Songs »Lost in the Shadows (The Lost Boys) and Cry Little Sister

Lou Gramm and Gerard McMann (1987)

Even though it seemed inevitable, I was truly saddened by the news of Corey Haim’s recent passing. My sister and I grew up with the guy as a major pop culture icon and I still count myself a major fan of his best work, The Lost Boys. While the entire soundtrack was hardly pure gold (Jim has a real hard time with Echo and the Bunnymen’s ‘People are Strange’ cover), two songs stand out and are still on my iPod to this day.

So, in memory of the goofy kid whose voice would break, whose sideways smile would elicit sighs from preteen girls the world over, and who lived his adult life, tragically, as a lost boy, let’s play some Lou Gramm (Say hello to the night [lost boys] lost in the shadows!”) and, while we’re at, spin Gerard McMann’s Cry Little Sister (though shall not fallllll).

Wow, even just thinking about these songs memories of the tumultuous emotions and achingly conflicted and full heart I had to contend with in sixth grade come flooding back; these were the days my friends and I wanted to be in the Vampire cult (we made up the belief that if you used a ouija board in the deepest room in the house –in my case the basement laundry room – you could summon the spirits to turn into a vampire) and took major dressing cues from Star. It’s funny, it all seems so long ago, but when triggered by these songs, that intense time is as close as ever.


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Posted on March 14, 2010

Songs »Aquarela do Brasil

by Ary Barroso (1939)

Aquarela do Brasil, which is the most famous song from the namesake country, most vividly calls to mind the disutopia of Terry Gilliam’s psycho baby mask, plastic surgery, and radically bombed vision. However its been adopted, covered, and used so many places by so many people you might be more familiar with it from the Disney goes Latin animation Saludos Amigos or the discofied version by this week’s style icons The Ritchie Family. No matter the version you listen to though, you feel the strong urge to sway your hips and take a plane to warmer climates (accompanied creepy images of squashed bugs and huge golden Samurais if you still can’t get the Gilliam association out of your head).

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Posted on March 7, 2010

Songs »Hazy Shade of Winter

by The Bangles (1987) and Simon & Garfunkel (1968)

As the last flurries of one of the biggest snow storms in city history go floating past my window, I feel compelled to listen to (and recommend) a winter-time song, possibly my favorite winter-time song: Hazy Shade of Winter, which, as a maniac fanatic of the Bangles, was first introduced to me when it appeared on the Less Than Zero soundtrack.

But more than that, this song holds a memory from my school days. I was the new-ish kid in school and the talent show was approaching. The most popular girls with the biggest bangs (Holly and Molly) needed one last person to round out the lip-syncing magic they were to unveil at the sixth grade class talent show. They cornered me in the bathroom and asked/insisted I play the part of Michael or as they called her “the ugly one”. Naturally I complied and someplace in the depths of my parents house, a VHS tape of the mediocre results just might still exist.

An older and wiser me discovered that the song was originally performed by Simon & Garfunkel with a softer touch.

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Posted on February 28, 2010

Songs »Princes of the Universe

by Queen (1986)

If you’re anything like me then you have more than a few X Files reruns filling up your DVR; and if you’re a lot like me then you get to relish, albeit ever so briefly, the final seconds of the Highlander theme song (“I am immortal/ I have inside me blood of kings!!”) as the sub-par television show comes to its rightful end and the the compressed credits, which have been running at triple speed below and to the right of a Caprica teaser, increase to their full size and the song’s volume increases… It’s a moment of sheer bliss for me (find joy in the little things, right?), that I try to take in at least a couple of time a week.

Unsurprisingly, the song’s awesomeness is due to the glittery talent of Queen who, back in the day, were the go-to act for science fiction epic songstressing (see the incredible Flash Gordon theme). The theme is actually entitled Princes of the Universe and has a video where Freddie Mercury does battle with Chris Lambert (see below) – although I wish it were Clancy Brown as The Kurgan sparring with FM… though how could so much greatness accurately be captured on-screen at one time?

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Posted on February 14, 2010

Songs »Angel of the Morning

by Juice Newton (1981)

Just call me angel of the morning angel!
Just touch my cheek before you leave me bay-bee!

I dare you to listen to these words and not feel the urge to stand up, with your long hair flowing, and emote dramatically à la Juice Newton. If you don’t feel this urge, I certainly hope you’ll never attend one of my karaoke parties, because you sound like the kind of person that could really bring the mood down.

Of course, the Newton rendition is a classic and strangely one that I remember hearing while in a rib restaurant as a kid… but upon researching the passionate ballad that made cheek-touching sexy, I’ve learned that it’s been sung by some of my favorite ladies including PP Arnold, Olivia Newton John, and Dusty Springfield.

By the way, it’s about being ready for some pre-marital balling.


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Posted on February 7, 2010

Songs »You Could Be Mine

by Guns N’ Roses (1991)

Do you remember the good old days when Edward Furlong was a promising young upstart that you had a teenage crush on? When Axl Rose was still kind of kicking ass and taking names (but those names were NOT Tommy Hilfiger)?

Remember when another notch in the Terminator franchise was actually something to get excited about? I remember those days, back when I had a small allowance burning a hole in my pocket which I used to purchase the You Could Be Mine single cassette tape (yes, the early nineties still saw plenty of cassette sales, particularly for single releases). It all came flooding back to me in the single millisecond of humor/frivolity in the bleak and forgettable Terminator Salvation when the now gruff voiced and angry John Connor listens to a lyric or two before doing something… I’ve forgotten exactly what at this point, but I’m sure it triggered a nearly 45 minute action sequence entirely devoid of suspense.

To further take yourself back to those heady days, do enjoy the music video below/after the jump where Arnold Schwarzenegger attends a G N’ R concert only to determine that Axl is a waste of ammo. Excellent foresight, Governor.


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Posted on January 31, 2010

Songs »Pony

Ginuwine-Ponyby Ginuwine (1996)

In the entire genre of juvenile, sexual innuendo-packed, raw R&bBgrinding music, there is simply none better than Ginuwine‘s mid-nineties cleverly uninventive (lyrically) ode to really, really wanting to have sex: Pony. If what I have just written is untrue, I beg you to show me the song that bests it. And, word of advice, if you have yet to get married, you will want to remember to put this on the dance play list when you do.

By the way, the images below/after the jump are what comes up on a google search for this song.

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Posted on January 24, 2010

Songs »Pants on the Ground

american-idol-larry-platt-pants-on-the-ground-by General Larry Platt (2010)

I don’t watch American Idol, I don’t listen to top 40 radio and, quite frankly, I’m kind of obnoxiously snide about both. But just the other day the stars aligned while I sat in a car and the remix of this Idol sensation was playing. It’s far more than a mere joke though, at least in my mind. First of all the singer, General Larry Platt is a respected civil rights activist who marched with Martin Luther King Jr, second of all he may just be the next Biz Markie.

Idol might churn out the kind of pop I’m anything but a fan of, but I think Pants on the Ground could be (after who knows how many seasons of ratings domination) the best thing to come out of Simon Cowell’s muzak machine.

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Posted on January 17, 2010

Songs »Dirty Girl

dirty girl feltby Felt (2005)

I’m not rap unfriendly exactly, but my list of favorite hip hop songs is not a terribly long one. I love Gravediggaz, Eazy-E and Doctor Octagon with the rest of you, and now I can add Felt, or at least their ode to blue collar working girls, Dirty Girl to the list. Slug and Murs, who make up Felt, are underground rappers which means I’ve never heard of any of their previous collaborations or projects, though I am curious.

The joyfully lustful Dirty Girl is just so fun to listen to and any song that can talk about shopping for the best veggie burgers in town, not knowing how to change your motor oil and the eroticism of hair nets and dripping mascara is aces in my book.

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Posted on January 10, 2010

Songs »Blue Christmas

blue christmas elvisby Elvis Presley (1957)

Blue Christmas is a rare sad Christmas song that was performed by tons of people but made oh so popular by the great Elvis Presley. Though, to be honest, lately I’ve grown very, very fond of the indie rock darling Bright Eyes version. Please forgive its inclusion in a phone company commercial.


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Posted on December 20, 2009