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music friday: going into the city

I'm up to the last chapter of Robert Christgau's memoir, Going Into the City, and I'll write about it once I finish. Someone (I think his publisher) created a Spotify playlist to accompany the book, and I'll look at that list here, with a few comments. I won't connect the songs to their mentions in the book ... you'll have to read it yourself for that info.

  • John Prine, "Donald and Lydia". A teacher in the mid-70s once told me my writing reminded him of John Prine.
  • South Pacific Ensemble, "There Is Nothin' Like a Dame". When I was a kid, my parents had the soundtrack album to the movie version. The picture of Rossano Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor on the cover fascinated me ... OK, it was Mitzi in her two-piece bathing suit.
  • Doris Day, "Secret Love". From Calamity Jane. Lots of subtext here.
  • Bill Doggett, "Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2)".
  • The Channels, "The Closer You Are". I used to say that you couldn't trust anyone who didn't love doo-wop.
  • The Three Friends, "Blanche".
  • Chuck Berry, "Rock and Roll Music". He headlined my first rock concert.
  • Charlie Parker, "The Song Is You".
  • The Miracles, "You've Really Got a Hold on Me". Cheating a bit ... the video is from their appearance in The T.A.M.I. Show.
  • Marcie Blane, "Bobby's Girl".
  • The Exciters, "Tell Him".
  • The Newbeats, "Bread and Butter".
  • Dobie Gray, "The 'In' Crowd".
  • The Lovin' Spoonful, "Darling Be Home Soon".
  • The Rolling Stones, "Goin' Home". The last seven tracks could be a soundtrack of my pre-teen life.
  • Mungo Jerry, "In the Summertime".
  • John Lennon, "Oh Yoko!".
  • New York Dolls, "Human Being". They had no bigger champion than Xgau.
  • Al Green, "Let's Get Married". Speaks for the memoir as well as any song.
  • Bonnie Raitt, "Good Enough". Xgau may be the only person who loves Home Plate more than I do. YouTube seems to agree with everyone else ... the video is from a live show, the original was nowhere to be found in my quick look. Good version, in any event.
  • Ramones, "We're a Happy Family". The city in the book's title is New York, after all.
  • Television, "See No Evil". The city in the book's title is New York, after all.
  • The Clash, "Janie Jones". Cheating again. This is live, 1977, because they were so great in concert I couldn't help myself.
  • Funky 4+1, "That's the Joint". Xgau called this the best single of the 1980s. Video chosen because I think the picture is of the 12" we had at our house at the time.
  • T.S. Monk, "Bon Bon Vie". He named this the second-best single of the 80s.
  • Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, "Looking for the Perfect Beat". He named this the eighth-best single of the 80s. For homework, find out what he named #3-7.

Comments

Tomas

That 80s list of his is something. The man is always surprising to me. Can't wait to read the book.

Steven Rubio

The title of the last chapter is "Bon Bon Vie".

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