Friday, February 20, 2009

Weekend Listomania (Special From Dusk Till Dawn Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental fille de nuit etiquette czar Fah Lo Suee and I will be spending the weekend at a cartooning seminar hosted by New York Post caricaturist Sean Delonas. Apparently, we'll be learning how to depict somebody named Rupert Murdoch as an orangutang, which seems like a small skill, but what do you expect in the course of two days -- Daumier? Hogarth? Harvey Kurtzman? I think not.

In any case, posting by moi will necessarily be sporadic until next week.

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

Most Memorable Post-Elvis Song With Either Night(s) or Day(s) In Its Title!!!

Self-explanatory, obviously, so no arbitrary rules this time. Oh, except that songs with "today" or "tonight" don't count. Specificity, people!

Okay, here's my totally top of my head Top Seven:

7. Rainy Night House -- Joni Mitchell



I'm not nuts about this live jazzbo version, from '74, but a great song is a great song.

6. Days -- The Kinks



You know, it's dawned on me that I'm constantly saying that if Ray Davies had written nothing but "________________" [fill in the blank] he'd deserve immortality. Be that as it may, this one certainly qualifies.

5. A Night Like This -- Smashing Pumpkins



The Cure song, of course. Face it -- you've been missing Billy Corgan's pretentious cueball noggin around here, haven't you?

4. Night -- Bruce Springsteen



Probably the least memorable track on Born to Run, but I saw a recent clip of Bruce doing it live somewhere and I thought "hey, that's a pretty cool song."

3. Perfect Day -- Lou Reed



One of the few unironic songs on Transformer, and one of Lou's prettiest, I think.

2. The Good Old Days -- Babyshambles



Not a fan of Pete Doherty, particularly, but I though it might be nice to have something recorded in this century.

And the obviously coolest got-the-sun-in-the-morning-and-the-moon-at-night track of them all, please don't bother to argue with me about this or I'll slap you viciously around the keppie, is ---

1. A Day in the Life -- The Beatles



Forty years on, the world-weariness in Lennon's voice still slays me. So let me say something now that I've wanted to say for ages...hey John -- I know the feeling.

Awrighty then -- so what would your choices be?

[Shameless Blogwhore: My parallel Cinema Listomania (theme: best teen flicks ever!) is now up over at Box Office. As always, if you could see your way to going over there and leaving a comment, it would get me in good with management. Thanks!]

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lessee...

That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
Night Comes In and Dimming of the Day - Richard and Linda Thompson, from "Pour Down Like Silver"
Night in the City - Electric Light Orchestra
I Forget You Every Day - the late, lamented Chris Whitley

Michael said...

The Night I Heard Caruso Sing--Everything But the Girl, which usually makes me teary by the end

Until the Night--a nice bomabstic piece from Billy Joel

Daytime, Nighttime--Keith Hampshire (only an OK song, but it fits the bill so nicely)

Nights Are Forever Without You--England Dan and John Ford Coley (not powerpop, but I love it anyway)

Anonymous said...

Night Moves - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues

Anonymous said...

I love Dr. John's take on Such a Night ... right at the intersection of Quiche and Juju streets.

The bombast of Dylan's When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky grabbed me from the first time I heard it, but I like Jeff Healey's bracing take best.

Anyone who recorded The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down sounded pretty good doing it, but I'll take cuts by Joan Baez and, of course, The Band.

Springsteen's live version of Because the Night is auteur stuff, but Patti Smith's cover is the one.

Jimmie Dale Gilmour's One Endless Night sat me up straight the first time I heard it ... and still does.

Little Feat gives us a two-fer with Day or Night and the Mamas and the Papas spun radio gold with I Saw Her Again Last Night, mistake and all.

And, of course, in the end, the inevitable, monstrously unhinged, crack-yo'-achin'-back Evan Johns and His H-bombs rule the category with his signature Rollin' Through the Night.

Anonymous said...

Days of Pearly Spencer: David McWilliams, a classic nugget of melodrama from the late '60s...

steve simels said...

I am unfamiliar with David McWilliams. Is this somebody who should be on my radar?

Who Am Us Anyway? said...

I'll take old Tom Moore's account of the low adventures & creative demises of New York Jake, old Bob Stein, Poker Bill & and Ragshag Bill from Buffalo in the Days of 49.

Anonymous said...

HARD DAYS NIGHT - BEATLES

Wendy said...

Oh, for heaven's sake:

"A Hard Day's Night"!

Duh.

Also "The Night Before", "Eight Days A Week", "Day Tripper" ...

And as long as we're on the original British Invasion, the Stones "Let's Spend The Night Together" (which had to be revised when they appeared on Ed Sullivan) ...

Wendy said...

Damn, I owe anonymous an adult beverage.

Skip said...

Marshall Crenshaw - Some Day Some Way

Badfinger - Day after Day

The Band (among others) - The Night They Drove Ol Dixie Down

Patti Smith - Because the Night

Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night

Belle & Sebastian - Another Sunny Day

Billy Squier - Lonely is the Night

Paul McCartney - Another Day

Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died

Strangeloves- Night Time

Joy Division - These Days

Moody Blues (or the Dickies) - Nights in White Satin

Skip said...

and how could I forget...

Sweet - Into the Night

Noam Sane said...

Even though the Night Time is the Right Time...the Night Life ain't no good life. But it's my life.

Of course, The Night has A Thousand Eyes. Must be tough to find glasses.

Anonymous said...

This is one of those topics that can go on for weeks. But here are few more obvious choices (none from this century, I'm afraid):

Good Day Sunshine - Beatles
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Dylan One More Night - Dylan
On a Night Like This - Dylan
Tonight's the Night - Neil Young
Late in the Evening - Paul Simon
Night Train - James Brown
Night Time in the Switching Yard - Warren Zevon
Night by Night - Steely Dan

Anonymous said...

Just Another Night - Ian Hunter
spirit in the night - springsteen

Anonymous said...

Rainy Days And Mondays Always Get Me Down - carpenters
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)- elton john

Anonymous said...

whatever gets you through the night - john lennon

Anonymous said...

Those were the days my friend -- mary hopkins

Anonymous said...

oh what a night - four seasons

Anonymous said...

Tonight's the Night - Rod Stewart

Anonymous said...

Marshall Crenshaw - Some Day Some Way

What a great pop song.

TMink said...

"Marshall Crenshaw - Some Day Some Way

What a great pop song."

You are SO right. To me it is like other absolutely perfect pop songs that are just completely tight and gone too soon. From the guitar hook to the chorus, it was just happening. Real art.

Trey

Kid Charlemagne said...

The Troggs - "Night of the Long Grass"

Why? Because I don't think we have mentioned the awesome Troggs *ever* on this blog...

Anonymous said...

Day for Night - Matthew Sweet
A fine, but not great song, off of the fabulous Girlfriend album - and a twofer on this list

Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens
not power pop (weird folk?) - but a lovely song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGEMx3TKxNc

Saturday Nite is Dead - Graham Parker
Stretching the boundaries with a mis-spelled Night

One Time One Night - Los Lobos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmgfLI1NBe8
I think this band is very underappreciated

Hot Nights in Georgia - Jason & the Scorchers

Gardening at Night - excellent early R.E.M.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jR5OYSY8_o

agitpropre said...

Steve said:
"You know, it's dawned on me that I'm constantly saying that if Ray Davies had written nothing but "________________" [fill in the blank] he'd deserve immortality."

Add "All Day (and All of the Night)" to that list. I am not usually a fan of covers, but The Stranglers version is almost the equal of the Kinks...

agitpropre said...

Oh, and if "Nighttime" is acceptable then add Warrens Zevon's "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"...

steve simels said...

The Los Lobos and Graham Parker entries --

god, I should have thought of those.
:-)

Anonymous said...

One Time One Night - Los Lobos

I think this band is very underappreciated


Alchemy ... On One Time, One Night, you get that hoedown turn on top with the norteƱos sheen underneath. Genius. Perfect. When I'm in need of a wake-up, it's Good Morning Aztlan.

Wendy said...

I can't believe I forgot U2's "Beautiful Day" ...

MBowen said...

If you wanted something good from this century, you could have gone with:

The Day John Henry Died - Drive-By Truckers (or Decoration Day, for that matter)

Lonesome Day - Broooce

Day After Tomorrow - Linda Thompson (a lovely Tom Waits cover)

Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo - Jens Lekman

Massive Nights - The Hold Steady

Older goodies include:

My Wandering Days Are Over - Belle & Sebastian

Seven Day Weekend - Gary U.S. Bonds

Just The Other Day - Blue Angel (Cyndi Lauper's pre-stardom band)

Day and Night - Jim Carroll Band

In Between Days - The Cure

Different Day - Heavenly

Days - Television

Dimming of the Day - Richard & Linda Thompson

Final Day - Young Marble Giants (also covered brilliantly by Feelies offshoot Speed The Plough)

Night Rally - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Drowned Dog Black Night - French, Frith, Kaiser & Thompson

No More Lonely Nights - Paul McCartney (someone included this on a list of crap songs recently, but I think it's one of Macca's best solo songs)

Hold Back The Night - Graham Parker & The Rumour

All Through The Night - Jules Shear

Tomorrow Night - Shoes

Night Comes In - Richard & Linda Thompson

Play It All Night Long - Warren Zevon

Let's Kill Saturday Night - 5 Chinese Brothers

Kirsty MacColl has also done lovely cover versions of both "Days" and "Perfect Day" from your list, too.

Anonymous said...

No "Dance Hall Days" for you, Steve? And here I thought you were WangChunging all over the city in my absence. For shame! :)
-bill buckner

Libby Spencer said...

Late to the game this week. As usual, I'll impress no one with my ancient choices but I think these haven't been listed yet.

Sunglasses at Night - Corey Heart
Last Night's Sleep - Can
Days - Ray Davies cover is a fav
One More Night - Phil Collins
Strange Days - Doors
Good good Day - Nick Cave

steve simels said...

And here I thought you were WangChunging all over the city in my absence. For shame! :)
-bill buckner


Hah!