I resisted this band for several years solely based on their stupid name. With the exception of Monty Python (in VERY small doses) and Spike Jonze’s “Being John Malkovich,” I’m fairly resistant to whimsy. However, this is easily one of my favorite 100 songs of all time. This is one of the most awesomely majestic melancholy songs of all time. A song reminiscent (and ultimately better) than the Zombie’s “Time of the Season.” A total freakin’ classic!
A haunting and gorgeous original by Nick Lowe. Lowe’s ex-father-in-law Johnny Cash’s cover is probably the most famous version of this song, but there’s something I find a lot more compelling about this one. Was used to great effect on an episode of “The Sopranos.”
The San Francisco punk legends once spraypainted on their tourbus: “Flipper suffered for their music, now it’s your turn.” Well said … except for the fact that I love Flipper. If anyone knows where I can track down their legendary cover of Rick James’s “Super Freak,” you’ll be my new best friend.
Courtney Love has gotten an incredibly bad rap over the years. No matter what her association with Kurt Cobain (personal, professional, or otherwise), she’s a terrific artist in her own right and this song is proof positive of this. A wonderful “f–k you” to everyone who thought she was riding in on the coattails of Cobain. Love, love, love this song!!!!
The version of “Madame George” included on Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” album is beautiful and heartbreaking. The earlier version recorded for Bang Records is a nasty, raunchy, raucous, foot-stomping blast of drunken blues. I’ll let you guess which version I prefer.
“He Needs Me” was originally composed for Robert Altman’s 1980 musical version of “Popeye.” The film is hit or miss, but the scene where Duvall’s Olive Oyl sings this lovely song to Robin Williams’s Popeye is definitely the highlight of the film.
The opening track of Nico’s “Chelsea Girl” album from 1967, written by Jackson Browne. It also underscored the moving finale of Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,” specifically the final scene between Ben Stiller’s and Gene Hackman’s characters, a scene that always gets me.
One of the most beautiful songs of the last 25 years. Immensely powerful and heartfelt. Nick Cave is an amazing performer/songwriter, but this will be the song he’ll be remembered for after he dies.
The “Use Your Illusion I & II” CDs were quite the unwieldy spectacle. The equivalent of 4 old-fashioned LPs of material composed over a 2-3 year period, it’s a journey through highs and lows. And yes, most everyone agrees the best stuff should have just been put on one CD and be done with it. “Breakdown” is one of those tracks, if not, the BEST track from the whole shebang.
X’s cover of the Jerry Lee Lewis classic, recorded for the much underrated 1983 Richard Gere-starring remake of Jean-Luc Godard’s film of the same name. If you’re skeptical, give it a shot. I think you’ll see where Tarantino got a lot of ideas.
Dave's Strange World 