August 2017 – Mo's Marketplace

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 17

A song you’d sing as a duet at karaoke.

Ever since she was a little girl, I made it a point to make music a part of my daughters and my relationship. I remember driving her friends to our place and singing together some ridiculous song. I remember sitting in the driveway to be sure we finished “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas before going in. “Jump off the sofa…” [SOFA!]

She’s long since had her own car, long since ceased needing that ride back to school or ride home or whatever. It’s been a long time since we had a car ride karaoke, but this was by far my favorite song to sing with my daughter as karaoke;

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“I’ll Be There For You” Method Man & Mary J. Blige

“I Got You Babe” Sonny & Cher

“Paradise By The Dashboard Light” Meat Loaf

“Lean on Me” Bill Withers

“Dancing In The Street” Mick Jagger/David Bowier

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” Cyndi Lauper

“Breakfast At Tiffany’s” Deep Blue Something

“Summer Nights” John Travolta & Olivia Newton John

“As Long as You’re Mine” Idina Menzel & Norbert Leo Butz

“Baby it’s Cold Outside” Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 16

The day everyone has been waiting for…: One of your favorite classical songs.

Now, before I totally wandered off into the woods, I decided I should get a definition – “Classical Music” has always been background music to me and I’ve never really paid it the attention it deserves, so I wanted to approach this with an open mind and not just slap down some classically styled rock: were I to do that, I’d submit to you the London Symphony Orchestra’s treatment of “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull.

Here’s what The Google says about Classical Music: “ Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western music, including both liturgical (religious) and secular music. While a more accurate term is also used to refer to the period from 1750 to 1820 (the Classical period), this article is about the broad span of time from roughly the 11th century to the present day, which includes the Classical period and various other periods.”

So, I suppose I wouldn’t be wrong to choose “Aqualung” or the San Francisco Symphony’s collaboration with Metallica, it just wouldn’t feel right to me. So I’m going with something everyone whose ever gone to a Catholic wedding would have heard, because while I recall really appreciating it, I haven’t really listened to “The Planets” in like 25 years.

My choice: “Ode to Joy”

I’m really hoping you, my friends, can help broaden my horizons here.

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna

Game of Thrones Title Theme Song

La donna è mobile (Rigoletto)

Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major BWV 1048

Pachelbel’s Canon

“Air” Johann Sebastian Bach

Four Seasons ~ Vivaldi

O Fortuna (Carmina Burana)

Beethoven: For Elise (Für Elise), Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor

Mischa Maisky plays Bach Cello Suite No.1 in G

Maurice Ravel Bolero London Symphony Orchestra

Gustav Holst – The Planets – Mars, the Bringer of War

Edgard Varèse – Amériques

Richard Wagner – The ride of the Valkyries from “Die Walküre”

Tchaikovsky’ Nutcracker Soundtrack

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade – op.35

“It is Well With My Soul” Philip Paul Bliss

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 15

A song that is a cover by another artist. As poorly worded as this is, I think it means “pick a cover song.”

I love the original, but I love this version more.

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

“Cats in the Cradle” Ugly Kid Joe

“Hallelujah” Espen Lind, Askil Holm, Alejandro Fuentes, Kurt Nilsen

“True Colors” Phil Collins

“Always On My Mind” Elvis Presley

“Cyndi Lauper’s Greatest Hits as ‘Family Guy’s Stewie‘” Seth MacFarlane

“Killing Me Softly” The Fugees

“Ave Maria” Aaron Neville

“In Bloom” Sturgill Simpson

“Angel of the Morning” Bettye Swan

“Blackbird” Sarah McLaughlin

“Over the Rainbow” Josh Groban

“Proud Mary” Creedence Clearwater Revival

“Ain’t That A Shame” Cheap Trick

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 14

A song that you would love played at your wedding. Previous days are here
Funny this. For our wedding reception, we used custom CDs as placecards – At least one friend often says he will sometimes still pull it out and play it.

I’m Pretty sure most of those songs were played that night.

I actually have a ready made template for this – but now, the question is “do they mean the reception…or the ceremony itself?” Hadn’t really considered that, but since I’m not really in the business of wedding ceremony music, I’m going to go with answering “however your bad self wants to interpret it is the way to go.”

“Low Rider” War

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“How Are Ya Fixed For Love” Frank Sinatra & Keely Smith

“Love Changes Everything” Andrew Lloyd Webber

Beauty and the Beast “Be Our Guest”

“Another One Bites the Dust” Queen

“Ten Minutes Ago” Rogers & Hammerstein

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” Roberta Flack

“For Your Precious Love” Jerry Butler

“In Her Eyes” Joshua Radin

“I Loved Her First” Heartland

“Love Removal Machine” The Cult

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 13

One of Your Favorite 70’s Song.

For some of you, you answered this yesterday (“pre-teen years”). The 1970s were an interesting period. The decade picks up the cauldron of 1960’s music and evolves even faster and in more diverse ways. Rock. Hard Rock. Heavy Metal. Prog Rock. Disco. Funk. New Wave. Punk. Electric Folk. Protest. By the time the decade ends, music was all over the place.

One of My FAVORITE 1970’s song? Good lord. Of what genre?

If we’re going by my iTunes play count, my favorite 1970’s song is “Radar Love” by Golden Earring. Which, while fantastic (and already one of my picks) is not my favorite. “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Rainbow is up there in play counts too, but I don’t know that it’s my favorite either. “You Really Got Me” by Van Halen rounds out the top three 1970’s songs by play count, and I have to say that’s not it either.

I would love to say “Brick House” by the Commodores, but I’m a rock & roller at heart. I considered “Kill the King” by the Ronnie James Dio led version of Rainbow or “Stairway to Heaven” or “D’yer Mak’er” by Led Zeppelin or “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, but those don’t feel right either. The not so short answer is I’m going to make a pick, and not to get me wrong, I love this song, but I’m not convinced in my heart of hearts that it’s my FAVORITE
So, what is it?

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“Bohemian Rhapsody” Queen

“Layla” Derick and the Dominoes

“My Sharona” The Knack

“Fool In The Rain” Led Zeppelin

“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” Looking Glass

“Rocket Man” Elton John

“You’ve Got a Friend” Carole King

“Stranglehold” Ted Nugent

“Instant Karma” John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band

“Both Sides Now” Joni Mitchell

“That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be” Carly Simon

“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” Carole King

“Heard It In A Love Song” Marshall Tucker Band

“Joy To The World” Three Dog Night

“Hooked On a Feeling” Blue Swede

“I Will Survive” Gloria Gaynor

“California Über Alles” Dead Kennedys

“Ever Fallen In Love (With Some You Shouldn’t)” The Buzzcocks

“Song to the Siren” Tim Buckley

“Dust In the Wind” Kansas

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 12

A song from your preteen years.

I’ve thought about this one, and I’m going to come as close as I can to my teen years without going there.

This was the very first record I ever bought. I had just turned 12. I still have it; worse for the wear of being possessed by a 12-year old…some 35 years ago…and for having made the journey of the last 4 decades.

“Centerfold” by the J. Geils Band.

The Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“Saving All My Love for You” Whitney Houston

“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” Queen

“Silly Love Songs” Wings

“Blame It On The Rain” Milli Vanilli

“Physical” Olivia Newton John

“I’m Into Something Good” Herman’s Hermits

“I’m Henry the VIII, I am” Herman’s Hermits

“The Night Chicago Died” Paper Lace

“Maneater” Hall & Oates

“On The Radio” Donna Summer

“Do Ron Ron” Shawn Cassidy

“YMCA” Village People

“Rock & Roll All Nite” Kiss

“Reggatta Da Blanc” The Police

“Yo Little Brother” Nolan Thomas

“Rio” Duran Duran

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 11

A song you never get tired of.

As I write, I’m still not sure what song I’m going to pick. I mean “never” is an absolute. I get tired of some of my favorite things: I get tired of strawberry ice cream, I get tired of fighting with people on the internet (current situation, btw: please don’t poke the bear), I get tired of fried chicken.

I’m starting to object to the use of absolutes a lot more than I ever have. I have little use for phrases such as “…like the world has never seen.” Absolutes are the vocabulary of the Sith. There are few absolutes in life, and I’m pretty sure whether I have the capacity to tire of a song is not likely to be one of those absolutes.

So, I’m going to choose to answer the question I prefer to answer: A song I don’t tire of easily. I’d urge you to answer the same question.
And what’s my answer?

The Wisdom of Crowds Picks

“Yesterday” The Beatles

“Just a Friend” Biz Markie

“It’s Tricky” Run-DMC

“Simple Man” Shinedown

“I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” Elton John

“Hallelujah” Leonard Cohen

“Beautiful Day” U2

“Jesse’s Girl” Rick Springfield

“Just Like Heaven” The Cure

“Go Your Own Way” Fleetwood Mac

“I Feel For You” Chaka Kahn

“Vacation” The Go Gos

“Sir Duke” Stevie Wonder

“Bitch” Rolling Stones

“Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing” Chris Issac

“Wishing On a Star” Rose Royce

“Hallelujah” Jeff Buckley

“Dear Mr Fantasy” Traffic

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 10

A song that makes you sad.

From the first time I heard this song, I decided that it fell into a category of music called “Music to commit suicide by.” Seriously, this is some dour stuff. “Mad World” by Gary Jules.

Wisdom of Crowds Picks:

“Calling All Angels ” Jane Siberry

“Father and Son” Cat Stevens

“Hear You Me” Jimmy Eat World

“Baby Mine” from “Dumbo”

“Wind Beneath My Wings” Bette Midler

“Dancer in the Dark” Bjork

“Traces of Love” Classics IV

“Angel” Sarah McLaughlin

“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” Green Day

“Sad Songs (Say So Much)” Elton John

“Take Me Home (Country Roads)” John Denver

“The Dance” Garth Brooks

“Bright Eyes” Art Garfunkel

“Time to Say Goodbye” Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman

“Wonderful World” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

“Can’t Change Me” Chris Cornell

“Say Something” Great Big World

“Creep” Radiohead

“Brick” Ben Folds Five

“Wild Horses” Rolling Stones

“Two Headed Boy Part Two” Neutral Milk Hotel

“Muriel” Tom Waits

“The Sounds of Silence” Simon & Garfunkel

“Pale Blue” Toad the Wet Sprocket

“I Would for You” Jane’s Addiction

“River of Deceit” Mad Season

“The Sad Cafe” The Eagles

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 9

A song that makes you happy.

There are a lot of songs that do this. Like the first song on your road trip playlist, it’s the one that gets you all amped up, maybe doing a little chair dancing. So what one to pick? Its summer, so it should be a summer song. I’m a few days from a week off, so it should be about relaxation.
I’m going to put on my Hawaiian shirt and go to my happy place.

…With sunshine and ladies and pina colodas And Bob Marley songs that are playing…There’s a sound in my ear that I want you to hear, Soft tropical lips that are saying…