Sweet Jane

Dating myself here as the youngin' that I am (though, at 37, approaching "middle age" I suppose), but the Cowboy Junkies' sumptuous cover of this amazing Velvet Underground song was the first one I heard, in the early '90s, when a dear friend put it on a mixed tape for me. It wasn't til a few years later that I started listening to, and loving, the Velvet Underground, when my roommate at UC Santa Cruz would play their self-titled album from 1969 nonstop.

Artist: Cowboy Junkies
Year: 1988
Rating: Hot!



There are a lot of versions of this song performed by Velvet Underground and Lou Reed solo. I present this one, 'cause it's got the "heavenly wine and roses" bridge that Cowboy Junkies included in their cover, and I love it.

Artist: The Velvet Underground
Year: 1970
Rating: Hot!

Star Wars - Imperial March

It would normally be pretty ominous for Darth Vader's theme to pound into one's head first thing in the morning, but I know where it came from. When I blogged about the spooky old children's tune The Hearse Song about a week ago, I cited the melody of the song's last lines to Chopin's composition Marche Funèbre. I thought at that time that the opening notes of the funeral march sounded similar to the Imperial March from Star Wars, but didn't think about it again until this morning when the evil Sith lord came a knockin' on my cranium. Turns out the "Imperial March" was somewhat based on Chopin's sonata, so the connection wasn't random at all. Fascinating, isn't it, how our brain can click right into a direct link even if we don't consciously know the connection?

Writer: John Williams
Original Artist: The London Symphony Orchestra
Year: 1980
Rating: Warm

Note: The March was introduced in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and has been used as a motif in all the following films. I'd attributed it in my mind to the beginning of the original trilogy.

These Eyes

The second Guess Who song on the noggin since I started this project. I thought this one might've been Blood, Sweat & Tears, actually, but I was mistaken. Both bands have this heavy sixties rock sound that also surprisingly borders on loungy pop. Especially on this track with the syllabically-crammed refrain, "These eyes have seen a lot of loves but they're never gonna see another one like I have with you."

Artist: The Guess Who
Year: 1969
Rating: Warm

If It Makes You Happy

I was in a pub a couple months ago, writing in my journal about bittersweet feelings (yes, I am the kind of geek who sometimes writes in pubs), when this apt song started filtering in over the sound system. It entered my mind again this morning after a similarly bittersweet Monday. Can't deny the catchy simplicity is emotionally resonant.

Artist: Sheryl Crow
Year: 1996
Rating: Lukewarm

Moondance

Not sure why I can't find some video for this song - there are lots of covers out there, but not the original McCoy, so enjoy the last.fm track.

Lovely song to wake to. In my head.

You know, it's quite interesting/eerie to think that even if any of us were never to hear actual music again, we have lifetimes of songs stored in our memory, accessible at any moment we choose. So as long as we remain cognitively agile enough to recall them (a hope for us all!) we can simply supply our own individually-tailored soundtracks at any time, in any circumstance (a super-power I hope we're never forced to exercise). Van Morrison's a welcome addition to the mental play list.

Artist: Van Morrison
Year: 1970
Rating: Luke Hot

Note: I just learned that, though the album of the same name came out in 1970, Moondance wasn't released as a single til 1977. By today's hyper-marketing standards, that seems pretty weird, right?

Cool Rider, Redux

Last in my head on April 29, 2009.

Comfortably Numb

One of the most iconoclastic covers ever. Hard to imagine Roger Waters, David Gilmour and the boys anticipating that the dénouement of their masterpiece rock opera would manifest as a gay disco anthem at the turn of the next century, but there you are. My guess is that most Floyd fans hate it, but one has to admit the campy theatricality and pop hooks make this Scissor Sisters cover pretty special.

Artist: Scissor Sisters
Year: 2004
Rating: Warm

What I Got

The video is here. It's a tribute to dearly departed lead singer Bradley Nowell who famously died of a heroin OD just before Sublime's hit self-titled album release.

Not my favorite style of music, but I will say that I love that the line "I can play the guitar like a mother fuckin' riot" is followed by a mellow bluegrass riff.

Artist: Sublime
Year: 1996
Rating: Lukewarm

Note: I wonder if they acknowledged Lennon/McCartney for the ripped melody from Lady Madonna?

Rain in the Summertime

Wow. The late-80s rocker mullet is in full-force on this U2ish tune from The Alarm. The song appeared in a dream, and I attributed it to an artist named "Donny Meast," noting to myself that his name was similar to Donny Most, aka Ralph Malf, from Happy Days. Dreams are weird.

Artist: The Alarm
Year: 1987
Rating: Lukewarm

Zest Commercial

A rude awakening this morning, with this cheerful '80s jingle ringing in my head. Anyone know who the actress is? She looks *so* familiar.

I couldn't imagine why a soap commercial would be on my mind, until Amber reminded me that I've been seriously dissatisfied with the soap we've been buying lately. Gotta change brands, but being a natch grocery shopper, Zest is definitely not in my future.

Year: 1987
Rating: Tepid