The Friday Five: January 8, 2010
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The File:
1. “6 Underground (Filla Brazillia remix #1)” by Sneaker Pimps (from Abstract Vibes 2 More Vibes, 1997)
Is it possible that the ’90s produced more one-hit wonders than any previous decade? Sometimes, it certainly seems like it. Case in point; British trip-hop group Sneaker Pimps, whose 1996 track “6 Underground” was inescapable. Adopted by mainstream pop and alternative radio, not to mention being featured in a slew of movies and television shows, the track was and still is the most homogenized distillation of the genre. File this one under my “guilty pleasures.”
2. “Mean Mr. Mustard” by The Beatles (from Anthology 3, 1996)
One of the great things that the Anthology series provided was a peek behind the curtain, showing — warts and all — the recording process behind some of the Fab Four’s greatest songs.
3. “The Little Things Give You Away” by Linkin Park (from Minutes to Midnight, 2007)
Despite their entire discography lurking in the corners of my library, I rarely listen to anything from Linkin Park. I’d say this track is pretty indicative of the reason why.
4. “Work for the Working Man” by Bon Jovi (from The Circle, 2009)
This is just plain awful. It’s not bad enough that the band has recycled the bass line from “Living on a Prayer,” but to add insult to injury, they’ve done so behind an shamefully disingenuous attempt to play on the struggles of the “working man.”
5. “Fifty Years After the Fair” by Aimee Mann (from Whatever, 1995)
Add Roger McGuinn’s signature 12-string chime to Aimee Mann’s beautiful voice and you’ve got the recipe for magic. I have not listened to this record in probably six or seven years, time to rectify that.
What’s on your shuffle today?
12 Comments
Anonymous
1. Digital Underground – The Higher Heights of Spirituality
Brief, mellow interlude from Sons of the P.
2. Stereo MCs – Everything
I still dig the Connected and Deep Down and Dirty LPs now and then.
3. ATCQ – Push it Along
I haven’t listened to People’s Instinctive Travels…in a while. Maybe I should pop that on.
4. Annie – Anniemal intro
Man, another intro/segue? I’m getting ripped off on this Five!
5. The Roots – 100% Dundee
From Things Fall Apart, probably still my favorite Roots album.
Gonzo
Crap, the above was me. Whoops.
Bill C
1. How Can I Face Tomorrow-Patsy Cline.
Any day that starts with Patsy Cline is going to be a great day. She is still the greatest singer of our time, IMHO.
2. Gotta Get Up Every Morning To Say Goodnight To You-Junior Brown
Most of Junior Brown’s music sounds the same, but that’s ok. He is a great craftsman and an incredible guitar player.
3. Room With a View-Smithereens. Man, I love the Smithereens. This is a great son.
4. It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding-Bob Dylan, Live at Budokan. This is the probably the weirdest version of this song that I have. I am used to Dylan re-making his songs but this one is way off kilter. A dramatic reinterpretation. I can just imagine how the Japanese audience took it.
5. Boy-The Beatles.
What a great song, and a great way to end my 5.
EightE1
Johnny Cash, “The Big Battle.” The story of a weary soldier, begging his commander to call the whole thing off. He won’t, of course; the battle will continue on, in the hearts of the survivors and the families of the fallen. This is kinda like a John Wayne movie, set to music.
Bob Dylan, “Every Grain of Sand.” Arguably his finest song in the “Christian phase” of his career. “In the fury of the moment / I can see the Master’s hand / In every leaf that trembles / In every grain of sand.” Such a beautiful way to turn a phrase. The thing that turned me and others off was the judgmental tone of the bulk of those songs. There’s none of that here — just a meditation on the small things to be thankful for, and a modicum of praise, as well.
Kenny Loggins, “Danger Zone.” Jesus-freakin’-Christ. I love how Loggins, on one of his Greatest Hits collections, wrote little epigrams for each song, except this one and “Meet Me Half Way,” his soundtrack hits. Why so miserable, Ken? Nobody put a gun to your head to make this shit. You probably made a fair bit of coin from it as well. That said, “Danger Zone” truly blows.
Jayhawks, “Tailspin.” I teared up the first time I heard this song, driving out of work on a Saturday. I felt like I was in a tailspin, running out of my head.
David Gray, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.” A Soft Cell cover, from White Ladder. So closely tied into the fall and early winter of 2000 for me, when, at 30, I finally grew up a bit and put some of my longest-held, best-worn desires to rest. The lyrics of the verses — about a nasty breakup — really didn’t register with me at the time. Gray’s delivery, and that amazing refrain, stretched out forever, is what did it. That and the two Van Morrison quotes at the end. Just perfect. Even now, almost 10 years on, I *feel* it.
Anne
1. “Tell Me Baby” Red Hot Chili Peppers, from “Stadium Arcadium” I like their earlier albums better but this is good for working out to.
2. “Hurtin’ You” Ben Kweller from “Changing Horses” Nice album.
3. “Better Living Through Chemistry” Queens of the Stone Age from “Rated R”
4. “Que’ Onda Guero” Beck from “Guero”–Love this song, love the album.
5. “Long, Long, Long” The Beatles from “The White Album”–not my favorite Beatles song.
Side note–left shuffle on and the next song was “Helter Skelter” from U2. I like when my shuffle shows song connections between songs. And lets face it, the above 5 songs are not connected well.
Flaregun
1. C’mon Every Beatbox – Big Audio Dynamite
2. Theme For A Nude Beach – The B-52’s
3. Frankenstein – New York Dolls
4. The Drugs Don’t Work (acoustic) – Richard Ashcroft
5. Onda – Los Lonely Boys.
I really do have a lot of remixes on my ipod – please don’t judge me by this list.
Michael
No worries, this is a judgment-free zone.
Pete
I want to be a modernaire.
Modernaire modernaire.
1. “Franz Hanzerbeak” – Tea Leaf Green
2. “Are You Tired Of Me Darling” – Nanci Griffith
3. “Railroad Lady” – Jerry Jeff Walker
4. “Pretty Dancer” – Mos Def
5. “Modernaire” – Dez Dickerson
Gonzo
@Pete-
“Pess-i-mis-tic at-tit-udes!”
Pete
LOL… spot on!
Ken
Jay-Z – So Ambitious
Bee Gees – First of May
Levon Helm – I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
Gomez – Lost Track
fun. – At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)
Richard
1) Mayfair Song – Air
From the Pocket Symphony album. I love pretty much anything by Air.
2) Ready or Not – Fugees
A classic
3) Don’t Cry Daddy – Elvis Presley
4) The Girl from Ipanema – Frank Sinatra
5) Fizheuer Zieheuer – Ricardo Vilalobos
What a random selection! Great idea though.