Naughtiness doesn't always pay off...

When I was a kid, I spent pretty much every car journey being indoctrinated into the cult of Billy Joel. I'm proud to say I'm a lifelong member now, and I'm sure, in time, there will be many posts that will provide evidence of this. But back to the story that I hadn't yet begun: One track I particularly loved of Joel's - one that was briefly my favourite song ever for a period of about two days in 1995 - was 'Only The Good Die Young'. It was naughty to the seven year old me because it suggested misbehaving might be to my benefit. Of course, it was years until I picked up on the whole prostitute vibe. But still, even then it was a naughty, naughty song and I was surprised my parents so willingly supported my listening any music so utterly risque as this.

My sister, too, had her doubts about the song. I found out a few years later that she always hated the idea it put across to her - the whole 'only the good die young' bit - because to her it meant she was going to die long before I did. I'm not sure how I felt about this at the time, but these days the little rebellious kid inside me loves that she thought that. Especially since I never was that naughty, and therefore my lifespan probably won't be that spectacular (I'm lazy, I don't worry about food and I drink like my bladder knows no bounds).

Anyway, this one's for my sister - proof that being the naughty one will only get you so very far...

I heard first heard this song belatedly just two days ago - we were driving to a huge park in Nottingham, and having very little success finding it, and this popped up on Radio 1. My friend and I were both mutually reminded immediately of the new Raconteurs album, but with a little more funk involved. Turns out it's a band whose name has been thrown around a lot recently, and who I hadn't got round to trying at the time. Needless to say, I have now, and they're ruddy great! They don't appear to be at Glasto (one week!) but perhaps Leeds will satisfy my thirst. Til then...

mp3: 'Ain't No Rest For The Wicked' by Cage The Elephant

Buy the Elephant!