If you're going to work so hard to make a nice spaghetti dinner for each other, why waste it having a noodle fight. I've always loved this song, in fact, the whole Tragic Kingdom album is pretty solid, but this video pisses me off. Thumbs down, No Doubt.
A nose for hits: I've been cursed with the ability to preternaturally pinpoint a band's biggest hit without really know it. Let me explain. Upon seeing the "Just A Girl" video for the first time--late night Mtv, most probably--I fell for No Doubt, and fell in lust with a certain Ms. Gwen Stefani. At the time, No Doubt was yet to capture the hearts and wallets of America's youth, so I felt like I was on the ground floor of something epic. I bought Tragic Kingdom and listen the shit out of it. My favorite song: "Don't Speak." It was different than every other track. There was a sadness about it(obvs) and it touched me (not inappropriately). So, there I was, listening to No Doubt and proudly (maybe a little pretentiously also) proclaiming "Don't Speak" as the stand-out track that I, Matt Lawson, had discovered, my song, if you will. Then what song breaks No Doubt all over America's face like a dozen organic eggs? Effing "Don't Speak." Suddenly, every dope at school is singing it and asking if I've ever heard of No Doubt. It happened with "Brick" by Ben Folds Five too. It's usually what made my intense love for these bands cool off. Now that I'm older I don't care so much, but I spent my formative years having great bands stolen from me by the so-called "cool kids" and that didn't sit right with me.
84. "I've Just Seen a Face" (The Beatles)
How does one pick a favorite Beatles song? Well, for me, it's quite easy. My favorite Beatles song is and will always be "I've Just Seen a Face." There you go. It was the reason Rubber Soul meant so much to me as a young man. But, "Wait," you say, "'I've Just Seen a Face' isn't on the Rubber Soul album, but, rather, the Help! album," to which I say, "Wrong, buck-o, 'I've Just Seen a Face' was totally on the Capital version of the Rubber Soul album released in the US in '65. Look it up, dickwad!" Seriously though, the song was the opening track on the Rubber Soul cassette I wore out in my car stereo during high school. One afternoon, years after tossing most of my tapes in the trash on the cusp of my impending nuptials, I found myself wanting to hear the Paul McCartney-penned classic and pulled out my wife's copy of Rubber Soul on compact disc and to my chagrin found that my favorite tune had been replaced with "Drive My Car," ironically my least favorite song in the Beatles oeuvre. "What is this treachery?" I said, shaking my fists at the heavens. With the recent addition of the Beatles catalogue to iTunes (have you heard about this yet, he asks sarcastically), I've been able to once again add this classic track to my collection. Thanks, Apple Corporation.
At 00:39: Was that something people could actually buy? And use?
A little help: I swear I had a copy of Steve Earle covering "I've Just Seen a Face," but the internet is making me feel as if I've lost my mind. Somebody confirm this cover version please.
85. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" (Billy Joel)
When I rediscovered this song--my initial introduction to it is a story much too long and boring for the blog, but ask me about it next time we're having a beer together--I fell so deeply in love with it that I had to share the magic with my girlfriend at the time. "Get ready for this," I said, excitedly shoving the first disc of Billy Joel's "Greatest Hits-Volume I & Volume II" into my car stereo. "This song is going to blow your mind!" About a minute and a half into it, she lost interest and tried to start a conversation with me. "What's wrong with you?" I ask with a little more vitriol than was necessary considering the fact that I could've easily paused the song or started it over or what have you. "Why are you talking over the song?" She shrugged. "It's kinda boring." I promptly shoved her out of my moving car, turned up the volume to a deafening degree, and drove off into the sunset. I've never been back to that town since. I hope she didn't get hurt too badly. Anyway, here's the song. Shut up and listen! What, you can't be quiet for 10 minutes? Don't make me throw you out of this moving car!
86-87. "The King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 1, 2 & 3" (Neutral Milk Hotel)
Simple, beautiful and amazing. In fact, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is a jaw-droppingly amazing album. And it's a classic! For Pete's sake, why aren't you running out to buy it right now? I'll assume you already own it. In that case, good for you.
Fun Fact: It was not unheard of for GEP editor & chief, Matt Lawson, occasional contributor to the blog, Jonathan, and comment jockey, Gabe, to play "King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1" when they got together and found themselves surrounded by various instruments. True story.
88. "Ana Ng" (They Might be Giants)
TMBG is my favorite band and this is my favorite TMBG song. Nuff said.
We're in the home stretch now. Keeping checking back. The final 12 songs will be revealed before the year's end.
