a playlist for hustla's

My driving record is not very exemplary... actually, its kinda bad.  In the last three or four years, I've had no problems, but prior, there have been a few tickets here and there.

Maybe it was this post's content's fault.  Today, on The Facebooky Thing, I got a challenge to list my favorite "Hustle Songs"... meaning, what songs pump me up and get me moving? 

Well, when I'm writing or Pixie-deep in Magical planning and training, I seldom listen to anything, or might have some random music playing, but its more of a distraction... but when I'm working out, or running, or both (and yes, I'm starting to do this)... or when I'm in The Cabana, getting my de-clutter on in the garage or the back junk bedroom, I do have a list of music that I stinkin' love... fast paced, loud music that makes me drive fast and work hard. 

(Disclaimer... I am by no means telling you to buy these songs.  I like them, some for the songs themselves, some for the purposes of this entire post... so please do not download a hip hop song and then be offended when Luda tells you he wants to give you a hicky.)

So, here are 21 of my favorite Drive Fast Ger 'Er Done tunes...

"Bombs Over Baghdad" by OutKast... 1... 2.. 1 2 3 yeah... I love OutKast, I think Andre3000 is fantastic, and I love the Big Boi line "Have you evah seen a pimp rocka micrah-fone..."  I also love the fact his name is Big Boi... Avril Lavigne tried to use "Boi" in a title (Sk8tr Boi) and it failed miserably.  You have to be ubercool to pull off Boi, and few of us can. From the album "Stankonia"

"Heavy" by Collective Soul... I like the split audio at the beginning, so when it comes on, I hear it first in my left ear, then my right, then my left, then my right... Not a great song, but nice and loud and kinda cool.  From the album "Seven Year Itch: Greatest Hits"

"La Grange" by ZZ Top... Made famous in many movies, most notably the training scene in "Armageddon", its just cool... great guitar, great tune.  Sure, the lyrics are strange, but are fun to imitate anyway.  From the 1973 album "Tres Hombres"

"Calling Baton Rouge" by Garth Brooks... From the album "In Pieces", its a remake of the classic Oak Ridge Boys song... and only my favorite country song, ever.  I know its a remake, but its loud, and I have to sing it as such... "OOOOOOOPERATOR WON'T YOU GET ME ON THROUGH GOTTA SEND MY LOVE DOWN TO BATON ROUGE HURRY UP WON'T YOU PUT HER ON THE LINE GOTTA TALK TO MY BABY ONE MORE TIME...

WHOA OH OH... SWEET BATON ROUGE...

(in fact, I'm going to listen to it right stinkin' now)

"Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson... from one of my top 20 albums of all time, "Rhythm Nation 1814", this is a funky beat of love, missing someone and awesome.  Just as an aside, "Love Will Never Do (without you)" is by far my favorite Janet Jackson song, and I can run to it too... but it wouldn't really qualify for an open list such as this one. 



"Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls... I looked at these lyrics not too long ago... think song might be a little more innuendous that I thought.  I don't care, its still one of the most fun songs I've ever heard... From one of my Top 50 albums all time, "Dizzy Up the Girl"

"Crazy On You" by Heart... Oh, that Ann and Nancy Wilson.  This, along with "Barricuda" and "Magic Man" make up my Heart 70s Trifecta, and "Crazy on You" is the one that gets the slight nod... so good.  From their 1976 debut album, "Dreamboat Annie"  (incidentally, this song was actually their first single ever)

"Sin Wagon" by The Dixie Chicks... Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  Absolutely yes.  Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, give me more of that 12oz nutrition.. though, I mean, I don't know what she's talking about.  Mattress dancing?  Must be bed seizures.  Yeah, that's it.  Also, the banjo pickin in this absolutely rules.  From one of my Top 10 Albums of All time, "Fly"

The cover of the cassette single that kept me hearing--and singing--this
song for a decade or more.  And I still don't really know all the lyrics,
or at least all the right lyrics.  I kinda make 'em up.

"Real Love" by Mary J. Blige...  Probably not as loud and fast paced as the other songs on this list, but I carry a special affection for it from high school... bought the cassette single, learned every word and would walk the halls of Samson High School singing it.  The folk of the not my color would always laugh at me.  And then join in.  What can I say, I'm diverse.  From the 1992 album, "Whats the 411?"

"When I Looked At Him" by Expose. Not a workout song. Not a drive fast song. Just the song that's on my iPod at this second, and I'm quietly singing along. Just worth mentioning.  From the 1989 album "What You Don't Know"

"Some Kind of Zombie" by Audio Adrenaline... When then-lead singer's family did missions in Haiti when he was younger, they experienced the voodoo doctors that you often hear about in that area of the world.  He said they would make these potions in an attempt to make the dead move, becoming slaves to their masters, zombies.  And this song makes that comparison to our Walk... becoming slaves, zombies for Christ, ready to do His will upon command, without even thinking about it.  And this song is loud and strong and cool.  From the album of the same name.

"Stand Up" by Ludacris... if you choose to download this song, please, please, PAH-LEEZE go for the edited version.  Do NOT get the album version.  Edited.  I beg of you.  You know what, forget this one, and let's move on.  From the hilariously titled album "Chicken-n-Beer"

"You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift... Driving to my house in the middle of the night I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you about to cry I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams I think I know where you belong I think oh its with me...



If you want to know the truth, this video depicts EXACTLY how The Lovely Steph Leann and I got together. 

Hey.
Don't judge.
I frickin' love this song, her "Fearless" album and this video.

"Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley... Everyone likes this song.  Why wouldn't you?  Cee Lo Green at his best, with Danger Mouse (who decides thats a good name?  And yet, it works!!)... the album, "St Elsewhere" isn't all that great, but this song is amazing.

"Yeah!" by Usher, feat (Lil' Jon with Ludacris)... This one of those songs (YEA-AH) that will be around forever (OH-KAAAY), due not only to its (WHAT!?) infections (WHAT!?) groove from the very beginning, its (OH-KAAY) got catchy lyrics, even if all you can sing is YEA-AH.   Its also good to go into the gym and say, "Watch out my outfit's ridiculous in the gym looking so conspicuous..."  From his album "Confessions"

"Two Tickets to Paradise" by Eddie Money... A little softer (but not by much) but a 70s classic and sa staple in my Top 50 Most Played on my iPod... and its easy to learn and sing along to, which is important when you are running and focusing.  From the 1977 album "Eddie Money"

"Shakedown" by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band... There's a more than good chance that most of you will have never even heard of this song.  From the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, its one of Bob Seger's last big hits, and its a doozy... its catchy, its fast, its full of electric guitar and 80s synth sound and yes, you will want to drive fast. 

"Fergalicious" by Fergie... Hey, we said we weren't going to judge, remember?  I mean, its not like I own her dumb CD, right, especially not the enhanced version with videos and extra tracks?  (whistles, looks away)

"A World Away" by Avalon... No, that's not a typo. From one of my Top 30 albums of all time, "A Maze of Grace", CCM group Avalon and their song about where we were in Christ, and where we are now... I love love love this song, because it speaks to me.  And for whatever reason, I love this song on my iPod when I'm on the move.  Like, I'm listening to it right now, and its awesome.  And it also helps make up for...



"Right Round" by Flo Rida... Though I've never actually heard anything else from his album "R.O.O.T.S.", (which I just found out stands for "route of overcoming the struggle... I wonder how long they spent on that acronym), I really dig this song.. mostly because he discusses "My Perelli's on hold", which is a pretty big endorsement to the high priced tire company, and then later he talks about his quantity of $100 bills, aka, "Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lins".  That makes me happy.  If I get rich, I'm going to go into church, with a stack of $100 and make it rain, singing about my "Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lins".  I had a Ben-ja-min Frank-ah-lin once.  I miss it.  Where were we?

At what point do I start really considering that one day, Campbell Isaiah will read some of this, possibly take my recommendations and load up Flo Rida on his own iPhonepodtouch 7.0 thing?  Hmm... let's not ask such uncomfortable questions right now, okay? Good.

"Basic Instructions" by Burlap to Cashmere... I almost finished this post, and realized I had not mentioned this tune... holy jeebers this song is great.  Make sure, though, you get the live version from the EP "Live at the Bitter End".  The album version is okay, but the live version is where.its.at... so musically talented, these guys were.  Are.  Am.  Right?  Right!

"Everything Zen" by Bush... Perhaps my favorite drive-fast song of all time.  Starts out strong, continues and finishes even stronger, with reference to Elvis, sex, violence, sex in your violence (and the fact there is none) and "my (expletive deleted) brother."  d$ digs it.  From the album "Sixteen Stone"

 Quick honorable mentions... I've said this before online, but it's worth repeating--two movie themes that I think are awesome include "Gonna Fly Now (Rocky's theme)" from Rocky, and "The Gael", which is the ending song from "The Last of the Mohicans".  Also, "Duel of the Fates" by John Williams, from "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace", but you really want the version with the dialogue. That makes it cool. 

So there ya go.  There is a  whole host of songs I could have put on this list, most notably "Learn to Fly" by The Foo Fighters, which was on this list but came off at the very last minute to make it a nice, even list of 21, and I certainly am not going to mention Big Punisher (ft Fat Joe) and their song "Don't Wanna Be a Playa"

What do you think?  What are some of your drive fast, getcha moving songs? 

(15,101 words written in #500Word Challenge... 4899 to go in #20KWordsinJanuary)

A Quiet Time with a Man of God

What a gorgeous day. You know how sometimes you want to roll the window down, feel the air coming in as you drive, but either its a bit too chilly, or its just too hot, even traveling at 40, 50+ miles per hour, so you end up rolling the window back up, and you have to pipe down the radio, because you had it blaring--blaring out because your windows were down, right?

Today was the kind of day that you could roll down the window and drive, the air felt treeeeemendously awesome and the CD playing could blast away. My CD of choice? "Cracked Rear View" by Hootie & the Blowfish. Normally, I use my iPod, but with the car dock, sometimes its all staticky, and I wanted to feel the air rushing around my head, even in my ears, so I had to dispense with the earbuds...

Hence, an actual CD in my car stereo. And you can't go wrong with "Cracked Rear View", by far and away their best CD of the band's career.

The latest stop on my Reunion Lunch Tour had me meeting for lunch with Barrow, a friend from the old days at Troy that I hadn't seen in at least 10 years. Very good to see Barrow, though next time I have a reunion lunch--or any kind for that matter--its gotta be somewhere different than Chick-fila. Had it like, three times in the last four days. Too much.

Had to stop for gas, as Toni Rocki Honda was gasping for fuel, then stopped off at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) to run up to the theater and pick up a suitcase I left backstage. I was using the suitcase as a prop on Sunday morning's KidStuf performance, another one that we thought would be an unmitigated disaster, but came off extremely well... actually, I worry more about those KidStuf Sundays when everything seems perfect.

The Funniest Man of 2008, Rhett Barnett, and I joked on Sunday that when its perfect, it almost feels as if we're too arrogant, and God puts us back in our place. When we royally screw it up over and over, its as if God steps in and says, "Oh my Me, you guys just need to back up and let me handle this. Geez. Want something done, gotta do it Myself".

Stopped off at the Hoover Public Library to tour the audio books, which they've expanded (still didn't find much of anything good at the time) and the CDs (which they are currently removing for a few weeks to sift through, get rid of old ones and put new ones in the selection). I did pick up a copy of Natalie Grant's new CD, as well as one from Third Day, so we'll see what it looks like.

By the time I had pulled out of the parking lot, the Hootie CD had run its course, so I had change out the music... I was disappointed to learn that I had not put in "The Globe Sessions" by Sheryl Crow in my CD wallet, so I settled for "Sheryl Crow" by Sheryl Crow, which made for another good driving CD.

Took a trip to Starbucks on 119, my current store to pick up my tips, saw my friend MZ and also Lil Sister Ashley, so I conversed with both of them. Got my tip money from last week, and then finally headed to my final destination before coming back to The Cabana... Veteran's Park, where I planned on having a good ol' fashioned quiet time. Though they aren't nearly as frequent as they should be, they are getting more frequent now as time goes by. My prayer of "Help me need a quiet time" has been coming truthful, as I actually want to have one. Strange, I know.


The scene from where I sat at Veteran's Park. Life rocks. Except for the pollen that is now embedded in my Word Sheath, all things are great.


Also came up Paulie Walnuts and his wife, Sammi C, as they were picnicking with Baby Cate on this wonderful Spring day.

I flipped through Luke 23, as directed by my Sunday Scho.... er, Life Connection book that we've going through, but found myself on Psalm 40:

I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God. -- vs. 1-3, so sayeth The Message

Love it. David knew he was writing for readability, so he broke up Psalm 40 into sections, much like most of the Psalms are, and so it might be nice to take a few verses at a time over a couple of days.

Also, while listening to the iPod on a playlist called "Open Me Up" name for a song by Watermark, one of my favorite bands, a gem came up that, had I an iPod and play count capability in 1997, I would imagine that this song would have had a couple of dozen plays... "Man of God" by Audio Adrenaline, off of the forgotten but much loved "Bloom" album. While its true that I think the band peaked with "Underdog", the aforementioned "Bloom" was great.

Here's my take on Audio Adrenaline... the first CD was just silly. Its kinda like dcTalk's first CD, or their second, "Nu Thang", with the immortal classic "I Luv Rap Music". Shoot me. The second, "Don't Censor Me" was good... it wasn't great, but it was good. It features the oft recited and hand motioned "Big House", which can be annoying if you hear it more than twice in, I dunno, a year. Next was "Bloom", which like I said, was solid but not perfect. I think "Bloom" was the album the studio wanted them to make, and then they did "Some Kind of Zombie", which was excellent (you ever want to get a party going, pop in the title track, or "Blitz", their collaboration with The O.C. Supertones)... but it was like, they wanted to make something more rockin' than the previous stuff, so they overcompensated on the rock effect with "Zombie"... don't get me wrong, its a great CD, but they went from one extreme to the other.

"Underdog" got it right. The fine balance between rock, pop and just a little grunge with some Holy Spirit mixed in all of it was just perfect. Loved that CD, probably listened to it a dozen times or more in the first month it was out. The next several, like "Lift", "Worldwide" and "Until My Heart Caves In" all kind of sounded alike to me, though I'm probably going to give them all another try at some point.

Anyway, my point is I heard "Man of God" again for the first time in maybe five years... and its a great song...

Sometimes I'm a liar, sometimes I'm a fake, sometimes I'm a hypocrite that everybody hates.
Sometimes I'm a poet, sometimes I'm a preacher, sometimes I watch life go by sitting on the bleachers
But I've never been left alone in any problems that I've known
Even though I'M TO BLAME (blog authors emphasis)
There were times when things were dark and I've been known to miss the mark
But Someone fixed my aim

Sometimes I'm a Man of God
Sometimes I'm alright
Sometimes I lay down and close my eyes and pray to God...

Sometimes I don't feel good, its hard to start the day, its hard to climb the obsticles that sometimes come my way
If I make it, I'm a good man. Am I a bad man if I fail?
I know I'm never good enough, so I left GRACE PREVAIL (blog authors emphasis, again)
I've never been left alone in any problem that I've known
Even though I'm to blame
There were times when things were dark and I've been known to miss the mark
But Someone fixed my aim

Sometimes I'm a Man of God
Sometimes I'm alright
Sometimes I lay down and close my eyes and pray to God... I'm ready for the night

Right now I'm alright, right now I'm alright, sometimes I'm alright
I'm alright, I'm alright, thank God, thank God

Cause sometimes I'm a Man of God
Sometimes I'm alright
And sometimes I lay down and close my eyes and pray to God...


The song plays over a screenshot of "Hit Parade", one of their greatest hits compilations.

Alright... its almost 5pm. I'm going to go enjoy the rest of my day off, the day that He tossed at us to take delight in. Cause that's how He rolls. Idol results tonight.

Heard It From a Friend Who...

You know the feeling.

It's late, or maybe early. You haven't slept much, or perhaps you just woke up. Either way, your eyelids are heavy, your head feels like a one-ton weight, and at any moment, you get the sense you could just lay over and fall right asleep where you are.

But you can't. Because inches in front of you is the steering wheel. Your hands are on it. Your feet are on the pedals, or close to them if you have the cruise control. You are tired, you are sleepy and you are driving.

Its time for the driving anthems. Lean over, grab that CD, or maybe that iPod, or even that cassette tape you bought at Wal-Mart for $3.99 in the big wire rack. You know, the tape that says R-E-O on it.

The guitar strums, then...

"...heard it from a friend who... heard it from a friend who... heard it from another you been messin' around..."

Some of you are smiling right now, because know exactly what I'm talking about. Its not just the wagon, its the Speedwagon. The REO Speedwagon (and for those of you 20 and under, its not "Oreo" or "Rio", its pronounced like its spelled.. Are-Eee-Oh)

"Take it on the run baby, if thats' the way you want it baby, then I don't want you around. I don't believe it... not for a minute... your under the gun so you take it on the run..."

Some music isn't about whether its good or not... some music is just fun. Some music is made to be sung loudly, off key, and to have the entire room--or car--singing with you.

I had to make several trips last week on the road (hence no posts until today). I drove from my apartment to the Birmingham International Airport and Dance Club, picked up family, drove three hours to Dothan Alabama, stayed 45 minutes, then drove back to my apartment. All in one night. Left our door around 620pm. Got back around 3am. Yawn.

On the way back, I could tell The Lovely Steph Leann was dying to go to sleep. She wanted to lay her head back and just doze soooo badly, but she didn't. She stayed awake, talking to me, making sure I was okay as I drove. I had actually opened the store that morning, so I had been up since 4:30 that morning, so for me, it was a 23 hour day. "23 hours? Please. I stay up that late". Well, try running a Starbucks for nine hours, getting home, eating, cleaning up the apartment, then spending 7 of the next 9 hours driving.

To stay awake, I put the iPod on the dock in the car, and turned on "Steph's Playlist", which is a list that I created that includes all the stuff that we both like, including some Broadway, some country, mostly soft rock, pop and Christian... no hip hop (which I like) and no Barbra (which she likes). And REO Speedwagon's "Take It On the Run" came on. Within the first verse, we were both singing along, and by the second verse, we were both singing loudly. How can you not?

Some of you--Paula, NYC Jenni, perhaps Wendi Miller--are humming the tune to yourself right now, I'll bet.

That got me to thinking... anthem songs. Songs that make you sing them loudly. I think there are some, like "Take It On the Run" that are universal. There are probably some that are individual. What makes an anthem song for me is this:

1) You know all the words. You have to be able to sing along to it. This pretty much takes out "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard... most people only know a few phrases... "you got the peaches, I got the cream... um... take sugar, one lump or two?" This also excludes "Hip Hop Hooray", because lets face it, the only words anyone besides Treach knows to that song are "hip", "hooray" and "hop".

2) Has to be a fun song. Nothing too serious. This takes out everything Seal, Sting or The Police.

3) "Anthem" does not mean your own personal soundtrack... "anthem" means it loud, its stadium worthy. This eliminates most Christian music

4) When caught singing it, most people won't make fun of you, they'll probably sing along. This cuts out most boy bands from recent years, though "Hangin' Tough" might get you some people singing... the words are obscure on that one, though (see Rule 1)

5) Has to be family friendly, at least to a point. At some parties I'm sure busting up with "Pop That Cootchie" from 2 Live Crew might make some people dance, but this isn't something you'll want to be singing at a church outing. So, this does cut out most hip-hop and rap, though "Baby Got Back" might be an exception. This might exclude Prince, though you have to determine if "Little Red Corvette" is appropriate for your audience, or if you are Paula Maddox.

Besides "Take It On the Run", here's what I came up with, for me at least...

"Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
Kinda the same sound, but different. "And I meant every word I said, when I said that I loved you, I meant that I'll love you forever... I'm gonna keep on loving you... cause its the only thing I wanna do... I don't wanna sleep... I just wanna keep on lovin' you" If Steph ever said that to me, I'll know she's hard core faithful, because she loves to sleep. No joke.

"Makin' Love Out of Nothing at All" by Air Supply
This song is really stupid, when you really pay attention to it. Its 4 minutes and 51 secondsof the pansiest, wussiest love song you'll ever hear... and its great. He's singing all these things he knows how to do, like whisper, cry, find the answers, lie, fake it, scheme, face the truth, dream, where to touch you, when to pull you closer and when to let you loose. He's never gonna tell you everything he's gotta tell you but he knows he's gotta give it a try. BUT... but... he don't know how you do it, making love out of nothing at all.
When the first verse is over, that's when the singalong begins. Then, when the instrumental is over, oh boy, let's go crazy... "I can make the runner stumble, I can make the flying block, I can make every tackle at the sound of the whistle, I can make all the stadiums rock!" Yes, this is a love song, not a cheerleading choir.

"Separate Ways" by Journey
Conventional wisdom will tell you that "Don't Stop Believin" is the way to go here, but for my money, there are few song openings better than the keyboards that start "Separate Ways". Steve Perry is in all his "I'm trying to be bada** gangsta, but we all know I'm not" glory. For the longest time, though, when he sings "Here we stand, worlds apart, hearts are broken in two", I thought he said "Here we stand, Rosa Parks broken in two", and I could never figure out why the civil rights pioneer was mentioned in a Journey song. "Someday love will find you, break those chains that bind you, one night will remind you, howe touched and went our separate ways... if he ever hurts you, true love won't desert you, you know I still love you, though we touched and went our separate ways!"

"I'll Be There For You" by Bon Jovi
A charter member in the "Stephanie Firth Club", Jon Bon Jovi sings this anthem and I immediately go back to 8th grade when the most beautiful girls in the world were Claudia Sorrells and Nicki Vann, and my biggest problems were that I ran for student council and lost. Again. (never fear, I won 4 years running starting in 9th grade)
"Baby you know my hands are dirty (woman, you know my hands are dirty), but I wanted to be your valentine, I'll be the water when you get thirsty baby, when you get drunk I'll be the wine..."

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
How can you go wrong with this one? I mean, its one of those songs that if someone asked you how the second verse started, you'd have to go through the whole song to get to it... if its the regular boring radio version, its "every now and then I know you'll never be the boy you always wanted to be ". If its the true, full version, its "every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild"
We did a drama to music to this a few years ago. It was interesting... not sure I'll ever do it again, but I thought it was awesome. I love how Bonnie screams "WE'RE LIVING IN A POWDER KEG AND GIVING OFF SPARKS!!!" and two lines later, she's lightly singing "...nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heart". And the big bass drums in the instrumental... just cool.

"Fergilicious" by Fergie
Just kidding, just kidding. Wanted to see if you were still with me.

"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men
Unfortunately, we just don't hear the Boyz anymore. Obviously, they aren't on mainstream pop radio now, but even on our soft rock stations that play classic Bryan Adams and Phil Collins and old Sheryl Crow, no Boyz. Its a shame, really, because they had a good thing going for a while.
My favorite B2M is "Motownphilly", which is probably the same for most, but 90% of you don't know the words to "Motownphilly"... but you do know the words to "End of the Road". It was the class song for the Samson High Class of 94 (mine was "Its So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" in 93... a B2M song about death, followed up by a B2M song about a broken heart. Go Tigers!)
What's interesting about the Boyz is they started the deep voiceover trend... you konw, instead of a bridge, its Nate, Mike, Shawn or Wanya, whichever has the deep voice, talking, saying "baby, I love you baby, come back to me, I'm sorry baby, etc". They did this on most of their stuff, including "Water Runs Dry" and "On Bended Knee", and the trend carried onto Boyz II Men wannabes like 4P.M. and All-4-One.

Other Anthems That Probably Only Me Appreciate:
"Say Say Say" by Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
"Sweet Child O'Mine" by Guns N Roses
"Blaze of Glory" by Jon Bon Jovi
"The Longest Time" by Billy Joel
"When Doves Cry" by Prince & the Revolution
"Sin Wagon" by The Dixie Chicks

I am leaving out a bunch of stuff. Later today, perhaps five minutes after I post this, I'll think of four songs that should have made this list... and hopefully, you'll comment and tell me what either keeps you awake or just makes you happy to sing loudly and shamelessly.

Until then, just one command... Turn around bright eyes. Turn around.

ps... as I was posting this, I randomly turned on Oasis and started belting out "how many special people change, how many lives are living strange, where were you while we were getting high?" at the top of my lungs. Sigh. I love music.