Guest DJ John M. Young’s Music For the Masses
By Guest Contributor John Young from http://transparentchristina.wordpress.com:
I can’t speak to the fashion, but great songs stand the test of time and this version is raw and pure:
Lou Gramm and mad synthesizers always make sweet music:
Carole King knocks it out…:
One of the best songs from 1982, little known, but by the fiercest lyricist to EVER live, Warren Zevon…this song is dedicated to Philip Habib of the Carter Administration:
This song is unique:
Check out these lyrics:
She was a systems analyst
For a dot com company
She said, “You think because we’ve kissed
I’ll be yours eternally
I’ll sign another pre-nup
And we’ll merge our P.L.C.s
That’s why most girls go belly-up
In this economy
But when it comes to a jump start
Your forecast’s pretty bleak
The NASDAQ goes by dips and starts
Like Macgillycuddy’s Reeks
The NASDAQ goes by dips and starts
Like Macgillycuddy’s Reeks
Smoothness just oozes from Player (‘Bulo comment: Say, isn’t this that mop song?):
And finally: a funny series commemorating the early days of 70s smoothness, episode 1 of Yacht Rock:
A major El Somnambulo Tip of the Sombrero to John M. Young for bringing his unique musical vision to DL. ‘Bulo, who also has a picket fence that needs painting, welcomes other contributors as well. Just e-mail DL and, if the Beast Who Slumbers doesn’t despise your musical tastes (Don’t be bringing that Jack Johnson or Tori Amos or Dar Williams over here…), you too can be famous for 15 minutes. Or, at least, semi-famous.
Comment by John Young on 18 July 2009 at 9:12 pm:
Thanks for the opportunity. I enjoy the site and MFTM was fun…and yes…it is the mop song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0holJRUDe4
Comment by cassandra_m on 18 July 2009 at 9:15 pm:
These were great picks — I am a very big fan of Warren Zevon especially. Thank you for spending the time to pick these out for us, John, and thanks to Bulo for putting it all together.
Comment by Unstable Isotope on 18 July 2009 at 9:20 pm:
Yes, thank you John. I know you and ‘Bulo spend a lot of time thinking about these things and we do appreciate it.
Comment by John on 18 July 2009 at 9:26 pm:
Been a Zevon head since 1987, and I know I keep saying it Cassandra, but Foamy RULES!: http://www.illwillpress.com
Comment by John Young on 18 July 2009 at 9:51 pm:
I wanna chew gum and sing like Lou Gramm….
Comment by John Young on 18 July 2009 at 10:01 pm:
from She’s Gone: for anyone wondering it is a BBC show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Grey_Whistle_Test
Comment by El Somnambulo on 19 July 2009 at 2:57 pm:
‘Bulo’s a huge Zevon fan as well, and has previously posted a rare live ’70’s version of Zevon doing “Mohammed’s Radio”.
Inspired by John Young’s choices, the Beast Who’ll Sleep When He’s Dead (sly Zevon reference) searched in vain for “Carmellita”. Covers by Linda Ronstadt and Dwight Yoakam, but nothing that captures Zevon’s barely in-contol version, NO Zevon version on the ‘nets. Nowhere!
Like JY, ‘bulo loves to quote Zevon’s lyrics. This verse from “Desperadoes Under The Eaves” (featuring, believe it or not, the Eagles on background vocals) helps explain why:
“And when California falls into the ocean
like the mystics and statistics say it will
I predict this hotel will be standing
until I pay my bill.”
Comment by Mike Matthews on 19 July 2009 at 3:04 pm:
Zevon is classic. No one writes a lyric like he could. Sadly, I became a fan right around the time it was announced he was suffering from terminal lung cancer. That’s a great pick above from his under-appreciated late-career gem “My Ride’s Here.” I don’t know if the album is still in print, as I believe the label under which it was released (Artemis Records) has had some difficulties over the years, but if you can find it, pick it up. From start to finish, it’s a solid 10 tracks of goodness.
Comment by Mike Matthews on 19 July 2009 at 3:08 pm:
Here’s a piece from his last Letterman performance. It’s a heartbreaking rendering of “Genius,” from the My Ride’s Here album. I played that tune a lot on my now-defunct radio show and always got a few questions about it from listeners. Lyrics are so sublime. And surreal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrsCBmgUZxc
Comment by John Young on 19 July 2009 at 5:10 pm:
The boss covers Zevon live here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJomp47BliE
the lyrics:
(Warren Zevon and Paul Muldoon)
I was staying at the Marriott
With Jesus and John Wayne
I was waiting for a chariot
They were waiting for a train
The sky was full of carrion
“I’ll take the mazuma”
Said Jesus to Marion (John Wayne’s given name)
“That’s the 3:10 to Yuma
My ride’s here…”
the rest of the lyrics are here: http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/warren_zevon/my_rides_here.html
his lyrical genius is sorely missed.