30-Day Music Challenge, Day 8: A Song that You Know All the Words To

INXS were my favorite band for a lotta years; and they possessed one of the greatest rock vocalists ever in Michael Hutchence. When I made attempts at singing myself, I'll admit openly that Hutchence's dusky, evocative pipes were a massive influence.

The band's two best records were (I thought) 1982's Shabooh Shoobah and 1984's The Swing. They sounded more mature, more sensual, and richer than damn near anything else the era produced. I could blather on interminably about the many ways in which they rocked my world, but it's late, and I'm trying to stay on task.

After a lot of years, I still know all the words to every single song on both of these records, but the one that resonates with me the most on this cool, rainless Seattle night is "Johnson's Aeroplane," from The Swing. It's incredibly atmospheric, melding a funk pulse with stately strings and lyrics that have their hands placed firmly and empathetically into the Australian soil. It would've been interesting to hear George Martin put his orchestral touch on this track, but it's pretty perfect on its own, thanks.

I sang along with it tonight, some part of me hoping Hutchence would come slinking back from the afterworld to set my ass straight and sing it right.


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