Middle Aged Dummies - Artist - Round 5 - #10's have been posted. Link in OP. (25 Viewers)

[tuffnutt]

18s

new to me liked:

You (got it)- The Babys- my favorite new to me song this round
Pecan Pie- Golden Smog
Lonely Like me- The Gap Band- vibes
The Other Woman- Caro Emerald
Binthiswayforyears- Headstone-
Lettesr from an unknown Girlfriend- The Waterboys- love Fiona

Known Liked

Siva- Smashing Pumpkins- 22 on my list
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (sad Song)-Otis Redding
Until It Sleeps- Metallica

 

[Ilov80s]

The new Car Seat Headrest has some long ones (songs, not headrests)

The Scholars

Car Seat Headrest · Album · 2025 · 9 songs

open.spotify.com

Stumbled across this band in my feed and man, what a revelation. Unforgiving Girl is the song that reeled me in.

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Their Teens of Denial album (has unforgiving girl on it) is still one of the best recent albums imo.

I love that album. It will make my top 70....

Same!

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The Hooters covered "She Comes in Colors" on their 1985 hit album Nervous Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-b2YymeN0A.

Always have been a big fan of The Hooters' cover. For a long time, didn't even know it was a cover until I got into Love.

I thought it sounded "off" when I was in high school and college and was first listening to Forever Changes. But my ears today think it's pretty good.

My friend with the record store named Forever Changes has always hated the Hooters cover and still does to this day.

Interesting - guess it’s just a matter of personal taste. Always have liked The Hooters and thought they were under appreciated, but maybe they’re a bit more polarizing coming from your neck of the woods.

They are a lot more polarizing. Or were. Most people under 40 have no idea who they are.

In my suburban Philadelphia school, the Hooters were the “it” band — one of my female classmates fainted at a concert of theirs, like what happened during Beatlemania — and contrarians like myself and my record store-owning friend reflexively hated them. They sound better to me now, decades removed from those battle lines.

However, now as then, I think their 1983 independent album Amore is better than Nervous Night.

 

[Eephus]

Song: 5-22-02

corrected the song for this round.

Would have qualified for multiple Genrepalooza categories

 

[KarmaPolice]

Porcelina might be my favorite off Mellon Collie. Billy at his peak proggy powers.

On the days where Muzzle is not my favorite Mellon Collie song, Porcelina is.

Muzzle is in the top 3-4. My favorites are Porcelina and one that didn't even make Yambag's 1 disc Mellon Collie playlist.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I'm up to the Pumpkins - great song - excellent playlist so far. I even liked the PUTS song this round.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Taking my requisite break before Metallica. Big love for the 11s so far.
Meat Loaf was a force of nature.
Otis sure exudes something special, not sure what exactly but he exudes it.
Pumpkins smashing.
A favorite from General Public got a heart from me.
I lied saying I only knew two from Waite/Babys. There's been a half-dozen or so. Who knew?
Agree with the nice comment about PUTS. My kid knows I've turned on hip hop. Look forward to sharing them with her.

Extra special call out to Oberst again. Some GREAT lines in that bit of wordsmithing.

One of my favorite comments so far! Don't set expectations too high there. The young kids around here don't seem to like it much, so I don' get the same street cred I do with PUTS and RtJ as I do with my metal suggestions.

 

[Yambag]

Porcelina might be my favorite off Mellon Collie. Billy at his peak proggy powers.

On the days where Muzzle is not my favorite Mellon Collie song, Porcelina is.

Muzzle is in the top 3-4. My favorites are Porcelina and one that didn't even make Yambag's 1 disc Mellon Collie playlist.

In looking at my list, I might have had Porcelina too low, but chose to put a few other from Mellon Collie ahead of it as they are linked to memories, moments and personal impact on my life. However, in terms of start to finish musicianship, I would put it as my #2 off of Mellon Collie. Upon completion, I will list a few that were left off (including KP's above) along with thoughts as to why.

 

[Eephus]

Michael Head #11 - Shack - "Natalie's Party" (1999)

This time we head to Shack's third album, the major label release HMS Fable. It was the band's closest brush with the brass ring; they worked with a couple of big name producers (Hugh Jones and Youth) to brighten their sound with a more commercial sheen. They got excellent notices in the UK press placing in the top five of year end UK critics' polls and making Mick an unlikely cover boy of the New Musical Express. But even this came with a dig at Head's anonymity; they ran his picture over the caption "this man is our greatest songwriter" but directed readers to page 22 to discover his name.

"Natalie's Party" is the album's opener. It's an especially joyous song by Head's standards about Natalie and her mates taking over a seaside town for a party. The narrator is apparently attempting to romance one of the party goers who's over imbibed a bit. There's a wonderful part of the bridge where the singer announces he's "going down (to) the beach to finish Natalie's party" and John's guitar solo cuts in. The song was released as a single but at usual didn't gain any chart traction peaking at #63.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Eric Clapton #11

Cream - White Room

"White Room" is one of Cream's most iconic and enduring tracks, originally released on their 1968 album "Wheels of Fire." It features a striking combination of psychedelic rock, blues, and progressive elements, making it a hallmark of the late 1960s' experimental rock scene. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968.

Bassist Jack Bruce came up with music for the song as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and was later surprised when Hendrix visited the group in New York as they were recording it and commented "I wish I could write something like that", only to be told it had been directly inspired by him.

Lyricist Pete Brown drew from a poem he had written about a new apartment he had moved into with white walls and bare furnishings, where he gave up drinking and drugs. The personal demons he battled while living in the white room spawned the imagery of the poem, which was eventually whittled down to a few verses for the song lyrics, which express feelings of isolation, longing, and desperation.

The song is famous for its memorable guitar riff, played by Eric Clapton. It's haunting and distinctive, with sustained notes that capture the psychedelic vibe of the era. Clapton's tone is sharp and expressive, with a spacey reverb that adds to the song’s ethereal quality.

"White Room" was groundbreaking in its fusion of styles. It was both psychedelic and bluesy, but also incorporated elements of progressive rock, with its shifting time signatures and instrumental layers. It showcased Cream at the peak of their creativity, exemplifying Clapton's guitar mastery, Bruce’s haunting vocals, and Ginger Baker’s dynamic drumming.

I was at a farmers market a couple weeks ago where there was a band outside playing a mix of tunes, with this being one of them. They played a good rendition of this great song.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Three known-to-me favorites from #12:

Good Thing (Fine Young Cannibals) -- One of the best soul songs of the '80s. First time I heard this was their SNL appearance and I was expecting another song like their first tune, "She Drives Me Crazy". When this energetic throwback came on, I perked up. I don't watch enough live TV to be bothered by the Applebee's commercial yet.
South City Midnight Lady (The Doobie Brothers) -- Yep, another gem from The Captain and Me.
Debra (Beck) -- The best Prince imitation ever committed to wax? Maybe.

It was hard to leave off "Change," "Goodnight Saigon," "Today" and Otis' version of "Respect".

Three new-to-me favorites from #12:

Are You Living (The Gap Band) -- Fun-KAY.
Whiplash (Metallica) -- Yes, I have never listened to this album in its entirety. This is SO Beavis and Butt-head, and I mean that in the best way.
The Turned On Truth (The Truth Is Turned On) (Cornershop) -- Yes, it's 16 minutes long and sounds like "Brimful of Asha." Neither of those are bad things in my book.

 

[Chaos34]

Eric Clapton #11

Cream - White Room

"White Room" is one of Cream's most iconic and enduring tracks, originally released on their 1968 album "Wheels of Fire." It features a striking combination of psychedelic rock, blues, and progressive elements, making it a hallmark of the late 1960s' experimental rock scene. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968.

Bassist Jack Bruce came up with music for the song as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and was later surprised when Hendrix visited the group in New York as they were recording it and commented "I wish I could write something like that", only to be told it had been directly inspired by him.

Lyricist Pete Brown drew from a poem he had written about a new apartment he had moved into with white walls and bare furnishings, where he gave up drinking and drugs. The personal demons he battled while living in the white room spawned the imagery of the poem, which was eventually whittled down to a few verses for the song lyrics, which express feelings of isolation, longing, and desperation.

The song is famous for its memorable guitar riff, played by Eric Clapton. It's haunting and distinctive, with sustained notes that capture the psychedelic vibe of the era. Clapton's tone is sharp and expressive, with a spacey reverb that adds to the song’s ethereal quality.

"White Room" was groundbreaking in its fusion of styles. It was both psychedelic and bluesy, but also incorporated elements of progressive rock, with its shifting time signatures and instrumental layers. It showcased Cream at the peak of their creativity, exemplifying Clapton's guitar mastery, Bruce’s haunting vocals, and Ginger Baker’s dynamic drumming.

I was at a farmers market a couple weeks ago where there was a band outside playing a mix of tunes, with this being one of them. They played a good rendition of this great song.

I've always liked this song, but listening to it critically on this playlist and focussing on Clapton left me disappointed in the studio mix. Throughout the song Eric is giving a clinic on that strat quacking thing I mentioned earlier but it's faded so much it's hard to really hear it. Then on the outro he's doing his thing but drowned out by Ginger. When Eric is soloing push the faders up not down. Great song, not thumping, more like nitpicking for our guy here.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Zoinks! Some of you get the reference. Remember John 5 has a thing for monsters. It's a Scooby Doo reference. It's also another instrumental, but a new discovery for me. The first five instrumental albums were solo. So solo he put down the drum and bass tracks. Those drum tracks were super simple and tapped out on a keyboard into a daw.

This new discovery is John 5 and the Creatures. My favorite discovery of this project. Somewhere around 16-17 John decided to make a trio. It was a good decision. Prior to that he'd started borrowing Tommy Clufetos (late Ozzie, late Sabbath drummer) and Matte Bissonette (Elton John bass) for some of his solo work. But they were busy musicians, so he ran an ad at the Performing Arts Institute in LA for a bass player. Nearly 100 applied but 20 auditions in he found his guy, Ian Ross. Just another LA wannabe with some serious chops. John snatched drummer Logan Miles Nix from his studio contacts and this is the trio I will see in October. Having read john 5 Youtube comments for many years, it was kind of odd to read them now and see the bass player and drummer getting props. In the 00s those comments always elevated John to God status. All three of them just bring it song after song.

Zoinks! is a compilation John put together mostly from watching unknown guitar players on TikTok and Youtube doing experimental things. He'd see something he thought was fresh and cool and work on it. He riffs, he shreds, he slides, he bends, he arpeggios, he taps, he finger picks and it all comes together with some funk. He humbly calls it slapping, tapping and picking. It's off 2019's Invasion LP. I knew he was bass slapper from the DLR album where he plays all the bass, but it sounds really cool on his tele. Again it's the most talked about song on the album. And again...

I have to recommend the video. It's a 3 minute Scooby Doo episode before the song so it goes 8 minutes. He rescues his wife Rita from the evil Nikki Sixx with his super weapon, his guitar. And does this in time for the show.

ZOINKS! John 5 and The Creatures

if you're not into Scooby Doo below is a play through he did for Guitar World prior to a photo shoot with Dave Mustaine. Watching them do it is better than just listening.

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Liked this song, heavy and funky.

 

[tuffnutt]

17s

new to me likes:

Montego Slay- PUTS- I find myself digging nearly all of there songs, my favorite new to me this rd
Party Train- The Gap-
Words without wrinkles- Luna
Natural Thing- Doobie Brothers
My Flash on You- Love
If I should Go before You- City and Colour- reminds me of something Jeff Buckley would sing

Known likes:

She Drives Me Crazy- Fine Young Cannibals- always liked this one
Zero- Smashing Pumpkins- I get why some would ranked lower, but #7 on my list.
Shake- Otis Redding
End of the Day- Beck

 

[Pip's Invitation]

17s

new to me likes:

Montego Slay- PUTS- I find myself digging nearly all of there songs, my favorite new to me this rd
Party Train- The Gap-
Words without wrinkles- Luna
Natural Thing- Doobie Brothers
My Flash on You- Love
If I should Go before You- City and Colour- reminds me of something Jeff Buckley would sing

Known likes:

She Drives Me Crazy- Fine Young Cannibals- always liked this one
Zero- Smashing Pumpkins- I get why some would ranked lower, but #7 on my list.
Shake- Otis Redding
End of the Day- Beck

I can DEFINITELY see vocal similarities between the C&C guy and Jeff Buckley.

 

[KarmaPolice]

17s

new to me likes:

Montego Slay- PUTS- I find myself digging nearly all of there songs, my favorite new to me this rd
Party Train- The Gap-
Words without wrinkles- Luna
Natural Thing- Doobie Brothers
My Flash on You- Love
If I should Go before You- City and Colour- reminds me of something Jeff Buckley would sing

Known likes:

She Drives Me Crazy- Fine Young Cannibals- always liked this one
Zero- Smashing Pumpkins- I get why some would ranked lower, but #7 on my list.
Shake- Otis Redding
End of the Day- Beck

I agree, and I think this is why I might have stayed away from him of so long. Vocally, there are a couple albums of City and Colour that give me the Buckley vibes.

 

[KarmaPolice]

LOL. or what Pip said.

 

[KarmaPolice]

17s

new to me likes:

Montego Slay- PUTS- I find myself digging nearly all of there songs, my favorite new to me this rd
Party Train- The Gap-
Words without wrinkles- Luna
Natural Thing- Doobie Brothers
My Flash on You- Love
If I should Go before You- City and Colour- reminds me of something Jeff Buckley would sing

Known likes:

She Drives Me Crazy- Fine Young Cannibals- always liked this one
Zero- Smashing Pumpkins- I get why some would ranked lower, but #7 on my list.
Shake- Otis Redding
End of the Day- Beck

I can DEFINITELY see vocal similarities between the C&C guy and Jeff Buckley.

I don't hear the similarity.

 

[tuffnutt]

16s

lots of great tunes this rd

new to me likes:

Keys- Golden Smog
Hot N' Nasty- Humble Pie
Life is a Lemon and I want my money back- Meatloaf- He's not really my kind of music, but this one is pretty good
10 feet tall- Hugh Dillon
Lovedust- Luna- continues to be my favorite new to me band
Signed DC- Love- these guys rock
Casey's song- City and Colour
Sweet Thing- The Waterboys- WOW I LOVE this one. my favorite new to me this rd

Known Likes:

Quiet- Smashing Pumpkins- was on my 1st 5 out list... still really like
Minute by Minute- Doobie Brothers- Love this one
Forever Man- Eric Clapton- another banger

 

[Eephus]

Another MADs adjacent new album

Unreleased Motörhead from 1976

The Manticore Tapes

Motörhead · Album · 2025 · 11 songs

open.spotify.com

 

[KarmaPolice]

#11: PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - STARS IN THE HOUSE

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There isn't much info out there about this albums, song, or lyrics to this one. Love the beat on this one and how it sounds in the car. As with the other song, I like it when then kid's voice comes in on this one and guitar outro is a bit unique in their output.

NEXT: We are now at my favorite songs from each album chronologically. We go back to the debut and the single that started their career.

 

[KarmaPolice]

#11: BECK - GUESS I'M DOING FINE

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My favorites on Sea Change are more like 1a/1b. Both are fantastically beautiful sad songs. I love the chorus on this one, especially as it goes into the 3rd verse.

It's only lies that I'm living
It's only tears that I'm crying
It's only you that I'm losing
Guess I'm doing fine

Press my face up to the window
To see how warm it is inside
See the things that I've been missing
Missing all this time

NEXT: we start in on the countdown of my top 10 Beck albums with my favorite from that album as we go.

 

[tuffnutt]

15s

New to me likes:

Fluke- Michael Head- enjoyed this one quite a bit
Hurricane- Golden Smog- another good one
Too Nice To Talk To- The English Beat
Slash Your Tires- Luna
Stand Out- Love- favorite new to me this rd
New Years Day- U2/ Cortsen- Know the song but not this version... I LIKE IT!
Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast- Cornershop


Known Likes:

Back on my feet again- The Babys- HEY I know this one!
Perfect- Smashing Pumpkin- We are in agreement on this on I had it at 14. great tune!

 

[Eephus]

One more MADs adjacent new album

Live Peter Gabriel from 2003

In the Big Room

Peter Gabriel · Album · 2025 · 14 songs

open.spotify.com

 

[Eephus]

One more quick MADs adjacent video mention because it's available on the official channel for this weekend only. It's Cheaper Than Cheep, a live concert video shot by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1974 for a never released television special. It's Zappa at his commercial peak after Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe with a great band including George Duke, Chester Thompson, Tom Fowler and Ruth Underwood.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[titusbramble]

Alrighty let's do some catch up

#18 - William Orbit - Barber's Adagio for Strings (Ferry Corsten Remix)

This is an interesting one. Orbit was, prior to this, a bit of an enigmatic figure, being part of the briefly relevant house act Bassomatic, and mainly being known as a producer for Madonna amongst others. However, the 1999 album Pieces In A Modern Style (originally 1995, but that version was canned on account of him picking classical tracks from artists that were both alive and still caring about how their work was used) was a bit of a curveball - an experiment in taking various classical recordings, and doing an electronic take on them. This wasn't hugely successful, until Corsten got his hands on the track in question, giving it a trance rework, sending the single into the top five and the album up to number two in the UK charts. It's a very clever working which respects the original composition but at the same time gives it an entirely new modern feel, and it worked.

#17 - Binary Finary - 1999 (Gouryella Remix)

Binary Finary are a southern England based trance act, pretty much a one hit wonder with their big hit 1998 - which then got remixed, reworked and rereleased a bunch of times, changing its name dependent on the year in which the work was done. As such, it shouldn't take a genius to work out when this version, with Ferry working under his Gouryella handle, hit the shelves - 1999 was the highest charting version of the track, falling just one spot short of the top 10 in the UK, this is a seminal trance record and possibly the best version of it

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I don't know how MAD-adjacent it is, but Buddy Guy is still kicking with a new one. I think that's Joe Walsh playing slide.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I don't know how MAD-adjacent it is, but Buddy Guy is still kicking with a new one. I think that's Joe Walsh playing slide.

He’s a frequent collaborator with Clapton, so he’s pretty MAD-adjacent.

 

[Mt. Man]

MA-D Round 5: Metallica
#11: Disposable Heroes
Album: Master of Puppets (1986)

(Youtube version) Metallica: Disposable Heroes (Remastered)
(Live Version) Metallica - Disposable Heroes (Live 1985)
(live version 2) Metallica: Disposable Heroes (Zürich, Switzerland - May 10, 2019)

Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here. Greetings, Death,
He's yours to take away

—
First let me get to the previous teaser. The phrase “disposable heroes” is taken from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Definitely not the first nor last song (either on this playlist or by Metallica in general) with a tie to a novel. It’s also one of the faster songs (which is saying something), containing sections that reach 220 beats per minute.

And yes, this is very much an anti-war song. Primarily about using soldiers as cannon fodder, about a sense of disregard and/or disinterest in the people asked to put their lives on the line. Again, this is a somewhat repeated theme by Metallica, from the earlier “The Day That Never Comes” to a song that’ll show up later in this countdown.

Possibly fun fact: the first live version I shared above is the ‘demo’ version, performed before the album came out. There are a few differences there, mostly as part of that got transferred into “Damage, Inc.”, but the majority is there. The second live version is more "traditional".

—

Next on the countdown, this is the end? Nah, we have quite a few songs to go!

 

[Yo Mama]

MA-D Round 5: Metallica
#11: Disposable Heroes
Album: Master of Puppets (1986)

(Youtube version) Metallica: Disposable Heroes (Remastered)
(Live Version) Metallica - Disposable Heroes (Live 1985)
(live version 2) Metallica: Disposable Heroes (Zürich, Switzerland - May 10, 2019)

Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here. Greetings, Death,
He's yours to take away

—
First let me get to the previous teaser. The phrase “disposable heroes” is taken from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Definitely not the first nor last song (either on this playlist or by Metallica in general) with a tie to a novel. It’s also one of the faster songs (which is saying something), containing sections that reach 220 beats per minute.

And yes, this is very much an anti-war song. Primarily about using soldiers as cannon fodder, about a sense of disregard and/or disinterest in the people asked to put their lives on the line. Again, this is a somewhat repeated theme by Metallica, from the earlier “The Day That Never Comes” to a song that’ll show up later in this countdown.

Possibly fun fact: the first live version I shared above is the ‘demo’ version, performed before the album came out. There are a few differences there, mostly as part of that got transferred into “Damage, Inc.”, but the majority is there. The second live version is more "traditional".

—

Next on the countdown, this is the end? Nah, we have quite a few songs to go!

Love this one. Would probably be in my top 5 if I did a list for them.

 

[Eephus]

One more quick MADs adjacent video mention because it's available on the official channel for this weekend only. It's Cheaper Than Cheep, a live concert video shot by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1974 for a never released television special. It's Zappa at his commercial peak after Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe with a great band including George Duke, Chester Thompson, Tom Fowler and Ruth Underwood.

- YouTube

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This is absolutely incredible.

 

[rockaction]

Expanded 10th anniv edition

Carrie & Lowell (10th Anniversary Edition)

Sufjan Stevens · Album · 2025 · 18 songs

open.spotify.com

MAD friend Sufjan Stevens gave an Interesting interview I noticed a while back after my comments in this thread about how I couldn't listen to "Fourth of July" one particular night because of the subject matter. I didn't blame the author of the song at all; I just couldn't really deal with it. Sufjan shares that view, actually, but in a more abstract and othered way.

Tough interview. Strong person.

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/27/1253209950/sufjan-stevens-interview-carrie-and-lowell

 

[Zegras11]

10's PLAYLIST

[td]Belinda Carlise[/td][td]Zegras11[/td][td]Can't Stop The World

Can't Stop The World

The Go-Go's · Beauty And The Beat · Song · 1981

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Michael Head[/td][td]Eephus[/td][td]Shack -- Byrds Turn to Stone

Byrds Turn to Stone

Shack · ...Here's Tom with the Weather · Song · 2003

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]People Under the Stairs[/td][td]KarmaPolice[/td][td]The Next Step II

The Next Step II

People Under The Stairs · The Next Step · Song · 1999

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]John Waite[/td][td]Charlie Steiner[/td][td]Restless Heart

Restless Heart

John Waite · No Brakes · Song · 1984

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Golden Smog[/td][td]Dr. Octopus[/td][td]Glad and Sorry

Glad and Sorry

Golden Smog · Down By The Old Mainstream · Song · 1995

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]The GAP Band/Charlie Wilson[/td][td]Don Quixote[/td][td]When I Look in Your Eyes - The GAP Band

- YouTube

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youtu.be

When I Look In Your Eyes

The Gap Band · The Gap Band III · Song · 1980

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]The English Beat Family Tree[/td][td]Yo Mama[/td][td]Funny How Love Is

Funny How Love Is

Fine Young Cannibals · Fine Young Cannibals · Song · 1985

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw[/td][td]-OZ_[/td][td]A night like this

A Night Like This

Caro Emerald · Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor · Song · 2010

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Neil Diamond[/td][td]Mrs. Rannous[/td][td]Surviving The Life

Surviving The Life

Neil Diamond · Beautiful Noise · Song · 1976

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Steve Marriott[/td][td]zamboni[/td][td]"Wrist Job" – Humble Pie

Wrist Job - Original

Humble Pie · Humble Pie Selected Hits · Song · 2006

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Conor Oberst[/td][td]Tuffnutt[/td][td]Dylan Thomas

- YouTube

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[/td] [td]Smashing Pumpkins[/td][td]Yambag[/td][td]Rocket

Rocket - 2011 Remaster

The Smashing Pumpkins · Siamese Dream (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 1993

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Otis Redding[/td][td]John Maddens Lunchbox[/td][td]Cigarettes and Coffee

- YouTube

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Cigarettes and Coffee

Otis Redding · The Soul Album · Song · 1966

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Meat Loaf[/td][td]snellman[/td][td]Dead Ringer For Love

Dead Ringer for Love (with Cher)

Meat Loaf, Cher · Dead Ringer · Song · 1981

open.spotify.com

[/td]

 

[Zegras11]

[td]Hugh Dillon[/td][td]Mister CIA[/td][td]Kingston

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

[/td] [td]Luna[/td][td]landrys hat[/td][td]Slide

Slide

Luna · Lunapark · Song · 1992

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Metallica[/td][td]Mt. Man[/td][td]Blackened

Blackened (Remastered)

Metallica · ...And Justice for All (Remastered) · Song · 1988

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]The Doobie Brothers[/td][td]New Binky The Doormat[/td][td]Evil Woman

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

[/td] [td]Billy Joel[/td][td]simey[/td][td]Baby Grand (with Ray Charles)

Baby Grand (with Ray Charles)

Billy Joel, Ray Charles · The Essential Billy Joel · Song · 2001

open.spotify.com

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

[/td] [td]Arthur Lee and Love[/td][td]Pip's Invitation[/td][td]Singing Cowboy

Singing Cowboy - Edit

Love · Four Sail (Expanded Edition) · Song · 1969

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Beck[/td][td]KarmaPolice[/td][td]Uneventful Days

Uneventful Days

Beck · Hyperspace · Song · 2019

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]John 5[/td][td]Chaos34[/td][td]Disposable Teens - Marilyn Manson

Disposable Teens

Marilyn Manson · Holy Wood · Song · 2000

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]City and Colour[/td][td]MrsKarmaPolice[/td][td]Bow Down to Love

Bow Down to Love

City and Colour · The Love Still Held Me Near · Song · 2023

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]The Waterboys[/td][td]Ilov80s[/td][td]November Tale

November Tale

The Waterboys · Modern Blues · Song · 2015

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Eric Clapton[/td][td]Tau837[/td][td]After Midnight

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

[/td] [td]Ferry Corsten[/td][td]titusbramble[/td][td]Pulp Vlctim - The World '99

The World '99 (Remastering 2014) - Moonman Extended

Pulp Victim, Moonman · The World (2014 Remastering) · Song · 2014

open.spotify.com

[/td] [td]Cornershop[/td][td]The Dreaded Marco[/td][td]Natch

Natch

Cornershop · Cornershop & The Double 'O' Groove Of · Song · 2011

open.spotify.com

[/td]

 

[Yambag]

Smashing Pumpkins #10

Song: Rocket
Album: Siamese Dream

Summary: Another fan favorite and the 4th single from Siamese Dream. And another mystery as to what it is about. One theory is it was in relation to Billy being told the Smashing Pumpkins were going to be the next Nirvana. Corgan just wanted the band to be who they were, not the next whoever else hence the opening lines 'Bleed in your own light / Dream of your own life'. The subsequent lyrics are also easily interpreted from this perspective as well.

More importantly for the big picture soon to be discussed, the video for Rocket features kids receiving a message from another planet. More to come on that later…

I torch my soul to show
The world that I am pure
Deep inside my heart

 

[Uruk-Hai]

For simey

10. Baby Grand

Billy wrote this song for his 1986 album The Bridge. It features Ray Charles in it. Ray was Billy's hero, and Billy named his daughter Alexa Ray after him. The song is about a piano player's love for their piano. It's bluesy, jazzy, and Ray Charles is on it. What's not to love? It's my favorite song on The Bridge.

 

[Yo Mama]

The English Beat Family Tree #10

Funny How Love Is

Artist - Fine Young Cannibals
Album - Fine Young Cannibals (1985)

This song was the biggest surprise for me in this exercise. Not the song itself since I remembered really liking this song back in the day, but in how high I ended up ranking it.

It’s just a beautiful, well put together song that has held up incredibly well.

 

[Chaos34]

Since this is the last we'll hear from Marilyn Manson, I guess it's a good place to clarify my understanding of why John left the band. I differ from the common narrative because I listened to both of them explain it in many interviews. Much is made of the fight they had on stage. It had nothing to do with it. It may have extended John's time with the band. He was on borrowed time. The narrative is they just didn't get along and had an amicable and mutual parting of ways. It's true he didn't fit in with the band's party lifestyle. He was bullied some by other band members, not Manson.

But what happened is John's sister died unexpectedly while the band was touring. He was in shock and couldn't sleep. About the fight John said, "It was terrible because he was so nice during that time. I just snapped. And I feel terrible watching it now because it really was my fault. You can’t really hear what he’s saying, obviously, but he’s saying, ‘Pick up your guitar.’ ‘Cause it looks like he’s going, ‘Come on. Come on.’ But he’s saying, ‘Pick up your guitar. Pick up your guitar,’ because he knew what was going on."

Manson understood it was a brutal time to fire him. He was already considering it but he waited over a year. He fired John at a friendly lunch because of the fit issue with the other guys. John was okay with it. They've remained friends. John posted a pic of them arm in arm at Manson's recent birthday party.

Disposable Teens is one of Manson's biggest hits and my top pick from the John 5 years. As usual John has writing credits. And again, it's off Holy Wood and another direct response to the Columbine controversy. Manson made his point with another quote I like, "It explores how America makes murderers into celebrities and celebrities into murderers.” nufced.

Marilyn Manson - Disposable Teens

 

[-OZ-]

night like this

A Night Like This

Caro Emerald · Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor · Song · 2010

open.spotify.com

The first song I ever heard from Caro. I think it came up on my Parov Stelar station. Immediately I was hooked. Fwiw, if you don’t know Parov, the Austrian artist, I’d highly encourage checking him out too.

Her second single from deleted scenes from the cutting room floor, released in 2009, peaked at number 65 on the UK charts.
How many times
Have I been waiting by the door to hear these chimes
To hear that someone debonair has just arrived
And opened up to see my world before my eyes

That silhouette
creates an image and a night I can't forget
It has the scent of something special, I can't rest
If I resist temptation, oh I know for sure that I will lose the bet

I walk away and suddenly it seems
I'm not alone (mmm...)
In front of me he stands
I stop before he goes

I have never dreamed it
Have you ever dreamed a night like this
I cannot believe it
I may never see a night like this
When everything you think is incomplete
Starts happening when you are cheek to cheek
Could you ever dream it
I have never dreamed, dreamed a night like this

 

[Pip's Invitation]

10. Singing Cowboy
Albums: Four Sail (1969) and Reel to Real (1974)
Writers: Arthur Lee and Jay Donnellan

"Singing Cowboy" seems like a pleasant ditty on the surface, but actually it's a veiled threat.

Love's Arthur Lee was tormented by a lot of things, including the pervasive racism of 1960s America. He was convinced that if he toured nationally, he would be assassinated, which is why Love never played outside of California until 1970. "Singing Cowboy," recorded at the 1968-69 warehouse sessions and selected by Elektra as one of the 10 tracks for Four Sail, was his message to white racists that he would respond to their threats, including with violence, if he had to.

Singing cowboy
Gotta lasso in your hand
Will you ever understand?
It's a do or die, boy
You know your life is up to you

So when you say goodbye
Don't you cry, 'cos look out kid
I'm coming after you

Singing cowboy
Got a gun around your waist
Wanna shoot a little taste
At me and my boy
Just what's gotten into you

You gonna shoot me through
I'm gonna follow you
Well look out kid
I'm coming after you
Coming after you
And I'm on my way
Look out

"Singing Cowboy" was one of three Love songs that appeared in my 1969 countdown. What I said there:

Arthur Lee was at a crossroads after Love's masterpiece Forever Changes. The flip side of that record's incredible use of orchestration was that a lot of it was there because Lee's bandmates weren't technically capable of reproducing the sounds he heard in his head. So he dissolved the band and put together a new one using the same name.

The output of this version of the group isn't as storied as that of the first version, but it's still of very high quality, just different. This incarnation had a muscular, blues rock sound and featured lots of wailing, fuzzed-out lead guitar. Likely this was a product of Lee's friendship with Jimi Hendrix, whom he had known since 1964 (they did record together before Hendrix' death; one song appeared on a 1970 Love album).

Another factor in the move toward a harder sound may have been that Lee was warming up to the idea of touring. The original incarnation never played outside of California because Lee, an African American, feared for his safety. Perhaps seeing that Hendrix had pulled off successful national tours inspired him to put together a band geared for the stage. The new incarnation did indeed play outside California in 1970 and 1971.

Forever Changes came out in late '67, and the new band wasn't in place until early '69, and Lee had written a ton of songs in the interim. The band recorded three discs' worth of songs in an LA warehouse. It owed one more record to Elektra, its original label. Elektra selected the 10 songs it liked best and released them as Four Sail in September. The rest of the songs were released in December by their new label, Blue Thumb, as the double album Out Here.

Both records are fantastic and are among my favorites of the year, though Out Here has some filler, as you might imagine. One of the high points is Four Sail's "Singing Cowboy", a defiant statement against the racists he found so threatening, backed with chilling lead guitar work from Jay Donnellan.

I saw Lee/Love in 1994 (just before he was jailed) and in 2002 (just after he got out). He played this at both shows, with absolute glee (at the second show, while taunting a guy who was being removed for unauthorized videotaping).

The song was important enough to Lee that he recorded it again for 1974's Reel to Real, this time faster, with his vocal in a lower register and with slide guitar at the forefront instead of Hendrixian pedal work. I think the alternate take on the deluxe version is better than the take that made the album.

"Singing Cowboy" appeared regularly in Love sets between 1969 and Lee's death, often serving as the show closer between 2002 and 2005. Its importance to the band's live set is underscored by the title of the live compilation Coming Through to You: The Live Recordings (1970-2004) being taken from a line in the song. My 1994 show was the first time I heard the song, as Four Sail was out of print in the '80s and '90s. The Love Band with John Echols performed it at some shows in 2023.

Extended version on deluxe edition of Four Sail: https://open.spotify.com/track/0I9BsQe5RUGcnhCzsEdUUK?si=c21959eb18614884

Reel to Real version: https://open.spotify.com/track/3Ng464nda60xBRatZuPoPy?si=ea49aebabaf844bb

Alternate take of Reel to Real version (bonus track on deluxe edition): https://open.spotify.com/track/2wDGgN1RBFQUTWgZELcKXg?si=4147bc31d75b4420

Live version from "England" in 1970 (appears on The Blue Thumb Recordings): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_tR04ZAGjs

Live version from San Francisco in 1970: https://youtu.be/BfzKhRguxwU?t=1171

Live version from LA in 1978 with Bryan MacLean (follows Reel to Real arrangement; all other live versions I've heard follow Four Sail arrangement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3w4VcU5f8k

Live version from London in 1996: https://youtu.be/EEnhCsX7UQI?t=1970

Live version from London in 2003 with Graham Coxon of Blur and with horns and strings on the closing jam (this is the show that The Forever Changes Concert was taken from, but "Singing Cowboy" doesn't appear on the album): https://youtu.be/IZ32HxoriZA?t=924

Partial live version from Falls Church, VA in 2004: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GPSPBOSuqg

Live version from London in 2004; this 10-minute version serves as the closer to the Coming Through to You: The Live Recordings (1970-2004) live compilation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN5LUa_l5UU

The Love Band with John Echols live in Cardiff, UK in 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJMJH6oRic

At #9, the highest-ranking song from Out Here, the warehouse songs that Elektra didn't want.

 

[Mister CIA]

Headstones - Kingston

Sounds extra nice on the headphones...Headstones and headphones, hmmm. I should probably write a limerick.

Smokin' dope from a corn cob pipe. I remember those days.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[-OZ-]

I’m always impressed with the research y’all do for each song. For me it’s basically “I like this song, maybe here’s a reason”

Although TBF there’s a lot less on the about my current artist than my first (Buffett)

 

[Tau837]

Eric Clapton #10

Eric Clapton - After Midnight

"After Midnight" is a rock song by J. J. Cale, first released in 1966. It was the first of several Cale cover songs released by Clapton and appeared on his self-titled debut album released in 1970. In 1987, Clapton re-recorded the song for a Michelob beer commercial and then released that version as a single. I like the 1987 version better and chose that for the countdown.

This is a song about enjoying the nighttime hours, and it has a slightly romantic, carefree tone. The idea of letting go of inhibitions and embracing the nighttime energy is central to the song, creating a sense of celebration and release.

The 1987 version differs from the 1970 version in that it has a more modern, polished feel with a stronger rock edge, while still retaining the blues and roots influences that have always been part of Clapton’s musical identity. The guitar tone on this version is fuzzier, with a more rock-oriented approach, making the song feel more like an arena-ready anthem. The signature riff is still there, but Clapton's performance here is more punchy and melodic, and he also introduces some bright, clean single-note lines that stand out over the rhythm section. Clapton’s solos are short and sweet — the focus is more on groove and melody rather than extended improvisation.

Clapton said this about the song:

The construction of "After Midnight" was great and it had everything. The thing that summed up J.J. for me is it had a little country, a little blues, it was rock and there was this guitar part that was baffling. That has always been the fascinating part; I still don’t think we got it right [on my version]. I’ve always been in awe of J.J.’s technique... He was a rhythm guitar player and a great lead guitar player, too. But when he played rhythm, it was very difficult to get it and know what he was doing.

When we [recorded] it, me and Delaney both did [the guitar part] it at [the] same time, and it was a really difficult claw-hammer [picking] thing. I thought: "This is too hard," so we made a meal out of it. What got me is that it appeared to be a very complex track and I was just intrigued, and thought: "I've got to try and get this." Cale was coming from this very soulful white music. It was at Delaney's insistence that I did ['After Midnight'], and that was probably one of the first songs we decided to record. And that began my association with J.J., really.

​

​

Clapton’s 1987 version of “After Midnight” is a modern, radio-friendly reimagining of J.J. Cale’s original, with Clapton’s signature guitar work and soulful vocals leading the way. While it retains the spirit of Cale’s laid-back blues, Clapton gives the song a more polished and energetic feel that helped introduce it to a broader audience.

 

[Don Quixote]

#10 When I Look In Your Eyes (Spotify) - The GAP Band

I don’t have much to say about this one that I have not said about some of the recent other ones. Danceable funk with some EWF vibes spurred on by a great horn arrangement and Robert Wilson’s bass guitar. I’ll save the typing for #9, as will get to a well-sampled heavy hitter next. The next three might all be songs that anyone with a passing knowledge of The GAP Band might know.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Round 10 - Surviving The Life - Neil Diamond

From the album Beautiful Noise (1976). No reason- I just like it.