Soundlounge Jukebox – June 25, 2009 (Tunes For A Tennis Match)
The soundlounge jukebox is our outlet for sharing the cream of the music industry with all. Updated every few weeks, it offers a chance for people who don’t have much time to sample good quality music, whether new releases or hidden gems from the archives. We receive music from all the majors, indies, publishers and sometimes the artists themselves and will bring to your desk (and attention) some of the most interesting and diverse music out there.
Visit the soundlounge jukebox to hear the following tracks.
Anyone For Tennis – CreamNot one of Cream’s strongest moments but a tennis track nevertheless. Seemingly random lyrics which frankly have absolutely nothing to do with tennis are interspersed with the repeated phrase, ‘anyone for tennis, wouldn’t that be nice’. It would appear that the even the band weren’t too impressed with the song as demonstrated by their general demeanour in this clip, of course it may just have be the croaky introduction, have a look.
Bjorn Borg – The German Art StudentsTestament to the enduring appeal of this Swedish master of tennis and his ‘sweat filled headband’ is this track by The German Art Students. Described by the members as a powerpop / punk rock band from Madison Wisconsin, they have been together in various formats since 1998. Very few tennis players have ever inspired a song but Bjorn Borg was not just a tennis player. His universal appeal went far beyond his mercurial tennis skills as his ‘hair flowing in the wind’ and ‘screaming teenage girls’ no doubt had an impact on his popularity. The fact that this song has been written so long after his retirement suggests that Bjorn Borg could enjoy many a revival as a retro icon.
Saga Africa (ambience secousse) – Yannick NoahThe Frenchman was one of the final conquerors of the masterful Borg and had a relatively successful career himself, winning the French Open in 1983. In 1991 he not only captained the French Davis cup team to victory against the US but also found time to release an album, Black Or What, from which this track is taken. Upon defeating the heavily favoured US team he coaxed the whole stadium into an impromptu rendition of his hit, fantastic promotion you may think, until you see the moment for yourself.
White Tennis Sneakers – Jan & DeanJan & Dean were not doubles partners, nor were they tennis players at all, at any level. They were in fact a musical duo of the surf rock persuasion, formed in high school after a football practice. It was at this time that Jan began playing with the kind of vocal arrangements that the Beach Boys rode to fame, five years before the great Brian Wilson began to with whom he went on to work with professionally.
Tennis Shoes – Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine BandHailing from Sweden, the home of that man Bjorn Borg, Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine Band are an Indie rock/pop band who have achieved limited success to date. Judging by the chorus of voices in the refrain it would appear that it is the entire band who love their tennis shoes. Whether they harbour any ambition to emulate the achievements of their countryman in the tennis sphere is unclear. For the time being they seem content with their musical endeavours.
Billie Jean – Michael JacksonOne of the great pop songs of all time about one of the great tennis players of all time. Billie Jean King had almost unrivalled success in the women’s game, winning 12 majors in a career that spanned over 15 years. This success is somewhat eclipsed, admittedly in an incomparable fashion, by the career of this song’s performer who managed 13 number ones during a solo career that spans from 1971 to the present day. Beat that.
Listen to these tracks on the soundlounge jukebox.
Sam Nicholson, Creative Assistant
soundlounge
