Robert Downey Jr. and the Four Souls...

The first of my 30 songs is…

Walk Like A Man by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Due to Hurricane Sandy I was “stranded” in Las Vegas last year. A number of my co-workers and student staff were staying that the Paris Hotel which happened to hosting performances of Jersey Boys. The entire PA system belted the cast’s performances from the musical. Walk Like a Man played on the PA system relentlessly. I must have heard the song at least six times a day for about five days straight.  But this song didn’t make the list because of that trip, or because of it’s ties to my new home in New Jersey. 

It makes the list because of Robert Downey Jr. 

In 1993 the movie Hearts and Souls was released. I was 10. It starred RDJ, Charles Grodin (the dad from Beethoven), Kyra Sedgwick (Kevin Bacon’s wife and star of The Closer), Alfre Woodard (Desperate Housewives) and Tom Sizemore (who you may remember from Saving Private Ryan or Celebrity Rehab). 

Anyway, the plot follows four souls who come to realize that Downey is meant to finish the business they had no time to finish before their demise. It’s a sweet romantic comedy that was right in my mom’s wheel house. It was something we watched over and over again during summer vacations and on weekends. 

One of the recurring things in this movie was the use of the song Walk Like A Man. My brother, mom and I would sing it and it became a staple of our childhood, including when we had to go on long walks together. Not too mention it’s a pretty great doo woo song. So for those reasons, Walk Like A Man makes the list.

My 30 for 30

I was lying in bed two night ago. Tossing and turning. I was contemplating the fact that for about the dozenth time in about 15 months I was going to be missing out on being there during a good friends important life event. I had already missed Stephen performing, Indi and Amber’s 30th, mom’s birthday, grandparents anniversary, Etta, Henry and Jameson being born, and a slew of other events. I live all the way across the country and while technology has in many ways made them closer than they ever could have been 30 years ago, the fact that I cannot be there for the bigger moments makes it feel like they’re farther away than I could have possible imagined.

This got me to thinking about music.

I’ve lived 30 years on this planet and I decided to try to find the 30 songs that I like the best/mean the most to me. I think it’s hard to really know me if you don’t know about the music I like and care about. The music that’s the most important to me. 

There is no hard and fast rule to how certain songs made this list, or how cuts were made. It was all very arbitrary and spur of the moment. I went through my iTunes and Spotify and created a playlist of nearly 300 songs. I narrowed that down to a little over 50 and then finally the 30 that I’ll be writing about over the course of the next month. 

It was hard to leave a lot of these songs off the list. So before I start writing about the 30 that made it, I figured I would highlight a few songs that didn’t make the cut:

The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles a truly great love song. The idea of fate leading you back to person you love the most. But if you listen carefully the song is filled with angst as Paul McCartney begs not be abandoned. “Don’t keep me waiting here/Lead me to your door”

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel: Also known as the Ballad of Brenda and Eddie this is a song about youth, love, pain and adulthood. A 7+ minute song that I really love to sing a long to.

No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley: Love the live version of this song. Always reminds me of being 11 years old driving in a Ford Aerostar with my dad and brother.

Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen. Another opus about youth and hope running into the darkness and tragedy that is reality. Born to Run kicks off the album with a sense of hope that you can escape that small town and make it. But Jungleland ends the album with tragedy and sense of hopelessness. The song opens with this beautiful piano, has that incredible Clarence Clemons sax solo and then ends so poetically and sadly. 

Orgasm Addict - The Buzzcocks Just a great punk song and i have to thank Mike Priehs for introducing me to much good music.

Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder This is Stevie Wonder at the height of his powers. It’s a joyful ode to the power of music. p.s. is it possible Stevie Wonder is somehow underrated?

Death or Glory - The Clash I could have made up my list from nothing but songs from The Clash. This is by far one of my favorites. I love the opening lines (I am a sucker for a song with great opening lines). “Love and hate tattooed across his hands/hands that slaps his kids around cuz they don’t understand.” 

I particularly love the following lines by Joe Strummer:

“Every gimmick hungry yob

Digging Gold From Rock and Roll

Grabs the mic to tell us

He’ll die before he’s sold

But I believe in this

And it’s been tested by research

He fucks nuns

Will later join the church”

Beware the person who preaches or is to fervent. they aren’t to be trusted. 

Marching Bands of Manhattan - Death Cab for Cutie I could have a picked a number of DCFC songs but I love the opening and ending to the song because they contrast so beautifully.

“Sorrow drips into your heart like a pinhole

just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound

and while you debate half empty or half full

it slowly rises you love is gonna drown“

Radio, Radio - Elvis Costello I was first introduced to this song during the 25th anniversary of Saturday Night Live. Just watch the video and know that this little stunt got Elvis Costello banned from the show for over 20 years.

Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World - The Ramones: This is a terrific example of a  Ramones song. It clocks in at 2 minutes and 15 seconds, fast and hard guitars, references to nazis and then at the end of it the song stops on a dime and has this beautiful refrain “Today your love, tomorrow the world.” 

Anna Sun - WALK THE MOON I love songs that provide great imagery. Lyrics that are literary or cinematic in their scope and that what I love about the chorus to this song.

“Your hands on my cheeks

Your shoulder in my mouth

I was up against the wall

on the west mezzanine.”

Down on the Street The Stooges - another song that brings me back to 2005 and 2006. Mike summed it up perfectly when he said it’s a song that makes you want to fuck AND fight.

Tomorrow I'll start with the first of the thirty that actually made the cut.

Can You Read My Mind, Dani California?

I was thinking about this over the weekend. Who writes weirder more non-sensical lyrics than lead signer and songwriter for the Red Hot Chili Peppers Anthony Kiedis? I think I came up with a decent challenger: Brandon Flowers (lead singer and songwriter for The Killers). I enjoy both bands but let’s look at some of their lesser lyrical work.

Round One

Kiedis/ Suck My Kiss:

K-i-s-s-i-n-g

Chicka chicka dee

Do me like a banshee

Low brow is how

Swimming in the sound

Of bow wow wow

Aw baby do me now

Do me here I do allow

He rhymes “g” with “chicka chicka dee” for God’s sake. And what does “swimming in the sound of bow wow wow” mean? ‘Bow wow’ is the song a dog makes (kinda). What is ‘bow wow wow’?

Flowers/Somebody Told Me:

Somebody told me

You had a boyfriend

Who looked like a girlfriend

That I had in February of last year

It's not confidential

I've got potential

I know this is a very popular song, and even a popular chorus but let’s be honest this is not a good chorus. He rhymes “friend” with “friend” and potential and confidential. And he does it back to back. Usually there is a line in between the rhyming lines. C’mon, Brandon.

Round 2

Flowers/Mr. Brightside:

This is The Killers first big hit. I love singing along to this course. Even though I have no idea what the hell it means!

And I just can’t look - it's killing me

And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea

Turning through sick lullabies 

Choking on your alibis

But it’s just the price I pay

Destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes

‘Cause I’m Mr Brightside

We know from the rest of the song that the song’s main character is dying watching the woman he loves with another man. But what is with this chorus? Imagine Brandon sitting down: Jealousy turning saints into cheats? nope. Thieves? … no. I got it! The sea! What the hell? Sick lullabies, choking on alibis. That doesn’t seem like someone with a sunny disposition.

Kiedis/ Californication:

First born unicorn

Hard core soft porn

Dream of Californication

Dream of Californication

What? Kiedis and the boys were sitting around, came up with this and said ‘yup. That’s the chorus.’ What?

Round 3

Flowers/Human:

Are we human or are we dancer?

My sign is vital, my hands are cold

And I'm on my knees looking for the answer

Are we human or are we dancer?

I’m on my knees looking for answer too, Mr. Flowers. What the hell does “are we human or are we dancer?” mean? Why is it dancer and not dancers? And trust me the context of the rest of the song doesn’t help. Am I human? am I dancer? I don't know. But I am definitely angry and confused.

Kiedis/Around The World (the whole thing):

I mean. I don’t even know where to begin with this song. The whole thing is mumbo jumbo, which is probably another RHCP lyric. Let’s just take a look at a few examples from Around the World:

Born in the north

And sworn to entertain ya

'Cause I'm down for

The state of Pennsylvania

First off Kedis wasn’t born in the north (unless he means North America - but that’s a stretch). And why does he have to entertain just because he is supporter of Pennsylvania?

Bonafide ride

Step aside my Johnson

Yes I could

In the woods of Wisconsin

Huh?

Wake up the cake

It's a lake she's kissin' me

As they do when

When they do in Sicily

I don’t understand. How do you wake up a cake? Is this a Sicilian secret? Is the cake a lake? How is this cake/lake kissing him. Are we sure this cake/lake is female? 

My brain hurts.

Conclusion.

I don't know that this is even close. The use of made up words and noises, nonsense phrases, rhyming porn and unicorn. You, Anthony Kiedis are a lyrical genius.