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Middle-aged Dummies are back and bursting at the "themes" to get going! Full theme ahead! (5 Viewers)

11. Love My Way
Artist: The Psychedelic Furs
Album: Forever Now (1982)
Todd's role(s): producer, engineer, keyboards, marimba
Writer(s): Richard Butler, John Ashton, Tim Butler and Vince Ely

The song: The Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" is the first of seven consecutive songs on my list that middle-aged dummies should know. Chances are you saw the video on MTV, heard it in a club or saw it used in the movies Valley Girl and The Wedding Singer. It hit #44 on the Billboard Hot 100, #30 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #40 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.

The song is immediately memorable for the marimba part that can be heard throughout its duration. This was played by Rundgren (though the video depicts drummer Vince Ely playing it), as were the synths that color the arrangement, giving it a cinematic flair. I figured this song was a lock to show up on El Floppo's Mallet Rock list as well, but of course I was not expecting it would appear at the same time.

The backing vocals are by Flo and Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan), founders of The Turtles and session singers for ... pretty much everybody. Kaylan told music journalist Will Harris that he and Volman were brought in at the end of the sessions and sang on several songs that Rundgren asked them to. He then played them "Love My Way" because it was the planned first single. "We have got to sing on this one," Kaylan said was his reaction. "If we don't sing on this one, we're not gonna sing on the hit. This is the f*cking hit!"

The lyrics are about acceptance of alternative sexuality. "It's basically addressed to people who are f**ked up about their sexuality, and says 'Don't worry about it,' singer Richard Butler told Creem in 1983. "It was originally written for gay people." Rudngren advised Butler to ditch his "sarcastic tone" for the song and "sing it straight."

"Love My Way" is by far the band's most popular song on Spotify, with over 182 million listens. Some of that is likely due to a resurgence of interest in the tune after it was used in the 2017 movie Call Me by Your Name.

Rundgren covered this song on the (re)Production album. https://open.spotify.com/track/6vz84rFkZDS7mrDGRUQEln?si=0d519343e7b54d50

The album: The Psychedelic Furs experienced a lot of change after their first two albums. Two members left the band, reducing them to a quartet, their producer Steve Liliywhite was unable to work with them again and most of the executives who championed them at their label, CBS, had left the company. David Bowie, who had touted the band in the music press, offered to produce them but was not going to be available for a while and the band didn't want to wait. Rundgren was enlisted to produce what became Forever Now after Ely suggested him and an initial meeting at Rundgren's studio went well.

Rundgren told Paul Myers for his book A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren in the Studio that his goal was "helping the band focus their potential." His ways of doing this could be strange. Bassist Tim Butler said Rundgren climbed on the roof of the studio and dropped lit firecrackers near the band "when we were sort of playing a little sluggishly."

The album has been described as having a "wall of sound" and "sonic richness." It merges Rundgren's power-pop instincts with the post-punk and gothic leanings of the band. Reviews at the time were mostly favorable and retrospective reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with many considering Forever Now the Furs' best album. That opinion is shared by Tim Butler. "I think it was the peak of our psychedelicness," he said.

The US and UK versions of the album have a different running order for some reason, though "Love My Way" is side 1, track 2 on both.

You Might Also Like: Allmusic describes Forever Now's title track as one of the signature examples of Rundgren's version of the wall of sound production style: https://open.spotify.com/track/24dyM0M9Dn91tZZccXK3ig?si=89e004e990b94dc8

At #10, the album that was the gateway to Rundgren's production work for many of the punk and new wave acts that recruited him.
 
#11 songs

Yambag – Metal songs from 1988-1992 that became the gateway into the world of music for a young Yambag


Elimination - Overkill

Summary: Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in my home state of New Jersey. The band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal bands, and they are often called "the Motörhead of thrash metal", based on their unique playing style, which was influenced by punk rock and the new wave of British heavy metal. Overkill were one of the first thrash metal bands to be signed to a major label and have sold over 16 million records worldwide.

Times Seen Live in Concert: 0

Personal Connection: Probably my favorite thrash metal band (I don’t count Metallica here) and definitely the one with the most quality albums (still putting out music and touring to this day). For me, not much could compete with the stretch of releases from 1987-1991 including Taking Over, Under the Influence, The Years of Decay and Horoscope. Another band I wish I had seen live and actually had tickets to in 2020 but that pesky pandemic crushed that dream. I chose Elimination for the playlist as I felt it best encompassed their style.

Other songs to consider: Infectious, Evil Never Dies
 
-OZ- - song / music moments from the Marvel cinematic universe

Dear Mr. Fantasy - Traffic

The best intro in the MCU, to the culmination of years and multiple movies leading up to a top 3 movie. The use here is perfect.


Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears


The song’s lyrics, which are about asking for escape and release from the burdens of life, mirror the Avengers’ own desires to undo the damage caused by Thanos. “Dear Mr. Fantasy” calls out to a figure who might offer solace or clarity, a sentiment that resonates with the team as they attempt to reverse the chaos brought about by the snap. For characters like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, who are haunted by their pasts and the fallout from the previous battle, the song provides an auditory reflection of their inner struggles. The wistful tones of the music complement their yearning for redemption, making it more than just a soundtrack element, but rather an emotional companion to the scenes unfolding.

Next up - a song often used in movies, where my favorite use is with a different big green guy.
 
Asking for a friend - Is there a max # of artists one can submit in a single round of MAD31? :oldunsure:
Settle down fella. Two is plenty.
You dont have to shoot your load all in the next artist selection.

As others have pointed out if there are too many artists in a playlist it gets unwieldy.

Im not committing to two artists until i see demand. If we have eg over 35, i will restrict it to one artist
Here is my serious answer since it applies to my top 11 on this playlist - I have been enjoying the process of listening to artists and making playlists that have stemmed from this exercise. 100% of that is me listening to a ton of music and liking a way to organize it, plus I have a playlist to listen to later, OR: to share if people are interested.

That last part is an open invitation for anybody - I have a rough playlist for all the artists coming up, so shoot me a PM if interested. I am not going to clog up MAD31s with 5 artists at a time or anything. The threshold for an official MAD31 artist is now pretty high, so of my 20+ playlists, only 4 I would consider for that. That comment above was because I searched my #10 here on the forum and only got 2 hits of their name (both me), so I thought they should be added as a serious contender too. My #2 and #1 here are still the front runners and I might do both next time if there are less than 30 participants, otherwise I might just go the way of @Mrs. Rannous and stake early claim.
 
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simey – train songs

Subway Train - New York Dolls
This song is off the 1973 self-titled debut album New York Dolls, and was written by NYD members David Johansen and Johnny Thunders. I reckon the spirit world needed more swagger, so David was called upon. RIP David Johansen aka Buster. You were a trailblazer. 🤘

Ever since I been ridin'
Right on the subway train
You can hear the whistle blowin'
Ya might think I'm insaaaane
 
11.

Who?
– Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

What? – Kingfish

Where? – Stone Pony

When? – 2023

Why? – Perhaps this is some recency bias, but this kid blew me away. I turned to my friends multiple times and said “this guy will be a legend someday” – My other three friends agreed. We knew we were seeing someone special. I was happy to see he was in a National Jack Daniels commercial a few months later. Hope to get to see him again someday. If any of you have the chance to, do it.
 
#11: KADAVAR - DUST
This was a product of one of my first weekly metal deep dives, and they became one of my favorite new discoveries. I purposely chose this song because of the Sabbath-heavy intro since Shuke had some Sabbath on the list, and for that fantastic album cover. :lol: Kadavar is a German trio (I guess now there is 4 though), that is firmly in that "stuck in the 70s" zone of bands from this century that I gravitate to. What really stood out was how well they morph to different sounds each album. Their debut leans more doom, Abra Kadavar (where Dust is from) has a Sabbath feel, Berlin has a breesy stoner feel like Spirit Carvan, The Isolation Tapes is a weird prog album (hints of some Floyd here), and their single from the upcoming album sounds like Muse mixed with MGMT.

Recommended listening: Since I like that sludgy, 70s goodness, the albums I liked the most were: Abra Kadavar, Berlin, and For The Dead Travel Fast. I made sure to include another from Abra and one each from those other albums for anybody wanting a sample. After that is one from the proggier album and the newer single from the album coming out in two months.




Next: From my search of the forums, a band that has been around since the 90s who hadn't been mentioned on the boards before I took a song in the 2024 song draft from them.
 
-OZ- - song / music moments from the Marvel cinematic universe

Dear Mr. Fantasy - Traffic

The best intro in the MCU, to the culmination of years and multiple movies leading up to a top 3 movie. The use here is perfect.


Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears


The song’s lyrics, which are about asking for escape and release from the burdens of life, mirror the Avengers’ own desires to undo the damage caused by Thanos. “Dear Mr. Fantasy” calls out to a figure who might offer solace or clarity, a sentiment that resonates with the team as they attempt to reverse the chaos brought about by the snap. For characters like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, who are haunted by their pasts and the fallout from the previous battle, the song provides an auditory reflection of their inner struggles. The wistful tones of the music complement their yearning for redemption, making it more than just a soundtrack element, but rather an emotional companion to the scenes unfolding.

Next up - a song often used in movies, where my favorite use is with a different big green guy.

This song actually reminds me of a friend who passed in the past year. When we were fifteen or sixteen, we spent a week on vacation in Rhode Island on the beach. We shared a room, and every night we'd put this song on and would drift off, windows open, to a summer breeze and the easiness of Traffic. Miss you, Greg. RIP.
 
11. Baby Jane - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels

Just music. People's faces. All kinds-- teenagers, dads, moms. Different expressions of wonder. What could this possibly be? It's so new, this combination of power, technology, comfort, and price that it's impossible to imagine. But not at Chevy. The future is something you haven't even thought of yet. - Don Draper, season 6, episode 6, For Immediate Release


Yet another banger that wasn't released as a single yet gets pulled from some forgotten corner of history to be expertly placed in the epicenter of arguably the most seismic season of the series, Baby Jane was the penultimate song on side B of Ryder's debut album. While Mitch's career continues to this day, The Detroit Wheels may as well have been called The Training Wheels, as he left them behind after 2 years, albeit ones that yielded 4 albums during that span.


In one of the biggest moves of the entire series, Don and his self-proclaimed 'rival', Ted Chaough, decide to join forces for their pitch to handle Chevy's secret new car, the XP-887 (fun fact for you: In real life during this time frame, Chevy was working on a secret project, designated 877). Winning this business ensured a permanent merger of the two firms who we came to know as rivals since CGC's introduction in season 4. Also remember that Peggy left for CGC when SCDP had just won Jaguar, which actually gave the rivalry some meaning since that last we knew of CGC, Don had outmaneuvered them in the battle for Honda in the episode The Chrysanthemum and the Sword.

In this promotional clip, Matt Weiner explains the overarching theme (and hence the reason for the name of the episode) as acting on impulse, which didn't jump out to me directly, though it makes sense upon repeated viewing. In every scene, someone speaks or acts impulsively. Even Pete slipping while rushing down the stairs was an example of acting before thinking.

Back to the song, it seems to be about unrequited love the singer knows is no good for him:


You are my ruination
You knock me off my feet
I can't resist temptation
Thinking of your love so sweet



Having this song play while Don and his new business partners go to meet with Chevy in Detroit and not realize what they're walking into is next level foreshadowing, as it tells us without telling us how the relationship between Chevy and this new agency is going to unfold, especially because the jauntiness of the tune and in Mitch's vocals belie the tragedy of the lyrics. Also, the new agency's relationship with Chevy will serve as a tangible metaphor for the Vietnam war, which manifests itself in many ways over the majority of the rest of the series.

One final comment:

When Don tries to convince Ted to go to Chevy with him, he uses a line used on him in episode 1 of this season, by the drunken soldier he met in Hawaii:

Hey lieutenant, wanna get in some trouble?

This callback will get some more attention after the next selection, so stay tuned, and feel free to comment; I have no delusions that I don't swim in the shallow end of the pool compared to my fellow M-ADs around these parts, so I encourage anyone and everyone reading this to contribute your own thoughts and insights. I truly welcome the thoughts and know they will enhance the thread.
 
krista4 – Chicagoland

God in Chicago – Craig Finn

I want to send a long-distance dedication out to @scorchy , who's going to see The Hold Steady in London tonight. It's a happy accident that this song was posted on this day.

Artist connection to Chicago (1-5 scale): 2 - See explanation from when I selected a song from The Hold Steady.
Song connection to Chicago (1-10 scale): 8 - The song hits so much of Chicago, geographically and in terms of its feel, from the dire, depressing areas by Midway airport to the hotels of Michigan Ave. Not usually a music video person, but this one is worth watching. And it's just a killer song. I deducted one point for starting in Wisconsin and one for ending there; otherwise would be a perfect 10 on the Chicago-y scale. :)

Total: 10
 
Take On Me" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha. The original version, recorded in 1984 and released in October of that year, was produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff. The 1985 international hit version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The recording combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums.

The original 1984 version "Take On Me" failed to chart in the United Kingdom, as did the second version in the first of its two 1985 releases. The second of those 1985 releases charted in September 1985, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart in October. In the United States in October 1985, the single topped Billboard's Hot 100, bolstered by the wide exposure on MTV of director Steve Barron's innovative music video featuring the band in a live-action pencil-sketch animation sequence. The video won six awards and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.


I think I like Sun Always Shines just a tad better.
 
Not usually a music video person, but this one is worth watching.

Looking down through those glass floors on top of that building would leave me unsteady.

I want to send a long-distance dedication out to @scorchy , who's going to see The Hold Steady in London tonight. It's a happy accident that this song was posted on this day.

Bravo to timing and The Hold Steady for holding it down in times as unsteady as my reaction would have been to that building. Have fun, scorchy. Enjoy the night.
 
kupcho1 – rain

Only Happy When It Rains – Garbage
Here's Shirley on the song:
"It's about the grunge attitude in America, which is a pretty morose attitude to have. We were being pretty tongue-in-cheek. But it's also a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that. It's a song for people that know what it's like to live on the dark side."
Or, for you 80s kids "We're the grunge in America (whoa)"

I'm only happy when it rains
I'm only happy when it's complicated
And though I know you can't appreciate it
I'm only happy when it rains
You know I love it when the news is bad
Why it feels so good to feel so sad
I'm only happy when it rains
 
El Floppo – Mallet Rock

Love My Way - The Psychedelic Furs

back to the 80s for my #11.

my 1a favorite of theirs, and maybe the first of their tunes I'd ever heard. from 82's Forever Now.

doubling up (and hope I didn't snipe) with Rundgren producing AND playing Marimba on this (he also played Sax on No Easy Street- my 1b favorite... and IIRC a Shuke pick?).

as is pretty typical with these early 80s tunes, mallet instruments lay down a stand-alone theme alongside melodies and rhythms. sounds like 2 mallets and not a professional 4, but more rich than the usual 1. in this case, takes a really good song and makes it special.
 
11. Love My Way
Artist: The Psychedelic Furs
Album: Forever Now (1982)
Todd's role(s): producer, engineer, keyboards, marimba
Writer(s): Richard Butler, John Ashton, Tim Butler and Vince Ely

The song: The Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" is the first of seven consecutive songs on my list that middle-aged dummies should know. Chances are you saw the video on MTV, heard it in a club or saw it used in the movies Valley Girl and The Wedding Singer. It hit #44 on the Billboard Hot 100, #30 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #40 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.

The song is immediately memorable for the marimba part that can be heard throughout its duration. This was played by Rundgren (though the video depicts drummer Vince Ely playing it), as were the synths that color the arrangement, giving it a cinematic flair. I figured this song was a lock to show up on El Floppo's Mallet Rock list as well, but of course I was not expecting it would appear at the same time.

The backing vocals are by Flo and Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan), founders of The Turtles and session singers for ... pretty much everybody. Kaylan told music journalist Will Harris that he and Volman were brought in at the end of the sessions and sang on several songs that Rundgren asked them to. He then played them "Love My Way" because it was the planned first single. "We have got to sing on this one," Kaylan said was his reaction. "If we don't sing on this one, we're not gonna sing on the hit. This is the f*cking hit!"

The lyrics are about acceptance of alternative sexuality. "It's basically addressed to people who are f**ked up about their sexuality, and says 'Don't worry about it,' singer Richard Butler told Creem in 1983. "It was originally written for gay people." Rudngren advised Butler to ditch his "sarcastic tone" for the song and "sing it straight."

"Love My Way" is by far the band's most popular song on Spotify, with over 182 million listens. Some of that is likely due to a resurgence of interest in the tune after it was used in the 2017 movie Call Me by Your Name.

Rundgren covered this song on the (re)Production album. https://open.spotify.com/track/6vz84rFkZDS7mrDGRUQEln?si=0d519343e7b54d50

The album: The Psychedelic Furs experienced a lot of change after their first two albums. Two members left the band, reducing them to a quartet, their producer Steve Liliywhite was unable to work with them again and most of the executives who championed them at their label, CBS, had left the company. David Bowie, who had touted the band in the music press, offered to produce them but was not going to be available for a while and the band didn't want to wait. Rundgren was enlisted to produce what became Forever Now after Ely suggested him and an initial meeting at Rundgren's studio went well.

Rundgren told Paul Myers for his book A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren in the Studio that his goal was "helping the band focus their potential." His ways of doing this could be strange. Bassist Tim Butler said Rundgren climbed on the roof of the studio and dropped lit firecrackers near the band "when we were sort of playing a little sluggishly."

The album has been described as having a "wall of sound" and "sonic richness." It merges Rundgren's power-pop instincts with the post-punk and gothic leanings of the band. Reviews at the time were mostly favorable and retrospective reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with many considering Forever Now the Furs' best album. That opinion is shared by Tim Butler. "I think it was the peak of our psychedelicness," he said.

The US and UK versions of the album have a different running order for some reason, though "Love My Way" is side 1, track 2 on both.

You Might Also Like: Allmusic describes Forever Now's title track as one of the signature examples of Rundgren's version of the wall of sound production style: https://open.spotify.com/track/24dyM0M9Dn91tZZccXK3ig?si=89e004e990b94dc8

At #10, the album that was the gateway to Rundgren's production work for many of the punk and new wave acts that recruited him.
wait a sec... what?
 
World’s Worst Superheroes #11

Piano Man

Artist - Billy Joel (1973)

Strengths - He is the Mozart of the 20th century; if a cartoon character hoists him up on the outside of a building and the timing is just right, he can crush his enemies into a pancake or accordion shape

Weaknesses - He’s not very mobile (have you tried moving one of those things - even if he has wheels?); self-righteous, misogynistic, somehow he’s the only one in show business who’s not a phony; looks down on the average Joe that he is supposedly singing on behalf of


There Goes My Hero

Situation
- You are a middle-aged dummy just trying to enjoy your life. Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament. Time to put on the headphones and start up a new playlist. You could use a hero, any superhero to brighten up your day (hopefully it’s a funny one, some of them can be a bit pedantic). Well, maybe not any superhero. . .

You: [puts in AirPods, presses play on #11 Spotify playlist, pulls up the Big 10 tourney brackets, sits back and puts your feet up - you start hearing someone approaching from the distance and a feeling of dread falls over you instantly] “Oh no, it can’t be! All the superheroes have been so mild and harmless so far. But when I need one it’s the friggin’ Piano Man?? Why is he playing the harmonica anyway?”

Piano Man: “Hey there Stranger, I haven’t seen you for The Longest Time.”

You: [swallows the vomits creeping up your throat] “Good God, not you! Nice stupid suit, numbnuts!”

PM: “What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing? Why do you hate me so much anyway? What did I ever do to you?”

You: “Don’t ask me why.” [slaps forehead]

PM: “You must read Rolling Stone and believe everything that putz Jann Wenner has to say. No really, why don’t you like me?”

You: [inhales deeply] “Well, you look like a raccoon from Long Island who dropped out of school to go work at the douche factory, your voice sounds like you are a lifelong smoker of unfiltered camels that just gargled a sack of gravel, you have the most punchable face I’ve ever seen. . . What else do I have to say?” [dammit I can’t stop]

PM: [raises arms in surrender] “Hey, I am an Innocent Man. You know what, I don’t care what you say anymore, this is. . . “

You: “STOP IT! Ugh, seeya - I’m moving out!” [lowers head, slowly walks into the ocean]
 
15. Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles

Well, that sound is the Beatles, who you said are impossible to get. - Rick Swanson, season 5, episode 8, Lady Lazarus

I've mentioned my bout with Beatlemania when I was 12 or so in other threads, but what I haven't said yet was that it took me probably 10-15 years to warm up to Tomorrow Never Knows, because Rubber Soul was my point of demarcation between my favorites and the rest of their catalog. As I got older, more people I talked to claimed Revolver was their favorite and the best album the band ever made, and getting Matt Weiner to pay $250K for permission to use a song from it one time supports that claim.

I think I initially didn't like the song much because of the studio 'tricks' they used to achieve the psychedelic sound, as genius as they were; I was stuck in the mindset that they should be able to play songs from an album in a live setting, and despite this being a banger, could not be done live. It also took me a while to warm up to the sound of the sitar.

It turns out that Rubber Soul was a point of demarcation for the band as well; after that album's release, Brian Epstein was set to continue the pattern from previous years, in which they would tour and make a movie, but the band nixed that idea and enjoyed their first extended period of free/creative time in run-up to their next project. By happenstance, that time coincided with the burgeoning psychedelic movement, which encouraged the use of mind-altering substances, though John and George had already begun partaking the previous year. Ironically, Paul declined and opted to expand his mind by immersing himself in the counterculture and avant-garde community, putting himself on the radar of Yoko Ono, who was trying to meet him when she met John first instead.

For those of you familiar with Sylvia Plath, yes, this episode was intentionally titled after one of her poems; I'm surprised more people haven't drawn on her material for entertainment purposes.

For those who haven't seen or are just starting the show for the first time, I will say without giving anything away that I can't say enough good things about season 5. The storytelling and performances are as good as they've ever been yet also somehow elevated, and there are tiny moments that reinforce what I said way back that literally everything in every scene of every episode looks meticulously and intentionally placed in their exact spot and end up telling as much of the story as any word of spoken dialogue. The supporting cast and guest stars hit their roles out of the park as well as the show just kept going from strength to strength.
This was the song I knew was coming and was one of the best uses of a song in any show I can remember. It blew me away with just how much it added to and contextualized a major theme.
 
World’s Worst Superheroes #11

Piano Man

Artist - Billy Joel (1973)

Strengths - He is the Mozart of the 20th century; if a cartoon character hoists him up on the outside of a building and the timing is just right, he can crush his enemies into a pancake or accordion shape

Weaknesses - He’s not very mobile (have you tried moving one of those things - even if he has wheels?); self-righteous, misogynistic, somehow he’s the only one in show business who’s not a phony; looks down on the average Joe that he is supposedly singing on behalf of


There Goes My Hero

Situation
- You are a middle-aged dummy just trying to enjoy your life. Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament. Time to put on the headphones and start up a new playlist. You could use a hero, any superhero to brighten up your day (hopefully it’s a funny one, some of them can be a bit pedantic). Well, maybe not any superhero. . .

You: [puts in AirPods, presses play on #11 Spotify playlist, pulls up the Big 10 tourney brackets, sits back and puts your feet up - you start hearing someone approaching from the distance and a feeling of dread falls over you instantly] “Oh no, it can’t be! All the superheroes have been so mild and harmless so far. But when I need one it’s the friggin’ Piano Man?? Why is he playing the harmonica anyway?”

Piano Man: “Hey there Stranger, I haven’t seen you for The Longest Time.”

You: [swallows the vomits creeping up your throat] “Good God, not you! Nice stupid suit, numbnuts!”

PM: “What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing? Why do you hate me so much anyway? What did I ever do to you?”

You: “Don’t ask me why.” [slaps forehead]

PM: “You must read Rolling Stone and believe everything that putz Jann Wenner has to say. No really, why don’t you like me?”

You: [inhales deeply] “Well, you look like a raccoon from Long Island who dropped out of school to go work at the douche factory, your voice sounds like you are a lifelong smoker of unfiltered camels that just gargled a sack of gravel, you have the most punchable face I’ve ever seen. . . What else do I have to say?” [dammit I can’t stop]

PM: [raises arms in surrender] “Hey, I am an Innocent Man. You know what, I don’t care what you say anymore, this is. . . “

You: “STOP IT! Ugh, seeya - I’m moving out!” [lowers head, slowly walks into the ocean]
The first one @Uruk-Hai wasn’t looking forward to.
 
World’s Worst Superheroes #11

Piano Man

Artist - Billy Joel (1973)

Strengths - He is the Mozart of the 20th century; if a cartoon character hoists him up on the outside of a building and the timing is just right, he can crush his enemies into a pancake or accordion shape

Weaknesses - He’s not very mobile (have you tried moving one of those things - even if he has wheels?); self-righteous, misogynistic, somehow he’s the only one in show business who’s not a phony; looks down on the average Joe that he is supposedly singing on behalf of


There Goes My Hero

Situation
- You are a middle-aged dummy just trying to enjoy your life. Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament. Time to put on the headphones and start up a new playlist. You could use a hero, any superhero to brighten up your day (hopefully it’s a funny one, some of them can be a bit pedantic). Well, maybe not any superhero. . .

You: [puts in AirPods, presses play on #11 Spotify playlist, pulls up the Big 10 tourney brackets, sits back and puts your feet up - you start hearing someone approaching from the distance and a feeling of dread falls over you instantly] “Oh no, it can’t be! All the superheroes have been so mild and harmless so far. But when I need one it’s the friggin’ Piano Man?? Why is he playing the harmonica anyway?”

Piano Man: “Hey there Stranger, I haven’t seen you for The Longest Time.”

You: [swallows the vomits creeping up your throat] “Good God, not you! Nice stupid suit, numbnuts!”

PM: “What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing? Why do you hate me so much anyway? What did I ever do to you?”

You: “Don’t ask me why.” [slaps forehead]

PM: “You must read Rolling Stone and believe everything that putz Jann Wenner has to say. No really, why don’t you like me?”

You: [inhales deeply] “Well, you look like a raccoon from Long Island who dropped out of school to go work at the douche factory, your voice sounds like you are a lifelong smoker of unfiltered camels that just gargled a sack of gravel, you have the most punchable face I’ve ever seen. . . What else do I have to say?” [dammit I can’t stop]

PM: [raises arms in surrender] “Hey, I am an Innocent Man. You know what, I don’t care what you say anymore, this is. . . “

You: “STOP IT! Ugh, seeya - I’m moving out!” [lowers head, slowly walks into the ocean]
The first one @Uruk-Hai wasn’t looking forward to.
:lol: I’ve been looking forward to this one for a couple weeks.
 
Take On Me" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha. The original version, recorded in 1984 and released in October of that year, was produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff. The 1985 international hit version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The recording combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums.

The original 1984 version "Take On Me" failed to chart in the United Kingdom, as did the second version in the first of its two 1985 releases. The second of those 1985 releases charted in September 1985, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart in October. In the United States in October 1985, the single topped Billboard's Hot 100, bolstered by the wide exposure on MTV of director Steve Barron's innovative music video featuring the band in a live-action pencil-sketch animation sequence. The video won six awards and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.


I think I like Sun Always Shines just a tad better.
A-Ha is an artist Ive got halfway through compiling for a MAD artist rundown, but never finished. Yet.
If all you know are these two songs, you are really missing out. They are wonderful
Morten Harket has such a fantastic voice (and could probably turn me in an instant) and Pål Waaktaar (complete with umlaut) is such an interesting songwriter.

Here is a small sample of the joy. I hope one day to submit them as a MAD artist

Summer Moved On

Crying in the Rain (Maybe Kupcho has this lined up lol)

Foot of the Mountain

Analogue (All I Want) (Co-Written and Produced by the wonderful Max Martin)

I’Ve Been Losing You
 
World’s Worst Superheroes #11

Piano Man

Artist - Billy Joel (1973)

Strengths - He is the Mozart of the 20th century; if a cartoon character hoists him up on the outside of a building and the timing is just right, he can crush his enemies into a pancake or accordion shape

Weaknesses - He’s not very mobile (have you tried moving one of those things - even if he has wheels?); self-righteous, misogynistic, somehow he’s the only one in show business who’s not a phony; looks down on the average Joe that he is supposedly singing on behalf of


There Goes My Hero

Situation
- You are a middle-aged dummy just trying to enjoy your life. Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament. Time to put on the headphones and start up a new playlist. You could use a hero, any superhero to brighten up your day (hopefully it’s a funny one, some of them can be a bit pedantic). Well, maybe not any superhero. . .

You: [puts in AirPods, presses play on #11 Spotify playlist, pulls up the Big 10 tourney brackets, sits back and puts your feet up - you start hearing someone approaching from the distance and a feeling of dread falls over you instantly] “Oh no, it can’t be! All the superheroes have been so mild and harmless so far. But when I need one it’s the friggin’ Piano Man?? Why is he playing the harmonica anyway?”

Piano Man: “Hey there Stranger, I haven’t seen you for The Longest Time.”

You: [swallows the vomits creeping up your throat] “Good God, not you! Nice stupid suit, numbnuts!”

PM: “What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing? Why do you hate me so much anyway? What did I ever do to you?”

You: “Don’t ask me why.” [slaps forehead]

PM: “You must read Rolling Stone and believe everything that putz Jann Wenner has to say. No really, why don’t you like me?”

You: [inhales deeply] “Well, you look like a raccoon from Long Island who dropped out of school to go work at the douche factory, your voice sounds like you are a lifelong smoker of unfiltered camels that just gargled a sack of gravel, you have the most punchable face I’ve ever seen. . . What else do I have to say?” [dammit I can’t stop]

PM: [raises arms in surrender] “Hey, I am an Innocent Man. You know what, I don’t care what you say anymore, this is. . . “

You: “STOP IT! Ugh, seeya - I’m moving out!” [lowers head, slowly walks into the ocean]

That was great :tebow:
 
Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament.

:lmao:

Dear God, the more things change and Terps fans are still taking it on the chin. Didn't they win with Juan Dixon that one year, though? 2002 or something like it?
 
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World’s Worst Superheroes #11

Piano Man

Artist - Billy Joel (1973)

Strengths - He is the Mozart of the 20th century; if a cartoon character hoists him up on the outside of a building and the timing is just right, he can crush his enemies into a pancake or accordion shape

Weaknesses - He’s not very mobile (have you tried moving one of those things - even if he has wheels?); self-righteous, misogynistic, somehow he’s the only one in show business who’s not a phony; looks down on the average Joe that he is supposedly singing on behalf of


There Goes My Hero

Situation
- You are a middle-aged dummy just trying to enjoy your life. Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament. Time to put on the headphones and start up a new playlist. You could use a hero, any superhero to brighten up your day (hopefully it’s a funny one, some of them can be a bit pedantic). Well, maybe not any superhero. . .

You: [puts in AirPods, presses play on #11 Spotify playlist, pulls up the Big 10 tourney brackets, sits back and puts your feet up - you start hearing someone approaching from the distance and a feeling of dread falls over you instantly] “Oh no, it can’t be! All the superheroes have been so mild and harmless so far. But when I need one it’s the friggin’ Piano Man?? Why is he playing the harmonica anyway?”

Piano Man: “Hey there Stranger, I haven’t seen you for The Longest Time.”

You: [swallows the vomits creeping up your throat] “Good God, not you! Nice stupid suit, numbnuts!”

PM: “What’s the matter with the clothes I’m wearing? Why do you hate me so much anyway? What did I ever do to you?”

You: “Don’t ask me why.” [slaps forehead]

PM: “You must read Rolling Stone and believe everything that putz Jann Wenner has to say. No really, why don’t you like me?”

You: [inhales deeply] “Well, you look like a raccoon from Long Island who dropped out of school to go work at the douche factory, your voice sounds like you are a lifelong smoker of unfiltered camels that just gargled a sack of gravel, you have the most punchable face I’ve ever seen. . . What else do I have to say?” [dammit I can’t stop]

PM: [raises arms in surrender] “Hey, I am an Innocent Man. You know what, I don’t care what you say anymore, this is. . . “

You: “STOP IT! Ugh, seeya - I’m moving out!” [lowers head, slowly walks into the ocean]
The first one @Uruk-Hai wasn’t looking forward to.
:lol: I’ve been looking forward to this one for a couple weeks.
:lol:

I like this angle. My mind went to Eyes Wide Shut, and Piano Man was the dude with the password to the cool places that don't seem to work.
 
Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament.

:lmao:

Dear God, the more things change and Terps fans are still taking it on the chin. Didn't they win with Juan Dixon that one year, though. 2002 or something like it?
Yep. They would've won the year before, too, if they didn't blow a 20 million point lead to Duke in the Final Four.

That 2002 title game against Indiana (who took out Duke) was not a work of art, however. That was some ugly basketball.
 
Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament.

:lmao:

Dear God, the more things change and Terps fans are still taking it on the chin. Didn't they win with Juan Dixon that one year, though. 2002 or something like it?
Yep. They would've won the year before, too, if they didn't blow a 20 million point lead to Duke in the Final Four.

That 2002 title game against Indiana (who took out Duke) was not a work of art, however. That was some ugly basketball.

Neither has any UCONN final since the Georgia Tech game, and that was only a work of art for UCONN fans. Title games are tough. I don't know if studies back this up, but playing in domes has got to be trickier than playing in a gymnasium or even normal arena. There are some ugly shots fired in those games, not the least of which is because the defenses get better and all the good players are in the pros.
 
Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament.

:lmao:

Dear God, the more things change and Terps fans are still taking it on the chin. Didn't they win with Juan Dixon that one year, though. 2002 or something like it?
Yep. They would've won the year before, too, if they didn't blow a 20 million point lead to Duke in the Final Four.

That 2002 title game against Indiana (who took out Duke) was not a work of art, however. That was some ugly basketball.

Lonnie Baxter came to play!
 
kupcho1 – rain

Only Happy When It Rains – Garbage
Here's Shirley on the song:
"It's about the grunge attitude in America, which is a pretty morose attitude to have. We were being pretty tongue-in-cheek. But it's also a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that. It's a song for people that know what it's like to live on the dark side."
Or, for you 80s kids "We're the grunge in America (whoa)"

I'm only happy when it rains
I'm only happy when it's complicated
And though I know you can't appreciate it
I'm only happy when it rains
You know I love it when the news is bad
Why it feels so good to feel so sad
I'm only happy when it rains
My introduction to Shirley and her very talented family.
 
GTA #11 - Paul Engemann - Scarface (Push It To The Limit) (Flashback FM, III)

Flashback ostensibly plays retro pop, which it does, although the entirety of the playlist comes from the soundtrack to the film Scarface, which continued to be a big influence on the series being a huge chunk of the overall storyline to Vice City. This track is the archetypal selection off of the soundtrack and fits the series perfectly
 
El Floppo – Mallet Rock

Love My Way - The Psychedelic Furs

back to the 80s for my #11.

my 1a favorite of theirs, and maybe the first of their tunes I'd ever heard. from 82's Forever Now.

doubling up (and hope I didn't snipe) with Rundgren producing AND playing Marimba on this (he also played Sax on No Easy Street- my 1b favorite... and IIRC a Shuke pick?).

as is pretty typical with these early 80s tunes, mallet instruments lay down a stand-alone theme alongside melodies and rhythms. sounds like 2 mallets and not a professional 4, but more rich than the usual 1. in this case, takes a really good song and makes it special.
On the demo, the marimba part was played on a keyboard. Rundgren decided to make it a marimba part during the sessions. He also brought in cello and horn players to enhance the sound of some of the album's other tracks.
 
Music is your escape from all that is wrong with the world and you have a lot of extra stress right now with your Terps poised to make a deep run in the upcoming Big 10 men’s basketball tournament.

:lmao:

Dear God, the more things change and Terps fans are still taking it on the chin. Didn't they win with Juan Dixon that one year, though. 2002 or something like it?
Yep. They would've won the year before, too, if they didn't blow a 20 million point lead to Duke in the Final Four.

That 2002 title game against Indiana (who took out Duke) was not a work of art, however. That was some ugly basketball.

Neither has any UCONN final since the Georgia Tech game, and that was only a work of art for UCONN fans. Title games are tough. I don't know if studies back this up, but playing in domes has got to be trickier than playing in a gymnasium or even normal arena. There are some ugly shots fired in those games, not the least of which is because the defenses get better and all the good players are in the pros.
Dome games suck for both teams and fans. Back when Maryland was in the ACC, I went to the conference tournament in Atlanta (I think it was 2009? It was the year UCONN and Syracuse had the 6 OT BE tourney game). It was being played in the old Georgie Dome and there was NO atmosphere at those games. The fans were so far away from the court and huge curtains were hanging over half of the stands.

Downtown Atlanta itself was a great atmosphere for fans of different teams to mingle - most of the "team hotels" were right next to each other (they stuck Duke out by the airport :lol: ) and there were a million bars/eateries. Everything was awesome, except the gameday experience in that damned dome. You could walk there in 5 or 10 minutes from the hotels.

The next year, it was in Greensboro - which was the exact opposite experience. The team hotels were spread out all over the place, but the games were played in a real basketball arena.
 
11. Love My Way
Artist: The Psychedelic Furs
Album: Forever Now (1982)
Todd's role(s): producer, engineer, keyboards, marimba
Writer(s): Richard Butler, John Ashton, Tim Butler and Vince Ely

The song: The Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" is the first of seven consecutive songs on my list that middle-aged dummies should know. Chances are you saw the video on MTV, heard it in a club or saw it used in the movies Valley Girl and The Wedding Singer. It hit #44 on the Billboard Hot 100, #30 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #40 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.

The song is immediately memorable for the marimba part that can be heard throughout its duration. This was played by Rundgren (though the video depicts drummer Vince Ely playing it), as were the synths that color the arrangement, giving it a cinematic flair. I figured this song was a lock to show up on El Floppo's Mallet Rock list as well, but of course I was not expecting it would appear at the same time.

The backing vocals are by Flo and Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan), founders of The Turtles and session singers for ... pretty much everybody. Kaylan told music journalist Will Harris that he and Volman were brought in at the end of the sessions and sang on several songs that Rundgren asked them to. He then played them "Love My Way" because it was the planned first single. "We have got to sing on this one," Kaylan said was his reaction. "If we don't sing on this one, we're not gonna sing on the hit. This is the f*cking hit!"

The lyrics are about acceptance of alternative sexuality. "It's basically addressed to people who are f**ked up about their sexuality, and says 'Don't worry about it,' singer Richard Butler told Creem in 1983. "It was originally written for gay people." Rudngren advised Butler to ditch his "sarcastic tone" for the song and "sing it straight."

"Love My Way" is by far the band's most popular song on Spotify, with over 182 million listens. Some of that is likely due to a resurgence of interest in the tune after it was used in the 2017 movie Call Me by Your Name.

Rundgren covered this song on the (re)Production album. https://open.spotify.com/track/6vz84rFkZDS7mrDGRUQEln?si=0d519343e7b54d50

The album: The Psychedelic Furs experienced a lot of change after their first two albums. Two members left the band, reducing them to a quartet, their producer Steve Liliywhite was unable to work with them again and most of the executives who championed them at their label, CBS, had left the company. David Bowie, who had touted the band in the music press, offered to produce them but was not going to be available for a while and the band didn't want to wait. Rundgren was enlisted to produce what became Forever Now after Ely suggested him and an initial meeting at Rundgren's studio went well.

Rundgren told Paul Myers for his book A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren in the Studio that his goal was "helping the band focus their potential." His ways of doing this could be strange. Bassist Tim Butler said Rundgren climbed on the roof of the studio and dropped lit firecrackers near the band "when we were sort of playing a little sluggishly."

The album has been described as having a "wall of sound" and "sonic richness." It merges Rundgren's power-pop instincts with the post-punk and gothic leanings of the band. Reviews at the time were mostly favorable and retrospective reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with many considering Forever Now the Furs' best album. That opinion is shared by Tim Butler. "I think it was the peak of our psychedelicness," he said.

The US and UK versions of the album have a different running order for some reason, though "Love My Way" is side 1, track 2 on both.

You Might Also Like: Allmusic describes Forever Now's title track as one of the signature examples of Rundgren's version of the wall of sound production style: https://open.spotify.com/track/24dyM0M9Dn91tZZccXK3ig?si=89e004e990b94dc8

At #10, the album that was the gateway to Rundgren's production work for many of the punk and new wave acts that recruited him.
wait a sec... what?
I was wondering why your writeup said nothing about our picks showing up at the same time. :laugh:
 
It was the year UCONN and Syracuse had the 6 OT BE tourney game

The one where Gerry McNamara wouldn't let Syracuse lose. Yeah, I remember.

So funny about Atlanta. That's why I laughed so hard at the Piano Man write-up. It seems so strange to see the "Terps going deep in the Big 10 Men's Basketball Tournament."

That's great that they stuck Duke out at the airport. Classic. Even their own conference hated their fans and alumni.
 
It was the year UCONN and Syracuse had the 6 OT BE tourney game

The one where Gerry McNamara wouldn't let Syracuse lose. Yeah, I remember.

So funny about Atlanta. That's why I laughed so hard at the Piano Man write-up. It seems so strange to see the "Terps going deep in the Big 10 Men's Basketball Tournament."

That's great that they stuck Duke out at the airport. Classic. Even their own conference hated their fans and alumni.
They also put the Duke section in the furthest corner of the dome, up by the big curtains. I was on the other side of the court and you couldn't even hear the band :lol: (I think Duke still won the tournament :bag: )

I think either BC or Miami was also out by the airport which, if you know Atlanta, is about a 24 year drive from downtown. But they each only had about 12 fans there.
 

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