And after my four-week foray into covers and pseudo-covers, it’s time again to talk about songs that came up on the iPod shuffle. Let’s roll…
1. “Silent E” – Tom Lehrer. “Who can turn a can into a cane? Who can turn a pan into a pane? It’s not too hard to see it’s Silent E!” I cannot wait till Olivia is old enough to want to watch the “Best of The Electric Company” DVD that I got some time ago.
2. “Jocko Homo” – Devo. Resolved: Gnarls Barkley is this generation’s Devo. Discuss.
3. “One Night In Bangkok” – from the “Chess” soundtrack. Listening to this after the recent death of Bobby Fischer makes me think that they knew what they were doing when they wrote the character of the American champion.
4. “Dixie Chicken” – Trout Fishing in America. Yes, it’s a cover. You didn’t think I’d get too far away from that, did you? I don’t even know who does the original, but it doesn’t matter. I like this version just fine.
5. “Boogie Oogie Oogie” – A Taste of Honey. Exactly how much can one boogie oogie oogie before one is incapable of boogie-ing any more? Sadly, science has failed us on this question.
6. “Last Night” – Travelling Wilburys. Oh, Roy Orbison, why did you have to die so young?
7. “Playground In My Mind” – Clint Holmes. Possibly the most annoying song I have in my entire collection. I love the 70s, but man, some of what passed for a hit back then was truly bizarre.
8. “Would I Lie To You?” – The Eurythmics. Freshly acquired from iTunes via that still-not-fully-depleted gift card. There was an air guitar contest at Trinity back in the day in which two different people, Kim and Karl, did this song. Kim was a natural redhead, but Karl had an authentic Annie Lennox buzz-do, so he scored higher.
9. “Lucretia Mac Evil” – Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Has there ever been another band quite like BS&T? I guess Chicago’s earlier stuff is similar, but without David Clayton-Thomas’ vocals, it just isn’t quite the same.
10. “Born At The Right Time” – Paul Simon. The song that was going through my head when Olivia was born. I still get a little verklempt when I hear it. Give me a minute here, willya?
OK, I’m back. More randomy goodness next week. Happy Friday!
“4. “Dixie Chicken” – Trout Fishing in America. Yes, it’s a cover. You didn’t think I’d get too far away from that, did you? I don’t even know who does the original, but it doesn’t matter. I like this version just fine.”
The original was done by Little Feat in 1973. There is also a version by Jack Jones on Rhino’s Golden Throats Volume 2.
“5. “Boogie Oogie Oogie” – A Taste of Honey. Exactly how much can one boogie oogie oogie before one is incapable of boogie-ing any more? Sadly, science has failed us on this question.”
This sounds like the type of question I would ask a boxing referee at the moment before the fight starts when he says “Any questions?” 🙂
“9. “Lucretia Mac Evil” – Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Has there ever been another band quite like BS&T?”
I would put Earth, Wind and Fire in that class, but they are a bit funkier.
The live version of Dixie Chicken on Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus is my favorite rendition of that song. Also, I love that you have Boogie Oogie Oogie on your iPod. Now I may have to go off and buy it.
Also, Devo is this generation’s Devo. They have a new single out and I did buy that.
“My name is Michael, I got a nickel…” I am such a sucker for 70s AM radio pop. A recent acquisition: Baby Come Back, by Player.