This is My Favorite Song

“Algo Bueno (Woody’n You)” by Dizzy Gillespie (1946).

In 1964, Dizzy Gillespie nominated himself as a presidential candidate.  If elected, he promised to rename The White House as “The Blues House” and appoint the following cabinet:

1. Duke Ellington as the Secretary of State
2. Miles Davis as Director of the CIA
3. Max Roach as the Secretary of Defense
4. Charles Mingus as the Secretary of Peace
5. Ray Charles as the Librarian of Congress
6. Louis Armstrong as the Secretary of Agriculture
7. Mary Lou Williams as the Ambassador to the Vatican
8. Thelonius Monk as the Travelling Ambassador
9. Malcolm X as the Attorney General
10. Oh, and his running mate?  Phyllis Diller.

“Forget The Flowers” by Wilco from Being There (1996).

And the truth comes out: Twang Week was just another excuse to post a Wilco song.

“Dead Flowers” by The Rolling Stones from Sticky Fingers (1971).

“The mere thought of the Stones doing straight country music is simply appalling.” — Jon Landau’s 1971 Rolling Stone review of Sticky Fingers.

And as an added Twang Week bonus: Townes Van Zandt covers that shit here.

(TiMFS REAL MYSTERY FRIENDS CONTEST TIME!  Name everyone in the above picture.  Winner picks an upcoming favorite song.  Comment or reblog with yr answer.  Good luck!)

“The Man Who Loved Beer” by Lambchop from How I Quit Smoking (1996).

I’ll be honest, I’m having the darndest time trying to think of a way to incorporate Lambchop onto the menu of the This is My Favorite Song Theme Restaurant.  I have my chefs working around the clock trying to think of a good pun, but they’ve had no luck as of yet.  I’m afraid I just don’t see it.

“Tried So Hard” by The Flying Burrito Brothers from The Flying Burrito Brothers (1971).

ADVENTURES IN RECENTLY ACQUIRED VINYL:

Purchased at: Amoeba Music, Hollywood, CA

Price: $20 (C’mon — it’s a brown label original, whatever that means.)

Also purchased: The Flying Burrito Brothers’ Gilded Palace of Sin (1969), Willie Nelson’s Stardust (1978), Wilco’s Wilco (The Album) (2009), Fleetwood Mac’s Live (1980), Ringo Starr’s “Ringo” (1973), Nilsson’s Harry (1969) and Gene Clark’s Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers (1967).  Yeah, it was a big day.

Coinsidently, The Flying Burrito Brothers is also this week’s special at the This is My Favorite Song Theme Restaurtant.  Come on down!

“Help Me Scrape The Mucus Off My Brain” by Ween from 12 Golden Country Greats (1996).

Did you know? Ween’s 12 Golden Country Greats has 10 songs on it.

“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by The Byrds from Sweetheart of The Rodeo (1968).

Uh oh.

What’s that smell?

It’s like a mixture of leather, cheap whiskey and horse manure…

Hm.  So familiar…

Oh!  I know what that is!

It’s the stench of Twang Week here at This is My Favorite Song.

“Creole Love Call” by Duke Ellington (1927).

Jazz Sunday presents one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded.

If you like this, also try the Comedian Harmonists’ version here.

Before World War II, they were a popular group of German harmonists with a sense of humor.

Then it’s not just a clever name.

“And Your Bird Can Sing” by The Beatles from Revolver (1966).

JEWISH BEATLES SONGS:

1. “And Your Berg Can Sing”
2. “(No) Piggies”
3. “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Bubbie”
4. “Happiness is a Warm Knish”
5. “Doctor Robert Greenblatt”
6. “Got To Get Jew Into My Life”
7. “Oy-La-Di, Oy-La-Da”
8. “Let It Be Already”
9. “Strawberry Fields For a Little, But Then I’m Gonna Need a Nap”
10. “Your Mother Should Know”

(Pictured: The Beatles and Mystery Monument.)

“Tell Me Why” by Neil Young from After The Gold Rush (1970).

MY FIRST (AND LAST) FORAY INTO THE WILD, WACKY & WANING WORLD OF OMEGLE:

2009-06-25
Connecting to server…
You’re now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
Stranger: Hi
You: YOU’VE WON!
You: CONGRATULATIONS!
Stranger: What have I won?
You: YOU NOW HAVE A CHOICE:
You: DOOR 1
You: DOOR 2
You: DOOR 3
Stranger: Door 3!
You: BEHIND DOOR 3 IS…
You: A TIME PORTAL!
You: YOU’VE WON!
Stranger: To where?
You: CONGRATULATIONS!
You: YOU NOW HAVE A CHOICE:
You: DOOR 1
You: DOOR 2
You: DOOR 3
Stranger: Door 2!
You: BEHIND DOOR 2 IS…
You: A TIME PORTAL!
You: YOU’VE WON!
You: CONGRATULATIONS!
Stranger: Whats behind door 1!
You: HOW DID YOU KNOW THERE WERE GOING TO BE DOORS?
Stranger: Sorry sorry. continue.
You: YOU NOW HAVE A CHOICE:
You: DOOR 1
You: DOOR 2
You: DOOR 3
Stranger: DOOR 1!
You: BEHIND DOOR 1 IS…
You: DOOR 3!
You: DO YOU WANT TO OPEN IT?
Stranger: Yes!
You: IT’S A TIME PORTAL!
You: YOU’VE WON!
You: CONGRATULATIONS!
Your conversational partner has disconnected.

“You Never Know” by Wilco from Wilco (The Album) (2009).

I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking: “Wait.  A Wilco song on This is My Favorite Song?!  WTFuck?!“  And you’re thinking that because you’re a sarcastic bastard.  But it’s true: I really, really, really, really, really, really, really like Wilco.  As of today, they make up about 3.1% of my blog content.  That’s a lot!

But I bring you my favorite song today for three reasons:

1. Because they nailed it on Conan last night.  See?
2. Because I’m going to see them tonight at the Wiltern and I’m pretty excited.
3. Because I can.

UPDATE: You can stream the whole album over at NPR.  Obviously. (Thanks, MBV!)

(Wilco says: “We’re pretty excited to see you too, Dan.  Love, Wilco.”)

“Fuck Wit Dre Day (and Everybody’s Celebratin’)” by Dr. Dre (ft. Snoop Dogg) from The Chronic (1992).

True story: In 1993, my mom refused to let me buy Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. If I remember correctly, her reasoning was: “If you buy that album, Snoop Doggy Dogg will murder you.”  I still have no idea how she knew that.  Love you, Mom!

“Israelites” by Desmond Dekker & The Aces from Israelites (1969).

NEW ON THE MENU AT THE THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG THEME RESTAURANT:

Desmond Double-Dekker Sandwich (aka “The 3D Sandwich”)

(And for a limited time only: Desmond Dekker on a double-decker bus!)

(Pictured: Desmond Dekker and Mystery Friends.)

“Your Protector” by Fleet Foxes from Fleet Foxes (2008).

“Crowds have terrible taste.  People have awful taste.  Once people start talking about indie rock on the internet it’s all this music that rises to the middle.  That’s boring, bland, white people, guitar music, it fucking sucks.  I hate it.  It’s NPR bullshit and NPR is forced to write about it over again and again because its the ‘Link Economy’ and people are going to click on it if it says Fleet Foxes.  Well Fleet Foxes fucking suck.  It’s not the music that’s the best, it’s the music that the most people can stand.  The music that the most people can listen to.  If you let the people decide, then nothing truly adventurous ever get out and that’s a problem.” — Christopher R. Weingarten on The Death of Music Criticism or How To Ensure Your Own Inevitable Demise in 140 Characters or Less

(via spangley)