Monday’s Theme Music

I like watching people, seeing where their eyes move, their non-verbal language, and how they interact with the world. The phone people — PP, or P2, the ones with attention glued to their phones as they walk along — demonstrate little expression or body language. It’s not a surprise; they’re usually totally invested in that little electronic device. They’re interacting with it. It changes when they’re on video, or actually speaking someone, and — of course! — when a selfie is being orchestrated.

As an aside rant, the P2 annoy me when they’re absorbed by their phone and walking. They expect everyone to move aside and look out for them. Sometimes, I’m an asshole, and I don’t move.

Today’s song was inspired by a woman walking toward me. She was quite the haughty person, swapping all with her eyes but avoiding eye contact with anyone. I do understand it more, now, why many women avoid contact that could be misconstrued with others. Many have horror stories about how their friendliness was misconstrued, leading to ugly encounters with men who thought the women were flirting with them.

This woman’s dark eyes struck a chord with lyrics from a past song, “Here comes the woman with the look in her eye.” Before she’d come within six feet, Michael Hutchence and INXS were streaming “Devil Inside” through me. Although this song came out in 1988, when I was stationed in Germany, I’d heard INXS in the early eighties while on assignment at Kadena AB on Okinawa. That’s because I knew some Australian special forces members there. They knew of INXS’ music and introduced them to me. So INXS is forever associated with Okinawa in my mind.

Sad day when I heard that Hutchence had killed himself, thirty-seven years old. He was younger than me by four years, and it seemed astonishing that such a talented, young, and successful person could kill themselves.

I’ve learned a lot since then.

Thursday’s Theme Music

I think today’s ancient rock song speaks to human history. Listen, and let me know if you agree. A sample verse:

Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
When a leader speaks, that leader dies
You won’t have to follow me
Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You gave me power in your God’s name
I’m every person you need to be

Read more: Living Colour – Cult Of Personality Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Here’s Living Colour’s 1988 song, “Cult of Personality”.

 

Thursday’s Theme Music

I was in Germany when this song popped into the world in 1988. It felt “Armageddon It” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” were being heard everywhere I went. It was played on the radio, on boom box tapes, CDs at parties, in clubs. Def Leppard seemed fabulously popular. A friend showed me a video of her as a young goth girl dressed in black leather dancing to “Armageddon It”.

Are you getting it? Armageddon it.

Tuesday’s Theme Music

Perhaps it was the Notre Dame fire, or the moment late last night when I stepped out to a startlingly dark skin and a fantastic array of our starry universe. But later, I was found to be humming the 1988 song by The Church, “Under the Milky Way”.

Sometimes, when this place gets kind of empty
Sound of their breath fades with the light
I think about the loveless fascination
Under the Milky Way tonight

h/t genuislyrics.com

I think it works as the them music today, quietly contemplative about what is and was.

Thursday’s Theme Music

This one dipped into the stream out of nowhere, but reminded me of a friend. A sweet, petite person, I was surprised when I discovered her favorite music came from Danzig and Samhein. She wasn’t as fond of Black Sabbath because she didn’t think they were really head-banging, but she liked Def Leppard and Scorpion.

So, thinking of her, hope she’s having a good day after enduring trying years.

Here’s Danzig’s “Mother”.

 

 

Saturday’s Theme Music

After feeding the cats, I read the news and skimmed social media while drinking a mornin’ cuppa. After reading a bit o’ America’s plight, the rush toward extinction of the Monarch Butterfly, some murder and scandal updates, I was ready to move on. Thinking, gotta get away from that same old, same old, I need a chance just to get away. If you could hear me thinking, this is what I’d say.

Poison’s song, “Nothin’ but a Good Time” (1988) burst into my stream. It was almost like their video.

Hah. Yeah, right.

 

 

Monday’s Theme Music

It’s strange of me to be streaming Paula Abdul. It’s not the musical style that I normally stream.

I enjoy the poppy and catchy song, “Straight Up”, but the song also inspires me. The way I remember hearing it — and this may have been from Casey Kasem on American Top Forty — Paula was working as a choreographer and trying to make it as a music star by recording at night, after work. She heard a demo of this song. While others didn’t think much of it, she heard something, liked it, and made it work. Others didn’t believe in her, but she believed in herself. It became her first hit.

That’s what all of us need: to believe in yourself.

Friday’s Theme Music

Little Feat was one of my favorite groups when I was a young teenager but none of my friends had heard of them. When I played their music on the eight track, they’d ask, “What’s that?” with that look on their face like they’d taken a bite and discovered a funky and unexpected taste that worries them because maybe they they’d bitten into a bug or some rodent part.

Years later, I was surprised to hear Little Feat were playing again because, hello? Didn’t they break up and the guy that started them die? Yes, but they’d been reformed by surviving members.

Well, they’d become a little more mainstream but I still enjoyed them. “Hate to Lose Your Lovin'” is probably the song most people know them for, so why not?

From 1988.

Monday’s Theme Music

Rattle and Hum is an album I favor listening to, although it’s second to The Joshua Tree among my U2 album’s of choice. I found myself streaming and humming “Desire” today, so I thought I’d spilled it out to others. The song’s lyrics touches on how greed and love can become entangled, and reminds me of how often the desire to be wanted confuses the need to be love and be loved. It’s a fever, an addiction, a promise, and a reward.

Sometimes, it’s just a damn hope.

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