FROM OCTOBER 5, 2008:
This Ain’t Havana – The Ramones
I will never, ever do a radio show here without a Ramones slice. Period.
Soul Drippin’ – The Standells
This is s whack song; so weirdly slow that it sounds as if the singer (who was once a Mousekateer) has to make an effort to stretch out the words to fill up the spaces. Also, "soul drippin" is a funny thing to sing about from some of the whitest guys in the world, no? Hey, let's be real: ain’t a lotta brothers out there singing about how much they love Boston, are there?
In the Pines – The Louvin Brothers
Later made famous of course by Kurt Cobain. I was disappointed to find that one of the Louvin Brothers was still alive; I had always imagined they had some spectacular ending, making a deal with Satan for a coup de ville, or some whiskey.
Ugly – Violent Femmes
I never understood why this was left off their eponymous classic of-the-ages debut record. Why would you leave this off? And how come nobody wonders who this is about, a lá You’re So Vain? Is it possible Gordon Gano even knew who Kirsten Dunst was when he wrote this? Interesting.
It Won’t Be Long – The Beatles
One of those classic, super-early Beatles songs where if you read the words you’re like “this…is a song?” But it rocks, propelled by pure energy and excitement. And if you play it backwards, at the 1:16 mark you can hear Paul whispering “Seriously, when the fuck IS Chinese Democracy coming out?”
Dream Baby Dream - Suicide
This super-slice makes me think of when I was in college; I’d listen to this over and over and then, at like three in the morning, I’d call my buddy’s family farmhouse. Nobody had lived there for years, and it was like 200 or 300 acres all to itself. And 200 years old. I’d call up, and picture the phone ringing in absolute country blackness, always thrilling myself with wondering what would I do if somebody actually answered it. Answer: probably roll over and bang my girlfriend, since this would be 1993 and I actually had one.
Love in Vain – Robert Johnson
I can only listen to Robert Johnson if it’s after midnight, pitch black and I got a bottle of whiskey. Or if I just have a bottle of whiskey. In which case, ironically, I don’t hear anything. Deal with the devil? Only if he’ll have me.
No Sand – The Rational Herdsmen [NOTE: unfortunately the Herdsmen are nowhere to be found online 😢; the closest I have is somehow I have another GREAT song off the same ep in an old Xmastime video so you can listen to it HERE.]
From the mid-80’s James Madison University scene that also gave us DT & the Shakes and the Undecided. This whole ep is off the charts great, even if it sounds like it was recorded inside a pencil sharpener on a sheet of metal inside another pencil sharpener. Of course, I mean that in a good way.BONUS FIND FROM THE VIDEO: besides random pics of a puppy, panda bear & Heather Thomas, there's me & longtime Xmastime buddy Dave B. in what looks like a shaky ca. 2003 photo of my old cozy places of cozy places, The Halloween Bar 🤗🥲🤣🍻🍻
Right in Time – Lucinda Williams
Is there a more Mrs. Xmastime prototype than Lucinda? Good lord, horse teeth coming out and wrapping themselves around her cougar titties. Jesus. I wore this album out when it came out, not a bad moment on it. But sometimes I wonder if I also love it so much cause of the cd cover, which reminds me so much of early nights walking around when I was a boy. “When I was a boy”…like I’m an armadillo now! (credit – Billy Crystal, 1985)
Celebrated Summer – Husker Du. [NOTE: I chose to include the live version from The Living End on the playlist here for two reasons: it's incredible, and as usual while it's a Bob Mould song it really showcases Xmastime super-duper Hall of Famer Grant Hart's FANTASTIC backups.]
The greatest joke about Husker Du has always been who ever woulda guessed that outta the three of them, the only guy that WASN’T gay ended up being the one with the short shorts and handlebar mustache? Anyways, this is a Top 5 Husker slice.
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