Freaky Friday

Today was an outrageously productive day for me.  I have been up since 4:30am and I have been cleaning, condensing and re-organizing all day long!  So, I thought it would be interesting to see how many people are still coming to the blog and to put you to the test.  In keeping with the theme of the movie "Freaky Friday", I am turning the turntable on all of you!  Tonight I am going to post the titles of the songs and the first 2 minutes of each song on the player and ask YOU to write your memories of each song. Send me your thoughts at mail@lauriebeechman.com and I will post all of your comments here!

Here are your 10 Songs For Today and Red Robot is asking the important question......

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  One More Night - Phil Collins 4:25 (Atlantic Records)  

2.  Easy Lover - Phillip Bailey (duet with Phil Collins) 4:40 (Columbia Records)

3.  Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 4:50 (Epic Records)

4.  1999 - Prince 3:35 (Warner Brothers Records)

5.  Footloose - Kenny Loggins 3:46 (Columbia Records)

6.  Rockit - Herbie Hancock 3:54 (Columbia Records)

7.  I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash 2:48 (Epic Records)

8.  Running With The Night - Lionel Ritchie 4:06 (Motown Records)

9.  Out Of Touch - Hall & Oats 3:55 (RCA Records)

10.  Communication - The Power Station 3:44 (Capitol Records)

Ok, go crazy, go wild!  Tell me the when, where, why, what, how of each song.  Email me at mail@lauriebeechman.com and I will post your responses here next Friday!  I am giving you one week to speak your minds about the music, about life, about anything you want to talk about.

I just want to take a minute to thank my best friend Dave.  It is amazing how, no matter what happens, all roads seem to lead back to you and me.  Such a great comfort. I am not sure what I would do if you were not part of my life.  You fit so perfectly into my insanity, into my family and into my heart.  I could never, ever ask for a better person to be facing the craziness we call life with.  I love you more than words can say!  For the rest of you, I offer this one piece of cryptic advice....your best friend should never be an obligation, they should be a part of the solution.  Now, close your pie hole (and I will close mine) and get inta typing.  All of you (ok, both of you)!!!!  I want to hear from the 2 people that are still coming to my blog!  We (RR and I) don't hear any keyboards clickity-clacking!  Ears pressed to the monitor.......................................

Let's Spend The Day Together...

shall we?   I didn't post anything Tuesday because I needed to spend some time updating and cleaning up http://www.lauriebeechman.com/ (the website I created devoted to a good friend and amazing talent)!  I am pleased with the results and I got some wonderful feedback from some really special people.  There is alot more that I want to do there and I figure by spring it will have a fresh new look with alot more content.

As for today, well, it IS Thursday (we'll talk about Wednesday later) and I DO have something that I want to cook plus there is that bonus song thing, right?  I also have a lot of things I need to do around the house too, so I figured I would blog some, get some other work done, blog some, cook, blog some...and at the end of it all, we will hopefully have covered 21 songs today!!  It is 9:00am, let's see what time this actually gets posted!!

Among the things I would like to get done today is taking down and putting away my snowmen. As most of you know, my Mom makes the most incredible snowmen and I leave them past Christmas each year.  Well, I got a large tote last night and now it is time for them to rest up for next year.  Red Robot is in a surprisingly helpful mood today and has already started the process.  So, here's the game plan....I am going to digitize 5 songs, go do some stuff come back update here and then repeat.

So, here are the 20+1 Tunes For Today!!!  It's an odd mix o' stuff for sure, but there is a Theme to the first 10!

(Click here to listen to the first 10 songs)

1.  The Batman Theme - Danny Elfman 2:24 (Warner Brothers Records)  This is the theme from the first of the Batman movies from 1989.  I love how dark maniacal this is.  And then it builds to such a fever pitch in the middle with crashing cymbals and blaring horns. It only seems to subside for a moment before it biulds up again.  It is the perfect theme for the action/comic movie it is.  I do prefer the theme from the Dark Knight the best but this is certainly a memorable theme and I am big fan of Danny Elfman's!

2.  Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship 4:29 (Grunt Records)  This is from a very fun movie, "Mannequin" and is such a GREAT song!!!  It just announces its presence right at the start with those great drums!! Those opening drums are equally matched with the lyrical theme of the song...in your face love!!!  "Let 'em say we're crazy. I don't care about that"  "And if this world runs out of lovers/we'll still have each other"  Swaying to and fro here in time to both the song and RR swaying (well, rocking actually.  He's not much of a swayer) with his snowmen in hand!  Grace Slick sounds soooooo good and they all just sound like they are having a blast singing this song!

3.  The Woman In You - The Bee Gees 4:02 (RSO Records)  From the sublime......This is from the rather lame attempt at a sequel to "Saturday Night Fever" called "Staying Alive".  I can honestly say that I do not remember this song, AT ALL!  I can also honestly say that once it is done playing now, I won't remember it again.  It is a decent enough song (an album cut at best) but absolutely not memorable and kind of contrived, even for the Bee Gees.  NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXTTTTTTTTTT!

4.  One Of The Living - Tina Turner 4:10 (Capitol Records)  This is the other song from "Mad Max - Beyond Thunderdome".  I love this song.  It is eerie and kind of haunting and I love the guitars throughout.  Favorite part of the song is at the end of the chorus when Tina makes this "yah-hoo" sound.  Love it!!!  Brings back great memories of working at Macys Herald Square and going to meet Jeffrey after work.

5.  Hello Again (Love Theme from "The Jazz Singer") - Neil Diamond 3:35 (Capitol Records)  Such a beauiful song. Such a simple thought to it....someone that misses his love, his best friend, so he calls her just to say hello.  So beautiful.  We should all follow his advice and call someone we love today!

Ok, break time.  Gonna go clean the kitchen (cause I can't cook until it is spotless so I can mess it up again) and do some laundry.  Notice I am putting off Project Snow(man) Removal.  Sorry RR, but we'll get to it.

I'm back, second load of laundry is in, kitchen is sparkly and I'm ready for more..  Magical isn't it?  It is now 1pm and here come the next 5.

6.  The Jetsons Main Title (Longplay Version) - No Artist Listed 2:12 (A&M Records)  This is one that Steven brought back from one of his trips to Toronto and I love it.  I used to play this alot when I DJed.  I have always loved how the writers of this song threw a little bit of "Chopsticks" in there.  Kinda random but it works.  I apologize, I used to play the flip side of this when I DJed.  It's a dub version of the song with bits of dialogue from many different TV shows thrown in.  It's called "Jane, Get Me Off This Crazy Thing".  I am going to digitize both sides of this and put "Jane" in the player cause we all know the theme song, right? Oh yeh, that's the stuff.  I think I have an extended remix of this too.

7.  Let's Hear It For The Boy - Denice Williams 4:20 (Columbia Records)  This, of course, is from "Footloose" and comes in a close second to Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For A Hero" as my favorite song from that soundtrack.  It is such a happy, fun, boppy song and I love Denice Williams voice.  Chair dancing here.  Love those crazy high notes she hits at the end of the song.

8.  Maniac - Michael Sembello 4:13 (Casablanca Records)  Ah, "Flashdance".  Remember "Flashdance"?  I love this movie.  I haven't seen it in a long time but it was one of my favorites.  I have always thought the sound of this song was so original.  I can remember going to Studio 54 with Therry and we would dance our asses off to this song.  RR is getting into it too.  You should see him go!!!!  Sparks are flying! Thank goodness there is no bucket of water and string anywhere in sight.  I have a remix of this too.

9.  Theme From Star Trek - Gene Page 3:22 (Arista Records)  WOW  I totally forgot about this.  I guess everyone was trying to cash in on the popularity of the Meco "Star Wars" craze.  They even used R2D2ish sounds in this disco version of the incredible Star Trek TV Series theme.  Gotta admit, I am chair dancing a little bit and RR is loving this song.  Must be reminding him of home.

10.  Batman Theme - Neal Hefti 2:16 (RCA Records)  With the popularity of the first Batman movie in 1989 came an onslaught of nostalgia for all things Batman.  Personally, I loved it.  My friend Harold, whenever he was hard pressed for something to buy me, if it had Batman on it, he knew he was safe.  This is the full recording of the original Batman TV theme.  It is still sooooo cool and goofy! I love it.

Ok, time to edit these songs and post the first half of the blog.  Then it is onto the snowmen and cooking.  So, read, listen, anjoy and I will see you again in a few hours.

10pm  Bet you thought I wasn't gonna come back, didn't you?  RR is nodding his head in agreement.  I wasn't talking to you!  I got everything done too!  Snowmen are all tucked away safely until next winter, laundry is done, I watched American Idol and Supernatural and I made a great meal.

I made a Lori Rome Quiche.  I created this for her for Valentine's Day but  made a different version of it tonight for myself.  Lori has a gluten allergy so I could not make the quiche with a regular pie crust.  I gave it alot of thought and came up with this.....mashed potatoes!  I took some Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled and mashed them, then, spread them out evenly in the bottom of baking pan.  I then put the pan with the potato shell in the broiler for a few minutes to get the top of the shell crisp so that the egg mixture would not just soak into it. (If you are going to make this for yourself, make sure you lower the oven temp to 400 when you take the pan out of the broiler.  If you do everything in the order I did, it will allow the oven's temp to lower)  I cut up bacon, sliced a small onion, cut up steamed asparagus and sauteed it all in a pan with a little butter and when the bacon was slightly crisp and the onions transulcent, I laid that out in the potato shell.  In a bowl I beat 8 eggs with some heavy cream and a little salt, pepper and garlic powder and poured that over the bacon/asparagus mix and then sprinkled some grated Monterey/Jack Cheese and let it bake until the eggs were firm and the top was a golden brown!!  I made a nice salad and that was my dinner!!  It was so good, but I am still full and I didn't eat all that much of it.

Now, onto the rest of Today's Tunes.

11.  To Sir With Love - Lulu 2:44 (Epic Records)  I thought I would start this next set with another movie song!  I love Lulu's voice.  It is intimate, raspy and strong...the perfect match for this song and let me tell you, she still sounds great!!  Look her up on YouTube sometime.

12.  Voyeur - Kim Carnes 4:01 (EMI Records)  Love Kim Carnes.  Not quite as intimate as Lulu but certainly more raspy!  Kim Carnes is a great song writer and has written for almost eveyone including Barbra Streisand.  Then once Bette Davis Eyes hit, she also had a pretty good recording career.   Hit it RR!  Oh man, I love this song.  I haven't heard it in years.  It has such a haunted sound to it.  I always mixed this with Abba's "The Visitors".  This is another one of those songs that reminds me of going to the Village and going to dances at NYU. (Please note that while I did not attend NYU I did crash their dances!)

13.  Runaway - Bon Jovi 3:54 (Mercury Records)  WOW  I played this one to death, you can hear the cue burn in the begining of the song.  I loved early Bon Jovi, then they got a little played out and I lost interest.  Then when he started acting I started liking him again.  He was GREAT on Ally McBeal! I really have a lot of respect for him.  He still looks and sounds great and the band is still making some great music!

14.  Tainted Love - Soft Cell 2:38 (Sire Records) One of the most overplayed songs but I still absolutely love it!! I love Marc Almond's voice and those early synths are outstanding.  Chair dancing and smiling like an idiot.  This is another one from the NYU Dance days. Everytime I hear this song I think of my friend Jamie Champa, who I met at one of those dances!  oh crap, that was 29 years ago.   next.........

15.  Iko Iko - The Belle Stars 2:49 (Capitol Records)  I always thought this was a great song but this version is not my favorite.  I love what is going on with the nusic but I do not like the lead singer's voice.  Especially after you hear Cyndi Lauper do this, there is no going back!  Do love the jungle-ish, chaotic sound of this version until this saxophone starts popping up in odd and random spots.  I hope that if I am ever wondering through a jungle someone thinks to bring their sax cause it would be fun to recreate this sound (with a better singer of course).

16.  Turn To Stone - Electric Light Orchestra 3:48 (Jet Records)  Oh boy.  I am back at Battery Avenue right now!  1977!  ELO was sooooo cool.  They created some of the most original music of the 70s and early 80s.  I love the crazy little bridge in this song and those violins are just amazing!!  They seemed to create a little movie with each song.  I almost fogot about that crazy, psychotic ending that keeps building and you are just waiting for it to explode.  So cool!  ELO was always one of Steven's favorites and this is another song that reminds me of Bill McFarland.

17.  Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon 3:22 (Epic Records)  This is another band that had such a great sound.  Love the lead singer's voice (except for his love of the hard "R", makes him sound like a pirate) and their vocal backing is so tight it is amazing.  I am very excited because I will get to see them in concert again this year.  They will be touring with Pat Benatar again, their last tour together was in 1995 and they were great then!

18.  Control - Janet Jackson 3:26 (A&M Records)  I know I have mentioned this before but it bares repeating...I LOVE JANET!  Well, the Janet of the 80s and 90s.  I will always have my fingers crossed for her to do something GREAT again.  I keep buying the albums but after one listen, I swear it the same album over and over again.  This is the start of it all though.  This song is so amazing and changed dance music.  Janet and Jimmy Jam were unstoppable.  This was another great concert by the way.  I saw Janet in 1990 and she was flawless!!!  'Scuse me, I got some chair dancing to do. 

19.  Grazing In The Grass - The Friends Of Distinction 2:56 (RCA Records)  Killer horns!!!!  "Grazin' in the grass is a gas, baby can you dig it?" Such a fun, happy song!  It just reminds me of a giant block party that goes on and on all night long.  Can you dig it, baby?  More chair dancing going on and you should see RR!

20.  Happy Together - The Turtles 2:50 (Collectables Records)  One of the greatest pop songs of all time.  I think you would be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn't know this song and it never gets old.  I love the way the snare drum comes in at the beginning of the song.  This is such a great sing along song especially on the 'Ba-Ba"s!  This is another song that reminds me of that shared discman walk through the city with Jeffrey 26 years ago!!  (Note to Jeffrey - when are you coming out here to co-blog???  As long as we finish before 12:15am we should be safe!)

21.  Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John 6:45 (MCA Records)  This is one of my all-time favorite Elton songs.  The lyric refers to a time in Elton's life when he was contemplating marrying his then girlfriend and the friend that talked him out of it so that he could pursue his music.  Aside from this being a perfect song, the thing that I love the most about it is Elton's conviction that the song not be cut down to be released as a single.  The record company said they could never sell a nearly 7 minute song and Elton said, well then it can't be released.  When asked what should be released he answered Someone Saved My Life Tonight or nothing.  The rest is history.

Well, there ya go folks.  It is 12:07am (don't worry, I have my headphones on) and I have finally finished this post.  It will be another hour or so before the music is edited and up for the last 11 songs but I really had a lot of fun tonight.  I am going to sleep like a baby tonight!  See you all tomorrow.

Unfinished............

The reason that this post is unfinished is because the fat guy that lives downstairs from me decided that Dave and I were too loud and called the police on us!  It was 12:15am and let me tell you folks, the music was NOT loud, my speakers are not the best and I can't get it to be loud even if I tried.  Dave and I laugh ALOT when we are together, but come on!!!!  I am very conscious of the fact that my bedroom (which is where I have my computer) is directly above his!  How can I ever forget as I have to hear him snoring all night long, or listen to his tv all night long and don't EVEN get me started about when he has one of his "girls" over!  But this big coward, whimp-ass, rather than come knock on my door and ask us to keep it down, calls the police!  I am telling you, between the lard-ass that feels the need to monitor my every word and this moron I am ready to pack it up and go live in a very deep hole in the ground!  I'll edit and post the song clips later!  I am too aggrevated right now!



"I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY!"  Dave is here tonight folks! And what would you like to say Dave?  "Um....I picked these!"  Ok, thank you Dave.  Yes, Dave picked these songs and this should be a fun night!  He has had an adverse effect on Red Robot though.

Here are Today's 10 + 1 Tunes.......

(Click here to hear clips of these songs)

1.  Supernatural Love - Donna Summer 3:38 (Geffen Records)  "What?"  You were thinking this was Unconditional Love weren't you?    "YES!  Can we change it?"    NO!     "I was thinking this was Unconditional Supernatural Love".  Surprisingly, Dave has left the room to go get us beers!  Um.....the song has ended and he is still not back.  Ok, so, I will just say, this is a very boring song and really has nothing going for it except Donna's voice.  But even she sounds bored with this one!  Oh, look who just came back into the room!!!

"I GOT SOMETHING TO SAY!"   What Dave?  "Does anyone know what a West Virginia virgin is?"   Well, I sure don't Dave!   "Ok, Gary, I'll tell you.  A girl who can outrun her brothers!"   Oh, so you mean there has never been one?

2.  Solitaire - Laura Branigan 4:00 (Atlantic Records)  I have a great remix of this song!  I love her voice.  It is nasally and deep.  "Yes, I think she has a cigarette in her nasal passages while singing!"   The girl could really hold a note.  Did you know that Laurie Beechman's "After The Fall" was a Laura Branigan reject?   "No I did not!"  Well, that is because you never listen to me!   Sorry, Dave, what do you want to say about this song?  "Yes.  I always think of this as a sad song but it does have a happy beat to it, doesn't it?"  Yes it does.  NEXT...............................................................

3.  Hot In The City - Billy Idol 3:30 (Chrysalis Records)  This is one of Steven's finds and it was the first time I had heard Billy Idol!  I always thought he sounded like Dracula on this one!   "Sequel to Monster Mash?"  EXACTLY!!!  You hear it too?   "Well, he's on thin ice with me.  Always has been.  I never liked Rebel Yell or White Wedding or the remake song......"   Mony, Mony?   "Yes!!!  That one!"   Well, then you basically don't like Billy Idol cause that is his career!   "Well, no.  I like this one and that other one.  You know.  THAT one!"    Oh yes.  Of course....THAT one!  RR and I are shaking our heads!

4.  Let's Go All The Way - Sly Fox 3:54 (Captiol Records) "Dumm-dumm Zigga-ninny Dumm-dumm zigga-ninny Dumm-dumm zigga-ninny!"  Great way to start this song!  "The sound is incredible.  All the different sounds!"   HE'S GOT SOMETHING TO SAY!  He just can't remember it right now!   "they mix it up like no other song I have ever heard.  I love what the background singers are doing too!"  I know.  The basic beat of the song is very boring but what they did with everything  else made it so freakin cool!!

5.  Working My Way Back To You - Spinners 4:01 (Atlantic Records)  This was the song that made me leave the Jeff Samaha Singers.  I just couldn't picture us doing this song.  And, OH that choreography!  Well, now you know!  Stop asking!  So, Dave, you picked this one.  Got anything to say?   "I love this song because it always played on my bike radio!"    Um, bike radio?   "Yes, didn't you have one?"   eh, no.   "Well mine was taped to the handlebars.  Lotta tape!!!  man, it was so cool.  I was the most popular guy in my 2 block radius!"

6.  Sexcrime (nineteen eighty-four) - Eurythmics 3:56 (RCA Records)  "Of course, I love this song"   AND.......more please.  "Having been molested it really spoke to me.  The song is about Sex CRIMES, right?"  Yes it is!  Ok, so that is lyrically.  What about the sound of the song?  What she does with her voice is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!   "I love that deep thump in the background! It still has hope in the music!"   Such great memories of when this came out.  I played this to death when I DJed!

7.  Go Insane - Lindsey Buckingham 3:05 (Elektra Records)  "This song conjours images of demons for me.  I love how it brings up both good and bad!"   And the title means nothing to you?   "Oh yeh, I forgot about that!  I put my insanity on the back burner."   Some big pots belong on the back burner!  I think this may be the first single he did after breaking free of Fleetwood Mac, yes?   "I think it is!"

8.  Swept Away - Diana Ross 3:58 (RCA Records)  Ok, we both agree that the music for this song is incredible.  And, aside from an occassional growl, her voice is just too thin for the intensity of this song!  I point out to Dave that Daryl Hall co-wrote and co-produced this song.   "Oh!  Now it all makes sense!  His voice is just as thin as hers!"   "But the video is way over the top!"   Over the top of what?  Dave?   Dave?

9.  They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman 2:59 (MCA Records)  Oh so 60s!!!  This is one of Annette's favorite songs!  "Why do I like it?  I don't know! It's cause 'they' don't know!"   I love the faux 60s girl group sound of this and who knew she could sing??????  Have you seen the video for this song?

10.  Wood Beez (pray like aretha franklin) - Scritti Politti 3:39 (Warner Brothers Records)  I freakin' love this song!!!!!  Ok and you hate it, right?   "Didn't this sound like a good idea?"   What?  this song?  "No!  Us doing this post tonight!  Sounded like a good idea about 4 hours ago!"  Now, come on.......when is the last time you have laughed this hard?  

11.  There Goes My Baby - Donna Summer 4:05 (Geffen Records)  Gawd, the beginning of this sounds like Flashdance!  "It was nineteen hundred and eighty four when I first heard this song so I bought the album. I had never bought an album for just one song before.  Anyway, I was at a friend's house and I played it for him. His mom walked in and heard the song and told us that she loved it.  I was so impressed that she knew a new pop song.  She then told us that it was a remake of a song that she loved as a kid. 

Sauce, Sofa and Song Sunday

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  I spent the day yesterday with Dave.  As usual,we had a great time.  Did some grocery shopping and got all the fixing to make a big pot of sauce!  Came back here did our favorite thing to do...he kept me company while I made the sauce, a 3 hour process!!  He was remarking yesterday, that after 11 years of knowing each other we still have such a great time hanging out together and how easy it is to be around each other.  A very rare thing indeed!

So, today, I was basically a slug.  Did some cleaning and such but other than that, I made some rigatoni ("That's not rigatoni!!!"), some peas like Grandma used to make, ate and watched a few great movies (Taking Woodstock and Eagle Eye).  Now here I sit, with, as you can tell, little to say.  So, let's get to the music.  Oh, by the way, Red Robot was trying out different looks for the summer.  I guess the nice weather today inspired him.

Here they are Today's 10 Tunes....

(Click here to listen to clips from these songs)

1. Rockin' At Midnight - The Honeydrippers 5:57 (es Paranza Records)  If Robert Plant and Jimmy Page had met in the 1950s instead of the 1960s this is what Led Zeppelin would have sounded like!  Well, maybe not but they are the founding members of The Honeydrippes.  This was the follow up to Sea Of Love and has such a cool R&B 50s sound.  Love Robert Plant's voice and Jimmy Page's guitars!  Great remake.

2.  If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man) - Bonnie Tyler 4:08 (Columbia Records)  Another amazing Jim Steinman production.  The combination of Tyler's voice and Steinman's production was unbeatable.  I love this song! This was so different from the other songs they had done together with the familiar elements that made it a Steinman piece.  Love the crazy high backing vocals!!!  There is an outstanding video for this song. You should look it up on YouTube.  I used to play it when I DJed in a great bar on the Upper West Side.

3.  Keeping The Faith (Special Mix) - Billy Joel 4:44 (Columbia Records)  This is a very cute song but never one of my favorites, especially considering how much I loved Billy Joel.  This is kinda when I stopped buying his albums. He had changed so much and as I have said before, I think 52nd Street was his last GREAT album.  I kinda put this one with Uptown Girl.  Yeh, it's catchy and would be great for someone else, just not my way cool Billy Joel.  Although, he does sing a line in this song about listening to his old 45s!

4.  Back For Good - Take That 4:00 (Arista Records)  I barely remember this song!  Yikes!  I am waiting for the chorus to hopefully jog my memory.  Oh yeh!!!  I vaguely remember it.  They really had a great sound....amazing harmonies.  This song is very middle of the road with nothing really exciting about it, hence my lack of recall!  Ironically, this was their biggest hit in the US!  They did however, do an incredible dance version of Barry Manilow's Could It Be Magic that he adapted and did in his live shows for many years!

5.  Who's Leaving Who - Anne Murray 3:38 (Capitol Records)  I have said this before and I will say it again, I love 80s Anne Murray!  She was a bit edgy and just sounded like she was having a blast. Granted I am a big fan of most of her work but it was great to hear her having so much fun back then.  And she had some great producers working with her.  I love the synths in this song!

6.  I Can't Go For That (No Can Do ) - Daryl Hall & John Oates 3:39 (RCA Records)  Hall & Oates has always been a hit or miss thing with me.  Some songs were great and some were just annoying. This one falls squarely in the annoying pile.  They just seem to be trying too hard to be cool and anytime you have to try that hard...................................................Sorry, nodded off there for a second.  NEXT!

7.  I Love Rock N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackearts 2:45 (Boardwalk Records)  Also not a big Joan Jett fan.  But this is a really fun song and has become a bit of a classic.  Great memories of Brooklyn College days here.  This was always playing on the jukebox at the student lounge. I can remember loving it when my friend Therry would sing this!!

8.  Walking On Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves 4:00 (Capitol Records)  This is a much played to death song but I still think it is so much fun.  It is just happy and getting you moving!! RR is bopping all over the place!!  I really like her voice, a little husky, a little sexy and you can hear the smile in her voice.  Ok, I am chair dancing!

9.  Careless Whisper - Wham! Featuring George Michael 4:50 (Columbia Records)  This was the beginning of the end for our Wham! boys.  George only wanted his name on this one as it was to be his first solo single. The record company had different ideas but a compromise was reached, hence the way it is billed and the two different 45 picture sleeves.  Whatever the drama, this is one of the coolest songs ever.  It is so soulful and sexy and that saxophone solo is incredible.  The man has a great voice!!  (Ironically, this is one of two songs co-written with Andrew Ridgely, the other half of Wham!) I was working at Record Factory when this came out and no one knew the name of the song but it didn't stop them from coming in by the truck loads to buy it.  They would sing part of it to me, or tap their foot on the floor and try to remember some of the words.  Of course, being the sadistic little bastard that I was, I knew what song they wanted but I let them go on!  A little something for me, ya know?

10.  Rock This Town - Stray Cats 3:24 (EMI Records)  Ok, we fake-50s rocked our way in tonight and now we are fake-50s rockin our way out tonight.  I love Brian Setzer!!  He has continued to create amazing original songs that sound straight out of the rock-a-billy 50s with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and he is soooo great at what he does.  This is such a fun song I am chair dancing my little butt off right now!! This one also reminds me of Brooklyn College days!!!

This was a fun night.  I really had a hard time getting myself off the couch to do it, but it was fun!  See ya tomorrow!

But'cha Gotta Have Friends

Sorry I wasn't here yesterday, I just sort of ran out of time.  Had another great day at my parent's house, helping my Mom make some more stuff for the project she is working on.  That woman is so outrageously talented it boggles the mind and I love that I can help contribute whenever possible.  I had to get home because a good friend who I haven't gotten to see lately was coming over. She wanted me to meet her new beau (who, by the way, I really liked alot and could not be happier for her).  I whipped up my famous spinach/artichoke dip and whilst I was whipping (well, chopping and mixing actually) I got a call AND a visit from another old, very dear friend who I also have not seen in awhile.  I really needed that last night.  I have been feeling like I was losing my mind the last few weeks over someone that I truly thought I would be friends with for the rest of my life.  Like I have said before, people and computers, there is just no figuring them out. Who knows, maybe that friendship will come back around.  Everytime I have consulted a power higher than myself, my Magic 8 Ball, it says, "Response Cloudy" "Ask Again Later".

As for today, I would love to tell you that I created an amazing meal, but it was nothing spectacular.  I had a really nice piece of Top Round Steak (about 1 1/2" thick) that I seasoned and cooked in the oven for a good long time and then did a potato, peppers and onions medley in a skillet.  It was really good but nothing to write home about!  But here I sit, fat and happy and ready to listen to some music. How about you?

It is Thursday and you know what that means!  BONUS SONG!  Red Robot, who by the way is working on his undercover spy look, helped pick out the songs.  Here they are folks, Today's 10 +1 Tunes.....

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John 4:08 (Geffen Records)  I absolutely love this song.  This lyric is sooooo true.  There are just times when life is too much and you just need to crawl inside a sad song and get lost for awhile.  Gawd knows I have lived my whole life doing this.  I can remember coming home from grammar school and just needing to be alone with the Carpenters or Olivia and it was always the headiest and saddest songs that I would find my comfort in.  Folks, I can tell you, the situations may have changed but the results are still the same...I still find the greatest comfort in hiding in my music.  Believe me, these days, I have needed it more than usual!

2.  Lonesome Loser - Little River Band 3:29 (Capitol Records)  I always related to this song for some reason.  I still find myself putting my heart before my head.  When will I learn?  I love the bridge of this song, the tone changes for a minute and then it goes into a great guitar solo.  There was always something magical about LRB to me and this whole album is among my favorites.  This is another one that Dave and I pull out every once in awhile, it never gets old.

3.  Angie Baby - Helen Reddy 3:29 (Capitol Records)  This is one that somehow made its way from the spindles to a sleeve!  Hmmmmmmm  Ok, this one has got to go on the 100 Coolest List and I would put it in the top 5!!!!  Hey, how many times do you hear someone telling someone else that they are "a little touched, ya know" in a song?  It's an age old story.  Lonely, somewhat nutty girl with only a radio for a friend, thinks that the songs are telling her what to do. Then, "stopping at her house is a neighbor boy with evil on his mind" he enters her room, invites her to dance and then disappears into her radio.  "The headlines read that a boy disappeared and everyone thinks he died/'cept a crazy girl with a secret lover who keeps her satisfied" Folks, it happens all the time.  Read your papers.  Best line of the song - "It's so nice to be insane/no one asks you to explain"!  I still think this would make a great movie!

4.  September Morn - Neil Diamond 3:40 (Columbia Records)  Such a great song.  I love the arrangement here.  The horns, piano and, of course, THE KEY CHANGE!!!  I love singing this song and if it wasn't so late, I would be singing it at the top of my lungs right now.  The lyric is wonderful as well. It always conjures an image of two people that knew each other when they were so very young and in love but time and circumstance took them half way 'round the world only to find each other again.  In my animated brain, this meeting is taking place at some elegant affair with him in a tux and her in a ball gown.  I used to dream that this would be a song I would sing on my first album.  Ha!

5.  Would I Lie To You? - Eurythmics 4:02 (RCA Records)  An absolutely flawless song!!!!  Chair dancing here and RR is shooting off his little ray gun making a great light show!!!  Love Annie Lennox!  But you already know that!!!  Freakin' amazing attitude in this song.  "Had all I can take now I'm leaving you!"
Ok, I ask you, if you have to lie to someone why would you want to be around them?  There is no point to it. I used to be the consumate liar.  I elevated it to an art form at one point in my young life.  Or so I thought.  When I realized that it was costing me friends and lovers, I vowed to never lie to myself (which is all you really are doing) or anyone else again.  If anyone ever accuses me of lying these days, all I can say to them is, you are not worth lying to! I would never put all that effort into something with such a questionable payoff.  I have zero tolerance for liars and I do not suffer fools well!  (Holy venting Batman!)

6.  More Love - Kim Carnes 3:40 (EMI Records)  AHHH those "violins" in the beginning of this song just bring me back in time.  I love Kim Carnes' raspy, sexy voice.  This song is one of the greatest white-girl-soul-songs ever!  AND it has a key change.  Could you ask for more?  Seriously!  Groove chair dancing! This is a Smokey Robinson cover, isn't it?  Why don't radio stations play these songs anymore?  Listening to this right now, I can almost smell our old room (it was not a bad smell it just....aw hell, you know what I mean.  shuttup) at Battery Avenue and listening to this on the radio!

7.  Will You Still Love Me? - Chicago 4:10 (Warner Brothers Records)  Oh, 80s Chicago!  The decade of Peter Cetera on lead vocals.  His powedery voice always cut through me like a knife. Like fingernails on a chalkboard.  Like a cat caught in a blender (it could happen, by accident of course.  shuttup)!  The lyrics to this song are great and remind me of being that young and optimistic about love. Such a sweet feeling.  The opening line is so great and simple...."Take me as I am"! I always try to take everyone as they are but for some reason, I am judged by a higher standard.  Go figure.

8.  Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again - The Fortunes 2:51 (Capitol Records)  As soon as RR let this song go I smiled.  Those opening notes just make me happy.  Which is ironic, considering the lyric!  But it just reminds me of being a kid again when hearing songs like this on the radio made me feel sane.  Like it was there just for me.  "it always seems to be a monday/left over memories of sunday/always spent with you"

9.  I Knew You When - Linda Ronstadt 2:53 (Asylum Records)  Another amazing "in your face" song from Linda! From a singers standpoint, I can totally understand why Linda recorded this one. It shows off every facet of her voice.  Big, bad, angry belt to little tiny quiet voice and she crawled into and inhabited every nuance of this song.  Lyrically, I can totally relate.  For the longest time, the people that I would date and that I really felt something for would break up with me and then seem to find the love of their lives.  It was almost like I was the prep guy!  I got them ready to find real love.  Well, at least I served a purpose, right?

10.  My Life's A Dance - Anne Murray 4:04 (Capitol Records)  80s Anne Murray is probably my favorite Anne Murray.  She recorded some of the best original songs during the 80s and this one is no exception.  It is such a well crafted song and so very contemporary.  The one thing that I love about any Anne Murray song is that you can always understand every word she sings and she sings each word with heart.  She relates to what she is singing or she wouldn't have ever recorded it.  This song will always remind me of the love of my life.

11.  All Fired Up (Single Version) - Pat Benatar 4:08 (Chrysalis Records)  This song is as close to perfect as any song could ever be.  This is the one that started the Shane-Gary-Pat-Neil fest that has lasted 23 years now.  I can't describe to you the thrill I get when I hear Neil's guitars in the opening of this song.  It is 3.25am and I am "wide awake" listening to this song.  Even RR is bopping and pointing and giving attitude.  This was a turning point in Pat and Neil's career when they were only going to record what they wanted to record. EVERYTHING on this album, "Wide Awake In Dreamland" was perfect. "Now I believe there comes a time when everything just falls in line we live and learn from our mistakes the deepest cuts are healed by faith" How freakin' true is that?????  I can not wait to see them this summer!!!

I can't believe how late I am actually posting this but I got side-tracked by a phone call from yet another old friend that I have not talked to in awhile. (It is like "Hey, let's call Gary O. Day!) Our friendship was a temporary fatality of that douche bag that I have spoken about before.  You know, the one that caused me to become friendly with a pro-bono attorney that is just waiting for him to make the littlest misstep? Anyway, it was great talking to her tonight and I have always sorta known we could salvage our relationship and get back to being good friends.  It never ceases to amaze me how the universe provides.  If there is one thing I would want to pass on to my nieces it is this.....no matter how bad things get or how depressed and disgusted you could ever possibly be, the universe will always give you something to turn things around.  You just have to be willing to see it and accept it! My Mom taught me that! The last two days have shown me that I have not been living my life in vain and that the people I put my faith in, that really deserved it, are still there.  I am one hell of a lucky guy!  Please make sure that the people you love really know it.  Don't bullshit them because, ya know what, they will see right through it.  See you tomorrow.

Repair and Prepare

I have spent the better part of the day today on the computer.  I swear I am going to end up with such curvature of the spine when I am older.  I applied for jobs and then I did some general maintenance on the computer.  I updated the anti-virus program I have and tried to fix things that have just somehow gotten out of whack.  It really got me to thinking about the similarity between this inanimate object and people.  How do they both seem to change, all on their own, without any assist from me. They both seem to go from being so completely there for you and dependable to just changing in the blink of an eye.  They both seem to turn against you and you have no idea why it happened or how to fix it.  Ahhh the mysteries of life.  So, I am turning everything inward, gonna fix and repair me and, if you suddenly notice that I haven't posted for a few days, it is because I have thrown the computer out the window.

Anywho, I grabbed 10 records today without looking at what they were.  Some are really good and some are just average (or borderline bad) judging from the titles and what I can remember of them.  We shall see!  Oh, I almost forgot.....when I went to take today's picture, I called Red Robot and he was no where to be found.  So, I took a few shots and then all of sudden he just jumped into frame and out again.  Wasn't until later that I noticed the rope and camo helmet.  He must be preparing for the zombie apocalypse!

Here they are kids, Today's 10 Tunes...

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Respect Yourself - Bruce Willis 3:51 (Motown Records)   Love this song and I have not heard it in forever. Guess I have to cue up all the records myself today.  Here we go....Oh yeh!!!  It's as good as I remember it.  Love the Pointer Sisters sangin' their little hearts out with Bruno!  Sooo totally chair dancing with at-teee-tood!!!  Thank Gawd, finally a song from the 80s with a harmonica that ISN'T Stevie Wonder!  This song really speaks to the way I am feeling these days! 

2.  Breakout - Swing Out Sister 3:46 (Mercury Records)  This is probably Dave's least favorite song ever!  It's not high on my list either and I keep passing it up when I go to grab records, but here it is...finally!  This is one I remember Steven really liking.  Alright, it is starting out ok.  I am bopping, begrudgingly!  Ok, I am also singing along.  Aw hell, I like this song.  Great horns, fun beat and really cool back-up singing!  I used to mix this with a song by Scritti Pollitti called Wood Beez.  Screw it, I really like this song.  IT EVEN HAS A KEY CHANGE!  WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!  It is a harmless, happy song! Gotta talk to Dave about this.

3.  Love Will Conquer All - Lionel Ritchie 4:18 (Motown Records)  Gonna get this out of the way up front....not a Lionel fan.  I do not remember this song by its title, so, there is no pre-judgement here.  Ok, it is playing and I still don't remember this song.  This must be one of Steven's records.  I really should have been more selective when I took his records.  Hee hee! WOW  This is a very boring song.  Very middle of the road pop/soul.  I'd be very curious to see if Steven remembers it BEFORE he plays the clip.  It really is not a bad song at all, just kinda forgettable.

4.  Show Me - The Cover Girls 3:43 (The Fever...catch it!  Records)  Cool label name, huh?   HA!!  WOW  I forgot how bad this song is!  The lead singer's voice is sooooooo annoyingly nasally bad!  I guess it has it's merits for dancing in a club with lots of other sweaty people and as a way for the DJ to sustain a beat to keep people dancing, but other than that..............................................................................!  Show Me? Show you what?  How to sing?  Ok!  Sign up for my HowToSingAPopSong correspondence course. 

5.  Daddy's Money - Ricochet 2:58 (Columbia Records)  From silly dance song to silly country dance song!  This is fun!  Man, I love these songs.  This is one of the ones I bought for my Mom to practice her line dancing to and it brings back really great memories of working at Low Places.  Damn, I remember all the words to this one!  I think the reason I love these country songs is because it reminds of the 70s when they actually played real instruments, actually had some singing talent and you could understand the words, so you could sing along! 

6.  Should I Do It - The Pointer Sisters 3:53 (Planet Records)  Ha!  Another one I couldn't place.  Such a fun song.  Loving the 50s feel to this one.  I have always loved the Sisters' voices, such tight, amazing harmonies. A very, very fun song!!! It actually made me smile for a minute!

7.  I Love Music (Part 1) - The O'Jays 3:37 (Philadelphia Records)  This is one of my favorite songs.  I have used this every single time I DJed anywhere.  It needs to be in the Coolest Songs Of All-Time list in the top 15 (I say that cause I am sure by now I have used up the top 10 slots)!  Bongos!!!!  Loves me some good bongos!  "I Love Music/any kind of music"  AMEN!  Such a cool, sexy song!!! TSOP (the sound of Philadelphia)

8.  Swear - Sheena Easton 3:35 (EMI Records)  Oh so 80s!!!!  And oh such a silly song!!!  But I love it!  This is a way tough Sheena! I would not mess with this Sheena.  "Swear!  that you love me/Swear! that you need me/ Swear! that you want me!" WOW  I forgot about the little spoken part of the song!  Listen to the clip!  Very cool. 

9.  The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey 3:45 (MCA Records)  GREAT horns!  Glenn Frey's voice is sooooo freakin' cool.  "Ohh a wah whoooooo The Heat Is On"  Another great driving song.  Can you tell I am in need of a road trip?  I have all the music on here now!!  Got my destination in mind.  Now all I need is a car (yeh yeh, with a driver.  shuttup)

10.  Smokin' In The Boys Room - Motley Crue 3:08 (Elektra Records)  I love this remake.  The Crue really did a great job with this.  Kept the original fun intent of the song but added their "hair band" sensibilities to it.  Chair dancing and finger pointin here!!!!  Love the end of the song!!!  Very cool!

WOW This went WAY too fast!  I had a blast today!  I hope you enjoyed these songs too!  Oh crap, somewhere in the middle of this I missed a call from an old friend that I really want to see again (I haven't seen him in 20 years)!  Gotta get my shit together here, get some money together and just listen to myself for a change.  I wish I still had some of the youthful, blind faith that things would work themselves out and damn the consequences!  Gettin' old is a bitch. I sorta blew my first chance at reconnecting because I let someone else's advice influence me.  Ain't gonna happen again!  Ok, I am outta here.  Go hug yourself!  See you tomorrow!

New Dog - Old Trick

After spending the better part of the day keeping the wolves at bay, juggling payments to utility companies and realizing that I need to get back out there and start another soul-sucking retail job because the little bit that I am getting from unemployment is not going to cut it anymore, I thought I would attempt something more meaningful. I figured I should teach Red Robot how to open my beer bottles for me. Since he has taken a liking to the Simpsons, I figured I would use my talking Simpsons bottle opener to instruct him on the simple art of opening a beer bottle on request. It didn't go very well. Look at the picture and you will understand.

Also, I reorganized the music page and created a separate page for January's songs and will continue to do this each month. There is a link on the main page to get to January's songs if you wanted to go back and listen.

Here are Today's 10 Tunes (click the picture to enbiggen)

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt 3:57 (Asylum Records)  An amazing cover of Roy Orbison's classic. The simplicity of the arrangement and Linda's soft delivery on the verses, really make you feel her longing.  I love the way she sings the words "sleepy eyes". How do make a word sound sleepy?  She did!  Of course I love when she lets loose and goes full throttle.  An outstanding instrument on our Linda!!

2.  Tighter, Tighter - Alive and Kicking 2:45 (Roulette Records)  I love when I can't place a song title right away and then as soon as that first note plays....I love this song!  Loving that laid back 60s groove and the combination of their voices, so cool.  This is one of Steven's that I think he may have gotten at a great record store in midtown called Downstairs Records.

3.  I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner 4:58 (Atlantic Records)  Don't we all?  I really do like this song, alot.  Maybe it is just my "I am over EVERYTHING" mood at the moment but all I want to do is smack this guy.  Stop whining.  There's been heartache and pain in everyone's life and we all have to face it.  Geez!  This is like the guy that walks around complaining about his life saying he is just not happy!  Whannn!  Back to the song....there is an amazing all-star group making up that choir toward the end of the song and that is what I like the most about this song!  Cause, seriously folks, his voice is a bit whiny, don't ya think?

4.  Bad Girls - Donna Summer 3:55 (Casablanca Records)  Um, Mr. Foreigner Man, maybe you should talk to Donna and some of her Bad Girls.  You may not find out what love is but after spending some time with them, you won't care quite so much!  This is such a great song!!!  Classic disco and everyone knows this song.  Donna Summer ruled the world there for awhile didn't she?  This is Giorgio Moroder in the early stages of his career as well. She put out an album last year that was soooooo incredible called Colors.  If you like her at all, go out and get it.  Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

5.  Rio - Duran Duran 3:57 (Capitol Records)  I really liked Duran Duran back in the day, not all that thrilled with most of what they have done in the last 10 years but they had such a distinct sound.  That was not an easy feet at the time when most British Pop Bands all tended to sound the same.  When I worked at Record Factory and my hair was really long, people used to tell me I looked like John Taylor!  A compliment indeed!  Little bit of trivia that I am sure most of you know, they got their name from the villain in the movie Barbarella.  Just thought I would throw that out there.

6.  Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison 3:50 (Dark Horse Records)  For some reason I have had this song stuck in my head for days and I have not heard it in ages.  Hopefully hearing it now will knock it out of there once and for all.  Such a happy, obviously contagious song!  This song was co-produced with Jeff Lynne of E.L.O. and you can hear a little of his influence in there.  I think he may be singing back-up as well.  RR is dancing around to this one!  He is spinning the bottle opener around.  He is going to hit himself in the......head!  Gotta pick him up.

7.  Upside Down - Diana Ross 3:37 (Motown Records)  Ahhh, another classic disco song.  Diana Ross teamed up with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic for her 1980 breakout album, "Diana"!  It really is a great album!  Such a great sound!!  Ya know what, I take that back....it is not a classic disco song.  It is on the brink of the next phase of dance music and was more of a club song.  A little lower key and didn't have all the trappings of a disco song.  This definitely had more funk to it. GREAT guitars.

8.  Again - Janet Jackson 3:48 (Virgin Records)  This one is on translucent YELLOW vinyl kids!!  WOOOOHOOOO!!  This is my favorite ballad of Janet's. So simple and Janet's voice is right up front, not buried in production. The lyric is so honest and direct. This is someone that is so in love with someone but knows it is not right because he keeps leaving.  She is strong when he is not around but as soon as she sees him Again....BAM!  Haven't we all been there?  I know I have.  I'm gonna be strong, I don't need you, I can do this!  "Hello!"  Oh crap.  Ya know what I am saying?

9.  Taxi - Harry Chapin 6:40 (Elektra Records)  6:40?  Man, record companies did not pay attention to things like this.  The song is 5:00 long.  I seem to remember it being longer on the album, so they must have used that timing.  Anyway, this is one of THE best story songs ever!!!  I have said this before but Harry Chapin and Jim Croce were the greatest story tellers of all time.  There was a sequel to this song, aptly titled "Sequel".  I know I own it but I am not sure if it is a single or on an album.  He continues the story of Harry and Sue and gave them a proper ending to their story. This song is why I love doing this blog.  It totally took me out of my crappy mood for a few minutes and let me get totally lost in it.  Ain't music grand?

10.  Shake The Disease - Depeche Mode 3:59 (Sire Records)  Ah, another John Vargas accomplishment.  He loved Depeche Mode and in turn so did I.  Dave Gahan's vocals and Martin Gore's elctronica was a match made in heaven.  They created and continue to create some of the most interesting and some times hypnotic music ever.  I could relate to alot of their songs but for John, it was like they were writing specifically for him!  That was such an amazing time in my life, I miss John alot and I know that he and Dave, my Dave not Depeche Dave, would get along soooooo well!

I had such a great time with THE Lori Rome yesterday.  We bitched, commiserated, decided that we should move to Mexico with her mom and open a restuarant, make a crap load of money and then come back.  We laughed, shot up the place, ate and just had a great time.  She even had a dish, that I created, named for her.  As Dave pointed out, everyone should have a food named for them!  I wish I could find work doing what I love doing but I just don't know how to find it.  Oh well.  That will be tomorrow's problem to solve.  I still have to get RR to stop taking the tops off my beer bottles. I hope you had a great VD yesterday kids.  Love yourselves, take care of you first and then tell someone else how much you love them.  That is my new resolve.  See you tomorrow!

Happy Hallmark Day!

There are those

I suppose,

Who prefer their prose

To be contained within a card

That cost them 5 hard.

I, you see

Prefer to be

Alone and free.

And while there is no impending switch about it

I will remain single and continue to bitch about it!

Sorry about that.  I have no idea where that came from. Actually, I think Valentine's Day is a very sweet thing.  It is a day to tell someone you love them, how can that be a bad thing?  I spent the day yesterday with my favorite Valentine, my Mom and later today I will get to spend some time with THE Lori Rome.  All-in-all a good way to spend the weekend!

Now, I have given today's songs a lot of thought and was going to go the obvious route and pick 10 romantic love songs but I just knew, after a few songs, my commentary may get a little, oh how can I put this delicately? Bitter? (Kidding)  I chose instead to pick songs that had a little more HEART to them.  It will be interesting to see just how many of them are actually love songs.  Come to think of it, love songs come in various shapes and themes don't they?  There is the IN love song, the OUT OF love song, the PINING FOR love song and the DROP DEAD I NEVER WANNA BE IN LOVE AGAIN love song, this may end up being a dual payoff.  Red Robot has gotten into the mood today and has his heart on for you all too!

Here they are folks, Today's 10 HEARTfeltTunes.

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Heart Attack - Olivia Newton-John 3:09 (EMI Records)  I love this song. Following the success of Physical, Olivia went on a ginormous world tour and her record label issued her second greatest hits album. They needed two new songs and Heart Attack was one of the two.  While this is not the greatest song in the world, it is fun.  It is a love song, now isn't it?  She meets a guy that is so hot he is giving her a Heart Attack.  Doesn't bode well for the longevity of the relaionship though if that happens every time she sees him! 

2.  Heart Of Stone - Cher 4:01 (Geffen Records)  This may well be my favorite Cher song to date!  I love the sound of it and the attitude.  "We never learn, hurt together, hurt alone don't you sometimes wish your heart was a heart of stone"  "Do you lose and win or win and lose"  This is a slightly remixed version of the song and I forgot how great the mix is!! Ok, I guess I missed a love song category above....LOVE MYSELF ENOUGH NOT TO GET HURT BY LOVE AGAIN love song.  I guess Cher has always been in a category all to herself!

3.  The Heart Of Rock & Roll  - Huey Lewis and the News 3:58 (Chrysalis Records)  Another song that starts with a heartbeat.  Nice.  This is such a happy, driving song!  Love Huey's voice!  Love the drums!!  And that sax solo is perfect for this song!!! RR is dancing like a mad robot!!  (Good thing too, now I can sneak my box of chocolates away from him.  He is soooo possessive.) Ok, ok, I am chair dancing too!

This is also a love song...the love of the thing that brings us together everyday...love of good music!

4.  Change Of Heart - Cyndi Lauper 3:58 (Portrait Records)  The beginning of this song is sooooo freakin' cool!  That bass line and then when the guitars come in!  Perfect.  Favorite line - "I could fly/back to when we were younger/when adventures like cars we would ride/and the years lie ahead still untried/while I stand here waitiing for your Change Of Heart" Love it love it love it! 

5.  Hearts On Fire - Bryan Adams 3:30 (A&M Records)  I forgot about this song!  It is so good!  Obviously, Cyndi was singing her song to Bryan because he has made up his mind about them being together.  Excellent pairing, dontcha think?  They should totally do a duet together!!!

6.  Heart And Soul - the Monkees 3:37 (Rhino Records)  Ok, I can honestly say I do not have any idea what this song sounds like.  I bought it because it was the Monkees 1987 comeback AND the single is pressed on bubblegum pink vinyl! Need I say more?  Ok, RR hit it....RR?  Oh crap, he found the chocolates.  I'll do it myself.  Ok, it is starting off ok, good rock sound to it.  Uh oh.....the lyrics.  oh no!!  No no nononononononooo.  This is not good folks."Love in a vacuum/ love in a space/ love without even a little hint of a trace"  need I go on?  Well, the record itself is really cool!  A love of colored vinyl love song!

7.  Heart And Soul - The Cleftones 1:55 (Collectibles Records)  Here ya go folks, this is the REAL Heart And Soul (sorta)!!!   This is a more rockin', greaser version of the song that, if you have ever played a piano, you know what this song is!  The best recording, I think, is by the Four Aces. 

8.  Open Your Heart - Madonna 4:12 (Sire Records)  Another fun fun fun song!  Chair dancing, but how can you not?  Love her or hate her, ya gotta give to her, Madonna wrote, produced and recorded some of the best dance songs.  This is definitely a PINING FOR LOVE love song with a hint of stalker mixed in! "Don't try to run, I can keep up with you" 

9.  Alone - Heart 3:38 (Capitol Records)  Alright, so it is a stretch and yes I had other songs with the word Heart in the title, but I love this song.  shuttup  Ok, it is another PINING song and again it has a hint of stalker/crazy, but hey sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do!  "How do I get you alone?" Well, and this is just a thought, maybe if you stop saying that over and over again OUT LOUD and just think it, he may not keep running in the other direction!  Just saying.

10.  My Heart Belongs To Me - Barbra Streisand 3:21 (Columbia Records)  I saved the best for last!  This is such a well written song and the lyric is just so different.  Yes I loved you but hey, that was yesterday, I can't hide it, My Heart Belongs To Me.  Get off my leg.  Quit begging and goodbye!  I love it!  Nice!

Being in love is an amazing thing.  Personally, I think that part of my life is over...to meet someone and fall in love.  But I am ok with that.  I have the best friends and family in the world and I absolutely adore them all.  I hope you all have a wonderful VD and schnuggle with your honey if you have one, if not call an old friend and tell them how much you love them!

See you tomorrow!

Silly Song Saturday

Everyday, as I flip through the 45s to grab the day's 10 songs I keep passing these songs that I think are so silly or goofy.  Some were intended to be comical and other's are just plain so-bad-they-are-funny.   So, I said to myself, "Moonbeam (that's what I call myself when I talk to myself) if you can find 10 silly songs why not do a whole post with them!"  I found 14, but have narrowed it down to 10.  So, that is what today is all about...silliness.

Red Robot has gotten into my Simpson Pez' and decided that Bart Pez is his favorite.  Good choice!  Only problem is, he is on a bit of a sugar high right now and he is acting, well, silly! Good time to git this thang started, huh?

Here they are, Today's Silly 10 Songs....

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Another One Rides The Bus - Weird "Al" Yankovic 2:36 (T.K. Records)  Oh man!!!  Obviously this was before Weird "Al" was making lots and lots of money doing his parody songs because this sounds like it was recorded in his bathroom but it is very funny!  Based on the lyrics, he obviously rode the bus with me to school cause he described the twice daily excursion perfectly!  The accordion playing, foot stomping and what can only be described as "hand farting" noises make this the number one silly song of the day!

2.  The Name Game - Shirley Ellis 2:45 (Congress Records)  This song gets cross-referenced on 2 lists...silly and MOST ANNOYING!  The only thing that saves this song for me is the music.  I love the horns!  This is the kind of song that I want to see in a movie blaring out as someone goes postal and at the end of the scene they shoot the record player and the record gets blasted into a million pieces.  Just saying!  RR is in total agreement here. (There's a first! Must be the Pez!)

3.  You Look Marvelous - Billy Crystal 3:45 (A&M Records)  I love this song!!  The music is so totally 80s dance music and then Billy as Hernando starts talking....too funny!! "Just looking into your eyes Darling, I can just tell you have the legs of a dancer!"  Chair dancing and laughing my butt off!  My Mom used to like this song!  I have to play it for her again.

4.  Pac-Man Fever - Buckner & Garcia 3:43 (Columbia Records)  Too ridiculous to even talk about! Seriously, other than hearing the Pac-Man sound effects, there is nothing really to say!  RR is throwing Pez at the record!

5.  Pop Goes The Movies Part 1 - Meco 3:32 (Arista Records)  Following the success of their Star Wars interpretations Meco set out to take on some of the most memorable movie themes and put them together with an inane clapping dance beat.  Personally, I think they did a great job!  Really gorgeous orchestrations against that drum-clap-drum-clap-drum-clap beat was pretty ingenious. What do you mean, so what makes this silly? RR, it is silly because I said so.  shuttup.

6.  Hi-Heel Sneakers 2:45 Tommy Tucker (Checker Records)  I first heard this song by David Cassidy on an album he did in the 90s.  I liked his version alot and thought I should pick up the original.  They are very different animals, let me tell you folks.  Not even sure how to categorize this song.  Is it blues, is it jazz, is it some drunk guy in his basement with a Hammond Organ and an electic guitar sitting on some beer crates?  You decide.

7.  Achy Breaky Heart - Alvin and the Chipmunks with special guest star Billy Ray Cyrus 4:50 (Epic Records)  Honest folks, you can't make this stuff up!!!  This was from an album called The Chipmunks in Low Places!  It is as silly as you would think it is!  Oh man, this is too annoying to even listen to!  Somehow, as time went on and the powers that be needed to milk even more money out of the Chipmunk franchise, their voices got even higher and more annoying.  Sorry, the Chipmunks of the 60s were the REAL Chipmunks.

8.  Hot Hot Hot  - Buster Poindexter & His Banshees Of Blue 3:45 (RCA Records)  Ok, this is a really fun, silly song whose only purpose is to entertain and make people on cruise ships dance!  Well, it seems to be working on RR, he is dancing as if in a conga line playing little air maracas!  Very nice.  Hey RR, how you feeeeeeeeeling? 

9.  Shoppin' From A to Z - Toni Basil 3:36 (Chrysalis Records)  Yes, Toni Basil released more than just Mickey!  After listening to this again, I can understand why there probably wasn't much released after this!  It is silliness at it's best.  It is exactly what the title implies....Toni making her way through the alphabet in her grocery store!  OYE!  I do like her voice though!

10.  Hang On Sloopy - The Ramsey Lewis, Trio  (Cadet Records)  This is not the original version by the McCoys and I have no idea why I even have this record!!  It is some jazz combo playing the song in a bar with a bunch of drunk people laughing and clapping and singing the chorus.  I thought this a fitting way to end the silliness.

Well, that was a lot of fun, for the most part!  Some of it was a bit painful but at least it is over now.  Although, I just know I am going to wake up with The Name Game stuck in my head tomorrow!  I had a really great day today.  Spent it with my parents and helped my Mom make some really cool stuff on the computer for a project she is working on. In turn, she made a fantastic meal!  It is something that Nan used to make and was a family favorite....porcupines and corn fritters! Porcupines are simply chopped meat, milk and rice rolled like meatballs, covered in tomato soup and baked (30 minutes covered, 30 minutes uncovered) until the rice pops, hence the name.  I am still stuffed!  I hope you all had a great day today.  Go give someone you love a huge hug.  See you tomorrow!!

Play It Again

There are some memories that are so incredibly vivid and that we all hold very near and dear and then others take a little coaxing to come out of their neatly protected shell.  They just need a little spark to rekindle them.  Well, I have to admit that some of the songs today are ones that I really don't remember, but I am sure once Red Robot spins em up, they will come flooding back to me.

Along those same lines, I am always saying that I need to write things down and apparently, Red Robot has taken me a wee bit too literally!  Oye!

Well, here are Today's 10 Tunes folks.  I hope you enjoy them!

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Could It Be Forever - David Cassidy 2:16 (Bell Records "Test Pressing")  See? Little things like that get me excited.  Not only is this a white label promotional single but it actually has the words "Test Pressing" on the label and in QUOTES yet!!  Um...ya know, even though you are only thinking it, I can still hear you screaming GEEEEEEEEEEEEEK through the computer!  I think this was the second single from David's first solo album and in my opinion, it is so much better than Cherish!  It really shows off his voice and is much less Partridge-y than Cherish.  Favorite part of the song for me is when he croaks out the word "but"!  Very corny but very cool.  Kinda like me, yeh, that's it, like me.  Even though you don't have eyes RR I know you just rolled something at me.

2.  Oh Julie - Barry Manilow 2:14 (Arista Records)  You know how much I love Barry, right?  Well, my recollection of this song was that it was very silly and I was not looking forward to playing it today!  But you know what?  I was so very wrong!  This is such a cool, catchy, rockabilly little song and he sounds GREAT singing it!  The man is just perfect.  Have you gotten his new album yet????  What are you waiting for?  Jeez!

3.  Modern Girl - Sheena Easton 3:35 (EMI Records)  WOW  I haven't heard this song in ages.  I forgot how much I loved it!  Such a fun, silly song!  "She eats a tangerine"  I guess that is the lyricist's way of showing us that she is a Modern Girl! (HUH?)  That or it is the only thing he could think of that rhymes with "magazine".  Favorite part of the song is the casio solo!  Back to the lyrics for a second...I love when they can't come up with anything so they just brainstorm and come up with "na na na nana"!  Genious!

4.  Skin Deep - Cher 3:54 (Geffen Records)  I love this song but I consider it Cher's 80s sell out song!  All the other stuff she was doing at the time had a somewhat timeless rock sound to it. This is pure out and out 80s up to moment gimmeckry at its best and I love it!!  Chair dancing to this one baby!  The funny thing is, this a remix/re-edit from the album version to make it sound even more contemporary.  The only problem with that is....the more hip and up the minute you try to be the more 5 minutes ago you become..  Funny how that works.

5.  A Little Bit Of Heaven - Natalie Cole 4:01 (Modern Records)  Ok, here is another one that, right off the top of my head, I can't exactly recall how it goes, I just remember really liking it.  These things scare me sometimes.  You know like when you have a favorite movie or tv show from when you were a kid and then you see it again as an adult?  You hang your head in shame and think, "what the hell was I thinking?"  Let's hope that is not the case here, cause I love Natalie Cole.  Ok RR, spin it babeeeee!  Ahhhhhhh....I remember it from the first note and I do so love this song!!!  I love the reggae feel to the chorus!  So cool! This is definitely a sombody's-getting-lucky-tonight song but the cool thing is, it is a couple that is already in a committed relationship.  Very adult and a little sleazy!  Love it.

6.  Only Wanna Be With You - Hootie & the Blowfish 3:46 (Atlantic Records)  Ahh Hootie!  Where'd ya go bud?  We miss you and what ever became of the poor Blowfish?  Sent them back out to sea did ya?  This is such a cool/fun song!!  Loving the banjos and guitars and Hootie's voice is just so freakin' cool with his husky mumble!  Chair dancing again!  Really fun songs so far today, yes?

7.  Let It Whip - Dazz Band 3:58 (Motown Records)  HA!!  I always thought this was such a silly song but man, it sounds so good right now!!  Such a tight slick production! Can't type!  Chair dancing!  Spinning a little too!  RR is doing the robot again.  (We need to teach him some new moves!) Ok, so the lyrics are beyond silly but who cares when a song sounds this good!  "awooohoooo"   "I only wanna be widchew"

8.  Another One Bites The Dust - Queen 3:32 (Elektra Records)  Till I draw my last breath I will never understand how this song came from Queen!  It was so out of character, in my opinion.  They were known for huge rock opus' and then comes this song.  While it is way cool and sooooooo far ahead of its time, it is still an oddity in my mind! I am guessing they were just discovering synths and were trying to keep up with ELO?  Just saying!  "Hey hey"  Did I ever tell you about the time I met Freddie Mercury at Studio 54?

9.  Telephone Line - ELO 3:57 (United Artists)  Ok, this seems to be the recurring theme for today.  It was really not intentional but....I REALLY don't remember this one.  Hell, I don't even remember ELO being on United Artists Records.  Hit it RR......nnnnnnnow!   Oh man,  the beginning of this song was so totally ripped off by Lionel Richie (thieving bastard)!  I remember this one now!  Very slow for ELO.  Such a cool, Beatlesque sound to it!  This is another one of those songs that remeinds me of getting the Superhero stamps while at Nan's!

10.  Hurts So Bad - Linda Ronstadt 3:03 (Asylum Records)  Now this one I remember and I LOVE!!!!  The Ronstadt Era was an amazing one!  She could kick the crap out of anyone, vocally/  You did not mess with Linda!  She is the consumate actress in a song, whether it be a kick-ass rock song or a big band number.  And do you remember her look back in the day?  Kinda waifish, with her hair piled on top of her head and those HUGE brown eyes!!!  Incredible.  I always associate this song with summertime on Battery Avenue.

I love doing this blog.  Somedays it is very difficult to write because I know there is some stupid moron monitoring what I say here, and DB ("douche bag" please know that I do indeed have an attorney on my side) and somedays it is very difficult to find anything interesting to say!  But, finding songs like these and knowing that I have now digitized them to listen to more frequently is such a great pay off! I love sharing this music with you guys and I love your comments too. I am thrilled that I can help you relive these songs with me.  I have some fun stuff planned for the weekend, so make sure you come back.  Now, go tell someone you truly love that you love them, believe me, they need to hear it!  Never forget to end a conversation with the words I love you.  I'll see you all tomorrow!!!!

"Makin' Good Conversation"

A long time ago, my Mom gave me a book called, "Pooh's Birthday Book".  It is a little hardcovered book and it is filled with various exceprts from the WTP series of books.  She pointed out the last line of the book to me, which was Piglet and Pooh walking through the 100 Acre Wood with Piglet posing this simple thought to Pooh, "I wonder what good will happen today."  Ever since I read that, I have tried to live my life with that thought in mind.  Well, lately, I have had some trouble trying to find the good and I know it is all around me.  I have been letting something that is beyond my control steal focus from the gifts that I have in my life like Dave (my guardian angel) and Jeffrey, like the fact that Steven is ok and when all else fails me, I can revel in my own geekdom!

How did my geekdomosityness (it is a perfectly cromulent word.  shuttup) sneak back in today you maybe asking yourself?  Well, almost 30 years after its release and after the 10 weeks that it was number 1 on the Billboard Charts, Olivia Newton-John's Physical is once again number 1 on a Billboard Chart.  It was ranked THE SEXIEST SONG OF ALL-TIME!!!  How cool is that?  In honor of that, of course, I am including it today among the other 20 songs.  I am going to do this in 1 post, divided in 2.  The first 11 songs are coming right up, as soon as Red Robot gets off my Pepsi Truck, (he has been joy riding all morning).  Then I am going to take a break, do some cooking and come back with the other 10!   So get comfortable, turn your speakers up and enjoy!

Here are Today's 10 Tunes + Physical....

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Physical - Olivia Newton-John 3:42 (Polar Music International)   Here is another song that almost wasn't!  After Olivia had recorded it, the night before its release, she called the record company and asked them to pull it because she thought it went too far.  They told her it was too late and well, you know the rest of that story. Of course, by today's standards this is like a lullaby, but man o man, when it first came out, it was so hot.  Ok, RR get off the truck and spin it!   LOVE that opening bass line!!! Olivia has one of THE sexiest, playful voices ever. I just love everything about this song, especially that guitar solo twoard the end.  I used to carry this 45 all over NY and ask people (well, DJ type people, not people walking down the street) to play it when it was very first released, before it went to number 1.  Geek!!  You should hear her newer more "age-appropriate" version of the song.  If it is possible, I think THAT version is even sexier than this!

2.  Romancing The Stone - Eddy Grant 3:30 (Portrait Records)  WOW  How very 80s is this song?  I totally forgot about this one.  "Where da unicorn's da last one at da waterhole"?  WHAT?  I guess all we needed back then was to know the words of the chorus so we could sing em while we danced! It is good to hear this song again but I will stick to Electric Avenue when I need an Eddy Grant fix! STOP!!!  RR is trying to drive the Pepsi Truck into the turntable!  You know the rules, even when the song kinda sucks, we gotta let the whole thing play! Oye!

3.  True - Spandau Ballet 5:40 (Chrysalis Records)  Here's another one for the 100 Coolest Songs list. I love this guy's voice.  Ya know, even though I know every word to this song (my friend John Vargas taught me and trust me, they make more sense then the lyrics to Gold) I still am left wondering, WHAT DOES HE KNOW AS TRUE?????   So, he went out on a journey, came back, danced around with a pill on his tongue listening to Marvin all night long and this, he says, is the truth that he wants to be known.  The best I can gleen from it is the sense of passing time and all we have is this moment that we are in!  What do you think RR?  Oh crap.  He fell off the truck.

4.  Private Dancer - Tina Turner 4:04 (Capitol Records)  Ya know, these two songs would mix well together.  Remember that RR!  He just gave me a robotic wink.  This song is soooo cool and so sexy.  I love that she sings the majority of the song in such a low whisper, like she is confiding in us and then she lets loose and it is back to work at the dance hall! I think this one goes in the Coolest List as well.  This whole album is so amazing and is one of the constants that Dave and I pull out and listen to from time to time.  It never gets old!

5.  There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics 4:31 (RCA Records)  Annie Lennox is so outrageously talented.  The music that she and Dave Stewart made together is some of the best of the 80s. WOW  She can do anything with that voice, from the lowest of low notes to the most ethereal of high notes!!  Pair that with the orgy of keyboards and synths and it was magic everytime!  Listen to the "angel Annie" in the chorus!  Ya know, I think Stevie Wonder wandered around from recording studio to recording studio in the 80s with that damn harmonica cause he is on almost everyone's singles from back then. "Hi.  I'm Stevie. Did someone call for a harmonica solo?"  I actually bought this single for the flip side, Grown-Up Girls after hearing it on WLIR, one of the coolest underground college radio stations.

6.  You're The Inspiration - Chicago 3:49 (Warner Brothers Records)  Someone really special once put this on a tape for me!  I love this song and I loved that part of my life!  Oh to feel that way again about someone!

7.  If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes (Philadelphia International Records)  Such a great song with one of the most amazing lyrics.  How much more honest can you get?  If you don't know me by now than you will never know me.  And if you don't, then maybe we should say goodbye!!  So, incredible. I gotta say, Harold Melvin has one of the greatest soul voices and was so underrated!

8.  Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler 4:29 (Columbia Records)  Another great pairing....Jim Steinman and Bonnie Tyler!!!!  Jim Steinman created some of the greatest and most haunting songs of the late 70s and 80s for Meatloaf, Cher, Barbra Streisand and of course Bonnie Tyler!  This song is so fast and hard hitting!!!  I love it and it fits my mood right now so perfectly!  Love the insane drums in this song!!!!  I also love how angry she is but still holding onto a hope that a hero will come and save her!  Having lived in Lancaster for 16 years now I also have been holding out for a hero as well, but more of the sandwich variety!

9.  If You Remember Me - Chris Thompson 2:53 (Planet Records)  This is one of my all-time favorite ballads.  What an incredible lyric about the end of a relationship.  This is someone that HAD to end a good relationship, whatever his reasons and he wants to make sure that the person he left knows how much he loves them!  Brilliant!!!  Barry Manilow did a very good cover of this song!

10.  The Music Of Goodbye - Melissa Manchester and Al Jarreau 3:54 (MCA Records)  This is the love theme from Out Of Africa, one of my all-time favorite movies.  It was released as a single and then included on a special edition of the soundtrack, which I have searched for since 1986 and have never found.  Not only is this a gorgeous movie but the score from it is one of the best I have ever heard!  This single captures some of the magic of the score and the pairing of Melissa and Al is genious!

11.  Over The Rainbow - Sam Harris 3:01 (Motown Records)  This is the song that helped Sam Harris win on Star Search and captured the attention and hearts of everyone watching and cheering him on!  Yes, it is a bit over the top but man, listen to his voice.  This is a very soulful version of the song and he sells it! He can sing anything!!! 

Ok, going to go get some air and go exploring with Dave for awhile.  I'll be back to cook and share and listen to some more music.


I'm back.  Miss me?  Feels like I never left, doesn't it?  I am so full, it isn't funny!  I made Chicken Primavera with spinach & cheese ravioli!!!  This meal is pretty much a heartattack waiting to happen and one you can't have often but man did it turn out great.  I cut up boneless chicken breasts into nice sized pieces and sauteed them in a skillet with butter and olive oil.  When it was cooked through I removed it from the pan and added sliced onion and minced fresh garlic and diced zuccini. Let that cook till the onion is translucent then I added fresh, steamed asparagus and diced roma tomatoes, I then returned the chicken to the pan and tossed it all together, covered it and let it simmer while I made the sauce.  In a separate pan, and here's where it gets unhealthy...I melted butter, added heavy cream and Sargento Velvety Smooth Ricotta Cheese and when the cheese melted down I sprinkled paprika for color and folded in the chicken and vegetables then sprinkled some parmesan cheese and let it simmer for 5 minutes so all the flavors could marry.  I put it over the spinach/cheese ravioli and made a pig of myself. 

Well, I am stuffed but promised the other 10 songs, so, barring any unforeseen circumstances, here they are folks........(I created two separate music players for the two sets of songs)  By the way, it seems that RR has picked up another new habit.  Every once in awhile he likes to have a little nip of something!  (Doesn't he look guilty in this picture?)

(Click here to listen to clips from these songs)

1.  Whenever I Call You Friend - Kenny Loggins 3:59 (Columbia Records)  This song was supposed to be a duet with Melissa Manchester but, ironically, they could not agree on the best way to present the song, so Stevie Nicks stepped in.  Melissa recorded her own version but never released it as a single.  The one thing they both seemed to agree on was to not put the name of their singing partner on either of their records!  Go figure.  This is one time that I really like Kenny's voice all the way through a song and the pairing of the two voices was quite inspired.

2.  Lovin' Every Minute Of It - Loverboy 3:30 (Columbia Records)  Funny....I had picked the 21 songs for today this morning and many hours later Dave was playing a Loverboy song in his truck. Ok, not so much funny as it is ironic, no? Spin it RR.  Oh boy, he just tripped over the tone-arm. I think he might be a little tipsy. I love this song.  I haven't heard it in ages. Hair dancing and finger pointing here!  When I worked at Macy's Herald Square I had made friends with this wonderful girl named Sherlene and this was one of her favorite songs.  I think of her every time I hear this one.  Love the ending of the song!!

3.  Run To You - Bryan Adams 3:59 (A&M Records)  From a great Canadian rock band to a great Canadian rocker!  Love Bryan Adams.  Such a cool beginning to this one!! That gravely sound of Bryan's voice is soooo cool and the guitar work is outstanding. It is amazing to see him perform because he looks like a little kid and then this voice comes out of him.  He looks the same now as he did 26 years ago!

4.  I'll Be There - The Jackson 5 3:35 (Motown Records)  "I'll Be There with an unselfish love and respect too"  Every time I hear this song I picture the animated Jacksons performing it!  I used to have a couple of cardboard records that were on the backs of different cereal boxes and I think this was one of them.  I know I had another Jackson 5 song for sure but I'm not about this one.

5.  Because Of Love - Janet Jackson 4:11 (Virgin Records)  Couldn't leave out baby sister, now could I?  Such a fun song!!  Chair dancing already!!  I used to love playing this when I DJed.  Such a smooth, fun groove to it and I love all of the backing group Janet did on this one!  You can just tell she was dancing around when she recorded it.

6.  All She Wants To Do Is Dance - Don Henley 4:23 (Geffen Records)  WOW  I totally forgot how this song starts.  SOOOOOOO freakin' cool!!  Even RR is dancing to this one.  He is going to fall down soon!!  I love the lyrics to this song, there are all kinds of gang-land references and terrorist references set against this dizzy chic that just wants to keep dancing!  Social commentary set to a killer beat!! I am totally chair dancing off that primavera sauce!!

7.  Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight 2:27 (Stax Records)  And the fun just keeps on coming!  This is another one of the magical summer vacation songs! I love how Ms. Knight is totally putting Mr. Stuff in his rightful place and knocking him down quite a few pegs in the process!  I am seeing Doc (from the Love Boat) dancing in his platforms and 20 pound fro again!  GREAT horns!!

8.  Thief Of Hearts - Melissa Manchester 3:39 (Casablanca Reocrds)  This is the title track from the movie of same name and is a fantastic pairing of Giorgio Moroder's music and Melissa Manchester's lyrics. There is an unmistakable sound to any Giorogio Moroder song, bright, crisp keyboards and drum machines.  I can remember going nuts the first time I heard this in a club in NY.  The DJ had an advanced copy so I wasn't even aware it existed.  I immediately ran to the booth and said, "that's Melissa Manchester isn't it?"  He had gotten two copies of the promo remix single and he gave me one.  A good night!

9.  Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis Costello & The Attractions 3:54 (Columbia Records)  This is my second favorite Elvis Costello song (the first being his cover of "She" from Notting Hill).  Really working up a little sweat here, I haven't stopped chair dancing all night! I love that kinda reggae sound and the xylophone is so cool.  Not a sound you normally hear in a pop song. Man, there was some great music in the early 80s. This song reminds me of Brooklyn College days.

10.  Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2 3:45 (Island Records)  Probably my favorite U2 song so far (cause ya know they are gonna do something else brilliant)!  Bono and the boys are the penultimate genious' of getting important messages out to the entire world wrapped neatly in an amazingly memorable (and catchy) song!  I recently watched an entire concert they did last summer on YouTube and was blown away.  I would love to see them live (not sitting in front of my computer.  You know what I meant.  shuttup)

It has been quite a day.  Olivia was number 1 again, the new Baman/Piderman video (look it up on YouTube) was finally put up, Piderman talked to Baman and hopefully the dark cloud cast by the Big Blue Monster will go the hell away.  Listen, if you try the primavera, let me know what you think of it.  When I was in Brooklyn College I watched someone make it once and I have never forgotten it. It was the first time someone other than a relative showed me how to prepare a dish and though I had to improvise a bit tonight, it came out just as good as I remember it being the first time.  Not a whole lot you can say that about!  I hope you enjoy the music and I'll see you tomorrow!  Make that meal for someone you love this weekend! (Gotta put RR in his little bed.  He passed out on the desk awhile back. Some robots just can't hold their booze!)