All the songs on this site have a lyrics page and a discussion page. On each of the discussion pages (like this), there’s a brief introductory paragraph about the song, which was in most cases rather hurriedly written. And of course, it didn’t have the benefit of the discussions which followed either.
As this site can be some people’s first exposure to the songs, we should do better!
So I’ve asked some HMHB Lyrics Project regulars if they might be interested in helping to write a better introduction to each song on the site. They’re on the case, and whenever a song’s introduction gets updated, I’ll post it in the comments here.
If you’d like to join the rewrite squad, just drop me an email.
Chris The Siteowner
And the first submission to our Updated Introductions Project comes from Acidic Regulator, who stayed up very late to rewrite the intro for “Twenty Four Hour Garage People“. Wished you’d had the chance to do that one? Don’t miss out on your second choice – join the rewrite squad today.
15 May 2015
EXXO
The speculations – if you disagree with some of them as people will – and deliberate the obfuscations make this one (above) seem more like an escapee from the comments thread rather than an introduction. And don’t get me started on the whole singer/protagonist thing. I’ve disagreed with the odd word or two of a few of your intros Chris but nothing like this. It’ll certainly get people commenting more if this is a taste of things to come!
15 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
I think I hear the distinct sound of Mike ticking the “job done” box there. Look forward to you having a go too, Exxo.
15 May 2015
EXXO
I’d say most of the existing ones are fine – just check em’ for what might seem a bit dismissive or damning by faint praise, or for where the opinion of the thread has gone against something you’ve said. If the introductions are written by different contributors with different degrees of irony, obfuscation, of explaining some references or stating the obvious it’ll be a right messy hotch-potch.
15 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
And here’s the second submission – Brumbiscuit not letting I Was A Teenage Armchair Honved Fan slip through his grasp.
15 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
And the third – Jeff D on My Outstretched Arms…
15 May 2015
EXXO
Much relief. So Mike’s one is just a deliberate piss-take? Will it be replaced?
But Andy – no standing around in the bookshop trying to memorise bits of the Rothmans yearbook
15 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
On a roll now. CAMRA Man by Brumbiscuit. 188 songs to go. More information on how to join in the fun here.
16 May 2015
dickhead in quicksand
@Exxo, was the sound I just heard that of a penny dropping? I have a position in the Dept of Overliteral Analysis as well as the Dept of the Bleeding Obvious.
I’m all in favour of different approaches and authors for different songs. Wikipedia this is not.
16 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
Brumbiscuit shows the way by writing a third intro (inevitably, Harry Quinn). Come on, don’t be shy.
17 May 2015
EXXO
Enjoying these Andy. Except a sentence in the CAMRA Man one that tries (unsuccessfully as it happens) to take me to places I don’t want to go. I was actually quite relieved that the sentence didn’t seem to make enough sense to get me there.
Talking of which no the penny hasn’t dropped Mike – I still don’t get what you were doing there. Just aiming for sort of all-reaction-is-good-reaction sort of effect for the franchise?
17 May 2015
brumbiscuit
I suppose the CAMRA Man one is the one I struggled with. Once I started I realised I a) don’t have any particularly strong feeling for the song; and b) err towards the Viz view of CAMRA men. Not a promising background, I’ll admit. I’m spent for the time being, although I may have another stab once others have hoovered up their favourites.
17 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
Moody Chops…
17 May 2015
Chris The Siteowner
Ballad of Climie Fisher…
10 June 2015
Chris The Siteowner
Bottleneck at Capel Curig…
(Keep them coming – anyone is welcome to write a new, better intro to any of the songs not listed above! Just email it over)
22 July 2015