Great songs, according to me (Part 4)
Usually I allow you to savor all my links, but I'm in a blogging frenzy, so it's time for more great songs! Read parts 1, 2, and 3.
Before I begin, I should mention that today is the second anniversary of my daughter's accident that left her brain-damaged. Read all about it on my other blog. Yes, it's a sad day, but not that sad - she's still alive, and working hard. And by the way, Mike Loughlin, if you're reading, I just noticed your comment on the second entry of that blog. Thanks for the thoughts - we're trying.
Okay, on to more trivial stuff! You come here for trivia, and trivia ye shall receive! Today we reach the 'B's! Exciting!
31. Asleep On The Motorway (by Jesus Jones on the album London, 2001): After the album Perverse, Jesus Jones kind of disappeared. They came back with some more albums, but they weren't anywhere near as popular as Doubt. However, they were pretty good albums, and this song is a sad ode to loneliness and isolation. The chorus is nice: "Asleep on the motorway, there is a world beyond the glare of these lights." A gentle tune with a bit of bite.
32. Baba O'Riley (by The Who on the album Who's Next, 1971): Do I really need to explain? Do I? Really? Oh, come on. I don't need to. Let's move on.
33. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (by Led Zeppelin on the album Led Zeppelin I, 1969): Led Zeppelin is awesome. Some day I'm going to do a whole entry about how awesome they are. You know they're awesome. You don't care that most of their songs are about, well, nothing. They're still awesome. This song is a fine first entry from Led Zep on this list. The lyrics don't really matter, because it's all about Plant moaning about some girl he's leaving or who left him. What matters is Page, with that gentle guitar that suddenly switches to the pounding drive, all backed by Bonham's drums. Bonham is the greatest drummer in rock history. Screw Keith Moon. Screw Neil Peart! Bwah-ha-ha-ha!
34. Baby Can Dance (by Tin Machine on the album Tin Machine, 1989): Tin Machine was a weird band that, frankly, wasn't very good, but it gave us some strange David Bowie music that didn't sound like normal Bowie music. Bowie's a train wreck quite often, but he never stops taking chances, and you have to admire that. This is his heavy metal phase, I suppose, and if you've heard of Tin Machine, it's because of their controversial second album with the naked Greek statues that wacky conservative Christians protested. Anyway, this is a the only really great song off their debut album, and it has bizarre lyrics and screechy music. It's kind of disturbing, but neat. The rest of the album - meh.
35. Baby I'm A Star (by Prince and the Revolution on the album Purple Rain, 1984): This whole album is simply brilliant, but this song is so much fun that it rises above the rest of the songs. "Hey, I ain't got no money, but honey I'm rich on personality!" And the music at the end - such joy! And the Doctor with his keyboard! Remember when Prince was fun? Okay, he's still kind of fun. But on this song, he was REALLY FUN!
36. Bad Attitude Shuffle (by Cinderella on the album Still Climbing, 1994): I warned you that I am no snob. I warned you there would be Cinderella songs on this list. And guess what? This is the first of two in a row! Bwah-ha-ha-ha! Phew. Anyway, Cinderella rocks. Seriously. They're better than most hair bands because after their first album, which was decent but nothing spectacular, they decided to listen to their old Zeppelin albums and start playing some blues. On this, the first song of their last (I think) album, Tom Keifer starts off singing through gauze or something over acoustic guitar, and then the blues guitar really kicks in, and Keifer starts growling, and it's all glorious. When, at the end, he sings, "And it's my life that I'm livin', wouldn't want to be no one else. So if you don't like how I do it, fuckin' keep it to yourself," you know he means it. And isn't that all you can ask from rock 'n' roll?
37. Bad Seamstress Blues/Falling Apart At The Seams (by Cinderella on the album Long Cold Winter, 1988): Long Cold Winter, Cinderella's second album, is brilliant bluesy metal. Just brilliant. And the ballads are great, too. This song kicks off the album, and Keifer and the boys nail it - again, it starts slow, but then blasts into orbit, and Keifer's lyrics, while cliched, are great for what he wants. Keifer is great at making you believe everything he sings, and he has a good heart: "Old friends seem much closer now, they stand the test of time somehow." Groovy goodness.
38. Barest Degree (by Midnight Oil on the album Breathe, 1996): "No matter what else you've been told, it's still all up to me, and everything you hold is mine in the barest degree ..." The final song on the last truly great Midnight Oil album (the two since have been good, but not great) is creepy and chilling and quiet. A nice send-off.
39. Barrel Of A Gun (by Depeche Mode on the album Ultra, 1997): Boy, you don't want to listen to this album is you're suicidal, because it might push you over the edge, but it's still good, and it kicks off with this excellent dirge in which Mr. Gahan rejects what people (his fans?) want him to be. Good stuff. Gahan has had a weird, rough life, and here he goes beyond it. Way to go, Dave! Depeche Mode is still crankin' 'em out, too, God bless 'em.
40. Bartender's Rag (by Thin White Rope on the album The Ruby Sea, 1991): I picked up a Thin White Rope album one day in 1990, and enjoyed it. So I bought this when it came out, and it was okay, but not as good as Sack Full of Silver. "Bartender's Rag," however, is great. It's honkytonk and bluesy, and works as a metaphor, and it's sad and funny at the same time. That bartender's rag, wiping away your blues. Pour yourself a drink!
So that's it for this installment. Angry comments are welcome! Questions about my taste, my hearing, my sexual orientation, whatever! Keep on rockin'!
Bonus! "Friends" is only occasionally really funny, but Chandler just had a priceless line: "The world is my lesbian wedding." What a great line.
Before I begin, I should mention that today is the second anniversary of my daughter's accident that left her brain-damaged. Read all about it on my other blog. Yes, it's a sad day, but not that sad - she's still alive, and working hard. And by the way, Mike Loughlin, if you're reading, I just noticed your comment on the second entry of that blog. Thanks for the thoughts - we're trying.
Okay, on to more trivial stuff! You come here for trivia, and trivia ye shall receive! Today we reach the 'B's! Exciting!
31. Asleep On The Motorway (by Jesus Jones on the album London, 2001): After the album Perverse, Jesus Jones kind of disappeared. They came back with some more albums, but they weren't anywhere near as popular as Doubt. However, they were pretty good albums, and this song is a sad ode to loneliness and isolation. The chorus is nice: "Asleep on the motorway, there is a world beyond the glare of these lights." A gentle tune with a bit of bite.
32. Baba O'Riley (by The Who on the album Who's Next, 1971): Do I really need to explain? Do I? Really? Oh, come on. I don't need to. Let's move on.
33. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (by Led Zeppelin on the album Led Zeppelin I, 1969): Led Zeppelin is awesome. Some day I'm going to do a whole entry about how awesome they are. You know they're awesome. You don't care that most of their songs are about, well, nothing. They're still awesome. This song is a fine first entry from Led Zep on this list. The lyrics don't really matter, because it's all about Plant moaning about some girl he's leaving or who left him. What matters is Page, with that gentle guitar that suddenly switches to the pounding drive, all backed by Bonham's drums. Bonham is the greatest drummer in rock history. Screw Keith Moon. Screw Neil Peart! Bwah-ha-ha-ha!
34. Baby Can Dance (by Tin Machine on the album Tin Machine, 1989): Tin Machine was a weird band that, frankly, wasn't very good, but it gave us some strange David Bowie music that didn't sound like normal Bowie music. Bowie's a train wreck quite often, but he never stops taking chances, and you have to admire that. This is his heavy metal phase, I suppose, and if you've heard of Tin Machine, it's because of their controversial second album with the naked Greek statues that wacky conservative Christians protested. Anyway, this is a the only really great song off their debut album, and it has bizarre lyrics and screechy music. It's kind of disturbing, but neat. The rest of the album - meh.
35. Baby I'm A Star (by Prince and the Revolution on the album Purple Rain, 1984): This whole album is simply brilliant, but this song is so much fun that it rises above the rest of the songs. "Hey, I ain't got no money, but honey I'm rich on personality!" And the music at the end - such joy! And the Doctor with his keyboard! Remember when Prince was fun? Okay, he's still kind of fun. But on this song, he was REALLY FUN!
36. Bad Attitude Shuffle (by Cinderella on the album Still Climbing, 1994): I warned you that I am no snob. I warned you there would be Cinderella songs on this list. And guess what? This is the first of two in a row! Bwah-ha-ha-ha! Phew. Anyway, Cinderella rocks. Seriously. They're better than most hair bands because after their first album, which was decent but nothing spectacular, they decided to listen to their old Zeppelin albums and start playing some blues. On this, the first song of their last (I think) album, Tom Keifer starts off singing through gauze or something over acoustic guitar, and then the blues guitar really kicks in, and Keifer starts growling, and it's all glorious. When, at the end, he sings, "And it's my life that I'm livin', wouldn't want to be no one else. So if you don't like how I do it, fuckin' keep it to yourself," you know he means it. And isn't that all you can ask from rock 'n' roll?
37. Bad Seamstress Blues/Falling Apart At The Seams (by Cinderella on the album Long Cold Winter, 1988): Long Cold Winter, Cinderella's second album, is brilliant bluesy metal. Just brilliant. And the ballads are great, too. This song kicks off the album, and Keifer and the boys nail it - again, it starts slow, but then blasts into orbit, and Keifer's lyrics, while cliched, are great for what he wants. Keifer is great at making you believe everything he sings, and he has a good heart: "Old friends seem much closer now, they stand the test of time somehow." Groovy goodness.
38. Barest Degree (by Midnight Oil on the album Breathe, 1996): "No matter what else you've been told, it's still all up to me, and everything you hold is mine in the barest degree ..." The final song on the last truly great Midnight Oil album (the two since have been good, but not great) is creepy and chilling and quiet. A nice send-off.
39. Barrel Of A Gun (by Depeche Mode on the album Ultra, 1997): Boy, you don't want to listen to this album is you're suicidal, because it might push you over the edge, but it's still good, and it kicks off with this excellent dirge in which Mr. Gahan rejects what people (his fans?) want him to be. Good stuff. Gahan has had a weird, rough life, and here he goes beyond it. Way to go, Dave! Depeche Mode is still crankin' 'em out, too, God bless 'em.
40. Bartender's Rag (by Thin White Rope on the album The Ruby Sea, 1991): I picked up a Thin White Rope album one day in 1990, and enjoyed it. So I bought this when it came out, and it was okay, but not as good as Sack Full of Silver. "Bartender's Rag," however, is great. It's honkytonk and bluesy, and works as a metaphor, and it's sad and funny at the same time. That bartender's rag, wiping away your blues. Pour yourself a drink!
So that's it for this installment. Angry comments are welcome! Questions about my taste, my hearing, my sexual orientation, whatever! Keep on rockin'!
Bonus! "Friends" is only occasionally really funny, but Chandler just had a priceless line: "The world is my lesbian wedding." What a great line.
posted by Greg | 5:38 PM
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