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Song of the Day #3,387: ‘Army’ – Ben Folds Five

I had a harder time than I expected making a pick for Day 24 of the 30 Day Music Challenge, which asks for ‘A Song By a Band/Group You Wish Were Still Together.’

For one thing, most of my favorite artists turn out to be soloists. And the bands are either still together or past the point of getting back together. I don’t see The Beatles, for example, as eligible for this category because two of them are dead. I don’t think my wishing they were back together extends to wishing people back to life.

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Song of the Day #3,386: ‘The Things That Everybody Does (Live)’ – Tift Merritt

The best 30 Day Music Challenge categories are the ones left completely open to the participant’s interpretation. How you interpret the challenge is as meaningful as the song you ultimately pick.

Such is the case with Day 23’s direction to name ‘A Song That You Think Everybody Should Listen To.’ Does that mean a song you find important, so if everybody listened to it the world would somehow become a better place? Or a little-heard song that you feel needs the exposure?

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Song of the Day #3,385: ‘Lose Yourself’ – Eminem

All of you CrossFitters and Orange Theorists, get ready. Day 22 of the 30 Day Music Challenge asks for the name of ‘A Song That Motivates You.’

I immediately thought of this in the context of physical activity because that’s the way I typically see motivational music presented in commercials. But I’m sure we all listen to music to motivate ourselves for other reasons — a big presentation, a test, you name it. Let’s see what my dear readers come up with.

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Song of the Day #3,384: ‘Hannah Hunt (Master Softee Remix)’ – Vampire Weekend

Kicking off Week Five of the 30 Day Music Challenge, our task is to name ‘A Favorite Song With a Person’s Name in the Title.’

This challenge made me laugh, because it reminded me of my wife’s irrational aversion to songs written about (and titled after) specific women. Hall & Oates’ ‘Sara Smile,’ for example, which also makes her shit list for the opening line “baby hair, with a woman’s eyes.” What the hell does baby hair look like on a grown woman?

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Song of the Day #3,383: ‘Hurricane’ – Hamilton cast

Today’s Random Weekend selection comes from the Hamilton soundtrack. ‘Hurricane’ comes after Alexander Hamilton has been exposed as an adulterer, and (even worse, in his eyes) accused of money laundering.

He decides to write his way out of the situation, as he had so many other difficult times in his life, from childhood through his political career.

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