Heretic Pride

Title track from last year's album. Typical, brilliant John Darnielle - an uplifting song structured around a grim lyric: the character is proud to be alive even in the moments his body is being dragged across the town square and into a ditch.

Artist: Mountain Goats
Year: 2008
Rating: Luke Hot

Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye, Redux

I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm
Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm

Last in my head on September 6, 2009.

Artist: Leonard Cohen
Year: 1967

It's the Love

One of the best from last year's well-received Mountain Battles. Silly little video of Kelley, Kim, and possibly a couple other people tapping hands and feet.

Artist: Breeders
Year: 2008
Rating: Luke Hot

Hit Me with Your Best Shot

Pat and band doing a drum/tambourine jam. Song starts at 1:30.

Not sure what mental associations conjured this up on Thanksgiving morning, but enjoy!

Artist: Pat Benatar
Year: 1980
Rating: Luke Hot

Do-Re-Mi

Specifically, I woke with the "So-do-la-fa-mi-do-re" line in my head. I had absolutely no idea that the Sing Along Sound of Music was playing at the Castro this weekend. I swear it!

When you know the notes to sing/You can sing most anything!

Artist: Julie Andrews & co
Year: 1959 (original stage production) 1965 (film)
Rating: Warmly warm
Written by Rodgers & Hammerstein

Show Me

Welcome to the human race
With its war, disease, and brutality
You with your innocense and grace
Restore some pride and dignity to a world in decline.

Oh, Chrissie, you make rock 'n' roll mean something. In such a sensual way.

Artist: The Pretenders
Year: 1984
Rating: Hot!

Dear Alex & Annie Theme

Oh god! This is hilarious. Anyone out there remember the very feely '70s Saturday morning advice of Alex and Annie, two fake teenagers keepin' it "real?" I remember so vividly the asides during the opening sequence, "I'm desperate!" and "What should I do??"


Stay tuned til the end: this segment wraps with a fantastic ode to one girl's slow "development."

Artist: William Bingham & Donna Drake
Lyric/Producer: Lynn Ahrens
Year: 1978
Rating: Warm

Note: Created by the prolific Lynn Ahrens of School House Rock fame.

Walt Whitman's Niece/Don't Pass Me By

From the wonderful Mermaid Avenue album, on which Billy Bragg, Wilco, Natalie Merchant and other artists bring to life the unpublished lyrics of the late Woody Guthrie. It's so amusing to think about Guthrie, author of This Land is Your Land,* writing the bawdy lines "As she read I laid my head (and I can't tell which head)/Down in her lap (and I can mention which lap)." Music/Performance: Billy Bragg and Wilco (1998) Lyric: Woody Guthrie (1946) Rating: Luke Hot And for a week or so, when "Walt Whitman's Niece" got in my head, it would lead directly into this quirky traditional pop/honky-tonkish Ringo song from the White Album: Artist: The Beatles Year: 1968 Rating: Luke Hot Note: * "This Land is Your Land," it should be acknowledged, is not the merely the milk-and-cookies version many of us in the U.S. grew up with. It's got verses that are usually edited out of traditional performances of the song. Check out the history of the verses, which involve a high degree of working class consciousness here. Yep, Woody was a proud commie sympathizer AND a perv! His guitar bore the mark "This machine kills fascists."

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Oh, jeez, the holiday music has already started in my head! Here's a sampling of this innocuous Xmas tune from...



Alvin and the Chipmunks
Year: 1981

and...



The Muppets with John Denver
Year: 1979

The One That You Love

Wow. Complete with airbrushed playground scenes.

Ubiquitous music of my childhood, and the stated favorite band of my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Ringsted. Bless 'em.

Artist: Air Supply
Year: 1981
Rating: Warm