteria and seeing a girl who reminded him of Lois Lane. The "pocket full of kryptonite" represents what is special or unique about you.
Life Is A Highway by Tom Cochrane
Brian hits the road with former Red Rider front man Tom Cochrane. This song encourages folks to "seize the day," and get motivated. Cochrane wrote it after a visit to Africa, and seeing the poverty around him. It is interesting that such a positive song came out of a close brush with poverty. Rascal Flatts would cover the song for the movie "Cars."
At the Hundredth Meridian by the Tragically Hip
Wayne stays in Canada with a group much more popular in the Great White North than in the U.S. The hundredth meridian is considered a dividing line between east and west Canada. The Hip stayed together from 1984 until 2017 when lead singer Gord Downie died of brain cancer.
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Forever In Love by Kenny G.
You can't go wrong with a saxophone - or can you?