My Favorite Songs of 2007

Ok, I know this list is long, but that's because I have such a hard time narrowing down favorites. Every single one of these songs had me hitting repeat at various times over the course of the year.

I'll break them down into some categories, though, to make it easier:


Retro sounds:
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse - Sure, Rehab got more attention, but this song is my favorite from Back To Black.
Sunrise (Turn On) - The Chesterfield Kings - The retro garage/psych band does a great Rolling Stones impersonation, no?
The Chesterfield Kings - Sunrise(Turn On)

Winter On Victoria Street - The Clientele - Retro pop sounds, and only a tad twee.
The Clientele - Winter on Victoria Street

Jacket - David Vandervelde - Retro glam. Quite tasty.
Wintertime in Hollywood - The Lovetones- Some more retro pop.

The Big Bear - Adam Marsland - This is a song from 2004, but I just discovered Adam on myspace this year, so I'm including it. Very Beach Boys-ish. (and Adam is cool, he actually responds to comments on myspace.)
Adam Marsland - The Big Bear


Chick Singers & Songwriters:
Frank & Ava - Suzanne Vega
Pink Light - Laura Veirs
My Song - Brandi Carlile
Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin
Love Song - Sara Bareilles - Yes, it's overplayed, but I am still digging this, especially the sentiment, "I'm not gonna write you a love song, 'cause you asked for it, 'cause you need one, you see.

Adrenaline - Emma Pollack
Lazy Girls - Jill Cunniff
All Good Things - Mandy Moore
I Feel It All - Feist
14 - Paula Cole
Day Glow - Kristen Hersh
Elvis Cadillac - Rickie Lee Jones
Circle In The Sand - Rickie Lee Jones


Male Singers & Songwriters
Ordinary People - Neil Young
A Man In Love - Nick Lowe
Everybody Knows - Ryan Adams
Two - Ryan Adams
Halloweenhead - Ryan Adams

Fri/end - Thurston Moore
Happy - Martin Sexton
Car Crash - Matt Nathanson
Born Losers - Matthew Good
Cigarette - Jeremy Fisher
Jeremy Fisher - Cigarette

I Discovered America - Graham Parker
Heart Temporary - Jorma Kaukonen
Jorma Kaukonen - Heart Temporary
Lovestain - Jose Gonzalez
Right Moves -Josh Ritter
To The Dogs or Whoever - Josh Ritter
Boy With A Coin - Iron & Wine
Caroline - Jackie Greene
West Coast - Coconut Records
Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee

Covers:
Gimme Shelter - Patti Smith (favorite cover of the year - tied)
Head Like A Hole - Giant Bear (tied for favorite cover song)
Like A Prayer - Demolition String Band
The Scientist - Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano - The Scientist

Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Americana:
Down In The Valley - The Broken West
Who Will You Love - Dead Heart Bloom
Your Rocky Spine - Great Lake Swimmers
Trouble - Over the Rhine
Eight Miles Per Gallon - Scott Miller & The Commonwealth

Pop/Rock:
She Says - Superdrag
Your Own Worst Enemy - Bruce Springsteen
Intervention - The Arcade Fire
Oh Yeah - The Cliks
She Called Up - Crowded House
Jigsaw Falling Into Place- Radiohead
Can You Feel It - Apples In Stereo
All That I Want - The Weepies
The Weepies - All That I Want

Catch Me Jumping - The Dimes
La Ti Da - The Icicles
This Is All I Came To Do - Dinosaur, Jr.
The Panic - The Dykeenies

Hard Sun - Eddie Vedder
Angel In The Snow - Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith - Angel In The Snow

Siren Song - The Fags
The Fags - Siren Song

Yolanda Hayes - Fountains Of Wayne
You Will Be Loved - Future Clouds And Radar
No Pussy Blues - Grinderman
Screendoor - Illinois
Shim Sham - Imperial Teen

Lake Shore Drive - The Innocence Mission
The Innocence Mission - Lake Shore Drive

What Light - Wilco
Impossible Germany - Wilco
Icky Thump - The White Stripes
The Underdog - Spoon
Spoon - The Underdog

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon

Fantasies - Rogue Wave
Lil' King Kong - Simple Kid
Whales Sing - The Shaky Hands
Could I Change Your Mind - The Preytells
Broken Arm - Winterpills
Double Vision - The Ponys
Best Friends - The Perishers
Myriad Harbor - The New Pornographers
Fake Empire - The National
Shout It Out - The Moonbabies
99% - The Mooney Suzuki

Just For Fun:
Business Time - Flight Of the Conchords

Blues/Rock:
Ball Peen Hammer - Joe Bonamassa
Ah Mary - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Some songs are posted as a listening station for you. Happy 2008!
If you would like to hear any of the others, request in the comments, and I'll get them posted.

Psychedelic Sunday Year-End Countdown, Part 1

The votes are in, and there were quite a few songs with 2 votes or more. I was going to make this a Top 10, but I can't just randomly pick one of the 4 songs that received 2 votes each, so you're getting a Top 13 instead.

There were two songs with 9 votes apiece, 2 songs with 4 votes, 5 songs with 3 votes, and 4 songs garnering 2 votes each, so I'm going to step up and be the tie-breaker! (Next year, I'll figure out a way to give each vote some weight, so I can be more fair about counting down.)

I'll do 7 in this show, and 6 next time.

13. From The Underworld - The Herd - Frampton's pre-Humble Pie group.

12. Pushin' Too Hard - The Seeds - The fuzz guitar and the electric piano work shine in this one.

11. Incense and Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock - A classic of the psychedelic era, but what does it mean?

10. Not Fade Away (live) - The Grateful Dead - The Dead turn a two minute Buddy Holly song into a 10 minute jam.

9. Hey Grandma - Moby Grape - Cool guitar and harmonies from The Dead For People Who Don't Like The Dead.

8. Open My Eyes - Nazz - Rundgren's early work shines in Nazz.

7. Sunrise (Turn On) - The Chesterfield Kings - A modern psychedelic garage band that sounds great, even if they don't bring anything new to the genre.

Listen at left or right here.

Campaigns With Decency

I just saw a McCain ad that touted he "campaigns with decency." What an awesome reason to get behind the guy, eh?!

How about some reasons to get behind some of the rest of the candidates:

Hillary Clinton: She likes ice cream, and ice cream is American.

Romney: He knows how to make that presidential A-OK sign.

Obama: He can fake a smile.

Huckabee: His guitar strap is patriotic.

Giuliani: He knows how to come it over.

Got some for me? Share them in the comments.

A Confession

Four days ago, I was a normal woman. (well, sorta.)

Today, I am a certifiably crazy Disney pin collector/trader, thanks to my cast member son.

And, yes, I own that pin in the picture, for now. Unless you want to trade.

Help me, please.

And no, I'm not back yet. I have taken a break from park-hopping to catch up on laundry at our son's apartment, and I've helped myself to computer time while they watch the last Pirates movie on DVD. At least I'm not pin trading. ;)

Have a Merry Festivus!

Christmas Song A Day - The Finale

This is going to be my last post until nearly the end of the year, since I'll be busy elving and flitting here and there. I wish you all a peaceful time, and good health and warm wishes for the season.


In case you haven't voted in the Psychedelic Sunday countdown, go ahead and place your vote in the left sidebar. Heck, even if you've already voted, you can vote again for your favorite! I'll record the show and get it in the podcast form by Dec. 31. So far, our leader is Mountain's Nantucket Sleighride, which I dig, but it's definitely not my pick for favorite!

For the finale of the Christmas Song a Day series, you've got 5 songs to pick and choose from. You can mix and match as you please.

Now, on with the tunes.

Mindy Smith - I'll Be Home For Christmas

- Mindy's voice makes this version of one of my favorite Christmas songs very special.

Joni Mitchell - River - Though not a traditional Christmas song, River will always be a holiday classic for me.

Entrain - Little Drummer Boy - For my hubby, the drummer. Entrain was founded by a drummer, and he definitely takes center stage with this version.


Aimee Mann - Calling on Mary

And now, to finish the set, my favorite Christmas song, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, sung with warmth and melancholy by Judy Garland. This is from the film version of Meet Me In St. Louis.

Judy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Although I won't be posting, I will be checking in on you all during the next couple of weeks. Catch you later!

Dan Fogelberg - 1951 - 2007

Image by Henry Diltz, from Fogelberg's site.

In the mid-70's I had two musical crushes on dark-haired singer-songwriter guys, Jackson Browne and Dan Fogelberg. If you ask me, they both aged well, too.

Fogelberg passed away of prostate cancer yesterday, which strikes me as odd, since that's supposed to be a highly curable cancer. Maybe he caught it too late. But geez, he was so damn young. (I know, I must be old to think that 56 is young.)

Anyway, I know I wasn't going to post, but I just had to after hearing of Dan's death. I don't actually have any of his solo work on CD, and I still don't have anything set up to rip from my vinyl collection. What I've got for you are a few songs I have had on my computer for quite some time, along with some newly downloaded files.

From Souvenirs (1973) - This is probably my favorite Fogelberg disc, and it leads off with a really catchy song, complete with familiar harmony by Graham Nash. Dan Fogelberg - Part Of The Plan

From Phoenix (1980) - One of the loveliest love songs Dan wrote:
Dan Fogelberg - Longer

And since poking fun of folkie songwriters is funny (remember when Belushi smashed that folk singer, played by Stephen Bishop, over the head with a guitar?) here is a fun bit:
Mike Rayburn - Dan Fogelberg Sings AC/DC


The quintessential Fogelberg song, from 1981's The Innocent Age:
Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne


And, finally, here's a Jesse Colin-Young song he covered with the help of jazz flutist, Tim Weisberg, from their 1995 album, No Resemblance Whatsover:
Dan Fogelberg & Tim Weisberg - Songbird

Table For Eight - The Neverending Story?

As I read this ongoing story meme, I hoped and wished that it would not get all the way over to the end of the internet, which is where I seem to reside.

No such luck:

Table for eight.


I woke up hungry. I pulled my bedroom curtain to the side and looked out on a hazy morning. I dragged myself into the kitchen, in search of something to eat. I reached for a jar of applesauce sitting next to the sink, and found it very cold to the touch. I opened the jar and realized it was frozen. (Splotchy)

"That's strange," I said out loud to no one in particular. My fingers slowly reached towards the jar again. My body experienced a wave of apprehension as weighted blanket covering me as I did so. The jar was completely frozen.

I picked it up and stared at it, my fingers stung with little knives of chill. "What the..." again I spoke aloud. Then I realized what had happened with a shock. Suddenly the jar flew from my hand. It shattered creating a collage-like mixture of frozen applesauce and glass shards on my kitchen floor, the lid lazily rolling to a stop across the room. (FranIam)

I stood for a moment considering what all this meant. Oh, I knew what it meant, I didn't need to waste time thinking about it. He was back. And he was mad.

I ran down the hallway and flung open the door at the end. I was immediately hit with a blast of cold. I took a step back as I tried to catch my breath. I bent over, hands on my knees panting. He always had this remarkable effect on me. After so much time, it no longer scared me, but it was a shock nonetheless……

"You know," I panted, "There's no need to break things to get my attention." (Politits)

I woke up in the same position as in my dream, on my knees. I was sweating even though the room was freezing. (Mathman6293)

I was used to the house being quite cold in the mornings, as the night log usually burns out around one a.m. when I am dreaming cozily under my covers, not normally waking to put a new one on until morning. I was surprised because on the rare occasions that it actually had reached sub-freezing temperatures in the house, I had awakened in the night to restart the fire. I would have been worried about the pipes before P-Day, but there hadn't been running water in two years and that was one of the few advantages to being dependent on rainwater, no pipes. (Freida Bee)

The nightmares began during the following spring. The apple trees came to life in my dreams. At first the trees spoke and I thought they were amusing. That changed when the messages arrived. Lately, their anger was directed at me. (Mathman6293)

There is only one thing to which I can attribute this shift. Since the shock wore off of realizing that Coker's P-Day "festivities" had split me into two identical, morphable beings (what did it take - two, three weeks?), I spend much of my time trying to advance to the simultaneous rather than the sequential. I haven't progressed to an understanding of the chronological differences of the continua, nor am I absolutely sure there are just the two. But from everything he's displayed to this point I know Coker can't be happy that I am making progress, and so it appears that somehow he's broken through and is giving me shit during the only time I can recharge. I've got to find a place where I can focus one hundred percent. This cold weather combined with a slowly increasing Green Time isn't helping.

How many more are there like him? And are all of them as paranoid about their power? Surely there's an individual out there, a collective perhaps, that's hip to newbies and sees spreading the knowledge of the planes as the only way back to sanity, the only way toward the sublime society that Vandreau advocated for so many years before the fucking wheels fell off. (O' Tim)

Perhaps, I thought, I should just kill myself. After all, who can truly say which is better - to escape the pains and heartaches of life, or to fight against them in the slim hope of winning? The Sleep that is Death would be a rest from all the pain that life brings. I could really use a rest like that. But suppose, in this "sleep", I begin to "dream?" That could be a bitch. After all, the sort of "dream" might one expect in the final sleep is a daunting thought to consider. That's what can make a long life such a sad thing. I mean, who would put up with all of life's bullshit - oppression of many sorts, insults, the betrayal of false lovers, slow justice, infuriating politicians, and abuse from people who have no right or call to abuse - when he could just put a dagger in his chest and get away from it all? Who would bear the burdens of this world and sweat and drag himself through life if it weren't for the fact that fear of something that may happen after death, from which no one can return, makes us think twice about trading the problems we have for something potentially worse, like Hell. These second thoughs can make cowards of all of us, turn determination into hestation, and prevent us from attempting something grand.

Oh, look - here comes that hot little bitch, Ophelia. Darlin', I hope you remember me in your prayers. (Joe the Troll)

I swung my legs out of bed and immediately recoiled in horror. "Goddammit, Ophelia!" After hopping to the sink, I washed the dog puke off my foot. At least the water was warm. Ofee sat in the doorway watching me, little tan head cocked and tail swishing on the tiles. How could I be angry? She was the one constant in my life as I tried to deal with all this craziness. That applesauce dream replayed itself in my head. I could still feel the icy jar in my hand, hear the glass smashing on the floor. It was an omen all right: I had completely forgotten about Hanukkah and needed to get back to Minneapolis. Latkes, applesauce, gelt, candles, yep, it was all over now, but my family was still there -- and Vandreau. My brother, my lover, my best friend, my worst enemy. I quickly dressed, packed a bag, stuck Ofee in her carrier, and locked up.

And I made sure I had an extra clip. (Miz UV)

Perfect. The limo driver, who was 17 minutes late, seems to think I'm interested in his girlfriend's latest Victoria's Secret purchase. He reeks of Axe and stale cigarettes, and his voice is cloyingly irritating, sort of like Jay Leno's. "Shut the fuck up and just drive," I chided, "and get me to the airport on time!" (natsthename)

Anyone care to continue? Monty?

Christmas Song A Day - Day 17

photo of this Christmas cd cover from here.

Oh, it starts out as Christmas song, but it turns into something totally different at the :42 mark. It's one of those classic Waits slices of life, presented in the way only he can: gnarly, gravelly, worldly, and true.


Tom Waits - Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

Does This Mean Pete Rose Can Get Into the Hall Of Fame Now?

Awesome photo of Charlie Hustle grabbed here.


This report coming out, apparently names Clemens and Pettitte in the group of baseball players who took performance-enhancing substances. Um. Does this mean they all get the asterisks just as so many people want to assign to Bonds? OIC, when fan favorites do bad things, it's different!

Better yet, can Pete Rose get into the Hall of Fame now? I mean, if all of these star players who cheated will get in, Pete deserves to get in, too, IMO!

UGH, The Material Girl is Gonna Be In The Rock Hall

I'm officially done with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame now. It should now be named, "The Pop Music Hall Of Fame."

Oh well, at least John Mellencamp, The Ventures, Leonard Cohen and The Dave Clark Five made it in, too. It would take all of them to counter the Madonna induction. Article here.

Fun With Google, Meme Style

Saw this at Joe's and I liked it, so here we go!


1 - For each question, type the answer into Google search.
2 - Post a picture from the first results page (I used the "image search".)

1. Age at next birthday


2. A place I'd like to travel


3. My favorite place


4. My favorite object


5. My favorite food


6. My favorite animal


7. My favorite color


8. City I was born in


9. Place where I live


10. Name of a past pet


11. First name of a past love


12. Best friend's nickname (she doesn't really have one, so I went with her name.)


13. My screen name

This came up when I searched "natsthename." It's my avatar for my podomatic shows.

14. My first name


15. My middle name


16. My last name


17. Bad habit of mine


18. My first job


19. My grandmother's name

Yes, I'm too old to have a grandma named "Sky" or "Heather."

20. My college major


Go ahead and post one of these if you like!

Christmas Song A Day - Day 16

Illustration clipped from here.

Although today's song, Thanks For Christmas, is credited to writers Balthazar, Kaspar, and Melchior, their true identities are that of the band XTC. What amazes me is that the same guy who wrote:

It's such a shame its only one day every year
three hundred and sixty-four days full of doubts and fear,
You've been saving your love up,
Let it out, cause Christmas is here.

also wrote:

I won't believe in heaven and hell.
No saints, no sinners,no devil as well.
No pearly gates, no thorny crown.
You're always letting us humans down.

I guess, though, you can be disillusioned with God, but still be thankful for the Christmas spirit people seem to exude at this time of year. Well, except for the war, that is.

A side note: anyone get why I used the picture of the bird to relate to this post?

The Three Wisemen - Thanks For Christmas

Christmas Song A Day - Days 14 and 15

photo of Russian Christmas from here.

Here are a pair of instrumentals from guitar wiz and famous folkie, John Fahey. His Christmas release, A New Possiblity, is relaxing and beautiful, and is perfect for kicking off your shoes, drinking a mug of hot chocolate, and cuddling by the fire.

John Fahey - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
John Fahey - Russian Christmas Overture

Tuesday Tunes

Open your Itunes or Windows Media or Winamp or whatever music player you use and tell me:

Your top 5 songs:
Low - California
The Subways - Rock & Roll Queen
The John Butler Trio - Treat Yo Mama
Kathleen Edwards - Back To Me
The Shins - New Slang
Your most played artist: Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Beth Orton, The Byrds, Barenaked Ladies

How many songs you have on your computer.
On my iTunes, I have 7854, but there are many, many more not in iTunes. I'd say I have over 10,000 songs on the hard drive.

The first artist listed alphabetically and the last:
First is a-ha, and last is 60 Ft Dolls (the numbers are listed last on my setup.)

Christmas Song A Day - Day 13

If you ask me, this is simply the best Christmas song so far this century. It's just quiet, peaceful simplicity and beauty.

Neil Finn - Sweet Secret Peace

Christmas Song A Day - Day 12

Photo borrowed from here.

From the kings of 70's blue-eyed soul, Hall & Oates, today's song features the duo performing a traditional spiritual, Children Go Where I Send Thee. They really do sell it, too, and the result is quite uplifting. I love T Bone Wolk's production, complete with funky organ and tambourine.


Daryl Hall & John Oates - Children Go Where I Send Thee

Christmas Song A Day - Days 10 and 11

I finally found a non-silly Hanukkah song to use, and it's from one of my favorite bands, Barenaked Ladies. This is from Barenaked For The Holidays, from 2004. Steven Page, lead vocal in this song, is Jewish, and when BNL decided to record a Christmas album, Steven offered to write some Hanukkah songs. According to this source, Steven explained, "The song I wanted to sing was about someone who celebrates Hanukkah in a society where everyone else celebrates Christmas." He pulls it off quite well in this pretty song, Hanukkah Blessings.

Happy Hanukkah to all of my Jewish friends!

Barenaked Ladies - Hanukkah Blessings


Over the Rhine, a folky-pop indie band, is Ohio-based, and basically a twosome (married couple Karen Bergquist and Linford Detweiler,) and couple of other players, who seem to vary.
This song doesn't actually mention Christmas, and it's really sort of a dark-themed song, but it's included on their holiday release, The Darkest Night Of The Year (2006.) Christmastime isn't always joyful and happy for some, so I'm including this song.

thank you my angel
for the clutter of my life
for dragging me
to the edge of the wilderness
to lie here by myself
just outside the land of promise

Over The Rhine - Thank You My Angel

Andrea posted another song from this band, and I invite you to check out that song, too, right here.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 Songs That Make You Cheery

Well, well, just about any song that doesn't depress me makes me cheery. How am I going to limit it to 5?

Come On Eileen - Dexies Midnight Runners - I just want to get up and dance every time I hear it. The music is just plain joyful.

Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond - And not just because the Sox fans adopted it!

Another Nail In My Heart - Squeeze - Another one that makes me feel like dancing. Sure, she dumped him in the song, and the piano man found another nail for his heart, but he sings it so merrily!

Bright As Yellow - Innocence Mission - Just Karen Peris' voice makes me feel cheery, bright, and warm as yellow.

Wild World - Cat Stevens - Oh, baby, baby, it really is a wild world, and I do get by upon a smile. And songs like this.

What cheers you up?

Tagged Twice, Posted Once