10. "Instant Karma" by John Lennon
Clearly, I have a problem with seeing morons do cruel things to my family and friends and then wanting to seek sweet, sweet revenge upon the bastards. Fortunately, this song, or at least the concept of "instant karma" has actually kept me from doing some rather cruel things to get that revenge.
The concept of karma is that that the totality of what someone does in this life will impact how they are reincarnated in the next. But that's too slow for me. I want "instant karma." I want to see the offenders get what's coming them in this life. And to my delight, I've seen that happen to some of my greatest enemies--the stupid and cruel things they did quickly came back around to bite them in the ass. Yeah, it may have taken a year or two, but they got what was coming to them. And that's when I smile and think, "Yep. Instant Karma got you, so now I don't have to."
The other part of this song I like is the rebuke that John gives to the narcissistic bastards when he says something to the effect, "Who do you think you are? A superstar? Well, you might be one, but we all shine like the moon and the sun and stars--we've all got our own light--so you're not special after all, and that's why you should make amends and try to live in peace with us all."
In regards to the music, I like John's scratchy, strained voice during the chorus. And I like the piano a lot. But if I were identify any musical flaw in this song it would be the lack of a cowbell. That would really make it shine on, on and on and on, on and on.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
11. You Dirty Lock Picker!
11. "Run Like Hell" by Pink Floyd
I had this song play on my earphones at the beginning of my last Top of Utah Marathon. It was surreal to have it play as thousands of people in front and behind me all ran together. This song reminds me of that moment of total euphoria in a marathon run when your energy level is at its highest and you're running without feeling tired at all (something that changes about two minutes after the song is over).
The song also reminds me of the time when Randy laughed hard after singing these lyrics.
You better run all day and run all night
And keep your dirty feelings deep inside.
And if you're takin' your girlfriend out tonight
You better park the car well out of sight,
'Cos if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks,
They're gonna send you back to mother in a cardboard box.
You better run!
So with great memories of both marathon running and of Randy, this song almost made it into my top ten.
Almost.
I had this song play on my earphones at the beginning of my last Top of Utah Marathon. It was surreal to have it play as thousands of people in front and behind me all ran together. This song reminds me of that moment of total euphoria in a marathon run when your energy level is at its highest and you're running without feeling tired at all (something that changes about two minutes after the song is over).
The song also reminds me of the time when Randy laughed hard after singing these lyrics.
You better run all day and run all night
And keep your dirty feelings deep inside.
And if you're takin' your girlfriend out tonight
You better park the car well out of sight,
'Cos if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks,
They're gonna send you back to mother in a cardboard box.
You better run!
So with great memories of both marathon running and of Randy, this song almost made it into my top ten.
Almost.
12. Oi!
12. "TNT" by AC/DC
I know that this song might not chart as high for other fans of AC/DC, but this song became my favorite AC/DC song when I went to their concert and had Angus Young lead me, my nephew, and 20,000+ others in screaming "Oi!" as loud as we could while pumping both fists into the air. Plus, it's the absolute best song for those times when it becomes clear someone is messing with you, and you're going to have to kick some ass HARD!
Also, my nephew had some trouble with some kids at school bullying him, and he had to fight back, but it didn't go so well for him. So I played him this song and told him that this is HIS song now, and then I got him enrolled in a jiu jitsu class. After just a couple months, his jiu jitsu made his confidence soar, and now he embodies the underlying theme of this song--you mess with me, you're going to loose. In fact, he became so confident that one day a kid bumped into him on purpose in the locker room and said something like, "You wanna fight? I'll fight you right here right now!" My nephew looked at him totally unafraid, grinned, and said, "Yeah, good luck with that," and walked away. The other kid was so stunned by my nephew's confidence that he left him alone. It was a great day for my nephew because, as he told me later, he knew that it would have been just like in the TNT song--he would win the fight no matter what the kid did.
Oi!
I know that this song might not chart as high for other fans of AC/DC, but this song became my favorite AC/DC song when I went to their concert and had Angus Young lead me, my nephew, and 20,000+ others in screaming "Oi!" as loud as we could while pumping both fists into the air. Plus, it's the absolute best song for those times when it becomes clear someone is messing with you, and you're going to have to kick some ass HARD!
Also, my nephew had some trouble with some kids at school bullying him, and he had to fight back, but it didn't go so well for him. So I played him this song and told him that this is HIS song now, and then I got him enrolled in a jiu jitsu class. After just a couple months, his jiu jitsu made his confidence soar, and now he embodies the underlying theme of this song--you mess with me, you're going to loose. In fact, he became so confident that one day a kid bumped into him on purpose in the locker room and said something like, "You wanna fight? I'll fight you right here right now!" My nephew looked at him totally unafraid, grinned, and said, "Yeah, good luck with that," and walked away. The other kid was so stunned by my nephew's confidence that he left him alone. It was a great day for my nephew because, as he told me later, he knew that it would have been just like in the TNT song--he would win the fight no matter what the kid did.
Oi!
Monday, January 20, 2020
13. Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme fried chicken
13. "One Vision" by Queen
As a fan of the Highlander films and the television series, this song brings up memories of immortals with swords cutting off each other's heads. And then...the Quickening!
Why Freddy decided that the song should end with a fried chicken commercial, I'll never understand. But I still like it.
As a fan of the Highlander films and the television series, this song brings up memories of immortals with swords cutting off each other's heads. And then...the Quickening!
Why Freddy decided that the song should end with a fried chicken commercial, I'll never understand. But I still like it.
14. Most Peculiar Mama, ROLL!
14. "Nobody Told Me" by John Lennon
I liked this song when it came out, but as with many other songs on this list, I came to appreciate it even more as the years have advanced. At it has seemed especially apropos since the last presidential election. Nobody told me there'd be days like these. Strange days and deeds. Strange days and deeds.
The only thing I can think that could possibly make these days get better is...
MORE COWBELL!
I liked this song when it came out, but as with many other songs on this list, I came to appreciate it even more as the years have advanced. At it has seemed especially apropos since the last presidential election. Nobody told me there'd be days like these. Strange days and deeds. Strange days and deeds.
The only thing I can think that could possibly make these days get better is...
MORE COWBELL!
15. Fritter and Waste
15. "Time" by Pink Floyd
I like this song so much that I make my students in the college-level course I'm teaching listen to it as part of a learning activity. I tell them that this song reveals the reason why they're going to school. In actuality, those, it's how I feel about most of the work I do and the classes I teach. Ten years (actually twenty) got behind me pretty dang fast, and now I feel like I missed the starting gun. Oh, well, it's good to come home and warm my bones by the fire. It's also good to listen to this song and think, "That about sums it up for me."
Since I have my students read the lyrics as they watch the video, I'm going to do the same here. Just for consistency's sake. Also, I tend to keep doing the same thing over and over and over. That's how I'm able to fritter and waste the hours that make up a dull day.
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.
Home
Home again
I like to be here
When I can
When I come home
Cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones
Beside the fire
Far away
Across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell
I like this song so much that I make my students in the college-level course I'm teaching listen to it as part of a learning activity. I tell them that this song reveals the reason why they're going to school. In actuality, those, it's how I feel about most of the work I do and the classes I teach. Ten years (actually twenty) got behind me pretty dang fast, and now I feel like I missed the starting gun. Oh, well, it's good to come home and warm my bones by the fire. It's also good to listen to this song and think, "That about sums it up for me."
Since I have my students read the lyrics as they watch the video, I'm going to do the same here. Just for consistency's sake. Also, I tend to keep doing the same thing over and over and over. That's how I'm able to fritter and waste the hours that make up a dull day.
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.
Home
Home again
I like to be here
When I can
When I come home
Cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones
Beside the fire
Far away
Across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell
16. Dishonest John's Calling Card
16. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" by AC/DC
Having trouble with the high school head?
Hell, yes! Constantly!
But my dirty deeds targeting the high school head weren't as dirty as they needed to be--the closest I came to violently ending his life was in 7th grade when during a talent show competition I accidentally (but kind of on purpose) threw a whipped cream pie at him and hit him in the leg.
Angus Young got the title for this song from a cartoon show called "Beany and Cecil." Here's a sample of the cartoon. The evil villain was "Dishonest John," who had a calling card that had printed on it the phrase "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap." (I can't find an episode with the card.)
I personally think the cartoon is more violent than the song lyrics, but you be the judge.
My favorite part of the song is when they list six different ways to do the dirty deed--concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT, contracts, neckties, and...high voltage! I've many a time imagined my enemies, including a high school head, meeting their end through each of these options.
My favorite part of the video is when Angus yells "Aaaaaah!" into the microphone at the end of the song. Who says he can't sing?!
Having trouble with the high school head?
Hell, yes! Constantly!
But my dirty deeds targeting the high school head weren't as dirty as they needed to be--the closest I came to violently ending his life was in 7th grade when during a talent show competition I accidentally (but kind of on purpose) threw a whipped cream pie at him and hit him in the leg.
Angus Young got the title for this song from a cartoon show called "Beany and Cecil." Here's a sample of the cartoon. The evil villain was "Dishonest John," who had a calling card that had printed on it the phrase "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap." (I can't find an episode with the card.)
I personally think the cartoon is more violent than the song lyrics, but you be the judge.
My favorite part of the song is when they list six different ways to do the dirty deed--concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT, contracts, neckties, and...high voltage! I've many a time imagined my enemies, including a high school head, meeting their end through each of these options.
My favorite part of the video is when Angus yells "Aaaaaah!" into the microphone at the end of the song. Who says he can't sing?!
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