Saturday

Elvis Presley: Mystery Train

[purchase]

Does his music still matter today? Why or why not?

Discuss...

Friday

Wilco: When The Roses Bloom Again

[purchase]

Speaking of Billy Bragg and Wilco's Mermaid Avenue, which is a truly excellent album, brings to mind this song. Originally recorded for Mermaid Avenue, it was pulled at the last minute when it was discovered not to be a Woody Guthrie composition. If anybody has a copy of the Carter Family version, feel free to post it in the comments...

Discuss...

Thursday

Billy Bragg: The Short Answer

[out of pint]

Well, apparently yesterday's selection was a real stinker. No comments and almost no downloads. (Compare to Neil Diamond which nobody would admit to liking, but which still generated a heavy amount of downloads.) Remember, we want NEGATIVE comments too, if you are so inclined.

Anyway, today's fine tune is our attempt at redemption.

"If she wanted to be a farmer's wife, I would endure that muddy life..."

Discuss (please)...

Wednesday

David & David: Welcome to the Boomtown

[purchase]

OK. Big change of pace here. Need to shake things up a bit. Does anybody remember this one-"hit" wonder from 1987? It's pretty poppy. It's VERY eighties. And I really like it. So sue me.

"Miss Christina drives a nine four four. Satisfaction oozes from her pours..."

Discuss...

Tuesday

Handsome Family: Tin Foil

[out of print]

This post honors rockrobster23 for listening to "Handsome Family radio" on last.fm. Its probably somewhere south of "Radiohead radio" in terms of popularity, but full of surprises, like yesterday's feature, Jim White.

Remember when Skylab fell? Remember Evel Knievel? It's all here in the lead track off of Invisible Hands, released in 1997 by Chicago's leading neo-traditional folk rockers: Handsome Family.

Discuss...

Monday

Jim White: Book Of Angels

[purchase]

Jim White is a great artist that way too many people have never heard. His music is sometimes called "country," but it's a whole lot more than that. The closest analogy is probably to Bonnie Prince Billy. Anyway, Wrong Eyed Jesus from 1997 is a great album, especially if you find yourself driving at night through the panhandle.

Discuss...

Saturday

Prefab Sprout: Faron Young

[purchase]

Faron Young was an American country music singer popular in the 1950's and 1960's.

Discuss...

Friday

Tom Waits: Ice Cream Man

[purchase]

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...



[purchase]

Discuss...

Thursday

Neil Diamond: Forever In Blue Jeans

[purchase]

Money talks, but it don't sing and dance, and it don't walk.

Discuss...

Wednesday

Iggy Pop: Repo Man

[purchase]

"There's fuckin' room to move as a fry cook. I could be manager in two years. King. God."



[purchase]

Discuss...

Tuesday

Television: Guiding Light

[purchase]

Gus and Natalia try to get Olivia a heart, but is it too late?

Bill tries to convince Lizzie that he is the man for her.

Beth tells Alan that she wants to be with him.

Discuss...

Monday

Bob Dylan: Tombstone Blues

[purchase]

Bob Dylan's name came up a few times in Saturday's comments, giving us an excuse to post one from the master. This song, which comes from maybe the greatest ever rock album, has many brilliant and amusing lyrics. A favorite part is Bob's look at sexual frustration:

The geometry of innocent flesh on the bone
causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
at Delilah who's sittting worthlessly alone
but the tears on her cheeks are from laughter

It's funny that Galileo would have a math book, let alone throw it (and then get laughed at).

Discuss...

Saturday

The Replacements: Alex Chilton

[purchase]

Today’s pick was inspired by the first comment to yesterday’s post. It's Paul Westerberg’s homage to Alex Chilton. The lyrics don’t always make much sense, but the attitude is just right. Can you think of any other songs by one artist about the work of another?

Discuss...

Friday

Big Star: I'm In Love With A Girl

[purchase]

On Wednesday, Loudersoft suggested Big Star as a place to look for folks who want more stuff like the Emitt Rhodes track. We couldn't agree more. So here is a taste of Big Star. If you don't have the Big Star two-fer, which has their first two records on one CD, you need to get it in your collection ASAP. It's an incredibly influential and fun album.

Discuss...

Thursday

The Pogues: The Old Main Drag

[purchase]

Picking up on yesterday's request for something less slick (which came from the author of the great blog For The Sake Of The Song), here is one of the most powerful pieces on The Pogues' greatest album. Not slick at all.

Discuss...

Wednesday

Emitt Rhodes: With My Face On The Floor

[purchase]

Let's kick things off with a lost power pop classic from the early 1970s. Emitt Rhodes displayed a ton of talent at an early age but burned out quickly.

Discuss...