“All I Want Is You”
by U2
from the album Rattle & Hum
1988 Buy the album on Amazon
Although I’m not much of a U2 fan these days, there’s no denying that they have some amazing songs and albums in their catalog (if you don’t think Joshua Tree is a perfect album, please leave the planet now). Rattle & Hum is a mixed bag sandwiched between the aforementioned Joshua Tree and the brilliant Achtung Baby (which should have been their final album). There is a ton of filler and disappointing covers but they also include some downright amazing tracks, notably “God Part II,” “Desire” and my pick for Karaoke Tuesday, “All I Want Is You.”
“Fuck You”
by Bad Religion
from the album True North
2013 Buy the album on Amazon
I’m cheating a bit with this month’s theme, but give me a break. I’ve been Hollywood for a week. Also, June Power Songs were so much fun, and I still have a massive list of tracks I want to slot in there, so since it’s my turn to pick the theme, I’m extending power songs into July.
This post is gonna be quick, like this amazing song from Bad Religion. I like Bad Religion a lot, but I’m not a disciple by any means. Their album Stranger The Fiction is definitely in my top 100 albums of all time, but I realize for most Bad Religion fans that’s like saying Wings was Paul’s McCartney’s best band (I should also come clean and say that I don’t really love the Beatles). But after The Gray Race I kind of lost track of the band. Until True North.
“Like a Prayer”
by Bigod 20 (originally by Madonna)
from the album On the Run
1992 Buy the album on Amazon
To show how bad my memory is, I didn’t remember I posted a Madonna cover last week as well until I came to post this.
I’ve never enjoyed going to a dance club that just plays electronic music, but, though I haven’t done it in years, I used to love going to dance at clubs with industrial/goth/alternative nights. I like to dance but I want music that has words, that I can sing along to (even if it’s just in my head), that I know has an end and that I know well enough to dance to the timing of it. This is one of the songs I used to love hearing and dancing to. It’s such a great dance song and also such a great subversion of the original. The original was the only Madonna single I ever bought, and I listened to it a ton, so it made me love this version more. Continue reading Cover Friday: “Like a Prayer”→
“Piano Man”
by Billy Joel
from the albumPiano Man
1973 Buy the album on Amazon
Likely the only time Billy Joel will be on this blog, but never say never. This is one of my favorite, A-list songs to sing. Counting just as much towards the final grade is that this is one of the most universal songs I sing, which means if I’m in a new mixed crowd, this is on the shortlist as a safe song. That happened a few nights ago in fact (more on that later).
“Like a Virgin”
by Teenage Fanclub (originally by Madonna)
from the album What You Do to Me
1992 Buy the album on Amazon
I’ll write some other time about how I came by Teenage Fanclub (and some #CoverFriday I’ll post Buffalo Tom covering Teenage Fanclub), but decided to go with this for the week. This cover was first released a year earlier on Teenage Fanclub’s second album The King, but I know it from this EP/”maxi-single”, which I picked up along the way.
“Sunglasses at Night”
by Corey Hart
from the albumFirst Offense
1983 Buy the album on Amazon
Yes, i totally missed KaraokeTuesday last week, and admittedly I nearly missed it today (what can I say, it was a day off from work – yay Canada!). This is why Lance and I are blog buddies, to egg each other on when the other one forgets.
“Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns”
by Mother Love Bone
from the soundtrack to the film Singles
1992 Buy the album on Amazon
The Singles soundtrack is the most consistently good compilation that came out of the 90s. I think Chris would agree that by and large, most soundtracks are disappointing in that they have one or two great songs and the rest is just filler. But with Singles, the music supervisor totally nailed it. Super music fan and journalist Cameron Crowe directed the film so it’s not surprising. What was surprising for me at the time, was that the heart of the album wasn’t a track by Alice in Chains or Soundgarden or even Pearl Jam, but rather Mother Love Bone.
“Smooth Sailing”
by Queens of the Stone Age
from the album …Like Clockwork
2013 Buy the album on Amazon
I once described this song to a friend as a throbbing erection. It’s all about potential. Something’s about to explode.
For my final song in QOTSA week and my latest Power Song selection, I’m choosing “Smooth Sailing.” Really all you need to know about this track you can pull from the lyrics and the video.
“Make It Wit Chu”
by Queens of the Stone Age
from the album Era Vulgaris 2007 Buy the album on Amazon
“Who is your favorite band?”
It’s almost an impossible question to answer and completely unfair to ask, because the response can change based on genre, mood, the weather, what you’re eating, etc. For years I would say the Smashing Pumpkins were my favorite. And while Gish is still in my top ten list of all time and Siamese Dream is up there too (we’ll get into my issues with Mellon Collie at some point), I wouldn’t consider them a favorite anymore. The Pixies occupy a spot in the favorite list that’ll probably never fade, unless they keep releasing albums (tarnishing the memory of the original releases). King’s X – the Texas, metal power-trio – will always have a soft spot in my heart. Are these my favorite bands? Yes and no. Yes on some kind of honorary list, but is their current output what’s fueling my fire. No. I think the better question to ask is
“Who is the best band in the world, right now?”
The best band in the world right now is Queens of the Stone Age. The albums are chock full of wonderful and bizarre songs. Nothing quite sounds the same, but you can always tell it’s them. And for a long time I’ve wanted to perform a QOTSA song at karaoke, but the Ginger Elvis‘ range is just so huge that most of my favorites are beyond reach, not to mention unavailable in the book. But I think I might be able to pull off this gem. Maybe.
“Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”
by Whale
from the album We Care
1995 By the album on Amazon
I have no idea where I first heard this, probably either on a CMJ CD sampler, or a Video Music Monthly VHS magazine, but I just know I was hooked. It’s one of those songs that just rocks so hard from the very first note. Continue reading June Power Songs: “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”→
