Five decades of music to organize...

liner notes -- Dr. Reptile’s Greatest Hits 2009

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 11:25:47 -0700

There is no use lamenting the demise of the record industry (and the newspaper industry and FM radio…) and the fall of the CD along with the general lack of quality (or at least diffusion) of music output. It's not worth discussing. There is still good stuff out there and always will be. The problem is how to hear it or hear about it, particularly if you can easily listen to whatever you want to and already know. To put out a list of the greatest songs from a given year is always a bit of a delusion. It implies you've heard most everything that came out, there is some sort of standard, and you know what's best. Still, Dr. Reptile has been doing it for 26 years now so why not keep it up. Maybe you'll hear something you hadn't heard, like it, and seek it out. Maybe some of these songs will “go viral”...

As usual this is the best songs, not CD's or albums. In general, the CD's these songs came from are worthy but you can easily just buy songs these days. Do you really need the new Pearl Jam or Phish CD? Who knows. Dr. Reptile suggests Bob Schneider's CD, "Lovely Creatures" if you want a solo artist CD recommendation. And the Los Lobos release of Disney songs "Los Lobos Goes Disney" is a real treat. The latest from The Flatlanders, "Hills and Valleys" is consistently great with no clear standout song which is remarkable for three very different voices and talents. The Avett Brothers have really come into their own and Great Lake Swimmers was a real find.

Most of the artists on this year's compilation are new. Only Los Lobos and Pearl Jam are regulars and Bell X1 along with Brett Dennen made it last year. Most of the regulars from years past who put out albums this year were good but not great. And, yes, that includes John Fogerty.

Remember when Los Lobos did I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song) from The Jungle Book? I think Smash Mouth did a version and I wouldn't be surprised if Luis Prima was involved with the original. The idea of Los Lobos doing a Disney song seemed weird at first. But they are the premier US American band still extant and doing Disney is nothing if not American. So this year they come out with an album entirely of Disney songs. What a hoot. "Cruella De Vil", "When You Wish Upon A Star/It's A Small World", and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" are all on there.

Bob Schneider isn't new. He's been in several bands like The Ugly Americans and has previous solo albums but this year he seemed to get it all together and got a lot of attention behind "Lovely Creatures". Dr. Reptile got to see him at an eTown taping at the Boulder Theater and he brought down the house which is hard to do at an eTown taping show -- granted he seemed to have some family and fans there to help. "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet) is a classic and you just can't resist "Tarantula". Maybe we can get Los Lobos to do "Tarantula".

Don't know anything about Honeyhoney. It seems like a male/female duo like the Kennedys or Eurythmics but "Little Toy Gun" is a gem and these days the lyrics might have to go on a theme CD for Elin Woods along with "Silver Threads and Golden Needles".

Ben Harper continues to soldier on and released "White Lies For Dark Times" this year. Hard to resist a song with both words of the title representing previous Greatest Hits songs.

Like The Soul of John Black, we need some modern soul in here and Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears is going to give it to you. Y'all with me? Y'all ready? Yeah! Tell 'em what your name is!

One of the places to hear new songs, amazingly, is the Music Choice channels on cable TV. There is a stream for "adult alternative" that is reasonably eclectic and comprehensive. The use of the video aspect of a TV cable channel is minimal and could be much better even if they just put a light show or lyrics up but it does allow you to hear some stuff you might otherwise miss. Delta Spirit's "People C'mon" jumped right off the screen -- the mark of a great song.

And it seems like we should have an annual spot for women-in-rock-with-attitude. Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde, Pat Benatar, Melissa Etheridge, and Bree Sharp come to mind. Brandi Carlile sounds like Bree Sharp, at least on this one -- A Cheap and Evil Girl. Apparently Brandi is well known in the Seattle area. She also made it to Music Choice on cable TV. Beats Colbie Caillat anyway.

And who woulda thunk it? Scarlett Johansson can sing? Pete Yorn? An album of duets? Surprisingly good. Check it out. I don't think you'd guess who it was without knowing first.

Bell X1 continues to stay generally under the radar but put out another great CD this year. "The Great Defector" has the words that title the CD in it and is one of those songs that creep under your consciousness and stays there.

But then there's a song that was recommended by a friend and selected for the Greatest Hits and then turned up on a TV ad for Cadillac. Very strange. You hear the music in the TV ad and you think, "where have I heard this song before?" and figure it must be an old song brought out for the ad campaign as is usual. But, no, it's a song from this year by a band named Phoenix that is starting to get some attention and could easily blossom like Vampire Weekend is expected to do.

Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers was another find from Music Choice. And how could one resist a song with the title, "Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts"? This was an Amazon.com exclusive at least for awhile. The CD is called "The Bear" and deserves a listen. Many of the songs on this year's Greatest Hits are from Amazon's MP3 downloads. Dr. Reptile still likes to have the entire CD rather than just the song, but for usually about 8 or 9 bucks you can get a legitimate copy of a CD and make your own copy for a backup. Organize the songs in the CD in a playlist in iTunes, put in a blank CD and hit "Burn Disc". Then go to the menu heading "file" and go down to the bottom where it says "Print…" You should get a choice for "Single Cover" which should generate a printed version of what looks like the CD's cover. Get a thin CD case, cut out the printed cover and playlist, and you've got your archival backup or whatever.

M Ward is one of the Monsters of Folk along with Conor Oberst, Yim Yames, and Mike Mogis but he has a few solo albums out too. The Monsters of Folk CD got a fair amount of attention but was only good, not great. M Ward's album, "Hold Time" is the one to get. It's also more varied and adventurous. You might say to M Ward that we've "never had nobody like you".

Brett Dennen may be an acquired taste but he's prolific, hard working, and definitely a bit strange but dueting with Femi Kuti (Fela Kuti's son I believe) gets us our dose of African influence and this song is a worthy addition to the CRAZY theme including the Gnarls Barkley song from a couple years back.

Hard to overemphasize how haunting the Great Lake Swimmers are. Not really sure where the name comes from but having grown up near a Great Lake, it seemed to resonate. "Pulling on A Line" is another one of those lyrics for the times too. "I'm just pulling on a line, no a line. Sometimes it pulls on me".

Pearl Jam finally got it together to make an album and release it this year. It sure beats attempts by Guns 'N Roses and Eddie Vedder can still sing. "Just Breathe" is up to their previous talents and songwriting skills. There's a BREATHE theme too.

I think the Daniel Powter song, "Bad Day" was an import single. The album may be available now. It's hard to say what an import is if you can download it but some artists are putting out songs or EP's rather than full albums. The CD format is really on its way out and nothing is clearly replacing it. All you need is an iPod equivalent and a cord to connect it to your favorite stereo system. Or you can just hook up to the internet directly and play what you want.

Andrew Bird put out a beautiful album this year. It's called "Nobel Beast" and is worth checking out. "Fitz and the Dizzyspells" is the best song from it and also represents some creative stuff with singer-songwriting.

Will Hoge is another in a long line of male singer-songwriters. There's only so much you can do with a guitar and voice but "Even If It Breaks Your Hear" is a great song and Hoge's album, "The Wreckage" is also worth checking out.

The Avett Brothers got a lot of attention by music mavens with their album, "I And Love And You". They have four or five previous albums and have actually been Americana mainstays for several years but "I And Love And You" is a classic and got them on several best-of lists. Plus I think two of them are actually brothers and one is named, Scott.

And a last minute addition was James Maddock with a very nice album called "Sunrise On Avenue C" which also made at least one SiriusXM's The Loft DJ's best-of for '09. Another excellent male singer-songwriter but Dr. Reptile would still like to see what a performing band can do with a good song and various instruments and voices.

Oh, and those albums of the decade lists? If those are the best of the '00s, we're in worse shape than I thought.

--- Dr. Reptile

Dr. Reptile’s Greatest Hits 2009

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 10:51:44 -0700

Heigh-Ho - Los Lobos
Tarantula - Bob Schneider
Little Toy Gun - Honeyhoney
Shimmer And Shine - Ben Harper & Relentless7
Sugarfoot - Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
People C'mon - Delta Spirit
Dreams - Brandi Carlile
Relator - Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
The Great Defector - Bell X1
1901 - Phoenix
Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts (Sixth Street Mix) - Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers
Never Had Nobody Like You (Feat. Zooey Deschanel) - M. Ward
40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet) - Bob Schneider
Make You Crazy (feat. Femi Kuti) - Brett Dennen
She Comes To Me In Dreams - Great Lake Swimmers
Just Breathe - Pearl Jam
Bad Day - Daniel Powter
Fitz and the Dizzyspells - Andrew Bird
Pulling On A Line - Great Lake Swimmers
Even If It Breaks Your Heart - Will Hoge
I And Love And You - The Avett Brothers
Stars Align - James Maddock

ARE YOU READY?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:38:09 -0600

Are You Ready For This - Jock Jams
Ready To Go - Republica
Everybody's Everything - Santana
Ready Steady Go - Generation X
Are You Ready - Groove Coverage
I'm Ready - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Are You Ready - AC/DC
Are You Ready - Chambers Brothers
Are You Ready? - Pacific Gas & Electric
If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) - The Staple Singers
Get Ready - The Temptations
I'm Ready - Fats Domino
I'm Ready - Muddy Waters
Ready Or Not Here I Come - The Contours
Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) - The Delphonics
People Get Ready - Jeff Beck
My Heart's Ready - The Derailers
Are You Ready For The Country - Waylon Jennings
Not Ready To Make Nice - Dixie Chicks
Are You Ready For The Country - Neil Young
Ready Or Not - Jackson Browne
Already Gone-The Eagles

MEN AT WORK

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:53:47 -0600

Bang The Drum All Day - Todd Rundgren
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
Workin' It - Don Henley
Making It Work - Doug & the Slugs
Work To Do - Average White Band
She Works Hard For Her Money - Donna Summer
9 To 5 - Dolly Parton
Workin' On A Groovy Thing - The 5th Dimension
Work With Me Annie - Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
Workin' For The Man - Roy Orbison
All Work And No Play - Van Morrison
I Just Work Here - Steve Forbert
Workin' At The Car Wash Blues - Jim Croce
Working In A Coal Mine - Devo
It'll Work Out Fine - Hadacol
Hard Workin' Man - Brooks & Dunn
Let's Work Together - Canned Heat
Working On The Road - Ten Years After
Working On The Highway - Bruce Springsteen
Dirty Work - Steely Dan
Nice Work If You Can Get It - Sarah Vaughan
We Can Work It Out - The Beatles
Whistle While You Work - Disney Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

Stoned

Sat, 30 May 2009 10:39:42 -0600

Last night out in the dark
I was watching werewolves
In the park
Stoned
I used to run with that pack
'Til they broke my balls
and cracked my jack
Stoned
Draw blood

Just like the words from an old love letter
The scars I wear aren't that much better
When I'm stoned
Easy's how it use to feel
Like grease around the driving wheel
Stoned

These are the days worth living
Let them all bleed down
Everything's forgiven

I used to love how the headlights shone
From the girls in cars on the lonely ones
Gettin' stoned
We'd walk all night in that rain
We'd barely make it home again
Stoned

And it all bleeds down
Tattooed arms and old graffiti
Dream girls that fade and leave me
Stoned
I carved my name in those old places
Old times and older faces
Stoned
I'm stoned
And it all bleeds down

I AM A CHILD

Fri, 8 May 2009 22:33:08 -0600

Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix
I Feel Just Like a Child - Devendra Banhart
Sweet Child 'O' Mine - Guns 'N' Roses
Hell Is For Children - Pat Benatar
Hot Child In The City - Nick Gilder
Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder - John Hiatt
The Obvious Child - Paul Simon
Motherless Child - Eric Clapton
Child Of Mine - Fleetwood Mac
Mother And Child Reunion - Paul Simon
Motherless Children - Eric Clapton
God Bless The Child - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Ohh Child - Five Stairsteps
Love Child - Diana Ross & the Supremes
Little Child - The Beatles
Where Do The Children Go - Hooters
Society's Child - Janis Ian
Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Where Do The Children Play - Cat Stevens
I Am A Child - Neil Young
Child Of The Moon -The Rolling Stones

THAT’S THE WAY?

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:36:41 -0600

The Way - Fastball
That's The Way - Donna Summer
That's the Way I Like It - KC and the Sunshine Band
It's Like That (and That's the Way It Is) - Run DMC
That's The Way I Wanna Rock 'N Roll - ACDC
That's Just The Way We Roll - Jonas Brothers
That's Not The Way It's Done - The Minus 5
That's the Way Love Goes - Janet Jackson
That's the Way I Feel About 'Cha - Bobby Womack
That's The Way God Planned It - Live - Billy Preston
It's In The Way That You Use It - Eric Clapton
That's The Way It Was - Chris Hillman/Herb Pedersen
Guess Things Happen That Way - Johnny Cash
That's The Way It Goes - Joe Brown
That's The Way It Goes - The Manhattan Transfer
That's the Way Boys Are - Lesley Gore
That's The Way That The World Goes 'Round - John Prine
Just The Way It Is, Baby - The Rembrandts
The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Sunlight - The Youngbloods
That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be - Carly Simon
It Isn't Gonna Be That Way - Steve Forbert
That's The Way - Led Zeppelin

After Midnight

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:25:39 -0600

Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson - Craig Ferguson
25 Or 6 To 4 - Chicago
Burning Of The Midnight Lamp - Jimi Hendrix
Can't Sleep, Clowns Will Eat Me - Alice Cooper
You Really Got Me - The Kinks
After Midnight - Eric Clapton
Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John Lennon
(Last Night) I Didin't Get To Sleep At All - The 5th Dimension
Walkin' After Midnight - Patsy Cline
Wee Wee Hours - Chuck Berry
Late Last Night - Todd Snider
Stay Up Late - Talking Heads
Twilight Zone - Golden Earring
I Can't Sleep - Sloan
I Need Some Sleep - Eels
2:00 Am - The Meat Purveyors
2 O'Clock In The A.M. - Swati
3AM - Matchbox Twenty
Six O'Clock - Lovin' Spoonful
Can't Sleep At Night - Susan Tedeschi
Too Late For Tonight - Laura Cantrell
When Sleep Won't Come - Big Sandy & The Fly-Rite Boys
I'm So Tired - The Beatles
Up All Night - The Waifs

Blind Eye -- Hunters & Collectors

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 22:59:36 -0600

When success is on your mind
But true direction is missing
You know the Gods have lied - but you're still smitten.
By the stars in your eyes
I can tell you know where you are
Smile sweetly and you'll be forgiven.
You're almost free - almost free to come and go
Bed sitting room for ambitious prisoner.

Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.

Like a bulldozer chasing butterflies
Down sad English streets you wander
Over sleeping bodies you step lightly.
All the snow on the ground
- lets you pass by without a sound
One last look before you disappear.

Walk away, don't take no for an answer
Turn a blind eye to it all
Let sleeping dogs lie
Down in Queensway.

Let It All Hang Out

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:46:28 -0700