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[miko2]

Today's Song: Inequality Street by Skyclad

Well here's a bit of a conundrum. Skyclad was for years known for their mix of thrash metal and folk music, but after the release of their 2000 cd Folkemon, lead singer and lyricist Martin Walkyier left the band. He was a huge part of what drove the band's unique sound, and so while the band continued on with guitarist Kevin Ridley taking over on vocals. They have worked hard to write new songs in the old Skyclad tradition, but inevitably the newer version of Skyclad is more polished, less of a thrash-metal band, and something that causes many fans anguish. On one Youtube page with a live video of the current band performing, one fan wailed that "Without Walkyier they've become the Dubliners!"

On the flip side, the band was virtually unknown in their home country of England before their most recent releases. The new version of Skyclad tours more and has been successful -- more so than they were previously. A lot of people have discovered the band because of this that wouldn't have known about them otherwise.

One of my own problems is that I am subscribed to eMusic, which allows me 30 mp3 downloads a month for $9.99. I found out last month however that if I don't use those 30 downloads by the end of the month, they go away. That puts added pressure on me to download songs from eMusic instead of iTunes whenever possible, but in the case of Skyclad, only the cd Folkemon was available from the pre-Walkyier days. There were warnings from fans not to download anything from the other two cds available, which included re-recordings of many of Skyclad's older songs with the new vocals and lineup, which some reviewers hated. But after listening to this video on Youtube I decided to download Inequality Street. I happen to like the current vocals quite a bit, and they do a fine version on this very well-written song about poverty and inequality. I realize that this version is much more polished than the original -- if I had fallen in love with the original first, I might not like this one so much.

Anyway, it's been on my iPod for several days and I like it a lot. It's a very powerful song. Two days ago I featured a song by the older Skyclad. Here's the modern version:

Skyclad - Inequality Street (modern version)

This video is a bit disingenuous -- it claims the song is from the cd Irrational Anthems, but that's where the original version comes from. The version they're playing is actually from No Daylights, Nor Heeltaps, which is the one done after Walkyier left that re-recorded many of their older songs. However, Irrational Anthems isn't even available on iTunes, so you can't download the original version there.

You can compare it to the original version, more thrash oriented with a rougher lyric style:

Inequality Street by Skyclad (original version)

Life's really a chocolate box -
some do without - others have plenty.
It sticks in my throat - my stomach's in knots,
while your box is so full - mine's perpetually empty.

From the cradle to the grave,
point your ladle to the gravy.
"Food comes first, then morals" they say,
the end of the world's three hot meals away.

Two average men eat their average meals
but destiny waits at their table.
One is served gruel while the other chews veal,
(but they're both spoon fed lies, lies from the cradle).

Life's really a chocolate box -
some do without - others have plenty.
It sticks in my throat - my stomach's in knots,
while your box is so full - mine's perpetually empty.

It sticks in my throat - my stomach's in knots,
while your box is so full - mine's perpetually empty.

Tragic moments for the masses-
work is the curse of the drinking classes
"homo homini lupus" we cry-
humanity fades like the moon in the sky.

You can't cook an omlette without breaking eggs,
(first they are cracked and then beaten).
The only things cracked around here are our heads,
recepies for disaster that we keep repeating.

Life's really a chocolate box -
some do without - others have plenty.
It sticks in my throat - my stomach's in knots,
while your box is so full - mine's perpetually empty.

It sticks in my throat - my stomach's in knots,
while your box is so full - mine's perpetually empty.

Here's a real beggars banquet,
a brace of rats in a blood stained blanket.
Meanwhile, gentlefolk high in their chateau,
dip silver spoons into black forest gateau.

Come lords and ladies - raise glasses in toast
to the "other-half" dying to eat.
'Cause they who receive feast deserve it the most,
it's a literal dead-end (Inequality Street).