Why did I have to break in, I only came here to talk

by anna at 05:40 PM on July 23, 2003

Seaside hotels advertise "oceanfront" or "ocean view" rooms. Seldom do they mention "overlooks municipal basketball court that opens at 8 AM and doesn't close until 10 PM." Yet that's precisely where I wound up in Wildwood. I've still got balls bouncing and sneakers sqeaking in my head.

So it's hardly a shocker that I spent my vacation sipping Bloody Marys wth my nose buried in a breezy summer read. High Fidelity was touted as a national bestseller but they neglected to mention that the nation was Britain. The book was full of English words like "cheeky" and "loo". Nonetheless, I discerned that it was a tale about three losers who run a record store that sells obscure music on vinyl.

These guys are obsessed with music nobody's ever heard of. They'd probably agree with George Thurogood's stock retort when asked why he didn't pen original songs: "Why should I when Chuck Berry already wrote them all?"

The narrator's lifetime dream is realized when a sexy reporter asks him to name his top five tunes of all times. He rattles off five but then keeps changing his mind. I decided to try the same exercise, only without the sexy reporter on my lap.

It proved harder than you might think. There's the temptation to omit something catchy and popular in favor of some old Howlin' Wolf number that will make your list seem more sophisticated. I also found myself trying to include a song by a classic band like Little Feat (Dixie Chicken?) or the Allman Bros Band (Melissa?) But none really measured up.

At any rate, here's what I eventually settled on:
Touch of Grey by the Grateful Dead: The couplet, "Know the rent is in arrears, that dog has not been fed in years, it's even worse than it appears but it's alright" pretty much sums up my own situation.
Fortunate Son by Credence Clearwater Revival: In the live version, John Fogerty cautions the audience not to read too much into it, because CCR was "apolitical." It reminds me of how Bob Dylan used to tell reporters that mostly he just tried to think up words that rhyme. Years later, Wrangler Jeans co-opted a snippet from this decidedly anti-patriotic song for its commercials. Bah!
Back on the Chain Gang by the Pretenders: Everyone can relate to finding an old photo of someone that brings bittersweet memories of a bygone relationship flooding back. In Chrissie Hynde's case, hers with Kinks frontman Ray Davies.
The Old Apartment by BareNakedLadies: Likewise, who hasn't considered revisiting the place where a tumultous relationship ultimately fell apart? Plus I love the idea of tearing the phone out of the wall. Damn telemarketers.
Omaha by Counting Crows: That sense of resigned hopelessness tempered by the cautious optimism of "It's Sunday morning, I'm coming home today" just slays me every time. Aside from perhaps Billy Corgin, no pampered millionaire does anguish better than Adam Duritz.

The Indigo Girls' Closer to Fine didn't make the final cut, primarily cuz I couldn't think of anything witty to say about such an earnest tune. And with that, I'd be interested to know your Deserted Island Ditties.

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Not in any particular order

Ghost : Indigo Girls : The only song that was so beautiful it made me cry when I heard it. Those lyrics are powerful.

Island : Heather Nova : Lyrics again. The song is about an abusive relationship and Heather Nova sings it with such passion that it's hard not to love it.

Motorcycle Drive By: Third Eye Blind : This song got me through a rough breakup. Very much about love and loss.

Kimberly Austin : Porno For Pyros : Austin wasn't her last name but this one conjures up images of a very good time in my life with a woman named Kim.

Something To Say : Toad The Wet Sprocket : Beautifully written and performed. I was walking by a music store and this was on. It stopped me in my tracks and I had to go in and buy the CD. I wasn't very good at the time but I listened to it over and over until I could play it on my guitar.

You're right Anna. This is a very daunting task. If you asked me the same question tomorrow you'd probably get an entirely different list. Music is so mood dependant that it's almost impossible to nail down five favorite songs that would stay the same day in and day out.

by Ezy at July 24, 2003 8:32 AM

In no particular order:

Until the end of the world,U2-Damn good song, and in my personal opinion, could have been there standard if it weren't for the success of "one"

Wish you were here, Pink Floyd (live version on "Pulse" album-by far one of the best "ballads" that this group has writen, Post-Wall. Live version, with acoustic guitar and David Gilmour is absolutely stunning. Gimour is a better singer the Roger Waters any day of the week.

Sunshine of your love, Cream-Damn good song, excellent guitar riffs and it has a beat that you can dance to.

Paint it Black, Rolling Stones-nuff said.

For the fifth and final song, it would either have to be a) Wide Awake in America (live version), U2-If you do not have this song somewhere, get it. b) Someone saved my life tonight, Elton John-Beautiful imagery and mellow with the paino and guitar or C) Big Empty by Stone Temple Pilots

Now, to further muddy the waters, the top five albums I would bring to a deserted Island would be:

1. U2, the best of, 1990-2000
2. Sting, Ten Summoners Tales
3. Immortal Beloved soundtrack (Beethoven at its best)
4. Queen, A Kind of Magic
5. Pearl Jam, 10

Top Five books on a deserted island would be tough, but easily doable:

1. Harry potter (there are two books left in the series, and if I have to make like the Professor and build a computer from coconuts so I can order it from BN.com, then I will)
2. The complete works of Shakespeare
3. The Ultimate Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
4. Beach Music, Pat Conroy
5. To The Nines, Janet Evanovich

by English at July 24, 2003 9:17 AM

I suck at top lists, especially with music. When people ask my favorite artist, I stand slack-jawed and paralyzed by my inability to decide.

My favorite book is Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

My favorite movies are Usual Suspects, Amelie, O Brother, Fight Club & Run Lola Run.

My favorite songs?? whhaaaaa............? Some I really dig: Can't You See?-Marshall Tucker Band, I Have the Touch- Peter Gabriel, My Time- Jane's Addiction, The Test- Chemical Brothers, Road to Nowhere- Talking Heads.

by Linz at July 24, 2003 9:43 AM

you like amelie? check this out: Gnomar the Gnome

by JC at July 24, 2003 10:06 AM

and thinking about my five favorite songs makes my head hurt...that's a damn hard thing to do! maybe i'll be able to come up with one in the future...

linz, have you seen boondock saints? how about lock stock & two smoking barrels? snatch?

by JC at July 24, 2003 10:09 AM

Hell yeah! Thanks JC. I love that movie more every time. The best kiss ever is in that movie, the kiss that makes me want to weep.
Have not seen boondock saints. Have seen most of Lock, Stock & 2 smoking barrels but passed out although I liked it; that was in college and I was exhausted the night snotty pretty-eyed clothes-loving boy popped it in. Snatch, didn't want to see til I watched LS&2SB again.

by Linz at July 24, 2003 10:16 AM

perhaps its the fact that i'm reading through high fidelity right now, or that you've piqued my interest with a particularly sensitive question. or maybe its that i keep meaning to respond to the characters on this list and i've just taken a particularly uninhibited, yet scratchy poo in the ladies room at work... my right this moment, top fivers:

bob dylan - girl from the north country
johnny cash covering will oldham's - i see a darkness
yo la tengo - autumn sweater
miles davis - flamenco sketches
bill withers - lovely day

wish tom waits, neil young, the sea and cake, the flaming lips, nick drake, the pixies could have made this cut. perhaps tomorrow.

by lajoie at July 24, 2003 1:55 PM

After reading this book I'll go out on a limb and speculate that Lajoie might be a Brit.

English, Wish You Were Here made my short list too. As did gin blossoms' Hey Jealousy, with its line, "You can see I'm in shape for driving and anyway I've got no place to go." As it turns out the guy who wrote this monster hit really did have a serious drinking problem and acted erratically as a result. So how did his bandmates demonstrate their gratitude after New Miserable Experience went platinum? By booting him out of the band. And look at them now, eking out a meager existence on the bar circuit. Ha!

He committed suicide right after his ouster.

by anna at July 24, 2003 6:01 PM

haha. it must have been the ladies room comment that made you think me a briton.

thinking way back, i thought it was..."i'm no shape for driving.." perhaps it always just made sense to me that way. like when i was a bit younger, and thought that Tina Turner was singing about "white slugs, got to doin' it" instead of "what's love got to do with it". to this day i can't decide if she was sexy or scary in thunderdome. same with grace jones. just not thunderdome.

by lajoie at July 24, 2003 6:37 PM

Anna, no offense, but I personally can not stand the song "Hey Jealousy". There is something about the layering of that particular piece of music that just sets my teeth on edge. In a similar vien is Blind Melons song about having tea, had a girl in a bee costume on the album cover. Hit song, heroin overdose and died on the tour bus. This was right around the time of Cobains death and it sort of made waves because the two were supposedly friends.
Honestly and truly, it is diificult if not damn near impossible to come up with a set in stone top ten or even top twenty. Come to think of it, I would love to have some Peter Gaberial in the list, as well as some Cure, Tears for Fears, REM, Metallica and even Guns and Roses perhaps, depending on the mood. However, thinking back in retrospect, you can not go wrong with some jazz, a little funk, and a record of the great one, Frank Sinatra.
By the way, Bono of U2 wrote a song for Sinatra after the "Duets" album came out. It is entitled "Two shots of happy, one shot of sad", and it will tear your heart out if you listen to it at the right emotional time in your life. It is on the B-side album titled "If God Will Send His Angels".
There is an interesting parallel that has been discussed between african slave songs and traditional irish songs , and that the combination of the two created modern day rock and spiritual music. It is discussed in "Until the End of the World" and a novel by Salman Rushdie, came out in 2000, and foir the life of me, I can not remember what the title is.

by English at July 24, 2003 10:49 PM

For the record it's "You can see I'm in no shape for driving..." and my wife hates that song too. She thinks the singer sounds all self-absorbed and pushy to boot.

I actually considered Guns n' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine but it's one of those highly commercial songs you hate to admit you like i.e. Goodbye Yellowbrick Road.

by anna at July 25, 2003 6:53 AM

I think Gin Blossoms have some very good music. Hey Jealousy isn't their best at all. It's still pretty catchy though. I think "Until I Fall Away" or "Found Out About You" is a better representation of what their music is about.

Grace Jones may be is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen. Tina Turner was hot and scary.

Today I think I would like to add Peter Gabriel "In Your Eyes", The Commodores "Sail On", Modest Mouse "Dramimine", RHCP "Soul To Squeeze", and A Perfect Circle "3 Libras" respectively.

I really used to love U2 until Bono got so full of himself. It seems like they are just going through the motions, musically, anymore. Bono seems more interested in saving the world. Their current songs don't have the passion of "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Gloria", or "I Will Follow." Just my opinion though.

by Ezy at July 25, 2003 10:18 AM

i agree. i agree. yes i agree. that blind melon song was a bit whiny, but if you have the time, take a moment to listen to some their other songs or albums. totally different story.

with regards to grace jones, not to get off the subject, i can remember this one time, sitting in a bar with my roomate's parents. his father and i got to talking, because his mother, sorry, mum, didn't like me much for some reason. as the talk progressed, the name grace jones came up. we both spoke up. i said "what a scary man that is!" and he said "what a sexy woman that is!". we said it simultaneously and at precisely the same volume. somehow we both heard exactly what the other one said, and then sat there in silence. for about a minute this went on. looking at our shoes, our hands, the things hanging from the wall, kicking at stains on the floor. finally he said "who's hungry?' and we left. one of my fondest memories.

by lajoie at July 25, 2003 10:54 AM

for lovers of pink floyd ('wish you were here'), maybe give a listen to a band called radar bros. another testament to how good that song is, and any other for that matter, is how often its get covered* on other albums really well. and that one's up there.

*no reference made to the guy who ALWAYS sits down at a party and plays the one song he knows on nearest available guitar or piano (see 'stairway to heaven' or 'imagine'). you know who you are. and you probably even got laid once.

by lajoie at July 25, 2003 1:04 PM

Agreed about Blind Melon, though I actually don't mind "No Rain." I was (please hold your fire!!) more saddened by his death than by Kurt Cobain's. Blind Melon seriously rocked.

I like U2's new stuff. I think they had a late 90's rut but I think they are coming back. I love the song "stuck in a moment." Nothing compares to "Bad" live, as English said, but I am not ready to say they've lost the magic.

Also, Lajoie, thank you so much for sharing that story. Oh, god. Oh, it's good.

More goodness: Tahitian Moon- Porno for Pyros, Walk on the Ocean- Toad the Wet Sprocket, Other Side- RHCP, Sho Nuff- Fat Boy Slim, Midnight Rider-Allman Bros, Close to Me- The Cure, Part of the Process- Morcheeba.

by Linz at July 25, 2003 1:04 PM

i was a bit mopey after mr. hoon died. actually got a little teary the first time i ever heard the song 'soul one' off the posthumous album called nico. it was in a record store, and no one was looking. totally underrated band. linz, glad i could brighten your morn.

today's five (nne for our swahili friends):
george harrison - ballad of sir frankie crisp
love - alone again, or
lucinda williams - jackson
pavement - summer babe
iggy pop - tonight

by lajoie at July 25, 2003 2:00 PM

Lajoie said "mum." I told you he/she was British. After reading High Fidelity I am hip to all that Brit talk.

by anna at July 25, 2003 5:17 PM

Okay...here we go----
To be quite frank and honest, the nineties were a bit of a transition phase. Bono and the band, it can be argued, merely reflected the selfishness and shallow needs of the fans around them. To further this point, look at some of the things they said, circa 93-97. POP was nothing more then self-loving and self-loathing, however for a first time techno album, it was decent. To be quite frank and honest, the "I want to save the world" U2 definately has more soul, passion then the current formation, however, the lyrics and the metaphors and the ability to connect on more then one level has always been there. Take for instance, the line about "preaching the sermon of the mount from the hood of your car."
In my opinion (and we know what people say about opinions), they are just as good now as they were before. And to be honest with you, it seems that this latest album had more influences from "classical" artists (i.e. Beatles, Dylan, Tom Petty) then any other.
Thanks for the tip concerning Blind melon, Linz. I will have to look into it. Also, Ezy, appreciate the info on the band. Definately something to look into.
To be honest, I have not paid a whole lot of attention to music inthe past five, six years. It just seems to me, and increasingly more people, that music, on the whole, is on a bit of decline due in part to pop princesses turned tarts, boy bands made for money, and supposed music stars who care more about what they look like on TRL or Rolling Stone, Source or any other music magazine.
In short, it is a sad state of affairs when we call music some guy digitally sampling a song )i.e. P. Diddy) and passing it of on his own. I think it is unfortunate that there are not enough bands out there in the world who use their own instruments to get a nice sound, and they rely too heavily on a synthesizer.
And just to throw a monkey wrench in the works, I see that no one has mentioned David Bowie. I think that this is a travesty because not only does he have some good music, but I do believe he is married to Grace Jones. Didn't she play an uberbich in a Conan movie?
Another person for consideration, (and this will either lose popularity points or gain them), what about the simple instrumentation of James Taylor? Terrific to listen to while driving along the Blue Ridge parkway.

by English at July 25, 2003 10:24 PM

I think Bowie's married to Iman the Somali model. And it's interesting you'd mention "P. Diddy." See above.

by anna at July 26, 2003 7:34 AM

bowie's great. adding to which, he writes stuff for other people like iggy pop's 'lust for life' album. speaking of forgotten writers of song or pop, i offer mark knopfler. dire straits, one of the more overlooked bands thanks to some questionable choices of singles and one 1980's flavored, campy, make neon head & wristbands popular, mtv before the gagging bullshit, video. his solo albums are pretty too. even a james taylor cameo on his latest, 'sailing to philadelphia'.

by lajoie at July 26, 2003 12:45 PM

Another top five:
1. Beethoven's "Appassionata" (Piano Sonata 23 in F minor, Op. 57)- it's dramatic, it's virtuoso, just amazing
2. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"- delightfully cynical
3. Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"- his voice then was just so amazing, and those mariachi trumpets are to die for
4. Underworld's "Pearl's Girl"- it makes me want to whirl like a dervish every time I hear it
5. Alison Krauss's "Down to the River to Pray"- I love bluegrass!

That's it, with some very severe trimming.

by jean at July 27, 2003 6:02 PM

I dig Cash's I Walk the Line. A song like that could not be written today. When he intones, "Because you're mine, I walk the line" he is implyng ownership of a woman as opposed to a relationship based upon mutual trust and fully informed consent.

by anna at July 28, 2003 6:47 AM

Jean, I actually got to play guitar with Alison Krauss at a bluegrass festival in Mt. Airy, NC. There was a group, of old timers, circled around picking and I asked if I could sit in. I loved bluegrass but didn't know any songs to play so I thought this would be a good way to learn. They said no problem and while we were playing Alison walks up and asks to sit in. Everyone was like "Whoa! You're Alison Krauss. Of course you can sit in." We played for an hour or so and she thanked everyone and went to go play her set. It was amazing. I've been to a lot of bluegrass festivals and it never fails to amaze me how accessable and nice the artists are. There is none of the "I'm a rock star. Bow before me." crap that is so prevalent in today's music scene. It's damn refreshing.

English, you may be right. I think Zooropa started my turning from their music and Pop just solidified it for me. I may have to keep an open mind and give the new one a listen.

As far as Gin Blossoms go pick up Outside Looking In: The Best of the Gin Blossoms. It has pretty much everything worth listening to that they've done.

As for balladeers James Taylor is amazing. I've seen him a couple of times and he sounds great live. I caught Dan Fogelberg a few months ago and was very surprised by how good he sounded. He played half of the show solo acoustic and half with his new band.

English, you should also check out Elliott Smith. He has some very good music.

by Ezy at July 28, 2003 12:02 PM

Ezy,

Would this Elliot Smith be the one who runs ith the band Elliot and the Untouchables? Its a bit of a local band that does blues and jazz and I have heard them a few times and they are real good.
At the same token, I do have to admit that "Zooropa" is one of my favorite albums of theirs. I don't know why, but it just has this weird European sound that struck a chord with me. Of course, when I heard it for the first time, I was in the middle my own transition in life, so perhaps that has something to do with it.
I had an exgirlfriend turn me on to James Taylor, and he is definately one of the bet balladeers of the last 50 years. He gave the commencement speech at some music school up north and all he said was "Play long, play honest, avoid drinking and drugs." In fact, he was in one of the worst movies ever, "Two Lane Blacktop". It makes Twin Peaks seem coherent.
Ya'll, thanks for the music tips. I will no go and spend my meager teachers salary on some music before school starts too soon! Have to agree with Johnny Cash--the Man in Black has been sorely underrepresented here. Another musical genius of sorts to consider: Peter Gaberial and Roy Orbison. What about the Stones? Or am I the only pseudo-British Invasion junkie in the group?

by English at July 28, 2003 11:19 PM

not my question to field, but what the fuck? elliott smith is his own entity, and not the same as above. he gets compared a lot to nick drake (noticibly conspicuous from this list. and please, if nothing else, check out his album pink moon. and if you drive a volkswagon, even better). his albums go from raw acoustic, to pretty lush beatlseque arrangements + melodies on the album xo. anything after xo is big studio fuckery, imho. he was originally in a seattle band called heatmiser, which i don't really know. but what's maybe more significant, is the other guy from that band went on to form the band quasi, which shares some of the lush melodies, but in more of a ben folds kind of way. really good too, but i like smith more.

by lajoie (of hall & oats) at July 29, 2003 12:02 AM

meant 'conspicuously absent'.

by lajoie at July 29, 2003 10:16 AM

LAJOIE would be correct. Elliott Smith is an amazing musician. Worth a listen.

Two Lane Blacktop made me want to kill myself. It was that bad. I have glimpsed hell no doubt.

by Ezy at July 29, 2003 1:06 PM

I like movies that make me suicidal, will check it out. Now for more fun with silly song lists:
Top five covers: Marianne Faithfull's version of Jagger-Richards' As Tears Go By, Lemonheads' frenetic take on Paul Simon's Mrs. Robinson, the Byrds melodic remake of Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man, Mott the Hoople's (and 10,000 Maniacs') slick versions of Lou Reed's rudimentary Sweet Jane and Guns n Roses' version of Jagger-Richards' Salt of the Earth. Love Axl Rose's aye, ayes, makes the song. Best one hit wonder: Procol Harem's A Whiter Shade of Pale.

by anna at July 29, 2003 5:18 PM

That is so darn crazy, Ezy. Lucky you! It is pretty sad how mainstream culture's creators (or should I say pawns? Like Avril Lavigne, boy bands, girl groups, etc.) are so isolated from their consumers (the fans). There's layers of entourage, roadies, assistants, managers, whatever. Those who never venture into more niche genres like bluegrass never get to know the kind of community of interests that it's possible to have.

by jean at July 30, 2003 2:47 AM

Too true Jean. That is one of the reasons mainstream music doesn't pique my interest very much. It's gotten too far from what it is supposed to be about, the music. I would much rather go catch an unsigned band or go to an underground MC battle than pay $45 to watch some tools pose, posture and make a half assed attempt to sound good, musically. I thought the 80s hair bands were the pinnacles of self indulgent "look at me but don't talk to me" rock stars. Today's uber brats make them look almost pale in comparison. Kind of makes you sick huh?

by Ezy at July 30, 2003 10:56 AM

there are so many other streams than the main one....ezy, you might like a guy called damien jurado. if you haven't already, check out his first 'rehearsals for departure' and go from there. one of the best indie folk guys out there. also on that line is nina nastasia. check out 'the blackened air'. kcrw out of l.a., on public radio, does a show called morning becomes eclectic. they're online and have a HUGE archive of live shows performed at their studios. great resource. ps. linz i noticed a bunch of ani difranco blog titles. you might like all this too.

by lajoie at July 30, 2003 10:24 PM

I've managed to save up roughly $21088 in my bank account, but I'm not sure if I should buy a house or not. Do you think the market is stable or do you think that home prices will decrease by a lot?

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Are you serious, you can't get a Bad Credit Auto Loans without getting some serious form of Auto Loan Refinance. Know what i mean? when I wanted my auto loans I went down to the bank and they rejected me. So I went online and saved a lot money.

by Auto Loans at May 17, 2006 4:57 PM

by Auto Loans at May 17, 2006 5:16 PM

by Auto Loans at May 17, 2006 5:47 PM

Why did I have to break in, I only came here to talk

by anna at 05:40 PM on July 23, 2003

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