Category Archives: Music

Here, you should listen to this right now because it’s a song that changed my life. Maybe it will for you as well. Or you might just hate it.

Theme of the Month: Soundtracks

Music,

I’ve dropped the ball on the monthly theme the last couple of months. No good excuse, just busy and also sometimes less motivated to make the time for the audience of one (Lance). However, I’m back in it, and with a whopper. This time we’re not just going for a simple song but rather the whole enchilada. That’s right, it’s time for October Soundtracks (I was originally going to post this in September, because September Soundtracks rolled off the tongue much easier, but oh well).

It could be an overall killer soundtrack, a few great songs, or a single song that’s only available on a soundtrack.

To the posts!

Cover Friday: “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

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Crucify“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
by Tori Amos (originally by Nirvana)
from the album Crucify
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

I had something else totally in mind and was working through what to write, and then I got busy and forgot to post until Lance just reminded me. I’m late for EST and probably Central, but I’m going to make it in Mountain Time. Even though I had already thought through my other choice, this pick just came to me in a flash and seemed like the better choice.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” →

Cover Friday: Kick (Album)

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Kick
Kick

Kick
by Courtney Barnett (originally by INXS)
from Pure Pop Records’ “Summer Of Classic Albums” concert series
2012
Buy the original album on Amazon

When Chris posted his “Jackson” karaoke post, he included a cover that INXS did, which got me to wondering who has covered INXS? Just as that thought popped into my head, I remembered stumbling across this video of Courtney Barnett performing the Kick album in its entirety.

Continue reading Cover Friday: Kick (Album) →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Jackson”

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The Essential Johnny Cash“Jackson”
by Johnny Cash with June Carter Cash
from the album The Essential Johnny Cash
1967
Buy the album on Amazon

I can’t remember how or why Lance and I first did this as a duet. I feel like maybe our group was having a Johnny Cash-off/medley, but I’m not sure. Also, this had to have been sometime just after the movie Walk the Line came out, because I admittedly didn’t know a thing about Johnny Cash or really know his music until the movie Walk the Line. Up to that point, the only reference point I had for him was that one of the characters in Swingers had a father who was a big fan.
Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Jackson” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Song 2”

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Blur
Blur

“Song 2”
by Blur
from the album Blur
1997
Buy the album on Amazon

Oh man, “Song 2.” How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

  • That beat.  Air drums.  Real drums.  Pots and pans.  It’s just fun to play.
  • Sludge-filled bass line.  ‘Nuff said.
  • Nonsense name.
  • Lyrics that are all over the place.
  • Motherfucking woo hoo!

I tossed this one into the mix one night after I had gone through all my regular songs and the house was practically empty.  So. Much. Fun.

For me, anyway.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Song 2” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Add It Up”

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Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes

“Add It Up”
by Violent Femmes
from the album Violent Femmes
1983
Buy the album on Amazon

I wasn’t sure what to post today, and then, no lie, all three versions that I have of this song came up in a row on shuffle on the way home, so I’d better post it or the universe is going to have me get hit by a bus tomorrow or something. How have I not posted any Femmes yet? I love #KaraokeTuesday and #CoverFriday, but Lance is right that we need some other day for everything else (and yes, next month I will try to post another monthly theme, though even that may not be open-ended enough).

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Add It Up” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Undone (The Sweater Song)”

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Weezer
Weezer

“Undone (The Sweater Song)”
by Weezer
from the album Weezer
1994
Buy the album on Amazon

I started to write a post about “The Middle” when I had the suspicion I already had.  I was correct.  Oh well, time to pick another artist. Out of curiosity, I decided to see how many times we had written about Weezer, particularly the blue album since that’s one of the geeky loves Chris and I share.

Once.  We’ve written about Weezer, exactly once.  What the fuck is wrong with us?  Let’s correct this travesty right now.  I’ll go for the long-hanging fruit and pick the song that Chrance is best known for performing (with “Summer of ’69” and “ITEOTWAIKI” coming in close behind).  Ladies and gentlemen, I present the perfect karaoke song: Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Undone (The Sweater Song)” →

Cover Friday: “The Chauffeur”

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The Duran Duran Tribute Album
The Duran Duran Tribute Album

“The Chauffeur”
by Deftones (originally by Duran Duran)
from the album The Duran Duran Tribute Album
1997
Buy the album on Amazon

It’s completely rare to have one of my favorite bands covering one of my other favorite bands, particularly in this case when the genres they occupy are so far apart.  The Deftones could probably best be described as alternative metal whereas Duran Duran best epitomize the 80s dance pop/new wave sound.  That kind of sounds like mixing bacon and ice cream.  But you know what?  I’ve had bacon ice cream and it’s delicious.

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Cover Friday: “Talk About the Passion”

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Surprise Your Pig
Surprise Your Pig

“Talk About the Passion”
by Samson & The Philistines (originally by R.E.M.)
from the album Surprise Your Pig: A Tribute to R.E.M.
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

Continuing with the R.E.M. week, here’s one from a tribute album from way back (pre-Out of Time). I was a big R.E.M. fan for quite a while (I started waning with Automatic for the People), so when this came out I had to have it. As I’ve mentioned before, like with most albums of this sort, the results are very hit or miss, and mostly miss, but I liked a couple of them. The album is comprised of generally obscure bands (at least to me), but I did appreciate that most of the bands gave a unique spin to their versions. I probably still have a copy of the album somewhere, but this song is for some reason the only one currently in my iTunes library. This particular cover isn’t amazing, but it does become interesting to hear it in a different language (errr..spanish?). It certainly doesn’t trump the original, but is worth a listen.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “Talk About the Passion” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Losing My Religion”

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Out of Time
Out of Time

“Losing My Religion”
by R.E.M.
from the album Out of Time
1991
Buy the album on Amazon

Sure, this was a big hit off of a big album that really brought R.E.M. into the mainstream, but the only really important thing is that this is the song that represents Brenda losing her virginity to Dylan. I’m pretty positive they played parts of this song somewhere around 87 times during that episode of 90210.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Losing My Religion” →