“Time After Time”
by QuietDrive (originally by Cyndi Lauper)
from the album When All That’s Left Is You
2006
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I’ve got an admitted weakness for cookie cutter emo and/or punk bands doing cover versions of songs I grew up with, and this is a prime example. I don’t need to say much about this – I’ve already talked about how much I love the original, and I really love this version as well.
Continue reading Cover Friday: “Time After Time”
“Boys Don’t Cry”
by The Cure
from the album Boys Don’t Cry
1979
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When I was a tween/teen and getting really into most of the music we talk about on this blog, I was firmly against the Cure. I would make fun of them, I would say they sucked, etc. The truth is, which I can freely admit now and probably at least subconsciously knew then, is that I was just so against them because my best friend at the time was so into them. We’re talking dressing as Robert Smith on Halloween, etc. Never mind that we shared most of our other bands in common, The Cure is where I placed my (ridiculous) stake in the ground. It wasn’t until he and I stopped being friends that I was finally able to listen to them properly.
“Kokomo”
by The Beach Boys
from the album Cocktail (Soundtrack)
1988
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To finish off May Summer Songs, yes, another Beach Boys song, and again, that’s probably too easy for this month’s theme. But what can I say? I loved this movie. Tom Cruise doing all sorts of awesome tricks with liquor bottles, the gorgeous (especially to my 15? year old self) Elisabeth Shue, “the guy from FX” (probably how I thought of Bryan Brown at the time) – this was one of the good ones. I don’t think I’ve seen it as an adult, so no idea if it still holds up.
“Up the Beach”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Nothing’s Shocking
1988
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Lance already started off this month’s theme with Jane’s, but it’s this song in particular that matches the theme for me, for a very specific reason/memory. I grew up in CO, and one summer (probably after my sophomore year of HS?), my friend Chris and I decided to go camping at the Great Sand Dunes (totally recommended). I have lots of good memories from the trip, but one that’s always stuck with me is completely blasting this album on the drive there, awesome stereo, open road, being able to look for miles in all directions, windows down, hand riding the air (I’m a dolphin!), feeling epic.
“Damn Good”
by David Lee Roth
from the album Skyscraper
1988
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Growing up, I was all about country and easy listening music because those were the only two radio stations I could reliably pick up with my clock radio (R.I.P. WSIX 98.6 and Easy 93). When I heard friends talking about Huey Lewis and the News, I thought he was an anchor on channel 13. Men At Work became “Minute Work” which I interpreted as some kind of scholastic study method (I was a weird kid). Eventually though, we got MTV. Although I missed out on a lot pop music as it was happening, I quickly caught up.
One of the first pop cassettes I bought for myself was David Lee Roth’s Skyscraper and I’m not ashamed to say that I absolutely adore it. I must have listened to that whole album a thousand times, although It took me a while to make the entire loop, I’d get hooked on a song, play it through and then quickly rewind and listen again. I became an expert in knowing just how long to keep the button down so that the track was queued perfectly. I can feel the vibration of my Panasonic boom box (with Ambience™) rewinding right now. “Just Like Paradise” and “Stand Up” were perfect singles. “Hina” was just a bizarrely amazing and beautiful song (it’s also a perfect night song). But the song that encapsulates a summer song for me is “Damn Good.”
“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.
“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…
“Summer of ’69”
by Bryan Adams
from the album Sparkle and Fade
1984
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I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. It wasn’t even in my mind until Lance did 1979, and we were discussing how timeless the song was even if 1979 wasn’t your summer. This song is the same.
It’s not about being there in the summer of 1969 – it’s about having all the time in the world on your hands, starting a band with your friends, and having it eventually fall apart because everyone grows up and apart. Any of those relevant and timeless? Check, check, and check.
Oh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah, I’d always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life
I used to associate this song with my childhood and watching it on MTV, but now there’s a different association. It must be stated that this is the song that Lance and I start every single karaoke night with. It makes a great duet, it warms the voice up, and traditions are important. And damn if this isn’t incredibly fun to sing. This deserves to be sung with your pal, sharing the mic, thinking of days gone by, even if it is just in some tiny, dark karaoke room.
“Summertime Rolls”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Nothing’s Shocking
1988 Warner Bros.
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Chris gave me the honor of picking this month’s theme on MNP and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. I’m in NYC on business, I’m way behind on work for my second job, I missed a good party in Austin this week and my shoes are still soaked from a freakish monsoon that hit NYC yesterday. But this morning the clouds parted and Manhattan was just gorgeous, bathed in sunlight and warm. I was mulling over the theme when I had lunch with an old friend who always reminds me of Jane’s addiction. “Summertime Rolls” came to mind and in my mind that’s a perfect summer song.