A Quiet Good Night - Twenty-Four Little Hours

Dinah Washington, "What A Difference A Day Makes"

Hector Camacho Memorial Post - Songs About Boxing

1. L.L. Cool J, "Mama Said Knock You Out"
2. Nils Lofgren, "No Mercy"
3. Mumford & Sons, "The Boxer"
4. Warren Zevon, "Boom Boom Mancini"
5. Bob Dylan, "Who Killed Davey Moore?"
6. Mark Knopfler, "Song for Sonny Liston" (suggested by Rich Kurlantzick)

Yer Morning Moptops - All My Little Plans and Schemes

John Lennon, "Real Love"

A Quiet Good Night - Flying High

"I Was Never Part of That Scene"

Joey and Marky Ramone on The Joe Franklin Show, 1988

The Weenie List

1. Scott Stapp
2. Nickelback
3. Mike Love
4. John Mayer
5. Kid Rock
6. Axl Rose
7. Coldplay
8. Yngwie
9. Glenn Frey
10. Bono


EDIT: Li'l Davey McKitrrick of Church Falls, W. Va. writes: "But we need some reasons for each listed weenie! Snark brother--snark away!"

Reasons after the jump.

Pretty Good for A Bad Girl

Great interview here with burlesque singer-songwriter Sabrina Chap. I met Sabrina at a wedding this past summer and she was cool and funny as hell. And her work is brilliant.

"Never Been A Bad Girl"



I'm a white straight male, and sad to say, I have behaved in my time as a totally clueless white straight male asshole, so what I can add to or comment about Sabrina's eloquent complaints is pretty much zero. Here's something: most guys I know who play music would not be able to handle the added pressures and hassles as women who play music. They would crumble and cry like babies. This is a fact.

"We Are the Parade"



What I do know is good music, and good musicians, and Sabrina Chap is one of the best. She deserves to be rich and famous as hell, so go to her website and buy all her albums, and go see her live. And tell her hi!

Yer Morning Moptops - Many Rivers to Cross

Produced by John Lennon for Harry's Pussycats album, and features the same string arrangement used for "#9 Dream".

A Quiet Good Night - Hold Out

Yer Morning Moptops - Thanksgiving Prep with Ringo

"Cookin' in the Kitchen of Love"

A Quiet Good Night - Bumpin' on Sunset

THIS IS ELVIS

In January of 1964, Colonel Parker talked Elvis into buying the presidential yacht Potomac, once used by Franklin Roosevelt. The idea was to give away the yacht for charity (and publicity), but Elvis and the Colonel soon realized that no one wanted a 'gift' that would serve no useful purpose and would be expensive for charities to maintain. Eventually, the yacht was accepted by Danny Thomas on behalf of Saint Jude Hospital.

"In the end the event generated a good deal of publicity, but Elvis was furious nonetheless. What had the old man been thinking, buying this piece of shit that nobody wanted and turning him into a laughingstock in the eyes of the world? He had agreed to it, it was true; as a student of history, and as an admirer of Roosevelt and Churchill and General MacArthur, he had been proud to purchase the boat on which the great issues of the Second World War had been discussed. But the way this thing had gone, he was beginning to wonder if maybe Colonel was slipping. And besides, what did the old man mean, interrupting his Las Vegas vacation?"
  - Peter Guralnick, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley

Yer Morning Moptops - How Do You Plead?

A Quiet Good Night - "I Walked"

Spooky and beautiful.

Close to My Chest - 10 Songs Featuring Accordion

It's a good bet that the first musical instrument I ever heard  up close was the accordion. My Dad had learned to play it during his childhood, and he brought it out every so often to amuse his five kids.  I loved when he played, because I loved how warm the accordion sounded, and I loved the strange and exotic songs he'd wheeze out, most of which were polkas and German folk songs. But interestingly, it was not me but my sister Mary Ann who decided to follow in Dad's footsteps, at least for awhile. I wish she had kept at it.

The older us kids got, the more Dad's accordion became a running gag. Every time one of us had a recital, or a play, or some event where we were going to perform or be recognized, Dad would jokingly threaten that at some point during the proceedings, an announcement would come over the PA that a 'special guest' would give an accordion performance. My sisters were duly (and humorously) horrified, and I kind of wished he'd do it, just once. When this classic cartoon first appeared, you can bet that we couldn't share it with Dad fast enough.



But I think the jokes and teasing eventually took their toll, because by the time grandchildren had entered the picture my dad had sold off his accordion, and that was that. Over the years I have asked him if he would ever want to take up the instrument again, and once we even offered to buy him a concertina, but he just isn't interested. I think a part of him is sad about it, maybe, and wishes perhaps that his children hadn't given him such a hard time about it, which I can completely understand. (On the other hand, he may have simply decided he hated the dumb thing. It is tough to read my pop sometimes.)

Either way, the absence of my dad's accordion is a bit sad for me, because I miss his playing and whenever I hear an accordion, especially in a pop song, my first thought is of Dad sitting in the living room in a suit and tie, playing something warm and funny and totally corny. I wouldn't mind hearing him play it just one more time, and maybe even jam with him a little. (see photo above) In the meantime, here's a list of songs that evoke to one degree or another those warm, fun, long-lost living room performances. Bravo, Dad, bravo.

One thing about this list -- I avoided stuff like zydeco or cajun songs, not because I don't care for them but because that isn't the style my dad used to play. These songs resemble the same warm, kindly feel of his accordion, which isn't something I can readily explain or illustrate. But that should answer any questions about why certain songs or genres have not been included. And, no, I am not including "Squeezebox".

1. "Memories" - Van Morrison
2. "Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" - Live version - Bruce Springsteen
3. "Oh My Heart" - R.E.M.
4. "C'est la Vie" - Greg Lake
5. "Liz Radley" - The Jam
6. "Withered and Died" - Linda Thompson
7. "Done with Bonaparte" - Mark Knopfler
8. "Backstreet Girl" - Rolling Stones
9.  "Leslie Anne Levine" - Decemberists
10. "Constant Craving" - kd lang

SPECIAL ADDED BONUS. "The Injun Song" - featured prominently in my sister's lesson book, and in her repertoire. Dumbest and funniest song she has ever heard, let along played, and oh, not the least bit offensive nor racist, heck no.

EDIT: Dad (and Mom's) response to this post:

John:  We just spent two hours or so listenting to Bruce on your link!    We especially enjoyed the Seeger Sessions Band! What a treat! Thank you so much!

Your thoughts on my accordion playing were very moving;  I treasure them!

We're going to keep the link up so we can hear some more!

 From what I can glean, I sent my parents on a fun-filled Springsteen YouTube fest. Which is great!

Still don't know why he abandoned the accordion,  though.