Props to the Birthday Boy

 I wrote this on John's 75h birthday. Today he would be 80.

He'll always be family

John Lennon came into my life when I was 6 years old. I was never in love with him, the way I fell for Sir Paul.  I didn't really like him, either. He was always too angular, too prickly, too raspy. But John was always a force to be reckoned with. A leader. Even as a little girl, I knew The Beatles were really just two brilliantly talented guys and two very lucky ones.

He influenced me. I loved the word play in his poetry. "No Flies on Frank" from In His Own Write still makes me laugh, even after all these years. "He took his head in his hands … and clubbed her."

I loved his political passion. "Power to the people, right on!" Some of his stunts for peace confused me then, and still do in retrospect, but I admired his commitment, anger and integrity.

I hated Yoko, and blamed drugs for their passion. I drink and I've done coke, but nothing more, because watching John and Yoko just get dirtier and messier and wackier had a greater impact on me than Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign.
 
So today he would have turned 75, if some crazy SOB hadn't been able to get his hands on a gun. And I miss him. I've been listening to my favorite John solo song, "Watching the Wheels." It speaks to me, more and more with time.

He might not have been my teen dream, but in my heart, he'll always be my family.

God bless you, John. Peace!

Birthday Boy

From 10/9/07 ...

They Say It's Your Birthday, It's My Birthday, Too, Yeah  

No, it's not my birthday. But it would be his, were he still with us. Happy birthday, John.

He was a giant, and his career cast a long shadow over music, over his generation, and over me personally. John was never one of those artists who was afraid to let his world view inform his art. He was aware that there were those out there who just wanted him to stay a "mop top" forever, to do fun music that didn't make them think. But he understood that the role of the artist always has been to challenge the status quo. I loved him for his uncompromising courage in this area.

Just because he knew how to articulate what he saw around him and set it to music doesn't mean that's all he did. Not by a long shot. Now that I've given him his props for his message music, I want to shine a spotlight on one of my favorite (and lesser known) Lennon CDs, Rock'n Roll. If this CD has a message, it's simply that early rock can fill us all with joy. I still miss the old boy, but I'm grateful I can still hear these 13 songs through my iPod headphones whenever I feel like celebrating his life.

1. Be-Bop-A-Lula
2. Stand by Me
3. Medley: Rip it up/Ready Teddy
4. You Can't Catch Me
5. Ain't That a Shame
6. Do You Want to Dance?
7. Sweet Little Sixteen
8. Slippin' and Slidin'
9. Peggy Sue
10. Medley: Bring It on Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin'
11. Bony Maronie
12. Ya Ya
13. Just Because

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW.WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt us to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.

 

1. What are you currently reading?   

The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes. 30-something Gemma is a successful adult, a event-planner with a great car and good friends. But her romantic life is non-existent, and her mother is suddenly a bigger part of her life than ever before. Dad is having his mid-life crisis a little late and has moved out of the family home so he can carry on an affair with his (much younger) assistant. 

No matter how old you are, you can be affected by your parents' marital strike (confession: a similar situation happened to this gal herself). But complicating Gemma's response is her own recent history: Her boyfriend left her for her best friend. So she feels overwhelmed and disillusioned just now. She expresses this in a series of clever, highly readable emails to her girlfriends, which unexpectedly become her entree to a new career as an author.

Back when the millennium was younger, I read a lot of Marian Keyes. I like her warm and witty style, and I enjoy that she sets her books in Dublin and London, which are unfamiliar to me and fun. For some reason I moved out of my chick-lit phase. This particular volume has been sitting in my TBR pile since  -- gulp! -- 2008. (The sticker on the back is from Borders!) I'm glad its time has come.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  

Being John Lennon: A Restless Life by Ray Connelly. The woman who raised him, Aunt Mimi, reported that she learned early on the most effective way to discipline John was to give him the silent treatment. "Don't 'nore me, Mimi! Don't 'nore me!" he would plead.

That anecdote, shared early in this affectionate but clear-eyed biography, seems to foreshadow John's whole life. He craved the world's attention, but he couldn't resist testing boundaries. It made him often hard to love -- for bandmates, friends, and fans alike -- but irresistible all the same.

Reading this book, it struck me how little time John had. Murdered at 40, he's been dead almost as long as he lived. That aids poignancy to his tale. He wanted more. He wanted satisfaction and contentment. He looked for it in unlikely places -- from fame to transcendental meditation to heroin -- but he never found it. He seemed as though he was getting close at the end, as he attempted to balance fatherhood with music making, and then BANG!

Much has been written about John Lennon and that little band he started. I've read a lot of it. I can recommend this book to both the casual fan and the fanatic.

3.  What will you read next?  

Richard Nixon, The Life by John A. Farrell. I began this book before the Lennon book. I must return to it.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

 
1. What are you currently reading?  
Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life by Richard Ben Cramer. "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you." Joe D is more than a sports legend. He's an American myth. This ambitious (546 pages!) biography attempts to deconstruct the myth and give us the man.

So far he's painfully shy, hates the humble circumstances he was born into, and yearns for "class." He is greedy. He appears unflappable. And he is amazingly good at baseball. He can hit the ball, throw the ball, outrun the ball. That ball was his ticket out of his poor San Francisco neighborhood and into the New York, and then national, limelight.

Often a bookish Marilyn* glamorizes reading on my WWW posts, but it hardly seems appropriate as I write about DiMaggio. For she was the love of his life and he was her personal hero, on a level and in a way distinct from the nation's.

*You don't have to ask "Marilyn, who?" do you? He married a myth even more enduring than his own.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  

Ticket to Ride: Inside the Beatles 1964 Tour by Larry Kane. I enjoyed this memoir of life on the road with The Lads. It gives you a real sense of what it was like at that unique and hectic time ... we're on the private (but not at all luxurious) plane with the Beatles as they traverse America; we experience the claustrophobia of the hotels, locked in with the band and their entourage; we're in the stands, listening to the screams that often drown out the music. 

Because Kane was a journalist, not a fan, his take was objective. Still, by the end of the book it was obvious that he was very impressed by John Lennon. John comes off as rebellious, curious, inventive, clever. Brian Epstein is a compelling, sad figure, too. 

I just wish Mr. Kane hadn't spent so much space on fan recollections. A couple stories about sneaking into the hotel, a few reminiscences from concert goers would be interesting and give context. But this many just dragged the story down.

3.  What will you read next?  

Maybe another biography? Or a mystery. My TBR pile is stacked dauntingly high with both.

"I believe in yesterday"

I think John Lennon would forgive me for invoking frenemy Sir Paul just now. But stress left me a little fatigued yesterday and I didn't get around to commemorating his 77th birthday with a blog post. I'm doing it a little late -- the morning after -- but I'm doing it all the same. Because he deserves it.

Here's one of my previous 10/9 posts, with one of my favorite Lennon set lists and illustrated with one of my all-time favorite album covers.

 "You say it's your birthday. It's my birthday, too, yeah."

No, it's not my birthday. But it would be his, were he still with us. Happy birthday, John.

He was a giant, and his career cast a long shadow over music, over his generation, and over me personally. John was never one of those artists who was afraid to let his world view inform his art. He was aware that there were those out there who just wanted him to stay a "mop top" forever, to do fun music that didn't make them think. But he understood that the role of the artist always has been to challenge the status quo. I loved him for his uncompromising courage in this area.

Just because he knew how to articulate what he saw around him and set it to music doesn't mean that's all he did. Not by a long shot. Now that I've given him his props for his message music, I want to shine a spotlight on one of my favorite (and lesser known) Lennon CDs, Rock'n Roll. If this CD has a message, it's simply that early rock can fill us all with joy. I still miss the old boy, but I'm grateful I can still hear these 13 songs through my iPod headphones whenever I feel like celebrating his life.

1. Be-Bop-A-Lula
2. Stand by Me
3. Medley: Rip it up/Ready Teddy
4. You Can't Catch Me
5. Ain't That a Shame
6. Do You Want to Dance?
7. Sweet Little Sixteen
8. Slippin' and Slidin'
9. Peggy Sue
10. Medley: Bring It on Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin'
11. Bony Maronie
12. Ya Ya
13. Just Because

As I said on 10/09/07 ....

"You say it's your birthday. It's my birthday, too, yeah."

No, it's not my birthday. But it would be his, were he still with us. Happy birthday, John.

He was a giant, and his career cast a long shadow over music, over his generation, and over me personally. John was never one of those artists who was afraid to let his world view inform his art. He was aware that there were those out there who just wanted him to stay a "mop top" forever, to do fun music that didn't make them think. But he understood that the role of the artist always has been to challenge the status quo. I loved him for his uncompromising courage in this area.

Just because he knew how to articulate what he saw around him and set it to music doesn't mean that's all he did. Not by a long shot. Now that I've given him his props for his message music, I want to shine a spotlight on one of my favorite (and lesser known) Lennon CDs, Rock'n Roll. If this CD has a message, it's simply that early rock can fill us all with joy. I still miss the old boy, but I'm grateful I can still hear these 13 songs through my iPod headphones whenever I feel like celebrating his life.

1. Be-Bop-A-Lula
2. Stand by Me
3. Medley: Rip it up/Ready Teddy
4. You Can't Catch Me
5. Ain't That a Shame
6. Do You Want to Dance?
7. Sweet Little Sixteen
8. Slippin' and Slidin'
9. Peggy Sue
10. Medley: Bring It on Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin'
11. Bony Maronie
12. Ya Ya
13. Just Because

He'll always be family

Today he would be 75

John Lennon came into my life when I was 6 years old. I was never in love with him, the way I fell for Sir Paul.* I didn't really like him, either. He was always too angular, too prickly, too raspy. But John was always a force to be reckoned with. A leader. Even as a little girl, I knew The Beatles were really just two brilliantly talented guys and two very lucky ones.

He influenced me. I loved the word play in his poetry. "No Flies on Frank" from In His Own Write still makes me laugh, even after all these years. "He took his head in his hands … and clubbed her."

I loved his political passion. "Power to the people, right on!" Some of his stunts for peace confused me then, and still do in retrospect, but I admired his commitment, anger and integrity.

I hated Yoko, and blamed drugs for their passion. I drink and I've done coke, but nothing more, because watching John and Yoko just get dirtier and messier and wackier had a greater impact on me than Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign.
 
So today he would have turned 75, if some crazy SOB hadn't been able to get his hands on a gun. And I miss him. I've been listening to my favorite John solo song, "Watching the Wheels." It speaks to me, more and more with time.

He might not have been my teen dream, but in my heart, he'll always be my family.

God bless you, John. Peace!






* My mom told me that while watching The Lads on The Ed Sullivan Show, I said of Macca, "He's so pretty it hurts to look!" I still feel that way.

Left me feeling confused

I am, of course, a dedicated and lifelong Beatle fan. As a discerning Beatlemaniac, I long ago came to the conclusion that the group was really two outstandingly talented men -- Lennon and McCartney -- and two very lucky ones. While Sir Paul has always resonated with me, I don't skimp on my appreciation of John.

Yet this morning at church, I was disturbed when one of our choir soloists opened the service by singing John's signature anthem:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

It's Memorial Day weekend! How can anyone sing, "imagine there's no countries" on one of the most patriotic days of the year? How can anyone sing, "imagine there's no heaven" inside a house of worship? I was very uncomfortable hearing this song under these circumstances. The intensity of my feelings made me even more uncomfortable.

Then my minister took over and it all made sense. He reminded us that Memorial Day is about honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who died so that others may live. Perhaps the best way to honor their sacrifice is to work for peace, to ensure that fewer soldiers die on the battlefield, that fewer civilians are collateral damage, in the future. And that, he says, takes commitment and imagination. Hence, the song choice.

He also tweaked us. The U.S. volunteer military is made up, by and large, of people who don't look like our congregation. Few of the families at my church have "skin in the game." The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq haven't touched us personally. Therefore it might be easy to allow ourselves not to think about, not to feel for, the challenges our troops and their families face.

My minister was telling us that we owe our military men and women -- past, present and future -- something. That's what he was saying. And he used John to make us stop and pay attention.

A weekend of big emotions

This weekend marks the anniversary of both my mother's birth and John Lennon's murder. Tomorrow, my mom's house will be sold at a foreclosure auction.

I remain very sad and angry that John was murdered by a nut who got his hands on a handgun. In New York. When rock scholars point out that if John had stayed in London he might be alive today, I can only shake my head in sorrow and agree with them.

How my mom loved that stupid suburban ranch house! I think she'd be disappointed and embarrassed (my mom was always concerned with what "they" thought of her) that it's being sold at auction. And yet, she entered into the reverse mortgage knowing this was the likely outcome. I can't let myself feel guilty about the way this worked out. That would be infantalizing both of my parents. My dad was a terrible businessman and, true 1950s housewife she was, my mom blindly trusted his judgement. When he died, he left her nothing but debts. I took care of my mother's medical bills and insurance in life and her funeral in death. I can't let myself feel bad for the consequences of decisions they made as clear-eyed (but naive) adults.

And yet, with all this swirling around me, I'm not unhappy today. It's Christmastime, after all! And besides, I'm watching all the celebrations of Nelson Mandela's life. One child brought a picture he'd drawn for "Father." There seems to be easily as much dancing and singing as there are tears.

And that's how I feel about my mom right now. She's in Heaven, no longer besieged with worry about debt or what "they" think. That's something to celebrate!

Besides, like Mandela, my mother lived her entire life and died of natural causes. That's why I'm still pissed about John. Because while statistics tell us that gun violence in Chicago is down this year, it's still too prevalent, too ugly and too easily preventable.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Stand by Me

1) "Stand by Me" is one of the songs John Lennon did at his last public performance back in 1975. First recorded by Ben E. King, "Stand by Me" was also covered by Mickey Gilley and Otis Redding, among others. Can you think of another song that has been recorded and then re-recorded by someone else? One of my favorite songs -- this time of year or all year around -- is James Taylor's cover of Joni Mitchell's "River."

2) The lyrics say, "Whenever you're in trouble, you can stand by me." Tell us about someone you know you can count on. I'm really blessed in this regard. Where I turn just depends on the trouble I find myself in.
 
3) While "Stand by Me" was solo Lennon, John is best known as one of the Beatles. Which group do you listen to more often -- The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Who doesn't love the Lads from Liverpool? I remember an incident a few years ago where I was shopping, wearing a Paul McCartney t-shirt. The guy who bagged groceries was an adult with learning disabilities, usually shy and reluctant to make eye contact. When he saw my shirt he started talking a blue streak, about how when he babysits his little nephew they sing Beatle songs together. I thought it must be wonderful to be one of the Beatles and to have had such a happy and pervasive impact on the world.

4) Lennon liked to tell how, when he and Paul McCartney were teens, Paul's father used to discourage friendship between the boys. Paul ignored his dad's advice and the result is the most successful songwriting partnership of the 20th century. Tell us about a piece of advice you're glad you ignored. When I was in my late teens, a friend tried to convince me that psychedelic mushrooms would make me a better writer.
 

5) John loved cats. When he was a teenager, he first met his favorite, a stray he named Tich, in the snow and gave the cat a safe, lifelong home. John was very proud that Tich lived to be 20 years old. Tell us about a pet who has a place in your heart. Let me tell you about my diva, my girly-girl Charlotte. She is my feline major domo. It is obvious that she thinks we're equals who run this household together. She's emphatic about her likes and dislikes. Likes: treats, curling up in the armoire, observing closely while I put on my makeup or do housework. Dislikes: being picked up, going to the vet, and my other cat, Joey. She's about 16 years old now, and losing weight. It could the new diet she's on or maybe it's a thyroid problem (not at all unusual in senior kitties). We'll have to go to the dreaded vet after the holidays, no matter how strenuously she objects.

6) John unsuccessfully tried hypnosis in his quest to stop smoking. Have you ever been hypnotized? Nope

7) John has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. What Hall of Fame would like to see yourself in? If the Baseball Hall of Fame had a wing for fans, I deserve to be in it. I love my Cubs, no matter what!

8) John had a passion for slot cars and raced them on an elaborate track in his game room. What games or toys do you still enjoy? I like ferris wheels.

9) John wrote about his jealous streak. What personality trait of yours do you wish you could change? My laziness!

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? W Is for Wasted by Sue Grafton. Just started it, so I can't really say much about the mystery at the heart of the book. I am happy to report that the Pitts siblings have already made an appearance, and it looks like Henry is going to share his home with a stray cat he's named Ed.

• What did you recently finish reading? Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane. As a lifelong Beatle fan, I've read many, MANY books about The Lads and do recommend this one. The author not only actually knew John, he's a mainstream journalist -- not a fan or an entertainment writer. If there's a book-loving Beatle fan on your gift list, I suggest you consider this one. (Today would be John's birthday, so I'm glad I got to mention him.)

• What do you think you’ll read next? Five Days at Memorial about the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans and how they coped during the crisis of Katrina. I meant to be read this now, and did in fact start it, but it was too intense for my state of mind just now. I'll return to it in a few weeks.

To see how others responded, click here.

WWW Wednesday

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane. It's a serious but still entertaining study of John's life, with a special emphasis on his last decade. Larry Kane is able to put the John's story in a context beyond music because he's not an entertainment writer. He's a journalist who covered political conventions and the crime beat as well as, by sheer luck, the Beatles' invasion of America in 1964. I recommend this one.

• What did you recently finish reading? My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark. You know that old saw that the book is always better than the movie? I always counter that with The Godfather, a masterpiece of a movie based on a rather lurid book. Now I have another example. For the movie, starring Michelle Williams, is charming and far more lively and believable than these snarky, self-important memoirs.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Five Days at Memorial about the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans and how they coped during the crisis of Katrina.

To see how others responded, click here.

The artist vs. his art

As no less an expert on these things than Bruce Springsteen once told me, "You should pay attention to the art, not the artist." I know that the two are indeed separate. And yet, I'm always surprised when I respond to one of Mel Gibson's performances.

Ransom is on as I write this. It's a well-crafted piece of entertainment with two very good performances at its core: one by Gary Sinise as the kidnapper and the other from frantic father Mel Gibson. Mel is by turns vulnerable, angry, frightened, remorseful, proud, defiant, desperate ... Gibson has the showier part but he is still authentic.

If I was dropped onto Earth from another planet, I'd even find him attractive.

But then there's "I'm glad John Lennon is dead," and "Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," and "sugar tits" and threatening to kill the mother of his youngest child and homophobia. The rage inside this man is mighty and toxic.

Mel Gibson is an actor and a talented one. He has a compelling screen presence. His appalling personal life doesn't diminish the quality of his work, just my enjoyment of it. Every time I see him, the "fourth wall" crumbles and I'm reminded of the George Burns quote, "The secret of acting is sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made."

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Good Morning, Heartache

1) Do you come up with your brightest ideas early in the morning or late at night? In the morning, in the shower.
 

2) Are you more likely to feel romantic at night or in the morning? Whichever happens to be the least convenient.

3) Do you shower in the morning, after work or before bed? Morning

4) Billie Holiday was just 44 when she died. Is there an artist whose early demise surprised and saddened you? John Lennon's murder broke my heart. 
 

5) Billie was known as "Lady Day." Do you have a cool nickname? (If not, feel free to give yourself one right now.) No. But I like "Lady Day" and may just claim it as my own.

6) When was the last time you had the blues? I get sad in those everyday moments when I realize how much I will miss my mom from now on, for the rest of my life.

7) Crazy Sam is eating Trader Joe's Snickerdoodles as she composes this. What's the last snack food you ate? Chocolate Mochi. This Japanese ice cream treat is awesome! I just heard that the businesswoman and philanthropist who ran the Mochi ice cream manufacturer, Frances Hashimoto, died this week.

8) Do you worry about preserving endangered species? Or do you believe in survival of the fittest? Yes. I worry about the polar bears and the big cats. I hate the idea that future generations won't see them.

9) Would you ever hire a lawyer who runs commercials on TV? Do you know anyone who has? No. It's hard to take those TV lawyers seriously, isn't it?

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Ain't No Other Man

1) Do you believe there's only one person (and there ain't no other) for you? Or do you think we can truly love several partners over the course of our lives? I believe we can fall in love many times. Which doesn't change the fact that one somehow is dearer than the others. Or as John Lennon sang, "Of all these friends and lovers, there is no one who compares with you." (The Beatle reference is an homage to Bud.)

2) Do you have this, or any other, Christina song on your iPod/mp3 player? Nope. Not a fan. 

3) Christina Aguilera won a Grammy for her performance of this song. What do you deserve an award for? And who would you thank in your acceptance speech? I'd like to win an award for my phenomenal weight loss, and I'd like to thank my personal trainer. Only I haven't lost any weight and I don't have a personal trainer.

4) Christina Aguilera has her own brand of perfume. Do you have a fragrance or scent you regularly wear? I wear another celebrity fragrance Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. She discontinued it, so once I'm finally out, I'll be in search of another signature scent.

5) Do you have any allergies? I'm allergic to bee sting. I have to carry an Epipen with me nine months of the year.

6) There's an older lady who proclaims during a TV commercial, "I will give up beer, bread, wine or soda but I won't give up Life Alert!" No, we're not going to debate her diet. Instead the question is: What are some of the staples that are always on your grocery list? It seems I'm forever buying paper towels. Viva or Bounty. I have three cats and need durable paper towels to deal with hairballs and litter boxes.

7) What's your favorite sitcom of all time? I Love Lucy

8) When it comes to your socks, do you prefer solids, stripes or prints? Solids. Socks with cutesy prints don't look as good with my shoes.

9) At what age do you consider a person "middle aged?"  And when do they transition to "old?" I guess 40 to 55 is middle aged. Then 56 and beyond is old. I base this on the boxes I've seen in online surveys.

 

"They Say It's Your Birthday!"

Here's to you, Dr. Winston O'Boogie. I have been thinking about you today, on what would have been your 72nd birthday.

You are missed.

Saturday 9

The song that inspires Bud this morning is from Walls and Bridges, my favorite solo Lennon.

Saturday 9: Whatever Gets You Thru the Night

1. What helps you get through the night? The Lads from Liverpool have kept me company on more than one occasion. As John would say, "'salright."

2. Do you ALWAYS keep an open mind? Nope.

3. Who is the wisest person you know? Depends on the topic. When I'm spinning out of control, my best friend tends to have the soundest, sanest advice.

4. Who is the strongest person you know? I hate for this to sound conceited but ... well ... me. I've been through a lot and remain a rather happy and hopeful person and I never stay down long.

 

5. How would we tell by your behavior if you are having a bad day? I swear more than usual and crave solitude more than usual and drink more vodka than usual. If I'm listening to Amy Winehouse, that may be a bad sign, too.

6. Does your ego sometimes get in your way? Yup.

7. Do you believe in Zen? If yes, can it be mastered? I believe we each can find our own inner peace. Does that count?

8. Do you believe you could teach someone, like your child, to be competitive? Nope

9. Do you believe home is not a place but rather a state of mind? Yup

100 Songs That Move Me

Borrowed from Kwizgiver, here are 100 songs that have particular meaning for me. I began this on Sunday, March 11, 2012, and it took me till the following Friday to rank and link to 100 songs.

Remember, I'm a Baby Boomer and this list reflects that. Very little music from this millennium is represented. I apologize for my rampaging non-hipness! But I'm like Kevin Kline's Harold in The Big Chill. When asked if he could play any other music, he says, "There is no other music."

1) September by Earth, Wind and Fire. I have never been so sad that hearing this song hasn't lifted in spirits. I remember a moment in Fall 2004 when I was so blue that, when racing across a busy street against traffic, a driver honked at me and I flipped him off and kept going. I was so wounded and so angry at the world that I was willing to go mano-a-mano with a car! And then, when I got to the curb, this song came unexpectedly through my headphones. I smiled. It was my first sincere, spontaneous smile in days.


2) All My Loving by The Beatles. "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, tomorrow I'll miss you, remember I'll always be true." The lyrics of this song, as well as Paul's voice and the look on his face as he sang it to me on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, defined romantic love for me when I was 6 years old. And you know what? It's still the way I wish romance was and hope it will be for me. Sweet, tender, lovely and "true."

3) I Will by The Beatles. My grown-up equivalent of #2. "Who knows how long I've loved you? You know I love you still. Shall I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will." I heard Sir Paul sing this to me at my beloved Wrigley Field in Summer 2011 and it was perfect.


4) Tears Dry on Their Own by Amy Winehouse. Oh Amy, Amy, Amy! How I wished she had more time to write more songs like this. Her voice is pretty, the Motown-inspired arrangement is lush, and the lyrics are just so raw and honest! When I fall in love, I go blind and deaf to reason and forget to, as she ruefully reminds me, "be my own best friend and not fuck myself in the head with stupid men."

5) Stoney End by Barbra Streisand. I have actually devoted blog posts to this song, because after listening to it for decades, "Stoney End" has become an actual place for me. When the pain hurts so much it feels my heart can no longer contain -- "when the fury of the broken thunder comes to match my raging soul" -- this is where my spirit goes. I let Babs do my raging for me. The fact that she is, by all accounts, happy and healthy at nearly 70 makes me feel it's safe to visit Stoney End. After all, she did, and she's survived. My oldest friend has an unhealthy fixation on Michael Jackson, and relating too closely to all that weakness and weirdness would scare me. But Babs is a survivor. She's a sturdy receptacle and a  powerful role model.

6) She Loves You by the Beatles. This song sounds so happy! And it's got the signature "yeah-yeah-yeah" chorus and falsetto "woo." But the lyrics are cool, too. For it's a third person narrative. You don't hear that in songs often. John and Paul were ambitious, cheeky little songwriters back in the day, weren't they? Not that the audience (a 1963, pre-US tour London crowd) could hear a moment of it

7) Revolution by The Beatles. I love this so! It's not every day you see Sir Paul scream his heart out. Plus, for me, this is the moment where John's activism and art came together perfectly. His passionate but commonsense approach to changing the world from within the system was a major influence on me then and speaks to me still. Oh yeah, and it's great rock and roll.

8) Peaceful by Helen Reddy. You don't know this song, do you? It seems no one does. While her big hits were, by and large, awful, Helen Reddy did record some little gems in the 1970s, including this one. I often long for a peaceful place where there's "no one bending over my shoulder, nobody breathing in my ear." This song is about the desire that drives me to unplug and run away to a spa, by myself, every spring.


9) Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. The most romantic song I have ever heard. Sigh. The Boss melts me with this every time. I'm still looking for a hero to rise from these streets.

10) I Want You Back by the Jackson 5. One of Motown's finest. Hell, one of the finest 3 minutes in recorded sound.

11) Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. "Come and rest your bones with me." What a sweet and sexy invitation!

12) Quiet, Please by Dusty Springfield. Peter Allen wrote this song for his onetime mother-in-law, Judy Garland. But it applies to Dusty, too. I love her performance. Her connection to the material and the audience makes me feel more connected to, and grateful to, her.

13) Saturday in the Park by Chicago. The ultimate summer song by hometown band.

14) Don't Rain on My Parade by Barbra Streisand. What a voice! What a performance! My favorite moment comes at 2:20 when she wills the tugboat to catch up with the oceanliner. I admit I have listened to this to reinforce myself when own spirit sags and my resolve slides.

15) The Boss by Diana Ross.  Miss Ross is a glorious diva and I love her sound on this song. But even better, I like the message. So little of the music popular during those disco days is even worth hearing, much less remembering. But this one -- about love having a thing or two to show each of us -- is one.

16) Badlands by Bruce Springsteen. Thinking of hard lessons that need to be learned, Bruce preaches about what really matters, and he's so right.

17) Hang Fire by the Rolling Stones. I'm not a Stones fan but I loooove this cut. It's barely 2 mins. of highly concentrated bad attitude. "Having money is a full time job. I don't need the aggravation, I'm a lazy slob!" Mick proudly proclaims.


18) Somebody's Baby by Jackson Brown. I know, I know. Jackson Browne is a serious lyricist and this is not the fluff he should be remembered for. But it's adorable and it makes me happy.


19) Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Fleetwood Mac. Clinton-Gore 1992. When we were all young and still hopeful.


20) Gentle on My Mind by Glen Campbell. I love the lyrics to this country oldie. I am enchanted by the notion that people can be together and stay together, not because of religious vows or social convention but just because they love one another.


21) You Don't Know Me by Jann Arden. There are so many versions of this song because it's such a heartbreaker. But this understated rendition is my favorite.


22) I Don't Break Easily by Barbra Streisand. Babs combines bravado and diffidence so perfectly. Oh, I'm moving on. I'll be so fine without you. But then, "the key's still there and I left the door unchained."


23) In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning by Frank Sinatra. No one expresses loneliness and ache like Frank. His voice is so sincere and intimate. Do you doubt for a minute that he lived this?

24) God Bless the Child by Diana Ross.Yeah, I know the Billie Holliday version is considered definitive. But I was introduced to Lady Day through Miss Ross back when I was still in high school, and it's her voice singing this that stays with me. "Them that's got shall get, them that's not shall lose." Truer words were never sung.

25) Real Love by The Doobie Brothers. Michael McDonald's vocals against the relentless beat about how life and hurt can grind away "the secret part of you." Still, I'd trade it all right now for just one minute of real love.

26) I Eat Dinner by Rufus Wainwright. After he's gone, you still have to do things alone that you once did together. Like eat dinner. This song is a poignant portrait of how life goes on, but the memories persist.
 
27) I Say a Little Prayer by Dionne Warwick. This is how it feels when you wake up in the morning and you're in love.


28) Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley. The quintessential Elvis ballad: On the one hand, very corny and syrupy. On the other hand, so sincere and true. "Darling so it goes, some things are meant to be." I came dangerously close to matrimony once and this would have been our first dance.

29) You Send Me by Aretha Franklin. Lady Soul's version of this song charmed me.

30) I'll Know by Barbra Streisand. Written for the musical Guys and Dolls, this song has been covered by dozens of performers. But it's Babs' I love. "Am I right, am I wise, am I smart?" She doesn't have to ask, because when she finally finds her true love, it will no longer matter.


31) No Surrender by Bruce Springsteen. An anthem about being true to oneself, as only Bruce can sing it. I still dream of going to "sleep beneath peaceful skies in my lover's bed, with a wide open country in my eyes and these romantic dreams in my head."

32) Penny Lane by The Beatles. I remember that when I first saw this video, I was so shocked by all the Beatle facial hair that I didn't notice Paul was singing the story of my people. Life under blue suburban skies did make me feel as though I was in a play. It's a tender, melodic indictment of smalltown life, with a beautiful horn solo. So very Paul


33) I Could Have Been a Sailor by Peter Allen. Ah, the path not taken! I love this song because it reminds me of my best friend, and the struggle between his secret dreams and his real life.


34) Pleasant Valley Sunday by The Monkees. The scathing portrait of "life in status symbol land" came out when I was living it. I was too young to realize it at the time, but I feel it all now. I had to get out of my parents' hometown and their lifestyle, and this is why. Carole King's song is less ambiguous, less ambitious than Sir Paul's (#31), but also important to me.


35) Nothing Ever Happens by Del Amitri. Another look at soul numbing life choices. These songs resonate with me because of what I saw growing up.

36) Money Changes Everything by Cyndi Lauper. I love when Cyndi rocks. Now, decades after I first heard it, the lyrics proved prophetic: "We think we know what we're doing, but we don't know a thing."

37) Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross. If only I could sing, this is how and what I would sing!

38) So Emotional by Whitney Houston. "I don't know why I like it, I just do." and "When you talk, I just watch your mouth." In just a little over four minutes, this song captures exactly how lust feels.

39) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin. This is where lust meets love, and it's powerful.


40) I Hear a Symphony by Diana Ross and the Supremes. This is a pure representation of Motown.

41) Silly Love Songs by Wings. This is the merriest "fuck you" in the history of recorded sound. It's Paul justifying his light hits to the critics who preferred John's heavier creative efforts. And Paul, being Paul, made his third finger salute into yet another light and bouncy hit. Don't you just love the horns?


42) Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest. Like Earth, Wind and Fire's "September," this song means nothing but good times to me.

43) The Right Thing to Do by Carly Simon. I love the lyrics to this song: "Hold me in your hands like a bunch of flowers, set me moving to your sweetest song ..." There's a grown-up overlay to this romantic fairy tale. "You're with me now and as long as you stay." Carly knows it may not last forever. One of the most credible, adult love songs ever.


44) Daydream Believer by The Monkees. "Cheer up, Sleepy Jean," and "how much, Baby, do we really need?" Davy's vocals sail and I never want this song to end.


45) Shameless by Garth Brooks. Billy Joel may have written it, but Garth hits it out of the park. Unfortunately, I can't give you a link because Garth doesn't allow downloads. So here are my favorite lyrics, about the sweet surrender that comes with love:
I have never let anything have this much control over me
I work too hard to call my life my own
And I've made myself a world and it's worked so perfectly
But it's your world now I can't refuse
I've never had so much to lose
Oh I'm shameless

46) Sweet Blindness by the Fifth Dimension. Another Laura Nyro composition (she also wrote "Stoney End"). Has getting drunk and getting laid ever sounded so wholesome and fun? "Don't let Daddy hear it/he don't believe in the gin mill spirit ..."

47) It's Over by Boz Scaggs. I love how silky Boz makes his frustration sound. If you don't pay attention to the lyrics ("Why can't you just get it through your head? It's over! It's over now!") and just hear the sound, you'd think it's a love song, not a lack of love song.

48) Think by Aretha Franklin. Most people would give this slot to "Respect," but that song is just sooooo over done. That's why I prefer this commonsense plea for personal responsibility.


49) Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin. "Come on, come on, come on, come on, TAKE IT!" Janis practically reaches through the speakers and grabs her man by the throat with urgency. Yes, I agree that the masochism is disturbing. But the Big Brother sound is so distinctive and intense and Janis is so ... Janis. It's compulsively listenable, even if emotionally unhealthy.


50) I'm On Fire by Bruce Springsteen. Oh, I know this feeling! You know the one: like someone took a knife, edgy and dull and cut a 6" valley through the middle of my skull. And yes, I've woke up with the sheet soaking wet and a freight train running through the middle of my head. There's nothing as intense as wanting, wanting, wanting someone you can't have.

51) Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton. "Lookin' better than a body has a right to." Who would think, to look at Dolly and me, that we had anything in common? And yet we have both found ourselves weak kneed by male pulchritude.

52) Go All the Way by the Raspberries. A ridiculous teenybopper ode to sex. Reminds me of how I thought sex would be back when I was an idealistic virgin. No, really!


53) Don't Do Me Like That by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I love this song. I don't care what anyone says! For some reason, I have had to defend my affection for this particular cut and I don't know why. I even love the "don't don't don't don't's." Now "Free Fallin'," I can totally see being annoyed by that. But this is great Tom Petty.

54) (Just Like) Starting Over by John Lennon. The first cut of Double Fantasy was so mellow, so friendly, so hopeful. I not only appreciate this as a love song on its own merits, I like thinking this represented how John was feeling about his life.


55) Julie, Do 'Ya Love Me by Bobby Sherman. How I loved this in junior high! And you know what? I still enjoy hearing it. The horns are great fun and the hook is irresistible. And Bobby's vocals are downright adequate. On some songs it's obvious that, let's face it, he couldn't hit a note if it was painted on the side of a barn. (He had such beautiful hair that he didn't have to sing.) But he sounds fine here. And even if I no longer insist my friends call me "Julie," I still love it.

56) Ooooh, Child by The Five Stairsteps. I always loved this song, ever since I was a kid. It has special meaning to me as an adult because it's one of my best friend's favorite songs, too. We quote it to each other when life gets to be a bit much. "Oooh, child, things are gonna be easier ..."


57) You're Gonna Lose that Girl by the Beatles. I just love the harmonies. So much is made of the Lads as composers and innovators that it's easy to forget how well they sang together. Plus this clip reminds me that Sir Paul has a perfectly straight nose. (I love him, you know.)

58) Tupelo Honey by Dusty Springfield. Van the Man wrote this, but I love Dusty's tender, romantic vocal.

59) Rene and Georgette Magritte and Their Dog After the War by Paul Simon. Another of my favorite long songs. I am captivated by the thought of these two, after decades together, after all they saw and shared, still so into each other. And how many love songs feature a dog?


60) You're Sixteen by Ringo Starr. The biggest hit from Ringo's biggest solo album. I have nothing but happy memories associated with this song. And that's quite a trick, since I pretty much hated every freaking moment of high school.

61) One Toke Over the Line by Brewer and Shipley. Like "Sweet Blindness" (#43), this ode to getting impaired features heavenly harmonies.

62) Wouldn't It Be Nice? by The Beach Boys. 99% of the time I loathe the Beach Boys. But then there's this song. "Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true ..." C'mon, how unutterably dear is that?

63) Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu bay Johnny Rivers. Johnny is an underrated vocalist and oh, how I love the piano on this one!


64) Quarter to Three by Gary US Bonds. Bruce Springsteen and I agree that this is one of the great 45s EVER! You can hear Gary's influence on many of Bruce's old-school rockers, and I like going back to the source.

65) Lady Madonna by The Beatles. When I was a kid, this was both scandalous and titillating (pun intended) because Paul sings "breast." But now I love it for so many other reasons. Paul's vocals are fluid and his piano is terrific and his paean to womanhood is sincere and much appreciated by this woman. (Hey! You know this McCartney kid is pretty good. He should stick with the music thing.)
 
66) She's Gone by Hall and Oates. Love can quite a toll on us, can't it? Who among us hasn't considered a deal with the devil, just to undo a breakup?


67) You've Got a Friend by James Taylor. Few relationships are as important as friendships, and yet there aren't that many songs about them. That's part of why this one means so much to me. "Winter, spring, summer and fall -- all you got to do is call." A simple but powerful and timeless message. James' unadorned performance gives it even greater impact.


68) A Hard Day's Night by the Beatles. From the moment you hear that opening chord, you know this is going to be fun. I love the way the boys, John and Paul, trade off on the lead vocals. John, being John, is complaining about how much he works, and how under-appreciated he feels. Paul, being Paul, reports that everything is all right as long as his woman's arms are holding him tight.

69) Mary's Place by Bruce Springsteen. "That black hole on the horizon ..." To me this, song is all about 9/11 and the Twin Towers. It's about the redemptive power of music, how it can mend the broken hearted. "Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up ..." If the music is loud enough and our hearts stay open, we will feel better. We will.

70) One Night a Day by Garth Brooks. Damn you, Garth Brooks, and your aversion to online music sharing! I just want people to hear you sing this exceptional song.
There's not a lot of things to do I wouldn't rather do with you
Guess I'm funny that way …
I'm calling every friend I've had, wake 'em up and make 'em mad
To let them know that I'm OK
I used to sit and talk to you
They're all just a substitute
To get through one night a day
One night a day, one step away
From leaving you behind 


71) Heat Wave by Linda Ronstadt. "Whenever he calls my name, soft, low, sweet and plain ..." I love her rocking vocals and the blistering guitars. "Don't pass up this chance. This time it's a true romance."


72) Tempted by Squeeze. So naughty. So forbidden. So civilized. So veddy, veddy British.

73) I Could Never Miss You by Lulu. Why isn't Lulu a bigger star stateside?


74) Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw? by Jimmy Buffett. It's not high art, but it's fun. I love that the song starts with, "I really do appreciate the fact that you're sitting here." There's something nice about candor.


75) Jump by Van Halen. Eddie and Diamond Dave! Life was so much fun when this song was popular. That organ riff at the beginning is as evocative as there is.


76) Little Red Corvette by Prince. I love everything about this song. I love the sexy sound of it. I love the witty, suggestive lyrics. Prince, like Garth Brooks, doesn't cooperate with online music sharing. So you'll just have to be satisfied remembering how he sounds singing, "Move over, Baby, gimme the keys. I'm gonna try to tame your little red love machine."


77) Stuff Like That There by Bette Midler. The Divine Miss M performs this WWII-vintage number fabulously as if it was written for her. Some prefer the more famous "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," but I love this one. Kelly Clarkson did a good job, too, during that long-ago first Idol season.

78) Get Happy by Judy Garland. The last musical number Garland filmed at MGM is my favorite. She's in great voice, her legs look a mile long, and that hat is the perfect prop for her fidgety hands. Rumor has it Judy's private life was sinking toward a suicidal low around this time (1950). If it's true, then she's an even greater genius than I thought. Whenever anyone asks what the fuss was about Judy Garland, I direct them to this number.

79) Crazy by Patsy Cline. No one sounded quite like Patsy. Her voice moves effortlessly up and down like an oboe. But she was too classy, too controlled, too much the artist to ever let her vocal gymnastics overwhelm the song. Her performance is perfect.

80) More than You Know by Barbra Streisand. This is Babs in Funny Lady, a disappointing movie with a stellar soundtrack. A zillion people have recorded this song, but Streisand's version is best. There's a defiance mixed with her tenderness, and her range is awesome. One of my favorite love songs.

81) Someone to Watch Over Me by Frank Sinatra. This clip is from Young at Heart. It's a corny movie that is beloved by no one but me. Listen to Frank sing. Watch Doris fall in love with him. Like "More than You Know," the song is wonderful and has been covered countless times. But I always come back to Francis Albert's version.


82) Lose Again by Linda Ronstadt. I relate to the vulnerability of these lyrics and the openness with which Linda sings them. "When the heart calls, the mind obeys." Ain't that just the truth?

83) A Nice Dream by Dusty Springfield. This song is the best thing about a clunker of a movie called Kiss Me Goodbye. I recognized my girl Dusty's vocals over the closing credits. It's about that moment when "the future becomes the past." I love it.

84) River by James Taylor. I love this song, all year around. It captures the regret I sometimes (ok ... often) feel when I push things too far.

85) Come In from the Rain by Diana Ross. "Well, hello, good old friend of mine." Beautiful lyrics, knowingly delivered. Whatever he was dealing with, he got through it. And Miss Ross was wisely waiting there, welcoming him with an open door to keep him from the rain.


86) Every Road Leads Back to You by Bette Midler. A love song about friendship, a celebration of shared history. How powerful is that?


87) Heart and Soul by Marcia Ball. My best friend turned me on to Marcia Ball, and this is my favorite cut. It's fun and sexy.

My Heart and Soul


88) I Only Want to Be with You by Dusty Springfield. It's one of her biggest hits, and it belongs on everyone's list of 100 songs.


89) I Can Help by Billy Swan. Isn't the organ fabulous? And I love that lyric -- "It would sure do me good to do you good."

90) Move Over by Janis Joplin. I love her righteous indignation. And Janis is sooo on to him! "I do believe you're toying with my affections, Honey." I never get tired of her.


91) Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips. Does anyone not love this song? This is my best friend's signature karaoke song. My uncle loved it, too. When I hear it, it reminds me of those two very dear men.


92) Heaven Is a Place on Earth by Belinda Carlisle. I love the sleepy quality to her voice on this.

93) If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher. Solo Cher. 'Nuff said.


94) The One You Love by Glenn Frey. I lived this song. I gave up the one who loved me to go back to the one I loved. It wasn't a wise move, in retrospect, but as framed by this song, I had no choice.


95) Wedding Bell Blues by The Fifth Dimension. Another Laura Nyro song. I just loved her. I wish more people were familiar with her work. So versatile, so smart. In addition to "Sweet Blindness" and "Stoney End," she wrote Three Dog Nite's "Eli's Coming" and "Celebrate."

96) Just to See Her by Smokey Robinson. What a perfect meld of voice and lyric! When Smokey says he "would do anything" to see her again, I believe him!


97) A Brand New Me by Dusty Springfield. A happy, 60s-era ode to the transformative power of love.


98) Kentucky Rain by Elvis Presley. An old boyfriend used to rib me about my unreasonable affection for this record. "Can you imagine Elvis, in that white jumpsuit and cape and huge belt buckle, hitchhiking through the cold Kentucky rain?" Yeah, whatever. Make fun. I still love it.


99) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper. A party anthem if ever there was one! Girls night out, anyone?


100) The End of the Innocence by Don Henley. These lyrics take my breath away. This song is downright Bruce-worthy! Every time I hear it, it touches me anew.