I’m slightly fine-tuning the “Talk about Song #1” process that I ripped off of Erik at Alter Destiny. So I don’t have to b.s. about a song I don’t want to b.s. about, I will talk about a song of my choice. It’s my blog, I can do what I want to!
1. Chonkyfire, Outkast
2. Stuck Between Station, The Hold Steady
3. Box #10, Jim Croce
If ever I do a Primer on Jim Croce (and trust me, the thought has crossed my mind), this song will probably make the list. As I said in a previous post:
On a side note, Jim Croce’s catalog works ... with almost every song fitting into one of three categories—bad relationships, bad guys, badass women.Well this is one song that doesn’t fit into one of those categories. Call it the exception that proves the rule. It’s Jim Croce at his simplistic best, telling a detailed, sad story in three verses and a simple chorus. Guy from Southern Illinois goes to the big city to make it as a musician, gets robbed, goes broke, ends up sleeping in a hotel doorway.
While there are lots of reasons for me to disagree with my musical upbringing (let’s just say that berlin niebuhr is a much bigger fan of Herman’s Hermits than the Beatles or Dylan), I was weaned on Jim Croce’s entire catalog, and I consider that a pretty good thing. While I enjoy the ballad-heavy rotation of Croce’s well known catalog (“Time in a Bottle”, “Photographs and Memories”, etc.), most of my favorites are rarities. “Box #10”, “Hey Tomorrow”, “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues”, “Rapid Roy the Stockcar Boy”...just fantastic music. He did more with less than most musicians, especially in the period in which he thrived.
4. Rise Above, Black Flag
5. Colors and the Kids, Cat Power
6. Mathematics, Mos Def
7. Raunchy ’73, Incredible Bongo Band
8. Requiem, M. Ward
9. Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel, Barenaked Ladies
10. Always on My Mind, Willie Nelson
Now THAT’s the variety I look for in a Random 10!
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