Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 8)

Shortly after I began writing these posts, I thought about dumping all of these songs into a playlist but I haven't. How many would I skip in this new "Didn't Skip" playlist? Some, for sure. So much of what drives the choice on whether to skip or not is how I'm feeling in the moment which is perhaps why I tend to listen to bulk selections of music rather and narrowed playlists. Now, of course there are songs that I choose to keep on hand and will likely never linger on like "Revolution 9", but I can rest assured that it's out there waiting for me if the mood strikes. 

On we go. 

"Triumph of the Will" by Devo (1979)

This might be a new favorite with lyrics like, 

Before I die I'll get another piece of pie
I'll get another piece of pie
I'll get another piece of pie if I have to lie

"The Seeker" by The Who (1970)

How about that approximately one bar-long silence before the guitar solo? I mean, there isn't all that much  silence in pop music, is there?

"In My Place" by Coldplay (2002)

I have this vague recollection of Coldplay being unfairly compared to Radiohead around the time this album came out. The similarities are pretty superficial however and even if they sounded a little alike in the late 1990s, they certainly went in different directions. As for me, I find Coldplay just okay with polished pop songs that have this surface level lyrical content.  My, that sounds snooty!

"Ramblin' Man" by Hank Williams (1952)

I'll always stop for a Hank song. Just a wee bit different feel than that other Ramblin' song.

"Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper (1984)

A song so good that Miles Davis covered it! 

"King of the Road" by Roger Miller (1965) 

A classic tune with a really solid bass line.

"Not One Of Us" by Peter Gabriel (1983)

I have a lot of PG material in my music library as I've been a fan of his since the 1980s but this is the first one I've stopped on for this exercise. This version is a live recording and while quite good, doesn't quite match the studio album version. One thing it does have:  COWBELL.

"I Don't Sleep, I Dream" by R.E.M (1994)

This isn't my favorite track on this album which isn't one of my favorite R.E.M. LPs and yet here we are.

"Respect Yourself" by The Staple Singers (1971)

Another classic R/B track. I had to turn this one up.

"What God Wants, Part 1" by Roger Waters (1991)

This is probably Waters' most bombastic, ambitious album since "The Wall". The recording/production quality is superb with some fantastic session musicians but if I'm honest, the solo material of his I listen to most these days is his more "mainstream" album, "Radio KAOS". Still, this track is a fun listen. I didn't find myself skipping ahead to Parts 2 or 3.

"God's Away On Business" by Tom Waits (2002)

"Who are the ones that we kept in charge: killers, thieves, and lawyers". Another "God" song! Sadly, this seems like an appropriate song for world affairs this week. I do however love the sound of this track with a style that recalls that of 1920s popular music. However, this YouTube video is also what I think of when I hear this song (oddly, the video is longer than the song).