Weekend Listomania (Special The Right Tool For the Job Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental Low T Consultant Amway Buddy Fah Lo Suee and I will be travelling to...oh hell, I just don't have the energy to make another joke involving Sarah Palin, Carrie Prejean and gay marriage. So I'm not gonna tell you where we'll be, but it could be a hot one, if you don't mind the literary equivalent of an 80s sitcom catchphrase.

Cue laugh track.

In any case, posting by moi will be sporadic for a few days blah blah blah.

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

Best or Worst Post-Beatles Collaboration Between Artists That Don't Normally Work Together!!!

No arbitrary rules; obviously there's enough leeway here to include cameo guest appearances (example: Brian Jones playing sax on the Beatles "You Know My Name") along with more substantial aesthetic partnerships.

And my top of my head Top Six is:

6. Queen and David Bowie -- Under Pressure



It's not exactly a secret that I'm a fan of neither Bowie or Queen -- I can probably count the number of songs by either of them I genuinely enjoy on the fingers of two hands -- but this one is inarguable. Put together like a charm and both Freddie and Dave checked the camp affectations at the studio door for a change. Great stuff.

5. Mick Jagger and David Bowie -- Dancing in the Streets



God, this sucks. It's like they're trying to actively out-awful each other, although I'm afraid Mick wins. Which is going some.

4. John Hiatt -- Liptstick Sunset



From his breakthrough Bring the Family album. Essentially recorded live in the studio with Nick Lowe on bass, Ry Cooder on guitar, and Jim Keltner on drums. A great band, obviously -- too bad their other album remains an interesting curio at best.

3. The Bunch -- When Will I Be Loved



The late great Sandy Denny and the future Linda Thompson as the Everly Sisters. As you my have heard, perhaps my single fave female duet vocal of all time.

2. Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson -- Say Say Say



Words fail me. And this is hardly the worst thing Paul did in the 80s.

And the coolest and most thoroughly satisfying collaboration between musical oddfellows (especially since I just totally dissed Paul McCartney in the previous listing) obviously is --

1. Elvis Costello -- Veronica



An absolutely perfect pop song and record, written with Paul McCartney, of course, and perhaps the best thing Paul ever came up with in the company of a partner other than John. Interestingly, Paul contributed a lot to the lyrics and Elvis to the music, which is kind of the opposite of what people expected. Paul's also playing bass on the record, if memory serves, along with Roger McGuinn on twelve-string, which makes it kind of a three-fer.

Oh, and thanks to some corporate weasels somewhere, the official "Veronica" vid -- and most of the other memorable Elvis clips -- are no longer on YouTube, so please accept my apologies for the inadequate replacement above.

And feel free to download the song itself HERE; as always, if the authorization has expired by the time you get there, just e-mail me and I'll shoot you the mp3.

Awrighty then -- and what would your choices be?

[Shameless blogwhore: My parallel cinema listomania -- theme: best or worst kids flicks -- is now up over at Box Office. As always, if I could con you into going over there and leaving a comment, it would be good for my bottom line if you know what I mean.]