Friday, November 21, 2025

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "I am Not a Number -- I'm a Free Man! Oh, Wait...Actually I AM a Number" Edition

And now, from some time post-COVID, please enjoy my current fave cover act, the delightful Middle Aged Dad Jam Band and their spirited version of Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny."

BTW, just for the record (as it were), I should say I'm a huge fan of Tommy Tutone, who are unfairly dismissed as one hit wonders IMHO.

I mean -- c'mon. This one, which was actually the band's first Top 40 record, absolutely freaking slays me.

I should add that back in 1980, when I had just switched from playing guitar to bass (as we were getting the Floor Models together) I used to hone my four-string skills by playing along with that. I mean, what a fabulous groove.

In any case, I bring the whole thing up because it leads us, inexorably, to the subject of the weekend's business. To wit:

...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis pop/rock/soul/folk/country song with numerals in its title is...?

Discuss.

So -- my favorite?

That's from Steppenwolf's (to me) inexplicably underrated sophomore effort; it's a minority opinion, I know, but I think it's one of the greatest hard rock (in the old fashioned sense) albums ever.

And my least favorite?

Hey -- I like a lot of bubblegum stuff from that period. That song, however? I think the word is "yucky." Especially in the contemporary context of the Epstein files. 😎

Alrighty then --- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!!

40 comments:

  1. Cannibal and the Headhunters Land of 1000 Dances
    The Vogues Five O'Clock World
    The Proclaimers (who also covered Five O'Clock World) I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

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    Replies
    1. The Proclaimers covered 5 O'Clock World? Okay, I gotta hear that...

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  2. If you like Middle Aged Dads, you should check out Ray Toole

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    Replies
    1. Just did. He and his geezer band are a lot of fun, thanks. 😎

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  3. Garland Jeffreys - 35 Millimeter Dreams

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  4. David Bowie - 1984
    Bob Dylan - Highway 61 mRevisited
    Bob Dylan - Positively 4th St
    Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown
    ? & the Mysterious - 96 Tears
    and, of course - Zafger & Evans - In the Year 2525

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  5. Johnny Cash - Five Feet High

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    1. Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941

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  6. Post World War 2 Blues
    Al Stewart

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  7. 8:05 by Moby Grape yes
    Knock 3 Times by Tony Orlando& Dawn no
    rs

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  8. Beatles -
    Revolution 1 / Revolution 9 πŸ˜‰

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  9. Jim Ford - 36” High (also performed by Nick Lowe)
    Toots and The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number
    Desmond Dekker and The Aces - 007 (Shanty Town)
    54-40 - One Day In Your Life
    801 - Third Uncle

    - Paul in DK

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  10. Too many choices, and I've work to do, dang it! Off the top of my head, tho....
    One by 3 Dog Night (a twofer there, sorta!)
    One Way or Another by Blondie
    A Million Miles Away by Plimsouls
    Five to One by the Doors
    C in California

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  11. The Who, 5:15 of course. It’s been a killer live number since the beginning and it has been a highlight of every Who concert I’ve attended in the 2000s, including the next to last show on their recent “Song Is Over” tour, which was an extraordinary concert for any band, and jaw-droppingly good for a couple of octogenarians.

    Chicago, 25 or 6 to 4 - for Terry Kath’s terrific guitar solo.

    The Beatles, Revolution 9 - One of the major reasons why I think the White Album should have been edited down to one disc.

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    1. Oh, and I love Tommy Tutone as well, but my favorite song of theirs is Cheap Date, a neo-reggae number off their first album with some clever lyrics about a socially awkward but sincere teenage guy trying his best to convince a girl to go out with him. Having been that socially awkward but sincere teenage guy, it’s a perfect snapshot of teenage dating angst, simultaneously comedic and sweet. Great song.

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    2. Besides Kath's solo, there's that riff, that drumming, that singing, those horn lines....nothing to not like in 25 or 6 to 4.
      C in California

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  12. Dave Leonatti11/21/2025 10:43 AM

    Tommy Tutone undervalued. Of note, Steve; Jim Keller- one of TT founders with Tommy Heath, has new album out "End of the World", more rootsy than Powerpop, but still very solid and enjoyable. And I second the Steppenwolf appraisal- loved that record. They appropriate Chicago blues nicely (John Kay a country and blues admirer) and crisp, sharp neo-psych production. All time fave.

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  13. DL - Recently acquired, "Unsung Songs and Forgotten Heros" by Kay.
    First heard the original album in '72.
    Acoustic, amazing
    rob
    ps - he does have songs with #'s πŸ˜‰

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    1. Dave Leonatti11/21/2025 3:20 PM

      Rob: I have that vinyl somewhere. Was a big 'wolf and Kay fan. Remember his remakes of Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On" and Hank Williams "You Win Again'. Good stuff.

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    2. IDave, I was sitting around one night with some friends and my finger picking, chromatic notes friend put on John's album. I was, WTF, who is this playing acoustic and he tells me Kay.
      I am driving myself crazy as I thought I saw them @ '68 but it appears to be a false memory 😡‍πŸ’«

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  14. I’d Wait a Million Years / Grass Roots
    10538 Overture / ELO
    In the Year 2525 / Zager & Evans
    2120 South Michigan Avenue / Rolling Stones
    2000 Light Years from Home / Rolling Stones
    1999 / prince
    1977 / The Clash
    1880 or So / Television
    100 Years Ago / Rolling Stones
    99 Luftballons / Nena
    96 Tears / I like the Stranglers’ cover
    57 Channels and Nothing On / Bruce Springsteen
    53rd & 3rd / Ramones
    52 Girls / B-52s
    48 Crash / Suzi Quatro
    30 Days in the Hole / Humble Pie
    25th Floor / Patti Smith Group
    20th Century Man / Kinks
    19th Nervous Breakdown / Rolling Stones
    12XU / Wire
    #9 Dream / John Lennon
    I’m Henry the VII, I am / Herman’s Hermits
    Seven Nation Army / White Stripes
    Five Minutes / Stranglers
    Free Four / Pink Floyd
    Gimme Three Steps / Lynyrd Skynyrd
    2-4-6-8 Motorway / Tom Robinson Band
    One of the Boys / Mott the Hoople
    Less Than Zero / Elvis Costello

    With apologies to Casey Kasem, I got nothing for "10."

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    1. 10 Crack Commandments
      Notorious B.I.G. πŸ˜‰

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    2. Big Ten Inch Record by Bull Moose Jackson (and, later, Aerosmith)
      Ten Commandments of Love by the Moonglows
      Ten Commandments (From Man To Woman) by Prince Buster
      C in California

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  15. "5-4-3-2-1" - uh huh it was the Manfreds!

    Bob in IL

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  16. if 6 was 9 - Hendrix, also Faithful cover by Todd Rundgren

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  17. Rob B Mullen11/21/2025 4:55 PM

    1st - Charley - I have the Faithful album in vinyl . I always opt for the covers side - Good Vibrations..

    2nd - 2-4,6,8. The Jackson 5. 😁

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  18. 25 o'clock Dukes of the Stratosphere

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  19. Let me just say, the Middle Age Dad Jam band would have been the highlight in any of the bars, which were many that I spent hours in, as a retired professional "taster". πŸ˜‰ 🍺🍻

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    1. I'd go see them in a heartbeat if they were playing some low dive in my neighborhood. 😎

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    2. Yeah Steve, I was well acquainted with ""friends in low places"
      Never told you about my sharing a drink with a NYC "Union" labor official πŸ˜‰

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    3. Tuxedo Park @ Midnight - not exactly a Long Shores Man hang. lol

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  20. "7 and 7 Is" - Love
    "Ol' '55" - Tom Waits
    "1,000 Miles Away" - Hoodoo Gurus
    "Miss Freelove '69" - Hoodoo Gurus
    "1,000 Dollar Car" - The Bottle Rockets

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  21. "Lookin' For a 7-11" - Ben Vaughn Combo

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  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. I may.have deleted something but from the "Paint It Black You Devil" band -
      Satanic Majesty's Request -
      2000 Light Years From Home

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  23. Commander Cody Band - Seven Eleven

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  24. I can't believe I'll be the first to say 10th Avenue Freeze Out.

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    Replies
    1. And congrats — for that, you receive a coveted PowerPop No-Prize©. 😎

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