With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

Mayhem Takes Over The World, Almost! January 9, 2024

Filed under: Observation — justwilliam1959 @ 7:15 pm
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How many countries are there in the world? Well according to Worldometer there are 195 countries in the world today. This total comprises 193 countries that are member states of the United Nations and 2 non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine. This means that Worpress sees countries slightly differently because, in the almost fifteen years since I started With Just A Hint Of Mayhem, it has been viewed in 226 countries, so I guess some of those are not “real” countries. On top of that, there are six countries (coloured grey on the map above) where no one has taken even a single view of With Just A Hint Of Mayhem. So if you reside in any of the following places, or you know someone who does, ask them to come and say hi to Mayhem. The countries/ places that are missing out on all the fun are Western Sahara, Chad, Eritrea, Burundi, Svalbard (Norway), and North Korea. Why have I written this post? Well, I am proud of the reach the blog has had, but it also allows me to feature some appropriate(ish) tunes. Before that, the top ten countries that have visited the site the most are (the full list can be seen at the end of this post)

1 United States
2 United Kingdom
3 Germany
4 Chile
5 France
6 Canada
7 Spain
8 Mexico
9 Australia
10 Italy

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The Full Mayhem World Domination List

1 United States
2 United Kingdom
3 Germany
4 Chile
5 France
6 Canada
7 Spain
8 Mexico
9 Australia
10 Italy
11 Brazil
12 Netherlands
13 Argentina
14 Ireland
15 Colombia
16 Sweden
17 India
18 Poland
19 Turkey
20 Belgium
21 Philippines
22 Peru
23 Indonesia
24 Russia
25 European Union
26 Norway
27 Denmark
28 Japan
29 New Zealand
30 Switzerland
31 Greece
32 Venezuela
33 Finland
34 South Africa
35 Malaysia
36 Thailand
37 Austria
38 Portugal
39 Czechia
40 Hungary
41 Romania
42 Ecuador
43 Israel
44 South Korea
45 Singapore
46 Croatia
47 Serbia
48 China
49 Saudi Arabia
50 Hong Kong SAR China
51 United Arab Emirates
52 Ukraine
53 Slovakia
54 Bulgaria
55 Costa Rica
56 Egypt
57 Pakistan
58 Taiwan
59 Algeria
60 Morocco
61 Guatemala
62 Vietnam
63 Slovenia
64 Uruguay
65 Lithuania
66 Bolivia
67 El Salvador
68 Puerto Rico
69 Estonia
70 Dominican Republic
71 Georgia
72 Panama
73 Cyprus
74 Bangladesh
75 Tunisia
76 Latvia
77 Malta
78 Bosnia & Herzegovina
79 Lebanon
80 Iceland
81 Kuwait
82 Honduras
83 North Macedonia
84 Paraguay
85 Sri Lanka
86 Armenia
87 Nigeria
88 Albania
89 Iraq
90 Trinidad & Tobago
91 Nicaragua
92 Luxembourg
93 Jordan
94 Jamaica
95 Azerbaijan
96 Qatar
97 Kenya
98 Libya
99 Belarus
100 Nepal
101 Isle of Man
102 Jersey
103 Moldova
104 Mauritius
105 Ghana
106 Myanmar (Burma)
107 Oman
108 Guernsey
109 Bahrain
110 Kazakhstan
111 Bahamas
112 Cambodia
113 Montenegro
114 Tanzania
115 Syria
116 Palestinian Territories
117 Mongolia
118 Brunei
119 Côte d’Ivoire
120 Maldives
121 Barbados
122 Ethiopia
123 Curaçao
124 Réunion
125 Uganda
126 Zimbabwe
127 Zambia
128 Namibia
129 Senegal
130 Yemen
131 Macao SAR China
132 Sudan
133 Haiti
134 Madagascar
135 Cuba
136 Gibraltar
137 Angola
138 Guadeloupe
139 Botswana
140 Belize
141 Martinique
142 Cayman Islands
143 Aruba
144 Guam
145 Grenada
146 Fiji
147 Uzbekistan
148 Cameroon
149 Rwanda
150 Afghanistan
151 Monaco
152 Andorra
153 Mozambique
154 Bermuda
155 Papua New Guinea
156 Turkmenistan
157 New Caledonia
158 Suriname
159 Iran
160 St. Lucia
161 Kyrgyzstan
162 Mali
163 Bhutan
164 Seychelles
165 American Samoa
166 Guyana
167 Malawi
168 Cape Verde
169 Antigua & Barbuda
170 French Polynesia
171 Greenland
172 Faroe Islands
173 U.S. Virgin Islands
174 St. Vincent & Grenadines
175 Laos
176 Djibouti
177 Åland Islands
178 French Guiana
179 Congo – Kinshasa
180 Dominica
181 Turks & Caicos Islands
182 San Marino
183 St. Kitts & Nevis
184 British Virgin Islands
185 Unknown Region
186 Gabon
187 Liberia
188 Benin
189 Mauritania
190 Togo
191 Gambia
192 Liechtenstein
193 Burkina Faso
194 Eswatini
195 Timor-Leste
196 Caribbean Netherlands
197 Guinea
198 Somalia
199 Northern Mariana Islands
200 Niger
201 Tonga
202 Cook Islands
203 Lesotho
204 Congo – Brazzaville
205 Mayotte
206 South Sudan
207 Samoa
208 Falkland Islands
209 Sierra Leone
210 Equatorial Guinea
211 Guinea-Bissau
212 Sint Maarten
213 Nauru
214 Tuvalu
215 St. Martin
216 Kosovo
217 Tajikistan
218 Solomon Islands
219 Anguilla
220 Vatican City
221 Vanuatu
222 St. Helena
223 Palau
224 St. Pierre & Miquelon
225 Micronesia
226 Central African Republic

 

“How can you decline such grand designs?” July 26, 2012

Filed under: News,Observation — justwilliam1959 @ 6:19 pm
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So many people will be writing about the Olympics in the coming weeks so I thought I’d get my mention out-of-the-way in advance of the opening ceremony. Personally I have been a little bored with the journey of the Olympic flame, especially after discovering that there are thousands of torches and not just a handful. The constant news stories about the whereabouts of the flame; ‘the flame has now passed through the arse end of nowhere carried by A N other’ have left me completely underwhelmed. How do you feel?

however, the good news is I am really looking forward to the opening ceremony. Has Danny Boyle arranged the weather? Will David Beckham kick a flaming football? Will Olly Murs spontaneously combust to light the flame? I really don’t care, I’m sure it will be one of the most spectacular Olympic openings there have ever been.

Anyway in the spirit of this being a music blog here are a few of appropriate tunes for the Olympics (starting with one of my favourite songs of all time) and while I’m here I want to wish the GB team all the best and I hope they win more medals than they have ever done!

We’re all looking forward to women’s beach volleyball aren’t we?

And finally how about a Billy bonus of another song from the rather excellent and sadly missed Gene!

 

“I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take” December 4, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 6:11 pm
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After the success of his version of Mad World Gary planned to get a star tattoo for each finger

Are you waiting to open the door for the 4th December on my UK Christmas number ones advent calendar? I hope so. Apologies for being a little tardy with this one, let’s blame the weather shall we? Anyway as you open that cardboard flap very carefully you will be releasing “Mad World” by  Gary Jules and Michael Andrews. The song was originally a hit for Tears For Fears back in 1982 when it reached number 3 in the UK chart. The song was the third single from the band and was written by Roland Orzabal.It was originally the B Side of the band’s second single “Pale Shelter (You Don’t Give Me Love)”

Surely Curt's hairstyle was never cool, not even in the 80's. Was it?

The Gary Jules and Michael Andrews version is slowed down and in my opinion almost menacing at times. It was taken from the soundtrack from one of my favourite films, ‘Donnie Darko‘. It was number one in the UK during Christmas 2003 and held the pole position for three weeks. It also reached number one in Canada and Portugal. It has been covered by quite a diverse group of acts including Adam Lambert and Die Toten Hosen. TV shows have used it to great effect on many occasions too including CSI, Smallville and the Vicar Of Dibley.

Success didn't really go to Gary's head, but he was turning into the Incredible Hulk or maybe the Jolly Green Giant (OK that was really corny wasn't it?)

Michael Andrews is well-known for his film scores, including Donnie Darko (obviously), My Suicidal Sweetheart and Funny People. Gary Jules is attributed with what in my opinion is a truly wonderful quote. “I found out that people through the ages are exactly the same as now, they had the same issues, the same desires. One thing that’s clear when you read old literature is that there are some great universal truths – things like fart jokes, guys screwing other people’s wives and the hunger for power.” I have to agree on the fart jokes comment.

Enjoy the Gary Jules and Michael Andrews version below

Here are Tears For Fears performing the original song on Top Of The Pops in 1982

And finally experience Die Toten Hosen playing (or maybe murdering) the song live.

 

“We ain’t no hooligans, this ain’t a football song” June 11, 2010

Filed under: Observation,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 8:28 pm
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Well he we are the World Cup is once again upon us and it will be the 13th time that England have made it to the finals. We failed to qualify in 1974, 1978 and 1994. We didn’t enter the tournament until 1950 (it started in 1930), presumably because we too arrogant and assumed that we were best in the world already. That little myth was dispelled in the 1950 tournament when we lost to the USA in a group match. That is still seen as one of the biggest world cup upsets ever. Spookily enough we play the USA in our first game in South Africa 2010 tomorrow.

I know the song says “30 years of hurt” but that song is so old now that it is now in fact 44 years of hurt. It really is that long since we had our only victory in the tournament back in 1966. There have only ever been seven different countries who have won the world cup since it’s inception in 1930. Brazil (5 wins), Italy (4), Germany(3), Uruguay(2), Argentina (2), France (1) and England (1). So will this finally be England’s year? Well possibly, but not if it goes to penalties. But seriously with the players we have and the fantastic Fabio Capello as manager we must have a good chance. Spain are many peoples favourites and they do play some exquisite football, but pretty play doesn’t always win matches. Let’s hope that’s the case this time around. But for me and many other supporters watching England is often quite painful. I thought that was a peculiarly English thing, but I worked with some Germans in 2008 and watched the Germany games in the European Championships with them. They suffered just the same as us England fans, the key difference being that they are usually in the semi finals at least!

"Oi, Terry, Captains Armband........... NOW!"

This is also the first time the tournament has been held in Africa so it would be fantastic for one of the African teams to reach the final. Algeria are the African representatives in England’s group, our other group opponents are the previously mentioned USA and also Slovenia.

My fondest memories of this mighty tournament comes from 1970, the England team that year for me ranks as the best ever. How we lost to Germany in the quarter finals I do not understand. But Brazil were simply worlds apart from everyone that year, what a team.

I also recall that when I was young we used to chant for ENGLAND, what I’d like to know is why the hell has that now become INGERLAND? Your answers and suggestions are very welcome, even if they are completely made up.

Fabio signals to the referee and somehow I don't think he's talking about time added!

Now I must disappear and put the flags of St George on the car for the duration!

But before that I need to finish with some of my favourite England songs;

“Back Home” – England 1970 World Cup Squad. The Daddy of all songs sung by football teams

“World In Motion” – Englandneworder. Probably my favourite footie song ever and it even comes with a John Barnes rap!

“Three Lions” – Baddiel and Skinner and the Lightning Seeds. Still emotes all the hurt of watching England get knocked out on penalties in seemingly every tournament

“Vindaloo” – Fat Les. Unbelievably catchy and completely bizarre, but I love it.

Simon Cowell has got in on the act this year too, he has put together an England related cover of Tears For Fears “Shout” by James Corden and Dizzee Rascal

COME ON ENGLAND!
COME ON ENGLAND!