The Friday Five: August 19, 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:
“Look Sharp!” by Joe Jackson (from Look Sharp!, 1979)
Why are you yelling at me, Joe Jackson?
“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” by Bob Dylan (from MTV Unplugged, 1995)
Indeed.
“Wake Up Everybody (live in studio performance)” by John Legend & The Roots (from Wake Up!, 2010)
Why do these album titles keep yelling at me? Look Sharp! Wake Up!
“Team” by Bon Iver (from For Emma, Forever Ago, 2008)
I still fail to see what everyone loves about Bon Iver.
“Girl” by The Beatles (from Rubber Soul, 1965)
Sweet finish to summer’s penultimate Friday Five.
What’s on your shuffle today?
18 Comments
David_E
1. Snow And Lights – Explosions In The Sky (How Strange Innocence). Second hottest summer on record in Dallas. Snow couldn’t be further from reality.
2. Fury – Prince (3121). A sideways version of 1999.
3. Right Down The Line – Gerry Rafferty (City To City). I am fully convinced that, if you listen carefully, you can hear the backing band fall asleep.
4. Country Death Song – Violent Femmes (Hallowed Ground). All aboard the train to Winter’s Bone!
5. Don’t Do Me Like That (Live) – Tom Petty (Live Bootleg). Love love love love love. One of my top five Petty tracks. Always shocks me to think he didn’t want to record this for Damn The Torpedos.
Michael Parr
The version of “Fury” on 3121 always left me flat, especially considering how strong it is live.
David_E
Oh man, he SLAYED it on SNL, didn’t he?
Michael Parr
Indeed!
dslifton
“Church” – Outkast. It’s hard not to love Outkast, even for a guy like me who doesn’t get much of hiphop.
“Lovesong Of The Buzzard” – Iron & Wine. They’re perfect for when I need calming down. That’s not now, though.
“Soon Enough” – Constantines. A friend has been trying to get me into them for years, but I only have a few songs by them. This one’s pretty good.
“Without You (My World Is Lonely)” – Marvin Gaye. Pretty sure that this came from the Norman Whitfield session that produced “Grapevine.” Marvin had everything – he could belt, croon, write, and arrange. And he pissed it away. I hate cocaine.
“Christmas” – The Who (9-29-69). From the famous show at the Concertgebouw.
Matt Springer
1. “Mohammed’s Radio” (Live, from Stand in the Fire), Warren Zevon: Don’t it make you wanna rock ‘n’ roll/all night long?
2. “Lucy,” The Divine Comedy: This is the alias for Neil Hannon, who does some of the best ornate, swinging chamber pop you will find.
3. “Po’ Boy,” Bob Dylan: Been thinking about Love and Theft lately as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. The album came out that day. I love it to pieces but it will also be attached for me always with that week after the tragedy, which was when I met my wife. Long story.
4. “Where Is My Love,” Lucinda Williams: Oh, Lucinda.
5. “Burning Buildings,” Elton John: The eighties were not great to Elton, but it wasn’t all bad.
Anonymous
“Love is Won” by Lia Ices from Grown Unknown (2010). This is such a gorgeous song from a lovely album. I recommend you check Lia out if you’re a fan of artists like St. Vincent, Bat for Lashes and Feist.
“Master’s Hands” by Charlotte Gainsbourg from IRM (2009). I love Charlotte’s voice and Beck’s production on this record really brings out the best in her talents.
“Free Your Mind” by EnVogue from Funky Divas (1992). Now we’re kicking things up a notch. These ladies are so badass.
“Scream” by Kelis from Flesh Tone (2010). Good job, shuffle! That’s a great follow-up to “Free Your Mind.”
“The Needle and the Damage Done” by Neil Young from Harvest (1972). Whoa, shuffle. Way to end this week on a downer.
Phil
Anthrax – “Contact”/”What Doesn’t Die” (We’ve Come for You All, 2003)
Pointless album intro song “Contact” was first up today, so I’m going to cheat and include the second track from the disc “What Doesn’t Die.” Combined they form an excellent opening from one of my favorite Anthrax albums. This album is suited in every way for John Bush’s growling, aggressive vocals, and it is the release that actually got me excited about Anthrax again after the easy-to-overlook albums that followed 2001’s Sound of White Noise. It’s a shame this was Bush’s last proper release with the band before the reunion tour with Belladonna and all the soap opera-ish antics began.
Robert Plant and Tori Amos – “Down By The Seaside” (Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
There are a lot of good covers of Zep tunes on this disc. Too bad this isn’t one of them.
Anthrax – “Strap It On” (We’ve Come for You All, 2003)
Another track from this album?! What’s up with your shuffle randomization algorithm, iTunes? Hey, works for me. And despite what the title implies, this song is about strapping on your guitar and thrashing out old-school style. Get your mind out of the gutter. Guitar solo courtesy of the late, great “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott.
Nirvana – “Breed” (Nevermind, 1991)
OK, I guess I’m one of those weird metalheads that doesn’t blame the Seattle grunge scene for killing metal. Some of those bands really needed to go away anyway. Good riddance. That being said, I’m also not one of those guys that thinks this was a perfect album or that Kurt Cobain’s entrance onto the music scene ranks up there with the Second Coming. As for the song itself, it’s definitely one of the better tracks off the album.
Caedmon’s Call – “There’s a Stirring” (my calm // your storm, 1994)
Speaking of the Second Coming, the last track for today is from my one-time favorite folk-/acoustic-based Contemporary Christian band. Slower live track with excellent harmony vocal arrangement accompanied by all manner of acoustic guitars, double-bass, percussion, and even a fiddle (or violin if you’re a fancy-pants music kind of person). Nice way to end this Friday Five.
Chris Holmes
Woah, new site design! Anyway…
1. “Patterns of Power” by Gruff Rhys – Damn, Hotel Shampoo is an excellent album. I could listen to this sort of quirky but mannered Britpop all day.
2. “Somebody Get Me a Doctor” by Van Halen – This is from the Gene Simmons demo sessions. A much drier sound than the version on VH2, but the power is still on full display.
3. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley – From the Complete ’68 Comeback Special set. I’ve grown to appreciate Elvis much more in recent years, and this is a great song. Elvis has a lot of fun with this take.
4. “Brakes” by De La Soul – Well this is a change of pace. Good track though.
5. “Baby I’m Yours” by Peter & Gordon – I find P&G’s material pleasant enough, but it all sounds like a slightly wimpy hybrid of Beatles and the Everly Brothers.
Anonymous
1. “Will It Go Round In Circles” – Billy Preston – The Best of Billy Preston
Billy Preston, gotta love him!
2. “Move Over Mama” – Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River BluesI seem to have a theme going for the Harlem River 2 weeks in a row now!3. “It’s Your Thing” – The Isley Brothers – Out Of Sight4. “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” – Hank Snow – Essential Hank SnowWhoa, there’s my childhood sneaking in here! My dad would be proud of me today for including this song!5. “Bon Temps Rouler” – David Lindley – Live with Jools Holland
Let ’em roll!
Pete
Happy Friday! Shuffling from my Rdio collection this morning…
1. “Palatero” – Latin Playboys
2. “Two Beads At The End” – Minutemen
3. “Get Better Soon” – What Laura Says
4. “Ain’t No Need Of Crying” – Clifton Chenier
5. “Dialog With The Devil (Or “Why Don’t We Celebrate”)” – Bruce Cockburn
Anonymous
1. James Brown — “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” (Star Time)
2. Allen Toussaint — “Blue Drag” (The Bright Mississippi)
3. Joe Henderson — “No More Blues” (Double Rainbow: The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim)
4. Joe Lovano — “Birds Of Springtimes Gone By” (Quartets: Live At The Village Vanguard)
5. Cassandra Wilson — “Never Broken” (Traveling Miles)
Anonymous
The Twilight House-Hitsville House Band from 12:00 Stereo-This is a Wreckless Eric side project. And since I love everything Wreckless Eric, I love this song.
Oh What a Good Thing We Have-Johnny and June Carter Cash from Duets. Not JC’s best song, but not his (or her) worst.
Long, Long, Long, Beatles White Album
B Movie-Elvis Costello. Back when he made good songs.
Rush-BAD. Love BAD, love this song. Still.
Zack Stiegler
1. Prince-The Rest of My Life
2. Annie-Marie Cherie
3. Love is All-Early Warnings
4. Analog Brothers-Analog Anilalator
5. Jamie Lidell-Wait for Me
EightE1
Anita Baker,”Body and Soul.” A perfect pop song, sung by a perfect pop singer … until the fake ending. My love for this song is absurd and unyielding … until the fake ending.
George Harrison, “It’s Johnny’s Birthday.” Playful, bizarre. Blissfully short.
Beck, “Lazy Flies.” Sea Change was phenomenal, but Mutations was pretty great, too.
Cheap Trick, “If It Takes a Lifetime.” Still viable and rockin’, after all these years.
Buddy Guy, “She Got the Devil in Her.” Well, it certainly sounds like it.
Anonymous
Cool Friday Five. Buddy Guy rules. That Sweet Tea album has a power that can’t be denied. “Body And Soul” is one of Anita’s finest despite the fake ending. I did chuckle at your description.
Dennis Corrigan
Getting my Friday Five in before the storm knocks out power:
1. “Brother Sport” by Animal Collective from Merriweather Post Pavilion. Have to admit, I don’t get the appeal of these guys
2. “Goodnight Tonight” by Paul McCartney & Wings from Wingspan
3. “I’ll Be Waiting” by Adele from 21 I need to give this record a much better listen than I’ve been able to yet. Fortunately there’s some solid airplane time in my future
4. “Mountains” by Prince from Under the Cherry Moon yesssssir
5. “Michigan (Live at QEH London)” by Josh Rouse from the Summertime: Noisetrade Sampler – a 25 song collection that they were giving away for free earlier this summer. Always enjoy hearing him
Hope you hear something good this weekend!
Dennis Corrigan
Getting my Friday Five in before the storm knocks out power:
1. “Brother Sport” by Animal Collective from Merriweather Post Pavilion. Have to admit, I don’t get the appeal of these guys
2. “Goodnight Tonight” by Paul McCartney & Wings from Wingspan
3. “I’ll Be Waiting” by Adele from 21 I need to give this record a much better listen than I’ve been able to yet. Fortunately there’s some solid airplane time in my future
4. “Mountains” by Prince from Under the Cherry Moon yesssssir
5. “Michigan (Live at QEH London)” by Josh Rouse from the Summertime: Noisetrade Sampler – a 25 song collection that they were giving away for free earlier this summer. Always enjoy hearing him
Hope you hear something good this weekend!