What's Right in the World: Kid Rock has a Foundation

Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy

said the boogy said up jump the boogy!

Flipping through the GR Press, inconspicuously on page A17 was the headline "Kid Rock Foundation gives $250K to Music Gallery."

Kid. Rock. Has. A. Foundation.

The story goes on to say Romeo's Bob Ritchie is donating the cash to the Detroit Historical Museum for a Music Lab, an interactive display covering the history of music in Detroit from jazz to blues, Motown to techno and hip-hop.

Curious, I went to his website, and found the mission statement to his Foundation:

"I can't stop the war, shelter homeless, feed the poor. I can't walk on water. Can't save your sons and daughters. I can't change the world to make things fair. This is the least that I can do. The Kid Rock Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit raising funds for and awareness of local and regional charities helping disadvantaged children, victims of war and natural disasters, and those suffering from illness."

There's something so genuine, so refreshing, so MICHIGAN about this gesture. I've known plenty of badasses in my time that extol the virtue of swigging beers, chasing wimmen and staying out all night who will flag down the ice cream truck and treat all the kids in the neighborhood.

Look no further than Kid's Detroit compatriots Insane Clown Posse. ICP was contacted by MAXIM magazine to do a feature on a night on the town in Detroit, and gave them around $800. Strippers? Casino? Debauchery? Body shots? No. ICP did a benefit concert for a local homeless shelter where the fans brought food and blankets as their "ticket" to the show, dropped a majority of the MAXIM cash in the donation box, took the fans out for a round of drinks to give back, then took whoever wanted to go along over to Green's Hamburgers (LOVE Green's!) for burgers and fries.

I also cite Ted Nugent as an example when I was a teen. Bowhunting with cancer patients. Deer hunting with underprivledged children. Walking through the Westwood Mall buying stuff for people for the heck of it. Generous tipper too.

But back to Kid Rock. He's done rap. He's done rock. He's done country. He brews his own beer. He supports local Detroit business. Even with the Foundation as the face of his charity, I'm sure he does a lot more for the community than he lets on.

He's more than just a cowboy, baby.

October Playlist: Girls

Ah Stevie, all the girls wanted to be you.

There is a sweet but sad story of Stevie Nicks and Joe Walsh, who collaborated on a special project for a four year old who was dying of cancer. She had wistfully asked, "do you think anyone will write a song about me?"

Of course angel baby.

A P.S. to this story is the little girl was bothered that the public drinking fountain was too tall for her to drink from comfortably, and after she passed, Joe had tiny drinking fountains installed in parks throughout her hometown in her honor.

As a music lover, there is something so deeply moving (or confusing, see Feb angst!) about someone writing a song for you. As ordinary citizens of the world, it's also cool when one already exists, like the Allman Brothers Band's "Melissa." This seems like a phenomena strictly for girls, because outside of Toni Basil's "Mickey," I can't come up with a single song dedicated to a boy. That may be a research challenge for another time...

So for all those sparkly-eyed gals in the back row that captured the imagination of the heavy-lidded bass players converting shyness to badassery, this one's for you.

Girl, The Beatles: Another month, another list, another Beatles tune. Whatever, it's my blog. A complex marriage of Lennon/McCartney building a complex mystery girl. What is so effective is what is NOT sung - the sighs, the gasps, sucking in air. Those exclamations tell things that words can't. Bonus: the backing track where George sings "tit-tit-tit-tit" - naughty!

Valleri, The Monkees: I was trying to hold out against listing another Monkees song, but whatever, it's my blog. Besides, I have tickets to see the Monkees in Chicago this November - with Michael Nesmith. The lyrics are simple, and sung by my least favorite Monkee Davy. But the real highlight of the song is the guitar work, the Spanish guitar bridge and the electrc guitar riff. I love Peter Tork in his checkered shirt singing the wrong notes at the top of his lungs in the romp from the show.

My Sharona, The Knack: Back in '79, I like to think I was a precocious kid with a taste in music that defied my age. What nine year old grooves to Steely Dan? I also think I had an ear for what was going to be a big hit, and went nuts the first time I heard My Sharona, begging for then getting the vinyl for my 10th birthday - and I still have it. The song ended up the #1 song of the year. Unfortunately, that was the single high note for the band, now widely considered a one-hit wonder. To that I say, give "Good Girls Don't" a listen. I've downloaded it, and the harmonica is filthier than the lyrics. If I were in a punk band, I'd fight to sing this.

Jessica, Allman Brothers Band: I've mentioned Melissa so often, we have to give it up for the brothers other great girl song. Named for Dicky Betts daughter, the Wall Street Journal declared the song "a true national heirloom." That's quite an endorsement. A friend of mine skated to it when he won the adult men's silver freeskate title and of course he's a southern boy.

Layla, Derek and the Dominoes: Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone magazine says this: "there are few moments in the repertoire of recorded rock where a singer or writer has reached so deeply into himself that the effect of hearing them is akin to witnessing a murder or a suicide... to me 'Layla' is the greatest of them."  I concur.

She's Crafty, Beastie Boys: the B boys in the early years were known for chauvantistic, juvenile teenaged rap lyrics, and well, we loved it. Especially when the tables were turned, as in this song. "She's crafty, she knows all the moves, I started playing records, she knows all the grooves. She robbed us blind, she took all we owned, and the boys blamed me for bringing her home."

Ah Leah!, Donnie Iris: I don't know a thing about Donnie outside of this song and "Love is Like a Rock," is a so-ridiculous-it's-cool classic rock staple. Research has revealed a pretty cool life. Iris has been involved in music since he was a child, and was in his first rock band as a teen. He became a solo artist in his late 30s, and obtained the nickname "King Cool" in his 40s. He had a deal with Atari in one of the early examples of rock cross-promotion with video games for the song "Do You Compute?" He's now a grandfather, has the greatest hits album, a Christmas album, has a local beer named after him, key to the city, and does stuff just for fun. That sounds like a charmed rock life to me.

Beth, KISS: hard rock glam metal goes soft. The purist fans I know balk at this and "I Was Made for Loving You" (disco trash!), but let me tell you, without these two songs, KISS would mean nothing to me. The song was written by drummer Peter Criss, and the real Beths are Criss' wife Lydia and a former bandmate's wife Becky. So how do you get to Beth? Creative license.

Sweet Child 'O Mine, Guns n' Roses: the infamous story of Axl and Erin Everly. You can rock hard and love even harder. Perfect moment in time for them, forever a disaster after.

Paulina, No Doubt: From their rare first disc that is more ska than anything they did after. Also one of the rare moments when someone other than Gwen Stefani sings lead. A song about the intense infatuation one had with supermodel Paulina Ocasek.

Annie's Song, John Denver: a classic soft rock standard that has become a wedding song standard. Easy to understand, Denver wrote the song for his wife as a gift, they divorced, then got back together, I believe, on the strength of this song. No matter how soft you rock, you can still get the girl if you are a master troubador.

Cecilia, Simon & Garfunkel: the song has been mentioned before, a staple singalong song for sorority girls at Ripples.

Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond: ditto.

Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!), Garbage: okaaaaay, not a song about a girl but a song about a boy cross dressing as a girl. Count me in as one of the people who just love the camp value of a cross dressing male, who gets the beauty and absurdity of the state of glamour today. And the names! I have laughed for days at some of the names drag queens give themselves. Example: a plus sized queen named All Beef Patty. You go, um, girl.

Gloria, various: first sung by Them, but my favorite current rendition is by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Tom breaks it down into a 20+ minute groove, straying from the lyrics to tell of talking a gal into going out with him because, see, "I'm in a little rock and roll band, we just did 20 shows at the Fillmore..."

Hey There Delilah, Plain White T's: a nod to my teenaged heart, even in my 40s.

Lay Lady Lay, Bob Dylan: a God to the critics, I've never been a huge Dylan fan, but man, this song is lush and he creates a world where you can feel the heat from the candlelight, smell the smoke from the fireplace, and even see the swirls in the whiskey made by the ice slowly melting in your drink.

My Maria, BW Stevenson: it seems like every classic rock station has its staples. WLAV here in town always seems to play Hocus Pocus by Focus or Edgar Winter's Frankenstein around 1:10 in the afternoon. KSHE in St. Louis loved this jangly little hit for some reason and I don't really even know why, but I grew to love it too.

September Gurls, Big Star: I was interested in Big Star after reading Rob Sheffield's book about his wife Renee, Big Star being her favorite band. They didn't disappoint, and the indie darlings scored a slot in Rolling Stone's list of the top 500 greatest pop songs.

Sour Girl, Stone Temple Pilots: Scott Wieland shirtless singing a love song. Sold.

Woman, John Lennon: start with the Beatles' Girl and end with Lennon's Woman - perfect. Huge hit from his solo release, sadly marked by his passing, which adds to the melancholy. Count me as one of the few fans that don't dislike Yoko, her noteriety overshadows her brilliance as an artist, which is what John saw in the first place. It takes a strong woman to pair up with one of the most brilliant musical artists of the 20th century and hold her own.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 251-260

I heart The Kinks

Oh, we're halfway there!

The Kinks, You Really Got Me
Random story: my friend Anne from high school was getting quite tired of some of the stupid sophomoric actions by some of the boys in our biology class. For some reason, she belted this song out, and they left her alone. I really should have tried that.

Kiss, Rock and Roll All Nite
My feelings about Kiss are conflicted. I love the songs Hard Luck Woman and New York Groove. And I Was Made for Loving You figures into the stories of my teen angst; its use in the Umbrella Academy had my inner teen screaming. Some of their more popular songs, like this one, I couldn't care less. And the stories of how poorly they treat each other are pathetic.

Buddy Knox, Party Doll
I remember this song from repeat watchings of the movie American Graffiti. It's sweet, it's catchy, it's pretty innocent. Nothing released today could even compare. Nice little rockabilly bridge too.

Kraftwerk, Autobahn
I've heard it, it's 22 minutes long. Isn't this the birth of industrial music? I wonder if I can skate to this? It's an industrial symphony I don't quite want to turn away from yet. When did this come out? 1974?!? NOTHING sounded like this at the time, closest I could possibly come would be King Crimson or ELP, but then they progged that shit out, and this is very clean.

Whoa, at the 8 minute mark, it gets really interesting! I'm mesmerized!

Auuuuuutoooooo Bahhhhhhhhhhhn... Auuuuuutoooooo Bahhhhhhhhhhhn...!

LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
LL was a pioneer of early rap in the 80s, just a cute kid with some great hooks. He got a bit more hard rock and aggressive with this one. This song gets me revved up, and is consistently on my running playlists, getting my fat ass over the finish line. Oooo, sucka.

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Second time referencing my sophomore year in high school in as many posts... Anyway, in Speech class, we were asked to write a short presentation on who you admire, and Cyndi was my subject. Why? She's creative, bright, crazy, fun, and could be entirely unique and introspective. She was who I was a little too bashful to become at that time, but the paint was starting to be applied to the canvas. Thank you allowing me to not be like every other girl.

Lead Belly, The Midnight Special
I think my introduction to this came second hand, again, this time from Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's a good song.

Sorry, still listening to Kraftwerk....

Led Zeppelin, Dazed and Confused, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven
Just remember girls: if a boy tells you it's unladylike to listen to Led Zeppelin, BREAK UP WITH HIM. That is all. Oh, and Jimmy Page's curls are divine.

August Playlist - Summer Shuffle

Will rushed the "stage" to rock out to the Verve Pipe at his first-ever rock show. He was wearing a Rush tee until Donny changed his shirt.

My Sweet Lord, George Harrison - getting geared up for the Scorcese documentary in October about the Quiet Beatle. And, I'm thinking about skating to it for the Christmas show.

Last Friday Night, Katy Perry - a catchy little number with a cute video that made me temporarily forget I can't stand her. The lyrics are hysterical.

Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People - the song was an indie favorite on WYCE and college radio this spring, so I was shocked when it popped up on VH1 this summer. Also shocking was how freakin' hot the band is. Dave and I Shazam'ed the song several times, and the third time, I finally bought it on the iPhone. Ain't technology wonderful?

Tightrope, Janelle Montae - first heard this song in a WERQ class, and was so mesmerized by the beat, I got through the worst of the class. Girl is lauded by fashion mags for her too-feminine-to-really be androgynous look, but the gal has genuine chops in the music department.

On the Floor, J.Lo - I should hate her, but I can't. There is something very awesome about JLo, and I take her music for what it is, catchy dance music crafted very well by her producers.

Summer, War - I have no idea how old this song is, I heard it on a soundtrack a long time ago, and requested the song on iTunes. It is finally available.

Acting as Your Slave, The Verve Pipe - CD bought from the back of a trunk when we were in college, a song I mistakenly added while trying to add the song next to it. I love when mistakes work out.

Arms, Christina Perry - sweet and tough at the same time.

Born This Way, Lady Gaga - after not liking it this spring, I came around this summer. Still not feeling Edge of Glory, a little too 80s for me. Last time I saw hair like that was Berlin's Take My Breath Away.

Save Me San Francisco, Train - "I've been high, I've been low, I've been yes and I've been oh hell no!"

Wake Up and Be Part of the Band, The Verve Pipe - TVP's second/third entries, this from The Family Album. These guys have had a career that for everyday working class musicians, is a dream come true. They were huge on the Midwest college/frat party scene, won the West Michigan Battle of the Bands for a recording contract. This turned out a few indie rock hits, then a huge top 10 hit, and a few more indie hits. This led to the song on the soundtrack, the cameo in the movie, the song in the commercial, the song over the credits on ABC Family. Semi-retired, the band was getting back together for holiday shows, which led to the holiday album. Growing older and having children, what's next but a children's album? This led to heavy rotation on Sirius/XM, concert specials on PBS, and a mishmash tour schedule that includes libraries for the kid shows and concert halls for the adult rock show.

That said, Wake Up and Be Part of the Band rule, true rockers disguised as kiddie songs. Will loves them, and rushed the stage at first opportunity. Donny was amazing with the kids, so was Brian.

There Goes My Everything, Jack Greene - We stumbled upon a bluegrass jam session in Reed City and the the band played this song, squeezing every drop of sorrow out of every note. To be honest, I think the impromptu version I heard live was better, but this will do.

Knockin' At Your Back Door, Deep Purple - Funny story, I had shreds of this song in my memory banks on a loop, for several days. I thought the same of the song was Point of No Return, and I asked friends for verification, and tried looking it up on iTunes. Came up empty. Two full days of going crazy, I share these shreds with co-worker Clint. Those shreds were "point of no return," "samurai," and "little Suzy". I also guessed the song was released between '79 and '85. I threw out the bands Kansas, Rainbow and BTO.

BOOM, he had it, Deep Purple, in less than 10 seconds.

Little House Travels: Playing in Plum Creek

Nothing will make you jump out of your skin like being there.

On Route 5, the Gordon Farm was the site of the dugout and the frame farmhouse.

There it is!

About where Pa must have parked the wagon and the family wondered where the house was. 

Close-up of the signage.

On the path to the dugout - Little House hallowed ground.

Tucked violets, dandelions, and phlox behind my ear from the dugout.

I wasn’t the only one enjoying the Plum Creek homestead site.

As best I could figure from her diagrams and descriptions, this was where the footbridge was.

Whoops. The eight-year-old in me was delighted, the adult in me was glad I had the foresight to bring a towel from the hotel. All I could think of was the line in the book when Ma laughed when they came in from playing, wet, muddy, with fists full of flowers. 

So I waded to get clean. I, a Little House fan since the age of eight, played in Plum Creek...

...at the location of the footbridge at the base of the dugout. 

I too loved how mud felt.

The spring where they fetched fresh water and the path to the big rock. 

The path up to Tableland. To a young girl, the description made sense, but as an adult, it was just a ridge. Still, she was right about how steep it was to go from one elevation to another.

The Ingalls farm until those pesky grasshoppers ruined it. 

Monday took me east to the towns of Walnut Grove and Tracy, which covers the entirety of the book On the Banks of Plum Creek and the first half of By the Shores of Silver Lake. 

I thought I would need at least a full day in Walnut Grove and maybe part of another day. The reality of these small towns is there's no Little House amusement park, no crazy-themed restaurants, and no throngs of Laurafans waiting 45 minutes in line for a flume ride down Plum Creek.  The people of these small towns acknowledge your crazy and just ask you to pay on the honor system and pick up your trash when you're done. 

I got to town at 9:30 a.m., and since the museum was not yet open, I decided to drive to the dugout. 

Pa and his trouble with distance - the farm site and dugout weren’t three or 12 miles away, just a mile and a half up Route 5. 

The Gordon farm was neat and tidy, and it was clearly marked how to get to the back of the farm to the dugout site and where to pay, in a mailbox with an iron latch. Just take my money!

I worried the land wouldn’t be as magical or my imagination wouldn’t match reality. Instead, the dugout space felt like hallowed ground. The roof had collapsed a hundred years ago so all that was left was a deep depression in the ground. But THIS was IT. I wanted to see morning glories; instead, I got violets, phlox, dandelions, and other prairie flowers. The path was just as she described it, as was the winding creek. PLUM CREEK! THAT’S PLUM CREEK! 

I looked around for more iconic spaces there. Everything felt small as well as large. I tried to remember at the time she was remembering Plum Creek, she was a tiny girl that was only seven, eight years old. Tableland, which I tried to figure out as a kid, was only a ridge where the land rose up; even then, it was a steep climb for me. The big rock had been moved from the field and was now submerged in the creek. It was big, but not as big as she described. I looked for other iconic places described, like the swimming hole and the waterfall where she fished, but they either no longer exist or are in a private space on the property. 

It’s worth mentioning again my country girl party of one with the vanity cakes (donut holes) and a pint of milk. According to Laura’s maps and descriptions and Garth Williams’ illustrations, I was sitting in the exact spot where the footbridge had been. It was pleasant and sweet to be sitting where she lived and played and to be enjoying treats from her long-ago party. 

And play I did. I may have been attempting to be as dainty as Mary in the water and scampering up the creek banks but Minnesota mud is something entirely different, as I slid in the thick, sticky mass into the water and by some miracle, saved my phone from dropping in the drink. I was, however, covered from hip to foot. Thank God I had grabbed a hotel pool towel to clean up and clean off. My shoes were caked and I changed quickly to flip flops, then barefoot. Instead of fussing, I just had to laugh. 

I moved further downstream, where I waded on the partially submerged rock, saw the spring, and stood still to listen to the birds and smell the wildflowers, which she had described as being so sweet. I called my sister while wading in the water “I’m in PLUM CREEK!” I cried. 

I didn’t want to leave, but I had to get into town to tour the museum. 

P.S.: I was puzzled about the size of the big rock not being so big and chalked it up to tall tales by little girls. Then I read this: it’s a really big rock that 150 years of erosion covered. Sorry about the bird poop. 

January Playlist: The Verve Pipe

Picture this: started out as a college band advertising gigs wherever they could hang a poster.
Full circle, 20+ years later.

 

At the time of writing, it's the holiday season, which means The Verve Pipe has done their annual Christmas reunion tour. TVP looms large in the history of me 'n' him. It is easy to see why when a live band provides the soundtrack to your courtship, marriage and kid.

The band has been through a series of lineups and successes. By all pop chart accounts, they are a one-hit wonder. But those of us who have been paying attention know better.

They were the band at the frat party, and you could hang out and buy merch out of the trunk of their car.

They were the band at the summer festival.

They were on the radio.

They were on Letterman.

They made a cameo in the movie.

They had a song on that TV show.

They had the Christmas album.

They had a resurgence of sorts when the self-release of the children's album got them on a few "best" lists in mom magazines and they started selling out auditoriums, moms towing their kids along for an under-5 rock show.

Lead singer Brian VanderArk was even the subject of a documentary called Backyards & BBQs, the story of how a "has been" rocker pays the bills and stays relevant. How? Create your niche and work with it. Helps to have a rocking catalog to fall back on.

Acting as Your Slave - Stark riffs, lush harmonies, then Donnie crashes in. I feel like swaying with a beer in my hand. I think I actually did many moons ago.

The Freshman - the REAL version, the band's calling card, be it a frat party, a festival or the bar scene. The overproduced crap on Villians is offensive to the collective Michigan ear. The band responds in kind, and year after year, will perform this one acoustic when they sing it at all. They usually let the crowd sing it for them.

Spoonful of Sugar - Political anger and Dave's favorite. They were an earnest college band in the 90s after all.

Bullies on Vacation - Sonic crunch at the beginning, product of the times. One of Brian's singing through a megaphone tunes.

Barely (If At All) - Opener to their nationwide, big label debut. Nice job boys.

Villains - Not a pop hit, but a modern rock hit. See how they twist and shout on Letterman! He's a Midwest boy, he gets it.

Reverend Girl - probably my favorite song off the Villains album. Having graduated with a degree in graphic design, I'm always struck by the distinct scent of pantone paper used in the CD liner booklet.

Cup of Tea - a show staple, along the same vein as Spoonful of Sugar. They could probably bookend each other.

Photograph - Ominously creepy opening, any TVP will react immediately. THIS was the first nationwide single!

Supergig - Brian VanderArk recently participated in a forum where successful people discuss failure. Many TVP devotees scratch their heads at his admission that "Froggy," the second album, was a failure. This was '99, so we are talking less about the quality of the product but the shifting tastes of pop music away from grungy rock to the likes of Britney and boy bands. Too bad this gem is a best-kept secret of devoted fans of the band.

Hero - the song and the video kind of make me laugh every time. The message being some assholes fall ass backwards into greatness.

In Between - Grunge love.

La La - I want to say most shows end with this song, before an encore of course.

Never Let You Down - I just LOVE this song! If this song is on in the car, I'm singing. I recall this song being used in one of the ABC Family dramas, 7th Heaven maybe?

I Want All of You - for some reason, I equate this song to a sexy little soap commercial but as far as I know, it's never been used in this capacity. I think it has something to do with all the body parts mentioned.

Wonderful Waste - Beatlesque opening, sounds a little like Tomorrow Never Knows. Slants right into grungy pop.

Underneath - this Underneath came out at the same time No Doubt's Underneath came out. Both are amazing.

Wake Up - What's this?! The perils of getting up for school. Adorable.

Be Part of the Band - If you want to see a bunch of 5 year olds lose their mind, let them play with the band during this song. This is the song that got them lots of mommy attention.

Long Way Home, The Chain, Strawberry Fields Forever - Every TVP show ends with The Freshman and some other retooled for your listening pleasure classic rock staple. I submit for your pleasure Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac and the Beatles.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 211-220

The Isley Brothers, Shout
I want to skate a humorous silver free skate to this song in a toga. And I'm glad I have seen the Isley Brothers in concert.

Jackson 5, ABC, I Want You Back
Little Michael Jackson was a beautiful soul that lost his way. Voice of an angel, moves like James Brown, and talented brothers to help showcase the harmonies. I used to watch the Jackson 5 cartoon when I was a kid. Everyone loved the Jackson 5 back then.

Mahalia Jackson, Move On Up a Little Higher
I've just been taken to church.

Michael Jackson, Beat It, Billie Jean
I lived the cultural phenomena that was the Thriller album. This was epic, huge, colossal. This was everywhere. Even my dad bought the album so we would have it. Beat It was the blend of pop/rock/R&B that hadn't been seen perhaps since Jimi Hendrix. Billie Jean was dark, moody, and sexy. Still, I'm surprised Thriller isn't featured. And I loved the song Human Nature.

Elmore James, Dust My Broom, Shake Your Moneymaker
I've got a blues compilation, picked up for a song in a dusty record resale shop. I also remember a kid I went to high school with, who was a little scary, but also a big blues guy dd a report on Elmore James and Ike Turner. He later went on to be a minor WWE wrestler. I say that because I do believe he used Shake Your Moneymaker as his intro music. Or maybe that was just a rumor...

Etta James, Tell Mama
She is more famous for her classic At Last, but wow... I think maybe this needs to be in rotation. Sassy.

Rick James, Super Freak
This song is in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody because it is one of John Deacon's favorite songs. Why should everything reference John Deacon? Because.

The Songs That Shaped Rock n Roll, The Last 28 Years Encapsulated for Your Pleasure

So what's happened in music the last 28 years or so? 

Don't ask Deaky, he's not talking. 

The list I used for the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll (with some numbering errors along the way) was published in 1995. The newest songs on the list were from Metallica, De La Soul, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana, so I established 1992 as the cut off. There has since been 28 years of new music to take into consideration, as well as new ways to consume music, new ways to deliver, and new ways to connect to your favorite artists. Anyone can be a recording artist, create a following, become a grassroots to superstar phenom.

As such, the following is a mish mash of information that has since moved the industry forward. For the best? Remains to be seen. 

American Idol and Its Incarnations

A British competition show called Pop Idol gave birth to American Idol here in the states. From that first season emerged Kelly Clarkson, who went on to have a very long career as a pop music artist. Her song, My Life Would Suck Without You, was the number one song the week Will was born. 

Other sensations came from the show, including Carrie Underwood (country), Katherine McPhee (stage and television), David Archuletta (pop), Adam Lambert (currently touring with Queen and is a solo artist), Chris Daughtry (rock band), and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. Nearly 20 years later, the show is limping along, having not created a star in a while, but still pulling down the ratings. 

Who Needs a Radio? Or a record album? 
Someone figured out how to extract music files from compact discs, which led to file sharing through programs such as Napster and Limewire. Lawsuits ensued. This lead to the development of iTunes. Then sharing music became mainstream, and you could conjure up a song as easy as creating a streaming channel on Spotify or finding specific channels on I Heart Radio and Sirius/XM.

YouTube, Facebook, MySpace Sensations
Just two artists need to be listed here to justify these platforms as viable outlets for breaking new artists and new music: Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber. For Taylor, the song Tim McGraw broke her at the age of 15 from MySpace, a social media platform. Now, at the age of 30 and millions of fans and billions of dollars later, she is a complex, introspective artist who challenges the old boys club in the music industry to fight for her rights to her music, her career, and her brand. MySpace, once more popular than Facebook, has now become the place to find new music. 

As for Beiber, he was a YouTuber who became a sensation at the age of 16, to become an international star. While I don't like any of his music, this cannot be denied. I'd put his song Baby here.

MTV Still Works
One sneering complaint from my generation is MTV no longer plays music videos. And yet, artists like  Eminem, P!nk, and Beyonce have made their mark on the channel with interesting and ground breaking performances and videos that debuted there. 

Power Pop
What the Spice Girls started in 1997 with their girl power pop hasn't really gone away, it's actually gone to Vegas and numerous reunion shows: Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, N'Sync.

I'm Talking About Girls 
The female solo artist has always reigned supreme: Adele, Alicia Keys, Billie Ellish, Lizzo, St. Vincent, Amy Winehouse.

Rise of Emo, Nu Metal

It's a blend of power chords, power lyrics, searing guitars, and mouthy vocalists. One of the first instances of me turning the volume down. System of a Down, Good Charlotte, Five for Fighting, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy. 

And the Award Goes To...
Back in the 80s, the Academy Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture was a frustrating category, with dried up, boring songs awarded golden statues. 

Either I've grown older and become the establishment, or the Academy has gotten hipper. Edgy rockers and rappers have been given their artistic due on mainstream awards shows, proving that your don't have to go with the safe choice anymore. Props to artists such as Common, Nine Inch Nails, and Tyler the Creator.

What's Old is New Again
The rise of social media has created a phenomena among the kids who not only are looking forward, but embracing the past. This has led to artists whose careers have gone the way of the county fair circuit to get a surprising late career resurgence. These artists fall safely within the Songs That Shaped timeline, but given the current popularity, I need to revisit their status and place on this list.

Why? According to my niece, who is a freshman in college, her generation "embraces the suck," which I think my generation would call a guilty pleasure. The song Africa by Toto is one of these.

There are also popular YouTube videos of teens filming reaction videos of themselves experiencing their parents music for the first time. Two twin teens recently went viral for their excitable reaction to Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight. 

Dolly Parton has become a hero of social justice in these crazy times, speaking out for LGBTQ rights and Black Lives Matter. She had a limited series run called Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, which are made-for-TV movies using the themes and lyrics of some of her most beloved songs as plot lines. Peeps are going Dollywood.

Eighties power hard rock/pop metal is seeing a surge in popularity, although some of us would argue it never went away. Contributing to this sensation is the miniseries Cobra Kai, which is a look back at the world created in the Karate Kid movies, only this time told from Johnny Lawrence's hot mess perspective. It's the redemption story you didn't know you wanted, but with artful storytelling, humor, pathos, and acted to perfection by William Zabka, the story you needed in these chaotic times. You may love to hate him, but Zabka's Johnny will never not be badass. I may do a post on this series alone. 

Typing Out Loud: Seeing the Human in the Human

She looks so much like our host daughter Abby in this pic.

At the time of this writing, we are looming in on the eventual end to the election. I know how I'm going to vote, but I am exhausted. 

What is startling to me is the immature rhetoric behind, well, EVERYTHING. One social media post, while praising Taylor Swift for her generous donation to a Louisiana-based food bank on her stop there for the Eras tour, felt the need to drag Kid Rock, assuming Bob Ritchie hasn't done much for his fellow American. 

Oh my no: see blog post from 2012. I may not agree with his politics, but there's no doubt to his charitable works. Ted Nugent as well. 

I sobbed. Plus, fringe.

Also random, the next post was the top 20 countdown from 1980, and at #8 was Stephanie Mill's "Never Knew Love Like This Before." This made me think of the villain, Candy in the show POSE. She was the victim of a hate crime, and the subsequent fantasy montage was of her dancing and lip-syncing to her own funeral, attended by the members of her community in mourning. 

I don't see myself as religious, so this may seem hypocritical, but I beg of you all to see people through the eyes of God. Maybe it will help tame the hateful mud-slinging that is happening now and, I'm guessing, for the next few months. It possibly depends on who wins and who exhibits grace. 

All things on short supply. 

October Playlist - way back in the ohs!

Countin' em down with Casey

I love countdowns, always have. So when VH1 put together their top 100 songs of the aughts, I was excited to see how their list shook out. And of course build my own based on their results. I was surprised at how much I agree with, but the complexion of my list changes a bit with my substitution/addition list below.

Onto the countdown!
OutKast "Hey Ya!" (2 on VH1) - funky, fun, crazy.

Justin Timberlake "SexyBack" (6) - I would have had this #1.

Kanye West & Jamie Foxx "Gold digger" (7) - rawk.

50 Cent "In Da Club" (10) - hey shorty, it's yer birthday.

Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" (14) - sounded brand new and 30 years old.

Beyonce "Single Ladies" (16) - cannot be denied.

Britney Spears "Toxic" (20) - don't judge me.

Alicia Keys "Fallin'" (22) - should have been higher.

Missy Elliott "Git Yer Freak On" (24)

Usher "Yeah" (27) - Yeah!

Gwen Stefani "Hollaback Girl" (30) - B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Amy Winehouse "Rehab" (31) - I'm not out lighting candles for her, but what a loss.

Eve and Gwen "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (45) - slinky.

Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow "Picture" (46) - awesome.

Snoop Dog "Drop It Like It's Hot" (66) - I will never forget being in the security office at the department store I worked for and seeing the staff inwardly grooving while appearing professional.

Colbie Callait "Bubbly" (71) - reminds me of Philo

Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" (72) - reminds me of the Synchro St. Louis girls.

Chamillionaire "Ridin" (74) - song about drugs that is too much fun to be about drugs.

Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" (78) - nothing is sweeter (or more awkward) than when a boy writes a song for a girl.

Lil Jon "Get Low" (80) - ok!

Macy Gray "I Try" (85) - just a singalong belt-it song. Love the hair.

Flo Rida "Low" (92) - yeesh, this middle-aged white girl called him Florida way too long. Doesn't mean I can't appreciate.

OK GO "Here It Goes Again" (93) - thanks to Molly for giving me the inside scoop on the band before they hit it big, but this video was just awesome.


The Replacements
Black Eyed Peas charted at #12 with "I Gotta Feeling". I'd take that out and put in "Hey Mama" or "Let's Get it Started."

U2 charted with "Beautiful Day" (15). My sub: "Elevation."

Christina Aguleria charted with "Beautiful" (18). I substitute "Candyman."

P!nk scored with "Get the Party Started" (23). Wow - great song, but she improved the quality of her work with every record after that. Pick one.

Nelly shows up with "Hot in Here" (25). I cannot deny "Country Grammar" having lived in STL at the time.

White Stripes chart with "Seven Nation Army" (26). I say IN ADDITION you put "Fell in Love with a Girl" on there.

Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" (49) - roma- oh- la- la. IN ADDITION I add her with Beyonce for "Telephone."

Shakira shows up with "Hips Don't Lie" (52). Give me "Objection Tango" any day.

I know Norah Jones "Don't Know Why" (54) put her on the map, but I love "Been Thinking About You."

Nelly Furtado "Promiscuous" (73) but I prefer "Like a Bird" and "Maneater".

Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" (81) I know, Academy Award and all that, but give me "Girls in Their Summer Clothes."

Daughtery "It's Not Over" (94). I'm opting in another American Idol, David Cook, with "Billie Jean" and "Come Back to Me."

Pussycat Dolls "Don't Cha" (96). C'mon ladies, get classy! I'll do it for you with "Jai Ho!"

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 381-390

#teamAlex

The Rolling Stones, Time is on My Side
I dunno, I would rather see Gimme Shelter here. Or a nod to the Stones being relevant into their 3rd or 4th decade by including something from Tattoo You or Voodoo Lounge. Extraordinarily grateful to say we saw them at SARstock in Toronto. Even have a Canadian flag RS t-shirt that may have to come out of retirement.

The Ronettes, Be My Baby
Absolutely, without a doubt, this one has to be on the list. There's a wistfulness, and a longing in the vocals that can only be achieved by a teenaged girl.

Roxy Music, Love is the Drug
Formed in 1970. That blows my mind. I came to the Roxy Music party late, as they were the early darlings of MTV, with Avalon and More Than This on heavy rotation. The band didn't feel like they fit in with the youth culture of the channel, very, terribly adult. Love is the Drug was a hit in 1974, so I was 4/5 at the time, which lends itself to the whole adult/child perception.

Run DMC - Walk This Way
Walk This Way was big, it was huge, it was the first instance of a collaboration between rock and rap to make it to the mainstream. Because of this hit, Run DMC went mainstream, Aerosmith's career got a resurgence, and MTV created specialty programming for the emerging genre of rap that had been around since the 70s.

Rush, Spirit of the Radio
Where do I start with this one? I live with a Rush enthusiast; by extension, since he loves them, I love them. We own all the concerts on DVD, all the concert programs, the box set, numerous inside joke t-shirts, another box set of some sort, all of Neil's books, Geddy's coffee table book of bass guitars, an instructional video on how to drum, a signed Power Windows poster, and a genuine 1980s Tempest machine all because the kid was playing one in the Subdivisions video.

I love my husband, honest and truly, and adore his infatuation. Sincerely, go buy more of their shit if it makes you happy, love.

And yes, I had a brief crush on Alex Lifeson in the 80s, and again in the 2000s. He kinda falls into the new wavey rock look with the red pants and skinny tie like John Deacon, of whom I also had a crush back then, the Crazy Little Thing to Back Chat era. But honestly girls, do our crushes ever really go away...? My Deacon/Kravitz/Hagar/Lifeson thirst is real. 

I'm unsure what kind of a Rush fan I am since most of this is by osmosis. I'm surprised Tom Sawyer, their biggest hit, isn't here instead of Spirit of the Radio. I have my own favorites:

• YYZ
• New World Man
• One Little Victory
• Caravan

Otis Rush, I Can't Quit You Baby
First exposure was of course Led Zeppelin, so I'm listening for the first time. I feel like I've known this song all my life. I wish COVID hadn't cancelled cool things like Blues on the Mall.

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Devil with a Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly
This came out in 1966, so four years prior to my existence. Watching video on YouTube for the first time, I will admit I thought Mitch was black. And there's my backup dancers in fringe. I have a fringe dress in black and one in red. I think I need another.

Sam and Dave, Soul Man
Another song that has been around so long, that it's just become the fabric of American popular music. As a second generation consumer of the material, I just know it from endless inclusion on various movie soundtracks.

Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, Wooly Bully
My only anecdote about this song involves Christopher Bowman, a former national figure skating champion. He did the lamest exhibition program to this song, where he would don the local sports team's jersey, flirt with a lady in the front row, mug for the cameras, do a jump or two, and hump the ice to the delight of the audience. Shudder. 

Santana, Black Magic Woman
A signature song, but I think it was originally done by Fleetwood Mac. Take it, bake it, make it your own. That guitar solo is perfection.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 341-350

70s Elvis givin' that dad vibe. 

Elvis Presley, Suspicious Minds, That's All Right
Suspicious Minds was one of Elvis' last hits, from 1969. It's intense and soulful. That's All Right was one of his first hits, and is on my adored Sun Records compilation.

The Pretenders, Brass in Pocket
I'm with Madonna, you want to be as cool as Chrissie Hynde. She named the band after the song The Great Pretender, which was a favorite of hers and her boyfriend at the time. This was their commercial breakthrough, but I thought the breezy Message of Love and hardcore Tattooed Love Boys was cooler. And yes, my tender rock and roll hear broke at 12 when Honeyman-Scott and Fardon both died of drug overdoses. Just say no, kids.

Lloyd Price, Lawdy Miss Clawdy
First time listener. Pure blues. I would love to hear a modern kid tackle this. I'm amazed at how clean and fresh this sounds.

Prince, Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry
"Ladies and gentleman..." oh Lord, he was a phenomenon in the 80s. Purple Rain was a hit EVERYWHERE and in every possible way. At one point, he had the #1 album, #1 song, and the #1 movie. Was it Oscar-nominated? YES! Best original song score! The movie has been preserved by the National Film Registry, categorically considered one of the best movie musicals. The acting and plot, er, not as polished. I've gone on about Purple Rain, and surprised to see it wasn't listed here, but When Doves Cry was, so ok. Little Red Corvette, ok. 

What would I list in place? Obvs, Purple Rain. I Wanna Be Your Lover. Oh man, I love Computer Blue.

Procol Harum, Whiter Shade of Pale
Time capsule song, I cannot separate the 60s from this song. Video on youtube is all neru jackets, sideburns, love beads, uncomfortable closeups of young men in tight trousers. I never noticed that echo before. Boomer comments bitching about how much they hate the current generation and wish they could go back to 1967 when they were the hated upon. Hm, Summer of Love philosophies dried up a long time ago. So much for those vestal virgin visages.

Public Enemy, Fight the Power
Yeah, boiiiiii! Hardcore rap as a protest song. It's 31 years later and shit hasn't changed yet. I get the anger and cannot imagine what Chuck D and Flavor Flav are thinking right now. Same shit guys. I remember their being controversy about D calling out Elvis for stealing from black artists. Ten years later, Eminem says the same thing, then it's ok? LISTEN.

Queen Latifah, Ladies First
Before she became a celebrated actress, she became one of the first lady rappers, an old school cool customer who spread a message of empowerment. She wasn't a hanger on, a side piece, riding on anyone's coattails, she had her own message to spread and no man was going to stop her. She predates Missy Elliot, Cardi B, and Lizzo, who owe her a debt that she would graciously not accept.

? and the Mysterians, 96 Tears
I dig this song, and ? is apparently from Bay City, Michigan. It goes against the grain of previous posts where I deride a song for sounding dated. Yes, this sounds dated but I don't care, this is just weird, cool, groovy.

July Playlist - Sweet Melissa and the Walter Mitty Band

One of my favorite board games when I was a kid was Fantasy Island. Premise of the game was to pick a dream life, move around the board collecting love, money and adventure cards, then Mr. Rourke grants you your fantasy back at the house.

The most popular game card was "rock star" - and who wouldn't want the life? Adoring fans, millions of dollars, travel the world - SINGING! Rocking out!

So in homage to my favorite board game, and a literary nod to another dreamer, I dub my dream band Sweet Melissa and the Walter Mitty Band. It's a sweet gig, make sure to tip your waitress.

Melissa, Allman Brothers Band - self explanitory

Gloria, various artists - the song has turned into quite the improv rock song that has expanded in breadth from a quick 3 minute into 20+ minutes of groupie tales. A fine example is Tom Patty live in San Diego.

Ain't Even Done with the Night, John Mellencamp - husky and seductive. "You say that I'm the boy who can make it all come true, well I'm tellin' ya that I don't know if I know what to do."

Tusk and Hold Me, Fleetwood Mac - a little Stevie, a little Christine, and a little Lindsey.

Never Let You Down, The Verve Pipe - throaty vocals on the verge of shouty from the underrated Underneath album.

How Can I Refuse, Heart - millions of girls singing into hairbrushes either do or should want to be Ann Wilson.

Anything Lone Justice - Maria McKee. Nuff said.

Typing Out Loud: Choices

What's right?

My heart is heavy for a childhood friend who lost his grandson to a seemingly random act of violence. And yet, my head is swimming with the story of the act that took his life - so many choices leading up to and in that moment where it didn't have to be this way. 

Playing with guns.

Drug deals. 

A teenager at someone else's house at 2am on a school night. 

Drinking. 

Cowardice.

Is it my privilege speaking, that I didn't have to make the decision in that moment? Am I looking at this from the perspective of having the luxury of better choices - I mean, the choice between a pillow and a rock is one thing, but what about a rock and a hard place? I don't really know, as I haven't been friends with him and his family for a long time. 

But I'm angry at the carelessness of it all.  

All I see of his mother's social media is a stream of anguish since he was shot, and his subsequent death. But her social media before was filled with worry and conflict. 

Sigh. 

The kid was 17, just over a year older than Will. 

I'm just sad. 

December Playlist: Christmas Music that Doesn't Suck

We adults here at Georgetown will be scaling it back a bit for our show.

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music this time of the year. First, there's the fact it starts the very moment the last fun-sized candy bar hits some kid's pillowcase. Second, the same ol' same ol' gets trotted out every year. Most importantly is the diva requirement that the latest pop princess assault our ears with their wink-wink-nudge-nudge interpretation of "Santa Baby."

So what's good?

Riu Chiu, The Monkees - for every critic out there, Mickey Dolenz' lead backed by a Tork/Nesmith/Jones harmony puts any manufactured claim to rest.

Oh Holy Night, Donna Summer - while I'm a critic of the glory note, all is forgiven in this breathtaking song. I list Donna because I recall her note perfect performance on Solid Gold as a kid, but really, almost any diva rendition will do.

The Happy Elf, Harry Connick Jr. - so this month I was desperately digging up pieces to skate to for the annual Christmas show. Why not use the above songs? Riu Chiu is acapella, and impossible to skate to in a large auditorium. OHN is usually snapped up by May. I dragged up a pile of Christmas CDs to evaluate, and this one jumped right out. I don't know a thing about this song other than it saved me from skating to something dull.

Gabriel's Message, Sting - oh, my first ever skating Christmas show solo! Fitting because I was the angel Gabriel in both the 7th and 8th grade Christmas pageants. It was a favorite from the Very Special Christmas albums.

Christmas in Hollis, Run DMC - "But each and every year we bust Christmas carols!"

We Three Kings - I did a little research, thinking this was going to be something culled from a stone tablet etched in a monastery from the Medieval period. Nope, written by a rector from a church in Pennsylvania in the mid 1800s. This may be next year's selection, if I can rock a middle Eastern look.

St. Stanislaus Church, Christmas evening bell service - temperatures in the low teens, and I took my lovely son out for a walk so we could listen to the bells. Traditionally, the bells started at noon on Christmas Eve, and rang until midnight. One of my favorite memories is playing outside in 1979 and listening to the bells all day.

Sleigh Ride, Spice Girls - it's overplayed for a reason. This version the harmonies are oh so fun. Have considered skating it in a snowmobile suit.

Christmas Can Can, Straight No Chaser - acapella with attitude.

June Playlist part 2 - You Wrecked Me, Baby

So my play list idea was so popular for me, that I have to do this in 2 parts. Now for the rest of the alphabet:

Maybe, The Three Degrees - history is unclear why the band wasn't more successful, perhaps it's because radio couldn't handle the heat these ladies generated. Love the spoken word beginning, then it's pure torch.

Melt With You, Modern English - if you're going to have a one-hit wonder, make it this one. This new romantics song is pure 80s pop, and it was HUGE. Danceable, romantic, an iconic moment from the movie "Valley Girl." What a *sigh* moment.

Midnight Train to Georgia, Gladys Knight and the Pips - "I'd rather live in his world than live without him in mine."

My Blue Heaven, Smashing Pumpkins - This one may appear again as a cover better than the original. The key is the Pumpkins took it back to its original 1920s version.

Nearly Lost You, Screaming Trees - Grunge with a heart. A key single on the soundtrack for the movie Singles and one I listened to over and over.

Next Time I Fall, Peter Cetera and Amy Grant - does it blow my cred to have this lite-rock staple? I don't care, the harmonies on this are sweet and Amy rocks it a little harder than Pete.

Ooh Child, The Five Stairsteps - an old Soul Train song I remembered hearing as a kid. When used for the soundtrack to Crooklyn, it completely destroys you feeling for poor Junebug.

Ode to Billie Joe, Bobby Gentry - southern Gothic story song.

One for My Baby, Bette Midler - Sweet melancholy that evokes images of two people not wanting to leave the bar unless it's with each other. I'm skating to it.

Roll Me Away, Bob Seger - Multi-faceted impression on me. First, from the movie Mask, a eulogy of sorts for Rocky Dennis. Second, the lyrics get you *rightthere*: "just then I saw a young hawk soaring and my soul began to rise, and pretty soon, my heart was singin'."

The Rose, Bette Midler - knockout performance and a signature song.

Shame on the Moon, Bob Seger - country blues waltz that sounds like there's only two people in the world.

Bette ~ Bob ~ Bette ~ Bob!

Slow and Easy, Whitesnake - the case to make if someone dismisses 'snake as a novelty act with models writhing on cars. Simply sexy.

Solitary Man, Neil Diamond - a dated song that is somehow timeless. About a guy who can't get it right.

Something, The Beatles - the moment when George Harrison trumps John and Paul for the best Beatles ballad.

A Song for You, Leon Russell - back when my folks first sprung for the deluxe hi-fi stereo, the album Americana sat in the cassette deck, unlistened by me and my two sisters. My penance is that I did not discover the delicate whiskey ballad until much, much later in life. I think of that time as wasted.

Someone Saved my Life Tonight, Elton John - Sir Elton's symphony for having been rescued by a friend from drugs or a miserable love affair.

Sour Girl, Stone Temple Pilots - I liked the band, then this song sent me over the edge to adore. Scott Weiland's talented slithering around harmonies are tragic and sexy.

Stay (Far Away, So Close), U2 - poetry set to music, delivered with Bono's haunting vocals. Gorgeous video too, makes you feel like seeing an indie band's rehearsal to see the guitarist flirt with the lead singer.

Sukiyaki, Kyu Sakamoto and Taste of Honey - one version in Japanese, one in English, hits 18 years apart, yet both artful and touching.

The He Kissed Me, The Crystals - sweet teenage lyrics that bebop with a charm all its own.

Thief, Belly - "because of you I came, because of you I breathe."

This Woman's Work, Kate Bush - a beautiful song coupled with a skating performance that defied the skater's maturity. I got to see this performance twice, and it wrecked me for the rest of the day.

Try a Little Tenderness, Otis Redding - thank you John Hughes for creating the character of Duckie, just so he could perform an impassioned lip synch to Andie in Pretty in Pink. Alas, you got the love story wrong, because who could resist Duckie after this?

The Unforgiven, Metallica - "what I felt, what I know, never shined through in what I shown, don't see what might have been." Talk about regret.

Violet, Hole - strangely prophetic, the song is steeped in anger, helplessness and loss.

When Will I See You Again, The Three Degrees - had I been a bettin' man, I would have put up all my Cheerios back in the 70s that this group was going to be bigger than the Supremes. That I was wrong doesn't change my opinion.

When You're Next To Me, Mitch and Mickey - real song, fake band, from the movie A Mighty Wind. Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy portray star-crossed folk singers that managed to produce some quality music for the mockumentary.

Where the Boys Are, Connie Francis - ol' Connie manages to color her song with that hopeful, wistful longing so important to teenage pop.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the Beatles - one of the best things about the White Album.

Why Can't I Have You, The Cars - one of my biggest regrets to date is the fact I've never seen The Cars in concert. This song is one of the reasons why it is necessary that I do.

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot - it's a Michigander's duty to know this song by heart. It's on this list for the mere reason that I bawled my eyes out during my pregnancy when I heard this. "It's just so SAD!" I wailed, "twenty-nine souls!"

You're in My Heart, Rod Stewart - so sweet, a touch of sexy, a girl could be easily seduced by this.

Your Song, Elton John - no list would be complete without it.

1952 Vincent Black Lightening, the Mammals - one of those epic folk story songs, that ends tragicly but with lots of passion inbetween.

Next month: Rock Star, or songs I'd sing if I were lead singer.

The Beatles, Ranked! 16-20

It's a dirty story of a dirty man... 

16
Helter Skelter (64) I drive a lot of places to get to where I need to be for skating, be it practice, competitions, or test sessions. Often, I need a pick-me-up to get me in the mood to not only enjoy a long drive but also get in the mood to judge lots of little children performing to Disney songs. One such drive had me imagining adult skaters I know performing Theatre on Ice style to selections from the White Album. This one went to my friend Paul, who enthusiastically agreed to the assignment; I think "blisters on mah fingers" sealed the deal. 

17
Please Please Me (87) Their first number-one hit. It was inspired by Roy Orbison - George's future Wilbury brother - and the double meaning of the word please. This is one of those songs that proves what they insisted about the group being four equal corners - the joy is in John's harmonica, Ringo's impeccable drumming hitting all the right spots, George's riffs, and Paul's harmonies as well as screwing up the lyrics, all lending distinctive charm. 

18
I Want You (She's So Heavy) (58) I came to my enthusiasm for this love song to Yoko driving to another test session. I was struck by the fact we went from Please Please Me to this mesmerizing piece of hard rock in what, seven years? Get your groove on, Ocean Child. Shout out to one of the many fifth Beatles, Billy Preston on organ. 

Gratuitous John Deacon mention: Imagine getting the afternoon paper delivered by this kid

19
Paperback Writer (25) It makes my heart happy to know that this song was a catalyst for John Deacon to take a paper route at age 11 to buy a guitar (his first instrument) and become the quiet, prolific, funky member of Queen.

20
It's Only Love, Anthology 2 version (74) John dismisses it as filler, but I'm here to defend it, again, on my blog, for probably the fifth time. It is his classic wistful, melancholy with a simple acoustic guitar, and a mistake on the count in I find very charming. But top 20? My reasoning is that it triggered creativity in me. Long ago, I wrote a short story about shy Bernadette meeting reserved Colin and they go on a date that takes them to a bookstore to watch an acoustic set and then to a playground where they shyly kiss on the swings. Ah, the magic of YT fiction, the simple story of a simple girl... 

Sirius/XM did their annual Top 100 countdown over Memorial Day weekend. A number in parenthesis is that song's position on that countdown.

The Cereal Project: Free Stickers

I misread a marquee for a taco joint in Kalamazoo as Que Banana? and a fake band was born.

For my fake movie and my fake protagonist to promote my fake cereal, let's discuss why 'Gord' is a nickname for a girl. My childhood nickname was Mo, because my cousin Kevin couldn't say Melissa. Let's say Gord comes from her mispronunciation of "girl," when her grandpa would beckon her with an affectionate call of "little girl." That her dad's favorite hockey player was Gordie Howe is a nice coincidence. 

I've relied so heavily on her nickname in my imagination that I haven't thought about what her real name should be. I did love the name Gwendolyn as a kid. Gwendolyn Frye sounds regal and flows elegantly off the tongue, but also seems too heavy for a teenage girl, like she needs to grow into it; Gord is kind of tomboyish, a suit of armor. Typing this out helps shape in my mind who she is. 

Anyway, this month's project is about another freebie in the cereal box, stickers. I love stickers. The walls of our garage are covered in them, as well as my guitar case. 

Gord is in a garage band, and bands love to give away stickers to promote themselves. The stickers will be made up of the participating acts in the fictitious Battle of the Bands lineup!

lol, iykyk

One of my fictitious cover bands a couple of years ago.

Art school kids love being in prog rock bands. Maybe this one can be more bubblegum punk.

Gord and the girls.

My alter-ego open mic night persona - of course, I make a cameo in my fake movie. Already imagining an ironic, acoustic cover of The Knack's Good Girls Don't.