Shuffle

“We Like to Party” – The Venga Boys. This, to be clear, is the “DJ Disco Mix” version of the all-time classic “We Like to Party”. Pat McCurdy sent me this CD years ago and I have no idea why.

Spread Your Wings – Queen. God, classic. This song makes me ache.

I’ll Be Waiting – Lenny Kravitz. So will I, Lenny. You’re one of my happy places, never forget it.

Once Upon a Time – The Pogues. Love the Pogues. They don’t come up enough on Shuffle!

Without You – The Dixie Chicks. I’m a bit sick of them now, but boy, this girl can sing. I think I over-listened to their first two albums. I got saturated or something.

She’s Hot To Go – Lyle Lovett. My first boyfriend and I were so into him. We saw him open for Ricky Lee Jones. He was fantastic.

Black Boys – the cast of the Broadway revival of Hair. The song is cute, these ladies are singing the hell out of it.

Cooling – Tori Amos. Live version, opens with Tori saying, “This is one of my best friends of all the songs. She just didn’t want to be on any of the records.” A bit precious, but if you like Tori (and I do, for the most part), you have to deal with that.

If I Loved You – Elvis, one of the home recordings. Probably late 50s, when he was in Germany (wild guess, I don’t have my recording-list nearby). There are a couple versions of this song (one of his favorites). This is just him, going all operatic, cracking up, major dramatic ridiculous piano. Fun. He sounds great, if ridiculous.

Damn Girl – Justin Timberlake. Oh hell yes.

Never Said – Liz Phair. As I’ve said before, if you listen to Exile to Guyville, you get a complete and 3-D picture of life of a 20something in Chicago at a certain time (the time I was living there as well, as a 20something). She covers everything. Casual sex, hanging out with a bunch of guys, trying to be cool, trying to preserve your reputation, dealing with waking up and not knowing where the hell you are. Here, she tries to maintain her cool as rumors start to fly about her. God, this album is great.

Folk Monologue – Barbra Streisand, from her “happening in Central Park”. This gives such a good feeling for how huge she was, how weird, how funny. “This is a folk song from Latvia, and it’s about this Tahitian girl …”

Embassy Lament – from the original Broadway production of Chess. My father loved this musical so much. He only saw it once, in a community theatre production, and he thought it was crap. But man, he loved the music. I do too. I always think of Dad when I hear Chess.

Boot Scootin’ Boogie – Brooks & Dunn. I kind of can’t stand a lot of current country-western music. But I do make exceptions. This is a really dumb song, but I find it catchy.

Life Thru a Lens – Robbie Williams. If I am not mistaken, this is one of his first singles released as a solo artist. He hasn’t yet reached the sophistication he has now, where he is barely able to write a song that doesn’t sound like a giant Monster Pop Hit. But still: you can feel it here.

But Mr. Adams – from Broadway production of 1776. Hilarious evocation of Adams’ rambunctious personality and how he was “unpopular”. Very funny. I grew up with this musical.

Babamudiki – from the marimba band Kumusha. This was the band playing at the reception for Dean Stockwell’s art opening in Taos, that I attended. My friend Stevie bought me the CD.

Rehab – the cast of Glee. Pretty funny hearing this song re-vamped for a school choir. It rocks, actually.

I Was the One – Elvis. This is live, from the midnight show at the International in Las Vegas, August 1970. He can’t remember the lyrics, keeps messing them up. “when she wants you under her … something …” Funny: this was once his favorite song that he recorded. He always loved those ballads. They suited his earnest yet melodramatic sensibility.

Shake That Tambourine (takes 10, 16) – Elvis, from Harum Scarum. Oh boy. This is notorious to Elvis fans because it is one of the few numbers that he was actually unable to get a complete take on, due to his guffaws of laughter. They had to splice together a couple of different takes. It is a ridiculous song with intricate meaningless lyrics. Here, in take 10, he sings “teeny feet” instead of “tiny feet”, and he starts laughing so hard and so loud that the whole session has to stop, and he is howling, guffawing, screaming, “T E E N I E – teeny”. I don’t blame the guy. When you hear the song, you wonder how anyone could bear to memorize any of it. Elvis Presley has one of the most infectious laughs in the world.

Who Wants to Live Forever (live) – Queen at Wembley Stadium. His voice is bone-chilling.

Hound Dog (live) – Elvis. This is from the 70s, when Elvis and his world-class band turned the song into a manic rocking jam, and it’s usually played a beat or two fast (in my opinion). Like Elvis is like, “Let’s get this shit over with.” But still: it rocks, if it has lost some of the specific groin-ache of the original version.

Go Let It Out – Oasis. I’m not a huge fan, although a couple of their songs are pretty damn great. My favorite is “She’s Electric”. He’s got a great rock star voice. Too bad the songs aren’t better.

I’m a Loser – The Beatles. I can hear a lot of Dylan in this.

Chopsticks – Liz Phair. Ouch.

Golden Keyboard/Mayor Harrison’s Fedora – Matt Molloy/Seán Keane. I was waiting for the Irish to riverdance on in. This is terrific, with incredible piping. And never was piping so sad, and never was piping so gay.

Tomorrow – Andrea McArdle, on Broadway. I can trace back so much of my life to the first time I heard this song. Still remember it vividly. It changed my life.

Frankie and Johnny – Elvis, in Frankie and Johnny. Not a good time for poor Elvis. He was obsessed with new age religion and philosophy at the time, and that was all he wanted to talk about. He didn’t even have any affairs (although with Elvis you really couldn’t call them that) during shooting. Just shared books with co-stars and had deep conversations about God and eternity. He drove his friends crazy. His Christian family worried he was straying from the faith. But Elvis was obviously lost, and looking for meaning. Good for him. I know it’s nuts, but I love him for his openness. This movie is clearly not good, although it is fun to see him interact with Harry Morgan.

America the Beautiful – Willie Nelson. Makes me weep. This was from the telethon thrown together in the wake of September 11. I just can’t with this.

Writing the Pages – The Good Rats. So so grateful to the indie film Roadie for really introducing me to these guys. This guy’s voice is out of this WORLD.

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis, live: 6-7-75, Shreveport. He always used this as a closer, usually walking up and down kissing all the girls in the front row. So the recorded versions of it, live, are often broken up with long sections where Elvis is silent. Because he is making out with 30 people in a row. They’re boring to listen to, but also entertaining because you can feel the humor of it. He’ll wisecrack – “Don’t get physical now …” etc.

Eternity – Robbie Williams. Beautiful song.

The Way Life’s Meant To Be – ELO. This is from their Time album, the first album I bought with my own money. Vinyl, of course. I don’t know why some songs make me ache. It has to do with the chords. This one makes me ache.

Watching the Detectives- Elvis Costello. I’ve seen him a bunch. I listened to him too much in college. It’s rare for me to listen to him now.

Do Me Now – Robbie Williams. My pleasure, Robbie.

Tennessee Waltz – Elvis Presley (and friends). Elvis at the piano, singing this old favorite, with his buddies harmonizing. It’s all rather touching and beautiful, except that Elvis keeps cracking up as though he is 8 years old in church. They all LOSE it at the end, because Elvis changes the lyrics (“I lost my little britches to those sons of bitches …” You really get a feel for how the group operated (in good times, anyway) during this recording.

Can’t Make a Sound – Elliott Smith. “I have become a silent movie.” What a terrifying and accurate description of what clinical depression feels like. The whole song is full of imagery like that. He was so good. So horrifying, his end. I feel for the guy.

Put Your Cat Clothes On – Carl Perkins. Starting out with the “blue suede shoes” comment, indicative of a lot of the self-referential pop-culture referencing mania that was really born with this whole rockabilly rock ‘n roll explosion. A self-consciousness about their own moment. This song rocks. Great boogie woogie piano. Perkins is like an animal. Electric.

Mother Nature’s Son – John Denver’s cover of The Beatles. I don’t care. I love it. Boy, he could play that guitar!

Money Is a Problem – Dean Martin. Oh, Dean, it is a problem. But you don’t sound like you worry about it too much and that’s why I love you so much.

Was That You? – Yipes. Oh dear. This was one of Pat McCurdy’s early bands. They are really rockin’ out here, and it’s hilarious.

Les rêves sont en nous – Scala & Kolocny Brothers. A fantastic all-women Belgian chorus. Perfection. I love them.

Cousin Kevin – The Who from the Tommy recording. Love the drums here in particular. They’re odd, attention-getting.

Night Time Is the Right Time – Ray Charles. Oh, you know it, Ray.

The Duke Arrives/Barricade – John Carpenter, the theme from Escape From New York. Totally j’adore.

Hitchin’ a Ride – Green Day. I was so into International Superhits when it came out. Little did I know that the whole top was about to blown off with the one-two punch of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. Get well soon, Billie Joe!

The Exception – Shakira. Oh, dear. So dumb.

Keep Young and Beautiful – Annie Lennox. Complete with a scratchy vinyl sound. So pissed, so good.

Coffee, Tea and Sympathy – Robbie Williams. Often his songs start weak, they sound like nothing, but then they explode into something else once he builds up to the chorus. This is one of those songs. The opening is weak, but the song overall is one of my favorites of his.

Prologue – from the movie of Little Shop of Horrors, with the portentous voiceover. Hysterical.

No Man’s Land / Flowers of the Forest – June Tabor. “No Man’s Land”, a tragic song about a woman singing over the grave of a young man who died in WWI. Tabor is gorgeous.

I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago – Elvis Presley. From his basically impromptu country album that he recorded in 1970 (fact check me on that). One of my favorite albums of his. He kicks the shit out of this song. I wonder what the Young Earth jagoffs would have to say about this one. On second thought, no I don’t. Because who cares what people who choose ignorance think about anything?

I’m Perfectly Alright – Pat McCurdy. I was wondering where you were in this Shuffle, Pat! I love this one.

Poised and Ready – Brendan Benson. You clearly can hear the influence of the Beatles on everything he does, but that seems to just push him harder and harder. One of the best songwriters writing today.

As Joseph Was a Walking – Annie Lennox, from her phenomenal recent Christmas album.

Sad But True – Metallica. I’ve missed these boys too on this particular Shuffle. They usually are big Bosses hogging up the Shuffle.

Happiness Is a Warm Gun – Joe Anderson, from Julie Tambor’s Across the Universe. I loved this scene, with the Salma Hayek nurses ministering to Joe. It was fascinating. I loved that movie.

Enough Space – Foo Fighters, from their great The Colour and the Shape. There was a good year when that album was in constant rotation.

She Wears My Ring – Elvis. He eventually recorded this formally (I find it a bit of a snoozefest), but this is one of his home recordings. You can hear people in the background (of course you can: Elvis was almost never alone). Elvis seems to be in a zone of privacy, with his piano playing, and others join in with harmony as they feel it. You really get the feeling of a bunch of people just hanging out together. That’s the good thing about these home recordings, as rudimentary as many of them are.

Fools Rush In (take 14) – Elvis Presley. Elvis gettin’ all swingin’ and Dino here. With this weird jaunty keyboard in the background. It’s all very strange, a bit too cutesy for Elvis in my opinion.

When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again – Elvis, from the sit-down sessions in the 1968 special. Not a well-known song of Elvis’, not as much as Hound Dog or Don’t Be Cruel – but it was a big hit for Elvis, and he sang it on the Ed Sullivan Show back in 1956. Here, they almost turn it into a hillbilly extravaganza. It’s great.

Who Are You New York? – Rufus Wainwright. Intricate piano trills, and a dirge-like melody. It’s lovely but boring.

Peggy Gordon – Sinéad O’Connor, from her recent album where she sings Irish traditional songs. It was a nice change after her reggae phase, which I basically just had to wait out.

See See Rider – Elvis, from that horrifying CBS televised concert that was his last. He looked (and in some cases sounded) like death warmed over. The crowd doesn’t seem to care, but the entire thing is extremely upsetting to watch. I have the album of this concert because it seems like I have to honor all Elvises, not just the one I find most exciting. I owe it to him. But still, it hurts. I mean, let’s be honest, he still gets it up. He was such a well-oiled machine, but you get the sense that he’s sketching it in. He’s too exhausted to fill it all up.

Everything’s All Right – the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar. You know what? It still gives me chills.

Farther Along – Elvis, Carl Perkins and … Jerry Lee Lewis, on the famous “Million Dollar Quartet” day at Sun Studios in 1956. (Although it was never a quartet.) There are other people singing along here. It’s lovely. The clip starts with a woman saying, “Will this Rover Boys Trio sing Farther Along?” You can hear Elvis start to try to find the key, and I hear his shyness. I know it’s insane, but her request is quite direct, and he of course complies with her request, but he has to take a second and do it on his terms. Afterwards, they all just sigh with how pretty it was (and it is).

Black and White – Glenn Close and Terri White, from the Broadway production of Barnum. My sister Jean and I can sing this entire score. And it’s a tough one, if you know it.

Joy – Whitney Houston, from the fantastic Preacher’s Wife soundtrack. What a soundtrack. Whitney at her very best, even including this.

Heat Wave – Marilyn Monroe. Just sit back and enjoy. I love how Marilyn doesn’t even sing until almost halfway through the damn song.

Johnny, Are You Queer – Josie Cotton. Ugh, I have no defense.

Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles. It’s just so hot, having the ladies backing him up. Great sex music.

The Long Black Veil – Johnny Cash. From the Folsom Prison album. Boy, the air in that room is electric. You can feel it on these recordings. When he sings the line about “in the arms of my best friend’s wife”, he suddenly cracks up and says, “Did I hear someone applaud out there?” Other than that, you can hear a pin drop in that prison.

The Muppet Show Theme – This is self-explanatory.

Soak Up the Sun – Sheryl Crow. This song has very specific associations for me, which I will not share.

Trying To Get To You – Wanda Jackson, from her I Remember Elvis album. A song Elvis obsessed over, and kept coming back to you. Love Miss Wanda’s version. Rockin’! Feel so lucky that I got to see her recently.

Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz. Just love this guy. He’s got integrity, follows his own star.

One-Sided Love Affair – Elvis Presley. Early Elvis. Listen to him. It’s totally over-the-top. His vocal mannerisms, the lower register thrumming, the grunts and hitches in his breath,his freedom with them, it’s hilarious, it’s bold. It’s already “schtick”, but it’s exciting. You still can’t believe he got away with it. Listen to him sing “fair exchange and no robbery”. Who the hell would decide to sing it that way but him?

Finale – from Broadway production of Rent. Everything worked out! But you know what, kids? Some day you actually WILL have to pay rent. It’s called growing up!

Follow That Dream (takes 1, 2) – Elvis. Fun to listen to Elvis work. I never get sick of it. Boy worked his ass off. My friend Larry, on Facebook, recently referred to Follow That Dream as “Elvis’ Occupy movie” which is hysterical and totally apt.

Run the World (Girls) – the cast of Glee, turning it into a marching-band marionette anthem. Hate to break it to you, Beyonce, but girls do NOT run the world, although I do appreciate your wishful thinking! This is a fun version of the song. It does rock.

Everything Means Nothing To Me – Elliott Smith. You can feel the despair. The entire album is very unsettling.

You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling (live) – Elvis in Vegas. I think it’s one of the best versions of the song ever recorded. The honesty and despair he pours into “something is DYING” is almost difficult to listen to, the sentiment is so real.

500 Miles – Cliff Eberhardt. He breaks my heart. Such a good songwriter.

Shape Shifter – Keri Noble. A fun song, I really like it. I knew someone like that. He fucked my shit up.

Wheels On My Heels – Elvis. From Roustabout. You know, his talent was such that he poured his heart into whatever task was in front of him. Even a dumb song like this one. It’s enjoyable to listen to him, pretty much no matter what.

Kashmir – Led Zeppelin. What a gorgeously eerie and ominous song.

What Do You Got – Bon Jovi. Yeah, I’m a Bon Jovi fan. Perhaps it is because he, as my friend Mitchell has observed, has a butt that is “from the Lord”. But I also love his voice. I also love their staying power, and the fact that they still kind of operate as a local band, even though they are world-famous. They have roots.

Dive – Nirvana. This is live at the Pine Street Theatre. Their live recordings still shatter with excitement. It’s a wall of sound, with messy riffs and screeching guitars. His voice is unearthly. So powerful.

All Through the Night – Cyndi Lauper. This song really brings me back to a specific time and place. Beautiful. I love her so much and love that she is still trucking. Love her last album.

Tourette’s – Nirvana, live in Reading, England. CRAZY. He is screaming.

They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Robbie Williams and Rupert Everett, of all people, on his glorious Rat Pack tribute album. Beautiful. I wish more men would do duets together these days.

Hot N Cold – Katy Perry. I think she’s loony-tunes. But I love her. I think she’s being over-managed and over-controlled. I’d love to see her perform in jeans and Converse.

Movie Stars – Pat McCurdy. “I don’t believe in God, I don’t believe in the flag, I don’t believe in anything, I just believe in movie stars …” One of his hits.

Paint It Black – Rolling Stones. Perhaps not a popular choice but this is my favorite Stones song.

WTF? – Ok Go. These guys are just so awesome. I’ll buy anything they put out. This is a great song.

Reefer Man – Cab Calloway. Hysterical. “You mean, that cat’s high?” “SAILING.” “Man, is that the reefer man?” “I think he’s losin’ his mind!” “I think he’s LOST his mind.”

Princes of the Universe – Queen. God, why are they so uniformly brilliant? How did they do it?

Everything Is Fine – Bleu. This song kills me. I love him so much. If you are not aware of him, please do yourself a favor and check this guy out. One of the best songwriters working today, and his voice – what a voice!

Romance (If I Can Get It) – The Nylons. We were so into them in college. Nerds? My friend Brett, God rest his soul, was really the one who kept the Nylons blasting at all times. We loved them.

I Know Him So Well – from the original Broadway production of Chess, Judy Kuhn and Marcia Mitzman. One of the few duets out there between two women. It’s hard to find a really good one. This is one of the best.

Until It Sleeps – Metallica. From the despised Load album. I love Load. I don’t know what everyone is going on about. This is a great song.

Polly Come Home – Robert Plant & Allison Krause. What a duo. Who would have thought to put these two voices together? Boy, does it work. It’s sexy, painful, heartfelt, aching. Mitchell told me that one of the reasons Plant wanted to do this album was that, as lead singer for Led Zeppelin, he never got to sing harmony. This was a chance for him to stretch and grow as an artist, and take the harmony line. Fascinating.

Could It Be You – Tesse Ferrar. This is included on the soundtrack for the new film After the Triumph of Your Birth, directed by Jim Akin and starring Maria McKee (from Lone Justice, as you will remember). I have become friends with Maria (she came to my reading in Los Angeles with her husband), and so she sent me a screener of their new film, which is extraordinary. I still have to write something about it, but September was just too nuts. It’s beautiful.

Santa Claus Is Back In Town – Elvis. This is not his famous recorded version from 1957. This is Elvis messing around in the studio, in preparation for his Vegas opening in 1970 (captured in the Elvis documentary Elvis: That’s The Way It Is. I love it. Elvis messing around with the words: “If you don’t behave your goddamn self …” He also gets a bit too sexy (even for himself) when he sings “You be a good little girl now” and starts cracking up. It’s slow and wicked bluesy.

He Is My Everything – Elvis. From How Great Thou Art. Unlike some of the other gospel numbers he recorded which crackle with the excitement and ferocity of Pentecostal revelry, this is more “high church”. It’s beautiful. He sounds great.

One Night of Sin – Elvis. He had recorded a version without the “sin”ful part of the lyrics, and that was the one released. The lyrics were controversial with the whole “the things we did and saw would make the earth stand still”. So Elvis himself sat down and rewrote the lyrics, changing “One night of sin is what I’m now paying for” to “One night with you is what I’m praying for”. Not bad, Elvis, not bad. But he actually did record the song with the original lyrics, which was recently unearthed. It’s fun to hear him be as bad as he can be.

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers – Elvis. I love this. Not well-known, one of those singles Elvis recorded that got lost in the shuffle. I think this swings, even though it’s clearly just a dumb pop song. He sounds great.

Music For a Found Harmonium – Patrick Street. Marvelous. Irish marvelousness. Incredible musicianship.

If You Talk In Your Sleep – Elvis. Yes! Elvis in full-blown adult mode, 70s Elvis, funky, knowing, pained, with a bit of a hint of disco in the arrangement, the horns in the background.

Walking On Broken Glass – Annie Lennox, from the great Diva album. When I first moved to Chicago, I took daily runs along Lake Michigan, blasting this album on my walkman, so even now, so many years later when I hear this song, that’s the time I remember.

18 Miles From Memphis – Stray Cats. So fun. I love these guys. I’m so glad they were huge when I was in high school.

Something Beautiful – Sinéad O’Connor. You’re lovely, Sinéad, your voice gives me goosebumps. But I do not understand this double album where the same songs appear on each album. I don’t get it. But I bought the whole damn thing, because I love you.

The House Jack Built – Metallica. Yes, another song from Load! Take that, Load haters!

I’ll Never Stand In Your Way – Elvis. One of the first songs he recorded at Sun. He has a quavery high voice, and … you can’t believe that this is the same guy from “That’s All Right Mama”.

Crimson and Clover – Dolly Parton. How much do I love that Dolly covered this song? It’s gorgeous.

No Bad News – Patty Griffin. She’s so fantastic. Why haven’t I seen her live? I need to rectify that.

Fakin’ It – Simon & Garfunkel. Perfect harmonies.

Baby Blue Eyes – Stray Cats. I remember when Brian Setzer created his orchestra, reading an article about him and a record producer (the one who gave the go-ahead for the Brian Setzer Orchestra recordings) said, “If Brian Setzer told me that tuba polkas were coming in vogue, I’d believe him.” While Setzer’s entire career could be said to be made of nostalgia (rockabilly, swing bands, etc.) – he’s also always been ahead of the curve, in saying, “There’s something in this music that people still want to tap into.”

In the Ghetto – Elvis, live in Vegas, August 24, 1969. Gorgeous. This song helped put him on the map again, making him seem relevant and of this world. Elvis had always seemed a little bit “out of our world”. He sings the hell out of this, with the Sweet Inspirations giving him beautiful and inspirational support. Elvis was a staunch conservative, but with a bleeding liberal heart. He tried to treat everyone with kindness. He messed up, as we all do. He believed in the American dream because he was the purest example of it. The fact that in recent years conservatives have lost such confidence in their popular appeal that they would come up with the label “compassionate conservative” is indicative of how far they have fallen. I was embarrassed for them when they started trotting out that label. Edmund Burke rolled over in his grave.

Yancey Special – Jimmy Yancey. I have a whole album of piano boogie-woogie. It makes me so happy I can’t even tell you.

Beverly Hills – Weezer. I love these guys.

Southern Girls – Everclear. I’m surprised they haven’t shown up more. Everclear has gotten me through some real tough times, most recently in 2009. It’s sometimes difficult for me to listen to them because they call to mind that dark year.

The Right Time – Nappy Brown. Hot bluesy bump-and-grind music. Ouch.

I Got Stung (take 15) – Elvis. Boy worked hard during this particular session in 1958. Some of my favorite songs came out of this session. But it was tough getting these songs nailed down. This take lasts 52 seconds, and Elvis gets lost in the lyrics, and starts laughing which ends the take.

I Can See a Liar – Oasis. I like them, but they bore me, too.

Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright – Elvis. Hearing him sing this song – as my friend Beth calls it: “the best eff you song ever” – well, frankly, it’s too much for me.

Bells On a Leper – Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers. I’ve said it before: loving Mike Viola is a requirement for membership in the O’Malley Clan. It’s written in our Constitution.

Don’t Fence Me In – David Byrne. This is from the Red Hot + Blue Cole Porter tribute album, recorded to raise money for AIDS research. It’s sooo good. This is so much fun, he turns it into a Creole-inspired anthem.

Fez: Being Born – U2. I’ve been a bit surprised U2 hasn’t made more appearances on this Shuffle.

Startin’ Tonight – Elvis, from Girl Happy. I love this movie. The classic Elvis Formula Pic.

Every Ghetto Every City – Lauryn Hill. What a phenomenal album. What happened, Lauryn?? I know she said she’d rather die than have white people buy her album, but fuck you, Lauryn, thank God you’re not in charge of the world, because I bought your album and I fucking love it.

Cocaine Blues – Johnny Cash. This is insane, it’s amazing they even allowed him to sing this in Folsom Prison. The convicts are cheering and it sounds like they’re ready to revolt. It’s so thrilling.

Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce – Elvis. Hey, it’s a Girl Happy cluster. I can understand why folks like Peter Guralnick were dismayed by Elvis recording songs like this one. But I don’t care. I think it’s adorable.

One Broken Heart For Sale – Elvis, from It Happened At the World’s Fair. Fun! I love this movie, too, and it has one of my favorite Elvis moments ever filmed: when he’s on the monorail with the little girl, and she’s asleep on his shoulder. A song plays over the scene, he does not lip synch, he just sits there in deep thought. It’s fantastic. He is relaxed, eloquent, and beautiful.

Back to Black – Amy Winehouse. God, Amy, you were so good.

Kisses – Tracy Bohham. What a fantastic album. Every. Single. Song. Unfortunately, it seems that Bohham has gotten married and is now, gulp, happy, and her songs have suffered. I’ll still buy whatever she does.

Giggling Again For No Reason – Alanis Morissette. She drives me crazy, and I also love her. I have a love-hate relationship with her. But there’s something about her that gets to me.

Elastik – Robbie Williams. Robbie gettin’ all funky and disco.

Fuel – Metallica. These guys are so cocky. I love it. They’d be hell to live with, but I love visiting their macho world as much as I can.

Twist and Shout – The Beatles. I love it when Paul gets that rasp in his voice when he screams. It’s thrilling.

I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell (takes 14, 15, 16) – Elvis, from Wild In the Country. They have some issues here, Elvis stopping and asking, “Is there a better key?” The piano messes up once. You can hear the engineer saying, “Okay, here we go.” This was the song that so embarrassed Elvis. But watch how he performs it, how good he is.

Divine Intervention – Matthew Sweet. Absolutely love this album. Who doesn’t? Classic album cover, too, with an image of Tuesday Weld? LOVE.

Somebody Else – the great Bleu. This was on the Spider Man soundtrack. What a voice.

!Viva La Gloria! – Green Day. Fantastic song with one of my favorite lyrics ever penned: “She smashed her knuckles into winter.” I relate to that line.

Yellow Submarine in Pepperland – The Beatles. I love how British these guys are. I know that may sound ridiculous but I love it when they get really really British.

No Signs of Life – Ok Go. Hot. What is it about these guys I love so much? So glad they are in constant rotation. They make me really happy. And I will love them forever for this. These are my type of guys.

Sisters of Avalon – Cyndi Lauper. Speaking of her awesome latest album. She rocks.

Burning Love – Elvis, live in Hawaii, for Aloha from Hawaii (1973). In general, I do not like the recording of this concert. Elvis seems “off” to me. Was it his recent divorce? His drug use? He seems subdued, even a little bit cranky at times. He looks incredible, and it’s a total spectacle, but there’s a part of him that seems to be phoning it in. So not like him. This is rockin’, though.

Doin’ the Best I can (takes 10, 11, & 12) – Elvis, from G.I. Blues. Gorgeous song, gorgeously performed by our young man in uniform. Heartfelt. You can hear the Dean Martin influence. He stops the recording a couple of times because his “chair squeaked” – “Anybody got any oil?” he jokes. You can hear him messing with the chair, trying to get it to settle down.

The Fairest of the Seasons – Nico. OUCH. OUCH. OUCH.

Who Are You? Who Am I? – Elvis, from Speedway. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

Dear God – XTC. One of the angriest songs ever recorded.

Sweet Lady – Queen. Freakin’ rock stars. This almost sounds like The Who, at times. But with Freddie Mercury’s voice you know it can’t be anything other than Queen.

Help Is On Its Way – Little River Band. Hahahaha. I don’t care, I love these guy’s songs.

Hard To Say Goodbye, My Love – Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine and Deborah Burrell – from the Broadway production of Dreamgirls. We played this album constantly in college.

Tu Vo Fa L’Americano – The Puppini Sisters. I love these gals. Their arrangements are clever, and they really seem to walk the walk here. They’re nostalgic (you know, one of their albums is called Betcha Bottom Dollar), but relevant now too.

My Husband Makes Movies – Marion Cotillard, from Nine. She kicks the SHIT out of this beautiful sad song.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus – Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis, rockin’ OUT in Sun Studio. Elvis is running this thing. He’s the alpha dog in that powerful room. Carl Perkins adds harmony. It’s so ALIVE. And then Elvis says, “Slow it up, Carl …” and they bring it down to half-time. It’s thrilling. Young hep cats, rocking out to the gospel songs they grew up with.

Freedom – George Michael. You preach it, George. A clear statement to his fans: “Here is where I’m going. Please follow.”

Aloha Oe – Elvis, from the phenomenally successful Blue Hawaii soundtrack.

Bella Notte – from Glee. Rather adorable.

Fishnet Stockings – Stray Cats. This has been a Stray Cats-heavy Shuffle and I am very happy about that.

Pain Is So Close to Pleasure – Queen. You got that right, boys.

Chains of Love – Erasure. Oh. My. God.

Help Me – Elvis. This is live, from his concert in Memphis in … 1974, I think? He’s in top form.

Through a Long and Sleepless Night – Bobby Darin. Fantastic, he’s so good.

I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine – the great Wanda Jackson, on her I Remember Elvis album. I like her version better. It’s not a great song. Elvis does a good job with it, but she rocks it out more than he did at the time.

A Little Girl From Little Rock – Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Glorious.

Conversations With My 13-Year-Old Self – Pink. She’s so amazing. One of the best voices in the business today. A real rock voice. It can do anything, go anywhere, express everything.

Smile Away – Paul McCartney, from the phenomenal Ram album. Love every song.

That Thing You Do – The Wonders, from the movie That Thing You Do. Speaking of Mike Viola.

Blue Suede Shoes – Elvis Presley, from his live performances in Las Vegas in 1956, which did NOT go well. No matter how hard he tried, he could not win over the staid middle-aged audience. He is reduced to making corny jokes, and you can hear crickets in response. Elvis was so upset about his Fail that he wandered the streets after his shows, literally in despair, a restless animal who doesn’t understand why he can’t make those people love him, and also, he didn’t play Vegas again for over 10 years. His anxiety and nerves before his opening in Vegas in 1969 was of course because he had been away from live audiences for a decade, but also because the memory of that horrible gig in Vegas still reverberated. He was sensitive and never forgot a slight. But he was also competitive as hell: I Will win them over yet. And he did.

Goddamn Pusher Man – Nina Simone. Oh, Nina, you spoke the truth. Always.

Get Rhythm – Brian Setzer. Happiness is mine! More Brian Setzer, always!

Letterbomb – Green Day. What a great album.

Very Ape – Nirvana. That messy guitar goes right through me.

Least Complicated – Indigo Girls. Lovely. I am so glad these ladies are still with us. I’ve been listening to them for most of my life. Granted, I have to be in the mood. But when I am? Nobody but the Indigo Girls will do.

All That I’m Living For – Evanescence. This chick can SING.

4th and Vine – Sinéad O’Connor, from her latest. It thrills me. After reggae, and her double-album (WTF was that) … she’s back. This song is awesome.

Just a Few More Days – Wynona Carr. I can’t get enough of this woman, which is unfortunate because there isn’t much stuff out there recorded by her. But what’s there? Fantastic.

Let’s Make Love Tonight – Earl Williams. Well, when you put it that way, Earl, yes, let’s!

Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman. I never was a fan of her, not really, although I appreciated the fervent response she generated. This, though? Sexxxxxxy.

Do You Believe in Love – Huey Lewis & the News. Oh, Huey. Don’t ask such tough questions. I can’t handle it. Love this song.

Twilight – Squirrel Nut Zippers. I know they’re twee and precious and all that, but I like them a lot.

Blue Suede Shoes – Brian Setzer. I love you so much. I am so happy to be hanging out with you all day on this Shuffle.

Lucy – The Black Crowes cover of The Beatles “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”. This is from the I Am Sam soundtrack, a movie I could not bear to see and hope to live my whole life without ever having to see it.

I Am the Walrus – Bono, from Across the Universe. He was hilarious in that movie.

Blessed Jesus (Hold My Hand) – Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and (supposedly) Johnny Cash. Million Dollar Quartet. The whole thing is really the Elvis-Carl show. Elvis sings lead, Carl sings harmony. It’s so cool.

Jerkin’ Back ‘n Forth – Devo. We were so obsessed with this song in high school. Doing group dances was a big thing at the time (“Time Warp”, “Rock Lobster”) and this one was no exception. Devo was the ultimate cool thing to be into.

The Main Event – Barbra Streisand. I am so happy right now, you don’t even know.