We all made playlists to share with each other and so here's mine; we were each supposed to have 15 songs and somehow after sweating over this thing for a goddam week I only now realize I somehow ended up with only 14 ππ€£. Enjoy - and you're welcome!
LOVE BARGE – Big Dipper 1990
Showed up on a mix (mixed?) tape Rrthur (YES ladies, THAT Rrthur) sent me in the Fall of ’94 that remains one of my all-time favorite mixes (included an all-time superslice of superslice of superslices Caitlin Cries by Chopper, not available on Spotify but you can find it here.) Just unbelievably great-sounding song that both rocks AND is incredibly articulate; that verse just seems to float on raft on a river.
Now That You Know Me – Grant Hart 1989
Like most people I spent the 80’s assuming Husker Du was Bob Mould with some help from Grant Hart until they put out their live album, The Living End in 1994. It was the moment I realized how much I loved Grant Hart; thanks to his beautiful voice all of his songs came jumping off the album. This song was one of them.
LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE – Ani DiFranco 1998
I’d never heard of Ani DiFranco until soon after I’d moved to Brooklyn, living with Rrthur (YES ladies, THAT Rrthur) & Mrs. Rrthur at 232 Ainslie Street. I was watching tv waiting for my beloved Soul Asylum to come on to play the Hard Rock cafΓ© on VH1 – I guess all of that was a thing at one time? – and she opened for them, starting with this. I went out and got the album the next morning and have loved it ever since, even tho it’s one of those things wherein it’s never occurred to me to check out her other albums. I love the song, I love this album, and I love the time & place it takes me back to.
You Don’t Care Nuthin’ – Rancid 1995
This is from a perfect album, every song on it had every possible hook/backups/chorus possible; I remember siting in my room in Mississippi in 1995 staring at the album and wondering how the hell they’d ever make another album with everything stuffed into this one. Another chorus so simple, so poignant. Perfect.
Holy Mountain – Noel Gallagher 2017
The sound of this is off the charts incredible and I always fantasize there’s an entire marching band behind him. And no, you’re not wrong for wondering how much better it’d sound if his brother was singing it. Either way, this is a “car goes from 55 to 95” superslice for sure.
1952 Black Vincent Black Lightning – Richard Thompson 1991
I missed out on the whole Richard/Linda Thompson Shoot Out the Lights thing so I never cared about him until lying in bed in my room at 232 Ainslie Street with The Bottom Line Archives: In Their Own Words, VOl. 1 because it had Joey Ramone talking about how he wrote I Wanna Be Sedated; after 9,000 listens of it I accidentally skipped to Richard Thompson doing a GREAT version of I Feel So Good off the same-titled album, which I ran out & got the very next morning & it had this song on it. I hate motorcycles, noodly guys on acoustic guitars, songs with stories that go on & on, and redheads. This song has them all, and I love it with all my heart. Here's an insane live version.
New Drink for the Old Drunk – Crooked Fingers 2000
Just a knock-down of a song anyone who’s ever wondered if the truth is that everybody is laughing at them and one day their friends will reveal that they’ve always hated them. I had a slow version of this a hundred years ago – was on the single greatest mix (mixed?) tape of all time - but I haven’t been able to find it in years. I dedicate this one to Dish!
KNOCK ME DOWN – The Outsets 1980
If I knew you when I was living in Oxford, Mississippi in the mid-90s and made you a mix (mixed?) tape, this was on it. Found it on some crappy “punk bands from Boston” tape somewhere. It's just everything you want from a young kinda shitty band of teenagers, they can barely keep it all together (they don't) but stumble into gold a little bit.
Glad Girls – Guided by Voices 2001
I have no idea what a glad girl is but I wish I’d written this chorus; a chorus so good they do it twice before starting any verses, which I don’t think I’ve ever noticed in another song? It’s always hit me with that feeling of watching as all the pretty girls are with all the cool guys and wondering what I’d say to one of them if they ever talked to me. For all I know he’s singing about a car or something, which is why I guess we all love the songs we love.
I’M THINKING TONIGHT OF MY BLUE EYES – The Carter Family 1929
I don’t think I’d ever heard this until it was stuck on the end of Marah’s Formula, Cola, Dollar Draft; I can’t hear it without picturing myself up on the 3rd floor of Rthur's (YES ladies, THAT Rrthur) parents’ house late late late at night, lying in bed in the pitch darkness staring out the window, out over the river at the bridge at whatever bright red taillight would move across it every 15 minutes or so and wondering who it could possibly be, where they were coming from and where they were going.
Celluloid Heroes – The Kinks 1972
I mean camon.
Don’t Look Back – The Temptations 1965
One of my Turkey’s Nest slices. Probably a funny song to pick for a list which seems to be completely stuffed with songs that reek of nostalgia for me.
Common People – Pulp 1995
I’d never listened to Pulp, once I fell in love with Oasis’ second album I thought I was to forever be a loyal soldier on their side for the 90s Britpop Wars. 5 years ago I was alone at a bar in Dingle and this came on and I can still remember where I was sitting and the wall I was looking at; I was immediately embarrassed I’d dismissed the band so quickly out of loyalty to Oasis whose 3rd album was absolute shit and they’ve pretty much sucked every since. π€·♂️ Reminds me a lot of before Williamsburg was stupid and girls from Manhattan would come over and pat themselves on the back for braving a “dive bar” and feeling so “authentic”. An anthem for all anthems.
I Won’t Be There – The Equals 1967
Did you people think you weren’t getting an Equals song?!?!? π€πΊπΈ
Rock Me Gently - Andy Kim 1974
This is one of the most almost-perfect songs I’ve always loved (which makes sense since Kim also write what may be THE most perfect song I’ve always loved, Sugar Sugar (at only age 22!!)). But right now I’m realizing it’s also a perfect example of a song you hear for so many decades without really thinking about it too much before being totally gut-punched by it - can you even imagine actually feeling, “I have never been loved like this before”? It must happen to people all the time. Incredible. π€·♂️
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