Early Songs About Nothing

Post

Subscribe

Following on from my last column about songs with the number Zero in the title, I have decided to go to the next step and do a column about songs about nothing. Well, the problem was, I had enough songs that were really good for two columns, and so we'll start with early songs about nothing.

Early songs about nothing!


What makes an early song? In this case, it is anything released before 1990. There are a dozen songs here, and this covers the 60s to the 80s. I had a lot more than 12 for this list, but when I went through the ones I actually liked, I had this nice, round number, and so I have left it here.

Now, the normal rules apply, but they cover both columns as one – one version of each song, one song per artist, and I need to like the song. Also, the word nothing (or nothin') must be in the title.

With that in mind, here are early songs about nothing!
'Sweet Nothin's' by Brenda Lee (1960)

One of Brenda Lee's earlier hits, this was the song that shot her to fame around the world, with her unique vocal delivery and some teeny-bopper lyrics about the sort of things lovers say to one another.
'All Or Nothing' by The Small Faces (1967)

The Small Faces had a string of hits in the late 1960s, all of them really good. Then their lead singer left, they gained Rod Stewart (and a few others) and became The Faces. But their first incarnation is probably the best known, including this classic song.
'Nothing But A Heartache' by The Flirtations (1969)

A soul song from the end of the decade, by a band I know nothing about. The song is quite good, and the lead singer's vocals are really strong. Just a good song all up, really.
'Little Miss Nothing' by Status Quo (1969)

Status Quo were just getting into the sound we know today, but this track comes at the tail end of their psychedelic origins and yet shows their rockabilly roots. A bit of everything, this album cut is an interesting inclusion in their catalogue.
'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet' by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1974)

One of the all-time classic "nothing" songs. It was never intended for release, so urban legend says, as the stuttering in it was making fun of a sibling's speech impediment. But it was released and has remained a stalwart of classic rock to this day.
'You Got Nothing I Want' by Cold Chisel (1982)

I had a couple of Chisel tracks, but this is the one that stood out, one of their classic rockers, a true example of Australian pub rock. This is just straight-ahead rock, and it is so good to hear this sort of music.
'Nothing To Fear (But Fear Itself' by Oingo Boingo (1982)

And we jump to the more experimental side of 1980s pop, with Oingo Boingo, whose albums were strange and yet very listenable. This is more on the rock side of things with a dominant guitar throughout and is just, yes, a weird track.
'Making Love Out Of Nothing At All' by Air Supply (1983)

Air Supply are an Australian AOR band that have been making music since the 1970s, but it was in the 1980s that they really hit their strides as chart-toppers, including this track, which was written by my favourite song-writer, Jim Steinman . How could I leave a Steinman track out?
'Money For Nothing' by Dire Straits feat. Sting (1985)

From the classic Brothers In Arms album, this is one of the stand-out tracks from that really strong collection, a song lambasting music videos while having one of the most played music videos of the 80s…
'Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now' by Samantha Fox (1987)

Okay, every so often, a guilty pleasure artist will creep in, and Samantha Fox is that for me, though why I should feel guilty for liking some 1980s pop is beyond me. This is just a fun bit of disposable pop, and I will hear nothing against it.
'Nothing Too Serious' by Icehouse (1987)

Icehouse were one of the more dominant Australian acts in the 1980s, releasing an amazing string of hit singles throughout the decade, starting when they were still called "Flowers". This is one of those songs, and is, like so many, a great track.
'Nothin' But A Good Time' by Poison (1988)

And we finish with one of the finest examples of poodle rock from the 1980s. This is a party song, one that just expects you to get up and dance or join in and scream along. This sort of music was everywhere, sure, but this is one of those songs that really stood out amongst a sea of mediocrity.
And there we are – a dozen songs from before 1990 about nothing. A reasonable range of musical styles and a good spread of years means I hope there is something here for everyone. Not nothing, but something, although the songs are about nothing. I'm confusing myself.

I hope you enjoyed this one, and part two will be up soon.
via GIPHY

#lists
#music
#performing_arts
#pop_culture
#quirky
#vintage_retro
%wneverywhere