Once upon a time The Friday Random Ten spread across the interwebs like wild fire 🔥 Blog after blog of people dropping their lists and conversing about the results. I, myself, felt like I’d let everybody down if I’d forgotten to copy and paste my 10 on at least a half dozens blogs. Alas, as the quiet Beatle once said, “all things must pass.”
And with that, do whatever it is you do.
Not really.
01. “Eventually” – Ornette Coleman – The Shape Of Jazz To Come
02. “Steve Earle” – Lydia Loveless – Indestructible Machine
03. “Don’t Touch My Hair” – Solange – A Seat At The Table
04. “She Don’t Have To See You” – Golden Smog – Down By The Old Mainstream
05. “Say You Miss Me” – Wilco – Being There
06. “Dream” – Al Green – The Belle Album
07. “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major - First Movement” – Wendy Carlos – Switched-On Bach
08. “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) – Prince – 1999
09. “Star Me Kitten” – R.E.M. – Automatic For The People
10. “Moon & Back” – Torres – Torres
1. Birmingham – Drive-By Truckers
2. There Goes My Baby – The Drifters
3. I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace
4. Runnin’ Blue – The Doors
5. Illusions – Cypress Hill
6. Everything Will Be Alright – The Killers
7. Deadbeat Holiday – Green Day
8. The Rascal King – The Might Mighty Bosstones
9. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
10. The River of Dreams – Billy Joel
B1. So Cold – Breaking Benjamin
My buddy won tickets to Raphael Saadiq at First Ave this evening, so I’ll be there. Anyone who caught Mudbound last year has heard some of his recent work, but for those of you ‘old-school’ types, you’ll know him from Tony! Toni! Toné! Opening for Mr. Saadiq is Bed-Stuy’s finest*, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of ATCQ fame. Stoked to check these legends out.
*I suppose Mos Def, Jay-Z, Vanessa Williams, Lil’ Kim, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock and Mike Tyson could all lay claim to this title … I did not realize how many people are from this little neighborhood in Brooklyn.
And going back further in Bedford-Stuyvesant history, Jackie Robinson, Jackie Gleason, Lena Horne, chess master Bobby Fischer, and Harry Nilsson. My friend Jill lived in Bed-Stuy for a couple of years in the late 90’s-early 00’s before it was gentrified out of her price range. There was a plaque in front of her building that said it was once the childhood home of Mr. Gleason.
That's pretty sweet (not the gentrification part, the other part). For as generally familiar as I am with The Honeymooners and Jackie Gleason due to the intervening 50+ years of syndication - probably true for most folks - I did not realize that show was actively on the air for only a year between 1955-56. 60 years of legacy for 39 episodes!
Neglecting the importance of Jackie Robinson to Brooklyn is definitely a swing & miss on my part, but in my defense, I was looking at Bed-Stuy 'natives' and 2LT Robinson was born in GA and grew up in CA (which I didn't remember either). I went down the repository rabbit hole when you reminded me of that one. Robinson -> Branch Rickey -> Larry MacPhail -> Ebbets Field (35k max spectators!) which only lasted another year as the Dodger's home after Robison hung up his spikes.
* Intolerance - Tool - Undertow
* Superstition - The Kills - Keep on Your Mean Side
* Lelia 20 - Priests - Nothing Feels Natural
* Beast of Honor - Melissa Auf der Maur - Auf der Maur
* Movement IV: RR - Dredg - Leitmotif
* Movement II: Crosswind Minuet - Dredg - Leitmotif
* Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
* Movement III: Lyndon - Dredg - Leitmotif
* Neuromancer - EMA - The Future's Void
* Who Was in My Room Last Night? - Butthole Surfers - Independent Worm Saloon
Got tickets to My Bloody Valentine next weekend. Should be fun.
Sorry about literally phoning this one in, but I knocked over a bottle of Sucks on my desk (and keyboard) the other night and now several of my letter keys don’t work—or repeat ad infinitum. Yay! As a result I wasn’t feeling so inspired.
However, sort of related to my topic, I finally got around to picking up Angel Olsen’s Phases, meaning I’ve caught up in her discography. I have you folks to thank for turning me onto her. As a thank you, a live version of her awesome Boss cover from that record.
I think you asked a fair question, fwiw.
How about an old man's random ten?
Can't Get It Out Of My Head--ELO
You and Me--Alice Cooper
Don't Go Breakin' My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee
Top Of the World--The Carpenters
St. Judy's Comet--Paul Simon
Wildfire--Michael Martin Murphy
I Don't Believe In If Anymore--Roger Whittaker
America--Simon & Garfunkel
If You Could Read My Mind--Gordon Lightfoot
Leader Of the Band--Dan Fogelberg
Solid
I would not change the station.
Its Only A Paper Moon - Nat King Cole
I Cant Make Love To You - Bonnie Raitt
Joey - Concrete Blonde
Undun - Guess Who
Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
I Melt With You - Modern English
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
Little Red Corvette - Prince
Dose of You - Nick Lowe
Warm Love - Van Morrison