Friday, April 17, 2026

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "A Deperate Cry for Help" Edition

Okay, this one is a total cheat. 😎

So let's get to it immediately. To wit:

...if you were writing this here blog, your first candidate of choice for a future Weekend Listomania or Essay Question would be...?

The short version: A certain Shady Dame and I are heading off on vacation (Paris and the South of France) next Wednesday, and I want to have all of that week's entries ready to go before we leave.

Only problem is -- gee whiz, as The Everly Brothers would have it -- I'm totally stuck for a theme for next weekend's post. Think of it as pre-TSA pre-check writer's block, although that's transparently an attempt to get me off the hook for being the indolent slacker that I self-evidently am.

In any case, I'm turning to you readers for a helping hand here.

And to motivate you all, whoever comes up with the List or Question I actually wind up using will be awarded a coveted PowerPop No-Prize© in perpetuity.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 😎😎

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

24 comments:

Sal Nunziato said...

Okay, I was actually thinking about something for my place, but if you dig it, you can have it.

With the trailer for the new Spaceballs released, it made me think, "Can I be the only one wjho hated "Spaceballs?" I mean, I love...nay...LURVE...Mel Brooks. But I found "Spaceballs" painfullly unfunny and forced.

So...a song that is universally loved that you cannnot stand. This should exclude all current pop, divas, etc.

steve simels said...

So post-Elvis but pre-the 21st Century? Interesting....😎

mistah charley, ph.d. said...

A song or album or opening act that made an important difference in your enthusiasm for or enjoyment of a particular genre of music - for example, when the beatles burst on the scene, for us early boomers - it doesn't have to be as big a deal as that - how could it? - but something that fed your head, even if it didn't quite blow your mind that time

Gummo said...

Sal, I thought I was the only one who thought Spaceballs was unfunny!

Gummo said...

A post-Beatles song or album you did a 180 on? For example, I hated Exile on Main Street when it came out, both for the murky sound and the, to me, seeming lack of ambition. I now shake my head at how wrong I was!

Cleveland Jeff said...

On a similar tack, the song you despise the most that is by one of your favorite artists/bands.

steve simels said...

You are wise, grasshopper. 😎

steve simels said...

Oh, and I should add -- I'm not gonna announce a winner till next Friday, when I actually post the piece.

I know, I know -- the suspense is already killing you. 😎

Guy Incognito said...

You're not the only one who feels that way about Spaceballs

Anonymous said...

Howzabout songs with titles or lyrics containing numbers or, could also play this game using colours. Just a thought.
rs

steve simels said...

I may have done those back in the day. I will do the research, as today's youngs say. 😎

steve simels said...

Did the colors one back in 2008. Yipes. 😎

MJConroy said...

Songs about places that no longer exist (e.g., "Back in the USSR")

Rob said...

Bands whose music bore an uncanny resemblance to a well known group

ChrisE said...

How about worst movie by Mel Brooks? Not really a music topic, but there already seems to be a basis for discussion :) :)

pete said...

"Beloved" or "important" songs by important artists that you simply cannot stand. My choices?

IMAGINE
EVE OF DESTRUCTION
and TWO by Graham Nash
OUR HOUSE
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

Alzo said...

Essay question: What is the future of Rock music? Yeah, I know, that's a very broad question. I'm prompted by my favorite internet drummer who dropped this earlier today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZjWLR6tSlo

steve simels said...

???????? 😎

steve simels said...

That's actually a very interesting one. We will see. 😎

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

speaking of "our house" by graham nash - that 'two cats in the yard' phrase applies chez moi - our beloved cats at their eternal rest in the back yard - if cremated i can join them - otherwise no

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

and speaking of spaceballs - i've never even felt tempted to watch it

cthulhu said...

How about best and worst songs associated with the heyday of CBGB, say, 1974-1984? Please feel free to adjust the year range as appropriate.

Another might be best 1980s through current day powerpop; cut out the ‘70s powerpop we all know and love and see how the genre has held up.

Anonymous said...

Best/ worst songs referencing really bad people : men or women. Explain and elaborate on the badness as required.
rs

Rob said...

Movie Directors and the music they used in their films ? 🧐