The Spring 2017 Grand Adventure

So, in all mi vida loca, I had never attended a music festival. I had considered it on a few occasions -- especially something like Bonnaroo or Coachella. Heck, I'd even settle for Floyd Fest (Floyd VA, not all that far from me). But I just never had done it.

Well, when Soundgarden announced they'd be playing at Rock on the Range -- a 3-day harder music festival in Columbus OH -- heck yeah, sign me up. Two weeks later, I learned they'd be playing at Carolina Rebellion on an even EARLIER date -- only two hours east of me. I debated internally and decided ah heck, I'm only middle-aged once. I'm living my mid-life crisis, so sure - why not? I decided to get a one-day-only pass, because I'd be seeing all the acts again in Ohio, right?

Yeah. Then I found out they'd added some non-festival dates -- including Atlanta. Big salty tears, because that show was mid-week. I just couldn't swing it, so I was going to settle for my festival dates. At the last minute last week, an opportunity presented itself to see the non-festival show, to be held in west-central Alabama, the day after my one-day pass in North Carolina. Again, I'm only middle-aged once, why not? I'm still young enough to put in that much driving in a weekend and that much fun.

Well, I did a really stupid thing on Thursday evening: I took a yoga class. This in itself is not a stupid act -- but taking a class you never have done before, stretching and using muscles that haven't really been engaged and activated in a while....... You can imagine how I was feeling Friday morning, waking up early and driving to just east of Charlotte. I got to the festival parking site around 12:00, and began walking toward the edge of the parking lot, where I could hear the band pretty well. I then learned the band was across the road -- and back a few hundred yards. So I kept walking.

Keep in mind, this was a cold morning for early May for us. So I had put on my long sleeve Gamecock tee, and my thin black hoodie. I had packed a short-sleeved tee for later - you know, when it warmed up. And I kept walking in an overcast sky and began to stand in an interminable General Admission entrance line. I'm not sure why it took forever to get through -- the gates had opened at 10:30ish and here we were, well on 1:00 and past. I know this because the band that was screaming its lungs out was one of the bands serving as an opening act on Soundgarden's tour....... I pretty much decided that I wasn't crazy about their style.

I meandered around and found the merchandise tent. Nothing really interested me. There was a Soundgarden shirt that I knew I already wanted but it wasn't one of the ones on sale at the festival. They had all the shirts available on the LiveNation web site -- but having already waited three months on a tee I'd ordered from them (and then asking for a cancellation and refund)..... um, no. So if Alabama didn't have the one I wanted, then I would just have to order from the site, much to my dismay. I couldn't decide if I wanted a festival shirt or not. And there weren't many other knickknacks I wanted -- no keychains or koozies. Hmm.... I was going to have to decide which (if any) I wanted. But I had all day to do so.

I was going to meet up with several fellow Knights of the Sound Table (a FB group) who would be at the event. I found the first one during the Eagles of Death Metal concert -- by the way, EODM is really good! -- and we were waiting on some of the others. We wandered over to another stage and found a little punk trio named Radkey -- WOW! Punk is not dead! These guys were good and definitely worth another listen! Then I had planned to see Pierce The Veil, but I just watched them from afar - mostly waiting for the guys to come back from the portapotty lines. Wandered to another stage where a screamy-metal group was playing. I've listened to enough of that with my brother, so I put my poncho on the ground and took a much needed break off my feet. We then wandered over to see The Cult. That was phenomenal!! Their music was around during my high school and college years, so hearing some of those songs was a sweet trip down memory lane. Afterwards, part of the group (myself included) went to grab some grub. And the weather was brutal.

Remember that short-sleeved tee I packed? Yeah, I put it on -- on top of my long-sleeved tee and under my hoodie for a third layer. I was freezing!!! By 8:00 it was back in the 50s and so, so windy. We went to the mainstage for Soundgarden's show. The temperature only got better when more bodies joined in and whatever body heat we had began to commingle.

The show began and oh my God!!!! the dream came true. It was absolutely un-freakin'-believable. The music was spot-on, the crowd was into it (and heavy into bodysurfing), and to hear "Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" in the heart of NASCAR country....... OMG, unbelievable. (PS: if you are easily offended by language, don't even bother to click the link for the song.)

So festival sets are usually shorter (anywhere from 30 minutes for early acts to about 90 minutes for headliners) -- but even in a shorter set, they did not disappoint in the least. But better stuff was to come........

So I got up pretty early on Saturday and started going west toward Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I began to call this the #RoadWorkRoadTrip ..... because there was SOME slowdown or variation on construction in four different states. North Carolina had a holdup for 3 miles for literally no reason. It seems someone forgot to turn off the flashing sign that said "Left 2 Lanes Closed, Merge Right" -- we all got in the right lane for nothing. The construction crew was not there. I imagine someone in Raleigh sitting in a control room somewhere, laughing their asses off at us. South Carolina -- yeah, we have road construction in 3 or 4 places along a 100 mile stretch of interstate. Georgia -- one word: Atlanta. 'Nuff said. Even Alabama had some in various places.

Oh, did I also mention this weekend was Talladega? Which is on the road I was on? Yeah.

Because of Talladega ..... and 'Bama's graduation in Tuscaloosa .... and graduations at UAB and Samford in Birmingham, there wasn't a hotel room to be found anywhere along the I-20 stretch. Even the Motel 6 in Tuscaloosa was going to be around $100. Sorry, but I'd rather sleep in my car. It's safer and certainly more hygienic! As luck has it, when I got the ticket for Tuscaloosa, I booked a room in Birmingham. It's only an hour away, I can deal with that. The hotel called me right before I crossed the state line to ensure that I was still planning to come and use the room -- YES! I couldn't scream it loudly enough. As it turns out, when I got to the hotel, the clerk explained that a couple of the online booking sites kept taking reservations even though they were at 100% capacity. She'd had to call them to explain that all the rooms really were taken.

Okay, so I got to the room, took a quick nap to alleviate the tiredness, and then headed over to Tuscaloosa. It was being held in the Amphitheater along the river front, and you could not ask for a prettier venue. We ended up as second row along the rail, and the opening band came on...... same screamy-metal band from Friday afternoon and they're not my style. I cheered for them and for their hard work, but I won't be rushing out to buy their album.....

Forgot to note that before the show, we did go by the merchandise booth and YESSSSSSSS they had the shirt I wanted!! While there were plenty of other designs on the web site -- and at the venue -- this is exactly what I wanted all along. And I love that they used a lyric from their 1989 song "Loud Love" -- and so apropos.

So anyway, it was time for the main act -- and I was so psyched. They started with a song from their 1988 LP that was recently remastered and reissued. It was phenomenal to hear again! They also did one of their earliest songs, which I think came from a demo in 1985 and eventually ended up on their first record (an EP from 1987).

Of course, they played a lot of the hits from years of recordings. Thirty years' worth of music trying to be distilled into 2 or 2-1/2 hours is hard, but they did a great job!

I was especially happy to have heard two songs, one on both nights and another just at the Tuscaloosa show. I have what I call the Big Three by them -- "Fell On Black Days," which I've heard live twice by them and once by their lead singer on a solo acoustic tour; "Blow Up the Outside World" (same - live twice now by them, and on the acoustic tour), and "The Day I Tried to Live" -- which he did not do on his solo show, but which I heard both nights here.

Let me state up front for the record -- if anyone ever tells you that any activity or hobby saved their live, they aren't joking. You best believe them. Music has saved me -- constantly throughout my life, and again in very key moments. That song saved my sanity in December 2015 -- so hearing it live and done so well was very nearly a religious experience.

Then one of the other songs from that time frame that made me happy at a time when little else did: "Burden In My Hand" ...... it's hard to explain because the song is dark, the video is slightly odd, but for me, the song is absolute delight and joy. It makes me want to pull my car over, get out and dance and sing along. And to hear that........ I sang right along, heart full to near-bursting.

And then -- the same closing from the night before: An extended version of "Slaves and Bulldozers" from their Badmotorfinger CD from 1991. The original itself is near 7:00 -- this clocks in around 11:30ish. There's an extended jam in the middle, coupled with some lyrics from "In My Time of Dying" that match the rhythms of S&B. I wish I had gotten video of it, but I was just enjoying it way too much. Which is kinda the whole point of the show......

So then Sunday morning, I got up, checked out of the hotel and went to church (thank you, Catholic guilt - HA!). Then I bummed around Birmingham until that afternoon to meet friends for a late lunch/early dinner. I found some of my beloved Diet Buffalo Rock, the spiciest ginger ale that I absolutely adore! Hung out at B-N because I wanted to check out some books on quilting..... but nothing that really screamed "YES" at me. Much like many crafting projects. I need to just start designing stuff for women like me!

Met my friends and we had a grand time laughing about a lot of things. Then it was time to head back -- remember that little race going on east of Birmingham? I was heading that way just as the race wrapped up. God bless the state troopers and other traffic enforcers because they have that exit strategy down to a science and an art form. There was no delay at all on I-20 E at the speedway. Bravo, Alabama - you do this right.

Back through the hell that is Atlanta traffic and then WHAM! 3 or 4 major slowdowns between Lawrenceville and South Carolina. At least there was a relatively smooth drive once I crossed the state line.

So........ 950 miles. 14 hours round trip. Two AMAZING events. Feet that still ache. Hammys that need to be stretched out. My chiropractor is going to have a field day on Wednesday.

Oh, and Ohio? Welllllll......... as much as I want to go, real life kicked in and I am very sadly giving up my opportunity to go. I'm still going to use the time off (partly to recuperate!) and I am going to live vicariously through others -- just as others did through me this weekend. It sucks but I'm choosing to be an adult about it.

Shufflin' Things Up

(and not the Curly Shuffle, woob woob woob).

Here's a little game:

• Put your music player on shuffle.
• Post the first line (unless the first line reveals the song title) from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
• Strike through the songs when someone guesses both artist and song title correctly. (Just post a comment, and I will let that serve as the record.)
• Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!
• If you like the game, post your own

Okay, either mine doesn't have shuffle or else I haven't figured out where shuffle is, BUT.... here goes:

1. Every time I move I lose, when I look I'm in
2. (spoken intro) "Fellas, I'm ready to get up and do MY thang....."
3. If I said what's on my mind, you'd turn and walk away
4. Yeah, it's been a long long time, you're such a sight
5. You turn me on, you lift me up like the sweetest cup I share with you
6. If you can just get your mind together, then come on across to me
7. (2nd line) Light in your head and dead on your feet
8. I'm feeling so tired, can't understand it, just had a fortnight's sleep
9. (opening verse) Midnight creeps so slowly into hearts of men who need more than they get
10. You know she likes to take me dancing on the outskirts of town
11. Now I like taking off, don't like burning out
12. (verse) It burned like a ball on fire, when the rebel took a little child bride
13. We get it almost every night, when that moon is big and bright
14. Everybody go on and dance if you want to, music makes your body move, well all right
15. Talking about stealing the show, no one would know
16. I've seen the bright lights of Memphis and the Commodore Hotel
17. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!
18. I hear songs on the radio, they might be fast or they might be slow
19. Though I've tried before to tell her of the feelings I have for her in my heart
20. Pariah dogs and wandering madmen, barking at strangers and speaking in tongues
21. Long time no see, short time for you & me
22. What kind of trouble did I get into (gotcha moving, gotcha moving)
23. Heartbreaker, soul shaker, I've been told about you
24. I had myself a tall one waiting at the bar
25. This silver bird takes me 'cross the sky
26. Feel when I dance with you, we move like the sea
27. You've got me so confused, and there's words I could use
28. (1st v) Nobody's right till somebody's wrong, nobody's weak till somebody's strong
29. Cheat the odds that made you, brave to try to gamble at times
30. I can feel no sense of measure, no illusion as we take

Have fun!

They. Are. Morons. And must be stopped.

Dammitall, if both of the adult contemporary stations aren't in the middle of "Christmas Preview" weekends.

What's the deal with that? PREVIEWS?????? Who's the genius who thought that up?

Idiot 1: "Say, Bob........ I'm betting most people around here would love to hear this stuff we have back in my old market."
Idiot 2: "Really, Tim? What's that?'
Idiot 1: "Christmas music!"
Idiot 2: "I'm.......... not following you. You mean they have special music just for Christmas?"
Idiot 1: "That's right, Bob."
Idiot 2: "WOW!!! Now that's a refreshing concept. But let's make sure people are gonna like it. Let's do a 'preview' weekend....."
Idiot 1: "Capital idea there, Tim!"

Me = pissed x infinity.

Not that I regularly listen to these stations, but if you're scanning the dial, you can't help but come across them. This makes me so glad I keep my MP3 player converter in the car. The next car will have a satellite receiver put in, too.

We've been 'Jacked!!!

Actually, we've been Charlie'd ........ as of last Monday.

Charlie started out long ago as a smaller station and ended up being bought by a large conglomerate. For a while, it was known as "The Walk" --- THE worst format ever. Some marketing genius somewhere decided we needed a "Christian/'positive country'" format. Oh boy, it wasn't like we didn't have 14 of each already around here. That lasted a little longer than I expected.

Then it went to all women's talk (using Greenstone Media's output with some other stuff). It was nice in theory, but even I could tell you the writing wasn't going to last very long on that wall, no matter what. I occasionally listened, but didn't really care for the Greenstone output. I mostly listened on lunch break (while in the car) to Dr. Joy Browne. I'm a sucker for radio advice/psychology. Anyway, "women's radio" pressed on, but then Greenstone went belly-up on the 17th. Oopsie.....

Last weekend, they played a bunch of different formats from some of their other stations out of our area. Then on Monday at noon, Charlie showed. If you're not familiar with the Jack format, read the Wiki. Ours happens to be called Charlie instead of Jack.

There's a part of me that isn't crazy about the Jack/Steve/Charlie format -- the part that would like to keep DJ's and other staff members employed. The part of me that prefers that the programming have at least a little method to the madness. The part of me that has read Jim Ladd's Radio Waves and wishes for every market to have a KMET and the tribal drum.

But there's the part of me that absolutely LOVES it. I love not knowing what's around the corner. I have heard Def Leppard, The Bay City Rollers, and Frank Sinatra (that's right, baby!) all in a 30-minute stretch. I've heard Johnny Cash on there. The other night, I heard Aerosmith followed by Prince ..... it was like living my best Top 40 memories from childhood. I found myself screaming at my radio, "God, do I love this!!!!" It was like WANS, circa 1983-84, all over again.......

We'll see how Charlie works out. So far, the larger part of me is enjoying it.

The Listening Room

I haven't made any changes to my MP3 player lately. I honestly haven't been using it that much. This summer, I haven't been to the Y, instead choosing to walk my dog -- and it's not a good idea to be doubly distracted (dog and music). However, I have been listening online to a couple of playlists from my Rhapsody account......

On "Playlist 1" we have.........

• "Lovefool" (The Cardigans). Nice little infectious bright Europop from the late 90s. I enjoy it. Can't say why, but I do.
• "Babylon Sisters" (Steely Dan). Hello? It's the Dan. That's reason enough. I like this song a lot -- can't explain why. I just do.
  
• "Hey Nineteen" (Steely Dan). See above.
• "Remind Me" (Royksopp). Don't know this one? Yeah, you do. Think the Geico commercial where the caveman is going down the autowalk at the airport and sees the large billboard. Nice Euro-electronica.
  
• "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows?" (Rolling Stones). Another that I don't know why I like it but I do.
• "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" (Hall & Oates). I love H&O. They're awesome. I could pretty much add most of their 80s hits to this list.
  
• "This Masquerade" (George Benson). George Benson is awesome, and so is this Leon Russell-penned song.
• "Late in the Evening" (Paul Simon). I like a lot of his solo work, and while the movie flopped (remember One-Trick Pony?), this song did not. At least not with me.
  
• "Sweet Baby" (Stanley Clarke & George Duke). A true gem from 1981 -- a sweet song, and one I could listen to over and over again.
• "It's All Over Now" (Rolling Stones). A damn fine song. I don't think it's played often enough as "Time Is On My Side" (which still creeps me out after seeing Fallen!). That's a shame..... this is a great kiss-off song.
  
• "Janie Runaway" (Steely Dan). A parent's worst nightmare of a song; but oh, that groove gets me.
  
• "Tumbling Dice" (Rolling Stones). From the great Exile on Main Street .... just fantastic.
• "Rise" (Herb Alpert). Yes, this was the song thumping in the background when Luke raped Laura on General Hospital. And yes, I probably should hate this song. Sue me; I love it.
• "Too Many People" (Paul McCartney). I just like it.
• "Hour Glass" (Squeeze). While "Tempted" is probably my favorite Squeeze song, this is another one I like.
• "C Moon" (Paul McCartney). Another one that I just like. There's a lot of Sir Paul's music that I like for no discernible reason.
  
• "Hi Hi Hi" (Paul McCartney). A rocking one from him ... wish he'd done more of these in his solo career and fewer, ....er, "Silly Love Songs."
• "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (Rolling Stones). You know dang well I love this song with a complete passion. You thought it wouldn't be on a list here? Please!
• "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" (Hall & Oates). Another one of their good underrated songs from the 80s.
• "Jet" (Wings). Another good Macca rocker. Again, wish he'd done a thousand of these.
• "New Frontier" (Donald Fagen). A fantastic song!!!! It has long been one of my favorites, and when we got our first camcorder (a HUGE honkin' thing), I did a "music video" -- set the tape of my family and our shenanigans to this song. It will always be one of my favorites.
• "Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes" (Paul Simon). Graceland was a fantastic album --- hard to believe it's now 20 years old!!!
• "Almost Gothic" (Steely Dan). Another great song from Two Against Nature (a great, great CD!)
• "Hard To Say I'm Sorry / Get Away" (Chicago). I truly couldn't care less about the first song. But I LOVE that coda ... the one they never play anymore. It doesn't fit in a "lite" format or a "Quiet Storm" evening show. Screw 'em all, it's the best part of the song.
  
• "Bicycle Race" (Queen). Why not? This was on someone's "Tour de France" playlist and I said, "Yeah! That works!"
  
• "Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof Off The Sucka)" (Parliament). The whole post below about "the van is back" has set off a vast need to hear this song, and as often as possible!
• "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East). Because they don't play it often enough and it's a great song!
• "South California Purples" (Chicago). Before they hit it big, they were a brass/jazz/rock fusion unit and actually had a little psychedelic edge to them .... give a listen to this, and then to "Wishing You Were Here." (Hard to believe it's the same group, huh?)
• "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" (The Dramatics). Fantastic 70s soul. Not enough of this anymore either....... :( Geez, that seems to be a running theme here....
  
• "I.G.Y" (Donald Fagen). I so loved this song back in '82. I so love The Nightfly. It makes me wish for the vibe of the late 50s/early 60s and that optimism that young adults must have felt even in the height of the Cold War. I picture the early days of Kennedy's Camelot. Makes me long for what might have been.
• "Break My Stride" (Matthew Wilder). Ahhh...... good memories of being an 80s kid.
• "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel). A great song that almost makes me want to go there. Not necessarily to live, but to at least visit for a while.
  
• "Running on Faith" (Eric Clapton). A wonderful song, and almost prayer-like. At least I could turn it into one. I love it immensely.
• "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" (Billy Joel). This is the Songs in the Attic version, because it's the one I know and love best. Hard to believe 2017 is only 10 years off, too. ZOIKS!
  
• "Reflections of My Life" (Marmalade). 70s whiny music at its zenith/nadir. I don't care. I like the Hollies-like harmonies (and melody, for that matter). That's something sorely missing these days -- truly tight harmonies.
  
• "Tight Rope" (Leon Russell). Great singer/songwriter who doesn't get nearly the popular credit he deserves.
  
• "Dark Star" (Crosby Stills & Nash). I didn't remember this when it was out the first time in the 70s. But one Sunday afternoon about 15 years ago, I was in a DEEEEEP nap with my radio on (big surprise there). I woke up and this song was playing. I just lay there, still trying to wake up and hearing the song, and thinking, "Wow! This is good." (I knew OF the song, but as I said, didn't really remember it). It's a favorite now.

I also have a 2nd playlist for when I need just some other music to hear:

• "Carry On" (Crosby Stills Nash & Young). One of my very favorites by them.
• "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (Neil Young). This song has become a favorite over the years, and it just touches a soft spot in my heart.
• "Up On Cripple Creek" (The Band). Can't be explained.... just one I enjoy!
• "Life Is A Highway" (Tom Cochrane). A great song from the early 90s, and It's a damn fine song, and I will sit at my desk and silently sing along every single time!
• "Lunatic Fringe" (Red Rider). I was in high school when this came out, and one of my classmates said something about Red Rider. I said, "Oh, the group that does 'Lunatic Fringe'?" His jaw dropped....... He didn't know that anyone else knew who they were. Ya know, I got a lot of that back then. I loved it then; I love it now. Oh yeah -- Great song, too.
• "Never Been Any Reason" (Head East). I told you they don't play this often enough!
• "MLK" (U2). I love it. Short, simple, prayerful, peaceful. Dr. King would probably have enjoyed it too.
• "One Particular Harbour" (Jimmy Buffett). I love this song. I will not try to dissect why, I will just enjoy it. And dream of the day I can head to my own particular harbour.
  
• "After the Gold Rush" (Neil Young). Not much has changed in 35+ years, has it? Mother Nature is still on the run......
• "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" (Digable Planets). HA!!!!!!! Threw you a curve, didn't I? A great song, and I wish they'd done more like this!
• "The Shape I'm In" (The Band). They were "Americana" before that became a genre, and was just played on regular radio. I miss those days.
• "If You Want To Get to Heaven" (Ozark Mountain Daredevils). You really do have to raise a little hell.......
• "How Do I Make You" (Linda Ronstadt). It was panned as her attempt to appeal to a punk(er) audience -- I still like it.
• "Broken" (Angie Aparo). I got this song on a Joe Muggs compilation CD from Books-a-Million, and it was one of the ones I'd listen to most. Really good song!
• "22 Steps" (Andy Stochansky). Also from the Joe Muggs compilation, and another that seemed to get extra listens.
• "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)" (Neil Young). I like it better than "My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" ..... it has the angry energy that I think of when I think of Neil Young.
• "Heart of the Night" (Poco). One of my favorites by Poco.
  
• "A Pirate Looks At 40" (Jimmy Buffett). I've always loved this ...... and with 40 approaching faster than I'd like, I can relate. My true occupation's just not around (much) anymore, either........
  

What's on my MP3 player lately?

A few weeks back, I upgraded my music player from the Lyra to a newer MP3 player.... I couldn't resist the appeal of a 2GB player at roughly the same cost that I paid for the Lyra a year ago (with about 8 times the capacity too).

It came with 10 songs preloaded -- and I haven't learned yet how to remove them. They don't show up as files on my drive when I plug it in. They may be somehow ROM'med onto this thing. I'd give my eyeteeth to just move them off and listen to them later.

But here's my current group of songs. For those I've already listed in previous columns, I won't put in additional comments.

• (Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again -- LTD with Jeffrey Osborne
• (Get Up I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine -- James Brown
• A Man I'll Never Be -- Boston. I've had this one on there since Brad Delp's unfortunate passing, and the song has much more poignancy for me than it previously did. I guess we, the fans, all saw him as a man he felt he could never be ... so very sad. But I liked this song before then, and that's why it's on here.
• Ah! Leah! -- Donnie Iris
• Alive & Kicking -- Simple Minds
• Are You Experienced? -- Jimi Hendrix. Because quite honestly, sometimes you just need a little surreal psychedelia to make your day complete. Getting it out of the way early on the treadmill helps!
• Baker Street -- Gerry Rafferty. Have always liked this song. Odd choice to have, but it works for me.
• Bitch -- Rolling Stones.
• Boogie Wonderland -- Earth Wind and Fire.
• Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train -- The Tractors.
• Cool the Engines -- Boston.
• Cradle of Love -- Billy Idol.
• Dancing in the Moonlight -- King Harvest. A great song, full of wonder and magic and lightness of heart. Great for Mondays!
• Dazz -- Brick.
• Deeper and Deeper -- The Fixx.
• Dixie Chicken -- Little Feat. Give me one reason NOT to have this on here. I'll politely listen to the suggestion, but I offer no guarantees.
  
• Eruption/You Really Got Me -- Van Halen.
• Every Little Thing -- Carlene Carter. During the early 90s when I listened primarily to country, I liked her music. Her family connections just added to it. This one was a favorite -- upbeat, playful, and fun. At the time, it had some personal significance (especially the line, "I love you so much I hate you"). Sometimes a song work for reasons only you yourself can understand; this is one of them.
  
• Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic -- The Police. 26 years since its release, and it's still one of the best pop songs ever. Ever. Ever. It never sounds dated or old to me. Brings a smile to my face, and that's reason enough for its inclusion here.
• Far Cry -- Rush. Their new one. Two words: kicks ass.
  
• Gemini Dream -- The Moody Blues.
• Go Faster -- The Black Crowes.
• Hair of the Dog -- Nazareth.
• Hearts on Fire -- Randy Meisner. Another one that works for me. Don't know why, and I'm not going to analyze it.
  
• Home and Dry -- Gerry Rafferty. I like Gerry Rafferty's music. This one might not have been quite as big or well-known as "Baker Street" (like who doesn't know that sax solo?), but I loved it back then. And now.
• I Feel Free -- Cream.
• Invisible -- Alison Moyet. Ah yes, one from my days when my world revolved around MTV. They were touting her as one of the biggest things coming out of the UK, and she was going to make a huge splash here in the States. Naturally, as was often the case with them, their prediction flopped. But this was a great song. A great vocal with raw power and emotion. There's a great internet station I listen to out of Canada, and they play it a good bit. So I found it online, bought it, and have enjoyed it ever since.
• It's In The Way That You Use It -- Eric Clapton. Clapton is God. And in 1986, so was Tom Cruise as far as this teen girl was concerned. The Color of Money. Great song that has stood the test of time.
  
• Jailbreak -- Thin Lizzy. I mentioned on another post somewhere that this one had been in my brain for a while and I've even skipped other songs just to get to this one in my workouts. A great song.
  
• James Dean -- The Eagles.
• Jealous Again -- The Black Crowes.
• Leave It -- Yes. A fantastic song. It works for me.
• Let Me Love You Tonight -- Pure Prairie League. A great shuffle beat, kind of reminiscent of beach music. And I love Vince Gill, who does lead on this, and then went on to a big career in country. Another one of those '70s Summer Songs that make me happy.
• Lights Out -- Peter Wolf.
• Love Will Find A Way -- Pablo Cruise. Pablo Cruise -- one of the great underrated bands of the 70s and early 80s. And I loved this song.
• Midnight At The Oasis -- Maria Muldaur. Because everyone deserves at least one Guilty Pleasure Song.
• New York Groove -- Ace Frehley.
• Oh Yeah -- Yello. Every righteous dude and dudette needs this song for a workout.
  
• On and On -- Stephen Bishop. Another GP song. And works well for a cooldown song.
  
• O-o-h Child -- The Five Stairsteps. A completely beautiful song, and if I need a pick-me-up, there it is. And surprisingly it works well sometimes in the middle of a workout.
• Peace Frog -- The Doors.
• Radioactive -- The Firm.
• Redneck Friend -- Jackson Browne. It's a great song. What can I say?
• Remedy -- The Black Crowes.
• Renegade -- Styx. Great beat, and I love it.
• Rock the Casbah -- The Clash. It just flippin' rocks.
• Rock You Like A Hurricane -- The Scorpions
• Rocky Mountain Way -- Joe Walsh. You can't see me but my head is bobbing to this song and I'm doing the (supposed) devil sign (you know, pinky finger and index finger, with middle two against the palm. When I saw the Eagles in concert years ago, I went in an Eagles fan, and came out a Joe Walsh fan too. He just rocks.
• Romeo's Tune -- Steve Forbert.
• Running on Empty -- Jackson Browne.
• Sexyback -- Justin Timberlake. I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault... but I love the beat. I shall pray 50 Hail Marys each day for 50 days for such a transgression.
• Shining Star -- Earth Wind and Fire.
• Sir Duke -- Stevie Wonder.
• Smoking Gun -- Robert Cray. I have always loved this song. So I figured why not put it here?
• Stone in Love -- Journey. Why this one wasn't on their Greatest Hits album, I will never understand. This song kicks!
• Stuck In the Middle With You -- Stealers Wheel.
• The Boys Are Back In Town -- Thin Lizzy.
• The Other Side -- Aerosmith.
• Tom Sawyer -- Rush. Because Rush flippin' rocks, and so does this song!
• Vehicle -- The Ides of March. Because I felt like it. Because the song rocks, 37 years later. Because Stone Cold said so.
• War -- Edwin Starr. Because sometimes you have to have a song to get your brain and emotions and heart fired up.
• Well All Right -- Blind Faith.
• Werewolves of London -- Warren Zevon. What can I say? I love this song, and I think I was on a Color of Money soundtrack kick.
• Whatcha Gonna Do -- Pablo Cruise. See "Love Will Find A Way."
• Whatever Gets You Through the Night -- John Lennon
• Who Will You Run To? -- Heart. Another that makes perfect sense to me, even if it doesn't make any sense to anyone else.
• Winning -- Santana.

So that's it. That's the list.