Can't get this song about Houston off my head!

The Satellite
#1

Since it is slow right now in the world of Cougars athletics I thought we could get some conversations going on over here at Coogfans. Anyway, I have just rediscovered this song on Youtube that I haven’t heard in over 7 years. I discovered it on Youtube over 7 years ago and lost it when I couldn’t recall the name of the song or the band. It is a song about Houston, the space program, the death of JFK, and how so optimistic our country was back in the 60’s with the success of the space program and us beating the Russians in putting a man on the moon; however, it was tempered by the fact that the man that had made it all possible was, unfortunately, murdered during that same decade. This song that I am talking about is called “Saturn 5” by Inspiral Carpets, a British band from the 80’s. Here is a link to the song’s video if you want to listen to it (It was shot in Houston and has lots of Houston landmarks in it):

I simply think this is probably one of the greatest songs that has a Houston theme in it and shines a very positive light on the city as well. I have another song about Houston that I always keep dear to my heart, that song was sung by the Gatlin Brothers called, as you may have guessed, “Houston.” Glen Cambell’s song about Houston is pretty good as well. I think over the years there has got to be some pretty good songs about Houston or at least songs that mention something about Houston. What is your favorite songs about Houston or at least a song that mentions something about Houston?

Here is the Gatlin Brother’s Houston Song:

Beside Houston, I also love songs about Texas in general. One of my favorite songs of all times is a song sung by Waylon Jennings called “Luckenback, Texas.” Do you have a favorite song about Texas as well? List them all here if you don’t mind sharing. I’m always on the lookout for songs about Houston or Texas and would be thrilled to discover new ones that hit all the right notes and harmony to my ears!

Here’s Waylon Jennings’ “Luckenback, Texas” song:

3 Likes
#2

Here’s Dean Martin’s Houston

4 Likes
#3

They played this one a few years back at the homecoming game. Nice fit for homecoming.

Then of course you have many good Houston rap songs.

2 Likes
#4

Iggy Pop - Houston is Hot Tonight

Tom Waits - Fannin Street

#5

What about Houston?
What about Detroit?
What about Pittsburgh PA?

#7

I kind of wish that they played this after Astros games. Kind of like Yankee Stadium does and I think San Francisco plays a song that pertains to their city as well.

#8

That Austin Plaine one is pretty cool. I remember when they played it at a UH game. It was a nice touch.

1 Like
#10

It was pretty cool to see all of the Houston elements in that first video. I love 80’s music.

1 Like
#11

Wow, just sampled a bit of Saturn 5 . Not bad…
never heard it before. Thanks for posting.

1 Like
#12
1 Like
#13

Geez, its been ages since I have heard that.

#14

Hey bud, thanks for posting this piece from Dean Martin. I love the fact that even an old classic artist like Dean Martin has sung a song about Houston! I did a little bit of research of the song and “It spent 9 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 21” according to Wikipedia.

I would like to thank all who have responded to my post, especially those who have posted a video of a Houston song that they like. I didn’t even know this post has been moved to another section of the forum. I posted it under the football section and when I no longer saw it there I thought the moderator had simply erased it because it had nothing to do with football! Thanks again to all who have responded to my post! I’m gonna check each and every one of the songs that is being posted here and give my opinion.

1 Like
#15

Man oh man, I really like that first and last songs by Austin Plaine and Paul Wall. Austin Plaine’s songs really captured the essence of the city of Houston and the song seems to have a perfect combination of Country, Folk, and Pop and I don’t understand how this song did not achieve greater success than what it had achieved across the country! It is probably one of the best songs I have heard in the last 10 years! I bet if it was sung about LA or New York it would garner more popularity and air time on the radio. The crazy thing is is the fact that the singer is actually from Minneapolis, Minnesota!

Paul Wall’s song is actually one of the few rap songs that I like! It’s full of attitude, and to me it is a song that he made to show the world his pride of being a Houstonian and a Texan since hip hop artists down in Texas don’t get the respect that they deserved unlike the artists from LA or New York. He actually has a better voice than Eminem, in my opinion. He sounded more masculine and gansta, if may add!

I also feel the same way about Slim Thug, btw. He is extremely talented and sounded gansta as hell! But without the violence and too much cussing. Slim Thug has a great voice for a gansta rapper if he chooses to be a hard-core gansta rapper and so are the other guys on his song. Be honest I don’t see any difference in talent level between these guys and the guys that are more mainstream. I think if these guys are based in LA or New York they would get a wider audience for their music. I’m not a big fan of rap music, but I do like these guys’ songs and I appreciate them repping H-Town with the music. Thanks for the posts!

#16

I wish that Iggy Pop’s song is longer. It has all the elements of a great song, the only thing missing is some more lyrics and making the song longer. Awesome guitar riff and voice!

1 Like
#17

Tom Waits’ song reminds me of Johnny Cash’s song in the mood and vibe it gives. However, I actually like Waits’ song more as his raspy, alcoholic voice is a better fit for his song than Johnny Cash’s voice to his song. That’s just my opinion.

#18

Heck yeah! Isn’t it? The song is one heck of a song to boot! The only thing I don’t get about the song is on one of the lines it mentions “Lady take a ride on a Zeke 64.” I don’t know what a Zeke 64 is. If anybody knows would you please enlighten me on it? Here are the lyrics to the song:

[Verse]
Lady take a ride on a Zeke 64
Jerry wants to be a rockette
There’s a popular misconception
Says we haven’t seen anything yet
Laying down the lifeless corpse of President 35
The lady crying by his side is the most beautiful woman alive

[Chorus]
Saturn 5, you really were the greatest sight
Stretching out on a summer’s day
Houston is calling me back to her

[Verse]
Lady take a ride on a Zeke 64
Jerry wants to be a rockette
There’s a popular misconception
Says we haven’t seen anything yet
Laying down the lifeless corpse of President 35
The lady crying by his side is the most beautiful woman alive

[Chorus 2]
Saturn 5, you really were the greatest sight
Stretching out on a summer’s day
Houston is calling me back to her
An eagle lands, and the planet full of people raises its hands
All hail the men who will walk up in heaven today

[Bridge]
Monochrome TV, all the things you ever represented to me
Take me once more, take me to heaven again

[Chorus]
Saturn 5, you really were the greatest sight
Stretching out on a summer’s day
Houston is calling me back to her

[Chorus]
Saturn 5, you really were the greatest sight
Stretching out on a summer’s day
Houston is calling me back to her

#19

My pleasure!

#20

When I listened to the live version of this song that you’ve posted, the song sounded a lot like “Heard It In A Love Song,” but when I listened to the album version it sounded a little less like the aforementioned song. But dang! What an awesome song this is! I thought I have heard all of the great songs from the Marshall Tucker Band (Which is one of my favorite bands), but I have never heard this song before! Never heard it being played on the radio either! Which is a sin because it is an awesome song! Thanks for posting this gem! I’m gonna add it to my play list for sure!

BTW, if you want to listen to the album version, you can click on this video to listen to it. It is better than the live version because you can hear the lyrics more clearly and you don’t have to deal with all of the background noise that the live version has a lot of.

1 Like
#21

A Zeke 64 is a Japanese warplane. It went into production late in WW2 but never made it into combat.

#22

Dang, I was hoping it was a reference to a fraternity or Ezekiel W. Cullen Building.

©Copyright 2017 Coogfans.com