Today GANTOB has suggested that I fulfil my commitment to unpick another JAMs/ KLF track this week.
Rather in the style of Cerys Matthews on her insightful show with Jeffrey Boakye, I am going to take a couple of goes before I make my choice. I worked my way through the tracks on JAMs LP Who Killed The JAMs?” (early 1988), in the order dished up by YouTube.
I thought initially about Prestwich Prophet’s Grin, because I was intrigued to read about a new seer, but it led down a blind alley. I did like the alliteration of “read rock rags”, even though I initially assumed it was fashion advice for musicians until I saw the spelling.
Then I wondered about Porpoise Song with its mention of Jack London (I enjoyed White Fang, though am more of a cat person) and fishing references (Buckie and Macduff). I found myself again imagining that there were two Clydeside rappers, moving from the softer spoken to the more raucous with the line “The porpoise is a mighty beast”, and mention of the banks of the Clyde. But on reflection it is clearly still Drummond (King Boy D) himself as he repeats the porpoise’s instruction to “Claim your crown and join the JAMs”.
I was interested in the reference to “Old Bailey’s bank” and did some searching. It appears to be an oceanographic geological feature rather than a depository for money. But the link from The Edinburgh Geologist (issue 33, 1999) I have just shared piqued GANTOB’s interest.
She noted the references to Drummond Place and a Professor William A.S. Sarjeant, who I believe shares his name (but not the spelling) with the guitarist in a band that Drummond once managed. Could there be a connection?
I did some searching myself, and found that a completely different Porpoise Song was also released by The Monkees, a band that even I am familiar with. Though no apparent musical connection between the tracks, I note that The JAMs mention monkeys in their song, and The Monkees on their track have: “sings of castles/ And kings and things that go/ With a life of style” (Goffin and King).
GANTOB tells me that Porpoise Song is something of a Pet Shop Boys pastiche (another duo from that era), before pointing me to The KLF’s Kylie Says To Jason, which is the track that I have chosen to discuss.
THE BENEFAKTOR
6 October 2023
GANTOB blog 