Friday Random Ten - If I Buy the House I Want, I May Never Go on Vacation Again Edition

Thanks to Norbiz, this business is becoming a much bigger chore than the quick copy and paste job the originator intended.

1. The Cisco Kid - War
Although a fun tune, be wary of high school history teachers who use it to teach Texas. 6/10

2. Dosed - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Whenever I hear a RHCP song, I think of the Farmer's Daugher Hotel. Long story. 5/10

3. We Are Each Other - The Beautiful South
I first discovered this band through a promotional compilation disc I got in Boston in '95. While I wouldn't cross the street now to hear them play for free, this little ditty is an upbeat break from the rest of this list. 4/10

4. Summertime - John Coltrane
When you see the other side of 40, you'll discover Coltrane isn't just for sex any more. 8/10

5. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
I honestly have no idea how this track made its way onto my IPOD. Still, the irony of lyrics makes me smile. 7/10

6. Girl - Beck
It's become popular to 'dis Beck's latest effort. I call bullshit. He's still a genius. 9/10

7. Getting Through - EMF
I left my trust on the tail of youth/ We were so unsure of the things we’d seen 7/10

8. Palm of Your Hand - Cake
An Assie bartender named Yale first turned me on to the Sacramento-based Cake when I lived in Tokyo. 100% of their smart-ass shit gives me the giggles. 9/10

9. What Can You Do for Me - Utah Saints
Try as I might, I can't shake the need for a little euro-crap now and again. Yep, they all sound the same. And this tune is as bad as the next. 3/10

10. Why Can't I Fall in Love - Ivan Neville
Boys. If you're searching for the perfect soundtrack for that one night stand, search no further. Trust me. 9/10

Your turn.

Comments

[Amanda]

I must have been born on the other side of 40, since I never thought of Coltrane as sex music. Sitting in the car at midnight music is more like it.

[Lauren]

Beck IS still a genius.

You need an average. Where is your coolness quotient, missy?

[Roxanne]

Oh, hell. Don't ask me to be doing math on a Friday.

[Agitprop]

sans the ratings:

1. "Set Me Free" - The Kinks
Classic Dave Davies, or is it Ray Davies? I dunno.

2. "Revolution" - The Beatles
This is the electric version which was a single in 1968, as opposed to the slower acoustic version on The White Album.

3. "My Mood Swings" - Elvis Costello
From "The Big Lebowski" Soundtrack, one of my favorite films.

4. "Duesa do Amor" - Moreno Velsos
From a Putamayo compilation of Brazilian music. It's sung in Portuguese so I have no clue what it's about.

5. "Hey Ya!" - Andre 3000/Outkast
Apparently Andre wrote this after being inspired by the pop-influenced post-punk sounds of the Buzzcocks and the Jam.

6. "New World" - Bjork
Weird beautiful sounds from the Icelandic princess. It's too early for this music. Bjork is better late at night when you want to space out.

7. "No More Trouble" - Bob Marley
From the 4-disc set "Songs of Freedom"

8. "Changes" - David Bowie
This song reminds me of Phys Ed in high school. For some reason we would sing this song while doing laps around the track.

9. Venus in Furs - Velvet Underground
Andy Warhol + Lou Reed + A fair amount of smack = Good album

10. "Double Team" - Tenacious D
Not only is Jack Black funny, but the guitar work is great.

[Thad]

People have sex to John Coltrane? (Okay, I can see the Ballads album.) But most girls would run away screaming into the night if you tried to use something like Interstellar Space as seduction music. (Actually, that's kind of a funny image -- guy steps over to the stereo, asks in a low voice, "Do you like... jazz?", but what emerges from the speakers is a barrage of frantic avant-garde screech-honk.)

One of the more endearing things about Lindsay is that when I met her, the only Coltrane album she owned was Sun Ship. I think she was surprised to learn that he'd done more straight-ahead stuff.

[C.b.]

Cake rocks. I've never heard that particular song though.

In regards to Thad,
I think that the whole "having sex whilst listening to John Coltrane" is from Jerry Maguire.

[Thad]

I refuse to give numerical ratings, but I'll do comments.

1. "Mama, You've Been On My Mind" - Johnny Cash. I love Cash's Dylan covers. In fact, I like 'em better than the originals. (I guess I'm not supposed to say that.)

2. "Swimming" - Steve Lacy. Russian-inspired songs, with Fred Rzewski on piano, and Irene Aebi on vocals. There's nothing quite like this.

3. "Esoteric" - Jackie McClean. From Destination Out. Great stop-start tune by Grachan Moncur. I love this record.

4. "Get Together" - Keb Mo'. Oy. Not even Keb Mo' can reedem this song.

5. "In A Beautiful Place Out In the Country" - Boards of Canada. Wait, I own this? Sleepy electronica. Nicely done, but doesn't do much for me.

6. "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" - Wilco. That's more like it. That first snippet of drum groove about a minute in is killin'.

7. "Shipbuilding" - Elvis Costello. With a heart-rending trumpet solo from Chet Baker. Great, great, great song.

8. "Silent Night" - Jim McNeely. Jim reharmonized the melody and sent the sheet music to his friends in lieu of Christmas cards one year.

9. "The Short Life of Barbara Monk" - Ran Blake. Barbara was Thelonious's daughter. Ran used to babysit her. A very strange and sad and vaguely creepy piece.

10. "Guantanamera" - Pete Seeger. Oh, Lindsay will kill me for posting this, but that's from her collection. I've tried to persuade her of the merits of actual Cuban versions of this song, but this version was imprinted on her at an early age, and it will always be her favorite. Some of us have an incurable soft spot for Star Wars due to childhood nostalgia -- for Lindsay, it's Pete Seeger.

[Thad]

Ah, I see.

Well, that's retarded. (First off, Miles-Trane in Stockholm is 1960, not 1963.)

Anyway, that scene would be way better if they had used Interstellar Space.

[norbizness]

Fuck that noise, I want to see what happens when people try to get it on to Ornette Coleman.

BTW, it's a wind-aided 6.7. The judges will have to reevaluate the Michael Jackson, EMF, and Cake scores.

[Thad]

Fuck that noise, I want to see what happens when people try to get it on to Ornette Coleman.

Well, what do you think "Lonely Woman" is for?

[Agitprop]

Coltrane and sex? That would make me too distracted. But for a real challenge I'd recommend sex with Miles Davis' Nefertiti.

[Auguste]

How about Frank Zappa's "Porn Wars"? Sounds promising, right?

If anyone can prove to me that they were able to perform while Fritz Hollings, Slade Gorton, and Paul Trible are saying "Rape, incest, it's outrageous filth...Sexual violence!" in their ear, they will have my undying respect.

[Amanda]

Jazz schmazz I like to fuck to Motorhead.

[autrement qu'etre]

Hmm . . . are we turning this into a fortune cookie kind of thing? Well . . .

"Sophisticated Fuck Princess Please Leave Me Alone" -- Carissa's Wierd (not a typo)
Not optimal for fucking. (Please refer to title.)

"Christiansen" -- France Gall
Sappy puppy love about Danish sailors. Not *my* speed.

"Alernative Ulster" -- Stiff Little Fingers
Fuck yeah! Angry righteous liberating politics.

"Final Solution" -- Pere Ubu.
Uh . .. no.

"Orgasm Addict" -- Buzzcocks
(Another sex title, and I'm not cheating.) Not as good as you would think if you are uninitiated.

"Debaser" -- Pixies.
Musically, a go. Pay no attention to the "slicing up eyeballs."

"Torrey Canyon" -- Serge Gainsbourg
Can't remember what this is about and too lazy to go get earphones. Serge's voice makes me want to do myself a rudeness tho.

"Steppin' Stone" -- Minor Threat
Ooo. Dirty sex with skinny punk rock boys.

"Forward to Death" -- Dead Kennedys
Heh. Well, the song does thrill me, and we must remember "la petite mort."

"Lexicon Devil" -- The Germs
Perfect!