I have not done this in awhile. Here are the next 25 songs (of the close to 2,300 I now have) that show up on my Ipod and some commentary on each track. They say every song reminds you of something so, I will to the best of my ability try to share what each song sparks in my 40 year old memory bank.
1. Flash, Queen – We are off to a great start. I am a big fan of Queen and Freddie Mercury. The theme to the Flash Gordon film was a very 80’s like effort with the bits of dialogue thrown in to the song. This one reminds me of my friend Rob for some reason. I think he used to jam out to it in the basement.
2. Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson – Ok, nuke me. However, this is jam. I dug this one way before Alien Ant Farm covered it. I am by no means a Michael Jackson guy. However, when I hear a good pop song I can identify it and give it it’s due. This is about as rock as MJ got, and somehow it works. This one makes me think of the guys I hung out with at Haunted Trails in the 80’s. This cassette tape was being played in one of their cars at most times, when it came out.
3. Clampdown, The Clash – If you know Nick you know of my love of the Clash. They are in my top 5 bands of all time. Clampdown is a great track off of one of the greatest LP’s of all time (The greatest ever if you ask me) in London Calling. This song in particular invokes an image of my old co-worker Matt. When I first started working here I was the new guy, we started talking music and the Clash came up and well we were friends soon after that.
4. Psycobilly Freakout, The Reverend Horton Heat – I love the guitar styling’s of the Rev. I also have always had a soft spot for rockabilly and if you like that genre at all you owe yourself to check them out. A solid three piece outfit from Texas that just rocks balls. This song of course makes me think about Guitar Hero and how proud I was once I mastered it on the pro level.
5. With a Little Help from My Friends, Joe Cocker – I love the Beatles. But I must say I prefer Cocker’s version of this tune. He makes screaming an art form unto his own. This might be his most famous track and one that I celebrate. Of course the Wonder Years theme comes to mind when I hear it and what a girl I am for liking that show.
6. 30 Days in the Hole, Humble Pie – I am not a huge Humble Pie guy but I do enjoy this song. I mean it is kind of hard to not enjoy it on some level. This is late 60’s English rocking at its best. Not a ton of memories to associate with this one. If I had to pick one it would be again my co-worker Matt and I discussing the merits of this band one day at work.
7. Good Times Roll, The Cars – I am not a Cars fan by and large. However, even in bands I don’t like I can usually find a tune or two that I dig. This and Best Friends Girl are the two Cars songs I dig. I associate this song with an argument I got into with Dave (From Steve and Dave fame) over the band. He is a fan and I am not and that was about the gist of it.
8. Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing, Chris Issak – I should like Chris Issak more than I do, but I really never got into him even though I have tried a couple of times. Not sure why I can’t dig his music more. With that said I do really like this song. Of course one cannot hear it without thinking of Kubrick’s last film Eyes Wide Shut. I think Con’s and I are the only 2 people that saw that movie and liked it.
9. I Ran, Flock of Seagulls – Well, start the nuking. I grew up in the 80’s and because of that there are many a lame 80’s tunes that I am very, very ashamed I find myself humming. This is for as cheesy as it is, is one of those infectious crappy little tunes that puts a smile on your face if you let it. My memory of this is I am sure some forgotten Argo homecoming I attended.
10. Break on Through, The Doors – This is Jim Morrison at his trippy drug induced best. With the great and underappreciated Ray Manzarek laying down some killer keyboards. Most Doors songs remind me of 1990 and the time of renewed interest in the band with the release of Oliver Stone’s film.
11. Bust A Move, Young MC – Well, let’s see if I can defend this one. Umm, I can’t. If you are white and grew up in the suburbs, I think it is a pre-requisite you like this tame rap song. You could not go anywhere when this tune was big without hearing it. I do have a great memory of it however. Some party that Rosier had at his house and for some reason this song came on and John knew every word to it. I will never forget the image of a drunken Rosier rapping along with the lyrics.
12. With a Little Help From My Friends, The Beatles – I am a Ringo fan. I like most of the tracks that John and Paul let him actually sing on. I always take offense when someone tries to downplay Ringo’s effect on the band. He was the missing piece that took them to great places. Still I don’t think I have just one memory of this one that I can point to. I guess when I hear it I think of my De Paul days and my RA Dan who loved this album.
13. The Sweetest Taboo, Sade – Okay I like Sade, what of it? I am secure enough to admit it. Anyway, this tune is simply a jam. I don’t care who thinks less of me if they hear my love of this song. I have memories of this one that I will not post as my now that my Mom reads my blog, I have to withhold some information.
14. The Rocker, Thin Lizzy – I have really gotten into Thin Lizzy recently. I rarely paid them much attention but the more I have found of their catalog the more I realized that they were the shit. This one in particular is pure energy. Whenever I hear Thin Lizzy I think of Bob Walker and his unending quest to get all the Peace Frogs to love the band as much as he did. Years later I realized, he was right.
15. Back in Black, Living Colour – Other than Howard and the White Boys I have seen Living Colour live more than any other band. I own every album they put out. After they re-formed they did a cover of the AC/DC classic. I must say it is pretty good. My only memory of this version of the song I have is of Joyce saying she preferred the original version much better. To each their own, I guess.
16. Pretty In Pink, The Psychedelic Furs – And here we are with another 80’s gem. This one I will also try to defend because this one is really good and not in an obvious cheesy way. The movie is pure saccharine ten aged girl bullshit but the song rocks. I hear this and think about how my brother and I were discussing it for some reason at lunch at Les Brothers a couple of years ago. We then head next door to the Dollar Store and overhead on the speakers this song came on. It was trippy.
17. Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash – I liked Johnny Cash way before that shitty biopic of his life was made. I am not a huge country guy but I always held a soft spot for JC. For a country dude he sure lived a rock and roll lifestyle. This one reminds of a time I played it on the jukebox at St. James Place and some barfly complemented me on my selection.
18. Reach Out, The Four Tops – The more I think about it the Four Tops may be my favorite Motown band. (Yes, even more then the Temptations.) This is one of their best tunes, with a great wall of sound beat and some great harmonizing. This is the one song I couldn’t think of one specific memory to associate with.
19. She’s Got A Way, Billy Joel – My standard line is that Billy Joel died in a plane crash in 1980. I say this because there is such a drop off in his material pre 1980 and post. This one is more famous as he re-released on his Songs from the Attic LP. I guess when I hear any Joel tune I think of my three Aunts.
20. Don’t Dream It’s Over, Crowded House – I think it has been determined I like an occasional lame 80’s song as much as the next guy. Here is yet another example. I don’t know why I like Crowded House and furthermore I cannot explain why I own their greatest hits CD. When I hear this, I think again about a conversation with Joyce and her not realizing that Crowded House had as many “hits” as they did.
21. You Get What You Give, The New Radicals – A one hit wonder that I always thought would do more than they did. But, I was wrong about them as they never did crap after this very popular hit. Sadly this song reminds me of the lunatic I was dating right before Joyce. This tune was big when I was trying to extradite myself from her grip.
22. Candy Man, The Grateful Dead – Sometimes in life you have to admit when you are wrong. At one time I really hated the Grateful Dead. Then I realized it wasn’t the Dead I hated it was the pseudo hippies who were trying to latch onto another era’s music and claim it as their own. Anyway, as I have gotten older, I woke up one day and got it. The Dead made some beautiful music. Whenever I hear anything off of American Beauty the show Freaks and Geeks pops into my head and the episode where Mr. Grasso borrows Lindsey his copy of the album.
23. Hocus Pocus, Focus – If there is a better instrumental track on earth I would love to hear it. If upon hearing this song you aren’t rocking your head back in rhythm to it then you must be deaf. However, whenever I hear this song I am again reminded about the ongoing argument that my brother and I have had for years about whether this is an instrumental or not. I say it is, he claims the yodeling counts as lyrics, but I don’t buy it.
24. Change It, Stevie Ray Vaughn – If there was a better guitar player that came out in the 80’s I would love for someone to make an argument for that person. Vaughn was a magician with the guitar and his playing still blows me away 19 years after his death. Whenever I hear any SRV jam my mind goes back to the concert at Alpine Valley where he clearly blew everyone that was there away. He would be dead a day later. A tragedy that I still haven’t gotten over.
25. Get Off Of My Cloud, The Rolling Stones – A rock and roll classic that is timeless. Maybe it is not the best Stones tune but you can’t argue that it is a catchy track where Mick sings his ass off. I must say I hear this song and I only think of one person, Wally Phelps.
