Category Archives: Music

Friday random eight: School’s out

What the hell, it’s a short week and the last day of school was yesterday. 1. Be True To Your School – Beach Boys 2. Big School – team9 vs. Stereogum 3. Bitch School – Chris Cohoon 4. Schoolhouse Rock … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: You Really Got A Hold On Me

Song #66 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “You Really Got A Hold On Me”, by The Miracles and covered by The Beatles. Here’s the original: You pretty much can’t go wrong with Smokey Robinson. And here’s the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: What I am is what I am

I know what I am. 1. I’m A Bear In A Ladies Boudoir – Asylum Street Spankers 2. I’m A Believer – The Monkees 3. I’m A Rocker – Bruce Springsteen 4. I’m An Old Cowhand – Mutual Admiration Society … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Mrs. Robinson

Song #67 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel, covered by The Lemonheads. Here’s the original: I trust we’re all familiar with that song, even if we’ve never seen “The Graduate”. Here’s the Lemonheads version: … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Parenthetically speaking

Ever notice how some songs have and alternate, parenthetical title? Here are ten examples from my collection. 1. Remember (Walking In The Sand) – Aerosmith 2. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – They Might Be Giants 3. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Bang A Gong (Get It On)

Song #69 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Get it On (Bang a Gong)”, originally by T.Rex and covered by Power Station. Here’s the original: That’s a song you’re probably quite familiar with if you’ve been anywhere near a classic … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Oh, so THAT’s the name of that song

When I did that Name That Tune list a bit ago, one of the answers was clearly on the right track but had the wrong name for the song. I’m talking about Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage”, which you might well … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: The Passenger

Song #70 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “The Passenger”, by Iggy Pop and covered by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Here’s the original: I was never into the punk/new wave scene in the 80s, so I’m largely unfamiliar with the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Workin’ in the asteroid mines

Didn’t I read something the other day about mining asteroids? Well, here are ten suggestions for that new venture’s corporate theme song. 1. Space Oddity – David Bowie 2. Space Truckin’ – Deep Purple 3. Outer Space – Ace Frehley … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Jealous Guy

Song #71 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Jealous Guy”, by John Lennon and covered by Roxy Music. Here’s the original: That’s apparently one of Lennon’s more widely covered songs, but I can’t say I’d heard it before. Here’s the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Here there be randomness

Feels like the kind of week for some old school random ten-ness. 1. Dancing Barefoot – U2 2. San Lorenzo – Pat Metheny Group 3. Race Car Ya-Yas – CAKE 4. I’m In The Mood – John Lee Hooker 5. … Continue reading

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“Bum Phillips: The Opera”

Would you like to see an opera based on the life of legendary former Houston Oilers head coach Bum Phillips? Of course you would. And you can make it happen. BUM PHILLIPS is a world premiere operatic work inspired by … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Hallelujah

Song #72 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Hallelujah”, originally by Leonard Cohen and covered by everyone on the planet many artists, in this case Rufus Wainwright. Here’s the original: That’s probably not the version you’re most familiar with; Jeff … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Name that tune

Gonna try something a little different that week. Here are ten lyric snippets from my song library. Your job is to name the song and the artist – original or cover of your choice, I don’t care. Obviously, using the … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Wild Thing

Song #73 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Wild Thing”, originally by The Wild Ones and covered by The Troggs. Here’s the original: Boy howdy was that not what I expected. I have to admit, I like it … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Tax day

It’s what really makes the world go ’round. 1. Easy Money – Billy Joel 2. Money – Pink Floyd 3. Money – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings 4. Money – Yes 5. Money – N.A.S.A 6. Money, Money, Money … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: I Love Rock & Roll

Song #74 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “I Love Rock & Roll”, originally by the Arrows and covered by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Here’s the original: Yeah, I’ve never heard of that version, either. Here’s the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Good Friday, take 3

Time once again for a Good Friday random ten list. 1. Good – Better Than Ezra 2. Good After Time – team9 vs Stereogum 3. Good Enough – Sarah McLachlin 4. Good Feeling To Know – Richie Furay 5. A … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Wichita Lineman

Song #75 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Wichita Lineman”, originally by Jimmy Webb and covered by Glen Campbell. Here’s the original: Obviously a more recent recording than his original, but it’s the best I can do. Here’s … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Opening day

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains. But all the time, there’s Friday Random Ten. 1. Opening Ceremonies – from the “Chess” soundtrack 2. Opening: I Can’t Turn You Loose – Blues Brothers 3. Open All Night – … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Always On My Mind

Song #76 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Always On My Mind”, originally by Brenda Lee and covered by the Pet Shop Boys. Here’s the original: I didn’t realize this was the original. I like this version, but … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: South By Southwest

You may have heard something about South By Southwest, the big music/arts/techie shindig they have in Austin every year. I’ve never been and honestly probably never will, but I have grabbed some of the free tunes they make available after … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: I’m Free

Song #77 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “I’m Free”, originally by the Rolling Stones, and covered by the Soup Dragons. Here’s the original: Am I the only one who remembers that early days Bloom County comic in … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: On break

To salute the end of spring break, ten songs about breaks and breaking. 1. Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You – Connie Francis 2. Only Love Can Break A Heart – Gene Pitney 3. Break It To Me Gently … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Wild Night

Song #78 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Wild Night”, originally by Van Morrison, and covered by John Mellencamp with Meshell Ndegeocello. Here’s the original by Van The Man: And here’s the Mellencamp/Ndegeocello version: Not much to say … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: A few of my favorite things

When I embarked on that project to listen to every song in my iTunes library in alphabetical order, one of the purposes was to assign a star rating to each song. I kept it simple: Three stars was the default, … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Working My Way Back To You

Song #79 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Working My Way Back To You”, originally by the Four Seasons, and covered by The Drifters. Here’s the original: And here’s the Drifters version: I don’t think I’d realized before … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: The best little random ten list in Texas

A moment of silence, please, for Edna Milton Chadwell, the last madam of the Chicken Ranch brothel in La Grange, Texas, who passed away this week at the age of 84. In her memory, I bring you this list: 1. … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: We Can Work It Out

Song #80 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “We Can Work It Out”, by The Beatles, and covered by Stevie Wonder. Here’s the original: I trust everyone is familiar with that song. Here’s Stevie’s version: Pretty cool to … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Tongue twisters

Somehow I got to thinking this week about songs that are challenging to sing because of lyrical density and/or complexity. Tongue-twisting songs, in other words. I came up with ten from my collection: 1. Mari Mac – Flying Fish Sailors … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Dancing In The Street

Song #81 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Dancing in The Street”, originally by Martha and the Vandellas, and covered by Van Halen. Here’s the original: And here’s the Van Halen cover: Sorry, I couldn’t find an official … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Unexpected genius

I was just going to do another normal random ten listing – I had the iPod in shuffle mode and was just waiting for a time to collect the songs I’d heard and put them in a post, when I … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Easy

Song #82 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Easy”, originally by The Commodores, and covered by Faith No More. Here’s the original: Yeah, not so much for me. I’m one of those people who thinks of that old … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Songs for an unromantic Valentine’s Day

There are many songs to express one’s romantic feelings for one’s partner on Valentine’s Day and to help put one’s partner in the mood for love. These are not ten of those songs. 1. If You Want Me To Love … Continue reading

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