Author: Joe Parker

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 135 – “99 Ways”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 135: The last song that appears when you sort alphabetically in your iPod/iTunes.

“99 Ways” – Jane Wiedlin

JaneWiedlinTangledJane Wiedlin is sort of the “also ran” of The Go-Go’s. <Insert facepalm for wanton apostrophe misuse by the band here.> She never got as much attention as Belinda Carlisle when they were in The Go-Go’s (even though Jane was a primary songwriter) and her solo career was not as successful as Belinda Carlisle’s.

But she’s not as addicted to cocaine as Belinda Carlisle, so there’s that.

I have always liked Jane Wiedlin’s music. I know a lot of people can’t take her voice, and honestly, after watching the season of “The Surreal Life” that she was in, I’m not sure I could deal with her speaking voice on a daily basis, either. But I don’t mind her singing voice in measured doses. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 134 – “Calling America”

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Day 134: A song by your favorite band/artist whose name begins with “E”.

“Calling America” – Electric Light Orchestra

CallingAmericaSome-bo-dy…

That’s how “Calling America” starts. In turn, it was the start of my real interest in Electric Light Orchestra, before I bought A New World Record, before I even really knew much about the history of the band, there was “Calling America.”

Although I’d been introduced to “Telephone Line”  by my brother and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is King” via HBO’s “Video Jukebox” before this, “Calling America” (and its follow-up, “So Serious”) convinced me to buy Balance Of Power in 1986. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 133 – “Great Southern Land”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 133: The most Australian-sounding song you like (one that reminds you of down under).

“Great Southern Land” – Icehouse

Great Southern LandFor today’s post I quickly ruled out “Down Under” by Men At Work. Too predictable. I also ruled out “Waltzing Matilda.” Too old-fashioned. (And incidentally not Australia’s National Anthem.)

In terms of “Australian-sounding,” I originally thought about using Midnight Oil’s “Bullroarer,” which starts—get this—with the sound of a bullroarer. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a piece of oblong wood attached to a string. When you whip the string around, the wood spins not only in the plane of the string, but twists in the wind as well, resulting in a humming sound. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 132 – “Silent Lucidity”

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Day 132: A song you like that you learned about from a friend.

“Silent Lucidity” – Queensryche

SIlent LucidityFor as long as I’ve known my friend Ray, he’s been suggesting music to me. Because that’s what friends do, right? You listen to things together and bounce bands off each other and hopefully something new sticks that you can both enjoy.

Over the years, Ray’s success rate for picking songs that I’ll like has been mixed. There are some things he’s (almost) sure I’ll like that I don’t, and conversely I’ve surprised him by liking songs he was sure I wouldn’t. (He was also shocked about me liking The Foo Fighters.) As recently as last week he suggested a few songs to me. Two were from the same band, Beware Of Darkness. The first, “All Who Remain” didn’t do it for me. The second, “Howl” I liked a lot and downloaded immediately. That’s just the way it’s always gone. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 131 – “I Should Be Allowed To Think”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 131: A song that has a lyric, that if you were one of those people that tattooed song lyrics on themselves, you would seriously consider.

“I Should Be Allowed To Think” – They Might Be Giants

TMBGHeavenI’m not sure I understand the purpose of today’s challenge. (My current consumption of DayQuil could be hindering that understanding, but I doubt it.) Because, if you were the type of person that tattooed song lyrics on themselves, you’d have probably already done it. And if you’re not, you probably haven’t considered it at all.

Since I have never really understood the draw of tattoos, I definitely fall into the latter category. I have no problem with people getting them, I just don’t get why you would want to.

If I wanted to be snarky, I could say something like “The Brazilian” or “Feels So Good.” (They’re instrumentals.) But that wouldn’t really fulfill the challenge, now, would it? Read More