Friday, March 16, 2007

Thank God It's Friday Random Ten

The on and off warm weather has made my students more squirrelly than normal. A Friday has never been more welcome.

Before I did my shuffle, I was thinking about how infrequently Bob Dylan makes an appearance, given he is my favorite artist, and I have ton of his music on my itunes. And of course, he obliged me with an appearance immediately.

1. Million Dollar Bash- Bob Dylan
2. Tommy Gun- The Clash
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts VI-IX
4. Passion Is No Ordinary Word- Graham Parker
5. Angel of the Morning- Merilee Rush and the Turnabouts
6. A Hazy Shade of Winter- Simon and Garfunkel
7. Enjoy and Get It On- ZZ Top
8. Ruby Baby- Dion and the Belmonts
9. Far Side Banks of Jordan- Johnny Cash and June Carter
10. Door Number 3- Steve Goodman

Honorable Mentions:
Ruby Tuesday- The Rolling Stones
1969- Iggy and the Stooges

Notes:

1. Classic Dylan wordplay. From the "Biograph" box set.

Well, I looked at my watch
I looked at my wrist
Punched myself in the face
With my fist
I took my potatoes
Down to be mashed
Then I made it over
To that million dollar bash


2. From the "Give 'em Enough Rope" album.

Tommy gun
Tou can be a hero in an age of none
Tommy gun
I'm cutting out your picture from page one
I'm gonna get a jacket just like yours
An' give my false support to your cause
Whatever you want, you're gonna get it!


3. From Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album, their tribute and lament to founder Syd Barrett who they lost to drugs and madness.

Pile on many more layers
And I'll be joining you there


4. From his great "Squeezing Out Sparks" album.

Ain’t got no idols for the screen today
Although they make a lot of noises they got nothing to say
I try to look amazed but it’s an act
The movie might be new but it’s the same soundtrack


5. A lovely little one-hit-wonder. When I'm in charge of things, I'm going to have every copy of the horrendous Juice Newton cover of this song gathered and destroyed.

And if we're the victims of the night,
I won't be blinded by light


6. My favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. I also liked the Bangles' cover that was done for the movie "Less Than Zero."

Funny how my memory skips
Looking over manuscripts
Of unpublished rhyme.
Drinking my vodka and lime


7. Originally on the Tejas album, now on the ZZ Motherf*ckin' Top Six-Pack!

How does it feel holdin' me again
She's holdin' on like it gonna never end
Well I'm home thinkin' I should stay
While I'm here just let me hear you say
Say you enjoyed baby
Really enjoyed gettin' it on


8. Steely Dan guy Donald Fagen covered Dion's ode to unrequited love on his Nightfly solo album.

Ah each time I see you, baby my heart cries
I tell ya I'm gonna steal you away from all those guys
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, from the happy day I met ya
Now I made a bet that I was goin' to get ya
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine?


9. I got a chill when June Carter sang this lyric:

If it proves to be his will that I'm the first to go
And some how I've a feeling it will be
When it comes time to travel likewise don't feel lost
For I will be the first one that you'll see


She did indeed precede Johnny in death. I'm convinced that when he died just a few months later, it was of a broken heart. I hope there is a heaven, and I hope his beloved June was the first he saw.



10. About an appearance on the old "Let's Make a Deal" game show. It was co-written with Jimmy Buffett, who had a hit with it.

I held a big sign that said, "Kiss me I'm a baker
And Monty I sure need the dough"
Then I grabbed that sucker by the throat until he called on me
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three


Though I didnt get rich, you son of a bitch
Ill be back just wait and see
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three
Yes my whole world lies waiting behind door number three

11 comments:

Tenacious S said...

Graham Parker rocks! Love that album. Absolutely classic. Nice ten!

Jenny Jenny Flannery said...

I love Hazy Shade of Winter...::whisper:: but I prefer the Bangles version ::ahem::

Foofa said...

That June Carter lyric was certianly touching. Hazy Shade of Winter is also one of my favorites. I like both versions but will take the oringinal any day.

Erik Donald France said...

The June Carter lyric stands out in the haunting department. Eerie.

Moderator said...

FYI: I just realized, like a week ago, where your blog name comes from. I'm such a total fucking moron.

Mob said...

The June Carter lyric is beautiful, I feel that it was indeed a broken heart that led Johnny to follow her so soon afterwards.

The line reminded me of a Stone Temple Pilots lyric along somewhat similar lines of 'if you should die before me, ask if you can bring a friend' that I always thought was especially sweet.

Dale said...

Ah, Merilee Rush, I prefer that too but if you can enjoy the Bangles, can't you find a little room in your fridge for some Juice?

Unknown said...

Hazy Shade. Forgot that existed. I like both versions. It has that sound. Hard to describe.

Graham Parker. Love that guy. Being aware of some of his stuff, I really "discovered" him from his Mona Lisa's Sister CD and then went backwards in his disc-ology.

I don't know where your blog name came from, now I'm thinking about it. Thanks GM. ha.

Unknown said...

I get it now. And I probably hear it twice a week. ha.

Johnny Yen said...

TenS-
Thanks! That album really sounds great after all these years.

Flannery-
It one of those rare cases where the cover equals or even betters the original.

Natalie-
It was. I'd probably, if I was stuck on a desert island, have to go with the original, but the Bangles' is damned good.

Erik-
I'd never listened that closely to the lyrics before Friday. Theirs was an amazing love story.

Grant-
That's all right-- I watched Animal House like 20 times before it occurred to me why Bluto falls back when he's on the ladder watching the half-naked girls pillow fight.

Mob-
One day in the late nineties, I heard "Interstate Love Song," and was amazed by it-- thought it was a new song, and found out it was about five years old. Wondered why I hadn't heard it, and discovered it had come out around the time my son was born. I was busy changing diapers, feeding a newborn, etc. to listen to new music.

Dale-
Okay, I'll meet you halfway-- when I'm in charge, I'll have all the copies of the Juice Newton version collected and delivered to you.

Busterp-
I loved the album, and particularly the title track of "The Mona Lisa's Sister." It reminds me of rooming with my friend Mark in the late eighties. Haunting song.

Looking at your profile, I saw you listen to 'xrt-- knew you'd get it eventually-- they play "Lust For Life" a lot. I think the first time I heard it, back in the mid-seventies, was right after I started listening to 'xrt.

I used to socialize with Johnny Mars a little bit-- great guy and great dj. I miss him on 'xrt. I used to run into Lin Brehmer once in a while when he lived near me-- first in taverns, and later out with strollers with our boys-- our sons were born right around the same time. Another great guy.

CY said...

Gee, I think Juice Newton's version of "Angel of the Morning" is better than any of the others, including the original. By far.