Selections from Grey's Anatomy - Season Two
Pardon me while I exude what's left of my Grey's Anatomy load.
After scouring all that I care to scour of Alexandra Patsavas' selections from season two, I have found these nineteen tracks to best suit my recent mood. I won't bore you with any links, photos, etc. I just ask that you consider listening to a couple 30 second clips on iTunes, or Googling these bands. I've really enjoyed each of these tracks this week, a week - for me anyway - filled with music.
1) Slow Runner - Break Your Mama's Back
2) Monotypes - Dead Streets
3) Ben Lee - Catch My Disease
4) Anya Marina - Miss Halfway
5) Mark McAdam - Too Hard
6) Inara George - Fools in Love
7) Rosie Thomas - It Don't Matter to the Sun
8) Foy Vance - Homebird
9) Kate Earl - Someone to Love
10) Kendall Payne - Scratch
11) Corinne Bailey Rae - Like a Star
12) Jim Noir - I Me You
13) Moonbabies - War on Sound
14) Gemma Hayes - Two Step
15) The Headlights - Everybody Needs a Fence to Lean On
16) Keren Ann - Not Going Anywhere
17) Joe Purdy - Far Away Blues
18) Tegan and Sara - Not Tonight
19) Merrick - Infinity
A curmudgeonly old woman who once babysat me while my parents were out of town said, "Never trust a Greek." Ms. Patsavas and a few other Greek-Americans I'm more closely associated with here in New York are beginning to break my Greek-weary spell. So, to those of you untrustworthy, miserly, moody, greasy Greeks out there who read this meek web log, please thank Ms. Alexandra Patsavas in your bedtime prayers for helping me to begin trusting Greeks again. And pardon the "greasy" tag; it was admittedly a low blow. Being of German and Irish descent, there was more than one summer's day I was nicknamed "the sweater."
Still to come... a review of a musical review starring yours truly.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Three Free Downloads
I found these today when checking out the music used in season two of Grey's Anatomy. I don't even have TV, and yet I'm checking out TV show soundtracks.
Regardless, these three songs are free for you to download. The first two are notable because they're quite good. The third is notable because one of my classmates and good friends, Robyn, was a Wienermobile Girl for an entire year after college, and Grey's Anatomy is one of her favorite shows, odd coincidences for odd February afternoons.
Slow Runner - Break Your Momma's Back
Monotypes - Dead Streets (you may have to follow the "music" link to download this one)
Mike Tarantino - Wienermobile Girl
Also, for whatever reason, I found it important to note that Salon.com's Audiofile is an awesome place for some free music. They offer everything from James Taylor to Cat Power.
I found these today when checking out the music used in season two of Grey's Anatomy. I don't even have TV, and yet I'm checking out TV show soundtracks.
Regardless, these three songs are free for you to download. The first two are notable because they're quite good. The third is notable because one of my classmates and good friends, Robyn, was a Wienermobile Girl for an entire year after college, and Grey's Anatomy is one of her favorite shows, odd coincidences for odd February afternoons.
Slow Runner - Break Your Momma's Back
Monotypes - Dead Streets (you may have to follow the "music" link to download this one)
Mike Tarantino - Wienermobile Girl
Also, for whatever reason, I found it important to note that Salon.com's Audiofile is an awesome place for some free music. They offer everything from James Taylor to Cat Power.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Off with Their Heads!
The tease is out on the new film from Sophia Coppola, and apparently the French aren't all mad. Michèle Lorin, the president of the Marie-Antoinette Association in France, seems to think come this fall we'll take to the streets, crazed with "Marie-Antoinette mania." And thanks for that lovely image, Michèle. I'm hoping heads will roll.
London's The Independent threw together a little piece on it. You can read it in its entirety here.
The teaser trailer begins with 18th Century men on 18th Century horses in 18th Century France, and what to my wondering ears should sound, but the lovely clanging of four little 20th Century English musicians, known most commonly as Manchester's own New Order. The teaser plays out like a beautifully crafted Duran Duran video from 1986, perhaps 1987, and Kirsten Dunst looks, say it with me - ah, ah, ah, en Français - incredible, but something about this pairing strikes me: it was ok when Rob Reiner used The Great American Songbook to express love as he did in When Harry Met Sally... (and I mean, c'mon let's face it. He stole the idea from Woody Allen, right? The whole movie is just a slightly sunnier W.A. movie), but is it ok to do the reverse, use modern music to score a period piece cum Vangelis? Discuss.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
I began responding to Martin's comment on the 125 Songs Before Pearl Jam, and it turned into this:
Paul Carrack? Allmusic.com calls him "pop music's ultimate journeyman," saying "his finest work often came at the expense of his own identity as a performer."
I agree, this Englishman first came into prominence in the heat of late 70s prog-rock with the band Ace. Their wonderfully cured song "How Long" has helped me through more than one lonely night.
It was his solo song "Don't Shed a Tear" I remember loving most as a scabby-kneed tike.
However, I remember Mike & the Mechanics as a band who produced seemingly flawless pop music with a hint of message. "The Living Years" and "All I Need is a Miracle" were both on heavy rotation around the Wastler household in the middle 80s.
And yet, his work for the band Squeeze is what I think he's most often recognized for thanks to the Ben Stiller-helmed flick Reality Bites, at a time when Carrack had reconnected with the band to rerecord their biggest hit (at least with him at the wheel. I also like "Black Coffee in Bed"), "Tempted."
That being said, there's something in his voice that's both saccharine and earnest. It's as put-on as Elvis Costello, and it's as blue-eyed soul as Daryl Hall. And you can't go wrong with either of those.
Ok, so perhaps you can. "You Make My Dreams Come True" still pangs a sharp pain in the heel of my velcroed Reeboks every time I imagine his acid-washed jean dance. That's what it was: a Hall-a-palooza of tapered-jean tawdriness.
As for the Flaming Lips, you're right about their post Ten status. And like I said, there are several post Ten songs, but none ventures into my high school years when - let's face it - music snobbery begins to take shape.
I was attempting to find the purest music to represent myself after having read some other bloggers' posts about their first loves, musically speaking, and feeling their selections were a bit wonky.
Most appeared to be filled with the pretensions of a post-Pearl Jam/post-Nirvana/post-Soul Garden/post-STP/post-whatever grunge band you first connected with viewpoint.
In other words, I felt these people weren't revisiting themselves as they were before the plaid, before the butt-cuts, before the hiking boots, black jeans, and dirty caps. They were allowing all these things - and more - to inform their decisions. I am totally opposed to this. It's as though music's influence on the twenty-something's life began in 1995. I know Ten was released in 1991, and that's when I received it, but I wasn't really weened off my taste for heavy duty pop music until, well, I'm still not off it, clearly. Point is, high school began for me in '95, and it was then that I started listening to music for more than just the armrest thumping songs to listen to in the car. I was searching for something beyond that which life offers. I was looking to enhance life.
I'm of the opinion life, that of the music-lover, began much, much earlier. One of my earliest memories is singing Springsteen and Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson and the Pointer Sisters while staying with my extended family - my parents out frolicking, attempting to enjoy the last few available years of youthful exuberation, and probably conceiving my brother - I hope no one is offended by that image.
I remember JT, MJ, Billy Joel, and Whitney Houston overtaking our roadtrips to Kansas City and Colorado. I very vividly recall the cassette tape travel kit strewn about the back seat of my dad's Porsche filled with summertime favorites: The Diamond, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Jim Croce, and even The Material Girl (although pop'd never admit it).
This is when music first infused my soul, took over my body, and turned me into something bigger than I could ever be alone.
I remember breakdancing with Andy Bradshaw in my navy blue Member's Only jacket on the carpet of our basement floor while listening to Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Royce Mitchell and I used to have a radio show in his basement on our First Sonys. He would always, always play "Rock & Roll All Night" by Kiss. I was maybe five at the time. This was music.
I watched the USA for Africa video of "We are the World" again last night (thank you, Martin). We used to have it on VHS. I wore that thing raw. James Ingram, Sheila E, and Lindsey Buckingham are still my favorite sights in the bizarre vid. Yeah, yeah, Akroyd was there, but he was still musically valid: the Blues Brothers hadn't too many years earlier broken the top 40, and he was buds with all those cats no small thanks to LA's star-heavy drug scene. That video, in all its weirdness with MJ getting special filters, hair & makeup, and what I'm sure is not the first and certainly not the last gawdy, bejeweled military costume, with the cheap-o Hanes Beefy-Tees all the other performers were forced to wear, with Bob Dylan's studied "I've lost my singing voice" immitation, and just mainly with too much Springsteen and not enough Warwick, was AWESOME! It's a special day when you can get all those personalities into one room, especially after having to sit through Dick Clark's not-so-rockin' American Music Awards.
If you have the chance, check that out. Check out Paul Carrack.
That's all the links I have time for kids. I hope you found this entry as fun to read as I did to write. Happy Valentine's Day.
Paul Carrack? Allmusic.com calls him "pop music's ultimate journeyman," saying "his finest work often came at the expense of his own identity as a performer."
I agree, this Englishman first came into prominence in the heat of late 70s prog-rock with the band Ace. Their wonderfully cured song "How Long" has helped me through more than one lonely night.
It was his solo song "Don't Shed a Tear" I remember loving most as a scabby-kneed tike.
However, I remember Mike & the Mechanics as a band who produced seemingly flawless pop music with a hint of message. "The Living Years" and "All I Need is a Miracle" were both on heavy rotation around the Wastler household in the middle 80s.
And yet, his work for the band Squeeze is what I think he's most often recognized for thanks to the Ben Stiller-helmed flick Reality Bites, at a time when Carrack had reconnected with the band to rerecord their biggest hit (at least with him at the wheel. I also like "Black Coffee in Bed"), "Tempted."
That being said, there's something in his voice that's both saccharine and earnest. It's as put-on as Elvis Costello, and it's as blue-eyed soul as Daryl Hall. And you can't go wrong with either of those.
Ok, so perhaps you can. "You Make My Dreams Come True" still pangs a sharp pain in the heel of my velcroed Reeboks every time I imagine his acid-washed jean dance. That's what it was: a Hall-a-palooza of tapered-jean tawdriness.
As for the Flaming Lips, you're right about their post Ten status. And like I said, there are several post Ten songs, but none ventures into my high school years when - let's face it - music snobbery begins to take shape.
I was attempting to find the purest music to represent myself after having read some other bloggers' posts about their first loves, musically speaking, and feeling their selections were a bit wonky.
Most appeared to be filled with the pretensions of a post-Pearl Jam/post-Nirvana/post-Soul Garden/post-STP/post-whatever grunge band you first connected with viewpoint.
In other words, I felt these people weren't revisiting themselves as they were before the plaid, before the butt-cuts, before the hiking boots, black jeans, and dirty caps. They were allowing all these things - and more - to inform their decisions. I am totally opposed to this. It's as though music's influence on the twenty-something's life began in 1995. I know Ten was released in 1991, and that's when I received it, but I wasn't really weened off my taste for heavy duty pop music until, well, I'm still not off it, clearly. Point is, high school began for me in '95, and it was then that I started listening to music for more than just the armrest thumping songs to listen to in the car. I was searching for something beyond that which life offers. I was looking to enhance life.
I'm of the opinion life, that of the music-lover, began much, much earlier. One of my earliest memories is singing Springsteen and Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson and the Pointer Sisters while staying with my extended family - my parents out frolicking, attempting to enjoy the last few available years of youthful exuberation, and probably conceiving my brother - I hope no one is offended by that image.
I remember JT, MJ, Billy Joel, and Whitney Houston overtaking our roadtrips to Kansas City and Colorado. I very vividly recall the cassette tape travel kit strewn about the back seat of my dad's Porsche filled with summertime favorites: The Diamond, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Jim Croce, and even The Material Girl (although pop'd never admit it).
This is when music first infused my soul, took over my body, and turned me into something bigger than I could ever be alone.
I remember breakdancing with Andy Bradshaw in my navy blue Member's Only jacket on the carpet of our basement floor while listening to Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Royce Mitchell and I used to have a radio show in his basement on our First Sonys. He would always, always play "Rock & Roll All Night" by Kiss. I was maybe five at the time. This was music.
I watched the USA for Africa video of "We are the World" again last night (thank you, Martin). We used to have it on VHS. I wore that thing raw. James Ingram, Sheila E, and Lindsey Buckingham are still my favorite sights in the bizarre vid. Yeah, yeah, Akroyd was there, but he was still musically valid: the Blues Brothers hadn't too many years earlier broken the top 40, and he was buds with all those cats no small thanks to LA's star-heavy drug scene. That video, in all its weirdness with MJ getting special filters, hair & makeup, and what I'm sure is not the first and certainly not the last gawdy, bejeweled military costume, with the cheap-o Hanes Beefy-Tees all the other performers were forced to wear, with Bob Dylan's studied "I've lost my singing voice" immitation, and just mainly with too much Springsteen and not enough Warwick, was AWESOME! It's a special day when you can get all those personalities into one room, especially after having to sit through Dick Clark's not-so-rockin' American Music Awards.
If you have the chance, check that out. Check out Paul Carrack.
That's all the links I have time for kids. I hope you found this entry as fun to read as I did to write. Happy Valentine's Day.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Lush Sounds for a Sunday
I am attempting to enter the wicked world of HTML. Buried in this entry are several free downloads from the artists themselves.
My listening patterns this week have included Hem, Over the Rhine, The Guggenheim Grotto, and - as always - Josh Ritter.
I first heard the Joseph Arthur cover of "In the Sun" on a live cut from Coldplay's appearance on Austin City Limits. At the end of their performance, Martin quipped, "This is the best song ever written in my opinion." It's a very good song, Chris, yes.
Other highlights in this mix include former roommates', Redder Records' generous free cover of Nada Surf's "Inside of Love," as performed by in-house genius/former workerbee, Ben Barnett AKA Kind of Like Spitting (say that ten times really fast) and songs from the second season of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas should win an award. According to IMDB, she hasn't yet. Finally, I'm still rockin' Trespassers William, even though Mazzy Star did it better and a decade earlier.
1) M. Ward - Transfiguration, No. 1
2) * Hope for a Golden Summer - Hearts in Jars
3) * The Guggenheim Grotto - One for Sorrow
4) * Josh Ritter - Girl in the War
5) The Elected - I'll Be Your Man
6) Sam Winch - I Got Some Moves
7) Rosie Thomas - Since You've Been Around
8) Merrick - Infinity
9) Michael Stipe & Coldplay - In the Sun
10) * Hotel Lights - Stumblin' Home Winter Blues
11) Gillian Welch - Revelator
12) Over the Rhine - I Want You to Be My Love
13) * Kind of Like Spitting - Inside of Love
14) Trespassers William - Lie in the Sound
15) Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
16) Damien Rice - Prague
17) * hem - Carry Me Home
18) M. Ward - Transfiguration, No.2
I know, I know. Nobody's going to visit all of these links. I just had to prove it to myself that I can do this HTML thing. At least check out the ones with *highlighted songs. There you can hear what I'm talking about. Wait. You can't actually hear me talking. I should try and rephrase that, but I won't.
I am attempting to enter the wicked world of HTML. Buried in this entry are several free downloads from the artists themselves.
My listening patterns this week have included Hem, Over the Rhine, The Guggenheim Grotto, and - as always - Josh Ritter.
I first heard the Joseph Arthur cover of "In the Sun" on a live cut from Coldplay's appearance on Austin City Limits. At the end of their performance, Martin quipped, "This is the best song ever written in my opinion." It's a very good song, Chris, yes.
Other highlights in this mix include former roommates', Redder Records' generous free cover of Nada Surf's "Inside of Love," as performed by in-house genius/former workerbee, Ben Barnett AKA Kind of Like Spitting (say that ten times really fast) and songs from the second season of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas should win an award. According to IMDB, she hasn't yet. Finally, I'm still rockin' Trespassers William, even though Mazzy Star did it better and a decade earlier.
1) M. Ward - Transfiguration, No. 1
2) * Hope for a Golden Summer - Hearts in Jars
3) * The Guggenheim Grotto - One for Sorrow
4) * Josh Ritter - Girl in the War
5) The Elected - I'll Be Your Man
6) Sam Winch - I Got Some Moves
7) Rosie Thomas - Since You've Been Around
8) Merrick - Infinity
9) Michael Stipe & Coldplay - In the Sun
10) * Hotel Lights - Stumblin' Home Winter Blues
11) Gillian Welch - Revelator
12) Over the Rhine - I Want You to Be My Love
13) * Kind of Like Spitting - Inside of Love
14) Trespassers William - Lie in the Sound
15) Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
16) Damien Rice - Prague
17) * hem - Carry Me Home
18) M. Ward - Transfiguration, No.2
I know, I know. Nobody's going to visit all of these links. I just had to prove it to myself that I can do this HTML thing. At least check out the ones with *highlighted songs. There you can hear what I'm talking about. Wait. You can't actually hear me talking. I should try and rephrase that, but I won't.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
125 Songs Before Pearl Jam
There is little order to this list, and yes, I probably broke every rule, but I hope you enjoy remembering these songs as I have.
Rather than explain why I put these songs up, perhaps, if any of them strike you, purge a memory, anything, feel free to comment.
The Captain and Tenille - Do That to Me One More Time
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Atlantic Starr - Always
Peter Cetera - The Glory of Love
Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting - All for Love
Luther Vandross - Here and Now
Michael Bolton - How Am I Supposed to Live Without You
John Secada - Just Another Day
The Cars - Drive
Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt - I Don't Know Much
The Commodores - Easy
Phil Collins - Against All Odds
Spandau Ballet - True
Duran Duran - Ordinary World
Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love
Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over
John Waite - I Ain't Missing You
Mr. Big - To Be with You
Bonnie Raitt - Not the Only One
Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis
Bruce Hornsby - That's Just the Way It Is
Joshua Kadison - Jessie
Bad English - When I See You Smile
The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes
Whitney Houston - The Greatest Love of All
TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby
Wilson Phillips - Hold On
Big Mountain - Baby, I Love Your Way
Whitesnake - Here I Go Again
Mr. Mister - Kyrie
Cutting Crew - I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight
Billy Vera & the Beaters - At This Moment
Jefferson Starship - Sara
Stevie B - Because I Love You
Lisa Loeb - Stay
The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
Peabo Bryson - If Ever You're in My Arms
James Ingram - I Don't Have the Heart
Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram - Somewhere Out There
Mike & the Mechanics - The Living Years
Meatloaf - I Would Do Anything for Love
Richard Marx - Now and Forever
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 You
Rod Stewart - Downtown Train
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's
Nelson - Can't Live Without Your Love and Affection
Kenny Loggins - Meet Me Halfway
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Go West - King of Wishful Thinking
Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
Boy Meets Girl - Waiting for a Star to Fall
George Michael - Freedom '90
Madonna - Like a Prayer
Calloway - I Wanna Be Rich
Milli Vanilli - Blame It on the Rain
Lisa Stansfield - Been Around the World
Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
A Ha - Take on Me
Escape Club - Wild Wild West
C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Ready for the World - Oh Sheila
The Whispers - Rock Steady
Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It for the Boy
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
Billy Ocean - Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car
Inner Circle - Sweat (A La La La Long)
Soul II Soul - Back to Life
Susan Vega - Tom's Diner
Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
New Kids on the Block - The Right Stuff
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
Technotronic - Pump Up the Jam
Salt & Pepper - Shoop
MC Hammer - Too Legit to Quit
Snow - Informer
Wrex N Effect - Rump Shaker
EMF - You're Unbelievable
Young MC - Bust a Move
Us3 - Cantaloop
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Scandal - The Warrior
Steve Perry - Oh Sherrie
Asia - Heat of the Moment
Pat Benetar - Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Dan Baird - I Love You Period
Squeeze - Tempted
Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
Ray Parker, Jr. - Ghostbusters
Huey Lewis & The News - The Power of Love
Bob Seger - Old Time Rock & Roll
Terence Trent D'Arby - Wishing Well
Paul Carrack - Don't Shed a Tear
Del Amitri - Roll to Me
Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone
Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Janet Jackson - Alright
Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper
Queen - We Are the Champions
Glenn Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy
John Cougar Mellencamp - Small Town
Blues Traveler - Runaround
The Spin Doctors - Two Princes
The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes
Prince - Seven
They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your Soul
Crash Test Dummies - MMM
The Flaming Lips - Tangerines
Green Jelly - The Three Little Pigs
4 Non-Blondes - What's Going On
Alannah Myles - Black Velvet
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
Bell Biv DeVoe - Poison
R Kelly - Bump 'N Grind
Warren G - Regulate
En Vogue - Free Your Mind
Bill Conti - You're the Best
Robyn - Show Me Love
The Pointer Sisters - Pink Cadillac
Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now
Genesis - I Can't Dance
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
REM - It's the End of the World as We Know It
USA for Africa - We are the World
- A few of these songs may or may not have come to my attention after receiving Pearl Jam's Ten, but if they are in the same vein as the rest of the songs that appear on this list, especially if they're songs I'm embarrassed to admit to loving at one time, I felt it necessary to include them - within reason. No song on this list, to my knowledge, was released in last half of the nineties.
- Phil Collins regrouped with bandmates Genesis to record "I Can't Dance," but it was "Against All Odds" that sold me on that short, silly Englishman with the single tuft of hair.
- Rod Stewart's in a trio with Sting and Bryan Adams on the Adams-penned "All for Love," and he sings a cover of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train."
- Linda Ronstadt sings duets with James Ingram and Aaron Neville, so I counted that as one entry for her.
- James Ingram appears in a duet and on his own.
- Prince appears twice as a songwriter with "Seven" and "Nothing Compares...."
- Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, and several others I grouped under "parental influence" appear on "We are the World." And just about everyone on this list, apart from John Popper, were a part of this song, but it meant so much to me as a little kid, I had to include it.
- But it's Paul Carrack, my favorite singer of the eighties who appears on this list three times. Any guesses as to how it's possible?
There is little order to this list, and yes, I probably broke every rule, but I hope you enjoy remembering these songs as I have.
Rather than explain why I put these songs up, perhaps, if any of them strike you, purge a memory, anything, feel free to comment.
The Captain and Tenille - Do That to Me One More Time
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Atlantic Starr - Always
Peter Cetera - The Glory of Love
Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting - All for Love
Luther Vandross - Here and Now
Michael Bolton - How Am I Supposed to Live Without You
John Secada - Just Another Day
The Cars - Drive
Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt - I Don't Know Much
The Commodores - Easy
Phil Collins - Against All Odds
Spandau Ballet - True
Duran Duran - Ordinary World
Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love
Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over
John Waite - I Ain't Missing You
Mr. Big - To Be with You
Bonnie Raitt - Not the Only One
Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis
Bruce Hornsby - That's Just the Way It Is
Joshua Kadison - Jessie
Bad English - When I See You Smile
The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes
Whitney Houston - The Greatest Love of All
TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby
Wilson Phillips - Hold On
Big Mountain - Baby, I Love Your Way
Whitesnake - Here I Go Again
Mr. Mister - Kyrie
Cutting Crew - I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight
Billy Vera & the Beaters - At This Moment
Jefferson Starship - Sara
Stevie B - Because I Love You
Lisa Loeb - Stay
The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
Peabo Bryson - If Ever You're in My Arms
James Ingram - I Don't Have the Heart
Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram - Somewhere Out There
Mike & the Mechanics - The Living Years
Meatloaf - I Would Do Anything for Love
Richard Marx - Now and Forever
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 You
Rod Stewart - Downtown Train
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's
Nelson - Can't Live Without Your Love and Affection
Kenny Loggins - Meet Me Halfway
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Go West - King of Wishful Thinking
Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
Boy Meets Girl - Waiting for a Star to Fall
George Michael - Freedom '90
Madonna - Like a Prayer
Calloway - I Wanna Be Rich
Milli Vanilli - Blame It on the Rain
Lisa Stansfield - Been Around the World
Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
A Ha - Take on Me
Escape Club - Wild Wild West
C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Ready for the World - Oh Sheila
The Whispers - Rock Steady
Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It for the Boy
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
Billy Ocean - Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car
Inner Circle - Sweat (A La La La Long)
Soul II Soul - Back to Life
Susan Vega - Tom's Diner
Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
New Kids on the Block - The Right Stuff
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
Technotronic - Pump Up the Jam
Salt & Pepper - Shoop
MC Hammer - Too Legit to Quit
Snow - Informer
Wrex N Effect - Rump Shaker
EMF - You're Unbelievable
Young MC - Bust a Move
Us3 - Cantaloop
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Scandal - The Warrior
Steve Perry - Oh Sherrie
Asia - Heat of the Moment
Pat Benetar - Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Dan Baird - I Love You Period
Squeeze - Tempted
Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
Ray Parker, Jr. - Ghostbusters
Huey Lewis & The News - The Power of Love
Bob Seger - Old Time Rock & Roll
Terence Trent D'Arby - Wishing Well
Paul Carrack - Don't Shed a Tear
Del Amitri - Roll to Me
Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone
Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Janet Jackson - Alright
Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper
Queen - We Are the Champions
Glenn Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy
John Cougar Mellencamp - Small Town
Blues Traveler - Runaround
The Spin Doctors - Two Princes
The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes
Prince - Seven
They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your Soul
Crash Test Dummies - MMM
The Flaming Lips - Tangerines
Green Jelly - The Three Little Pigs
4 Non-Blondes - What's Going On
Alannah Myles - Black Velvet
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
Bell Biv DeVoe - Poison
R Kelly - Bump 'N Grind
Warren G - Regulate
En Vogue - Free Your Mind
Bill Conti - You're the Best
Robyn - Show Me Love
The Pointer Sisters - Pink Cadillac
Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now
Genesis - I Can't Dance
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
REM - It's the End of the World as We Know It
USA for Africa - We are the World
- A few of these songs may or may not have come to my attention after receiving Pearl Jam's Ten, but if they are in the same vein as the rest of the songs that appear on this list, especially if they're songs I'm embarrassed to admit to loving at one time, I felt it necessary to include them - within reason. No song on this list, to my knowledge, was released in last half of the nineties.
- Phil Collins regrouped with bandmates Genesis to record "I Can't Dance," but it was "Against All Odds" that sold me on that short, silly Englishman with the single tuft of hair.
- Rod Stewart's in a trio with Sting and Bryan Adams on the Adams-penned "All for Love," and he sings a cover of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train."
- Linda Ronstadt sings duets with James Ingram and Aaron Neville, so I counted that as one entry for her.
- James Ingram appears in a duet and on his own.
- Prince appears twice as a songwriter with "Seven" and "Nothing Compares...."
- Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, and several others I grouped under "parental influence" appear on "We are the World." And just about everyone on this list, apart from John Popper, were a part of this song, but it meant so much to me as a little kid, I had to include it.
- But it's Paul Carrack, my favorite singer of the eighties who appears on this list three times. Any guesses as to how it's possible?
Coming up...
I'm busy putting together a list of songs that were important to me - that are important to my life, my love of music, but most importantly they're a list of the songs that affected me first.
I was busy putting together a list of music for two friends at school who sit with me and sing a capella versions of the cheesiest songs we can think of from the seventies, eighties, and especially the early nineties, when suddenly I discovered all these songs had something in common. All of them were songs that in one way or another played a huge importance in my understanding of what makes songs ... tick, for lack of a better word. What is it that drew me to these songs, and why? And what happened after receiving Pearl Jam's "10" in fifth or sixth grade that changed all that?
The parameters I have set for this list are:
1) No more than 125 songs can be applied to the list.
2) No more than one song per artist.
3) No music by Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Billy Joel, The Beatles, or anything else weighted with strong parental influence may be included. In other words, these songs all have to be personal discoveries, either through channels like friends, radio mix tapes (of which I had hundreds), or the occasional memory of MTV - which we didn't have until after Pearl Jam.
4) Most importantly, this cannot include songs from the time period that I later loved and wished to have listened to at the time. It must be music that I honestly listened to at the time, whether I still do or not.
I'm busy putting together a list of songs that were important to me - that are important to my life, my love of music, but most importantly they're a list of the songs that affected me first.
I was busy putting together a list of music for two friends at school who sit with me and sing a capella versions of the cheesiest songs we can think of from the seventies, eighties, and especially the early nineties, when suddenly I discovered all these songs had something in common. All of them were songs that in one way or another played a huge importance in my understanding of what makes songs ... tick, for lack of a better word. What is it that drew me to these songs, and why? And what happened after receiving Pearl Jam's "10" in fifth or sixth grade that changed all that?
The parameters I have set for this list are:
1) No more than 125 songs can be applied to the list.
2) No more than one song per artist.
3) No music by Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Billy Joel, The Beatles, or anything else weighted with strong parental influence may be included. In other words, these songs all have to be personal discoveries, either through channels like friends, radio mix tapes (of which I had hundreds), or the occasional memory of MTV - which we didn't have until after Pearl Jam.
4) Most importantly, this cannot include songs from the time period that I later loved and wished to have listened to at the time. It must be music that I honestly listened to at the time, whether I still do or not.
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