marimbadog

Way back in December, I had started to make a Top 25 Favorite 2007 CDs list, but I didn't finish it. It seems pointless to try to figure that all out now, so instead I thought I'd post the playlist for a four disc compilation of 2007 music that I completed earlier this week. This will give you just as much insight (maybe more) into the music that enjoyed last year as my forever-to-be-incomplete list would.


2007-Disc 1

1. "Theme from The Simpsons-Green Day. Green Day was meant to record this particular tune at some point in their careers.
2. "Lip Gloss"-Lil Mama. As I mentioned in my Top 25 entry, our family music listening this summer was very much affected by a 20-song "Summer 2007" mix that Philadelphia Inquirer music critic Dan DeLuca published. I did indeed download his entire mix and, while I didn't listen to it obsessively, many of the songs did sink in and will indeed be songs that come immediately to mind when I think about last summer, "Lip Gloss," being the most prominent. In fact, if by the term "song of the year," can be defined as a song that a) just gets into your ears, enters your blood system and then just never leaves your body; b) has lyrics that are perhaps somewhat inane but that inspire long and goofy discussions that touch on all manner of sociolgical and cultural topics; c) inspires a roomful of nine- and ten-year-old boys to hop crazily around your living room; d) all of the above and probably more; then clearly "Lip Gloss" is my song of the year. In the words of Lil Mama herself, when it comes to "Lip Gloss," I be lovin' it.
3. "Nobody Likes a Winner"-Breakup Society. Leadoff and title track from brand new (as of November) second album by The Breakup Society, one of my favorite bands. The album is a worthy follow-up to James at 35. I'll be writing much more about this CD soon.
4. "The Mesopotamians"-They Might Be Giants. I would imagine right at this moment, TMBG could be getting the most airplay of their career in the form of the "I'm Freezing at Pee Wee Hockey" Duncan Donuts commercial. But this excellent song about, well, about the Mesopotamians, is from their 2007 album, The Else. This song is a nice companion piece to "Mesopotamia" by the B-52s.
5. "This Is For Real"-Motion City Soundtrack. Never let it be said that Livejournal isn't a force for music sales: I picked up a bunch of CDs over Christmas that I had read about in starpush's 2007 Top 20 list. This slice of power pop heaven was one of them.
6. "Tell Me"-Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. Retro soul, but without the musty whiff of nostalgia that sometimes accompanies artists who deliberately try to sound like they were recording 40 years ago. Having said that, this particular song does have me imagining what it might have sounded like if the session musicians at Detroit's Motown had spent any time recording down at Stax Studios in Memphis.
7. "Girls In Their Summer Clothes"-Bruce Springsteen. Just got Magic for Christmas, but I've already listened to it a bunch of times. Here, Bruce is getting in touch with both his inner Phil Spector and his secret Brian Wilson.
8. Whine It Up-Kat DeLuna featuring Elephant Man. This one would have totally passed me by if it had not been one of the theme songs for the WWE's Summer Slam event. Therefore it came to Jimmy's attention and, ultimately, mine. Honestly, my life wouldn't have been much different had I not heard it, but someday years from now I'll hear it and remember how Jimmy's friend Chaz danced around our family room to it and I'll laugh.
9. "#9 Dream"-R.E.M. Excellent choice for R.E.M. to cover on a John Lennon compilation. Plus, that's Billy Berry on drums, for the first time in many years.
10. "Wolverton Mountain"-Southern Culture on the Skids. A couple of the most fun albums of the year were covers collections, including Countrypolitan Favorites by S.C.O.T.S. This one will remind me of our car trip to Atlanta in late May.
11. "This Is The Way"-Rivers Cuomo. I gave Donna the Rivers Cuomo demo collection for Christmas. This is the one 2007 track on it.
12. "Keep The Car Running"-The Arcade Fire. A friend provided me with a copy of Neon Bible last spring and I wasn't necessarily blown away. I went back to it when I was working on the Top 25 list and liked it much more that I did originally. Especially this song and the other song that mentions cars in the title.
13. "Don't Stop Believin'"-Petra Haden. warmheartcold introduced me to this a capella version of Journey's immortal hit. Doesn't quite match the grandeur of the original, but, really what could? By the way, if I ever form a Journey cover band (hey it could happen), I think I might call "Midnite Train Goin' Anywhere."
14. "Throw It On Me"-Timbaland. Another Jimmy song. When asked if there was a WWE connection to this song, Jim crypically replied "Sort of..."
15. "Shut Up and Drive"-Rihanna. I really like Rihanna singles. They rock, in a Rihannaesque way.
16. "Tamatant Tilay"-Tinariwen.
17. "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)"-Robert Plant/Alison Krauss. Raising Sand isn't mentioned on the current incarnation of my Top 25 list, but it probably would have made Top Five, maybe Top Three. I'm thinking it will win the Album of the Year Grammy in 2009. (It was eligible for 2008, though this song, released ahead of the album, was and it did get nominated for an award.)
18. "The Fat Man"-Los Lobos. One of many excellent tracks on Goin' Home-A Tribute to Fats Domino. Is there anything Los Lobos can't do well?
19. "Crank That (Soulja Boy)"-Souljaboy Tell'Um. Yet another Jimmy-influenced choice. I have yet to learn the dance.
20. "Timebomb"-Beck. I believe this was just a one-off that Beck released late this summer, but it's a fun tune, just brimming with Beckness.
21. "Raise the Roof"-Tracey Thorn. A gentle but insistent dance song from half of Everything But the Girl.
22. "There's a Bright Side Somewhere"-Ry Cooder. The closing track from Cooder's conceptual album My Name Is Buddy. It's a long album, with a fairly involved story but, like most music Cooder makes, it's definitely worth the time.