From my sickbed (or sickchair in front of the computer):

1. “Northeast Texas Woman” by Willis Alan Ramsey from “Willis Alan Ramsey” (1972). I like W.A.R., but this is just kind of an OK song for me.

2. “Lonesome, On’ry & Mean” by Waylon Jennings. Great song.

3. “Come Around” by Marc Broussard from “Carencro” (2004). I’m pretty sure this is another of those tracks that I’ve got only because it was the iTunes free song of the week once. (In this case, September 2004.) Because I don’t care for it.

4. “Un Bel Di Vedremo” from “Madama Butterfly” by Leontyne Price from “Opera Goes to the Movies” (1991). Because I obviously have a perverse need to have my Friday Five appear weirder than anybody else’s, and that’s why tracks like this show up. I love the music, but I have a major problem with the story and characters of “Madama Butterfly,” which I won’t go into because I don’t think anybody here wants a diatribe about this subject. At least this track looks more impressive and cultural than the next one:

5. “Why Can’t She Lower the Alimony” by Mickey Rooney from “Go Ahead and Laff.” Because I obviously have a perverse need to have my Friday Five appear weirder than anybody else’s, and that’s why tracks like this show up.

2. “Friendship” by Sloan from “Between The Bridges”, 1999. Local boys from here in Halifax, I’ve loved Sloan pretty much from the beginning. The album title is a reference to the two bridges between Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. A lot of the songs are about or dedicated to Nova Scotia (they had been living in Toronto for several years).

3. “Muzzle” by The Smashing Pumpkins from “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”, 1995. I played the hell out of these two discs in the 90s. This is now probably my favorite song from them, but didn’t get as much play back then.

4. “Poor Man’s Grey” by Matthew Good from “White Light Rock & Roll Review”, 2004. What can I say? Matt Good rocks.

5. “Note To Self: Don’t Die” by Ryan Adams from “Rock N Roll”, 2003. Love this song, and all of this album. One of those albums I didn’t enjoy on first listen but grew to love (isn’t it always that way?).

And I’m right there with you on “Hella Good!”

1. “She is Gone” by The Silver Seas from “High Society”, 2007. This band was originally called The Bees but there was another band with that name. So, they changed their name and re-released their album in 2007 under this name. Excellent album.

2. “Hella Good”by No Doubt from “Rock Steady”, 2001. Love this song!

3. “Run for your Life” by The Beatles from “RubberSoul”, 1965. What an absolutely horrible song. “Well I’d rather see you dead than see you with another man.” Seriously, I love the Beatles but this is just awful. And I sing along to the cheerful lyrics all the time.

4. “45″ by The Saturday Knights” from “Mingle”, 2008. Fun group and album.

5. “A Sorta Fairytale” by Tori Amos from “Scarlet’s Walk”. I don’t claim to be a big Tori follower but I do appreciate this song.

1. “Child’s Garden” by Comfortable Chair from “Comfortable Chair,” 1968. Peace and love and togetherness and wordless female vocals in the background . . . heavy!

2. “The Fly” by U2 from “Achtung Baby,” 1991. Feedback and an insistent beat and Bono’s half-spoken vocals. Decent chorus, though and some nice crunchy guitar.

3. “Help Me” by Joni Mitchell from “Court and Spark,” 1974. one of the best things Joni’s done in a long career. Always fresh.

4. “I Was” by Lily & Maria from “Lily & Maria,” 1968. Breathy vocals over a light guitar accompaniment. “And God’s own hands wiped the sweat from my brow . . .” Heavy once more.

5. “Sliver” by Window from “Window,” 1971. Singer-singwriter stuff. I’m not sure why I have this. It’s not awful, but . . .

An odd and, despite Joni, ultimately mediocre mix.

1. Ladytron – Discotraxx
2. Daft Punk – Superheroes
3. Big L – Platinum Plus
4. Common – Go!
5. The Clash – Remote Control