Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 19)

I did some yardwork over the weekend so why not lump that in with the dog tracks?



"Baby Come Back" by Player (1977)

According to Wikipedia, "As reported on the American Top 40 replay broadcast of November 5, 1977, "Baby Come Back" was written after two of the band members had broken up with their girlfriends." No shit.

"Take the Long Way Home" by Supertramp (1979)

My long familiarity with the album this came from the fact that I bought a vinyl copy of it from a drug store in Rapid City back in '79 and listened to it a lot. Most of us didn't own that many records and yes, I walked ten miles each way to school every day in a blizzard AND LIKED IT! Ahem. This remains their best record, followed closely by "Crime of the Century".

"O, Ky" by Archer Prewitt (2005)

This guy's main job is as a cartoonist. Fun.

"Shou Condor (Giant Condor)" by Yma Sumac (1957)

Sumac was such an odd pop music success back in the 50s that has almost become hipster fodder, thanks in part to one of her songs being on "The Big Lebowski" soundtrack.

"Mo Gihile Mear (Our Hero)" by The Chieftains and Sting (1995)

From that hit album where the iconic Irish band played tunes with a lot of musical stars.

"Richard Cory" by Simon and Garfunkel (1966)

A song based on a poem? Yes, completely on-brand for this duo.

"Talking in Your Sleep" by The Romantics (1983)

This song, which is the better of their two hits, would be a great pairing with the song, "Every Breath You Take" for its stalkiness. Bonus bass player observation: there seems to be electric and synth bass being doubled here. I'd never heard that before.

"Get Out of This House" by Shawn Colvin (1996)

Despite the fact that this has harmonica, it's a good song that ain't too subtle.

"Wild, Wild West" by The Escape Club (1988)

The music video was apparently banned in the UK: something about disfigured legs.

"Punky's Dilemma" by Simon and Garfunkel (1968)

From what remains my favorite S&G LP. Of course, even a song that has a line like, "I'm a Citizens for Boysenberry Jam fan", can still be about Vietnam.

"These 3 Sins" by Gomez (2004)

Another relic from my last years of pop music relevancy (as a consumer, natch).

"Anywhere, Anyhow, Anywhere" by The Who (1966)

What, not "AnyWho"? This is a classic Who track that really sounds like it's blasting out from the radio of an old car, even on modern headphones.

"Ode to My Family" by The Cranberries (1994)

"My Fatherrrrrrr"

"Jesus is Good" by The 88 (2005)

Yep, another one like the Gomez song. College/Alt fodder from 20 years ago.

"Pink Pussycat" by Devo (1979)

This really doesn't sound like 1979. What did people think of this then? I love how the old synths are just a little out of tune; yet another reminder of the greatness of Devo. The song also kind of cooks.

"Sleep to Dream" by Fiona Apple (1996)

Man, even the rhythm tracks sound just plain angry! Great line: "I've got my own Hell to raise."

"Would Be Killer" by Gnarls Barkley (2008)

I was kind of just tuning out the lyrics while I was listening to this when I realized that this is actually kinda creepy.

"There There" by Radiohead (2003)

A very solid track from the band's (in part) response to 9/11 and the W administration. They manage to make a long musical buildup with a core guitar-centered rock band sound, despite previous ventures into heavy electronica.

"Smile Please" by Stevie Wonder (1974)

Nothing from that album gets skipped.