“Beautiful Day” by U2 (2000)

It’s been about a month since my last post. I’ve been busy with a major career change, a pretty spectacular (but stressful) tremor, but I’m so sorry I’ve stopped talking to you here for so long. I’m hoping this new job will add years to my life, so maybe it’s a net gain overall.

I couldn’t possibly tell you how awesome I think U2 is in one day, let alone one brief internet fart. Maybe over time, as you grow older, I can share their music with you, and you can make up your own mind.

But in case that doesn’t happen, just know that I think U2 rocks. And they speak the truth. And I believe that they will be the first band to “win” the Nobel Peace Prize.

I’ve decided I’m going to focus on the positive for a while. For a change.

So here we go: I love the joy and the power of this track. The magnificent hope of a bright future for all of us. ALL OF US. This is an ideal that many of us (including your daddy) are willing to fight for.

It’s absolutely irresistible.

(Thanks to LazloLozlaenQro for the upload. Damn U2’s corporate suits for making their music so fucking difficult to share with the people!)

And don’t swear in public!

“Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” by Eels (2000)

Mark Everett is the man behind the band Eels, and he’s also recorded under the name E. Regardless of what name he’s recording under, Mr. Everett makes fantastic music. It’s dense, a little dark, a little sarcastic, and very funky in an understated way. But on top of all that, his songs have beautiful melodies that stick in your head forever.

This is the kind of music I wish I could make.

“Goddamn right, it’s a beautiful day! Uh-huh!”

“(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” by Elvis Costello (1977)

You will find a LOT of Elvis Costello records in our collection. He’s one of my favorite songwriters and performers, and he’s put out some amazing albums, like “Imperial Bedroom,” “This Year’s Model,” “Armed Forces,” and my personal favorite—as much for the great music as for the perfect timing in my life to hear it—”Blood and Chocolate.”

And I love the album from which this track comes, “My Aim is True,” which was his first record. You absolutely must hear “Watching the Detectives,” the track I was going to highlight for you. But I wanted to post “Angels” because it’s one of those songs that’s near and dear to my heart. It’s everything I like about Mr. Costello’s music. He would branch out into many musical directions, but he would always retain that edgy, sly wit in both his lyrics and music.

Every time I hear this line from the song, I can’t help but smile, if not laugh out loud:

“I said, ‘I’m so happy, I could die.’
She said, ‘Drop dead,’ then left with another guy.”

LOL.

“Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order (1986)

Some folks I know would describe New Order as a band that makes “dance music,” but they’re much more than that, at least to me. They wrote some great songs, and their arrangements—relying heavily on electronic instruments—are terrific. Unlike some dance music, there is real heft, musicality, and integrity in New Order’s work.

Although it’s not really my scene, there’s nothing like being in a club when the DJ spins some New Order. The sound is amazing, and the crowd is electrified by the music. Not bad for a day’s work.

I also wanted to tell you what I think a good song is. A good song doesn’t rely on production value alone, it can stand up on its own and be heard in any context. This song is a perfect example. It sounds great in its original form, as a so-called dance track, but it also sounds great stripped down to the bare essentials. The Australian band Frente! did a cover of this song with just voice and acoustic guitar, and you can really hear the song shine through.

That’s kind of a test for me. Could a person play the song around a campfire? Would it just sound stupid and repetitious? Or would it still move you?

“Uninvited” by Alanis Morissette (1998)

Alanis Morissette had a huge album in 1995, “Jagged Little Pill,” which took the world by storm. It’s a great record which was overshadowed a bit by idiotic controversy over some of her lyrics. Apparently, if you’re a man, you can get away with “dirty” words, but if you’re a woman, you’ll offend someone’s sensibilities. Proof that women still have a ways to go in our society if they want equal treatment.

This song was recorded for a movie soundtrack, and it was, I think, the first recording she did since the success of “Jagged Little Pill.” I couldn’t imagine the pressure she must have been under to follow up on her previous album.

But then she gave us this magnificent jewel. The production is terrific, a live, cavernous vibe that still sounds intimate. It’s gentle and soothing, yet strong and fierce at the same time. And who can resist Ms. Morissette’s powerful, expressive voice? It works perfectly with the intricate flow and phrasing of her words.

Everyone who worked and performed on this track should be mighty proud.

This is a “headphone song.” Put on a good pair, shut the door, and let it envelop you.

“I Confess” by The (English) Beat (1982)

Okay, the name of this band in the rest of the world is simply “The Beat,” but they had to add “English” to their name for us Americans due to another band with that name. I know them as The English Beat, but if you talk to a Brit about them, he or she will probably snicker if you call them that.

The Beat made wonderful, crackling music which just felt alive to me at the time (and still does). They blended elements of ska, punk, and new wave that was both danceable and thought-provoking. It was the perfect soundtrack to my youth. I remember driving around San Francisco with friends in the summer, excited about seeing some concert, and optimistic about the future. We sang along to The Beat, shouting the words out the windows of my beat up VW bug.

A lot of people have bands and/or albums that define certain phases of their lives, and The English Beat will always remind me of my high school and college years. I’m just glad it was a band as good as this.

“Party at Ground Zero” by Fishbone (1985)

Ska is one of my favorite styles of music, and Fishbone was one of the best ska/punk bands around. Later on they explored more diverse styles of music, but it’s their earlier skankin’ that is near and dear to my heart. This track is from their first release, an EP, and it really showcases the manic energy and enthusiasm that they poured into their music.

This track is definitely a crowd-pleaser. If it’s not, you may be in the wrong crowd.

“Down by the Water” by PJ Harvey (1995)

Polly Jean Harvey makes great music and pushes a lot of boundaries and buttons, which you know I think is terrific. An artist of her talent could easily produce formulaic music and make a mint, but Ms. Harvey plays from her heart and soul.

Fortunately she has a lot of admirers and fans, allowing her to continue sharing her music with us.

This track just grinds and sways behind the assured but menacing lyrics. What’s she singing about? I’ll leave that for you to decide.

“Twist In My Sobriety” by Tanita Tikaram (1988)

Oh how I love the album “Ancient Heart” by Tanita Tikaram. It was a great friend during some hard times.

I adore this track, but I’ve never analyzed the lyrics or tried to determine its exact subject. I don’t think I ever really wanted to. Or needed to. I could absorb and interpret what I needed.

What I needed was its empathy. The relentless ache and anxiety that resonated so deeply at the time. Just to know that there was at least ONE other person out there that felt the same thing. A shoulder to lean on, to steady me.

Good music can do that for you.

(thanks to Diaboldik2 for the YouTube upload with lyrics, which I guess could force me to analyze the meaning now….)

“Nothing Compares 2 U” performed by Sinead O’Connor (1990)

This is one of those tracks that just digs deep down into your soul and stays with you forever. The song was written by Prince, truly a legendary musician and composer, but this version by Sinead O’Connor just knocks my socks off. It’s mesmerizing, haunting, and just lingers in the air, like the scent of jasmine on a rainy day.

I hope you get a chance to explore Ms. O’Connor’s music. Her voice is remarkably expressive, ranging from wistful longing to piercing anger. The album from which this track comes, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” is fantastic, but I particularly like her prior album “The Lion and the Cobra,” with great tracks like “Jerusalem,” “Mandinka,” and “Drink Before the War.”

Ms. O’Connor is a fierce and outspoken person, and she stirred up quite the controversies in her early career, showing courage a lot of artists just don’t have. If I were a young woman looking for role models, she would be on the short list.