And so, here we are at the end of Iona’s Song of the Week 2024; it has been a pleasure to share some of the music that ‘“floats our boat” over the past 52 weeks, and we look forward to continuing our musical journey in the New Year, (as well as physical - our first adventure of 2025 begins next week, so watch this space!)
In truth, song No 52 or No 26 of Part Two should be no harder to select than any other. However, we admit that it has taxed us (we seem to be getting ‘taxed’ a great deal of late!), and many equally great songs have been considered and rejected as we settled on the final track from Joe Jackson’s 2012 outing The Duke. The song also features a notable singer of the past several decades, Newell Osterberg Jr, or, as we know him Mr Iggy Pop!
The Duke was a great tribite album to Duke Ellington and is one we return to regularly, and was David Ian Jackson’s 19th album from his 22 albums, to date. The song, It don't Mean a Thing (If it, ain't got that Swimg) has a wonderful boom-chicka-boom beat, a glorious, Swing syncopation, and some lovely mirrimba vibes. It is also the only representative this year of another musical gener we love around here: Jazz!
We believe that we have bowed out in 2025 in some style, and we hope you appreciate it too! It should also be noted that the song was written by Ellington and Mills…..
It has been an interesting listen and I enjoyed your final choice!