Weekend Listomania (Special Journalism 101! Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental on-call strumpet social secretary Fah Lo Suee and I will be traveling to something called the Borscht Belt (I think it's in upstate New York) where some very old guys are going to help me write a joke for next week's Listomania. I think there will be corned beef sandwiches and Jews involved, but I can't be sure.

In any case, posting by moi will necessarily be sporadic for a few days while we schvitz.

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

Most Memorable Song Whose Title Includes one of the Five W's They Teach You About in J-School -- Who, What, When, Where or Why!!!!!!

Self-explanatory, obviously, so no arbitrary rules this time.

Okay, here's my top of my head Top Eight:

8. Why -- The Byrds



This is actually a cover by the Brit psych band Tomorrow, of "Excerpt From A Teenage Opera" fame. The Byrds themselves did like three different versions of this, but none of them are on YouTube at the moment. Great song, though, and the cover's not bad.

7. Where or When -- Dion and the Belmonts



The Rogers and Hart classic, given a gorgeous sort of doo-wop treatment. A lyrical two-fer, for my purposes, obviously.

6. Why Do I Cry -- The Remains



I'd forgotten that this figures in Superbad; funny to think of Judd Apatow as a garage rock fan. In any case, the live version -- from A Session with the Remains -- is better, but there's no video alas.

5. Where is My Mind -- James Blunt



Blunt goes neo-psych, and possibly the worst goddamn song I've ever heard. Included just to have something recorded in the 21st century, obviously.

4. Tell Me Why -- The Beatles



Swoon. Look for an adolescent Phil Collins in the cheap seats.

3. What's Happening?!?! -- The Byrds



Embedding disabled by request, but here's the link if you'd like to listen. My favorite track from Fifth Dimension; my crappy 70s band used to butcher it live with depressing regularity.

2. Tell Me What You See -- The Beatles



Possibly the best sort-of obscure Beatles song. From Beatles VI, which may be the greatest album ever made, despite the fact that it's not really part of the official canon blah blah blah.

And the number one Big W song, there's really no argument about this remotely possible so just shut the frick up, has to be --

1. Who Are You -- The Who



The whole self-referential thing, 'natch.

Awrighty then -- so what are your faves?

[Shameless Blogwhore: My parallel Cinema Listomania (theme: unnecessary sequels) 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 convince management it's worth paying me. Thanks!]