The Friday Five: December 23, 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:
“Santa Claus” by Throwing Muses (from, Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Xmas, 1996)
This does not bode well. Here we are at the start of the final holiday themed Friday Five, and iTunes shuffles up the angst ridden in my library.
“It Must’ve Been Ol’ Santa Claus” by Harry Connick, Jr. (from, When My Heart Finds Christmas,1993)
Okay, this is a little bit better. Before Bublé came along, ol’ Harry was the crooner’s only hope. Which, of course, mandated that he release a holiday record every other year. This one, his first, was not awful.
“Last Christmas” by Wham! (from Music From the Edge of Heaven, 1986)
Somewhere in Manhattan, Jason Hare’s ears just perked up.
“Santa’s Beard” by The Beach Boys (from The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas, 1987)
I don’t care for this song, nope. Not at all. See Also: Fuck Mike Love.
“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love (from A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector, 1963)
Ok, I cheated. I broke the cardinal rule of the Friday Five. I purposely played this track. I did it, however, for a good reason: to remind all you good boys and girls to watch Late Night With David Letterman tonight to see Darlene Love perform her holiday classic. It has become a long standing tradition in the Parr household, and it really just isn’t Christmas until we sit down at that late hour to watch Ms. Love perform my favorite Christmas tune.
And with that, we conclude 2011’s holiday Five. I’d like to take a minute to thank every one of you that continue to support the Friday Five, and wish each of you a very merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, and a joyous new year.
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: December 16, 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:
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)” by Frank Sinatra (from Christmas With the Rat Pack, 2002)
This is a perennial favorite. The (somewhat) ironic thing is: this was not part of the music that I grew up with. Sinatra was, in the words of my parents, “old people music.”
“Winter Wonderland” by The Andrews Sisters (from The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas, Volume 2, 1987)
Without Bing, I don’t know that I care much for The Andrews Sisters.
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Michael Bublé (from Christmas, 2011)
Damn you, Michael Bublé. Damn you straight to hell.
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel (from Elf, 2003)
Wait up, Bublé; make room for Ms. Deschanel. Okay, to be fair, I love this version. Despite a deep, burning—not unlike the time Dave Lifton’s mom gave me the clap—dislike for Will Farrell, I love the film it comes from. For more unbridled scorn of Zooey head over to Popdose for today’s installment of Jeff Giles’ & Jason Hare’s Mellowmas.
“The Little Drummer Boy” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (from A Very Special Christmas, 1990)
I take no issue with Bob Seger’s overwrought, overproduced version of the holiday classic. Listen to those swelling synth pads and gospel choir vocals! This is what Christmas is about, y’all.
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: May 20, 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:
“Touch of Madness” by Night Ranger (from Midnight Madness, 1987)
Discussion around the Popdose water cooler has been buzzing about Night Ranger’s upcoming release, Somewhere in California, touting the return of “classic Night Ranger.” Perhaps predictably, Matt Wardlaw and Dave Steed are in a tizzy and Jeff Giles (Y’all) has to replace his monitor.
Oh, and will you look at that; Matt even wrote about it!
“Dance the Night Away” by Van Halen (from Best Of, Volume 1, 1996)
Since we’re all doomed in the next 48 hours, I might as well go ahead and let you all know that this is, hands down, without a doubt or question, my favorite Van Halen song. It’s the perfect example of the band’s ability to balance pop perfection and hard rock hooks.
“Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles (from A Hard Day’s Night, 1964)
I’m debating listening to Abbey Road, Let it Be and Purple Rain all day Saturday. I’m not buying into this rapture bullshit, but if something is going down, I might as well go ahead and listen to my favorite records, right?
“Porch” by Pearl Jam (from Ten, 1991)
“What the fuck is this world running to?” Okay, enough of this end of the world crap.
“The Best of My Love” by The Eagles (from The Very Best of The Eagles, 2003)
When I heard the first strum, I was reminded of a story I read once. You should go and read it, but make sure you come back and leave your five!
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: June 18, 2010
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:
“She” by Kiss (from Double Platinum, 1978)
I’ll admit to having a Beavis moment when this shuffled up first. No one does big dumb rock n’ roll better than Kiss. Well, early ‘70s Kiss, at any rate; I’m still not sure that I’d be willing to give it to them for anything past Dynasty. My Mother love telling the story of how, as a little kid, I would run screaming from my older cousin’s room, afraid of his black light Kiss posters. Thanks, Mom!
“Nothin’ at All” by Heart (from Heart, 1985)
It may be formulated arena rock, but I can’t help but love ‘80s Heart. I swear, to this day I will stop and turn up any of these singles when the come on the radio.
“La Isla Bonita” by Madonna (from The Immaculate Collection, 1990)
Someone needs to mash up Madge, Gaga and Ace of Base, because I’d probably pay to hear a masterful mix of “La Isla Bonita,” “Don’t Turn Around” and “Alejandro.” Fuck, as I’m listening to this song I’m singing “Don’t call my name, don’t call my name, Alejandro” in my head and it’s awesome.
“I’m the Magnificent” by Special Ed (from Youngest in Charge, 1989)
This is one of those party bomb records. Back in my DJ days, I always had a stash of record that would guarantee to get everyone on the floor and shaking their asses, and this was at the top of the heap, right next to “It Takes 2.” Hell, this came on in the headphone and I started wiggling in my seat.
“And We Danced” by The Hooters (from Nervous Night, 1985)
The iPod must know that I’m going to see Acoustic ‘80s tonight! Which reminds me, if you are in NYC, come on down to Wicked Willy’s – 149 Bleeker St (Laguardia Street) – and there is a good chance that you’ll find a slew of your favorite writers all rocking out to the acoustic styling’s of Jason Hare and Michael Burke. Now, I’ve just got to convince them to play this song!
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: May 21, 2010
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:
“Lenny” by Stevie Ray Vaughn (from Texas Flood, 1983)
The story behind “Lenny,” the guitar and a song, is nothing short of beautiful. I’m not sure that I’ve told it before – and if I have, humor me – but it goes like this: Vaughn finds a ’65 Strat in an Austin pawnshop that, despite being refinished and looking every bit its age, he was smitten with. The problem was the $350 price tag was out of reach for the struggling blues man and his wife. With his birthday coming up, Lenora reached out to local friends and gathered the cash for the guitar and presented him with it at a birthday gig. That night he sat down and wrote the instrumental tribute to his wife Lenny on that same guitar, the rest is history.
“Got to Be Real” by Cheryl Lynn (from The Disco Years, Vol. 2: On the Beat, 1990)
I’m a sucker for a great disco tune. Knock it all you like; but there was some solid musicians driving those tunes that still don’t get the respect they deserve. Take Cheryl Lynn’s brilliant “Got to Be Real,” for example; a peek under the covers reveals Toto’s David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and Ray Parker Jr. performing the Paich/David Foster penned track. Okay, maybe this was a bad example. Either way, I love this tune.
“I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5 (from Greatest Hits, 1971)
“Aw baby, give me one more chance,” an impassioned far beyond his age Michael Jackson pleads. How the hell he was able to muster up the cojones to sing like that is a mystery.
“Just not Just” by The Guggenheim Grotto (from Happy the Man, 2008)
I’m not going to mince words here, The Guggenheim Grotto just released their new record The Universe is Laughing and you can should purchase it here.
“Almost Paradise” – Mike Reno & Ann Wilson (from Footloose, 1981)
Most of you are aware of my friend and Popdose colleague Jason Hare. If you pay close enough attention you are also aware of his plethora of musical projects, but you may not be aware of his altruistic nature and huge heart. Those two worlds came together last Saturday night, when he played a benefit show to “KICK CANCER’S A**!” to raise money to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Jason, along with his wife Jessica, is running the 2010 NYC Triathlon and raising money in the process – you can learn more, and help here. At any rate, one of the highlights of the show was the Acoustic ‘80s performance of the love theme from Footloose by Jason, along with guest vocalist Jennifer Gembs. The tune has always been a favorite of mine, and I swear I squealed like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert when they started playing it.
What’s on your shuffle today?