The season change has prompted thoughts of dancing, you know, dancing to change, dancing to the joy of warming weather, rising greenery, leaves on trees, and blooming flowers and buds. A lot of good dance songs exist but I turned to “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy. It came out in 2005, fourteen years ago, so does that make it an oldie? How long must a song be out before it’s an oldie, a golden oldie, and a classic? Any thoughts?
Friday’s Theme Music
This one popped into my stream and then I sang it to one of my cats. The song, “Cool Jerk” by The Capitols, came out in 1966. I was ten and I thought this was a cool song. I still enjoy its beats, that bass, that piano, those lyrics and deliveries. I’ve never heard one of the cover songs (and there are many out there) that rose up to this version.
The cat’s version, of course, subs cat for jerk in the song. “Cool cat,” bum bum bum ba bum bum bum, “cool cat.” It was Papi on the receiving end and came about as the big dark ones, Boo and Tucker, were in one of their stand-offs. Papi, the svelte, young ginger, gave each a glance and sauntered between them.
Definitely a cool cat.
Wednesday’s Theme Music
Today’s song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, is a repeat. “Happy” was a theme song back in 2016 on the final Friday before our national elections. D.J.T.’s bizarre campaign was about to end, alleviating us of the lies and B.S. he constantly spouted.
Oh, if we only knew.
I don’t know why I’m streaming it today. It’s just in my head. I was surprised when it didn’t win an Academy Award. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I’m not good at such predictions.
Anyway, once again, a song must be shared to purge it from my stream. As songs go, a worst one could be found.
Tuesday’s Theme Music
This song, “Still the Same” by Bob Seger (1978) has been on a continuous stream since last night, looping through my conscious mind yesterday evening, through some of my dreams, and on through today.
The dream part was weird and laughable. I’m with others. Confusion is like a drug in my blood. We’re on some mission to get out of a jungle-like setting but I don’t know where we’re going. Sweat, grease, and stinging insects plague me. It seems like we’re on the verge of escaping the jungle. I’m dubious because I believed that before. Others are more optimistic but it seems like they’re pretending.
A quiet dusk is dropping around us. Darkness is seizing the jungle behind us, yet we’re reluctant to move on. I recognize it’s because we’re all tired but we’re not at a good place to stop.
I thought I heard something and then another voiced that same belief. We stop to listen, standing like mannequins. Then I heard, “There you stood, everybody watched you play. I just turned and walked away. I had nothing left to say.” The descending piano followed.
“That’s Bob Seger,” I said. “”Still the Same.” Where’s that coming from?”
No one answered. We instead lapsed into a brief and meandering conversation about what to do.
I didn’t remember the dream when I first awoke. After being up for a little bit, I heard “Still the Same” playing in my mind, and that triggered the dream recall. I was all, WTF?
So I’m posting the song here to purge it from my head. Thanks for taking it on for me. Cheers
Monday’s Theme Music
My stream hauled this one out of 1973’s memory bins.
My friends weren’t familiar with Montrose’s work. Their music struck me as raw and elemental. I often sang them aloud to entertain myself as I went about being a student. Most people reacted, “What are you singing?” This was the question no matter what Montrose song was being sung. Could be that it was my singing.
One day, while singing “Rock Candy”, a grinning Scott said, “Is that Montrose?”
“Yes, it is Montrose, “Rock Candy”,” I confirmed.
“You like Montrose?” he asked.
“No, I’m singing it to be perverse,” I said, adding, “stupid fucking question.”
Scott was a new student. Part of a wealthy family, he’d been kicked out of several private schools and had convinced his parents to let him go to a public high school. We shared several AP classes and were on the sports teams together. He was friendly but a little distant, with an interesting sense of humor. He and I were suddenly great friends because of Montrose. Scott sought me out about other groups, and then expanded our relationships to books we were reading.
His big ambition was to crew a ship and see the world. I joined the military and did the same. I haven’t seen him since we graduated in 1974.
I still sing “Rock Candy” when I’m out walking. I mean, come on:
But you’re rock candy, baby
You’re hard, sweet, and sticky, yes
You’re rock candy, baby
Hard, sweet, and sticky, oh, yes
h/t to Songlyrics.com
Oh, yes.
Sunday’s Theme Music
I was streaming several songs this morning, including “Timothy Leary” by the Moody Blues, but looking out the window at the emerging spring day and the hopes for more pleasant weather, I selected another oldie for today’s theme.
Here’s Friends of Distinction with “Grazing In The Grass” (1969). As Harry Elston sings, “What a trip just watching as the world goes past.” Perfect for a mellow-ish Sunday.
Saturday’s Theme Music
I stole this song off of John Scalzi’s post from earlier this week.
I’d never heard of Burning Sensations or their MTV hit, “Burning of the Whale”. I listened to it and was intrigued. It appears to be about a guy living in a whale, and the production is a bite out of the eighties, just in a slightly different direction. I figure it’s a good theme song because it’s an artistic attempt, and it’s different, and they tried, and these things are what art is about, no matter which venue we pursue. Have a dream, apply some imagination and work, and put it out there.
Friday’s Theme Music
I had a dream that I was searching for a combination. The combination would open the door and allow me to escape. It was all tres noir, black shadows, dim lighting, and unpainted cinder-block walls.
That led me to try to remember one of our bank account numbers. As I kept repeating the numbers, I wished for a ten-key number pad so that I could better visualize the number.
When I awoke, I knew the number without issue, but that whole repeating numbers sequence led me to “Jenny” by Tommy Tutone (1981). Many people know this number for some reason… Perhaps it’s because it seemed like it was being played everywhere.
Thursday’s Theme Music
Found myself singing The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary” (1985). Sanctuary was on my mind, partly through writing and reading influence but also due to various news articles and local events. Locally, forty-eight hundred customers, including my house, have been without natural gas since Monday. It’s expected to be restored by Friday afternoon at my house. That diminished my sense of sanctuary but also stirred reflections on how much is accepted and taken for granted as a given – gas and electricity to heat and cook water to bath, drink, and cook; and protection from the elements. I see homeless people everyday that don’t have these things. I recognize they don’t have them and feel for them, but with my temporary losses magnified my empathy for people going without. As too many times with privileged folks like me, it takes an inconvenience to look harder and think deeper.
Wednesday’s Theme Music
I thought my cats were singing today’s theme music. As I did the morning rituals of feeding cats, dressing, and foraging for coffee, they took turns stalking me, rubbing against my legs, sitting on my feet, giving me adoring gazes, and purring like mad. They wouldn’t relent, and I picked up that they were singing, “I got my mind set on you.”
You might recall the 1987 George Harrison cover of the 1962 song, “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You,” released by Harrison as “Got My Mind Set on You”, or the Weird Al parody, “(This Song’s Just) Six Words Long”. According to the feline streams hitting my music stream (a wholly telepathic thing), the cats were singing the Harrison cover.
I’ll go with it, just to purge it from my stream.
Michael Seidel, writer 