17. "Revolution" by The Beatles
I'm not sure if this is an anti-political message or an anti-anti-political message. Either way, if it's accompanied by that awesome grinding guitar sound, it's gonna be all right.
Monday, January 20, 2020
18. Smell the Desperation
18. "Overkill" by Men at Work
This is my theme song whenever I get insomnia, which is more often than I'd like. The lyrics are amazing, and the music holds up well regardless of whether you're listening to the entire band or just a grizzled old Colin singing with one guitar.
Do you like Scrubs the T.V. show? I do. And a big reason why is that they do things like this. It's kind of like what happens to me some days when a song gets stuck in my head and it basically drives the mood for the entire day. I know. That's overkill.
This is my theme song whenever I get insomnia, which is more often than I'd like. The lyrics are amazing, and the music holds up well regardless of whether you're listening to the entire band or just a grizzled old Colin singing with one guitar.
Do you like Scrubs the T.V. show? I do. And a big reason why is that they do things like this. It's kind of like what happens to me some days when a song gets stuck in my head and it basically drives the mood for the entire day. I know. That's overkill.
19. Joke of the Neighborhood
19. "Take the Long Way Home" by Supertramp
A great song during the days of my youthlyness, an even better song for the days of my middle-agedness.
But am I really middle-aged? The only way to know is the Take the Long Way Home checklist.
1. Joke of the neighborhood? Check.
2. Times that you feel you're part of the scenery? Check.
3. Your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture? Check.
4. Your wife seems to think you're losing your sanity? Double-check.
5. Does it feel that your life's become a catastrophe? Check.
6. Do you look through the years and see what you could have been, what you might have been, if you'd had more time? Check.
7. Do you often take the long way home? Check.
Yep. I'm definitely middle-aged.
A great song during the days of my youthlyness, an even better song for the days of my middle-agedness.
But am I really middle-aged? The only way to know is the Take the Long Way Home checklist.
1. Joke of the neighborhood? Check.
2. Times that you feel you're part of the scenery? Check.
3. Your wife seems to think you're part of the furniture? Check.
4. Your wife seems to think you're losing your sanity? Double-check.
5. Does it feel that your life's become a catastrophe? Check.
6. Do you look through the years and see what you could have been, what you might have been, if you'd had more time? Check.
7. Do you often take the long way home? Check.
Yep. I'm definitely middle-aged.
20. Blue Skies From Pain
20. "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd
I think I could actually put the entire "Wish You Were Here" album here, since all of the songs run into each other on the album. I especially think that "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is the prequel that helps set up the overall sentiment of the song.
I know this song isn't necessarily about the death of loves ones. But there are people that have been important to me in my life that aren't alive anymore, and when I think of them, I wish they were here, and this song always reminds me of them.
I think I could actually put the entire "Wish You Were Here" album here, since all of the songs run into each other on the album. I especially think that "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is the prequel that helps set up the overall sentiment of the song.
I know this song isn't necessarily about the death of loves ones. But there are people that have been important to me in my life that aren't alive anymore, and when I think of them, I wish they were here, and this song always reminds me of them.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
21. Man's Search for Jack Squat
21. "Illogical Song," by Supertramp
To be clear, it's not this song:
It's this song:
This is one of those songs that I liked in high school but didn't really appreciate the entire meaning of it until later in life. Much, much later. I now think this is one of the greatest songs that will be written in my lifetime. To search for meaning in life, and to think you've found it, but to then realize you haven't found jack squat, is a pretty disconcerting feeling. But I've done that a half dozen times in the past two decades, and I'm in the middle of one of those times right now. I'm currently thinking the meaning of life is found in the daily giving and receiving of poodle love. (Which is MUCH different from muskrat love.) But I could be wrong. I mean, I've been wrong all the other times before, so why would I have the answer now? So when this song plays on the radio and Hodgson strains to sing the high notes on "Please tell me who I am...who I am...who I am...who I am!" I'm straining to sing the high notes right along with him.
To be clear, it's not this song:
It's this song:
This is one of those songs that I liked in high school but didn't really appreciate the entire meaning of it until later in life. Much, much later. I now think this is one of the greatest songs that will be written in my lifetime. To search for meaning in life, and to think you've found it, but to then realize you haven't found jack squat, is a pretty disconcerting feeling. But I've done that a half dozen times in the past two decades, and I'm in the middle of one of those times right now. I'm currently thinking the meaning of life is found in the daily giving and receiving of poodle love. (Which is MUCH different from muskrat love.) But I could be wrong. I mean, I've been wrong all the other times before, so why would I have the answer now? So when this song plays on the radio and Hodgson strains to sing the high notes on "Please tell me who I am...who I am...who I am...who I am!" I'm straining to sing the high notes right along with him.
22. Give It To Me One More Time
22. "Waiting for the Hammer to Fall" by Queen
For we who grew up tall and proud in the shadow of the mushroom cloud, this song sums up the feeling of an ongoing Cold War quite well, much better than any movie Mr. Brown would force us to watch in science class. But the main message of the song is one of peace--that we should all stop fighting each other, because death's coming for us all anyway, so what the hell are we fighting for?
I know. Kind of a weird way to spread world peace. We want our world peace messages to be warm and fuzzy, not slap us across the face. But the bluntness of the message is warranted, as people don't really listen to warm and fuzzy. And it's kind of hard to argue with the reasoning. We might as well make the best of what time we've got left until the Grim Reaper comes for us.
For we who grew up tall and proud in the shadow of the mushroom cloud, this song sums up the feeling of an ongoing Cold War quite well, much better than any movie Mr. Brown would force us to watch in science class. But the main message of the song is one of peace--that we should all stop fighting each other, because death's coming for us all anyway, so what the hell are we fighting for?
I know. Kind of a weird way to spread world peace. We want our world peace messages to be warm and fuzzy, not slap us across the face. But the bluntness of the message is warranted, as people don't really listen to warm and fuzzy. And it's kind of hard to argue with the reasoning. We might as well make the best of what time we've got left until the Grim Reaper comes for us.
23. If It Walks Like a Duck
23. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
When I went to the AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City, I remember that there were two guys standing next to Ryan and me (because no one really sat at the concert), and when Angus started playing the opening riff, they nearly lost their minds. And as loud as the music was, those two dudes sang loud enough for me to hear them over Brian Johnson sing, "Went through to Texas, yeah Texas, and we had some fun." I distinctly remember thinking at that moment, "What the hell does Texas have to do with this song? Are these jokers from Texas? Did Brian actually sing Texas, or did their stupid singing just make me think he did?" And then Angus started to duck walk, and I stopped paying attention to anything else.
Obviously, I wasn't a serious AC/DC fan until AFTER the concert. I mean, in high school I liked some of their songs a lot, but I wouldn't have said that I'd rather go to an AC/DC concert than a concert by--oh, let's say another Australian rock band that I listened to in high school--the Little River Band. But after the concert, my appreciation for AC/DC grew tenfold, and I would now say I'm definitely a fan, but not the kind of fan that would wear the devil horns, just the kind of fan that would wear the t-shirt.
By the way, if you ever find yourself wondering what the Telestial Kindgom looks like, it's an AC/DC concert. But I don't think it's the kind of concert you'd find in the Outer-Darkness-Hell, because the Australian band in that place would be Air Supply.
When I went to the AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City, I remember that there were two guys standing next to Ryan and me (because no one really sat at the concert), and when Angus started playing the opening riff, they nearly lost their minds. And as loud as the music was, those two dudes sang loud enough for me to hear them over Brian Johnson sing, "Went through to Texas, yeah Texas, and we had some fun." I distinctly remember thinking at that moment, "What the hell does Texas have to do with this song? Are these jokers from Texas? Did Brian actually sing Texas, or did their stupid singing just make me think he did?" And then Angus started to duck walk, and I stopped paying attention to anything else.
Obviously, I wasn't a serious AC/DC fan until AFTER the concert. I mean, in high school I liked some of their songs a lot, but I wouldn't have said that I'd rather go to an AC/DC concert than a concert by--oh, let's say another Australian rock band that I listened to in high school--the Little River Band. But after the concert, my appreciation for AC/DC grew tenfold, and I would now say I'm definitely a fan, but not the kind of fan that would wear the devil horns, just the kind of fan that would wear the t-shirt.
By the way, if you ever find yourself wondering what the Telestial Kindgom looks like, it's an AC/DC concert. But I don't think it's the kind of concert you'd find in the Outer-Darkness-Hell, because the Australian band in that place would be Air Supply.
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