Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 26)

 I took a short hiatus from this, mostly due to more podcast listening but it's time to get back on the musical horse.

"Blackjack" by Ray Charles (1955)

I'm guessing Ray didn't open any of his Vegas shows with this one.

"Any Major Dude Will Tell You" by Steely Dan (1974)

I don't have much to add about this classic other than that it looks backward a bit from the style they adopted for the early albums and would seem rather out of place just one or two LPs later. 

"People" by King Crimson (1995)

This album perhaps doesn't quite count as a "Supergroup" by hit-making pop group criteria but it really is from its complement of fantastic musicians. The lyrics are somewhat forgettable but the playing is stellar. 

"Give Judy My Notice" by Ben Folds (1995)

Not my favorite track on the album (that is likely "Jesusland") but a solid Phil Collins-quality (if he'd been an alternative 90s artist) breakup song. 

"Be Bop A Lula" by Gene Vincent (1956)

I know pop artist names aren't everything but you just don't expect a song like this, which just drips with early rock and roll teen energy, to come from someone named "Gene".  Sorry dude. 

"We Made It" by Toto (1982)

The classic movie director Howard Hawks once said what makes a good movie is "three great scenes, no bad ones" and you could make this argument about pop albums. Toto IV definitely fits this and while this song isn't one of the "great" ones, it's definitely not bad. Thanks Howard. 

"Livin' in the Red" by War (1987)

I guess this is what happens when a band gets into middle age; songs get writen about too much debt.

"Greenbacks" by Ray Charles (1955)

What a great next-track after the War song. You could think of this as a prequel where we find out why the guy in the War song lost all his dough. 

"Honky Tonk Blues" by Huey Lewis and the News (1983)

I had never bothered to look up whether this was an actual Hank Williams cover or a tribute. Score one for ol' Hank. An interesting cut to end the album with guest steel guitar player John McFee of the Doobie Brothers. 

"Take a Chance" by Eric Clapton (1986)

Clapton's late 1980s material hasn't really aged well, even though this album had a lot of heavy hitters playing on it. This song is pretty blah overall but does have bassist Nathan East who manages to outplay Clapton. I often think he was best when playing others' material. 

"This and That" by Michael Penn (1989)

This song does a 180 and manages to hold up very well now, for me at least. It helps that the songwriting is strong and that it manages to sound more like a 1990s song. Maybe collaborating with Phil Collins isn't always the best idea; right Eric?

"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon (1980)

This is a live version which, on the plus side, adds some funny alternate lyrics. On the other hand, it's slower which I don't love. I give a slight edge to the original. 

"Too Much Rain" by Paul McCartney (2005)

I would never have guessed that this album was produced by Nigel Godrich (of Radiohead). This is a really nice song that reminds me of his very first solo record. 

"Flipside" by Kristin Harsh (2001)

A very good early aughts (doesn't that sound dumb?) alt-rock song. The "flipside" in this case is of a...molecule?

"White Shadow" by Peter Gabriel (1978)

A song I don't hear often from his "Scratch" album. It sounds a bit like his earlier Genesis stuff.

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door" by Eric Clapton (1975)

Yep, a LOT better when covering others. 

"San Ferry Anne" by Wings (1976)

This is a cool little song and Paul manages to work in some fun jazz bits in a track that's barely over the 2 minute mark.

"You Belong to Me" by Patsy Cline (1962)

Another great Cline cover song with the usual Floyd Cramer/Jordnaires lineup.

"Nighttime in the Switching Yard" by Warren Zevon (1978)

Who knew that a train yard could be so...FUNKY!

Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 25)

This has gone on so long now that I've had to abandon one of the "parameters" of this endeavor. Mainly, that I would stop when I hit a repeated track. Since phones are little computers, they do reboot now and again so the music app has reset and I've had to restart the tunes so now I just try to make sure I am not writing about a song twice. I knew you'd understand. 

"Magneto and Titanium Man" by Paul McCartney and Wings (1975)

One of the more fun and stronger songs from the well-worn (I did in fact have a very well worn LP of this long ago) "Venus and Mars" album. How was this not sneaked into a Marvel movie?

"Lay Your Hands on Me" by Thompson Twins (1985)

If you're going to do a song with this title, you might as well go whole hog and hire a choir (see also:  "Like a Prayer"). 

"Cold Weather Blues" by Muddy Waters (1964)

The album this is from, "Folk Singer" is all Waters doing acoustic blues songs that don't sound like they would be heard at a BBQ restaurant.  I also had to laugh when this one came up on the rotation as it was very hot outside. 

"King for a Day" by XTC (1989)

Even though this is one of the "lighter" songs from this album, there's a lot going on here. Also, great bridge. 

"(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" by Johnny Cash (1979)

No wonder those riders were so scary:  they were playing French Horns!

"Only the Children" by Toto (1988)

This song comes off as a bit like a filler track with some vague references to what we would now call income inequality but even second rung Toto is still worth listening to. I keep harping on this but this album sounds more dated now for its thin 80s production sound than anything else. The earlier LPs sound better. But what do I know, that style sold a lot of records.

"Universal Traveler" by Air (2004)

Another cool atmospheric song from this duo but what's up with the way they pronounce "universal traveler"? You've gotta love the French. 

"Pearl of the Quarter" by Steely Dan (1973)

A relatively sweet, by SD standards at least, song from a pretty sarcastic album. I dig "Skunk"s guitar playing on this track as well. 

"Piano in the Dark" by Brenda Russell (1988)

You'd think there would be more, uh piano on this song but I guess a little goes a long way, doesn't it Brenda?

"Drivin' My Life Away" by Eddie Rabbitt (1980)

This is another one of those songs that I have this foggy memory fragment where I heard it on a radio growing up. During those times, I caught songs like this in cars or perhaps on the old clock radio, complete with a "Groundhog Day" style flip clock, that I had near my bed. A good song that, like a lot of country music, was well recorded.

"Shoot High Aim Low" by Yes (1987)

There is apparently a point to this song but I sure didn't pick up on what that was. Does it matter? No. The performances here are at the usual high level for this band but this album always sounded really cold and sterile (here we go again) to me, recording/production-wise. This wasn't that unusual for the 80s but this album still stands out for that quality. This is especially apparent in the drum sounds. I used to chalk this up to the increased use of digital recording equipment but I think now it was more of a deliberate choice.  

"Say It Ain't So" by Weezer (1994)

 SO 1990s.

"Downstream" by Supertramp (1977)

A nice, pared back piano/vocal song from the sometimes forgotten co-lead of this band, Rick Davies.

"Am I Going Insane (Radio)" by Black Sabbath (1975)

I swear I hear Daffy Duck laughing during the fade-out of this song.

"Campfire Song" by 10,000 Maniacs (1987)

Now this doesn't sound like a 1980s song and yes, that was Michael Stipe doing background vocals. Fun fact(s):  This album was released with a cover of Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" on it but the song was removed from later reissues after the singer made comments that seemed to endorse killing author Salman Rushdie. Needless to say Rushdie was NOT popular with Muslims. I have to assume that this controversy has blown over by now since he is very much alive and doesn't bring up anything about this on his TV appearances. I somehow got the idea that the song was removed due to a rights dispute. Also, there is a credit on the album for "portraits of menfolk". 

"Cars" by Gary Numan (1979)

An early new-wave staple. Gotta love all those expensive Moogs.

"Somebody" by David Byrne (1992)

Byrne finally goes all-in on the latin music style. I think most of not all of this album is done in this style. Really fun horn arrangements on this track.

"Emily" by Joanna Newsom (2006)

I was hesitant to add this to the list since it is a marathon, compared to everything else here, listen at 12 minutes long. However, I didn't skip it while I was cutting tree branches so here we are. Newsom (yes, related to Gavin) is one of those artists you either love or hate and while I wasn't sold on her odd vocal delivery at first, it has grown on me. When you combine the weird lyrics and delivery with the sumptuous musical arrangements, complete with a full orchestra AND the aforementioned Lee Sklar on bass, you get something extraordinary. I'd say give it a chance and listen to this or another track from the album, preferably not in a car or doing yard work. 

"What in the World's Come Over You" by Jack Scott (1960)

Funny choice there, oh random mode.

"Warlocks" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)

I couldn't really gleam anything meaningful from this typically funky Red Hot Chili Peppers tune but any song that has lyrics with, "a subterranean marching band" has my vote.

"Where The Hell is Bill?" by Camper Van Beethoven (1985)

This little project sure has gotten me to listen to a lot of CVB songs! As for this one, just what is a sideways haircut? This song also has an inside joke with some old friends that isn't worth repeating here but if they're reading this, they'll understand!

"Invisible Sun" by The Police (1981)

I'm pretty sure this was the Police album I got to know first. It's still great and on this song, the thing that stands out to me is the way Sting's vocals on the chorus sound:  they're sung in octaves which gives them a strange sound to me, maybe it's something to do with the way the notes hit in his range? The bottom line sounds low for his usual singing and the top line sounds higher than normal. I don't know if that was intentional but it does make for a good effect. 

"Hell Yes" by Beck (2005)

At one point I made an inside joke that you "can't make love to no Beck". I take it back. 

Dad's Movies: The Eagle Has Landed

 We go back to the WW II well with the 70s (somewhat) star-studded movie, The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

This film, the final one directed by John Sturges (The Great Escape and other action classics), feels more like a movie from ten years earlier with its collection of English and American stars playing Germans. For a twist, we have an American playing an Irishman, complete with a dodgy accent and red hair.  I read that Richard Harris was originally set to play this character which would have been better, I'd think, Michael Caine sounds like he always does and is occasionally allowed to chew the scenery.

Donald Pleasence does a slimy Himmler and Treat Williams even shows up. Robert Duvall is almost convincing as a German officer. I don't know what kind of accent he was trying to do. Top cheesy honors, however must go to Larry Hagman as the cartoonish American army commander. I was rooting for the Germans to blow his annoying character up. 

The whole thing comes together well in the last third but has periods where the movie gets borderline boring. A wartime heist movie, even one as ridiculous as this, needs to have more pop. However, it was satisfying to see the priest throw a punch at Donald Sutherland's Devlin character. I have to suspect that this was just a money gig for Sturges who by all accounts just wasn't into directing movies any longer. Still, decent fun for a WW2 movie. 

Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 24)

"Quiche Lorraine" by The B-52s (1980)

This is quite the dog-walking song though it's a wee bit unfair to Great Danes.

"Patch My Heart" by The Mad Lads (1966)

A really good old R&B song I don't remember hearing, complete with an old-time salon sounding piano. And if I didn't know better, I would never have guessed this band was called The Mad Lads.

"Carolina in My Mind" by James Taylor (1976)

I had no idea this classic recording was a re-do from his debut LP in 1968, made for the Beatles'-owned Apple Records. Still, despite its familiarity I still dig this song. Another bass fact: Lee Sklar played on this song (the redo). Sklar is one of my favorite electric bassists. Go check him out. He has a hell of a beard, too.

"Cities" by Talking Heads (1979)

One of Tina Weymouth's better bass lines. The song fades IN and OUT. Does this mean David Byrne never stops deliberating on where to live? I don't know, but a dry ice factory is a good place to get some thinking done. 

"The Big Sky" by Kate Bush (1985)

I like seeing Kate get some contemporary appreciation, thanks to a certain Netflix show. There's supposedly a didgeridoo on the song but it's pretty buried in the mix. 

"Kind Hearted Woman Blues by Robert Johnson (1937)

It's pretty easy to forgot how influential this guy was. There's just something about those old cuts that really hits you. Choice lyric:  "She's a kind-hearted woman. She studies evil all the time." Yowza. 

"I Want Your Love" by Chris Issak (1993)

There's a pretty clear through-line from the previous song on this list to this one. It was interesting to hear these back to back.

"Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen (1963)

I first heard this song on the "Full Metal Jacket" soundtrack and found it pretty fun and kinda strange. It's one of those odd little one-off songs that sounds pretty unique, considering it's really just a basic 60s surf tune (it's actually two songs or quotes another song at the end). The band was a Minneapolis-based surf-rock (!) band that broke out of its regional status with this song. I love how the sound of the recording just washes over you in waves, intentional or not. The track sounds like it was recorded with distortion in mind and sounds like those old analog electronics are just being pounded. 

Fun fact:  this was recorded at a studio in Minneapolis that a group I play in also recorded in.

Alternate fun fact:  This song was NOT a favorite of my old friend Eric S. Back in 1987/88 or so, a few of us stopped at Eric's house to pick him up and as soon as he opened the car door, we blasted this song on the stereo. It was kind of a dick move, but I think we all laugh about it now. If not, sorry Eric.

"The Beast and the Dragon, Adored" by Spoon (2005)

It's been fun revisiting all of this almost 20 year old alt-rock stuff.

"Sweetheart" by Franke & The Knockouts (1981)

I was surprised to hear this wasn't released in 1978. It really has that Ambrosia thing going on.

"Overjoyed" by Stevie Wonder (1985)

Even a middling SW song is still good, even one like this that sounds pretty dated and overproduced. 

"Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin (1971)

I'm not going to have anything new to say about this classic but come on, it's named for a black dog!

"Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel (1971)

More Scots! This Bob Dylan-esque song was apparently mocking the record business and, I didn't realize this was produced by Leiber and Stoller. 

"Blue Ridge Mountains" by Fleet Foxes (2008)

This record has such a great reverb-drenched folky/melancholy vibe.

"Please Mr. Please" by Olivia Newton-John (1975)

I have often been mellow. And hey, the original UK B Side to this was "Don't Cry For Me Argentina". That's pretty goofy.

"Storms in Africa" by Enya (1988)

I somehow got even MORE mellow! If this wasn't used for an IMAX movie at a science museum, someone was asleep at the wheel...from listening to too much Enya. That doesn't make much sense, does it.

"Stay Up Late" by Talking Heads (1985)

There ended up being a lot of songs by this band on here but they come up a lot and songs like this are just too damn fun to pass up.

Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 23)

 What, no pithy remark for this one?

The Spotify version of this was getting out of hand so I started a "part 2"

"Land of Confusion" by Genesis (1986)

I'll get the bass player observation out of the way first. The synth bass on this one sounds like a "pew pew" laser sound that's been lowered in pitch. I wonder what Mark King from Level 42 would have done with this track. However, I forgot/never noticed that the bridge of this song changes to a conventional electric bass (I avoid the use of the term, "bass guitar" thanks to my Dad...long story). Keen. The song is likely my favorite from this album, even if it was overshadowed by its music video. Also, I never noticed the cover for the single. Clever. 

The song is of course referring to the Cold War but is just vague enough to still feel relevant as I listen to it, the day of the first public January 6 Committee hearing. Too many people, causing too many problems. And guys, your generation most certainly did not "get it right".  Is this laying it on a bit thick for a song like this? Most certainly. 

This album was also one of the earlier CDs I bought, but this one was from good old Columbia House! We did what we could in those days. I've gone on way too long about this but I also remember the CD being the first one I encountered that had this coding on the disc called an INDEX that was basically a track within a track. This album had one to break up the longer song into two pieces or something. This was a pretty short-lived feature from the early days of the audio CD but my first player had buttons for them and this CD had one. Aren't you glad you know this?

"Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar (1983)

After the relative angst of the previous 80s song, this one is a palate cleanser, despite its overwrought title. 

"Starting Five" by Dios (2004)

Another one of those, "where did I get this song?" tracks. It was probably from some random CD sampler I've long since lost or was on a TV show like 'The OC".  Not bad though, I don't get the "kids playing on a playground" background sounds thing. But sometimes, all you need is a catchy chorus where you just sing, "hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo...".

"Only When You Leave" by Spandau Ballet (1984)

I totally forgot that this was one of this group's hits. 

"Lodi" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)

I was tempted to make some kind of funny Big Lebowski comment but I'll just note instead that this song really doesn't glamorize the life of a musician on the road. But hey, at least it isn't about Vietnam...or IS IT???

"Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring (1982)

This is of course an 80s classic but..."feels like being cloned"???

"Joy" by Apollo 100 (1972)

A fun rock-like arrangement of the JS Bach classical piece that screams "early 1970s" which is why it's fodder for period movie soundtracks.

"The Hidden Track" by Earlimart (2004)

Good early 2000s alt-pop with an Elliot Smith-like vocal. Thank you for shopping at Earlimart! 

Why is the song called "The Hidden Track"? Did the CD of it have an actual hidden track? Did you know CDs had these? This was when there would be an extra song or bit of music at the end of a noted track that would play if you didn't skip to the next song. The only way to know it was there, besides waiting for it to play, was to have your CD player (OK, fine, software does this too!) display remaining time and note that it didn't match the length listed on the CD box or booklet. So clever (not that it matters now but those engineers sure knew how to keep us all guessing). 

"Me and My Arrow" by Harry Nilsson (1971)

Another weird little song by Mr. Nilsson about "Oblio, the pointless boy".

"Another Day" by Air (2003)

These cool, Euro-electronica tunes can really hit the spot sometimes.

"Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band (1975)

This band was Scottish? Another 70s instrumental, sax-heavy hit and if it ain't Scottish, it's CRAP!

"Baby's in Black" by The Beatles (1964)

This sounds like one of those early Beatles songs that was a cover of an R&B song but it's a Lennon original. How many Beatles songs are in 6/8 time? I can't think of any others off the top of me head.

"It's a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown (1966)

Another tune in 6/8...and according to Wikipedia (again, the source of all knowledge), Rolling Stone called this song, "biblically chauvinistic" but hey, it's James Brown WITH STRINGS!

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot (1976)

If you live in Minnesota, you're not really allowed to skip this song. One of the great lyrics:  "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Observation:  he really imparts a lot of information in this song!

"Short Side of Nothing" by Los Lobos (1992)

And good track from the "Kiko" album...and it doesn't resolve. 

"I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones (1978)

This one kinda cracks me up.

Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 22)

 "Welcome to the Occupation" by REM (1987)

Apparently written about the US Government's "activities" in Central America in the 80s, the song could pretty easily be adapted to today's situations.

"Hold On, Hold On" by Neko Case (2006)

A really good song from what is likely her best solo record.

"World Leader Pretend" by REM (1988)

OK, so this did in fact pop up shortly after the last REM song and if I were trying to be more even-handed, I'd have omitted this one but it's a song I like well and I did in fact let it play so here we are with an REM-heavy list. Like I've said before, this whole exercise is about re-hearing things I wouldn't always pick out of my music library to listen to. I suspect that the song isn't in fact about war or politics but more personal isolation but with this band, who the hell knows.

"It Ought to Be Easier" by Lyle Lovett (1996)

There's a lot of truth in this song about breakups.

"Let Me Roll It" by Paul McCartney and Wings (1973)

This was only a B side but it's one of the best tracks from "Band on the Run" if you ask me. 

"Tombstone Blues" by Bob Dylan (1965)

In which Bob rambles on for six minutes about being out of frozen pizza. A seriously funny song, really (much funnier than my joke here) with a lot of great BD turns 'o phrase. 

"The Heart of Rock & Roll" by Huey Lewis and The News (1983)

Classic 80s retro-pop. From one of the first albums I bought when I got a CD player in 1985. It's good but there weren't exactly a ton of choices on CD at the local Musicland store that year. Someone described Huey Lewis and The News as the world's greatest bar band. I've got to agree.

"Stomp!" by The Brothers Johnson (1980)

Another hit that landed near the end of the reign of Disco. I sometimes wonder when I hear songs like this if the Disco era was a golden age for string players. So many of these hits have strings (and other 70s pop) so life must have been good if you did that kind of work. Also notable, the bass playing on this song by Louis Johnson who was one of the earlier bassists who really nailed slap playing on electric bass. Funky!

"Jigsaw Falling Into Place" by Radiohead (2007)

A good track from one of their better LPs which I mainly remember for the way in which it was initially released. You could go on their website and "name your price" to get an mp3 download which was a big deal at the time and served mostly as a Fuck You to their record label. 

"The Pope" by The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale (1962)

This is such a goofy little song that I need to link to a YouTube video of it since it's unsurprisingly not on Spotify. "Oh no, I would not be the Pope!"

"The Penguin" by Dave Harris and The Powerhouse Five (1960)

A cool little instrumental tune that came from one of those "bachelor lounge" compilation CDs from that brief time in the 90s when this music became hipster bait. 

"Lazy Flies" by Beck (1998)

As a friend of mine once said, "you can't make love to no Beck!"  

"Too Hot" by Kool & The Gang (1980)

Sounds a bit more 80s than 70s and hats off to Kool and his "Gang" for adapting to the times between the decades. 

"I Love Her All the Time" by Camper Van Beethoven (1986)

The song doesn't quite match the title. And apparently I needed more Camper Van Beethoven in my rotation.

"While My Heart Is Still Beating" by Roxy Music (1982)

A good slow-burn track from the band's final (best?) album.

"The End" by The Beatles (1969)

There's so much to say about anything from this album but nearly nothing that hasn't been said before, better put, by others, but I will add two things. I still find it amazing that this band did an album this good at time where they were right on the edge of breaking up. The chaos and unevenness of "Let It Be" (so well illustrated in the recent Peter Jackson documentary) just reinforces what they could do if they pulled it together for one last hurrah in the studio. Also, it's a little weird to hear this song by itself without the rest of the bits that flow together in the final 15 or so minutes of the LP. So much that long ago, I made an edit of the whole thing so it would play on my (likely iPod at the time) in its entirety. And:  RINGO!!!

"Knock on Wood" by Eddie Floyd (1966)

Another classic R&B song that I became familiar with, not by the original version, but with a later cover. The 1979 Amii Stewart disco version was probably the first one I heard. This one is of course better.

"Heart of Gold" by Neil Young (1972)

This one gets a pass for its use of harmonica as it's such a good song (well recorded, too) and yes, I'm sure Neil got tired of playing it since it got so mainstream but I still like it. It's one of those songs that sounds good in the grocery aisles as well as the headphones. 

"Porcelain" by Moby (2000)

Speaking of grocery store music, this one was all over the place back in the early aughts (man, that sounds dumb). Even NPR used it on their music breaks, FFS. However, years later I find this to be a good listen if the mood strikes. I guess it did here where it made picking up some dog poo go very smooooooothely. 

"So Nice to Be with You" by Gallery (1972)

Ok, so this band's name has to be in the running with Bread for having the world's most generic rock band name. There had to have been a better name for a band than something a line of home appliances was called, guys. 

"I Don't Wanna Go Home" by The Alan Parsons Project (1980)

From a concept album about gambling that is one their better ones. I still can't hear the name of this group without hearing Mike Myers, as Dr. Evil, saying "I'm calling it The Alan Parsons Project".

"Human Touch" by Bruce Springsteen (1992)

From Bruce's solo years, it sounds more like an 80s song but whatever, Boss.

"Same Old Saturday Night" by Frank Sinatra (1955)

It sounds like a sequel/companion piece to "Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the Week". Typical 50s Sinatra/Capitol sound. It's all good.

"Haitian Divorce" by Steely Dan (1976)

I was once at a 'Dan concert where the drunk person sitting near me yelled out, several times, "PLAY HAITIAN DIVORCE!"  Who the hell has this song as their favorite Steely Dan song? Personal meaning, I guess.

"Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" by Lucinda Williams (1998)

Another good alt-Country song I hadn't heard in a long time.

"I'm a Loser" by The Beatles (1964)

 I love the way Lennon just barely gets down to that low note at the end of the verses. 

"Out of Time" by The Rolling Stones (1966)

Beatles followed by Stones. Yep, that's the order! Tell me I'm wrong here.

"Message in a Bottle" by The Police (1979)

This remains one of my favorite Police songs and it really doesn't sound like something from 1979.

Songs I Didn't Skip (Part 21)

 "Let 'Em In" by Paul McCartney and Wings (1976)

ANOTHER song featuring trombones! It must be a sign of something.

"Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple (1972)

A nonsense song that's nevertheless great fun to listen to, from an album that (and I try not to overuse this term) ROCKS. 

"Come Running" by Van Morrison (1970)

You know this is great when the "B" side of this was the classic song, "Crazy Love".

"Hotel California" by Gipsy Kings (1990)

I have really dug this cover, ever since it was used to great effect to accompany John Turturro's introduction as The Jesus in "The Big Lebowski". 

"Instant Karma!" by John Lennon (1970)

Perhaps my favorite Lennon solo track. The booming Phil Spector production really works here.

"April Fools" by Rufus Wainwright (1998)

No disrespect to his Dad, but Rufus has a lot more musical talent than Loudon.

"Today's the Day" by Aimee Mann (2002)

Mann plays the bass track on this song; cool.

"Na Na Na Na Naa" by Kaiser Chiefs (2005)

A great "tossed off" rocker.

"How Much I Feel" by Ambrosia (1978)

The last song had the line, "she's not the kind of girl that I like". This one might be the polar opposite. 

"That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and The Sunshine Band (1975)

One of those catchy disco tunes that could just dispense with all the lyrics, save for "uh huh, uh huh".

"Wild Wild Life" by Talking Heads (1986)

A fun song from one of the lesser TH LPs

"It's Not the End of the World?" by Super Furry Animals (2001)

A relatively sweet alt-pop song even with the question mark in the title. Apparently Paul McCartney made an appearance on the album. The track has a fun retro sound to it. 

"Red Mining Town" by U2 (1987)

I'm not entirely sure why, but I have never quite gotten the love people have for U2. I like some of their songs but their material just never connected for me. However, "The Joshua Tree", which is where this song came from, is probably the one I'd pick as "best" though there's a lot of their output I have not heard. 

"Take Your Mama" by Scissor Sisters (2004)

This song, which at times sounds like an electronic tribute to Elton John, is a pretty clear message about coming out to...well, your Mama! The group also does an interesting cover of "Comfortably Numb" on the same album.

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by Elton John (1974)

Speaking of...this is a great cover of The Beatles classic that has its own style while still paying tribute to the original. So much that Lennon himself appears on the track. I also love the part near the end where it goes into a reggae feel. Who knows, perhaps I'll stumble on the "sublime" cover of this song by William Shatner!

"More, More, More" by Andrew True Connection (1976)

This woman had one or two hits back in the day and, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia, was a porn performer who managed to break into pop music. The song is pretty catchy but really, she's not very good. 

"Why Bother" by Weezer (1996)

This was pretty new to me. The album is supposedly inspired by Japanese culture. Besides the album art and "Madama Butterfly" references, I didn't catch on. Maybe it was because I was mowing the lawn when I listened to it.

"Day-O (Banana Boat Song)" by Harry Belafonte (1956)

Harry really sounds like he's singing in a giant banana warehouse, especially when the song begins/ends. And, yes I am glad to not work on a banana plantation.

"Cowboys From Hollywood" by Camper Van Beethoven (1986)

CVP is sure well represented on this list for good reason:  they're fun. They even have a song called, "The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon".

"Ridin' the Storm Out" by REO Speedwagon (1977)

This is a really good live track that's better than its album original. A great straight-forward 70s rock & roll song. 

"Our Song" by Yes (1983)

This sounds more like an older Yes song than the other songs on the famous "90125" LP that tends to be more synth heavy. This has plenty of keyboards but has a more "live" feel to it. The song also benefits from not being overplayed on radio.