“Glycerine”
by Bush
from the album Sixteen Stone
1994
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I feel like Bush has gotten a lot of flack, but this album hit at a time where I got really into them (plus I admit, I had a man crush on Gavin Rossdale). I think I stopped listening to them after their second album, but still love Sixteen Stone (actually, looking at the tracklist, I realize I’m way overdue in revisiting it), and I saw them once in Atlanta with either Pearl Jam or No Doubt.
“The Middle”
by Jimmy Eat World
from the album Bleed American
2001
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I’m going for the low-hanging fruit with this selection because Chris and I just discovered how fun it is to do as a duet a few months ago. What a great tune to switch hit with your friends. It’s totally easy to pass the stanzas back and forth and then come together on the chorus. Plus it’s got some fun air guitar moments if you’re into that sort of thing… which I am. Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “The Middle”
“I Get Around”
by The Beach Boys
from the album All Summer Long
1964
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The Beach Boys may be an obvious choice for summer songs, though perhaps not an obvious choice for this blog, but this song transcends the traditional Beach Boys summer feelings. Growing up, I associated the Beach Boys with the oldies station (KOOL105!), summer oldies concerts with my mom (though I’m not sure if those ever included the Beach Boys), and of course, this song in particular in Flight of the Navigator.
“Cactus”
by David Bowie (originally by The Pixies)
from the album Heathen
2002
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I can’t claim to have ever gotten too into Bowie’s music, but there are certainly standouts, and more than anything, I think he’s kind of the coolest. The coolest what? Whatever. Just definitely one of the coolest.
“3 Is A Magic Number”
by Blind Melon (originally by School House Rock!)
from the album School House Rock! Rocks
1996
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I found this track on a CMJ magazine sampler CD sometime in 1996. A few years later I totally got into MiniDiscs and transferred the tracks I really liked from those sampler CDs to MDs. And then recently when I was moving down to Austin, I transferred those MD mix discs into iTunes. This song has survived three generations of media, and rightfully so. It’s fun, magical little tune and serves as double nostalgia: for Blind Melon and for School House Rock!
“Give It Away”
by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
1991
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This song sweats, that’s all there is to it. Even before Stéphane Sednaouie‘s gorgeous video confirmed it, the song had that dessert sun feeling to it. It’s just stanky and funky. I’ve performed this at karaoke a few times and it’s an exhausting song to sing. The structure is relentless and punishing – there’s never a chance to catch your breath. If you put it in the car and crank it and you’ll be excited for whatever adventure you’re driving towards, guaranteed. It’s totally a summer party anthem. Speaking of, this song brings to mind a very specific summer memory.
“Jane Says”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Nothing’s Shocking
1988
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“Jane Says” is another one of those songs whose absence from the karaoke songbook is a total head scratcher. Most places will have “Been Caught Stealing” and that makes sense, but then they’ll also have some random track off of Strays but not “Jane Says.” I mean WTF is that about?
“Alone”
by Heart
from the album Bad Animals
1987
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There are songs that make me wish I were a female, just so i could sing them. There are songs that aren’t duets but I convince someone to make it into one. And there are songs that seem like a good idea and then go horribly, horribly wrong. This one checks all three boxes.
“Happiness is a Warm Gun”
by The Breeders (originally by The Beatles)
from the album Pod
1990
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I’m already a day late, and with 11 minutes to spare, nearly two days, so I’ll follow Lance’s lead and go with one where I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I only knew this cover version for a long time before I ever heard the original.
“Learning to Fly”
by Pink Floyd
from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason
1987
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I’m not really a huge Pink Floyd fan. I don’t dislike the Floyd I just never had much exposure. They’ll probably end up being another Zeppelin for me – a few years from now I’ll be way, way into them. I didn’t get around to Zeppelin until maybe ten years ago, but now I totally get it. So don’t give up on me Pink Floyd fans; I might come around. This particular song though, I absolutely loved from the moment I saw the music video back in ’87 or ’88. Probably watching Dial MTV…