25 Songs Revisited

Previously(maybe 2 years ago), I have posted my top 25 songs, books, and my top 100 films (which most people can't believe I did that one with commentary on each film... what can I say, I like lists :) However, tastes change (even mine sometimes), whether it be movies, books, or songs... a lot is still the same, but a few have changed since I introduced that list a couple of years back (which is a variation of an older list... ok, now I sound a bit... creepy). Anyway, I now offer another list, revised and expanded with commentary throughout... but you sort of figured on that score already.

25 Songs
1) 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel- For many reasons, this one will always stay number 1, though I am fond of the live Elton John/Billy Joel version.
2) 'Blue Eyes' by Elton John- A little hard to listen to these days, but it has been my favorite song by Elton John for a long, long time... baby's got blue eyes... and she's gone... again. c'est la vie
3) 'The Wanderer' by U2 (starring Johnny Cash)- This song just fits me, and anyone who has heard it would probably agree.
4) 'Music of the Night' by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber- Always my favorite 'Phantom' song, and probably will remain so.
5) 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John- One of the seminal moments in 'Almost Famous/Untitled' involves this song... a classic
6) 'Running on Faith' by Eric Clapton- A highly underrated song... really, really liked it when I was younger... now, I like it again.
7) 'One' by U2- There are three versions of this song I really love: 1. The original, which is a classic (regardless of what Jessie says about it :) 2. The Johnny Cash version... so mournful and 3. The live Sting/U2 w/ the LSO, so melodious and haunting, almost perfect.
8) 'Leningrad' by Billy Joel- In honor of our new old nemesis, the Russians, this song moves up the charts :) but a fine, fine song about the Cold War regardless
9) 'The Saga Begins' by Weird Al Yankovic- Satire and Star Wars at its best... doesn't get too much better, really.
10) 'I Can Feel It Coming Back Again' by Pearl Jam (live)- The live/acoustic version is so much better, and that much more haunting.
11) 'The Rainbow Connection' by Paul Williams (performed by Kermit the Frog)- Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me :)
12) 'Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts' by ManOWar- ManOWar puts the heavy in Heavy Metal... and this song coming in at 30 minutes or so, is why Heavy Metal was created... and certainly appropriate if you know the types of songs ManOWar does.
13) 'The Last Song' by Elton John- Written about the death of Freddie Mercury, but became a song indicative of the early struggle against AIDS
14) 'Flash' by Queen- Speaking of Freddie Mercury...
15) 'Under the Bridge' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers- I have enjoyed the Chili Peppers from time to time and have always enjoyed this song
16) 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' by The Beatles- I admit, there is a tribute version by Eric Clapton that is amazing, but any version of this song is awesome.
17) 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday' by U2- Hard to tell whose side Bono is on in this song... regardless, fantastic song.
18) 'Turn the Page' by Bob Seger- The original is still the best and may Metallica's shit version burn in hell...
19) 'Vincent' by Don McClean- A lovely, stirring tribute to a brilliant, though ultimately troubled artist (Van Gogh, for those that do not know the song).
20) 'Forever Young' by Alphaville- Who doesn't want to be forever young?
21) 'The Russians' by Sting- I suppose the Russians did love their children... but is a new generation listening? (actually its the same guys... Putin was ex-KGB after all... something about leopards and spots).
22) 'Highwayman' sung by Nelson, Cash, Kristofferson and Jennings- ah, quasi-country and reincarnation, how can you go wrong?
23) 'Hurt' by Trent Reznor (Johnny Cash version)- This version is so haunting and moving and, though Nine Inch Nails fans might disagree, blows the doors off the original version.
24) 'Baby Grand' by Billy Joel (with Ray Charles)- some classic piano playing blues... fantastic.
25) 'America' by Paul Simon- As a friend or two might agree, a great traveling song :)

Honorable mention: I sort of hesitate mentioning this, mostly for modesty's sake, but the guitar in it is amazing, even if the vocals... well, aren't good: 'Midnight Sea' by Chris Powell and Ilya Fedoravich (I am thinking I might get my brother Hunter to re-do this song, who is a far better singer and an amazing guitar player as well).

Well, that should cover it until I have nothing to do on a Tuesday afternoon, but considering the next couple of weeks of shows and leaving the country, I might not have too much time on my hands (go ahead, breathe that sigh of relief :)

C.

Transcendent Wanderings (with Johnny Cash and U2)

I know, odd title, but sometimes you give credit where credit is due. As I drifted into the dark of I-49 (and if you have traveled I-49 between Shreveport and Lafayette, LA at 2am you understand), the rest of my companions slept and the stillness of the night wrapped around me. For twenty minutes or so, it was just me, the road and the music (and some fog which always creeps around the edges of ones vision along this road). For those moments, I could feel the heartbeat of the universe, so to speak, set to the tune of a Johnny Cash cd. I will take a soundtrack like that any day.

Since I could not write about it while driving (or I doubt I would be able to update this entry), I more or less had to wait. I jotted down some ideas during the weekend, and finally finished a little something before I started to feel awful. I am not quite sure where I am going with this piece, only that I could not get it out of my head...

'Transcendent Wanderings (with Johnny Cash and U2)'
Lyrics and musics in italics from 'The Wanderer' by U2 (sung by Johnny Cash)

'Yeah I left with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you...'

An elusive instant beyond the veil
of midnights, tracing a course...
So many miles...
Agonies of memory past,
furtive hopes of futures calm
all but
Consumed in the thought of you.

We see...
though in ways and forms
removed of the quiet dark,
A path...
traversing, trembling
So many lives...
Reaching into the haze of
early 'morn
Buoyed in the thought of you.

Dawn grants empty respite,
my soul lost to
So many miles...
So many lives...
Consumed by the thought of you.

'I left with nothing,
But the thought you'd be there too
Looking for you...'

I went wandering
what seems so long ago,
time, place drifting as they do...
dreams of those worlds
Searching...
Waiting...
Wrapped in this thought of you.

'I went wandering...'

C.

Top 5 Satire Songs

I haven't done a Tell It To Me Tuesday from over at Janet's blog, so I figured I would add these satirical parody songs, mostly by Weid Al Yankovic... still I enjoy them :)

1) The Saga Begins by 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Just a classic and it parodies another favorite song, 'American Pie'. My favorite bit is the end 'And the Jedi I admire most, met up with Darth Maul and now he's toast, Well I'm still here and he's a ghost... I guess I'll train this boy.'

2) The Contra Rap by Rich Little: From the 'Dr. Demento' days.. this parody is a little dated, but so darn funny, and if you suffered through the Iran-Contra hearings, this helped.

3) Star Trekkin' by The Firm: Such a strange, almost dead on parody of the Original Series. Always loved 'We come in peace. Shoot to Kill! Shoot to Kill!'

4) Jerry Springer by 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Another great parody of a good song, this one is just terribly funny and makes fun of ourselves and Springer at the same time. And lyrically, it's too good to miss.

5) This Land by JibJab: A flash parody, but again so darn funny, especially how it makes fun of Kerry and his 'but I won three purple hearts'... actually it makes fun of everyone involved in the process, which is good. Political satire is healthy even if we don't agree with it :)

Honorable Mention: Star Wars Gangsta Rap: A late entry, but if you are a Star Wars fan you should check this out...' We got Death Star!'.

C.

Cold War Songs

Just as an aside, I was going to post something a bit more personal, but I lost my train of thought watching 'Clerks II', so I leave you with this little post here and the following post, a modified reprint of relatively recent poem... sorry, I'll try and find my thoughts in the morning. Plus, I'm a little angry, but I will go into that later.

Ok, this little fun post is a derivative of other song posts I have seen. Last week, there was a top 5 long songs, so I decided to go with another interesting variant, the Cold War. I got the idea listening to one of the songs on the list, so here goes:

1) 'Goodnight Saigon' by Billy Joel: A fabulous tribute to those that served in the longest 'hot' war of the Cold War... always love the helicopters in the background at the beginning and ending of the song.
2) 'The Russians' by Sting: Such a soulful song that really defines the mood of the Cold War and the ever impending threat of two nations poised to blow themselves to smithereens... thankfully, the Russians loved their children too.
3) 'Winds of Change' by the Scorpions: A song that really defined the end of the Cold War, and how I felt when I walked through Gorky Park, and stood in Red Square amazed that I would even be allowed to stand there.
4) 'Leningrad' by Billy Joel: Having been to St. Petersburg when it was still Leningrad (but just barely), this song is close to me especially in retrospect and thinking of how so much has changed... though with the new 'wars', maybe not.
5) 'God On Our Side' by The Neville Brothers: An old friend introduced this to me when I was in high school and it is more about war in general, but was made during the Cold War. It starts with the Civil War and ends with the Cold War, and a simple hope... 'If God's on our side, he'll stop the next war'. Fantastic song.

Honorable mention: 'Nikita' by Elton John: An interesting little song at the tail end of his 'Sleeping with the Past' album, but I always liked the imagery of the ten tin soldiers.

C.

25 Songs

The previous post on 'Remakes' got me thinking about my favorite songs overall, and after reading everyone else's lists, I decided to demonstrate my narrow focus in music by throwing together a list of my favorite songs :) Note: This does not include instrumental pieces, but does include songs from musicals.

1. 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel.
2. 'Blue Eyes' by Elton John.
3. 'Hurt' (Johnny Cash version).
4. 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton.
5. 'When the Man Comes Around' by Johnny Cash.
6. 'The River' by Bruce Springsteen.
7. 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' by U2.
8. 'The Music of the Night' (Phantom of the Opera).
9. 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John.
10. 'Leningrad' by Billy Joel.
11. 'Turn the Page' by Bob Seger (and may the Metallica version burn :)
12. 'Angry Young Man' by Billy Joel (live).
13. 'The Rainbow Connection' by Kermit the Frog.
14. 'Point of No Return' (Phantom of the Opera)
15. 'Miami 2017 (The Night the Lights Went Out on Broadway) by Billy Joel.
16. 'The Last Song' by Elton John.
17. 'One' by U2 (and the Johnny Cash version as well).
18. 'Thunder Road' by Bruce Springsteen.
19. 'We've Got Tonight' by Bob Seger.
20. 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word' by Elton John.
21. 'Dream On' by Aerosmith.
22. 'The Saga Begins' by Weird Al Yankovic.
23. 'She's Always a Woman' by Billy Joel.
24. 'Vincent' by Don McLean.
25. 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica.

Ok, so maybe this is a little more eclectic than I let on, but I should point out that I only like one 'Metallica' album and two songs by Don McLean (but did he do more than 'Vincent' and 'American Pie'?).

C.

Remakes

I was asked this question on this blog: http://www.theartofgettingby.com about my favorite remakes... I assume one might talk about movies and tv shows as well as songs, so here goes in no particular order:

1) 'Sacrifice' first by Elton John, remade by Sinead O'Conner... really a great song made better.
2) 'Battlestar Galactica' Most of the remake of the series I really liked, though I quibble on the whole Starbuck thing.
3) 'Hurt' first by Nine Inch Nails but remade superbly by the great Johnny Cash. A superior version in every way.
4) 'One' first by U2, again later by Johnny Cash... a very soulful version, but I love both versions really.
5) 'Shameless' first by Billy Joel, later by Garth Brooks... again, I like both versions.
6) Do later versions of Star Trek count? Probably not :) (just TNG, I might add)
7) 'The Manchurian Candidate'. For some reason, I just liked this movie remake better than the original one.
8) 'Back in the USSR' by the Beatles, later by Billy Joel. I really loved a live version of this that Billy Joel did in Russia.
9) 'Great Balls of Fire' by Jerry Lee Lewis, later by Elton John... I saw this version live in concert in 1995 when both Billy Joel and Elton John played at Texas Stadium.
10) 'Dune', the Sci Fi channel remake, far superior to the mess David Lynch made in 1984, although I did like the music in the original one (and Sting was cool as Feyd).

Ok, that should cover it...

C.

The 100

Sorry, no room for another 4300 :) (little joke for those who have seen The 4400)

As seems commonplace on blogs and other mediums, (I did something similar in my old journal) I have decided to give my many fans (crickets chirping in the distance) a number of things about me that are completely unremarkable but possibly interesting for those that find such things interesting. I have to admit I am a fan of such lists, so I give you such a list. Since 100 or so seems to be the appropriate number, (I suppose I could have waited to my 100th post, but I decided to get this out of the way) here are 100 things you should or should not know about me.

1. I'm left-handed (for the most part)
2. I have horrible handwriting, even when printing. You don't want to see my cursive (I haven't written in cursive in I don't know how long)
3. The first football game I remember is Super Bowl X (Dallas-Pittsburgh, 1976)
4. Reportedly, my third and fourth words were 'Go Cowboys!'.
5. The first movie I remember seeing was 'Star Wars', though I think my parents took me to see both 'The Muppet Movie' and 'Rocky' before that.
6. The first movie that gave me nightmares was 'Alien' (I was 6).
7. My favorite movie of all time is 'The Empire Strikes Back.'
8. My favorite book of all time is 'The Stand' by Stephen King, followed closely by 'The Guns of the South' by Harry Turtledove.
9. My favorite non-fiction book is 'In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World it Made' by Norman F. Cantor
10. Though I love medieval history, I am really unfocused, studying plague history, religious history (both of which do crossover into medieval, true), and military history.
11. I have a minor in Space Science and were I not math-illiterate, I would have gone into the sciences.
12. I love maps (which translated into a Geography minor).
13. I enjoy politics, but never had the stomach to get into it, aside from a term in the Student Senate in college.
14. I have been behind the Iron Curtain, but just barely, mere months before it all collapsed.
15. The best museum I have ever been to is the Hermitage in what was then Leningrad (I've never been to Paris, so I can't say the Louvre, regardless of reputation).
16. I have never been to Western Europe (unless you count 2 days in Finland to wind up my trip to Eastern Europe).
17. I have traveled to and/or through every state in the contiguous USA except Kentucky and Maine.
18. Though there was a great deal of anti-American sentiment the second time I was there, a part of my heart will always belong in Australia.
19. My ideal retirement spot is a stretch of coastline in South-West Australia.
20. I have spent almost three consecutive days on a train. (the India-Pacific between Sydney and Perth)
21. I have had my car searched for drugs at a Canadian border crossing (they thought I was smuggling pot from Mexico because of my Texas plates).
22. I have difficulty with the smell of tobacco (maybe a mild allergy perhaps).
23. I've lived in my car.
24. I waited tables for almost 2 years.
25. I have a fondness for theater, having acted, directed, produced and pretty much did everything at one point except costume design.
26. Before I sold anime stuff, I helped my family sell sports cards.
27. I was married for about 5 years once.
28. I've now been divorced for about 5 years.
29. I prefer the term 'certified pre-owned'. Sounds more official.
30. I taught myself to read at age 3 (thank you Sesame Street)
31. I didn't write my first short story or poem until I was 17.
32. I won an award (the National Association of Children's Bookwriters or something like that) for my first short story... which looking back, wasn't all that good.
33. I am my worst critic, as most writers are.
34. I don't like to use the word 'believe' or 'belief'. To me it is the first step to fanaticism. I would rather use the word 'think' or 'thought'.
35. I grew up Independent Baptist (hence my views on 'belief').
36. My favorite television show is still 'Babylon 5'.
37. Growing up, my favorite show was 'Star Trek', old and TNG.
38. I love roleplaying games and used to game constantly.
39. My favorite song of all time is 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel.
40. My second favorite song is 'Blue Eyes' by Elton John.
41. I have seen them both in concert separately and together.
42. I wish I could have seen Johnny Cash in concert.
43. My favorite concert is easily Billy Joel/Elton John (at Texas Stadium, April 1995).
44. My favorite musical/play is 'Phantom of the Opera'.
45. I love quotations.
46. I grew up a giant comic fan, and still read them now and then.
47. My favorite comic story is 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' by Frank Miller.
48. I still prefer Superman over Batman, but only slightly.
49. My favorite roleplaying game is 'Star Wars' (shocking, I know)
50. I have been roleplaying (though mostly game mastering) for almost 20 years now. 2007 will mark my 20th year.
51. My favorite non-Star Wars/Lord of the Rings movie is 'Almost Famous' (I prefer the Director's cut called 'Untitled'.
52. My favorite album (what not a favorite MP3 playlist?... what is this word, album?) is 'American IV: The Man Comes Around' by Johnny Cash.
53. I am both a cat and dog person.
54. I have owned more cats and dogs than I can count.
55. Cats, even strays, like to hang around me.
56. I am considered depressed, but not bi-polar.
57. I have a large number of siblings, and the oldest.
58. I lead a very parenthetical life (really, it's true).
59. I used to fence, preferring foil and sabre over epee.
60. If I had a philosophy, I think it would be deistic multi-dimensional reincarnationist. It worked from the Minbari (from 'Babylon 5'), though deism is more 18th century Enlightenment than late 20th century science fiction.
61. I understand the difference between the Jesus of history and the Jesus of faith.
62. While I feel we soften words too much and argue about semantics, I am still far too diplomatic for my own good.
63. That being said, I have found it hard to be diplomatic when it counted most.
64. If I could drop everything and go 'Out There' (out there being space and beyond), I would.
65. While I prefer the Jedi Code, the Sith dress better (and I prefer darker colors myself).
66. I wear sandals whenever I can, meaning I've worn socks twice in the past 2 calendar years (which you can do in Texas, even in winter).
67. The last time I wore tennis shoes regularly was on my last trip to Australia. Unless you are on a beach, it is really, really hard to hike in sandals.
68. I hate wearing blue jeans... shorts and slacks (usually khakis) for me.
69. Even though I love Australia and grew up in the D/FW area, I despise the heat.
70. I much prefer the cold, even if it means I might have to put on socks.
71. My eyes sometimes change color, but they are mostly blue (usually a light blue, but sometimes dark, sometimes a dark green, occasionally gray).
72. I lettered in varsity basketball in high school.
73. I have had three excruciating surgeries, two of them neurosurgeries.
74. The first neurosurgery saved my life. The second replaced the right half of my forehead with plastic (this happened over 20 years ago, when I was 10).
75. Because of said surgeries, I have failed three military physicals, the only thing that ever kept me from serving my country (though it was a near thing the last time).
76. It also kept me from playing football.
77. 'The Imperial March' is one of the great instrumental themes of all time.
78. I have had season tickets twice to the Cowboys and three times to the Rangers, all in years they stunk.
79. And I gave up my seats the day Nolan Ryan pitched his last no-hitter so my brother could go to the game.
80. No matter how many times I hear it, the words, 'No Luke, I am your father', still sends chills up my spine.
81. I prefer the Bob Seger version of 'Turn the Page' over Metallica's version.
82. I agree with Dilbert in that when something like the Holodeck is available, civilization as we know it will end (if it doesn't before then).
83. Perhaps the best poem I've ever written is my least favorite to read... a piece I wrote on the 5th anniversary of my eldest brother's death.
84. I still have trouble talking to my Mom and my sisters about it, mostly for their sake.
85. I always wanted to be on 'Jeopardy'.
86. Though I love writing, I am not a very disciplined writer. Perhaps that is why I write so much poetry.
87. I have serious trouble rhyming.
88. While I love music, I cannot sing, except as part of a choral group.
89. My favorite comic strip was the always funny 'Bloom County'.
90. It's the one with Opus the Penguin.
91. While I enjoy the history of languages, I cannot, for the life of me, learn them. I am better at reading them, and even that is marginal.
92. I prefer a nice cabernet over white, perhaps a bottle of rose instead, but only at Italian restaurants :)
93. I love westerns and war movies, and most any historical movie. I tend to see them regardless of reviews.
94. My favorite westerns are 'Dances With Wolves' and 'The Outlaw Josey Wales'.
95. My favorite war films are 'Glory' and 'We Were Soldiers', though the first half of 'Full Metal Jacket' is phenomenal.
96. Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov were two of my big influences growing up, though my dad tried to steer me to Jack Vance.
97. Most days, I would rather have a nice conversation.
98. My mom always told me I could always 'catch more flies with honey than vinegar'.
99. Even if it annoys them, I always hold the door open for women (assuming I get to it in time). Simply the way I was raised.
100. I can't be anything more than I am at this moment, even if I do look to the future too much.

Well, this should cover it. Anything else I will probably get to eventually, or just ask. I might even give an answer that makes sense. :)

C.