Category Archives: random weekends

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Song of the Day #1,618: ‘Red Bandana’ – Randy Newman

randy_newman_land_of_dreamsHere’s an odd little song from Randy Newman’s 1988 album Land of Dreams.

This album, the only studio record Newman released between 1983 and 1999, is a bit of a mixed bag. It starts off with his most autobiographical work — several songs that describe his childhood in New Orleans.

Better known are the late-album tracks ‘It’s Money that Matters’ and ‘I Want You to Hurt Like I Do,’ each with Newman’s typical satirical edge. Also featured is ‘Masterman and Baby J,’ Newman’s ill-advised parody (I think) of a rap song.

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Song of the Day #1,617: ‘Hurt’ – Johnny Cash

40thToday is my 40th birthday. It happens to fall on one of my Random Weekends, so I’m spared the pressure of having to select a song appropriate to the occasion.

On car trips with my family, I will often say something like “the next song that comes on the radio will describe the rest of our lives” or “the next song that plays sums up my relationship with your mother.” The many times the resulting song makes no sense whatsoever are completely erased by the few times it’s hilariously perfect or perfectly hilarious.

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Song of the Day #1,611: ‘Bengali in Platforms’ – Morrissey

‘Bengali in Platforms’ is a track from Morrissey’s solo debut, 1988’s Viva Hate, an album released just six months after the final Smiths’ album (Strangeways, Here We Come).

Viva Hate was the start of a strong solo run for Morrissey, and proof that even after the unfortunate demise of The Smiths, at least one half of the Morrissey/Marr partnership would continue to thrive.

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Song of the Day #1,610: ‘Crash Into Me’ – Dave Matthews Band

This song, and the 1996 album it comes from (Crash) represent the pinnacle of my Dave Matthews Band fandom.

After this, they lost me for a bit with Before These Crowded Streets, won me back temporarily with the unreleased Lillywhite Sessions and then disappeared from my radar completely when they officially released the borefest Everyday and the inferior but “official” version of the Lillywhite tracks, Busted Stuff.

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Song of the Day #1,604: ‘Red Dress’ – TV On the Radio

Here’s another track from TV On the Radio, who seem to have popped up a few times on recent Random Weekends. This is another cut from Dear Science, my favorite of their albums.

The appeal of TV On the Radio is the seeming incongruity between their electrified funk sound and the English major complexity of their lyrics. Today’s song is yet another metaphor-rich track that begs for in-depth analysis.

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