“A Wedding in Cherokee County” – Randy Newman

Video

Another gem from Randy Newman’s 1974 album “Good Old Boys.” This song is sung from the perspective of a loser who is about to marry someone that no one in his town thinks much of. However, despite this, he’s also terrified of his wedding night. Either because he’s impotent or because his equipment is deformed (I’ve never been able to figure out which). He starts wailing about his new bride laughing at his “mighty sword.” Given Newman’s normal sardonic nature, it seems like he’s laughing at his subject, but he’s not. The gorgeous arrangement and singing provide a dignity to a man who doesn’t have any. And you genuinely feel the man’s pain and terror.

“Guilty” – Randy Newman

Video

From Newman’s classic 1974 album “Good Old Boys,” is a brilliant, non-sardonic song sung from the perspective of a helpless addict. Yes, “Guilty” sounds self-pitying to the nth degree, but so are a lot of addicts. Newman brilliantly conveys the desperation of someone who knows they have a problem, but can’t (and won’t) dig themself out. This was one of John Belushi’s favorite songs and he used to sing this quite often during his Blues Brothers era.

“Ballad of Maxwell Demon” – Shudder to Think (from the 1998 film “Velvet Goldmine” dir. Todd Haynes)

Video

When Todd Haynes decided to make a film loosely based on the life of David Bowie, he took a similar approach to his idea that Allison Anders did when she wanted to make a film about a Carole King in “Grace of My Heart.” That approach was to use significant events from their subject’s lives, but make a fiction film and to change things enough to make their films more dramatically interesting. The approach was smart in both cases, because they didn’t have to worry about being factually accurate and could tell whatever story they wanted.

The result isn’t perfect, but Haynes’s film “Velvet Goldmine” is mesmerizing and he hired some great 1990s-era musicians to recreate the highlights from the English glam-rock era. “The Ballad of Maxwell Demon” is Shudder to Think’s variation on Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” and “All the Young Dudes” and it’s a damn good song. The lyrics even recall “Dudes” directly: “Six feet down when I’m 25” is similar to the first verse in “Dudes.”

“You’re Breaking My Heart” – Harry Nilsson

Video

I first heard this song over the opening credits of that immortal early 1980s Phoebe Cates/Matthew Modine T&A comedy “Private School … for Girls.” By the point it appeared in the film, the song was over 10 years old, but it was certainly memorable then … and now. Arguably one of the best opening lines of any song ever: “You’re breaking my heart, you’re tearin’ it apart, so f–k you!”

“Laugh at Me” – Mott the Hoople

Video

“Laugh at Me” was originally a charming, yet clumsy protest song written and performed by Sonny Bono in the late 1960s. Mott the Hoople covered it in 1967 on their first album and what was once clumsy became majestic. Sounding like an outtake from Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde,” Ian Hunter and the gang slowed down the tempo, gave the song a serious treatment, and let that wonderful organ and guitar sound do the rest. A great example of how a cover can completely transcend an original.

“Get Back” – The Beatles with Billy Preston

Video

The Beatles tend to run hot and cold with me. I don’t know whether it’s oversaturation or overpraise of everything they’ve ever done that sometimes rubs me raw. Please don’t get me wrong. For the 8 years that they recorded (1962-1970), the Beatles were some prolific bastards and all of their great stuff (even if it only comprises 40% of what they recorded, in my opinion) is better than what most bands have produced over twice (or even triple) the number of years. Despite that, a lot of what the Beatles recorded was merely OK. And even some of it was pretty dreadful.

But “Get Back” is a song that I’ve never ever disliked, even during those times when I’m down on the Beatles. Unlike much of what they’ve done over the years, “Get Back” just sounds like a bunch of friendly musicians kicking back and just jamming away for the hell of it. The organ fills by Billy Preston are an especially nice touch and are miles away from the funk freakouts (sometimes great, sometimes not so great) Preston did in the 1970s. It’s a song that always makes me feel better, even when I’m in a really s—ty mood.

“2 Kindsa Love” – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Video

When you’re invited to be on a big network youth television show, it’s always a good idea to shake things up a bit and be memorable. Here’s Jon Spencer and the Blues Explosion tearing it up on an Australian TV program from 1996 named “Recovery.” Exciting stuff. Makes me want to kick over some furniture, in fact.

“I’m Afraid of Americans” – David Bowie (with Nine Inch Nails)

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Dave's Strange World

David Bowie is a musical genius, in my opinion. But there are some who think that Bowie is only as good as who he collaborates with. I don’t think that’s a fair criticism, but it’s understandable why someone may think that. Say what you will about Bowie, but the man does have excellent taste and has always been on the cutting edge. For all of the phases of his career, here’s the short list of his collaborators: Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople, Brian Eno, Nile Rogers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and, in the 1990s Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

“I’m Afraid of Americans” was Bowie’s collaboration with Nine Inch Nails from 1997 or so and the marriage is a damn good one.

“Annie’s Gone” – Redd Kross

Video

Because Redd Kross always seemed to be riding a kitschy 1970s schtick from early on and played that up in their videos, I think they were always unfairly dismissed. Their 1990 Atlantic-label album “Third Eye” is a pop masterpiece and would easily be on my Top 100 desert island albums list. “Annie’s Gone” should have been a monster hit, and while it got some play on college radio, it didn’t go much further from that. A severely underrated band and album.

“Genius of Love” – Tom Tom Club

Video

A loving tribute to funk, recorded by a couple of Talking Heads on vacation (Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz), Adrian Belew, and others. The song became a classic, being sampled endlessly in the early days of hip-hop. However, as great and as groundbreaking as the song was/is, the animated video is even better. Almost 35 years later, it still seems revolutionary.