Friday, December 07, 2007

Weekend Listomania (Special There is Nothing Like a Dame Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental manservant Hop-Sing and I are off to Hollywood, where we've been offered cameo roles in the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie. Apparently, we're going to be playing green Orion slave girls, which in the little yellow devil's case is apparently against his religion, so I may have to apply the lash.

In any case, posting by moi will be necessarily sporadic for a while.

But in my absence, here's a fun project for you all to contemplate:

Best Song With A Girl's Name in the Title!!!!!!
You know -- the catchiest, the best written, the most historically significant, the one that most reminds you of a girl you actually knew. However you define it.

[Oh, and BTW -- the word "girl" here is used in a deliberately anachronistic, ironic Sixties Pop-contextual way. Obviously, we know that these are all songs about strong, confident "women" who don't need men in their lives as anything other than large, hairy vibrators with lots of good attachments.]

In any case, my totally top of my head Top Ten would be....

10. (a tie) Four Seasons -- Marlena



and Suzanne Vega -- Marlena On the Wall



[The Four Seasons had lots of songs with girls names, but this one, while a tad obscure, is clearly the champ as Pure Pop. Those falsetto "roop-eee-doops" at the end are absolutely sublime, IMHO]

9.Leonard Cohen -- Suzanne



[Not my favorite song, but in honor of Hannukah....]

8. Ramones -- Sheena is a Punk Rocker



7. Elvis Costello -- Veronica



6. The Beach Boys -- Wendy



[Here's looking at you, Brooklyn Girl!]

5. Bob Dylan -- Visions of Johanna



4. The Hollies -- Carrie Anne



3. Aerosmith -- Janie's Got a Gun



2. Buddy Holly -- Peggy Sue



and my number one girl's name song is....

1. Fountains of Wayne -- Hey Julie



What can I say? This is the one that makes me cry...the guy in the song just loves her so much. More proof, if any is needed, that Adam Schlesinger is a fricking genius.

Okay -- what are your faves?

[Editor's Note: Steve called me from the set to let me know that because of all the Hollywood debauchery he was enjoying, he couldn't get to a computer to post his Weekly Listomania. Kid C.]

41 comments:

Cleveland Bob said...

Alison--Elvis Costello
Donna--Richie Valens
Julia--The Beatles
Valleri--The Monkees
Maureen--Fountains of Wayne
Gloria--Shadows of Night
Leah--Roy Orbison
Runaround Sue--Dion
Hello Mary Lou--Ricky Nelson

Anonymous said...

Alison - for me, too. First one that came to mind.
Eleanor Rigby - Beatles
Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground
Lola - Kinks
Layla _ Derek & the Dominos (i.e., Clapton)
Help Me, Rhonda - Beach Boys
Billie Jean - well????? Okay, it's Michael Jackson, but still ...
Maybelline- Chuck Berry
Rosalita - Bruce
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills & Nash

Kid Charlemagne said...

Off the top of me head:

The Spongetones - Anna
The Mice - Felicia
The Kinks - Victoria
The Who - Pictures of Lily
Pink Floyd - See Emily Play
Game Theory - Erica's Word
The Direct Hits - Modesty Blaise

Anonymous said...

The Rolling Stones - Angie

LSD said...

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
you can see why it's my personal fave

Anonymous said...

Gloria-Patti Smith

Julia-The Beatles

Cynthia Mask-Robyn Hitchcock

Walk Away Rene-Left Banke

Valerie - Amy Winehouse version (zutons orig)

Amelia-Joni Mitchell

Candy Says- Velvet Underground

I could do this all day, so I'll stop there.

Anonymous said...

I've got Sprinsteen on the brain this week...

Candy's Room

--whiskey girl

Anonymous said...

couple more...
For Emily- Simon &Garfunkle
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes- CS&N
Ruby Tuesday- Stones
Mona- Stones

Unknown said...

For sheer melodic beauty
The Everly Brothers: Cathy's Clown
And that would be
Van Morrison's Gloria a a a a

Anonymous said...

Peg - Steely Dan

Josie - Steely Dan

Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne

Carmelita - performed by Ronstadt, written by Zevon (which also could be one of the great drug songs from last week's list)

My Sharona - The Knack

And ... I hate to say it, considering Sting's being voted Worst Lyricist Ever, but:

Roxanne - The Police

p.s. I don't suppose Sugar Magnolia, Brown Sugar, or Bitch qualify as girl's names, do they?

Anonymous said...

Caroline, No - Beach Boys
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
One-Eyed Fiona - Lyle Lovett
Ariel - Dean Freidman
Jenny Jenny - Little Richard
Karen - Shoes (!!)
Carol - Chuck Berry
Claudette - Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers
Donna The Prima Donna - Dion
When Joanna Loved Me - Tony Bennett
Plaistow Patricia - Ian Dury (best opening line ever.)

Unknown said...

My Sharona - The Knack
That would belong on list Worst Songs With A Girl's Name in the Title!!!!!!

TMink said...

Some really great songs mentioned already, I especially appreciate Marlene Watches from the Wall, what a great song. It reminds me of Joni Mitchell's Shades of Scarlett Conquering, another great song.

As for Elvis, (glasses not toliet) I could add So Like Candy.

Trey

Anonymous said...

And let's not forget
My Maria - BW Stevenson
Valerie - Richard Thompson
Lady Madonna - The Beatles

and though it's far from one of their best

Julie's In The Drug Squad - The Clash

Anonymous said...

My Sharona - The Knack
That would belong on list Worst Songs With A Girl's Name in the Title!!!!!!


Oh, I think it's hysterically funny. And it was pretty influential when it came out.

Anonymous said...

Good call on Left Banke. Besides "Walk Away Renee, they were a veritable treasure trove of songs named after girls:

Desiree
Goodbye Holly
Myrah

Anonymous said...

dammit, you people sucked me back in:

Edith and the Kingpin-Joni Mitchell

The Green Pajamas also have many great girl name songs:
All Clues Lead to Megan's Bed
Christine Crystalline
Mary Ryan's Hair
Essence Of Carol
Dreams Of Rhonda
Matilda
and
Kim the Waitress

Anonymous said...

Victoria - Kinks
Aja - Steely Dan
Barbara Ann - Beach Boys
Caroline, No - ibid

Anonymous said...

Oops...I didn't see "Victoria" and "Caroline, No" had already been mentioned:

So let's replace them with:

"Martha My Dear" - Beatles (OK, so it's Paul's dog...) and
"She Sheila" - Producers

NYMary said...

Well, Mike mentioned Shoes' "Karen," and I'd also add "Oh, Angeline," from Silhouette.

Material Issue has several girls' name songs: "Valerie Loves Me," "Renee Remains the Same," "Li'l Christine" and "Diane" spring immediately to mind. And that's just International Pop Overthrow!

But (since I was just listening to it in the car) The Lolas "Little Deedra" is my fave right now.

Anonymous said...

Material Issue gives me great flashbacks to college

But Walk Away Renée wins the category, IHMO.

Anonymous said...

Material Issue, as you both prolly already know, also covered "Kim the Waitress"

MBowen said...

"Mavis of Maybelline Towers" by The Loud Family and Anton Barbeau, probably my favorite song from last year.

TMink said...

Candy-O - The Cars
Judy - The dB's
Is that you MoDean? B52's (a reach)
52 Girls - B52's(hee hee.)

Trey

TJWood said...

Some terrific choices here, Steve and fellow bloggers. I'll challenge myself to come up with ten worthy "girl name" songs that haven't been mentioned yet and hopefully won't be by the time I'm finished with this. In no particular order of preference, then:

The Wind Cries Mary--Jimi Hendrix

Sweet Virginia--I actually have two entries for this one: the first from the Rolling Stones, the second from Gomez. (They are two totally different songs, but I'll count them as only one entry

Rosalita--Bruce Springsteen

Michelle--The Beatles

Denise--Fountains of Wayne (can't believe this one hasn't been snapped up already, in fact had to go carefully through this blog multiple times to make sure it hadn't been)

Caroline Goodbye--Colin Blunstone

I Want to Help You, Ann--The Lyres

Sara--Bob Dylan

Nadine--Chuck Berry

Bernadette--The Four Tops

Anonymous said...

Sister Anne - MC5

Annie's Gone - Redd Kross

Anna - Arthur Alexander

Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - Procol Harum

Lazy Line Painter Jane - Belle & Sebastian

MBowen said...

Ten other greats that haven't been mentioned yet:

Janie Jones - The Clash

Wake Up, Dolores - Los Lobos

Denise - Randy & The Rainbows

Marie Provost - Nick Lowe

Some of Shelly's Blues - Mike Nesmith

The Best of Jill Hives - Guided By Voices

Maggie's Farm - Bob Dylan

Back In Judy's Jungle - Brian Eno

Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) - John Fred & The Playboy Band

Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy - Kid Creole & The Coconuts

steve simels said...


morbid puritan said...

Sister Anne - MC5

Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - Procol Harum


I love you...on several levels...
:-)

I'd also have to add...

Mink DeVille -- Rolene!!!!

I want to date a woman named Rolene...
:-)

steve simels said...

virgotex said...

Material Issue, as you both prolly already know, also covered "Kim the Waitress"


No one can save us...
:-)

steve simels said...

Gosh, I hate to say this but -- Adam Schlesinger is Al Jardine.

That's so not fair....
:-)

Feral said...

If I may add....

The Who - Mary Ann with the Shakey Hands

The Association - Along Came Mary

The Hollies - Carrie Ann

And who could forget...

Kiss - Beth

shrimplate said...

Judy in Disguise With glasses.

Two and a half million copies sold.

I was hooked on Steppenwolf and Johnny Winter back then, but now I know.

steve simels said...

I just knew somebody was gonna say "Beth."

I actually find it hard to believe that there are people out there whose nostalgia is Kiss.
:-)

Gary said...

"Elenore" - The Turtles
"Sweet Mary" - Wadsworth Mansion
"Love Grows (where my Rosemary goes)" - Edison Lighthouse

Anonymous said...

I can't let the posting here wind down without mentioning Blondie's Maria.

Slig said...

totally agree with these from above:

Suzanne Vega -- Marlena On the Wall
The Hollies -- Carrie Anne
The Who - Pictures of Lily
Game Theory - Erica's Word

Would add:

Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson - Candy
Talk Talk - Candy
Talk Talk - Does Caroline Know?
Talk Talk - Pictures Of Bernadette
Talk Talk - Renee
Concrete Blonde - Caroline

steve simels said...

Mike said...
I can't let the posting here wind down without mentioning Blondie's Maria.

12/09/2007 6:24 PM


I absolutely adore that song...

Anonymous said...

so many good ones already taken, but here goes-

annie - kirsty maccoll (the elastica song by that name ain't bad either)
angelyne - gary 'us' bonds (penned by the boss and highlighted by miami steve's turn at the mike)
frankie - bruce springsteen
barbara h., denise - fountains of wayne
oh yoko - john lennon
julia - the beatles (yes, used already, but it's my daughter's name)
rosemary rose - kinks
little bonnie - drive-by truckers
867-5309/jenny - tommy tutone
christine's tune - flying burrito brothers
amoreena - elton john

Anonymous said...

Primus - Wynona's Big Brown Beaver

Anonymous said...

I just put together a comp on this topic. Additions to what's here already:

Annalisa / Chris Von Sneidern
Suzanne / Weezer
Grace / Supergrass
Gabrielle / Martin Luther Lennon
Kate / Ben Folds Five
Jenny / The Minders
Maria / Green Day
Emily / Bowling for Soup
Evangeline / Bad Religion
Isabelle / Koufax
Cheri / 20/20
Ruby / The Apples in Stereo
Jackie / The New Pornographers
Salome / the Old 97s

Anonymous said...

Here's a few faves:

The Toy Dolls: Deidre Is A Slag
The Eastern Dark: Julie Is A Junkie
Chelsea: Monica Monica
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Isobel Goudie
and for "Veronica", I'll see your Elvis Costello and raise you one Wreckless Eric