Shufflin'

Now Listening:
(Or, IPod Shuffle, Speak to Me!)

Elton John, “Understanding Women”- A clear reminder that Elton doesn’t write the words, given his personal proclivities. Then again, that’s not really fair. Everyone needs to understand women. Sometimes gay men, or even other women.

U2-“Zoo Station”- I remember clearly buying this CD right before going to see Tim Burton’s Batman. I would be really disappointed to look it up and learn that I have somehow conflated two events.

John Lennon-“(Just Like) Starting Over”-I read once he was holding the master tapes for this song, along with “Walking On Thin Ice”, when he was killed. I would be disappointed if that weren’t true, too. It turns out there are a lot of things that will disappoint me if they turn out not to be true. Yeah, I know, welcome to life.

The Beatles-“I’m So Tired”-Amen to that, brother.

Billy Joel- “The End of the World”-A demo that became a completely different song. I can’t remember which one off the top of my head. I can’t sing the lyrics to the real one (which I do know) while he is singing the lyrics to the fake one. 3 months from now, I’m going to hear it and think, “That’s the one!”

Rod Stewart-“Tonight’s The Night”(acoustic)-I got made fun of a lot when I bought this CD while with a bunch of my buddies. I still like it, though.

Black Crowes-“The Night They Drove ‘Ol Dixie Down”(Live)-Yeah, they’re corny and it’s a cover. So what?

The Beatles- “I Saw Her Standing There”-The first time I heard this song, it was being performed by a cover band at a National Honor Society banquet. I had never listened to anything other than “Sgt. Pepper’s” or “Abbey Road” before. This is going to be ridiculously fun to do on “Rock Band” when the promised Beatles version comes this fall.

George Harrison- “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” (Live)- Off of the “Live In Japan” album. I just bought this recently-I can’t believe it took me this long.

Simon and Garfunkel- “Save The Life Of My Child”-from the last album, when they started getting pretty dark and bizarre.

The Traveling Wilburys- “Maxine”

The Beatles- “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road”- pebbles in your back would be my guess.

Page and Plant- “Since I’ve Been Loving You”- I’ve written about this before-the opening phrase is the saddest five notes I have ever heard. I don’t envy anyone trying to do this solo on Guitar Hero. I don’t know if it is or not, but either way, it seems like it would be hard.

Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks-“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”-The only way Stevie Nicks was gettin’ on my IPod was draggin’ Tom Petty with her. One might say that my IPod probably doesn’t have anything from a group that was formed since Kurt Cobain died. One might say one should mind one’s own business.

REM-“Ages of You”(Live)-Live at Boston’s own Paradise Theater. I saw Steven Wright perform there once.

Big Star-“Thirteen”-one of those purchases I made because people that I don’t know said they were good. I don’t get it yet.

John Lennon-“Out The Blue”-I don’t think I’ve ever heard this before.

Simon and Garfunkel-“April Come She Will”

Elton John-“Latitude”

The Doors-“Crossroads Blues”(Live)-A ferocious version from “Live In Pittsburgh”

Billy Joel-“Big Shot”(Live)-from a bootleg I have of a London show. I don’t know what Billy is waiting for-if he puts this song on Guitar Hero or Rock Band, he could make a mint. I read somewhere that Aerosmith makes more money from Guitar Hero than they do from selling music.

Genesis-“No Son of Mine”(Live)-I am one of those Genesis fans who never knew there was a Peter Gabriel Genesis until way after he started liking the band.