iPod Shuffle: 8/20 – 8/24

This week was a life-changer. I signed with a major bicoastal literary agency who want to represent me, my play, and my burgeoning (really?) career. This has been the culmination of years of work, but it is also just the beginning. Very exciting, gratifying, and beyond cool. This has come on the heels of one of the most mind-blowing summers of my life. Let’s hear it for July and August 2012 (amusing to think of the title of the play in this context. Hmmm)! Suddenly I’ve been having business meetings, and lunches, and brunches, and I’m not even sure who I am right now. But I do know that I created something people want. So I am riding that train, and the train has most definitely left that station. I’ve had a Shuffle going all week, as I am wont to do, (especially when I get very busy), so here is the Shuffle for this monumental week.

Ave Maria – Michael Buble. I kind of love this. I am not ashamed about that.

Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah – Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists. Haunting, scary almost.

The Last Farewell – Elvis Presley. Late Elvis. Sentimental, dramatic, big horns. Not crazy about the melody, it’s a bit drippy, without a catharsis. But he is lovely, soft, and thoughtful here.

6’1″ – Liz Phair. From Exile to Guyville, the first track. Will never forget when I first listened to the whole album in its entirety. I had it on cassette tape. I have written before about the revolution that was that double album. It’s all there. I felt mainly embarrassed and revealed, like Liz Phair had stolen my journals. She was talking about me, my life, what it was like for me in my mid-20s in Chicago. The album holds up. Brilliant.

Bones – The Killers. I feel like I should be into them more. But there’s something missing. I like them … but it has never reached a tipping point.

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch – The Whirling Dervishes. Hilarious.

I Will Follow (live) – U2. This is in Paris. This song is already so exciting but hearing it live makes it sound like revolution breaking out.

Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days) – The Judds. I absolutely love her voice. My kind of voice. I used to be so into them.

Three Corn Patches – Elvis. Ugh. One of the worst songs he ever recorded (and certainly one of the worst written by Lieber/Stoller). He sounds like he’s lost heart here and I don’t blame him.

The End – My Chemical Romance. You know, I like these crazy kids, but my main response to them is: “Boys, take a deep breath and relax. Everything isn’t so DEEP. Live on the surface of life a bit. It’s really okay.”

Ozilline – The Indigo Girls. Great banjo. I’m iffy on some of their songs, but then they have other ones that have woven themselves into the warp/weft of my life. And there’s one song (“Watershed”) that I can’t listen to at all and haven’t been able to for 15 years.

Savoy Truffle – The Beatles. I mean, honestly, it’s just so bizarre, isn’t it? Fantastic.

Since I Fell For You – Nina Simone. So bluesy, tragic, sexy. Wailing wandering harmonica, and Nina.

No Reply (demo) – The Beatles. It sounds rough, raw, and they are having a hard time getting together, breaking down into giggles.

No One Knows – Queens of the Stone Age. Love these guys and love listening to Dave Grohl going apeshit in the background on drums. Like, insane. Focus in just on the drums and stand back in awe. Also, I can’t believe I’m saying this in this day and age, but I love the music video.

Body and Soul – Tori Amos. Yes, Tori, yes. I know your career is not up to me but I like it when you rock, when you’re hard and pissed.

Old MacDonald – Elvis Presley. From Double Trouble. It’s an outrage. I want to punch someone in the gums.

I Wanna Be Your Man – The Beatles. Then do it, guys, do it!

Jump Jack Jump – the awesome Wynona Carr. Love her so much.

Stuck With Me – Green Day. They’ve come a long way, boy.

I Need Your Love Tonight (take 8) – Elvis Presley. This is from one of my favorite sessions in Elvis’ entire career. It’s loud, jangly, sexually charged, and Elvis is in total control. The Army was looming, Elvis didn’t have a lot of time. This is a short take, you can feel the messiness, it took them some time to get it right.

You’re Right I’m Left She’s Gone – Elvis Presley. This is live from a performance on The Louisiana Hayride, July 16, 1955. Hard to believe he’s only been performing for a year. He sounds totally confident, totally at home. I prefer this live version to the recorded version. It has more fire.

Old Maid – Audra McDonald, from the Broadway revival of “110 in the Shade”. She’s such a superstar.

You’re the Boss – Brian Setzer and Gwen Stefani paying tribute to the song cut from Viva Las Vegas, with Elvis and Ann-Margret – one of the few duets in Elvis’ entire career.

Chapel of Love – The Dixie Cups. Ahhhhh. Those 60s Girl Groups.

Kenny – Bleu. I’ve written about this guy before. He’s important to me. His music has helped me get through some very dark times, and it has also inspired me when I have needed to stay in the zone. Love this guy. He writes hit songs that … aren’t hits. But they’re hits to me.

The Truth About Me – Elvis Presley, speaking about his cars, his music, and love – a 45 RPM included in Teen Parade magazine, 1956.

Shelter From the Storm – Bob Dylan. Heartcracking and beautiful.

You’ll Be Gone – Elvis Presley. One of those songs in the 60s that was supposedly his darkest decade, except for some blips like gospel and the 68 comeback special. Dark my ass. Listen to what the hell he does to this song. Listen to his VOICE.

Bad Influence – Pink. She is fantastic. I like it best when she’s bratty (like here), but she’s terrific when she’s softer too. She can do anything.

Bad Romance – the Glee cast covering Lady GaGa’s monster hit.

Quality – Paul Simon. For some reason, I don’t remember this one! Kind of a sweet do-wop number with a country bridge.

Over It – Tori Amos. Her piano playing is beautiful but this is the kind of stuff of hers that bores me. I realize I am in a minority.

Simple Pages – Weezer. I always forget how much I like these guys.

Happiness Is a Warm Gun – Joe Anderson, from Across the Universe – brilliantly conceived scene of the wounded all being ministered to by a cloned Salma Hayek nurse.

Pride (In the Name of Love) – U2. From that “live in Paris” album again. Exhilarating.

MLK – U2. Again, live from Paris. A U2 live from Paris cluster. This really is an exciting concert captured. They’re great live, and the crowd is insane.

Crystal Ball – Pink. And here Pink is, soulful, open, soft. Her voice can go anywhere.

Yesterday – Elvis, live, August 24, 1969. He sings it straight. He had the ability to make anything personal. Even “Old MacDonald”. It is his greatest (and most difficult to understand) gift.

Never Say Yes – Elvis Presley. “Always keep the girlies guessing…. that’s the secret to my success. Never say yes.” Mean, Elvis, mean.

Raglan Road – Joan Osborne and the Chieftains. You know, I was never a big fan of hers, but this is a killer version of this killer song. She doesn’t do too much. She doesn’t sing it like it’s about her. She opens her throat, and lets it out. Keeps it simple.

In a Little While – U2. Lots of U2 in this Shuffle, huh? Great accompaniment, great guitar chord progression.

Friend of a Friend – Foo Fighters. From their live album, which I really like. They go really quiet at times, which is not the sound they are known for, and it’s beautiful. Obviously huge crowd goes totally silent to listen, like here.

I Can’t Stop Loving You – Elvis Presley, in rehearsal for his big Vegas gig (as captured in the amazing film Elvis: That’s The Way It Is. The album of the same name (a double album) is equally as fantastic. The sound is great, and his sheer raw power is captured for all time. He is in top form here.

I Love New York / New York, New York – the cast of Glee, doing a mash-up of the Madonna song. It’s pretty fabulous.

Joy – the dear departed Whitney Houston on the fantastic soundtrack to The Preacher’s Wife. Whitney at her best.

Mambo, Italiano – Dean Martin. Classic. Spoofing his whole ancestry/culture with affection, a smile in his voice.

Embrace Me, You Child – Carly Simon. This album, with the iconic album cover (at least it’s iconic to me), was a part of my childhood. Most of the songs were way beyond me, in terms of understanding. They disturbed me. They seemed very very grown-up.

Now I’m Following You – Madonna and Warren Beatty, from the Dick Tracy album, which may be my favorites of hers. This is my favorite Madonna, when she was semi-adorable, mischievous, blonde-ringlets and seemed to have a sense of humor.

Tell the Truth – Ray Charles, Live at Herdon. Hot, with the female backup singers. Just the best.

A Million Ways – Ok Go. Way before they “hit”. They’re playing at a tiny club here.

Love, Hate – Pat McCurdy. I was wondering when he would show up. This is, as Ann Marie used to say, “one of his angry minor chord” songs. It’s on the album that also has our duet.

I Dreamed a Dream – Lea Michele and Idina Menzel, Glee. Doesn’t hold a candle to the performance my cousin Kerry gave in June at Town Hall, but what does.

Martha My Dear – The Beatles. Hold your head up, you silly girl.

Shake, Rattle and Roll – Elvis, Scotty, Bill and DJ, in 1955 – playing on some radio station during their Louisiana Hayride tours. They’re live in the studio. It has a raucous feeling, you can hear them laughing with each other during the bridges.

Get Outta My Room – The Donnas. I love these girls!

Had a Dream (For the Heart) – The Judds. One of my favorites of their songs.

Buzz Buzz – Brian Setzer. He’s so hot. I’ve been listening to him for almost the entirety of my life.

You’re Right I’m Left She’s Gone – Elvis, the studio version from 1956. It’s interesting. Go back and listen to how he performs this song. It’s so eaaaaasy. Like he is a seasoned professional.

Hot for Teacher – Mark Salling from Glee rocks out this ridiculous Van Halen number. It’s a lot of fun.

There’s a Rugged Road – Shawn Colvin covering the Judee Sill song. When I left Chicago, my friend Kate made a mix of Shawn Colvin’s album “Cover Girl”. I was in a state of shock, leaving my home, leaving my wild black-haired man who crawled through my window and made my life humorous and pleasurable, and leaving the OTHER man, the man I have never named, at least not directly. I was a weepy mess, even though moving to New York was a good thing for me (at the time, anyway, whatever). I listened to the “Cover Girl” tape obsessively on my drive back to the East Coast. It seemed to speak into my intense experience.

Viva Las Vegas – classic classic Elvis.

I Love Money – Cliff Eberhardt. What a find he has been. My boyfriend and I saw him open for Christine Lavin in Philadelphia a million years ago and were going to skip the opening act. Thank God we didn’t. I’ve seen Cliff Eberthardt play a bunch. He is unbelievable.

Prince Nez – Squirrel Nut Zippers. They may be a bit twee, but I like them a lot.

Flesh and Bone – Brendan Benson. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: He is incapable of writing a bad song. I am totally in love with him.

Mess of Blues – Elvis at his ooziest sexiest. In this song, he aches with the lack of sex in his life, which is proof positive that Elvis was a good actor.

The Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. An eternal song.

Bungle Rye – The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. I was wondering when the Irish would show up. I’ve been missing them.

Momma Look Sharp – the workmen in the chamber in Philadelphia in 1776 sing about war and death, bringing the human element of what everyone is fighting for to the forefront.

Give Up All Desires – the cast of the Broadway revival of Hair. I refuse to give up all desires. That is all.

I Don’t Know Anything – Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers. Being into Mike Viola is a requirement of being in the O’Malley clan. Word to the wise to those who want to join up.

Guilty Filthy Soul – AWOLNATION. I do not even remember buying this. I like it, though.

We Like to Party – Vengaboys. Pat McCurdy (who appears in this Shuffle as well) sent me a CD of the Vengaboys because he thought “it was good to dance to”. It is. Every song is the same, each track is a different re-mix. Totally weird.

Grey Gardens – Rufus Wainwright. A glorious song from him, a tribute to Big and Little Edie. Nostalgic, achey.

Ain’t It the Life – Foo Fighters. Again, from the live album.

How Long Has This Been Going On? – the exquisite Judy Garland at her triumphant Carnegie Hall concert

Amazing Grace (alternate take 2) – Elvis. This is without the backup singers of the final version. Boy, he sings this song, man. Boy does he mean it.

MacAlpine’s Fuzilliers – The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem at Carnegie Hall. Angry protest music, rousing, fantastic.

Make Them Hear You – Brian Stokes Mitchell from Ragtime. I did not see the show but my friend Kate did and did not like Brian Stokes Mitchell’s performance. She said, “Every time he walked onstage, the show stopped being Ragtime and became Jag-time.”

Christmas Time All Over the World – Sammy Davis Jr. He is fabulous.

All You Need Is Love – The Beatles. I mean, for real? One of the best songs ever.

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley. Perfection. I also love his performance of the song in Blue Hawaii, the movie this classic song came from. It’s simple, sweet, with a natural gesture from Elvis, reaching for his girlfriend around the back of the chair. He makes it look easy. He embodies his own beauty easily. This song is an object lesson in how you don’t have to do too much.

That Part Of Me Is Dead – Mike Viola. Oh, don’t say that, Mike. Although I get it. Believe me, I get it.

Don’t Cry For Me Argentina – duet with Chris Colfer and Lea Michele from Glee.

You’re a Heartbreaker – Elvis Presley. One of Elvis’ Sun recordings. Sam Phillips would put the rock stuff on one side, and country stuff on the other. It was part of his plan for Elvis and it worked crazy well.

Beth – Mark Salling from Glee. He’s kind of great, I have to say, not to mention being one of the best-looking sexiest men on the planet.

Drink With Me – cast of Les Miserables. Nothing like the sound of a bunch of men singing together. Very pleasing.

All Bent Out of Shape – Mike Viola. He is so damn good. Non-negotiable.

Magic – Yipes! Yipes was Pat McCurdy’s first band. I have all this stuff on my iPod. It’s so weird.

Cheating On You – Franz Ferdinand. I have nothing to say about this one. May need to delete.

And I Love Her – The Beatles. Gorgeous.

Going Under (In a Way) – Sarah Donner. She is a recent discovery of mine. I love her.

Nervous Breakdown – Wanda Jackson. From the album produced by Jack White. Fantastic. That growl in her voice, she still sounds dangerous and alive. It’s not a gimmick. She’s still in the game.

2 x 4 – Metallica, from the scorned Load. I love Load.

Entertainment! – Pat McCurdy. This brings back such memories. I don’t even know what they ARE but a whole LIFE comes back to me when I hear this stupid song.

He Can Only Hold Her – Amy Winehouse. Ugh. I love her, she’s so talented. RIP.

Baby What You Want Me To Do – Elvis, during the 1968 TV special. He played this song 3 times, maybe even more, and all were recorded. This is the first time, in the informal sit-down session. I’m crazy but my favorite is the second one. Here, though, you can hear his stamping feet, as they all get themselves whipped up into a rutting frenzy.

Mein Herr – Natasha Richardson in Cabaret. One of the best live performances I’ve ever seen. I wrote about it here when she passed.

Can’t Buy Me Love – The Beatles, live at the BBC.

I Got a Rock & Roll Gal – Billy Lamont. Oh, YES. These old rock & roll songs are all so similar, in structure and form, but they always please.

Clean – Robbie Williams. Robbie!! Where you been? This Shuffle has been lacking due to your absence. Awesome to see you!

Sweet Sweet Spirit – J.D. Sumner and the Stamps. Elvis’ favorite gospel song.

Why Don’t You Do Right? – Tony Burgos & His Swing Shift Orchestra. Love it when he comes up. I don’t know who the female vocalist is here but she’s great.

School – Nirvana – this is live. It’s ferocious. Hearing him screaming “No recess” (on tune) is bone-chilling.

Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley. Live, in Little Rock, 1956. An excited announcer refers to it as “Heartbreak Motel”. It’s incredibly exciting. Those Little Rock girls are losing their collective shit.

John Henry – Bob Gibson. We grew up listening to him. I think my parents only had one of his albums, called “There’s a Meetin’ Here Tonight”, and we all still know all of those old folk songs by heart. The soundtrack to my childhood. His banjo playing is wonderful.

Sumatra – Katie Herzig. She wrote a song that my cousin Mike suggested I listen to, when I was working on the final draft of my play. I heard that one song and bought the whole album.

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Leo Sayer. So unbelievably weird. So awesomely catchy.

Scorn Not His Simplicity – Sinéad O’Connor. I have followed her through it all, even the terrible DOUBLE album featuring the same damn songs on each album (Sinéad? Why?) and the God-awful reggae phase and I also cheered her on as she Tweeted about anal sex, while I also wondered, Sinéad … why? I don’t care. I will always want to know what she is doing, what she is thinking about, what she is pissed about, who she is raging at. She’s courageous, man. I love this song.

Midnight Radio – John Cameron Mitchell, from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I saw this show twice in New York, when it was still this weird fun off-the-beaten-path thing to see. It was fantastic, so much fun.

Help Is On Its Way – Little River Band. I love them so much. I can’t even pinpoint why. Their songs satisfy me. Always have.

I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago – Good old Elvis. Wonder what the Young Earth nitwits would think of this song. On second thought, I don’t give a shit what morons think about anything!

I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine – Elvis. I’m with Dave Marsh on this one. This song stinks.

One Love (People Get Ready) – uhm, this is the Glee cast’s version. What can I say. I have every Glee single ever released.

Damn it, Janet – case in point, this is the Glee cast’s version of this classic song (a song we used to listen to all the time in high school)

Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel. Purty. Although a bridge cannot “sail right behind”, unless there is some kind of movable bridge with water wings that I am unaware of, so the metaphor does not fit with that particular image and it has always bugged me, ALWAYS, from almost the first moment I heard the song as a pipsqueak (“But .. but … bridges don’t sail …”). I am surprised it wasn’t edited out. It’s a glaring error.

Thoroughly Modern Millie – Sutton Foster and cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie. I actually never saw this on Broadway, but I love the music (especially the big group numbers).

In the Still of the Night – Neville Brothers. This is totally totally sweet.

One After 909 – The Beatles. Awesome.

I Shall Not Be Moved – Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and … Jerry Lee Lewis? Is he back there? I don’t hear him. Anyway, this is from the famous “Million Dollar Quartet” session in Dec. 1956, when Elvis stopped by Sun Records to say Hi, and there were Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. There is a photo of all of them together, but seriously if you listen to this entire session (which Sam Phillips, thank Christ, recorded) – it really is the Carl Perkins-Elvis Presley show. Johnny Cash wasn’t there. You never hear him. He says he was there, but I don’t buy it. He posed for the picture and left. Jerry Lee Lewis is clearly playing piano on a couple of songs, but it’s really just Elvis and Carl horsing around. So Quartet, my ass, is basically my point. This is fun, Carl and Elvis having fun harmonizing and riffing on this old gospel song. It really moves.

Take Me I’m Yours – Squeeze. College. That is all.

Clambake – Elvis Presley. Ugh, Elvis. Sorry. :(

I’m Not the Marrying Kind – Elvis, from Follow That Dream (a movie that has, I might add, one of my favorite Elvis acting performances).

Flyin’ Saucer Rock and Roll – Brian Setzer, covering the Billy Lee Riley song (yet another one of “those guys” hanging around at Sun during the time of Elvis). He was a very interesting character himself.

Paralyzed – Elvis Presley. This is from his final Louisiana Hayride show in December of 1956. The Colonel had bought Elvis out of his Louisiana Hayride contract, and the Hayride had one condition – that Elvis give a final concert down in Shreveport. Footage exists of this concert (and it’s almost frightening – Elvis looks quite small on the stage, as flash bulbs literally sear the eyeballs all through the stands), as well as a recording. This is where Elvis has to plead with the crowd to stay in their seats. But at the same time he’s messing around, fooling around, toying with lyrics, every single thing he can do to get a rise out of his audience. Here, before he starts singing, he clearly takes the mike, which is a stand-mike, and calls out, “Nobody move! I think I see Moby Dick!” – which is a stupid joke, and charming, and – beautifully (because I love continuity) – he used it again, during the concert-sections of his 68 comeback special. It’s in footage that didn’t make it into the special, but there the joke is, intact, 12 years later. He sees a mike on a stand, he has to pretend it’s a whaling spear. It’s a biological imperative.

I Asked the Lord – Elvis Presley, a home recording, he’s messing around on the piano, and fooling around with the operatic quality of his voice.

I Will Love Again – Lara Fabian. Cheeseball song, but this chick can SING.

Rehab – Amy Winehouse. RIP. Ugh.

March Medley: Boys from the County Cork/Let Erin Remember – The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem. This music is in my DNA.

Don’t You Know – Ray Charles

It’s Alright – Ray Charles. Hot! A Ray Charles cluster!

She’s Not Me – Madonna. From her Hard Candy album, which I did like. You know, I always have to check out what she’s up to. But I am less and less into it. (Couple good ones on her new album though!)

Love Me – The Phantom. This is primal anti-social rockabilly. It’s almost embarrassing. The repeated insistence to “Love me” gets more and more sexual with each repetition. It’s raw.

Ou es-tu Julian? – Beautiful number from the Belgian female choir called (strangely) Scala & Kolocny Brothers. I’m obsessed with them.

The Arrest – from the movie Jesus Christ Superstar. I once had an idea to re-do the album using all the big Grunge Stars of the 90s. Chris Cornell as Judas, for example. He was like, “Do it. This has to happen.” Oh, Chris? Are you listening? Gimme a call.

Evaporated – Ben Folds Five. Ouch.

Animal Instinct – Elvis Presley, from the Harum Scarum instinct. I mean, even the orchestration sounds dead inside. Even Elvis can’t sing “I strike like a cobra” and make us feel that he is anything other than mortified and looking forward to getting the fuck out of that studio.

The Heart of the Matter – Don Henley. This song was too difficult for me to listen to for a good 4 or 5 years. And even now, when Meghan Murphy sang it at her inaugural show of her cabaret, I thought I might have to get up and leave. Hits me right there.

Do Ya Wanna Go to Heaven – cast of Big River. This will always make me think of me, Mitchell and my sister Jean sitting in the front room at the Wayne St. apartment in Chicago and singing through the entirety of this cast recording, driving the rest of the people out of the house.

Life Thru a Lens – my boy Robbie Williams. This is early Robbie, I believe. An LP. He’s so cheeky, so bratty. Love him. Would buy a copy of him singing the ABCs. I’m that big a fan.

Danny Boy – Rufus Wainwright. Sometimes I love him sometimes he puts me to sleep. Here, I am sleeping.

Dark Lady – Cher. Mitchell used to lip-synch to this song at parties in college (he does a killer Cher imitation), and basically act out the situation, as we all rolled around roaring with laughter.

Rumour Has It – Adele. I’ve listened to this song at least once a day ever since its release. I ain’t sick of it yet.

I Love You Porgy – Nina Simone. She is absolutely otherworldly here.

Under the Western Stars – Everclear. I wonder why this band touches me on such a deep and personal level. I can’t put it into words, but it’s true. These songs are like messages, and they also transport me to a dreamspace, a fantasy-world. They have really been songs I have gone to in times of distress, like 2009.

Ascot Gavotte – from the Broadway production of My Fair Lady. So fun!! So funny.

And I Love Her – The Beatles. It’s that guitar at the very beginning. Iconic.

Reach Out to Jesus – Elvis Presley. One of his classic gospel numbers. I love his gospel stuff the most, I think. It’s hard to say this with any definitive truth, because he was always personal, but I feel that the Gospel Elvis is the MOST personal.

Goofy Town – Pat McCurdy. This is so ridiculous. “I live in Goofy Town, where all the morons are …”

I Got Lucky – Elvis Presley. From Kid Galahad, a really good film (I don’t know why it has a poor reputation), with some lovely songs. This is great.

Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Elvis Presley. You know, I love this man. That should be obvious. His performance of this song, for some reason, cuts me. It hurts. It’s because of the greatness of the song, of course, and the situation the song describes. Elvis does it almost as a throwaway. It’s fast, much faster than Dylan’s version, with terrific picking-guitar. It really moves. But the tragedy of that melody, the wistfulness, the yearning … Oh, Elvis. He could do anything. It’s best that it IS a throwaway. It shows how powerful Elvis’ talent was. He didn’t need to DO anything. Just fucking show up.

Take Me Back – Linda Hayes. Awesome achey rhythm and blues. You really need to be making out on a couch when you listen to this song. Sexy sexy.

Mr. Blue Sky – ELO. Well. I will always think of my play now, whenever I hear this song, and think of my female character driving her car on the Dan Ryan Expressway, out of her mind with emotion and grief and yearning. Lost.

Gonna See Her Again – Pat McCurdy. Early Pat. From before I met him. He’s rocking out here, with squealing electric guitar, and it’s hysterical and awesome.

Christmas Bells – from Rent. You know, I like this show. I like the music. I respect its reputation. I’ve seen it a couple of times. But my response to the show, in general, is: “You know what, kids? Get a fucking job. Paying rent is not some OPPRESSION. It means being a GROWN UP.”

Hometown Waltz – Rufus Wainwright. This has a nice bluegrass feel.

I Need Your Love Tonight (take 14) – Elvis Presley, from those raucous arduous 1958 sessions. I have every take from these sessions (thank you, FTD, label), and when you listen to it in sequence, you really get the feeling of Elvis’ work ethic, and also his personality. He is game, he is silly, he is tireless, he always wants to do it again. He was a perfectionist.

Fever – Elvis Presley. From the perfect Elvis Is Back! album, released on Elvis’ release from the Army. What I love about “Fever” is the pared-down orchestration – just snapping fingers and a crazy wandering drum, with Elvis’ sexy voice echoing through the whole thing. The song is a joke, a burlesque, a meditation. Elvis is having a blast with it.

Come Sail Away – my good friend Alexandra Billings, covering the Styx song. She does it in every cabaret show she does. It’s one of her signature songs. It’s brilliant. She makes it sound like another song (and I already love Styx’s version).

Knutsford City Limits – Robbie Williams. So much fun. I will follow him to the ends of the earth and it’s because of songs like this. He’s cheeky. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. But I will bet he will be the last one standing. He is actually trying to do something with his fame. His career is very very interesting to me.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar. Oh yeah, girl. The best part about her was her beautiful feminine voice, that was endless in terms of its versatility and flexibility, but that she tapped into her ANGER, her tough-ness. So to hear that pretty pretty voice singing these raging combative songs … she’s great.

Louisiana Land – Ok Go. These guys are just so much fun.

Johnny Sunshine – Liz Phair. Dear Liz, how did you get a hold of my journals? Please explain. Kthxbai.

Vino, Dinero Y Amour – Elvis Presley. Oh, dear. This is from Fun in Acapulco, which actually has some good songs on it. He’s having fun going with with the Spanish theme. Hits some pretty damn impressive notes. His breath control is world-class.

Forgive Me Baby – Henry Hayes Orchestra. Great big band rhythm & blues. You must dance to this song. And you must dance with a partner who knows how to lead, who knows how to throw you around and make you look awesome.

Working on the Building (take 4) – Elvis Presley. One of my favorites of his gospel song. Elvis at his most macho. You can hear Elvis snapping and clapping along with the take. Beautiful.

The River of Jordan – The Louvin Brothers. God, I love these guys!!

Heaven For Everyone – Queen. Gorgeous. Just gorgeous.

Free To Be You and Me – The New Seekers. Holy shitballs. “There’s a land that I see where the children are far and I say it ain’t far to this land where we are …” My word. I did this show when I was a kid. I forgot I had this.

The Twelfth of Never – Elvis. This is a recorded rehearsal from 1974. This song is so beautiful, so freakin’ sad. I absolutely love him here. He breaks my heart into a million freakin’ pieces. Dear dear Elvis.

Cannonball – The Breeders. I miss them. This was such a great album.

Life’s Been Good – The Eagles. This is live. Pretty damn awesome.

How Do You Think I Feel – Elvis Presley. I don’t know, Elvis, why don’t you tell me?

In Your Arms – Elvis Presley. He swings this one, baby. Love it.

Blue Christmas – Hmm, this is the Glee cast version. They sort of make it a soft-jazz version. Not crazy about it. Elvis’ version is so iconic, but I actually do really appreciate Michael Buble’s version, which turns it into a big band floozy number. It works. But this Glee version is a snoozefest.

For Emma – Bon Iver. I just recently got into him.

Angels We Have Heard On High – the Glee cast version. Now this is gorgeous. It’s got the style of a big raucous black chorus. This was my father’s favorite Christmas carol. Love you, Dad.

The More I Drink – Blake Shelton. This song cracks me up. “and they can’t tear me off the karaoke machine …”

Stranded In a Limousine – Paul Simon. My parents had his album when we were kids and we listened to it constantly. This song scared me as a child. Something about it seemed very grown-up, and … stressful. Who is this “mean individual”? Why is he mean?

Prayer For the Dying – Seal. I have to be in the mood for Seal. Not really in the mood right now.

Heartbreak Hotel – Wanda Jackson. Speaking of which!!

My Babe – Elvis. This is live in Vegas. He turns on the sex so hard at one point that he cracks himself up. It’s hysterical. “She don’t, she don’t … ohhhh God …” (laughter from Elvis, like: “Okay, that was a bit much”).

Middle of the Night – The Clovers. Ohhhh, yes. You can hear the convergence of so many different styles, genres, singers, regions, in this song. It’s blues, it’s do-wop, it has a gospel vibe, it’s black, it’s white, it’s all there.

I Don’t Know What It Is – Rufus Wainwright. You know, I have had many dark seasons in my life. Unfortunately (or fortunately), music gets associated with those dark seasons. Everclear was the summer/fall of 2009. It takes some doing to listen to them now and not experience a flashback to those dark dark months. And this particular song from Rufus Wainwright is also a flashback to one of those seasons. I listened to it obsessively. It not only gave me comfort, but also seemed to express – through the music, I’m not even sure what the lyrics are – what I was feeling.

P.S. I Love You – The Beatles. Early, sweet Beatles. Perfect. Listen to the shit Ringo is doing in the background. It’s quite intricate.

Preacher Man – Bananarama. Oh my God.

Twenty Days and Twenty Nights – Elvis. This is live, from Vegas. I don’t really like this song, and it is so funny to me because this is how Elvis introduces it (who DOES this??): “I have a new song that should be coming out very soon on an album … album … it’s that Gatorade, man, it gets you every time …. It’s not a very good song and I don’t really particularly dig singing it … but it’s on the program and they’ve asked me to do it, so I hope you enjoy it.” The audience is roaring. So funny.

Lookin’ Better Every Beer – The Stray Cats. So wonderful. Love these guys. Nostalgia done right, nostalgia done honestly.

To the End – My Chemical Romance. Boys, relax. Everything’s going to be okay.

O Mary Don’t You Weep – Bruce Springsteen. This album is so so good.

Climbing Up the Walls – Radiohead. Radiohead will always always make me think of this guy. It was the soundtrack to that time in my life.

Chop Me Up – Justin Timberlake. Gladly, JT.

Love/Hate – Liz Phair. This is the album where her fair-weather fans all boo-hooed that she sold out. Please. Their loss. Great album.

Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles. From Revolver. Absolutely eerie.

Blackbird – Sarah McLachlan. You know what? I am totally not a fan of this lady or her music. Never have been. But I love her cover of “Blackbird”. She doesn’t change it at all. It sounds like the arrangement is the same as the original. She keeps it simple, soft, sweet, melancholy. It’s gorgeous.

Black Cloud – Pat McCurdy. Another one of his “angry minor chord” songs.

Mystery – The Indigo Girls. Yup. This is one of the ones I like. Nobody does bittersweet like the Indigo Girls.

Come Undone – Robbie Williams, live from Knebworth. It’s out of this world. That crowd. My God. And watch him in that clip. Watch him in the beginning, how he takes it all in.

Somebody Else – Bleu. Seriously, if you are not familiar with this guy, rectify it immediately. One of the best voices in the business right now.

Paralyzed – Elvis Presley. To those who think we are more “easily offended” now you need to learn your history. There was a lot of concern about this song, that people who were actually paralyzed would take offense.

Stick With Me Baby – Robert Plant & Allison Krause. What a fantastic album, what an interesting and perfect pairing. Exquisite harmonies.

Three Babies – Sinéad O’Connor. You know, I listen to this, and think – it’s not really a “single”, it’s not a pop song, it’s just HER. This is on her second album, the one that made her a star. Extraordinary. Her voice is unearthly, creepy, Irish Irish Irish.

Sabbra Cadabra – Metallica. Best played at top volume as you careen down the Garden State Parkway with an iced coffee, headed to the beach.

Breathe On Me – Britney Spears. Don’t tell me what to do, Brit-Brit.

Without You – Julie Andrews, from My Fair Lady. Her pipes are not to be believed.

Heal the Pain – George Michael. This is gorgeous. I’m a huge fan.

You Know What To Do – The Beatles. This is from the Anthology, which is a goldmine.

All Apologies – Sinéad O’Connor covering the Nirvana song. Absolutely brilliant.

Oxford Town – Bob Dylan. The man cuts me to the core. He skins me, he flays me, he leaves me raw and unprotected. How does he do it??

Something In the Way – Nirvana. This is from their gloomy subdued (and awesome) MTV Unplugged show.

Material Girl – Madonna. Now this really takes me back. I was in high school when this came out, and I have to admit, I didn’t get the whole Madonna thing at first. I was literal enough that I was offended by “Like a Virgin”. I thought she was making fun of me, an actual virgin, and I did NOT appreciate it. And this one, too. I was like, “Is she SERIOUS???” I didn’t get the joke. Once I got the joke, I was a Madonna fan.

Promise Me – Pat McCurdy. One of his most sincere songs. Hard for me to listen to. Beautiful.

Arlandria – Foo Fighters. This is them being big melodramatic bad-ass rock stars. I love it.

I’ve Got a Woman – Ray Charles, live. The man aches, he burns. It starts slow, easy, oozing with yearning, before it explodes. The crowd goes INSANE.

Chop Chop Ching-a-Ling – The Roamers. I love these random songs that come up. This really swings. Great background vocals. Silly song.

How’s the World Treating You – Elvis Presley. You know, Elvis, it’s treating me pretty good, thanks for asking. You can really hear how RCA just pours that echo on his voice, trying to re-create the Sun sound. Sometimes Elvis sounds like he is singing from the bottom of a well in these early RCA recordings.

Me & Mr. Jones – Amy Winehouse. She was so good. Listen to her here. “What kiind of … fuckery is this …”

White Boys – from the Broadway revival of Hair. “White boys are so pretty. They’re like Chinese silk.” It’s a great song. Couldn’t be written now, probably.

Rubberneckin’ – Elvis Presley. I just love it so much, especially the shrieking female chorus. I love hearing Elvis be backed by female singers. It is really sexy.

Drown Soda – Hole. Oh, Courtney, you were always a little bit nuts, although now you are way more nuts, but I will always love this album. Great songs, great lyrics. What the fuck, Courtney? You were a rock star in the making. Bummer.

I Forgot to Remember to Forget You – The Beatles. Live at the BBC. Of course, this was an Elvis song, one of his earliest big hits. A country song.

Datin’ (takes 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12) – Elvis Presley. This is a horrible song from Paradise, Hawaiian Style, and poor Elvis cannot get through a take without laughing. The first take breaks up almost immediatley, with Elvis literally ROARING with laughter, he sounds like he’s about 10 years old. And it just gets worse from there. At the beginning of one of the takes, you can actually hear Elvis sniffing and snorting with laughter into the mike, trying to get his shit together. He cannot get through it. And even in the final version, you can hear the edge of hysteria in Elvis’ voice, as he holds the raucous guffaws back.

A Martyr For My Love For You – The White Stripes. I am a huge fan.

Beat Goes On – Madonna and Kanye West. This is pretty hot. Disco.

Gimme More – Britney Spears. Okay, so I am a huge Britney fan. I stick with her. I will stick up for her. I think the South Park episode where they addressed the Britney feeding-frenzy was one of the most insightful powerful and damn-near revolutionary comments on today’s vicious celebrity-watching culture. This is a very good song, but it also cracks me up. It starts with Britney moaning, “It’s Britney, bitch …” I mean, honestly!

Kiss – Marilyn Monroe. I think she’s a very under-rated singer.

Any Way You Want Me – Elvis Presley. In my opinion, this is one of his best vocal performances in his entire career. And it’s only on his second album, and my God, there is so much else to choose from. But this one, this one, is special.

All Er Nothin’ – from the London production of Oklahoma (that eventually came to Broadway, with Hugh Jackman). We just saw this show in New Hampshire at the summer stock theatre we go to every year. The show was not perfect, the Laurie was not good, but it didn’t matter. The show itself is a masterpiece.

Choose To Be Happy – from the Broadway production of Grey Gardens. Big and Little Edie listen obsessively to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. So this is his number. It’s psychotic, seen in the context of the show and the conditions in which they both live.

Hella Good – No Doubt. This is pretty hot.

Tomorrow Belongs to Me – from the Broadway revival of Cabaret. Chilling.

Nature Boy – David Bowie and Massive Attack. Haunting, and now of course I will associate with the opening sequence in Moulin Rouge.

The Girl With the Weight of the World In Her Hands – The Indigo Girls. Years ago, I said to my friend David, “I am so afraid that my friends talk about me like this song.” He assured me that no, they did not. As the years passed, though, I think they all started to. My hope is that I have come out of my dark period. That I have blossomed very late. The blossoming is occurring right now. I am barely writing about any of it. It’s too new. But for years, I couldn’t (wouldn’t) listen to this song. I feared it.

Luck In My Eyes – k.d. land. I love this song. I don’t care for her non-country stuff. But her country stuff is thrilling. Woman can SING.

Role Model – Eminem. You are such a brat, Marshall.

Sur la Plage – big production number from The Boyfriend. It’s so hilarious to me: Sur La Plage following Eminem. The beauty of Shuffle.

You Can Bring Your Dog – Tori Amos. Okay, Tori, it’s a little self-indulgent, but that’s okay. I like this one.

Second Hand Rose – Barbra Streisand. There is nothing, NOTHING, like Barbra at the beginning of her career. She was fearless.

Making Things Up Again – from the Broadway cast recording of The Book of Mormon. I am dying to see this show.

Winds of Morning – The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. When that harmony comes in … ahhhhhh.

One – Aimee Mann. She is an all-time favorite of mine.

La Vie Boheme – from Rent. Get a fucking job, kids.

Crazy – Aerosmith. You know, I like them. But there is something …. florid about them, that I find … disturbing.

Shop Around – The Miracles. J’adore, j’adore.

Who Wants To Be a Millionaire – The Thompson Twins, covering the Cole Porter song. Awesome! This is from the Red Hot and Blue album, with lots of artist, raising money for AIDS research.

Come What May – Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, the “secret song” from Moulin Rouge. I’ve written before about the effect this movie had on me. I felt like it saved my life. I watched it obsessively, almost wanting to climb into the television. Recently, I watched it again and it doesn’t at all have the power it once did for me. But I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Moulin Rouge.

Raspberry Beret – Prince. God, Prince. He really exploded when I was in high school, “Purple Rain” was usually the last song played at high school dances, an endless slow-dance song. A Prince song was playing when I lost my virginity (long after high school!), which I realize is a total cliche, but funny nonetheless. Love Prince.

Summer Nights – the entire cast of Grease, the movie. How many times I have heard this song? 600? 800? It has to be in that area. And I still get a kick out of it, and excited when it comes on.

Rainbow Connection – Kermit the Frog. Oh come on now, why do you have to kill me, Shuffle.

Money Changes Everything – Cyndi Lauper. She is such a consummate rock star. What a pioneer. And still going strong.

I Only Want To Be With You – Bay City Rollers. I do not understand why I have this. But hell, I’ll take it.

The Legend of John Henry’s Hammer – Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. One of the greatest albums of the last century, certainly, not to mention one of the best and most exciting live albums of all time. This song! The energy in that room, that crowd. It’s dangerous.

Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns and Roses. So let’s end here. Let’s go out strong.