Monthly Archives: October 2013

“Big Log” – Robert Plant

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZQL22xOmUM

Much of Robert Plant’s solo work during the 1980s is hit or miss. 1983’s “Big Log,” however, is quite remarkable. From the album “The Principle of Moments,” this is a terrific “night song” if there ever was one. This is a song that sounds just about right when you’re driving at 1:30 am, with little traffic or lights around you … when you’ve got nothing to distract you … and you start really thinking about stuff … especially with those Ennio Morricone-style guitars strumming in the background. Too cool.

“Dancing Barefoot” – Patti Smith Group

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcbuG2w0Kzo

Man, what a great song. This is a top contender for my favorite Patti Smith song of all-time, mainly because she co-wrote it. “Because the Night” may be her best known song, and while it’s very good … it’s a bit overplayed. I love the sinister groove “Dancing Barefoot” has and is one of the best “night songs” ever recorded. What’s a night song? It’s the kind of song that sounds just about right when you’re hearing it at 1:30 am. Pleasant dreams. From the 1979 album “Wave.” Produced by Todd Rundgren.

“Sad Song” – Lou Reed

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The closing song from Lou Reed’s perversely depressing masterpiece from 1973 “Berlin.”

Key lyrics: “Staring at my picture book … She looks like Mary, Queen of Scots … She seemed very regal to me … Just goes to show how wrong you can be … I’m gonna stop wastin’ my time … Somebody else would have broken both of her arms”

Leave it to Lou to write something both uplifting and completely creepy and depressing at the same time. Apparently, this was written and recorded during a particularly bad bender on Lou’s part. Ironically, it was immediately after the huge commercial success of the “Transformer” album.

“The Man Who Sold the World” – Nirvana / David Bowie

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When I first saw Nirvana’s MTV “Unplugged” appearance, I was pleasantly surprised by this really terrific cover of an otherwise obscure David Bowie song from 1971. I was VERY familiar with the song, being a big fan of Bowie’s pre-Ziggy Stardust album of the same name, which I remember buying on cassette from Fantasia Records in Charlottesville, VA in 1988. Bowie’s original album was quite trippy … and heavy … at the same time. To this day, a VERY underrated album. Thanks to Nirvana for giving the props to this extremely cool phase of Bowie’s career.

I’ve attached Bowie’s original here:

“California Songs” – Local H

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From the 2004 album “Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles?”, here’s the anti-LA song “California Songs”. Local H is from Illinois, but I swear based on the sentiment, they’ve lived in Washington or Oregon. Key lyrics: “Yeah, we know you love L.A … There’s nothing left to say … Please no more California Songs … And F–K New York, too!”  Sorry to all my friends in the Empire and Golden states, but this is damn funny.

“MF From Hell” – The Datsuns

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From New Zealand, here’s the Datsuns’ “MF From Hell” from their self-titled 2002 album … which went all the way to #1 in their homeland. I like Crowded House and Split Enz, but I love the nasty, aggro Datsuns. They remind me of the completely cool and disreputable gunk-punk auteurs Candy Snatchers from my old stomping grounds of Tidewater, Virginia. Except I’m getting whiplash from banging from head. As you can imagine, the title is not safe for work or little ones … because the Datsuns don’t abbreivate when they sing.

“I’ve Got a Feeling” – The Beatles

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From 1970’s “Let it Be” album, this is another awesome Beatles song you don’t hear that much of because it’s not one of the 30 or so Beatles songs that’s played, with little variation, on most classic rock or oldies stations. At some point, I’ve been meaning to make an iTunes mix for myself of all the Beatles songs that you never hear on the radio. Why haven’t I done it? See my last entry…

“I Don’t Want to Grow Up” – Tom Waits / The Ramones

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Battling it out are Tom Waits and the Ramones, doing separate versions of Waits’ “I Don’t Want to Grow Up.”  First up is Waits’ folk-from-hell original single from his classic 1992 album “Bone Machine.”  After that, you can watch the Ramones do their own take, which achieved greater commercial success in 1996 (from their last studio album “Adios Amigos”).  I don’t know folks … they’re both pretty great.

Tom Waits:

The Ramones: