The Mental Jukebox-- Monday 11.26.7

Not only was it a Monday, but it was indeed a rainy day. Amazingly enough, I only just now made that connection. No Carpenters on the list today, but a bunch of other stuff. It's a new week! Let the weirdness begin.

Carolina In My Mind-- James Taylor

The first song of the day always confuses me. It's like whacking an old TV on the side until the picture comes in clearly. That first song is the mental jukebox equivalent of static.

Southern California-- Wax
San Ber'dino-- Frank Zappa
Like to Get to Know You-- Spanky and our Gang
Jerkin' Back and Forth-- Devo
Fairytale of New York-- STARS

Again with the STARS cover? This must be my head's way of coercing me into the holiday spirit. Come on. I put a few lights up out by the driveway. What else do you want from me? Ho, ho, ho.

Hold On-- Yes
Deeper and Deeper-- The Fixx
My Cheri Amour-- Stevie Wonder
Black Velvet-- Alannah Myles

As I said when I started this mess, you don't have to like a song for it to play in the mental jukebox.

No Time-- Guess Who
If Ever I See You Again-- Roberta Flack
Existential Blues Pt. 2-- Tom "T-Bone" Stankus
Disenchanted-- Gary Morris
Talk About the Passion-- R.E.M.
Bittersweet Me-- R.E.M.

Those two R.E.M. songs there? Same friggin' song. Guarantee it. You can combine them into one ten minute long song and never realize you've done it. I know this because I did. Today. Over and over for about an hour. Easy in, easy out. I'm tired and naked.

Bring The Boys Back Home-- Pink Floyd

I saw ten seconds of Fox News in the break room. That's what happens.

You Better Run-- Pat Benatar
Yeah, Right-- Dinosaur Jr.
Rehab-- Amy Winehouse

It was so hard to choose a video for today's post, but I used to have nightmares about Randy Bachman.

The Mental Jukebox-- Thanksgiving edition

If you celebrated this holiday, I really hope you had a good one. Mine was strictly of the awesome. My folks came down from Kentucky to eat with us. We hung out, watched three movies, drank copious amounts of alcohol and ate a lot of food. Good times, good times... the likes of which we haven't had for quite a while.

I cooked everything and my list is really short, but for a holiday, the fact that I even have a list at all is sort of impressive, don't you think?

Legend of a Mind-- Moody Blues
27 Jennifers-- Mike Doughty
In The Valley of Dying Stars-- Superdrag
These Things-- She Wants Revenge

I don't understand why The Beatles and the Rolling Stones get all the glory while bands like The Who and The Moody Blues go underappreciated and practically unnoticed. Here's a classic track from the Moodies, complete with ruffly shirt fronts.

The Mental Jukebox-- Tuesday 11.20.7

There may be some progress being made here! Remember, one of the main goals of this whole experiment was to engage in some self-analysis and there may actually be a couple of patterns emerging. Let's go to the leader board, Ed!

Complicated-- Avril Lavigne
Florida-- Modest Mouse

This is the second day in a row that Florida has been in heavy rotation. It is very possible that I need a vacation. Kind of anti-climactic for a revelation, I realize, but I'm relatively new at this. Cut me some slack.

Stitches-- Orgy
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme-- Black Flag
Kiss Them For Me-- Siouxsie and the Banshees
Too Much Is Enough-- The Raisins

I know it's almost not fair to keep bringing up this Cincinnati band from my youth, but if you're aware that most of this band ended up becoming The Bears, featuring Adrian Belew on vocals and guitar, it makes it all worthwhile. This song is from the Raisins studio album, which my dad mastered.

Growing Up-- blink-182
Circles-- Soul Coughing
Balls to the Wall-- Accept

And how we got from Mike Doughty immediately to German heavy metal, I can't answer for you.

Disappointed-- Public Image, Ltd.
Over My Head-- King's X
Across the Universe-- Beatles

Across the Universe has proven itself to be my Moment of Zen. Whenever I am stressed out or facing an abrupt change of plans in my day, the chorus of this song instantly runs through my head. It is my calmer. It does the job wonderfully. When I hear the line, "Nothing's gonna change my world," I feel better. How sappy is that? And no, I haven't seen the movie yet. That's why Knoxville has a dollar theatre. Pay eight bucks for that? Hmmph. I can wait that shit out.

Universally Speaking-- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Universe trifecta in play.


Hot Fun in the Summertime-- Sly and the Family Stone

Universe trifecta-- fail.

And now the first ever MENTAL JUKEBOX VIDEO DOUBLE SHOT OF HAPPY! And that's enough of that.

There isn't an official video for Florida, so here's almost three minutes of Mega Man.



There is an official video for Circles, but I like this one way better. Of course, the crazy M. Doughty scat-singing breakdown is missing, but on the upside, you don't have to look at M. Doughty. I know it, I know it.

The Mental Jukebox-- Monday 11.19.07

Mondays always scatter me and send my brain into weird directions. It's like I'm trying to avoid the fact that it is Monday and I kind of go into hiding, like Newt in "Aliens." And that makes sense when you look at today's list. There are some hidden songs in there, songs hidden even more deeply than usual. These are the kind of songs that mostly come at night.
Mostly.

Florida-- Modest Mouse
The Becoming-- nine inch nails
Party All the Time-- Eddie Murphy w/Rick James
Powerline-- Husker Du
Dr. Robert (which I know is a Beatles tune, but I was hearing a cover version of it by legendary Cincinnati band...)-- The Raisins
Electric Barbarella-- Duran Duran
Happy-- Judybats
Fell Off A Mountain-- Big Bam Boo
Kosciusko-- Midnight Oil
Rag and Bone-- White Stripes
1,2,3,4-- Feist


I love Duran Duran. I always have.
See if you can guess where this is going.

Friday-- 11.16.7

Today's themes seem to be heartbreak and absurdity. The two are often not far removed.

Lovin' That Girl (Is Too Hard On A Man)-- Scott Miller and the Commonwealth
Stay Together For The Kids-- blink-182
Where Do Broken Hearts Go?-- Is that Whitney Houston? I think it's Whitney Houston. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
Possum Kingdom-- Toadies
Bomb--Bush (and there's two words that taste great together, eh?)
Original Prankster-- The Offspring
Is There Something I Should Know?-- Duran Duran
Solfeggio-- The Nairobi Trio
The Trooper-- Iron Maiden
Crazy Train-- Ozzy Osbourne
In My Life-- Beatles
Winning the War-- 'til tuesday

Actually recorded by Maxwell, Robert, His Harp and Orchestra (at least that's how it reads on allmusic), this song is being performed by Ernie Kovacs, Edie Adams and Jack Lemmon (the tall one with the drumsticks)as the Nairobi Trio on The Ernie Kovacs Show from back in the day. This bit had a strong impact on me as a child. I hope it scars you, too. In a good way, I mean. Totally in a good way.