180-176: I Work Hard Every Day of My Life

180. "Somebody to Love" by Queen {#13; 11/76} [iTunes? Yes] "They say I've got a lot of water on my brain. I've got no common sense. I've got nobody left to believe."

Seven years ago this song would have been much higher on this list. But, Terri took Freddie's words to heart and found me somebody to love. As a result, Freddie's tune plummeted about a hundred spots on the HondoJoe Top 200 list. (Somehow, I think Freddie would be okay with that.)

179. "I Can't Dance" by Genesis {#7; 2/92} [iTunes? Yes] "She's got a body under that shirt." (Don't we all?)

It's the last hurrah of Phil Collins and Genesis! Oh, there have been a smattering of songs since 1992, but this album was pretty much their last solid contribution to the world of pop music.

This is a very good song, but what is it that pushes it up into the stratosphere known as the HondoJoe Top 200? I can tell you exactly what it is: the "boing" sound effect! It's true, and you know it! (I'm just saying that if Chilliwack had used a few "boing" sound effects in their songs, the HondoJoe Top 200 would be a whole lot more Chilliwacky.)

178. "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago {#4; 7/70} [iTunes? Yes] It's the King of the Pep Band Songs! This song is here in honor of all the other pep band songs that didn't quite make the list. Songs like: "Rock Around the Clock;" "Notre Dame Victory March;" "Hawaii Five-O;" "NFL Today;" "St. James Infirmary;""Superman Theme;" and "Don't Stop Believing," to name a few.

Tromboners tromboning.

Of course, there is also "Rubberband Man" by the Spinners, which just missed out on making the HondoJoe Top 200. (It was in the first couple of rough drafts, but got bumped for more Billy Joel and ELO songs.) There are a number of similarities between "25" and "Rubberband." They both had great parts showcasing the trombone. And they both are pretty much lyrically incomprehensible. "25 or 6 to 4?" What does that even mean? And, as far as "Rubberband Man" goes, what the hell is that guy doing with the rubber band up around his nose and down around his toes? I just don't get it.

In the end, "25 or 6 to 4" edged out "Rubberband Man" for this spot. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the "sitting cross legged on the floor" and "getting up to splash my face" lyrics. Maybe it was because it was a bigger hit. Maybe it was because it had a slightly better "trombone slide" part in it. Maybe it was because I actually saw the band Chicago perform this at the University of Utah football stadium on the 4th of July fireworks show one year. (They Might Be Giants had been the opening act.)

Whatever the reason, here it is. (But, spoiler alert, there is one pep band song that is higher than this on the HondoJoe Top 200. But not in its original form.)

177. "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" by Nine Days {#6; 5/00} [iTunes? Yes] "This is the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so good in photographs, I absolutely love her when she smiles."

This one hit wonder gets the double benefit of being from my late-90's "hip and with-it" period (which apparently spilled over a little bit into the year 2000), and from being on one of my first sleep-music mix tapes for Roni. (Looking at it now, that "hip and with-it" period is probably a bit over-represnted in the HondoJoe Top 200.)

176. "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)" by Old 97's [iTunes? Yes] Speaking of that "hip and with-it" era, here's another one!

I really like this band, the Old 97's. Some of their stuff is a bit too country-ish, but the album this song comes from ("Fight Songs,") and the follow-up album ("King of All the World,") are both excellent, featuring great songs like "Crash On the Barrelhead," Oppenheimer,""Let the Idiot Speak,""King of All the World," "Question," and "Book of Poems," to name a few.

This song is a great exercise song. And it gets points for being (at least on some level) about a guy who loses his cat through a hole in his window screen.  ("And the whole damn complicated situation could have been avoided if I'd only shut the window.")

COMING UP NEXT: I really want to be overrated.