In around 1979 the band Wire released one of my favourite songs called I Am The Fly, which as you may guess is from the perspective of a fly. Then XTC released Fly On The Wall, which is a song from the perspective, etc. and is also top quality. Forward wind 30 years and both these songs are on my jogging playlist and this got me thinking that there must be many more songs from the perspecti…… etc. Is there enough for a mix tape?
The mix tape is a well established cultural phenomena dating back to the days when you could get tape cassettes at 30, 60 and 90 minutes and mixes could be put on any, but usually on the 90 minute ones. This led seamlessly onto the mix cd delivering 80 to 90 minutes of music. This is not written in stone anywhere that I am aware of, but I would say that a mix tape should be no shorter than 8 songs and no more than 22 songs. Of course allowances have to be made for long tracks, but the modern practice of creating 100 song digital mixes is to be discouraged.After we get the mix tape we inevitably move to themeing the mix and there are no boundaries here. A collection of the themes I have shared include political, summer and all other seasons, genres, locations, styles, containing the word red, cover versions, female artists and on and on. It’s very democratic and has no boundaries.So with a solid start of 2 songs from the fly’s point of view, I just need at least 6 more for a bona fide mix. Although we cannot miss the point that as well as fulfilling the criteria they must be good songs or at least good from the point of view of the mixer.So to the search. After quickly exhausting the contents of my brain I hotfooted over to the iTunes library and theInternet. Here are a few that were considered and rejected:
The Fly, U2 – don’t like U2 and it’s about the effect big sunglasses have on some humans, not a real fly.
Superfly, Curtis Mayfield – a recurring problem here, the word ‘fly’ is being used to say someone is flighty or semi criminal, but certainly not an actual insect.
Fly, Nicki Minaj – again, don’t like Nicki and the use of the word here is to describe the soul soaring through the air. A worthy sentiment, but of no use for our purposes.
Fly, Nick Drake – probably about depression (that prevents him from flying).
However,…
Johnny and The Hurricanes, Beatnik Fly – has no lyrics, so difficult to say, but has a weird buzzing in the background at times so I am guessing that’s the fly and thus it’s in because it’s great as well.
The Cramps, Human Fly – the jury is out on this one; lots of buzzing going on, but he clearly states that he is a ‘human fly’ not an actual ‘fly’.
So thus far, despite 2 dropping into my lap over a few months in the late seventies, I can only find one more song (that is any good) written from a fly’s perspective. So dear reader my quest continues and I have taken the monumental decision to ask for help in this quest. Now I know it’s not going to cure any of life’s ills or make the word a better place for the majority of human beings but just think you could contribute to possibly the most obscure mix tape known to mankind. That’s got to be worth something hasn’t it. Send your suggestions to the usual inlets.
EXCITING UPDATE!! We thought that The Handsome Family’s magnificent song “Darling My Darling” might be a song from a fly’s viewpoint so we contacted them to find out. Rennie emailed us back and confirmed that it was and then mysteriously revealed that “all our songs are from the perspective of a fly.”
Curiouser and curiouser.
More Exciting News
Not only have we found another song from the perspective etc etc.. but it comes with a Fly Perspective Video. But best of all its great. Enter if you will Modest Mouse with Fly Trapped in a Jar
Thats 5 songs by my reckoning. Keep Going People we will get there!
TRUST THE WIZARDS 
[…] yet never quite knew what we meant. Thats was the way I was increasingly feeling about my quest to compile a mix tape of songs written entirely from the perspective of a fly that I was compelled to put into digital print over a year […]