166. "No One Is to Blame" by Howard Jones {#4; 4/86} [iTunes? Yes]
GOOD BAD
Looking at menu Can't eat
Feeling the cushions Can't have a seat
Dipping foot in the pool Can't have a swim
Building a mansion Can't live in it
You're the fastest runner Not allowed to win
Seeing the summit Can't reach it
The last piece of the puzzle Can't make it fit
Doctor says you're cured Still feel the pain
Aspiration: Cloud Hope: Drain
With "Eleanor Rigby," I just finished talking about the "lonely songs." Well, I used to consider this my "song for unrequited love."
You say: Unrequited? How can it be unrequited? The lyrics clearly state "And you want her, and she wants you." Sure sounds requited to me!
Well, the thing is, in my mind all of the unrequited loves I had over the years all felt the same way about me that I did about them, they just couldn't act on it. Who were these "unrequited loves" of mine? Well, over my extended time in singledom there were quite a few. Some were real women, some were celebrity women, some were fictional women, and some were imaginary women. (Sorry, but I won't further embarrass myself or any of the women by actually naming names.) (Except for Angela Lansbury, because I don't think she'd mind.)
Anyway, this is yet another song that would have been much higher on the list seven years ago than it is now. (It really is an awesome song. I like Howard Jones. His "Things Can Only Get Better" is also a pretty good honorable mention candidate for the HondoJoe Top 200.)
COMING UP NEXT: Good Information from the Affordables
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
167: A Sermon That No One Will Hear
167. "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles {#11; 8/66} [iTunes? Yes]
"All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?"
"Eleanor Rigby died in a church and was buried along with her name."
For some reason, I have a soft spot in my heart for "lonely" songs. Songs like "Message In a Bottle" by the Police; "Alone Again, Naturally" by Gilbert O'Sullivan; and "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen. For most of my adult life, these were songs I could wallow in. "Eleanor Rigby" is one of the best of these songs.
Oh, woe is me...I'm so lonely. Just like Eleanor Rigby. And Father MacKenzie.
(Obviously, now that the background sound of my life is the endless happy jabbering of my three year old boy and five year old girl, and I have not only them, but my lovely wife in my life as well, these "lonely" songs don't have quite the same meaning to me as they once did.)
Like "Somebody To Love" by Queen, this song is not nearly as high on this list as it would have been seven years ago.
COMING UP NEXT: I am the fastest runner!
"All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?"
"Eleanor Rigby died in a church and was buried along with her name."
For some reason, I have a soft spot in my heart for "lonely" songs. Songs like "Message In a Bottle" by the Police; "Alone Again, Naturally" by Gilbert O'Sullivan; and "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen. For most of my adult life, these were songs I could wallow in. "Eleanor Rigby" is one of the best of these songs.
Oh, woe is me...I'm so lonely. Just like Eleanor Rigby. And Father MacKenzie.
(Obviously, now that the background sound of my life is the endless happy jabbering of my three year old boy and five year old girl, and I have not only them, but my lovely wife in my life as well, these "lonely" songs don't have quite the same meaning to me as they once did.)
Like "Somebody To Love" by Queen, this song is not nearly as high on this list as it would have been seven years ago.
COMING UP NEXT: I am the fastest runner!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
168: Birthday Party, Cheesecake, Jelly Bean, Boom
168. "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by REM {#69; 1/88} [iTunes? Yes]
Speaking of Michael Stipe and REM, here they are. It's a fun little song about the end of the world (as we know it.) And, for even more fun, here's the official "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Picture Quiz:
Match the name of the man named in the song with his picture.
A. Leonard Bernstein
B. Leonid Brevhnev
C. Lenny Bruce
D. Lester Bangs
(Roni came down and looked over my shoulder while I was setting up this little photo quiz. The conversation went like this:
Roni: "Scary."
Me: "What is scary?"
Roni: "All four of those guys are scary looking."
I can't really argue her point. And yet, I feel fine.)
(Brezhnev looks like a Muppet.)
COMING UP NEXT: Wiping the dirt; darning the socks.
Speaking of Michael Stipe and REM, here they are. It's a fun little song about the end of the world (as we know it.) And, for even more fun, here's the official "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Picture Quiz:
Match the name of the man named in the song with his picture.
A. Leonard Bernstein
B. Leonid Brevhnev
C. Lenny Bruce
D. Lester Bangs
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| 1. |
 |
| 2. |
 |
| 3. |
 |
| 4. |
(Roni came down and looked over my shoulder while I was setting up this little photo quiz. The conversation went like this:
Roni: "Scary."
Me: "What is scary?"
Roni: "All four of those guys are scary looking."
I can't really argue her point. And yet, I feel fine.)
(Brezhnev looks like a Muppet.)
COMING UP NEXT: Wiping the dirt; darning the socks.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
169: You're a Rabbit On the Run
169. "Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of a New Day)" by Jethro Tull [iTunes? Yes]
Ah, what would the HondoJoe Top 200 be without a tune from Jethro Tull? Actually, it would have been just fine. We're getting by without Elton John, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran and Chilliwack. And yet, here is Jethro Tull.
I did some quick research on Jethro Tull. So here is the "Things I Learned From the Internets" true/false quiz about Jethro Tull:
A. The band is named after a British dude who is credited with inventing the seed drill.
B. Lead singer/flautist Ian Anderson once wrote a book titled "How to Play the Flute for Fame and Fortune." It was a best seller in Great Britain.
C. Ian Anderson didn't know how to play the flute until after the band was formed. He picked up the flute because he couldn't play the guitar as well as Eric Clapton, and he didn't want to be just another "third-rate guitarist."
D. Jethro Tull beat out heavily-favored Metallica for the inaugural Grammy in the category of "Heavy Metal."
E. Due to a typo, their first single was released under the name of "Jethro Toe."
F. During a performance at Wembley Stadium, the band attempted to play "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and were booed off the stage.
As surprising as it is to find Jethro Tull on this list, it's even more surprising that this is the song that made it. Most people would think "Aqualung" might make the list, based on its lyrics of "snot is running down his nose," and panties. Or perhaps "Locomotive Breath," with its driving guitars and "shuffling madness."
Nope. "Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of a New Day)" gets the nod. I hear this song, and I feel like I want to skip. There aren't many songs that make me want to skip. And, it also gets bonus points for featuring one of the two best vocals-that-sound-like-someone-trying-to-start-a-car. (In this song, he sings "A-way-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay" to the point that it sounds like someone is trying to start a car.) (The other vocal-that-sounds-like-someone-trying-to-start-a-car? Michael Stipe in REM's "Man On the Moon" singing, "If you belie-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ve they put a man on the moon.")
(Just for the record, I made up answers "B" and "F." Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are false, just probably so.)
COMING UP NEXT: Leonid Brezhnev!
Ah, what would the HondoJoe Top 200 be without a tune from Jethro Tull? Actually, it would have been just fine. We're getting by without Elton John, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran and Chilliwack. And yet, here is Jethro Tull.
I did some quick research on Jethro Tull. So here is the "Things I Learned From the Internets" true/false quiz about Jethro Tull:
A. The band is named after a British dude who is credited with inventing the seed drill.
B. Lead singer/flautist Ian Anderson once wrote a book titled "How to Play the Flute for Fame and Fortune." It was a best seller in Great Britain.
C. Ian Anderson didn't know how to play the flute until after the band was formed. He picked up the flute because he couldn't play the guitar as well as Eric Clapton, and he didn't want to be just another "third-rate guitarist."
D. Jethro Tull beat out heavily-favored Metallica for the inaugural Grammy in the category of "Heavy Metal."
E. Due to a typo, their first single was released under the name of "Jethro Toe."
F. During a performance at Wembley Stadium, the band attempted to play "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and were booed off the stage.
As surprising as it is to find Jethro Tull on this list, it's even more surprising that this is the song that made it. Most people would think "Aqualung" might make the list, based on its lyrics of "snot is running down his nose," and panties. Or perhaps "Locomotive Breath," with its driving guitars and "shuffling madness."
Nope. "Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of a New Day)" gets the nod. I hear this song, and I feel like I want to skip. There aren't many songs that make me want to skip. And, it also gets bonus points for featuring one of the two best vocals-that-sound-like-someone-trying-to-start-a-car. (In this song, he sings "A-way-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay-uh-ay" to the point that it sounds like someone is trying to start a car.) (The other vocal-that-sounds-like-someone-trying-to-start-a-car? Michael Stipe in REM's "Man On the Moon" singing, "If you belie-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ve they put a man on the moon.")
(Just for the record, I made up answers "B" and "F." Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are false, just probably so.)
COMING UP NEXT: Leonid Brezhnev!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
170: I Wonder Where the Louisiana Sheriff Went
170. "Amos Moses" by Jerry Reed {#8; 10/70} [iTunes? Yes]
"They raised a son who could eat up his weight in groceries. Named him after a man of the cloth. Called him Amos Moses."
Is there a more fun song out there that so prominently features murder, dismemberment, and child abuse? Oh, and alligators, too.
Jerry Reed is a hoot. He's just a fun, fun singer. He's like Mac Davis without the incredible ego. He was the best thing about Smokey and the Bandit. (And that's no small feat.) In fact, here are the ten best things about Smokey and the Bandit:
1. Jerry Reed
2. Jackie Gleason's swearing
3. Dimwitted Junior
4. The song "Eastbound and Down"
5. Bandit's car
6. Jerry Reed's dog
7. Burt Reynold's moustache
8. Paul Williams as Little Enos
9. Burt Reynolds
10. Jerry Reed's truck
Somewhere around #16: Sally Field. (Would the movie have been better with a hotter female lead, like Lynda Carter, Cheryl Ladd, or Susan Saint James? Or did having the cute-but-not-gorgeous Sally Field in the role keep the movie grounded to reality? Discuss.)
Anyway, I digress. Jerry Reed was able to ride the success of this song into a guest-star appearance on Scooby-Doo, and the rest is history!
It's too bad Jerry has passed away. The world was a better place with him in it. And I think we should all remember and take to heart Jerry's last words to Amos Moses: "Make it count, son!" Good advice. Good advice for all.
"They raised a son who could eat up his weight in groceries. Named him after a man of the cloth. Called him Amos Moses."
Is there a more fun song out there that so prominently features murder, dismemberment, and child abuse? Oh, and alligators, too.
Jerry Reed is a hoot. He's just a fun, fun singer. He's like Mac Davis without the incredible ego. He was the best thing about Smokey and the Bandit. (And that's no small feat.) In fact, here are the ten best things about Smokey and the Bandit:
1. Jerry Reed
2. Jackie Gleason's swearing
3. Dimwitted Junior
4. The song "Eastbound and Down"
5. Bandit's car
6. Jerry Reed's dog
7. Burt Reynold's moustache
8. Paul Williams as Little Enos
9. Burt Reynolds
10. Jerry Reed's truck
Somewhere around #16: Sally Field. (Would the movie have been better with a hotter female lead, like Lynda Carter, Cheryl Ladd, or Susan Saint James? Or did having the cute-but-not-gorgeous Sally Field in the role keep the movie grounded to reality? Discuss.)
Anyway, I digress. Jerry Reed was able to ride the success of this song into a guest-star appearance on Scooby-Doo, and the rest is history!
 |
| "Keep singing, Jerry!" |
It's too bad Jerry has passed away. The world was a better place with him in it. And I think we should all remember and take to heart Jerry's last words to Amos Moses: "Make it count, son!" Good advice. Good advice for all.
COMING UP NEXT: Don't flout the flautist!
171: We Slip, We Stumble
171. "All Fall Down" by Electric Light Orchestra Part II [iTunes? Surprisingly, Yes]
When it comes to "hidden gem" songs, this was one of the hiddenest. (The hideyest? The hiddeneyest?) As far as I knew, this song was never released as a single and never released on an album. Instead, a video of this song was tacked on to the end of a VHS/DVD of the band Electric Light Orchestra Part II live in concert.
In other words, in order to know this song even existed, you would have to be such a major nerd fan of ELO that you had not only heard of ELO Part II, but you actually paid money to own a recording of a bunch of former ELO members and their ELO-wannabe friends performing old ELO songs in concert! (I am that nerd!)
[Quick explanation: ELO Part II is a group formed after the breakup of ELO featuring former members of the group and a few other replacements. (I'll explain in more detail when I finally get around to writing the "Brief (Ha!) History of the Electric Light Orchestra and the ELO Family Tree of Musicians."]
But, a quick iTunes search shows me that the song is now available there. And, of course, with the advent of YouTube any old fool can hear this song and watch the video. (You can be that old fool! See: ELO Part II: All Fall Down) The video itself is pretty unremarkable, but I think the song is great. Singer/songwriter Eric Troyer (a veteran studio session player who sang back-up on Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," among many other things) has a great voice.
I like the lyrics, too. It's a nice little song about how nobody is perfect. "We slip, we stumble, and we all fall down." (It reminds me a little of Billy Joel's "You're Only Human.")
COMING UP NEXT: Investigating the disappearance of a Louisiana sheriff.
When it comes to "hidden gem" songs, this was one of the hiddenest. (The hideyest? The hiddeneyest?) As far as I knew, this song was never released as a single and never released on an album. Instead, a video of this song was tacked on to the end of a VHS/DVD of the band Electric Light Orchestra Part II live in concert.
In other words, in order to know this song even existed, you would have to be such a major nerd fan of ELO that you had not only heard of ELO Part II, but you actually paid money to own a recording of a bunch of former ELO members and their ELO-wannabe friends performing old ELO songs in concert! (I am that nerd!)
[Quick explanation: ELO Part II is a group formed after the breakup of ELO featuring former members of the group and a few other replacements. (I'll explain in more detail when I finally get around to writing the "Brief (Ha!) History of the Electric Light Orchestra and the ELO Family Tree of Musicians."]
But, a quick iTunes search shows me that the song is now available there. And, of course, with the advent of YouTube any old fool can hear this song and watch the video. (You can be that old fool! See: ELO Part II: All Fall Down) The video itself is pretty unremarkable, but I think the song is great. Singer/songwriter Eric Troyer (a veteran studio session player who sang back-up on Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," among many other things) has a great voice.
I like the lyrics, too. It's a nice little song about how nobody is perfect. "We slip, we stumble, and we all fall down." (It reminds me a little of Billy Joel's "You're Only Human.")
COMING UP NEXT: Investigating the disappearance of a Louisiana sheriff.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
173-172: A Night At the Opera
173. "Rockaria!" by Electric Light Orchestra [iTunes? Yes]
"She's sweet on Wagner. I think she'd die for Beethoven. She loves the way Puccini lays down a tune. And Verdi's always creeping from her room!"
Remember a few songs ago (#185, to be exact) when I was ragging on Jeff Lynne for not having memorable or clever lyrics? Well, that's not the case with this song! This is a fun little hootenanny about a rocker trying to teach an opera singer how to rock and roll.
This song is memorable, clever, and fun. It's got some driving guitars and some sing-along-able lyrics. And it'll leave you "reeling and a-rocking all through the night!" Yeah, you'll be "rocking at the opera house until the break of light!"
172. "Headache" by Frank Black [iTunes? Yes]
"My heart is crammed in my cranium, and it still knows how to pound."
This one definitely falls into the category of "I don't know why I like it, I just do." It was the late 90s and I was trying to, you know, "stay" "hip" and "with it." I was looking for some new bands to follow. I read somewhere that if I liked They Might Be Giants I might also like Frank Black.
So, I bought his CD "Teenager of the Year" at the used CD store. (You remember the used CD stores, don't you? It was right next to the Blockbuster.) I listened to it and found 80% of it not worth a second listen. A couple of the songs were okay. And then there was this one.
Other than it being a good sing-along song, I really, truly have no idea why I like this song this much. I was trying to figure it out, but it was giving me a headache.
COMING UP NEXT: A song from Billy Joel's backup singer and ELO's bass player!
"She's sweet on Wagner. I think she'd die for Beethoven. She loves the way Puccini lays down a tune. And Verdi's always creeping from her room!"
Remember a few songs ago (#185, to be exact) when I was ragging on Jeff Lynne for not having memorable or clever lyrics? Well, that's not the case with this song! This is a fun little hootenanny about a rocker trying to teach an opera singer how to rock and roll.
This song is memorable, clever, and fun. It's got some driving guitars and some sing-along-able lyrics. And it'll leave you "reeling and a-rocking all through the night!" Yeah, you'll be "rocking at the opera house until the break of light!"
172. "Headache" by Frank Black [iTunes? Yes]
"My heart is crammed in my cranium, and it still knows how to pound."
This one definitely falls into the category of "I don't know why I like it, I just do." It was the late 90s and I was trying to, you know, "stay" "hip" and "with it." I was looking for some new bands to follow. I read somewhere that if I liked They Might Be Giants I might also like Frank Black.
So, I bought his CD "Teenager of the Year" at the used CD store. (You remember the used CD stores, don't you? It was right next to the Blockbuster.) I listened to it and found 80% of it not worth a second listen. A couple of the songs were okay. And then there was this one.
Other than it being a good sing-along song, I really, truly have no idea why I like this song this much. I was trying to figure it out, but it was giving me a headache.
COMING UP NEXT: A song from Billy Joel's backup singer and ELO's bass player!
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