45 Number Nineteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQcjTP9RTiY&feature=related

If I was to think about the jukeboxes of the sixties at some road house this would definitely be a selection. It's one of those songs that seems like it has always just been there. I don't think I have ever paid too much attention to it, but if it didn't exist I would feel like something was missing.

Favourite Tommy James and The Shondells cover; "Crimson and Clover" - Joan Jett. Check out this video. Holy Smokes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHZBBNRrano

45 Number Eighteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hffcyJ1GAg

I forgot what a good song this is. The video is well worth watching Michelle looks sooo young.
This is the first female singer song writer to make the list. Actually, I am not sure I have many more 45s of female singer song writers. Seems like female singer song writers are not what you find on most jukeboxes. That seems wrong. Lucinda Williams definitely belongs on the jukebox. This seems like an idea for a good mixed tape (Can we still call them mixed tapes, or do we have to say playlist?); "Female Singer Song Writer Jukebox Songs." My starting list:
Lucinda Williams - "Can't Let Go", Get Right With God"
Dar Williams - "Teen for God", "Mystery", "I Won't be Your Yoko Ono"
Patti Griffin - "No Bad News"

Oh well that's a start. But alas, I have none of those on 45. I am sure some of you can come up with more suggestions for the playlist.

Ok, as soon as I posted other songs for the mixed tape came flooding in:
Jill Sobule- "I Saw a Cop", "Cinnamon Park"
Kirsty McCall (sp?)- "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Thinks He's Elvis"
Amy Rigby - "Dancin' With Joey Ramone", "I'm Like Rasputin"

45 Number Seventeen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p000dsuy8oI&feature=related

WAIT!!!
Don't Click the link!

Little did I know that this infectious dance song from my college days was a cover! Today for the first time I have heard the original, and it is better. Go here instead; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKUjI_CbIY0&feature=related .

That Soft Cell song sounded so new wave and fresh to my young ears back in the early 80s. In music I continue to find that what's new is often old.

45 Number Sixteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cd8NQmJp88

Chuck is the King of rockin' roll. Who else can tour for fifty years without a band, knowing that in any town he plays, the best local musicians will know his songs, and be his band. Every night he blows into town without a band. Does the show backed by local musicians. Gets his money. Then rolls on down the line. My wife and I had the good fortune to catch Chuck in Rochester, NY in the late 80s. I recently heard he became ill while touring this past year, and had to cut the tour short. Here's hoping he is able to keep "reelin' and a rockin."

Favourite Chuck covers;

"Around and Around" - Rolling Stones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct2n2iiiIGQ&feature=related
"Nadine" - Steve Forbert
"It Don't Take But a Few Minutes" - NRBQ
"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" -Buddy Holly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT96UoUAz_Y&feature=related

45 Number Fifteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAmop1sSi3I&feature=related

This is John Fogerty's first post CCR project from back in 72 or 73. I believe there were no Rangers, just John. John covered a number of great country standards on the Blue Ridge Rangers album. Listening to it now it seems to fit right in with the current roots music scene. It reminds me that many musicians were doing "Americana" music way before the Grammy category, which I believe has only existed for a couple of years.

One of the songs on that album was "I Ain't Never," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhjkO8lDE8s which was co-written by Mel Tillis. I went to school with Mel's daughter Cindy. I can remember listening to this song one day, but I think it was the cover by Dave Edmunds. Cindy was there, and she says "Oh that's daddy's song." I grabbed the album, looked at the label, and damned if she wasn't right (as though she would be wrong about a song her father wrote). Made me think about how snobbish I can be about music. I always thought of Mel as the country star stuttering on Carson. He has written some really good songs. Anyway, now there are only 3 degrees of separation between me and Edmunds. I know Cindy, whose father is Mel, who wrote the song that Dave recorded. That's how it works, right?

45 Number Fourteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg

Well lots of mixed feelings on this one. When I pulled it out of the box, my first thought was "put it back", but randomly selected is what I said. So I slipped it on the turntable, and started singing along right away. I am pretty anti classic rock radio. It's just that their play lists are so narrow and predictable, but that doesn't mean hearing this song once a year is bad.

My BOC memory is seeing the special effects they used to haul around for songs like "Godzilla" (probably may favorite BOC) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiHRm2DioMA . There was one song about the Ayatollah Khomeini around the time of the Iran hostage crisis in the early 80s, and they lyric went "...and he can got to hell," then flames would shoot into the air on stage. I am sure some of you were with me to see this and will let me know the song name.

The best thing to come out of this pick though has to be this You Tube clip of them performing on The Merv Griffin Show. It's like straight from Spinal Tap. From Merv and some guy talking seriously about why big rock acts won't perform on TV, to the costumes and posturing when the band comes out to play "Burnin' for You" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXqLZRwp1II&feature=related .

45 Number Thirteen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmiYtoVMvvo&feature=related

This Nick Lowe produced song is from a movie called "Club Paradise". I've never seen it, but from the music video it looks like it featured Robin Williams and a young Eugene Levy. Not the greatest Costello song, but I'm not likely to pass on a 45 that features the duet of Elvis and Jimmy Cliff. There are so many great Elvis Costello songs. I tend to prefer the early power pop, but he certainly has contributed great tunes to the air waves. Speaking of duets, well more like backing vocals, on the Bridge School Concerts Vol. 2 (I think?), Elvis does an acoustic version of "Alison" with Neil Young singing the backing vocals. I always thought that was cool. I've only seen Costello once. It was at SUNY Oswego in upstate NY. A double solo acoustic bill with Nick Lowe. My favourite Elvis song has to be "Pump it Up" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpprOGsLWUo&feature=fvsr ,which is the runner up for my theme song when I get my radio show.