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Playlist 37
Posted by Stephen Green · 25 April 2006
For her 36th birthday, a friend asked a favor: Name one great pop song for each year of her life. I added a rule of my own, not to choose more than one song by any one artist. If you’re gong to make a mix tape, you’ve really got to mix it up. For my birthday, here are 37 of’em. We’ll start in 1969 and work up to 2005.
“Lola,” by The Kinks. First time I heard this song, I thought it was a perfectly strange combination of horny and sweet. When I finally figured out that Lola was a transvestite, I thought I’d been had. Later I realized, hey, they’re in love. “Maggie May,” by Rod Stewart. Speaking of having sex with inappropriate people… “Amie,” by Pure Prairie League. Next time you’re driving by yourself, play this one real loud. I dare you not to sing. I double dare you. “Let’s Get It On,” by Marvin Gaye. ‘Nuff said. “Black Water,” by The Doobie Brothers. This song never fails to take me back to those wasted summers on the Gasconade River, drifting downstream on an inner tube. “Young Americans,” by David Bowie. Glam purists might not like Bowie’s blue-eyed soul persona. But who wouldn’t want (or want to be) the young American? “Lowdown,” by Boz Scaggs. Speaking of blue-eyed soul, Boz has got it. Makes me think of day camp and my first secret crush. “Got To Get You Into My Life,” by Earth, Wind & Fire. The Beatles never dreamed of having brass this tight, or guitar so cutting. “Baker Street,” by Gerry Rafferty. Two words: Bittersweet lyrics. Two more words: Bittersweeter sax solo. “My Sharona,” by The Knack. Yet another song about inappropriate sex. And just what is this song, anyway? New wave? Rock? Pop? Dunno, but it’s a classic. “Late In The Evening,” by Paul Simon. Wasted youth, Caribbean style. “Kids In America,” by Kim Wilde. Another tribute to wasted youth, this time in anthem form. “Somebody’s Baby,” by Jackson Browne. Heartache – a recurring theme in those teen years. “Pride And Joy,” by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble. You want this on the jukebox when you’re shooting pool. “When Doves Cry,” by Prince and the Revolution. Just as pretty and timeless as “Something,” but even more haunting. “Don’t You Forget About Me,” by Simple Minds. Heartache and wasted youth in one slick, overproduced package. “Cemetery Gates,” by The Smiths. This is the one must-have song for each and every teenage underachiever. “Middle Of The Road,” by The Pretenders. Reagan-era angst. Slamming guitars. Chrissie Hynde vocals. What more does a song need? “I’m An Adult Now,” by The Pursuit of Happiness. I laughed when this song first came out. I’m not laughing now. “Personal Jesus,” by Depeche Mode. You might think this one is the first pop music tribute to phone sex, but you’d be wrong. That honor goes to Billy Joel’s 1980 hit, “Sometimes A Fantasy.” Joel’s song was cute, but “PJ” is sexy. “Why Can’t I Fall In Love,” by Ivan Neville. Heartache + slow sax * bluesy vocals = good music. Listen while it plays in the background of the Christian Slater movie, “Pump Up the Volume,” and a young and curvy and topless Samantha Mathis is added to the equation. “Girlfriend,” by Matthew Sweet. Some of the best guitar work you’ll ever hear in a Top 40 song. “Wicked As It Seems,” by Keith Richards. So long, wicked women. You can make fun of Keith’s singing, but he’s still better than Bob Dylan. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. “Closer,” by Nine Inch Nails. Best. Club. Song. Ever. If a girl dances with you to this song, and you don’t get laid, then you’re hopeless. “I Kissed A Girl,” by Jill Sobule. Lesbian chic at its folksy best. “Her First Mistake,” by Lyle Lovett. Only Lovett could do this song. I’d explain, but that would ruin it. But I will say this: We’ve all been there, guys. More often than we’d like to admit. “Sex And Candy,” by Marcy Playground. Best/worst juxtaposition ever. This song is the 1990’s version of “My Sharona.” “Let’s Live It Up,” by The Brian Setzer Orchestra. It’s all about fun. And even with a wife and child, I’m still living this song. Trying to, anyway. “Outside,” by George Michael. George’s “coming out” single is great danceable fun. Since it came out when I was still (barely) young enough to enjoy the club scene, this song has to get its due. “Things Have Changed,” by Bob Dylan. After dissing Bob for decades, I finally understood what all the fuss was about. The man still can’t sing though. “Short Skirt/Long Jacket,” by Cake. New wave is back! Man, that’ll make a guy feel old. “Curbside Prophet,” by Jason Mraz. Young Mraz is the future of pop-folk, and the future looks good. “Everything Must Go,” by Steely Dan. Ever lose everything, then fight valiantly to stay right there at the bottom? “Run Run Run” by Phoenix. There’s really nothing to recommend this song. It’s derivative and hackneyed. Then again, it’s got a great hook – and that’s what pop music is all about. “Inside And Out,” by Feist. An electronica-ish cover of the old Bee-Gees song. If you think nobody should ever record anything by the Bee-Gees, then I suggest you crank up Al Green’s cover of “How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?” Then again, maybe I’m just getting senile. 2006 is still too young to choose from. With any luck – and one of them new robot livers – I’ll be around next year to add to the list. Comments
...Let's dissolve the corporation in a pool of Margaritas... Posted by: Duane Dostie at April 25, 2006 11:16 PMNo Al Green, who is, with all due respect to Marvin Gaye, the greatest vocalist to, um, get busy with, from the 1970s, and one of the greatest of all time? Posted by: Will Allen at April 25, 2006 11:52 PMAlso, I never cared much for Boz Scaggs, but if you ever heard his version of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime", you'd know he was a terrific musician. Oh, and if you ever want to give 70s Dylan a second chance, "Blood on the Tracks" can be reasonably argued to among his best work of any era, with some really great songs. Posted by: Will Allen at April 25, 2006 11:59 PMIt's your birthday, and you give me a gift (hits)? Oh, you so have some music money coming your way, baby. Happy Birthday, Stephen. :D Btw, that is my favorite playlist on my pretty pink Mini. Posted by: Rae at April 26, 2006 12:16 AMWell done, although I have to agree with the Al Green comment....I just did a post on the guy a couple days ago. By the way, I don't believe somebody else remembers The Pursuit of Happiness' great hit. Posted by: Pursuit at April 26, 2006 05:15 AMJust when I begin to think I know you, BAM. Posted by: Blaine at April 26, 2006 06:52 AMJust how does one dance to "Closer"? Or is it more "grind"? And if we're going for industrial angst, I'd pick "Mr. Self-Destruct" as NIN's finest... Posted by: Anon at April 26, 2006 07:31 AM"unlike most of the dreck on Abbey Road..."? I'll give you that side one is pretty lame, but side two is one of the best album sides of all time. Posted by: Hello at April 26, 2006 07:36 AMI feel out of it in that I've heard fewer than half these songs. Posted by: RPD at April 26, 2006 08:24 AMNo "Radar Love?" Posted by: richard mcenroe at April 26, 2006 09:02 AMI always thought the first phone sex song was "Chantilly Lace" by the Big Bopper. "Awww baby, you know what I LIKE!" Posted by: Wes Phillips at April 26, 2006 09:04 AMI like the idea, but: 52 songs? Stretch the memory further, just when memory is not as strong? Besides, did I really ever remember songs from the 50s? Ah well, something else for my TODO list I guess. Posted by: John Lynch at April 26, 2006 09:24 AMI saw Boz Scaggs in concert, way back in 1982 or so. I don't have any of his stuff in my collection, but I do enjoy it on the rare occasion when I hear one of his tunes on the radio. Rarity. A good thing, and something that radio ought to ponder more deeply, IMO. Posted by: Slartibartfast at April 26, 2006 09:34 AMAhh, yes, My Sharona, Lake Geneva WI, weekend. --- Start It Up or the other Stones song, can't remember title - Europe, 1982 Pick a country. Posted by: Sandy P at April 26, 2006 10:54 AM2006 = whatever Gavin DeGraw releases this year Posted by: Hack at April 26, 2006 11:31 AMMy Sharona is a classic, yet most of Abbey Road is dreck?!?!?!? You have dropped a few notches in my book. I'll take any Beatles tune (with the *possible* exception of Revolution 9 -- and that is saying a lot) over My Sharona. What an awful piece of garbage. Well, at least you didn't put down any Thomas Dobly crap. Posted by: rbj at April 26, 2006 11:42 AMYou knew you were going to catch all sorts of hell for dissing Abbey Road, didn't you? I won't pile on, other than to ask: what were you thinking? Lists like this make me realize I've been away from the music scene for way too long, but parenthood has a way of eating up time like that. Posted by: Joan at April 26, 2006 12:29 PMAs if I didn't think you were cool enough, Steve, you had to go and list LLovett's 'Her First Mistake', one of the greatest songs of all time and one few people seem to have heard. It is a desert island song for me. Great list all around. Posted by: Tom P at April 26, 2006 12:47 PMI don't buy that much music, but Cake is one of bands I discovered a few years ago that I absolutely love. I've got several of their CDs and plan on eventually getting them all. "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" also has a great video, BTW. Posted by: Ginpundit at April 26, 2006 01:58 PMIt's your b-day? Happy birthday! I guess I could make a music list as well since today's my day. :) Not that I actually know when most songs were released... Posted by: FL Mom at April 26, 2006 02:01 PMOne rule has to apply: you can't look at your iPod. Cheating. Posted by: tsmonk at April 26, 2006 05:25 PMSteve, What an awesome list! With the exception of maybe one or two, that's a mix that would definitely put as big as smile on my face today as ten years from today. Great taste. Posted by: Scott at April 26, 2006 05:43 PM"Personal Jesus" may be sexy, but Johnny Cash actually considered it to be a very spiritual song, which is why he covered it on American IV: The Man Comes Around. (It's similar to DM's acoustic version of the song, with a somewhat expanded arrangement including some honky-tonk piano.) Of the song, he said: "That's probably the most evangelical gospel song I ever recorded. I don't know that the writer meant it to be that, but that's what it is." I don't think Martin L. Gore quite had that in mind, either, but the hallmark of great art is that it can be reinterpreted anew... Posted by: Erbo at April 27, 2006 10:04 AMThe Smith's "Cemetary Gates" has to be one of the most depressing yet infectiously poppy songs ever recorded. Just like the Irish to have a fun morbid romp on the graves of dead poets and thinking about their lives, but I think the Cranberries have a different interpretation on the same theme with "Yeats Grave." Good pick regardless, I knew there was a reason I read this site Posted by: voxdilecti at April 27, 2006 10:50 AMMaybe it's just my offbeat sense of humor, but I might have gone for some more unconventional fare, especially in the '70s when there were quite a few songs with unusual subject matter. Songs like "Timothy" by the Buoys (a tale of cannibalism that became one of that decade's most unlikely one-hit wonders) and "'39" by Queen (a song about, of all things, the time dilation effect in Einsteinian physics) come to mind. God, how could you miss 'Layla' and 'Lady in Red'?!!! I think most of the great Moody Blues stuff predates your birth, but 'Tuesday Afternoon' and 'Nights in White Satin' are great. The latter is what the Gee-Gees would have done if they actually had talent. Posted by: Don S at April 27, 2006 07:36 PM"Personal Jesus" may be sexy, but Johnny Cash actually considered it to be a very spiritual song, which is why he covered it on American IV: The Man Comes Around. I'm working my way through the 90's Cash albums. Is it just me or is the best stuff he ever did? 'American Recordings' just tears the heart out of me..... Posted by: Don S at April 27, 2006 07:41 PMI have Pure Prairie League's greatest hits CD and I do listen to Amie over and over again in the car turned up loud and I sing along everytime. It is one of my all time favorite songs ever. Lola, Black Water and Maggie Mae are also favorites. It is impossible for me to listen to any of them without feeling like I have been transported in time. Posted by: Lorie Byrd at April 27, 2006 11:52 PMRemarkable list, Stephen. Our tastes in music are a lot alike, which is all the more remarkable given the difference in our ages (my two adult sons are -ahem- older than yourself...). We've diverged a bit in the recent past, you and I, I'm more into Nouveau Country or whatever-the-Hell you call the great, good stuff coming out of Austin these days. And the old stuff out of Austin, come to think about it! :-) Posted by: Buck at April 29, 2006 11:39 PMLove your list! Some of my fav's are on it. Posted by: mr. lady at April 30, 2006 09:03 PM |
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