Song Meme

Seen on various friends’ journals:

1. Favorite Beatles song: “Norwegian Wood”
2. Favorite Rolling Stones song: “Gimme Shelter”
3. Favorite Doors song: “The End”
4. Favorite Bob Dylan song: “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (which most folks call “Everybody Must Get Stoned”)
5. Favorite Led Zeppelin song: “The Immigrant Song”
6. TV Theme Song: Doctor Who
7. Favorite Prince Song: “Let’s Go Crazy”
8. Favorite Madonna Song: “Into the Groove”
9. Favorite Michael Jackson Song: “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”
10. Favorite Queen Song: “Princes of the Universe”
11. Favorite Motorhead Song: “Ace of Spades”
12. Favorite Ozzy Song: “Crazy Train”
13. Favorite Public Enemy Song: “Bring The Noise”
14. Favorite Song from a cartoon: “Inner Universe”, the theme from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
15. Favorite Bruce Springsteen song: “Thunder Road”
16. Favorite Depeche Mode song: “Just Can’t Get Enough”
17. Favorite Cure song: “Primary (12 Inch Mix)”
18. Favorite song that most of your friends haven’t heard: —too many to answer
19. Favorite Smiths song: “London”
20. Favorite Beastie Boys song: “Sabotage”
21. Favorite Clash song: “London Calling”
22. Favorite Police song: “When The World Is Running Down You Make The Best of What’s Still Around.”
23. Favorite Eurythmics song: “Would I Lie To You”
24. Favorite Beach Boys song: “In My Room”
25. Favorite Cyndi Lauper song: “Hole in My Heart (That Goes All The Way to China)”
26. Favorite song from a movie: “You Only Live Twice” by Nancy Sinatra (from the James Bond film of the same name)
27. Favorite Duran Duran song: “Hold Back The Rain”
28. Favorite Peter Tosh song: “Get Up, Stand Up”
29. Favorite Johnny Cash song: “Folsom Prison Blues”
30. Favorite song from an 80’s one hit wonder: —too many to answer. I’ve got over a day’s worth of Rare New Wave in my iTunes playlist, fer chrissakes!
31. Favorite song from a video game: “Katamari on the Rock” (the main theme from Katamari Damashi)
32. Favorite Kinks song: “Father Christmas”
33. Favorite Genesis song: “The Brazilian.”
34. Favorite Thin Lizzy song: “Boys Are Back In Town”
35. Favorite INXS song:”The One Thing”
36. Favorite Weird Al song “The Theme From Spy Hard
37. Favorite Peter Gabriel song: “Solsbury Hill”
38. Favorite John Lennon song: “Starting Over”
39. Favorite Pink Floyd song: “Run Like Hell”
40. Favorite cover song: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin…which few know is a cover of an earlier Otis Redding song.
41. Favorite White Stripes: “The Hardest Button to Button”
42. Favorite dance song: too many….but currently: “Silent Shout” by The Knife
43. Favorite U2 song: “I Will Follow”
44. Favorite song from an actor turned musician: “In A Glade” by Milla Jovovich
45. Favorite disco song: “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees
46. Favorite Power Ballad: “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
47. Favorite Guns N’ Roses song: “Welcome to the Jungle”
48. Favorite The Who song: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
49. Favorite Elton John song: “Your Song”
50. Favorite song, period: You’re kidding. WAY too many to list.

Friday Music

Kind of an odd mix this week, but hey, I’ve been in an odd mood.

First off, a novelty song which is currently topping the charts in France. A record producer did this as a joke for his friends, but it ended up being released and now is pumping out of speakers at every French beach this summer. It’s an African-dance-style tune about the headbutt (“coup de boule“) by French footballer Zidane that ended up directly contributing to their World Cup loss to Italy. Sample lyric: “Zidane, il l’a frappé, la Coupe, on l’a ratée…” (Zidane hit him, the Cup – missed it) La Plage – “Coup De Boule”

A double-shot of Muse for you, since I’ve been listening to them so much recently. First, a track from their previous album, Absolution (and was most recently used in the final episode of Doctor Who Confidential–as those of you watching it with me when I heard it can attest…OK, I squeed a bit. Shaddap.) Muse – “Hysteria.”

Second from Muse, as requested, a copy of the song whose video I posted recently: Muse – “Knights of Cydonia.” This, of course, is the current single from their new album, Black Holes and Revelations, which you need to go get right now.

Everybody knows Wang Chung, either from the ubiquitous 80s single “Dance Hall Days”, or the later attempt at godawful pop, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Everybody Wang Chung Tonight)”. I was a huge fan of Wang Chung…the early stuff was very cool, kinda dark synth-wave. The album featuring “Dance Hall Days”, Points on a Curve is great, and they followed it with the soundtrack to To Live and Die In L.A., which was absolutely brilliant (I’m especially a fan of the second side, which featured pure instrumental tracks). Then they went Pop. They put out the album Mosaic, which included that “Everybody” song, which was fairly popular. Bleah. End of story, for most folks. They did attempt a return to their earlier sound, with 1989’s The Warmer Side of Cool, which included a single which got some airplay. I loved it, but since it wasn’t “Everybody Wang Chung Part 2”, it failed to hit with the general population. Here is that single: Wang Chung – “Praying To A New God.”

While we’re on the subject of the 80s — Local Lawrence band The Harvey Girls have released an EP of 80s covers, Our History is Your Kitsch. It’s really good stuff, and if you go to their website, you can download the whole thing for free. Here’s a track from the EP, which is a good example of how good this stuff is: The Harvey Girls – “White Wedding.”

Another new band that I’ve discovered in the past week, who I admit I first listened to purely on the basis of their name: The Victorian English Gentlemens Club – “Stupid As Wood.” They’ve got a website as well, where you can hear other songs. Check ’em out.

More Midlake, for the folks who have told me that they really love it. The album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, is now out. Go get it. Midlake – “It Covers The Hillside.”

Earlier this week, I discovered that the song “Kiss Kiss” by Stella Soleil, which I like and posted a bit ago…..is actually a cover. Sort of. It has entirely new lyrics, but uses the music from a 1999 Turkish pop song, which I heard for the first time on some World-music show on KJHK on Monday night. Now that I’ve heard the original, I actually prefer it: Tarkan – “Simarik.”

Sticking with the sort-of Middle-eastern vibe for our last selection, this is a track from DJ Cut Chemist’s new album, The Audiences Listening, which uses Middle-eastern instrument samples and more. Very cool: Cut Chemist – “The Garden.”

Enjoy.