ladyislingering

Third installment.

After learning that Sparks were influenced by Donna Summer before they began recording their electronic masterpiece "No. 1 in Heaven", I had to hear the song that turned them on to the sound. I, too, fell in love.

[79]
Donna Summer - "I Feel Love"



I don't remember what actually led me to Karen Carpenter's solo work (but I'm relatively sure I never knew it existed until I heard this song, courtesy of last.fm) but once I discovered it, I was hooked. Here's a beauty.

[78]
Karen Carpenter - "Making Love in the Afternoon"



I really don't recall the significance of this next one. I think I might've heard it years and years ago, then once again on last.fm and I was completely sold on Missing Persons for a few months. I do like the quirky vocals, and perhaps the situation of my life was relevant.

[77]
Missing Persons - "I Like Boys"



I grew up loving this band. I still love them. I'm not an obsessed little fangirl anymore, but they're great fun. For some reason this song always seems to appeal to me, but mostly during the summer of '09.

[76]
The Cars - "You Might Think"



This next one isn't a shocker to me. Would it be TMI if I said I was pretty much "fucked out" by the end of the year? Yes? Yep? Sorry. I'm sorry.

[75]
Olivia Newton-John - "Physical"



(I really wasn't kidding.)

[74]
Andrea True - "More, More, More"



But this was also relevant. And yes. "Johnny" was very, very queer. "Johnny" took home a male escort. "Josie" wasn't happy, and she dumped "Johnny" because he was a lying asshole.

[73]
Josie Cotton - "Johnny, Are You Queer?"



I grew up watching the Partridge Family. I knew and loved this song for most of my life but I guess it was extra-important somewhere in my overmedicated brain, to hear it again and again. Also it's weird that Danny Bonaduce has a local radio show because it's weird to think that Danny Partridge grew up to be a drug-addled douchebag.

[72]
The Partridge Family - "I Think I Love You"



I really fell for this stripped down demo version of "Heart of Glass". It's cool. Have a listen. (I actually almost love it more than the polished up single version.)

[71]
Blondie - "Once I Had a Love (Disco Song)"



I don't know where this last one came from, or why I managed to listen to it a couple hundred times without really remembering, but ... I don't know, just ... I have ... I have no words for this. It's kind of cute, though.

[70]
Diane Ray - "Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard"



What will the next batch bring? We'll see.

__________________

ladyislingering

Here comes the 4th installment from this delightfully freakish list constructed in the very hazy year of 2009.

This first one was a favorite of someone close to me at the time - strangely, we were watching Labyrinth the day that Michael Jackson passed. We were both pretty messed up, which didn't make the Labyrinth experience any more interesting, but who could forget this ridiculous song?

[69]
David Bowie - "Magic Dance"

I trust no one that can't properly respond to "you remind me of the babe".



When I heard this for what I thought was the first time, it dawned on me that I definitely remembered it from my childhood. I would have been about 6 at the time (I also somehow remembered the video). I've got a 12" maxi single with several remixes of this. It's just a great song.

[68]
Sparks - "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)"



As I mentioned earlier, this was the year I discovered the charms of ye-ye. I can't find a clip of Hedika's "Hey Pony", so here's something different (though equally delightful).

Hedika - "Danse le Twist Avec Moi"



As I also previously mentioned, I was very into Squeeze during this time, so here's some of their earlier work for your sheer amusement.

[66]
Squeeze - "Cool for Cats"

I'm still completely in love with these lyrics.



I loved this next group when I was much younger, but was somehow reunited with the addictive nature of this next song, much later.

[65]
Men At Work - "Who Can It Be Now"



This next song has been posted at least three times in this journal already, but will always remind me of an ill-fated drive I took one night.

[64]
Roxy Music - "Mother of Pearl"



I really loved this album two years prior to this list being written, and I'm not sure what sparked my obsession with this particular track, but here it is.

[63]
Pat Benatar - "My Clone Sleeps Alone"



This is the first song I'd ever heard by Kate Bush, and I was enchanted by everything about it. Her voice, the lyrics, the chilling lilt in her vocal delivery... god. So many memories are flooding back just hearing this again.

[62]
Kate Bush - "Babooshka"



I love this next song. I always have. I'd forgotten about it for years, and heard it again on last.fm radio. I couldn't stop playing it for the longest time. Though I have no significant memories of 2009 thanks to this song, all memories of 2002 are still intact. It feels good to hear this.

[61]
Icehouse - "Electric Blue"



Ending this entry with yet another bizarre, funny song, this time courtesy of some of the finest.

[60]
Monty Python - "The Lumberjack Song"

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Powerstars

OH I'M A LUMBERJACK AND I'M OK! AY SLEEP ALL NIGHT AND AY WORK ALL DAY!

Good artists, but I'm not familiar with these songs. Will be listening to "Magic Dance" and "My Clone Sleeps Alone."

__________________

ladyislingering

Have you taken a stroll through the back catalogue of my blog? That's where all the best stuff is.

Anyway, installment #5!

This chapter opens with a song that I loved during high school, and later discovered that it was also a great driving tune. It's really groovy - a must-hear for fans of the California garage-rock sound.

[59]
The Strangeloves - "I Want Candy"



Though I love Sparks, always and endlessly, this song will always leave a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. It was my song of choice when I introduced someone (who was close to me at the time) to the wonderful world of Sparks. It will always remind me of chilling in the backseat, windows down, parked under damp trees behind a charming old house. It was a lovely scene which turned quite ghastly in my psyche.

[58]
Sparks - "Noisy Boys"



Another hilarious track from the brilliant mind of Weird Al; if you're having a bad day, please listen to this. It's for your own good.

[57]
Weird Al Yankovic - "Like a Surgeon"

Got your kidneys on my mind.




This next one spent a few months as my ringtone. My love for the Darkness grew for some time after. The lyrics are essentially stupid as hell, but my glam-loving self is nearly obliged to love it.

[56]
The Darkness - "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"



This next song reminds me of a plethora of stupid men, so it makes me a little sick to my stomach, but it's pretty fun to sing when you're drunk, so if I've got any drunkards reading tonight, sing it. Don't pretend you don't know the lyrics.

[55]
Billy Joel - "The Longest Time"



This next one, well. I couldn't explain the attraction in this point in time, but I do know that I love the disco groove in it.

[54]
The Rolling Stones - "Miss You"



I think this next one was a hit with me because I was so messed up all the time, and it was just the speed I needed to groove on. Love Donovan, love this chill sound.

[53]
Donovan - "Get Thy Bearings"



This next one is sort of a kitschy number but accurately reflects my feelings about Vietnam: if you knew anything about anything, you got the fuck out of the death lottery.

[52]
Phil Ochs - "Draft Dodger Rag"



This next song literally sums up the entire year of 2009 for me.

[51]
Jon Lajoie - "High as Fuck"



I don't remember what got me turned on to this song, apart from the fact that I already knew and loved a few tracks by these guys, but here it is, and it's cool.

[50]
The Coasters - "Down in Mexico"

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ladyislingering

#6.

It was cool to me, to think that another quirky duo worked with Sparks, so naturally I was curious about this - and for some reason, played the hell out of it all year long (but I also enjoy Les Rita Mitsouko all on their own).

[49]
Les Rita Mitsouko (feat. Sparks) - "Singing in the Shower"



In the spring of '09, I felt the need to acquire this single on 12" vinyl. To this day I still don't understand why.

[48]
Musical Youth - "Pass the Dutchie"



My sister and I used to drive around town and sing this in the car at the top of our lungs. She still sends me random things with moustaches on them.

[47]
Sparks - "Moustache"



This next one was a pretty weird obsession for me, maybe because I liked singing it to myself in the car sometimes. I really don't remember how it came to me or why I loved it, but I did. And it's totally adorable.

[46]
Linda Scott - "I've Told Every Little Star"



This was one of my favorite cruising songs that summer.

[45]
The Beatles - "Please Mr. Postman"



This next song I'd liked a little in '07, but the subject matter didn't really appeal to me until later on. It's a well-written song by two of my most favorite humans.

[44]
Simon & Garfunkel - "Richard Cory"



At the height of the Rick Roll craze, I actually enjoyed the song (and my sister bought me a poster of Rick Astley for my birthday this year). We used to burst into each other's bedrooms and just start singing it for no reason.

[43]
Rick Astley - "Never Gonna Give You Up"



This next group is just great. I love them. I love the California garage-rock sound, and I love the squealing vocals on this track. It's just... perfect.

[42]
The Seeds - "Can't Seem to Make You Mine"



I used to listen to this next track quite often before going into work. I absolutely hated my job, the people I worked with, and my staff, but I couldn't do without the job I had in the small town I used to live in. It's still a great track on its own. Plus, Danny Elfman is hilarious.

[41]
Oingo Boingo - "Dead Man's Party"



And this one, too. (Steely Dan would eventually become one of my most loved groups.) One line in particular always stood out to me, because I knew that my store was in decline, my staff was screwed, and things were only going to get worse.

Like a castle in his corner, in a medieval game
I foresee terrible trouble, and I stay here just the same

[40]
Steely Dan - "Dirty Work"



Coming up next: Really great/weird stuff.

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ladyislingering

#7.

So the opener for this installment has been discussed before, so I'll just proceed without further explanation.

[39]
Carpenters - "Please Mr. Postman"



I suppose this would be directly related to my brief love for Sigue Sigue Sputnik during the year of '09. This song is actually pretty cool.

[38]
Sigue Sigue Sputnik - "Barbarandroid"



There have been a few different times when this song has been relevant in my life, but it does have a great beat to it.

[37]
ABBA - "Hey, Hey Helen"



More ye-ye, this time from a very famous film star.

[36]
Brigitte Bardot - "Moi Je Joue"



I had this extended mix on a 7" single for the longest time and never bothered to listen to it, until one fateful evening. Once I did, I was hooked. This is a really cool mix, and definitely worth the listen to even a casual fan.

[35]
The Cars - "Hello Again" (Dub Version)



This song was another last.fm find, and at just the right speed for my medicated brain.

[34]
Margo Guryan - "I Love"



Here's a song I loved when I was much younger, and it had come back into my life at just the right time.

Also I just realized that there isn't a #33, either because I was too stoned to notice, or I was just really bad at making lists, so this track was originally listed as #32.

[32]
Nik Kershaw - "Wouldn't it Be Good"



Another LP that I went to great lengths to obtain in '09: "The Tom Tom Club". From that, this strange beauty of a song:

[31]
Tom Tom Club - "Genius of Love"



Another obvious one that I've posted a number of times:

[30]
Roxy Music - "More Than This"



Ok, I'm going back to lose myself to T. Rex. See you guys next time.

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ladyislingering

8th installment!

For a long time I was unable to listen to this song. For reasons I care not to discuss, it would only put me in tears. It was only when I began the healing process that I could really enjoy it. Furthermore, I really love Ric Ocasek, and always have. It was a happy day when his "This Side of Paradise" LP came in the mail for me.

[29]
Ric Ocasek - "Emotion in Motion"



One more track from my bizarre Squeeze phase. I've always suspected this song to be about a man who's on the fence about his sexuality.

[28]
Squeeze - "Tempted"



This song will always remind me of my aunt, who, when she learned of my love for the city and suburbs, aptly dubbed me the "uptown girl".

[27]
Billy Joel - "Uptown Girl"



This song was very relevant to me as my suspicions about the person I was with were creeping up on me. I knew he was up to no good, and I learned the hard way that a pretty face can hide a lot of evil. KTG, wherever you are, I hope you've lost all your hair.

[26]
Alan Parsons Project - "Eye in the Sky"



I have some very scattered memories surrounding this next song. It reminds me of a particular day. Here's a photo of me sitting on someone's car. I was 19 or 20 at the time. It was taken in front of a condominium I lived in, part-time. I don't know what else I did that day, but I know that this song was playing as I was pulling out of the parking lot at my old workplace. (And I was wearing that dress.)

[25]
Sparks - "Now That I Own the BBC"



Here's an odd track from an indie artist. It used to play all the time on my last.fm radio station.

[24]
Lemon Demon - "Kitten is Angry"

Her little whiskers are stained with the blood of those that she has slain.



Another track from one of my past obsessions (but this is one of their better ones). It reminds me of sitting in an empty parking lot outside of a factory out in the boonies waiting for someone. Smelled pretty bad out there (and in the car).

[23]
The Cars - "Dangerous Type"



I absolutely loved this next song in high school. I was a very, very bad girl. I was also a bad girl throughout 2009. (I'm a little ashamed to this day.)

[22]
The Waitresses - "I Know What Boys Like"



This next song is just beautiful. I'm not just saying that because I love Sparks; I'm saying it because Russell Mael's falsetto is top notch.

[21]
Sparks - "Equator"



I played the living hell out of this next song, all the time. I couldn't explain why, apart from just saying "it's a great track".

[20]
Patti Smith - "Because the Night"



Next time: the final homestretch!

Some time ahead: Maybe a top 100 of 2013?!

__________________

ladyislingering

Homestretch, bitches!

I was always familiar with the sounds of Classics IV before I found this version. It wasn't a surprise that I loved it.

[19]
Dusty Springfield - "Spooky"



Another song that was curiously relevant at the time, and catchy as hell.

[18]
Lesley Gore - "Maybe I Know"



No surprise that Connie Francis made it to this list.

[17]
Connie Francis - "Stupid Cupid"



This next one has been featured in my journal before, and it's just great.

[16]
The Cowsills - "Hair"



I don't exactly know how I came around to loving this song as much as I did, but I assume it was somehow relevant.

[15]
Spanky & Our Gang - "Like to Get to Know You"



This next one is just a cute, catchy cover of Randy and the Rainbows' "Denise" - adjusted, of course, in Deborah's own little way.

[14]
Blondie - "Denis"



I really love this next song. It spent a little time as my ringtone sometime in '07 or '08. I really don't remember but I've never stopped grooving to this.

[13]
Human League - "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"



And of course, I've posted this next song so many times because it's the source of my username and possibly my favorite song by Sparks.

[12]
Sparks - "The Lady is Lingering"



I was definitely feeling this song so many times throughout the year and it still remains one of the "stories of my life". Here's a live version of this fabulous, clever song.

[11]
Elton John - "I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself"



This next song was very important because I had contemplated leaving the person I was with at the time just because of how self-centered, secretive, dishonest, and plain awful he could be. I eventually did.

[10]
Quarterflash - "Harden My Heart"



This one always makes me shiver. It makes me sad. It makes me feel ill, and afraid. But it really rocked my world in '09. It's sort of cool, but the message is chilling. Nothing boils my blood quite like the Vietnam war.

[09]
Paul Hardcastle - "19"



I feel like I've posted this like 3 times in the past couple weeks.

[08]
Carpenters - "Beechwood 4-5789"



This will always remind me of stoned dancing in a department store.

[07]
Thompson Twins - "We Are Detective"



I'm not really comfortable sharing why this song was so important to me in '09 so I'll just leave it here and listen to it because the bitter feelings have subsided and now it's just a cool song I love.

[06]
The Cars - "Just What I Needed"



This is my favorite song by the Shangri-Las. I'm still pretty obsessed. Mary Ann Ganser (RIP beautiful girl) on lead vocals.

[05]
The Shangri-Las - "I'm Blue"



Another catchy, girly song of the 60s that totally captured my heart in '09.

[04]
Billie Davis - "I Want You to Be My Baby"



One of the greatest songs of my life, and one that still touches my heart (and makes me long for the ocean in the worst way possible).

[03]
Lesley Gore - "California Nights"



Some fine garage rock clocking in at #2.

[02]
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich - "Hold Tight!"



And finally, topping the list, a wise ode to the wonders and perils of sperm. Enjoy some excellent synthpop/disco grooves, courtesy of the Maels and Giorgio Moroder.

[01]
Sparks - "Tryouts for the Human Race"

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ladyislingering

Recently enjoyed:

This beautiful performance of T. Rex at Wembley Stadium (1972).



And this lovely performance by the wonderful Lesley Gore, circa 1964.



This song will always remind me of late-night (and I mean, 2AM and nothing to do but lay in bed and watch the sun rise) radio.

Red Rider - "Lunatic Fringe"



Which reminds me a whole lot of this.

Golden Earring - "Twilight Zone"



Which somehow reminds me of this. (Can we just take a moment to appreciate the name of this band?) Except this song reminds me of my teenage years - every Saturday my favorite radio station used to play nothing but the best songs of the 70s from 9 until midnight. Good times.

Sniff n' the Tears - "Driver's Seat"



Here's some glam to lighten the mood a little. Notice how this song mentions T. Rex and refers to the boys as "Boogaloo dudes".

Mott the Hoople - "All the Young Dudes"



Speaking of glam, I don't know how I've gone so many years without fully appreciating Slade.

Slade - "Gudbuy T'Jane"



That'll be all for now.

__________________

ladyislingering

It's been a little too long since I posted, but I've been cooking this idea for a few days. One of the bands that have come and gone as an obsession in my life have been The Cars. For whatever odd reason they were my absolute favorite from about 2001-2006. They don't really get a lot of attention apart from their MTV fame but they were pretty alright. Worth listening to if you're a little strange and you enjoy classic rock/new wave.

I know more than necessary about this group so I'll drop a few solid facts without getting too excessive.

The Cars were a power-pop/new wave alternative band from Boston. They remained a five-piece band throughout their time together, the same five freaks:

Ric Ocasek (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, freakishly tall man)
Benjamin Orr (lead vocals, bass guitar, terribly beautiful man)
Elliot Easton (backing vocals, lead guitar, infamous heroin user)
David Robinson (drums/percussion, backing vocals, artistic support)
Greg Hawkes (keyboards/percussion, saxophone, awkwardly cute man)

All members (except for David, but he was part of the Modern Lovers prior to his fame in The Cars) have released solo material at some point in their career, the most interesting and criminally underrated material belonging to Ric Ocasek (though he hasn't released anything since 2007). Benjamin Orr passed away in his home in Atlanta on October 3rd, 2000. David Robinson has retired from the music business; Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton have collaborated with Todd Rundgren (and some other guy that literally nobody actually cares about) in The New Cars (which, in my personal opinion, was a disaster).

Ric Ocasek is still married to uber-fox Paulina Porizkova.

Anyway.

The Cars released 6 albums between 1978 and 1987. Most of these albums were commercially successful (except for one or two).

I'm going to choose a few of my favorite songs from each. If you've never heard this band, they're up in the ranks with The Knack, Huey Lewis and the News, Squeeze (if they were American and couldn't write songs worth a shit), etc. Think power pop. Enjoy.

Selections from The Cars (1978)

It's sort of necessary that I'd choose this song. I still crank it way up when I hear it on the radio. It's a cool jam.

"Just What I Needed"



I've decided to post a live version of this next song because watching Greg Hawkes struggle to get all the weird little sounds into the song, right on queue, is amusing as hell. (And he's actually a really cute guy.) I've always really liked this song. I loved it while stoned. It's just a bizarre, nonsensical tune.

"I'm In Touch With Your World" (Live, 1979)



This next song is your ultimate 70s pop tune. Repetitive lyrics about begrudgingly banging an unpleasant woman never sounded better. It sort of makes me cringe nowadays but I played the hell out of this years ago. Why not post a live version; the superfine Mr. Orr is a real stunner (so much that he's distracting Elliot).

"You're All I've Got Tonight"



This song is absolutely stellar. It's timeless. Ki and I heard it on the radio on the way downtown the other day and he was surprised to learn that it was The Cars (only having known them for their 80s cheese). This is just a really groovy song. I never get tired of it. This particular clip contains both "Moving in Stereo" and the sax-laden "All Mixed Up".

"Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up"



I consider this album to be one of my all-time favorites, but I like the next one a little bit more. It rocks a little harder. No, really.

Selections from "Candy-O" (1979)

This first one is another classic rock radio staple. And it's groovy. And a little too erotic for a song about a 17 year old girl. Let's do a live version just because these guys are a lot cooler in their natural habitat. And you really get a handle on how synth-driven they were.

"Let's Go" (Live on Midnight Special, 1979)



This next one is really bizarre for a Cars song. Ric Ocasek was producing for Suicide at the time and decided he'd mess around with some of their dark synthy sounds, and then this song happened. It's just under two minutes of layers, distortions, and bizarre sounds.

"Shoo Be Do"



The title track is really groovy. It's a pure rock song. It's everything you loved about rock in the 70s, and more. I remember reading somewhere that the song was written for a "friend" of the drummer (Candy Moore) but it's been years and I don't know if there's any truth in it or not. Here's another live version.

"Candy-O" (Live, Musikladen, 1979)



This is probably my favorite track from the whole album, if only for the synthpop/rock crossover sound. It's weird, it doesn't make any sense, there's a lot of production problems, but I love this song.

"Nightspots"



I know I've posted this next one before, but I'm not sure if I've posted this version. They're synching to the recording - except for the vocals (in which you can hear a lot of tired sass from Ric Ocasek, who just sounds like he wants to get the hell out of there).

"Dangerous Type"



This next album was a complete commercial failure. We almost lost them at this point. (And here Elliot was in the throes of heroin addiction, apparently.) However, I love this album. I love the bizarre, stupid lyrics and the real 80s sound. I love the low production quality. I love it.

Selections from "Panorama" (1980)

This song is almost not worth it, but the bassline is a real killer. The lyrics are snarky and dark.

"Don't Tell Me No"



I loved this next one upon first listen, if only for the lyrics. They don't make any sense at all. And Ric belts out a little mini skinny white boy scream toward the end (which is weird and unlike him). Love the heavy synth.

"Getting Through"



This song will always remind me of countless nights in much younger days, awake until 3am with the windows open in my bedroom, soaking up the few months of pleasant weather I'd see for the whole year. It's a really pretty song, actually. It was enough to lull me to sleep many times. Plus there's a nod to the Velvet Underground in the chorus.

"You Wear Those Eyes"



Another synth-drenched beauty of a song (the intro will seal the deal for you):

"Running to You"



This last one is the closing track on the album, and a real rock doozy at that. I don't understand why it wasn't released as a single. It has that sort of potential. Here's a live version, because why the hell not. This is the version included in The Cars: Unlocked (which is, of course, sitting in one of our closets). And some candid moments from these hilarious guys. Elliot starts throwing a sandwich at the wall, one bit at a time.

"Up and Down" (Live, 1980)



Selections from "Shake it Up" (1982)

This next album is probably my least favorite because the lyrics are awful all through. Catchy pop songs, but some of them are simply awful. I guess I can scrape out a few goodies.

I love the stop motion in this video. Very 80s.

"Since You're Gone"



I actually love this song and I can't exactly explain why. It was always one of my favorites. Maybe because it's so cute and dark at the same time.

"Victim of Love"



This song always struck me as something that should have been on "Panorama" but somehow didn't make the cut. It's dark, spooky, and just plain weird.

"This Could Be Love"



This next album is an 80s masterpiece. If you have 40 minutes to spare, just listen. This is the quintessential 80s experience.

The Cars - "Heartbeat City" (1984) - full album



The Cars' last album "Door to Door", 1987) was a downer and a piece of garbage. This was about the only song I enjoyed from that album. And I still think it's a total sleeper. It definitely has that stale late 80s feel.

"Wound Up On You"



I'm off to bed. See you next time.

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