Hello, partygoers! Welcome back to the rumpus room! Around here we like to say, “Go long or go…short.[?]” and this week we went really, really long.
We decided to do one more “taking a break” episode of the Listening Party for this bi-week as we take some time to respond to listener mail as well as give your Top 5 Songs lists a spin on the old Victrola.
We are listening to the following songs sent in – perhaps – by YOU!!!
Mary’s Top 5 “Songs That Aren’t Available on Spotify”:
- The Chairmen of the Board – “Give Me Just a Little More Time” – The Chairmen of the Board, 1970 – 19:02
- Harvey Danger – “Flagpole Sitta” – Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?, 1997 – 22:36
- Joanna Newsom – “The Sprout and the Bean” – The Milk-Eyed Mender, 2004 – 27:46
- The High Llamas – “Nomads” – Hawaii, 1996 – 33:53
- Local Rabbits – “Play On” – Basic Concept, 1998 – 40:59
Chris Robert’s Top 5 Songs about Heaven/Paradise:
- Joan Armatrading – “Heaven” – Track Record, 1983 – 1:50:33
- Eliza Gilkyson – “Paradise Hotel” – Paradise Hotel, 2005 – 1:56:31
- Randy Newman – “How Great Our Lord” – Faust, 1995 – 2:01:45
- Pixies – “Monkey Gone to Heaven” – Doolittle, 1988 – 2:06:54
- Michael Marra – “Heaven’s Hound” – Houseroom, 2012 – 2:11:52
Louise’s Top 5 Dancing Songs that Mention Moonlight:
- Van Morrison – “Moondance” – Moondance, 1970 – 2:21:28
- King Harvest – “Dancing in the Moonlight” – Dancing in the Moonlight, 1970 – 2:26:47
- Sixpence None the Richer – “Kiss Me” – Sixpence None the Richer, 1997 – 2:30:52
- Neil Young – “Harvest Moon” – Harvest Moon, 1992 – 2:35:52
- The Kinks – “Come Dancing” – State of Confusion, 1983 – 2:41:46
Bonus Top 5 Dancing Songs that Mention Moonlight Song:
- Loreena McKennitt – “All Soul’s Night” – The Visit, 1992 – 2:49:07
Nine-Years Old Louise’s Top 5 Partridge Family Songs:
(Good for playing while removing the bubble gum from your waist-length hair)
- The Partridge Family – “Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque” – The Partridge Family Album, 1970 – 2:55:56
- The Partridge Family – “Somebody Wants to Love You” – The Partridge Family Album, 1970 – 3:02:43
- The Partridge Family – “Rainmaker” – The Partridge Family Sound Magazine, 1971 – 3:09:24
- The Partridge Family – “I Think I Love You” – The Partridge Family Album, 1970 – 3:12:56
- The Partridge Family – “Only a Moment Ago” – The Partridge Family Album, 1970 – 3:17:20
Chris Robert’s Bonus Top 5 Mountain Songs suggestion:
- Ian Hunter – “Walking with a Mountain/Rock’n’Roll Queen” – Welcome to the Club, 1980 – 3:22:37
Chris Robert’s Top 5 Science Songs:
- Kate and Anna McGarrigle – “NaCl” – Pronto Monto, 1976 – 3:29:13
- Big Audio Dynamite – “E=mc2” – This is Big Audio Dynamite, 1985 – 3:33:01
- They Might Be Giants – “Mammal” – Apollo 18, 1992 – 3:41:31
- Tom Lehrer – “Werner Von Braun” – That Was the Year That Was, 1965 – 3:45:59
- The Blind Boys of Alabama – “(Jesus Hits Like the) Atom Bomb” – Atom Bomb, 2005 – 3:50:33
Bonus Top 5 Science Song:
- Fountains of Wayne – “Supercollider” – Welcome Interstate Managers, 2003 – 3:53:40
Mark Dobrovolsky’s Top 5 Favourite Songs of the Moment:
- The Zombies – “Care of Cell 44” – Odyssey and Oracle, 1968 – 4:06:22
- The Tragically Hip – “Thompson Girl” – Phantom Power, 1998 – 4:14:50
- George Harrison – “Shanghai Surprise” – Cloud Nine, 1987 – 4:18:53
- Little Steven – “Bitter Fruit” – Freedom, No Compromise, 1987 – 4:26:01
- The Rutles – “Hey, Mister” – Archeology, 1996 – 4:30:54
Thanks for listening.
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Thanks for another insightful and entertaining Listening Party. Here are my favs from everyone’s lists.
Louise’s Top 5 of the Top 5s
“Flagpole Sitter” – I’m not grunge fan, so I enjoyed its poppier sound and its self-aware take on grunge clichés.
“Heaven’s Hound” – This one ticked two boxes for me as I’m a sucker for (a) Scottish accents and (b) dying sweetheart songs.
“Kiss Me” – but only because it provoked Mary’s highly-amusing rant over Sixpence None the Richer’s “inexcusable” version of The La’s “There She Goes” which led to her excellent query, “BUT IF YOU LIKE SOMETHING, WHY WOULD YOU DESTROY IT?!” I checked out the cover’s official video and I conclude the answer is “to one day get 14.6+ million views on YouTube.” Oops, because of me it’s 14.6+ views plus one.
“Care of Cell 44” – With its optimistic lyrics and hopeful harmonies, I thought it was a good metaphor for looking forward to post-pandemic life.
“(Jesus Hits Like the) Atom Bomb” – You don’t hear a lot of technology mentioned in gospel lyrics aside from chariots, trains and the odd boat, so I appreciated the more topical reference, “relativity”-speaking, heh heh.
Speaking of science, They Might Be Giants did a cover of a song I like of “Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)” After some fact checking, they did a follow-up song, “Why Does the Sun Really Shine (The Sun is a Miasma of Incandescent Plasma)”
Which made me recall that Moxy Früvous also did some science songs for kids. So I looked them up and, yikes, I totally forgot Ghomeshi was in that group! Dave, can you please do a Top 5 “I Separate the Art from the Artist” songs? I want to be outraged!
Sorry, that should be “Flagpole Sitta” not Sitter. I’d blame autocomplete except I don’t have it on this computer.
Wow, I can’t believe you played all those songs in one show! Seems like you guys must, I dunno, really dig music or something…
Thanks for having a few of us partygoers over to the virtual stu-stu-studio this biweek. It was great to get your thoughts on listeners’ comments and to hear everyone’s top 5 lists. I was a bit embarrassed at how many weedy productions and gated snares had snuck their wicked way into my choices. That’s what happens when you pay more attention to the song in your head, rather than the actual recording.
Mary’s not-on-Spotify selections were all fantastic. There must be differences between Spotify in Europe and North America. The UK version does include Give me just a little more time (almost 7m listens) and Nomads. High Llamas were new to me and I’ve been enjoying discovering more from them. It’s an odd thing, but even though I’m not a fan of the Beach Boys, I do enjoy lots of bands who’ve been inspired by them.
My comparison of Karen Dalton to a ‘fine malt’ got lost in translation. In Scotland, we use the word ‘malt’ to describe a good whisky, usually aged at least eight years, and from a single distillery. If I’d said ‘Scotch’, you’d have known what I meant, but no self-respecting Scot ever uses that word. Except, I just did, didn’t I? Dammit!
Very intrigued to hear your cheese mix, Dave. Hope it includes Springsteen’s Philadelphia and of course JJ Cale – Call Me the Brie.
Aw, c’mon! That’s a quality gag!
I’m adding late edition of my top seven songs, do with it as you will..I couldn’t narrow it down to five. I have no context or theme for these, only that it’s my top seven of all-time. Each one brings a memory to mind of a specific and memorable moment in my past, so for reasons of brevity, these could be labeled as “Top Seven Songs from the Soundtrack of Ed’s Life.”
I’m curious David and Mary, if you two would be able to do the same? You mention frequently on the show that a song may be your favorite but does that mean of all time? I’m challenging you both to list your five all time favorite songs…OF ALL TIME. Maybe even TOP TEN if you need the room. The way I give these merit is that they’re the five songs you never skip and always enjoy hearing, even if it’s been 100 times. You may even repeat it immediately you like it so much.
“Top Seven Songs from the Soundtrack of Ed’s Life”
Shattered – The Rolling Stones
Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
Dream Away – George Harrison
Momentum – Aimee Mann
Learning to Fly – Pink Floyd
Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty
All Star – Smash Mouth
By the way, this show was GREAT! Thanks for reading the letters and I love the top fives from the listeners, way to mix it up and have a lot of fun. I also loved Mary’s top five, you raised a young woman with taste and style Dave…