Playlist #161

Tuesdays are the new Mondays, am I right? Whatever. I was hanging out with my mom yesterday, on the rare opportunity to have a family member from Oklahoma out in my neck of the woods, so today is the day for the playlist.

  1. Drive-By Truckers, “Marry Me”: It’s so rare to hear a joyous, happy song from these guys, and this one stands as one of my favorites.
  2. Soul Asylum, “Runaway Train”: On the list “90s Songs I Love to Play But Really Can’t Sing,” this one is near the top. It’s a great, song, though.
  3. Counting Crows, “Rain King”: Speaking of songs from the 90s that I love, this one never fails to get the blood pumping and me singing along. I also end up doing at least 20 over the speed limit whenever it’s on in the car, which might be a problem.
  4. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, “Have Love Will Travel”: On the long list of Tom Petty albums that I own and love, The Last DJ ranks pretty low (okay, at the very bottom). A recent re-listen just confirms that, while there are a few gems tucked away (the title track, “Dreamville,” “Like a Diamond,” and this particular song), it’s mostly best left forgotten as the concept album that couldn’t.
  5. Fleetwood Mac, “Little Lies”: One of the few Fleetwood Mac songs my wife can even stand. I, of course, like most everything they’ve done.
  6. The Wallflowers, “Bleeders”: I mostly just love the little organ flourish that starts this song off, and want to someday start a song of my own that way.
  7. Fiona Apple, “Criminal”: I also someday want to work in some Fiona Apple-style piano in a song. I have a long list of things I want to borrow and reappropriate from other musicians, as it turns out. All art is love and theft.
  8. Paolo Nutini, “Let Me Down Easy”: I oughta sue this guy for stealing my song title. And I know mentioning him will only bring my brother out of the woodwork to talk about how much of a dick the guy apparently is.
  9. Andrew Bird Trio, “Caravan”: Sadly, not the Van Morrison song, but an old jazz standard, apparently? I would love to hear Andrew Bird sing some Van. Give me that cover album, dammit.
  10. Nirvana, “Lithium”: With our use of Sirius XM in the car nowadays, we’ve spent a lot of time listening to the 90s grunge/alternative station, Lithium. They only play the Nirvana song of the same name about once a day, though.

Playlist #71

Happy Tuesday! We enjoyed our Labor Day weekend, and I came up with this new playlist for you! Aren’t you lucky?

  1. Cory Branan, “When In Rome, When In Memphis”: Became obsessed with this song over the weekend. Jason Isbell and Brian Fallon (of Gaslight Anthem) add guest vocals, and the repeated refrain of “When I go, I ghost” just gets me.
  2. The National, “Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)”: I’m a sucker for any new song by the National.
  3. Bob Dylan, “What Was It You Wanted”: Unofficial ADHD anthem, for the line “What was it you wanted/Tell me again, I forgot,” if nothing else.
  4. Jakob Dylan, “Will It Grow”: Is it gauche to follow up one Dylan with another? I don’t care. I like the song.
  5. Jars of Clay, “Age Of Immature Mistakes”: Well, if this isn’t just the song that ought to soundtrack most of my life choices.
  6. Pure Prairie League, “Amie”: There exists a version of this song sung by me, my father, my Uncle Randy, and Cousin David, and if there is any God it will never see the light of day. It is bad.
  7. Paolo Nutini, “New Shoes”: One of my students, many years ago, was absolutely obsessed with this song. I saw the music video for it. Did you know they were still making music videos in 2007?
  8. Nouvelle Vague, “Ever Fallen In Love”: The world needs more bossa nova covers of DC punk songs.
  9. Juliana Finch, “This Year”: You know I love me a Mountain Goats cover.
  10. John Prine, “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”: Prine recognized the idiocy of this stuff back in the 1970s. Dude knew what was up with performative patriotism.