The Not-Pop Jukebox

When I posted my You Pick the Winner round last April I suggested that I might share a pile of songs about chains. It’s time for me to make good on that vague promise, folks.

As I mentioned then, you’ll find Chain of Fools (several times) and Chains and Things (just the once), as well as Chains of Love in two utterly different styles from Sam Cooke and Erasure. There's Metallica's Chains of Pain, Jim Croce's Chain Gang Medley, and even Boney M. with No More Chain Gang.

You'll also find Etta James (covering Janis Joplin), Woody Guthrie, XTC, Fleetwood Mac, Art of Noise, and more because I've chosen to give you all a massive twenty-five songs today. I started with a wonderful mix of RL Burnside doing Chain of Fools. If you only pick one other, have a crack at Nina Simone's Chain Gang (Work Song).

I own many songs of which I’d never have heard were it not for video games. Consider this post a paean to the folks who pick music for games like the Tony Hawk series that must wade through enormous piles of schlock to find gems like I Can’t Surf.

Not that I didn’t love what little I’d heard of Reverend Horton Heat before spending an inordinate amount of time grinding rails, logs, and spaceships long ago. But with a limited soundtrack you have to listen to the same tracks over and over while trying to catch that lip that lets you get the bonus deck or hit that trick for your cover shot. The series were among the first games we bought that had real songs rather than atmospheric instrumentals.

Sure, some songs grew irritating after a few listens and you quickly learned to use the fast-forward button. But video games helped me uncover songs like I Can’t Surf that I never would have heard back in the days before widespread music blogs and internet radio.

This song, in particular, has always made me smile because the whole point runs thus: “I can’t surf, but neither can you.” That point is made vehemently and with lots of great, rockabilly guitar around and behind it. Have a listen and let me know what you think, and if you’ve any game-inspired favorites please do share them!

Today I have for you two utterly different songs with the same name: Dr. Feelgood. One you likely know by heart, whether you hate it or not, unless you're under 30 years old. The other has quite possibly flown under your musical radar all your life.

The former is, of course, that hairband anthem from the 80s, Motley Crue's Dr. Feelgood from the album of the same name. The latter has been around much longer, from way back in the 60s. The version I own was performed by Irma Tomas bu I can't seem to find any reference to which was the original. I actually like this Aretha Franklin version a little better so I'll have to pick up a copy to add to my collection of song versions.

But this post is for you, my darlings. Listen to both songs (unless you already know them) and drop a comment to vote for which you like better. For me the Crue spells cheese-flavored nostalgia but, gee, how do you best Aretha?

It came to my attention recently that I own an inordinate number of songs about unclean water. I don't even much like some of them much but, once I started looking, I found a dozen songs about Muddy Water, Dirty Water, and Black Water.

Some of these were big hits (The Standells and The Doobie Brothers, for instance) and some are covers of others (The Inmates and The Dropkick Murphys, both covering The Standells' Dirty Water). But you'll find some great songs with the same names, like Aretha Franklin's and Keb' Mo's Muddy Water, which are completely different--and wonderful--songs.

I have all sorts of genres and ages in this list so you should be able to find something great to love. Don't miss Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds with their melancholy drag and Tuba Skinny (not the same as Trombone Shorty, my dears). And be sure to catch Watermelon Slim & the Workers while you're listening. Aw, heck, just listen to all fourteen.

Some songs leap right into your head with a single hearing and linger there for years. Such was the case with All These Things that I’ve Done from The Killers.

In fact, I had no idea what song it was. I wandered around for years singing, “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier” without knowing from where it came. Then one afternoon I tossed in “Hot Fuss” and there, to my immense relief, I found the line in all its choir-backed glory.

And so I'm sharing it here with you all. I'm still not quite sure what the line means, but it's definitely going to be an earworm for me for a very long time. Hopefully it sticks with you, too.

Was (not Was) came out with the wonderfully defiant Dad I'm in Jail long ago and it's long been a family favorite. I never shared it with you because it's so darned short, clocking in at a mere minute twenty-six.

Then I had the brilliant idea of looking for other songs about being in jail. Voila! Despite my expectation of finding half a dozen punk songs about getting arrested, most of these are country, bluegrass, or blues.

So here you'll find a steaming pile of great "I'm in jail" songs, including a cautionary tale about drunk driving called Christmas in Jail and a mashup of Lil' Wayne with RJD2 titled Too Bad I'm in Jail from the ever-talented Mashup-Germany. Of course I've included George Thorogood's 99 Days in Jail which is an extension (and cover) of Magic Sam's 21 Days in Jail.

I did find a ska-punk song by Waste Basket called All of My Friends Are in Jail, which was a lot more what I expected. And, naturally, I've started with Was (not Was) and their Dad I'm in Jail.Be careful listening to this collection: some of the genre changes may give you whiplash. At least if you end up in jail tonight you'll have a song or two to sing while you're waiting to make bail.

I know Put Your Records On was wildly popular a couple of years ago, more so in Corrinne Bailey Rae's UK home than here in the States but still it qualifies as a pop song. I don't care. I freaking love this song.

The sad thing is how long it took me to find it. I don't listen to commercial radio and the one time I heard it I misremembered the lyrics. Thus, by the time I got around to looking it up, I was looking for the phrase "girl, put your red dress on". There are a lot of great songs out there about red dresses (and, no, Lady in Red is not one of them) but none of them is Put Your Records On.

At long last, I bumped into the song again and finally got it straight. It's lovely to hear someone that sings instead of letting some computer do all of the work for her, and to hear someone celebrating playing records and favorite songs.

While I generally find Corinne Bailey Rae described as a "Northern Soul singer", for some reason Capitol Records has her listed as Hip Hop, I presume only in the US. Now that I've finally tracked down Put Your Records On I wanted to share it with you in case you, too, missed it. If you like this one, try Steady As She Goes from the same album.

I admit to Googling Hintn Umi to find out what Attwenger was singing about in this video. Apparently, the expression is Austrian slang for "don't go behind my back" or "around the backside" like a shady deal. That doesn't really clear it up as there are more than two words in this song but it's still interesting to know.

Regardless, I'm thrilled to have discovered Attwenger. They're accordian-punk hip-folk, you see, and come in about as many flavors as that implies. They don't have a horn section but they certainly have samples and a sharp sense of humor. If you like Hintn Umi don't miss Shakin' My Brain which takes a little tour of early American rock and roll...in German...and shiny gold suits.

Who hasn't wondered what you get when you cross a children's television show theme with some 80s hip hop? Probably almost all of you, though some of you weirdos probably thought, "Yeah!" at the end of that first sentence.

Do not despair! You are not alone. dj BC not only had that thought but he did it, just to see what happened. But he didn't stop there. He and a few other mash-tacular folks made a whole album of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show mashups, using your favorites, like the pinball counting song and Mahna Mahna in combination with just about You can find whole albums' worth of mashups like the Sesame Street mashes (and great one-shot tracks) at dj BC's site. As ever, the mashups I post can be downloaded for free from their original creators.

For the time being, have a listen to Newcleus visiting Sesame Street and let me know what you think.

Is it me or does Foster the People have a shoe thing? I only ask because, despite the wild popularity of their immensely-creepy school shooting song Pumped Up Kicks, their real kick song is Don't Stop (Color on the Wall).

Before you make assumptions, I actually quite like this song in its perky, pop-y defiance. But the line that struck me on first listen then amused me when their hit song broke was, "I'm gonna kick until I need new shoes."

Now Don't Stop isn't actually about shoes (though there's a chunk of running in there, too). It's about doing what you like, coloring on the walls until you've broken every law, as if that makes much sense. It's just a wacky pop song that makes you feel like being a little naughty. Doesn't that sound like a perfect Friday night song?

For a song with so many exclamation marks, you may be surprised at how the (exceedingly-long) intro to You! Me! Dancing! drags. I promise, Los Campesinos! earns the punctuation, eventually.

I'm torn on this song. Parts it make me bounce around, the confession that the lead singer can't dance a single step makes me smile, and the utterly self-indulgent first minute and forty seconds makes me want to dropkick a kitten.

And so I offer You! Me! Dancing! up to you, my dears. Have a listen, being patient with or speeding past the needless beginning, and share your thoughts. Love it? Hate it? Let me know!

For me, Sentimental Crap is the quintessential anti-Valentine’s Day song. It's from Deadeye Dick, you know, that one-hit-wonder band who did New Age Girl who don't eat meat but she sure likes the bone (ruff)?

Yet I really liked the band. To my knowledge they only ever released the one album but Sentimental Crap seems like a pretty darned perfect pop song, to me. It's got resigned lust, a catchy tune, and a relate-able story to tell. "You have to know that my heart is hardly worth your meager effort. I'll let you in one more time but this sentimental crap has gotta stop."

And so, on this hokiest of cheese-fest holidays, I offer you the perfect accompaniment to giving in to your ex's booty call. Go ahead, indulge my dears. And in the back of your head you can be singing along with Deadeye Dick. Tomorrow, don't call. Trust me.

With thanks to Troy A Peterson on G+, I present today an example of a great song from which the video detracts: Skyful of Rainbows. In this case, it's really terrible hair and an excess of facial jewelry that distracts you from what the band does with the music.

In fact, Wilder does in Skyful of Rainbows and its other songs a nice, 80s-tinged indie rock sound. They're bouncy and just angsty enough to keep the indie label rather than being straight pop. I've chosen not to post the video so that you can enjoy the song without wanting to remove that thing from the lead singer's face.

If you really want to see it, you can watch Wilder do Skyful of Rainbows. Personally, I prefer to just enjoy the song for itself rather. Image is a really personal thing and what I find unattractive may well appeal to others. Let me know if you agree on this one!

I've been listening to John Butler Trio for over a week, trying to decide how I feel about them as a whole. Overall, I've come to the decision that...meh. Except, that is, for Zebra on which I would like for them to re-center the entirety of their musical career. There just aren't enough great songs out there that make me believe the musicians are having at least as much fun as I am. I hope you enjoy this one, too, my dears.

I know these two songs have nothing to do with one another, but whenever I listen to Bobby "Blue" Bland's Turn on Your Love Light I end up with Neil Diamond in my head, imploring me to Turn on Your Heart Light. I just can't help it.

Now, Mr. Diamond doesn't make horrible music. He was my first concert at the age of seven so he has a special place of nostalgia in my heart, if not on my playlist. But he's not Bobby Bland. Of course, I'm not posting a round of You Pick the Winner to tell you which song is better.

Have a listen to the two and cast your vote: would you rather turn on your love light or your heart light? I've love to hear why, as well.

Normally I wouldn't post something as wildly popular as Van Halen and their new single Tattoo, even on the day they release their new album (which they did today), even if David Lee Roth had rejoined the band (which he has). But their press release contained one bit of information that made me sit up and take notice: Kool & the Gang will open for them on some tour dates.

Now, picture yourself in 1982. If you were more than, say, nine years old would you have ever said to yourself, "In 30 years I bet Van Halen and Kool & the Gang will be touring together"? Hell, no! (Don't lie, you would not.)

And yet here we are, with yet another sign of the apocalypse come to pass. Or something like that. On top of the absolute adoration of the idea of watching these two bands perform back to back I have to admit to actually liking Tattoo, though I couldn't help but keep thinking they should have titled it The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Then again, maybe that's copyrighted.

Whatever the case, watch the video. I'm not in love with the song but I am a Diamond Dave fan so it's fun to watch him in his no-longer-skin-tight fake snakeskin pants and short hair doing the same old moves. And if anyone wants to fly me to one of the tour stops where I just know he'll be leaping on stage for a chorus of Funky Stuff, I'll gladly accept.

I noticed today that I had three songs about whistling on my massive playlist so I took a look and quickly found a fourth. Then I thought I'd see what else I could turn up on the ever-helpful Groovshark. Happily, I found plenty.

I started with the four I already knew: They Might Be Giants, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, KC & the Sunshine Band, and The Pinker Tones. Then I found Elvis Presley, Firewater, Dean Martin, some guy named Scooter, and a bizarre thing from The Left Rights. I dropped some less-enjoyable tunes from the list and kept it to a nice, manageable Monday list of nine songs.

Tell me if you know these songs and which one you like best. Much as I love TMBG and Firewater, my pick from the stack would be Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

I know I've ranted and raved about the increasing lack of clothing on today's female musicians. As a counterpoint, here's MIA, a rough-and-tumble hip hop lady that manages to be bad-ass, sexy, AND fully clothed.

As a bonus, see some insane people trying to kill themselves playing with cars. Add to that a great bit of cross-cultural hip hop and you get a smoothly-produced package of awesome.

I'm told this song was written in response to women not being allowed to drive, which seems like a perfect excuse to do so. Don't miss the see-through and neon car. Then let me know what you thought!

This disingenuous query really seeks to draw your attention to Zoot Suit from Greg Preston & the Great Machine (who temptation lures me to associate with Florence & the Apparently-Regular Machine, great as they are). The song (that’d be Zoot Suit, in case I confused you with that last parenthetical comment) includes a short section about coming up from the water to stand on his own two feet like modern man.

Naturally, I assume this to be a tribute to The Toadies and their I Come from the Water. Listen to both songs and let me know what you think. Is the relation obvious to you as well or is the similar symbolism just a Darwinian coincidence?