Ickmusic’s Friday Five: August 29, 2008
Well we’ve reached the end of “The Theme Days of Summer” and for this weeks playlist I thought it only appropriate that we send off the summer with an ode to endless summer nights and the changes coming as some head back to school, some back to work, and all of us close the book on the summer of ’08.
Match ANY of the following conditions
NAME contains End
NAME contains Summer
NAME contains Back
NAME contains Change
NAME contains School
NAME contains Work
As Pete pointed out last week’s mood was rather dark so this week I’m looking to brighten the mood and get everyone ready for the weekend (though I’m steering clear of the puppies, unicorns, sunshine, and fairies). The friends of the five have come through all summer sharing everything from show-tunes, jazz, folk, blues, funk to metal and everything in between. I hope everyone has enjoyed the playlists as much as I’ve enjoyed thinking them up and sharing, next week we’re going back to the general shuffle.
For those who have not joined in the Five, here’s how it works: … I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five with some words (much more this week than last) for each track.
Then it’s your turn! You can play along with the themed playlist or just share the first five of your shuffle, either way the fun is in playing musical voyeur for the day.
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. Ne-Yo – Make it Work (from Because of You)
While I don’t particularly care for much of the current crop of R&B artists I make an exception when it comes to Ne-Yo. This track was prominently featured in this past year’s season of So You Think You Can Dance which just further endears the track to me.
2. Black Sabbath – Changes (from We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll)
Originally from 1972’s Black Sabbath, Vol. 4, this was the first Sabbath tune to feature the Piano as its primary instrument. I’ve always liked this tune for how un-Sabbath it was and it was clearly a precursor to Ozzy‘s penchant for balladry.
3. Prince – Sex in the Summer (from Emancipation)
If there is a truly underappreciated record in Prince‘s discography then I’d suggest 1996’s Emancipation is it. While time has proven unkind to some of the records tracks (“My Computer”, “Emale”) others stand as brilliant testaments to the time in which it was released. This track is quite bittersweet in that a recording of Prince & Mayte’s child’s (which died shortly after birth) heartbeat is featured as part of the percussion.
4. John Mayer – Waiting on the World to Change (from 2008-08-23: New England Dodge Music Center, Hartford, CT, USA)
The second encore tune performed when I saw John Mayer last Saturday evening (read the full review here). He plays this one pretty straight and true to the recorded version. I’ve included it here just because I dig it so damned much.
John Mayer – Waiting on the World to Change (MP3)
5. Boyz II Men – End of the Road (from Legacy – The Greatest Hits Collection)
This one definitely resonates with that “back to school” sound (even though this particular track was released after my School Daze) and feels like a perfect end cap to the “The Theme Days of Summer”.
So what’s taking you home early on this holiday weekend?
5 Comments
ceriddell
1 “Change Your Mind” by The Killers, from “Sawdust”
2 “Indian Summer Sky” by U2, from “The Unforgettable Fire”
3 “The Work pt 1” by Prince, from “The Rainbow Children”
4 “The Bitter End” by Placebo, from “Sleeping With Ghosts”
5 “Can’t Change Me” by Chris Cornell, from “Euphoria Morning”
Anne
1. “Summertime” from The Zombies–classic cover!
2. “Indian Summer” by Maplewood, 2004. Nice mellow song and a pretty decent group.
3. “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake, 2006.
4. “Summer in the City” by Three Dog Night. Another classic that I love.
5. “The Boys are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy. Really the only song from Thin Lizzy that I know.
KathyB
1. “Pretenders” by Ryan Adams from “The Suicide Handbook” (2001, unreleased). I’ve been following Ryan Adams (and Caitlin Cary) since Whiskeytown, whom I loved.
2. “The End Lights” by Bitter Bitter Weeks, from “Revenge.” This is one of those freebie tracks that I picked up from someplace and liked enough to keep it around, but not enough to be able to describe it without listening to it again.
3. “In My High School” by Blaine Larsen, from “Off to Join the World” (2005). This was an iTunes song of the week that I haven’t listened to since it came out, although I rated it four stars.
4. “Back in the U.S.S.R.” by the Beatles, from “Love” (2006).
5. “Tender Shepherd,” conducted by Grant Gershon, from “An Awfully Big Adventure: The Best of Peter Pan.” A compilation of Peter Pan songs from a variety of musicals and movies.
whiteray
We’re moving, so I’ve been packing . . . which means I didn’t get here until Sunday evening. Again, one for each word:
1. “Light at the End of the Tunnel” by Richie Havens from “Starlight Express,” 1987. I don’t know much about where this track came from. It might be a film soundtrack, for all I’ve been able to learn about it. But it’s Richie Havens, and that’s enough for me!
2. “Cruel Summer” by Bananarama, London 810 127, 1984. Eeek! It’s the 80s! A pretty good piece of pop anyway.
3. “Back On My Feet Again” by Randy Newman from “Good Old Boys,” 1974. Bouncy satire . . . by one of the masters.
4. “Nature Changes” by Hookfoot from “Hookfoot,” 1971. A friend suggested I give a few listens to this album that I missed long ago. Pretty good rock with some nice harp, so I’m still listening and enjoying it!
5. “Sunday School Blues” by Mylon Lefevre from “Mylon,” 1970. Now a biggie in Comtemp. Christian, Lefevre was a rocker for a short time in the early 70s. This is bluesy with some good rock guitar licks. Tasty.
6. “We Can Work It Out” by Paul McCartney from “Unplugged,” 1991. A good one, but not much to say . . .
pete
1. “Things Change” b y Dwight Yoakam, from The Very Best of Dwight Yoakam (2004) – tight pants, big hat, creepy actor in Sling Blade. I’ll never tire of Dwight’s music.
2. “Let’s Work (extended remix)” by Prince, from Controversy (1981). The inevitable Prince song – seems to appear on every Friday Five o’ mine.
3. “Back in the Hole” by Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons, from Mouthful of Copper (2003) – second time that Jerry has showed up in a 5 over the last few weeks. Hard driving guitar, yada yada…
4. “Backstreets” by Bruce Springsteen & the mutha&#$! E Street Band, from a live show at the Roxy in L.A., 7-7-78. Perfection.
5. “Work on Natty” by Culture, from Harder Than The Rest (1978). Roots rock reggae from one of Jamaica’s finest reggae bands.