The Friday Five: June 24, 2011
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, 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 Five:
“Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa (from The Hip Hop Box, 2004)
What ever happened to Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor?
“Seeing Things” by The Black Crowes (from Shake Your Money Maker, 1990)
Any group that can successfully cop the soul and emotion—not to mention the chord progression—of Otis’ “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember,” and manage to do it well? Well, shit … they can do no wrong in my book. I don’t recall hearing this on the radio, despite it being a single.
“Love Is” by Chrisette Michelle (from I Am, 2007)
A perfectly simple declaration of love. The mainstream is still sleeping on Chrisette Michelle, which boggles my mind. She’s got jazz chops for days with the ability to rock a mainstream R&B track with the rest of them.
“Through Glass” by Amy Petty (from House of Doors, 2010)
One of my favorite records of last year, this song still rocks me to my core.
“Beat It” by Michael Jackson (from Number Ones, 2003)
Tomorrow is the second anniversary of Michael’s passing. It’s strange to think that we live in a world without Michael Jackson. A figure that had been omnipresent—for better, or for worse—in all of our lives for the better part of the last 35 years, it is still odd to realize he’s gone. Tomorrow I’ll undoubtedly pull out the entire catalog and hit the shuffle button, letting fate lead me through his incredible discography.
What’s on your shuffle today?
13 Comments
Mike Duquette
1. The Police, “Synchronicity I”: while it’s not my favorite of the tracks named “Synchronicity” on “Synchronicity” (that would go to the hard-rocking “Sychronicity II”), this is a killer listen. The layers of Sting’s vocals are delightful.
2. The Beatles, “Baby It’s You”: a lively enough track from “Please Please Me” (heard here in glorious mono) – not one of the most ear-catching, but it’s a Bacharach/David composition, so it gets some points for sure.
3. The Smiths, “I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish”: I still don’t understand how “Strangeways, Here We Come” is considered by both Morrissey and Marr to be The Smiths’ best work (although their non-LP singles from the era are airtight), but the parade-from-hell stomp on this track almost entirely makes up for whatever Moz is doing that makes him sound like Louis Armstrong toward the end of the tune.
4. Material Issue, “Crazy”: although I haven’t really given the 20th anniversary edition of “International Pop Overthrow” as close a listen as I would have liked at this point in time, I love it quite a bit. Power pop at its grin-inducing best.
5. R.E.M. “Gardening at Night”: British rock and jangly pop hooks? This has been the best Friday Five in awhile.
Michael Parr
You know, Mike, one of these days you are going to have to have a Britney Spears or *NSync track show up in your Friday Five.
Let the record show that both of those artists hold residence in my library, and could pop up at any time, so it isn’t like I’m going to tease him for it.
Anonymous
1. Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden – “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” (Jasmine)
2. Cee Lo Green – “Satisfied” (The Ladykiller)
3. Prince – “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” (The Hits/The B-Sides)
4. Kelly Willis – “Fading Fast” (What I Deserve)
5. Geri Allen – “Daybreak And Dreams” (The Gathering)
Anonymous
1. Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden – “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” (Jasmine)
2. Cee Lo Green – “Satisfied” (The Ladykiller)
3. Prince – “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” (The Hits/The B-Sides)
4. Kelly Willis – “Fading Fast” (What I Deserve)
5. Geri Allen – “Daybreak And Dreams” (The Gathering)
Anonymous
1. “Have You Ever Loved A Woman” – Eric Clapton – 24 Nights
2. “Mainstreet” – Bob Seger – Bob Seger Greatest Hits
3. “You Can Leave Your Hat On” – Joe Cocker – The Best of Joe Cocker
4. “Every Morning” – Keb’ Mo’ – Keb’ Mo’
5. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan – The Essential Bob Dylan
Anonymous
“Too Funky” by George Michael from Ladies and Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998). “Will you stop playing with that radio of yours? I’m trying to get to sleep!”
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Loretta Lynn from Gold (2006). Well, now I want to watch the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter.
“Give Me Your Face” by the Young Snakes from Bark Along with the Young Snakes (1982). This was Aimee Mann’s first band, before ‘Til Tuesday. Their sound was a little more punk than ‘Til Tuesday and Aimee’s voice was a lot more raw. Still, pretty good stuff.
“Behind the Groove” by Teena Marie from Lady T (1980). This is probably my favorite Teena Marie song. Still can’t believe she’s gone.
“The Ghost of Stephen Foster” by Squirrel Nut Zippers (1998). It may make me uncool to say I like them, but I do. Saw them live several times during their heyday and their shows were tons of fun. So there.
Anonymous
I’m uncool too, then, I guess. I always thought they were fun, and really got a charge out of their Christmas album.
dslifton
“Glad” – Traffic. One of those songs I love but whose name I can never place. An incredible jam.
“Time Is Running Wild” – Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Not one of his best, but still a pretty good song.
“Machine Gun Ibiza” – Prefab Sprout. Sometimes I have problems with the Sprouts’ production. Those synths haven’t aged very well. But Jordan: The Comeback is full of beautiful songs that still sound great.
“Change Of Heart” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. I love to point to this as one of those moments where Petty didn’t really have a whole helluva lot, but his pop sensibilities and that band, especially Mike Campbell, make it seem like a masterpiece.
“Soulful Shade Of Blue” – Neko Case. Please have that restraining order lifted, Neko.
Dennis Corrigan
I think she’s got restraining orders on most of us
dslifton
When I decided to move to Chicago, I had this vision that I would soon meet and I would become her muse. Then I heard she was living in Arizona and was about to move to Vermont.
I am the worst stalker ever.
de10ero
Syl Sylvain & the Teardrops-Dance Dance Dance
With a wink and a nod to Dylan’s Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
The Who- Baby Don’t You Do It
Further evidence that Keith Moon was one hell of a drummer
Garland Jeffreys-Rock On
The King Of In Between’s neat hidden track
Bo Diddley-Who Do You Love
Shave and a haircut, two bits
The Saw Doctors-Red Cortina
Lovely acapella update of one of their own
Dennis Corrigan
Procrastinating while I should still be consolidating my CD’s into binders, here’s my Friday Five:
1. “Some Days Are Better Than Others” by U2 from Zooropa. Kind apropos after a pretty lousy day in the office. What an uneven mess of a record. Saw them on a, surprise, rainy night at RFK in DC on the Zoo TV tour. They were so far away I might as well have been back home in Fairfax.
2. “Woman” by John Lennon originally from Double Fantasy this one from the Lennon box set. The first rock star death that really hit me kind of hard, a feeling that we all unfortunately felt again this week.
3. “Streetlights” by Josh Rouse from Nashville. I was chatting on Twitter recently with @blerdguy:twitter about Rouse & we agreed he’s a guy we don’t listen to enough, but really like when we do. You can still get a free 25 song sampler here: http://bit.ly/lmNa7t
4. “Rag Mama Rag” by the Band from the Last Waltz box set. I’m going to see Levon & Emmylou Harris next month in Central Park – can’t wait!
5. “Ngicabange Ngaqeda” by Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo from The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Volume One. First, I did have to copy the title & artist from my iTunes tag. This record of Black South African artists presaged Paul Simon’s Graceland, and as much as I love that LP, this one is incredible. In fact, I’m going to put the whole thing on as I get back to the CD’s
Hope you hear something good this weekend!
Anonymous
1. “Pleasure Beach”- Hall and Oates from Along the Red Ledge, 1978.
Hyped-up John Oates rocker that is supposed to evoke a rollercoaster ride or something like that. Overshadowed by what came soon after, Red Ledge is a very underrated and overlooked H&O record, with a pretty varied stylistic palette if you ask me. And even if you don’t.
2. “I Need Love”- Deep Purple from Come Taste the Band, 1975.
The only classic Purp record not to feature Ritchie Blackmore, instead spotlighting replacement lead guitarist Tommy Bolin, who was equal to the task. I loved his solo albums, as well as his occasional band affiliated releases, and it was definitely a shame that he couldn’t leave the bad shit alone, which caused him to check out early not too long after this saw release. This was also the period in which Dave Coverdale and Glenn Hughes shared lead vocals and wrote most of the songs, so there’s plenty of lunkheaded songs about the perfidy of wimmen and other recycled blues cliches. Still, Bolin’s so damned good that I can cheerfully ignore most of it and even grin when Coverdale sings (in another song) “Groovin’ to American Bandstand/B.B. on stage with Lucille…”.
3. Born Loose- Rod Stewart from Footloose and Fancy Free (1977)
Footloose was the album in which Rod went over to the dark side forever, but that’s not to say that there weren’t still some good cuts. This one, God help me, reminded me of the Faces when I listened to it the other day, and I’ve never thought that before.
4. “Pretty Thing”- The Jayhawks from Smile (2000)
No great shakes lyrically, but this does have a nice rolling groove. I thought that this album was an overproduced, compromised-sounding disappointment when I heard it originally, but 11 years later I still dig it out and listen to it once in a while.
5. “The Man is Mine”- Heart from Private Audition (1982)
A “hit single” (Wikipedia) that nobody remembers now (and I don’t think it went all that high on the charts), it’s a bopping “back off” statement with a doo-woppish chorus that was kinda unusual for them at the time, stylistically. Overall, though, I like the Private Audition album, and I think it’s underrated just like the Hall & Oates album above. Symmetry!