Momus (/ˈmoʊməs/; Greek: ΜῶμοςMomos) was in Greek mythology the personification of satire and mockery, two stories about whom figure among Aesop’s Fables. During the Renaissance, several literary works used him as a mouthpiece for their criticism of tyranny, while others later made him a critic of contemporary society. Onstage he finally became the figure of harmless fun.
In classical literature
As a sharp-tongued spirit of unfair criticism, Momus was eventually expelled from the company of the gods on Mount Olympus. His name is related to μομφή, meaning 'blame', 'reproach', or 'disgrace'.Hesiod said that Momus was a son of Night (Nyx), “though she lay with none”, and the twin of the misery goddess Oizys. In the 8th century BCE epic Cypria, Momus was credited with stirring up the Trojan War in order to reduce the human population.Sophocles wrote a later satyr play called Momos, now almost entirely lost, which may have derived from this.
Two of Aesop's fables feature the god. The most widely reported of these in Classical times is numbered 100 in the Perry Index. There Momus is asked to judge the handiwork of three gods (who vary depending on the version): a man, a house and a bull. He found all at fault: the man because his heart was not on view to judge his thoughts; the house because it had no wheels so as to avoid troublesome neighbours; and the bull because it did not have eyes in its horns to guide it when charging. Because of it, Plutarch and Aristotle criticized Aesop’s story-telling as deficient in understanding, while Lucian insisted that anyone with sense was able to sound out a man’s thoughts.
Nicholas Currie (born 11 February 1960), more popularly known under the artist nameMomus (after the Greek god of mockery), is a Scottish songwriter, author, blogger and former journalist for Wired.
For nearly thirty years he has been releasing, to marginal commercial and critical success, albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is fascinated by identity, Japan, Rome, the avant-garde, time travel and sex.
Career
Musical
Momus began by recording post-punk material with ex-members of Josef K in a group called The Happy Family in the early 1980s and was associated with the musicians around Postcard Records (although he never recorded for that label). His debut solo album Circus Maximus (1986, él records) explored biblical themes in dark, almost Gothic acoustic style. His debt to the influence of Gallic pop was clear from a subsequent, sardonically self-referencing cover of Jacques Brel's "Jacky" and portraits of himself in the style of early 1960s Serge Gainsbourg.
A barrel, cask, or tun is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of wooden staves bound by wooden or metal hoops. Traditionally, the barrel was a standard size of measure referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. For example, in the UK a barrel of beer refers to a quantity of 36 imperial gallons (160L; 43USgal). Wine was shipped in barrels of 119 litres (31USgal; 26impgal).
Modern wooden barrels for wine-making are either made of French common oak (Quercus robur) and white oak (Quercus petraea) or from American white oak (Quercus alba) and have typically these standard sizes: "Bordeaux type" 225 litres (59USgal; 49impgal), "Burgundy type" 228 litres (60USgal; 50impgal) and "Cognac type" 300 litres (79USgal; 66impgal). Modern barrels and casks can also be made of aluminum, stainless steel, and different types of plastic, such as HDPE.
Someone who makes barrels is called a "barrel maker" or cooper. Barrels are only one type of cooperage. Other types include, but are not limited to: buckets, tubs, butter churns, hogsheads, firkins, kegs, kilderkins, tierces, rundlets, puncheons, pipes, tuns, butts, pins, and breakers.
A barrel is one of several units of volume applied in various contexts; there are dry barrels, fluid barrels (such as the UK beer barrel and US beer barrel), oil barrels and so on. For historical reasons the volumes of some barrel units are roughly double the volumes of others; volumes in common usage range from about 100 litres (22impgal; 26USgal) to 200 litres (44impgal; 53USgal). In many connections the term "drum" is used almost interchangeably with "barrel".
Since medieval times the term barrel as a unit of measure has had various meanings throughout Europe, ranging from about 100 litres to 1000 litres, or more in special cases. The name was derived in medieval times from the French baril, of unknown origin, but still in use, both in French and as derivations in many other languages such as Italian, Polish and Spanish. In most countries such usage is obsolescent, increasingly superseded by SI units. As a result, the meaning of corresponding words and related concepts (vat, cask, keg etc.) in other languages often refers to a physical container rather than a known measure.
"You Were.../Ballad" is Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki's forty-seventh (forty-eighth overall) single, released on December 29, 2009. The single was intended to be released on December 16, but Avex Trax pushed the release date two weeks back. The first song on the single "You were..." is the theme song for the Japanese version of the Disney movie Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, while the second song "Ballad" is tied up with The Firmament of the Pleiades, a NHK's historical and political drama based on Jiro Asada's book of the same name.
The single became Hamasaki's 22nd consecutive single to debut at number-one position since her 2002 single "Free & Easy" on the Oricon weekly charts, making her the first solo artist and the female artist to have 22 consecutive singles to debut at number-one position. It is also her 34th number-one single on the Oricon weekly charts.
Promotion
During December 2009, Hamasaki performed live on Japanese TV shows seven times. Hamasaki was featured on the cover of four Japanese magazines during the promotion of the single. These magazines were "Sweet", "Bea's Up", "Vivi" and "S Cawaii". As of early December, there have been many promotional pictures posted around Shibuya, Shinagawa and Harajuku in Tokyo.
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Ballad of the Barrel Organist · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 17 Aug 2021
Momus - Ballad Of The Barrel Organist
published: 08 Feb 2018
Momus-Ballad Of The Barrel Organist
published: 02 Oct 2011
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist · Momus
The Ruling Class - The Very Best Of El Records
℗ 1986 El Records
Released on: 1986-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 20 Nov 2014
Momus: Ballad on Approving of the World
A cover of the Brecht and Eisler song, destined for Akkordion.
published: 15 Jul 2019
Momus: Ballad of the Bastard
This song of gorgeously moral and woozy-boozy self-loathing, written by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, is so restrained in the original (hear it at http://youtu.be/OXujV9IQ3Zg ) that I immediately wanted to make an elaborately sickening, extrava-vacantly gorgeous Christmas cover version. Because, as well as being the season of goodwill to all men, Christmas is, let's not forget, a time of drunken parties, stupid flings, guilty secrets, family discord, and lovers' quarrels.
I crushed your heart in my bloody fists
When I did the honest thing and told you of my trysts
Well you demanded truth and that's exactly what you got
You should have killed me there where I stood
When I casually confessed that I'd been up to no good
You should have just stepped back and taken your best shot
But I assured ...
published: 21 Dec 2011
Monsters of Love
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Monsters of Love · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 17 Aug 2021
Momus - Eleven Executioners
published: 11 Feb 2017
Momus: Clicky McOnomy
A cassette tape from 1983. Nick Currie is between his band The Happy Family and his solo act Momus. He's singing into a clicky tape recorder, playing his red Baldwin 712, a 12-string semi-acoustic guitar, unamplified. The ten songs:
• Let's Start a Trade Union
• The Poison Boyfriend
• Wind to the Sun
• Third Party, Fire and Theft
• Ballad of the Barrel Organist
• The Day the Circus Came to Town
• Confectioner
• Splitting the Atom in Eden
• Rules of the Game of Quoits
• Land Rover
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Ballad of the Barrel Organist · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated b...
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Ballad of the Barrel Organist · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Ballad of the Barrel Organist · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist · Momus
The Ruling Class - The Very Best Of El Records
℗ 1986 El Records
Release...
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist · Momus
The Ruling Class - The Very Best Of El Records
℗ 1986 El Records
Released on: 1986-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist · Momus
The Ruling Class - The Very Best Of El Records
℗ 1986 El Records
Released on: 1986-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
This song of gorgeously moral and woozy-boozy self-loathing, written by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, is so restrained in the original (hear it at http://youtu.b...
This song of gorgeously moral and woozy-boozy self-loathing, written by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, is so restrained in the original (hear it at http://youtu.be/OXujV9IQ3Zg ) that I immediately wanted to make an elaborately sickening, extrava-vacantly gorgeous Christmas cover version. Because, as well as being the season of goodwill to all men, Christmas is, let's not forget, a time of drunken parties, stupid flings, guilty secrets, family discord, and lovers' quarrels.
I crushed your heart in my bloody fists
When I did the honest thing and told you of my trysts
Well you demanded truth and that's exactly what you got
You should have killed me there where I stood
When I casually confessed that I'd been up to no good
You should have just stepped back and taken your best shot
But I assured you then that I could change my ways
And I think that might have lasted for a couple of days
And once again the self-styled lady killer's caught
The sensible solution is to walk away
But I'll cunningly convince you that you've got to stay
I'll poison your resolve and twist your every thought
I don't love you, who knows if I ever did
Who the fuck did I think I was trying to kid
You're just the latest sucker that I've sought
Everyone is scared of being on their own
I thought I was the master but my cover's blown
Consider me a lesson deftly taught
This song of gorgeously moral and woozy-boozy self-loathing, written by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, is so restrained in the original (hear it at http://youtu.be/OXujV9IQ3Zg ) that I immediately wanted to make an elaborately sickening, extrava-vacantly gorgeous Christmas cover version. Because, as well as being the season of goodwill to all men, Christmas is, let's not forget, a time of drunken parties, stupid flings, guilty secrets, family discord, and lovers' quarrels.
I crushed your heart in my bloody fists
When I did the honest thing and told you of my trysts
Well you demanded truth and that's exactly what you got
You should have killed me there where I stood
When I casually confessed that I'd been up to no good
You should have just stepped back and taken your best shot
But I assured you then that I could change my ways
And I think that might have lasted for a couple of days
And once again the self-styled lady killer's caught
The sensible solution is to walk away
But I'll cunningly convince you that you've got to stay
I'll poison your resolve and twist your every thought
I don't love you, who knows if I ever did
Who the fuck did I think I was trying to kid
You're just the latest sucker that I've sought
Everyone is scared of being on their own
I thought I was the master but my cover's blown
Consider me a lesson deftly taught
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Monsters of Love · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Monsters of Love · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Monsters of Love · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
A cassette tape from 1983. Nick Currie is between his band The Happy Family and his solo act Momus. He's singing into a clicky tape recorder, playing his red Ba...
A cassette tape from 1983. Nick Currie is between his band The Happy Family and his solo act Momus. He's singing into a clicky tape recorder, playing his red Baldwin 712, a 12-string semi-acoustic guitar, unamplified. The ten songs:
• Let's Start a Trade Union
• The Poison Boyfriend
• Wind to the Sun
• Third Party, Fire and Theft
• Ballad of the Barrel Organist
• The Day the Circus Came to Town
• Confectioner
• Splitting the Atom in Eden
• Rules of the Game of Quoits
• Land Rover
A cassette tape from 1983. Nick Currie is between his band The Happy Family and his solo act Momus. He's singing into a clicky tape recorder, playing his red Baldwin 712, a 12-string semi-acoustic guitar, unamplified. The ten songs:
• Let's Start a Trade Union
• The Poison Boyfriend
• Wind to the Sun
• Third Party, Fire and Theft
• Ballad of the Barrel Organist
• The Day the Circus Came to Town
• Confectioner
• Splitting the Atom in Eden
• Rules of the Game of Quoits
• Land Rover
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Ballad of the Barrel Organist · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Ballad Of The Barrelorganist · Momus
The Ruling Class - The Very Best Of El Records
℗ 1986 El Records
Released on: 1986-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
This song of gorgeously moral and woozy-boozy self-loathing, written by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, is so restrained in the original (hear it at http://youtu.be/OXujV9IQ3Zg ) that I immediately wanted to make an elaborately sickening, extrava-vacantly gorgeous Christmas cover version. Because, as well as being the season of goodwill to all men, Christmas is, let's not forget, a time of drunken parties, stupid flings, guilty secrets, family discord, and lovers' quarrels.
I crushed your heart in my bloody fists
When I did the honest thing and told you of my trysts
Well you demanded truth and that's exactly what you got
You should have killed me there where I stood
When I casually confessed that I'd been up to no good
You should have just stepped back and taken your best shot
But I assured you then that I could change my ways
And I think that might have lasted for a couple of days
And once again the self-styled lady killer's caught
The sensible solution is to walk away
But I'll cunningly convince you that you've got to stay
I'll poison your resolve and twist your every thought
I don't love you, who knows if I ever did
Who the fuck did I think I was trying to kid
You're just the latest sucker that I've sought
Everyone is scared of being on their own
I thought I was the master but my cover's blown
Consider me a lesson deftly taught
Provided to YouTube by Cherry Red Records
Monsters of Love · Momus
Monsters of Love: Singles 1985-90
℗ 2016 Cherry Red Records
Auto-generated by YouTube.
A cassette tape from 1983. Nick Currie is between his band The Happy Family and his solo act Momus. He's singing into a clicky tape recorder, playing his red Baldwin 712, a 12-string semi-acoustic guitar, unamplified. The ten songs:
• Let's Start a Trade Union
• The Poison Boyfriend
• Wind to the Sun
• Third Party, Fire and Theft
• Ballad of the Barrel Organist
• The Day the Circus Came to Town
• Confectioner
• Splitting the Atom in Eden
• Rules of the Game of Quoits
• Land Rover
Momus (/ˈmoʊməs/; Greek: ΜῶμοςMomos) was in Greek mythology the personification of satire and mockery, two stories about whom figure among Aesop’s Fables. During the Renaissance, several literary works used him as a mouthpiece for their criticism of tyranny, while others later made him a critic of contemporary society. Onstage he finally became the figure of harmless fun.
In classical literature
As a sharp-tongued spirit of unfair criticism, Momus was eventually expelled from the company of the gods on Mount Olympus. His name is related to μομφή, meaning 'blame', 'reproach', or 'disgrace'.Hesiod said that Momus was a son of Night (Nyx), “though she lay with none”, and the twin of the misery goddess Oizys. In the 8th century BCE epic Cypria, Momus was credited with stirring up the Trojan War in order to reduce the human population.Sophocles wrote a later satyr play called Momos, now almost entirely lost, which may have derived from this.
Two of Aesop's fables feature the god. The most widely reported of these in Classical times is numbered 100 in the Perry Index. There Momus is asked to judge the handiwork of three gods (who vary depending on the version): a man, a house and a bull. He found all at fault: the man because his heart was not on view to judge his thoughts; the house because it had no wheels so as to avoid troublesome neighbours; and the bull because it did not have eyes in its horns to guide it when charging. Because of it, Plutarch and Aristotle criticized Aesop’s story-telling as deficient in understanding, while Lucian insisted that anyone with sense was able to sound out a man’s thoughts.
Don't stop the night, we dash to this flat And again for the first time strip off our wet clothes Stop the night, the lovers' sixth sense Instinctively tells us another is close Don't stop the night, we peel back the sheets And glimpse the life history lying underneath in stark relief Stop the night, of the creak in the boards The creak that forebodes the voyeur and the Christmas thief Make the night we first made love come again Don't stop the night of the whispering tale Of your crazy old flame with his heart palpitations and crisp physique Stop the night of this pain in my neck That wrecks any chance of a semi-acceptable sexual technique Make the night we first made love come again The night we first made love at gunpoint For this uninvited, unrequited, undelighted, uninspired Missionary, visionary, mercenary, "stick it up or I fire!" Little boy lost down memory lane - ex-lover Show me the night the skeleton came Out of the closet and under the light feeling very much alive Show me the night, naked and pink, negotiating a hot malt milk We're praying the old lady who keeps a spare key will suddenly arrive Make the night we first made love come again The night we first made love at gunpoint We swallow our pride and catch our breath We swallow our breath and catch a sigh We swallow a spy to watch our death Out of the corner of your eye Little boy lost down memory lane Your coppertone, scatterbrain, crack shot crank Exasperated, lacertated, copy-cat clerk from Barclay's Bank Little boy lost down memory lane Lover, perhaps we'll die Perhaps we'll die