Friday, November 06, 2009

Weekend Listomania: Special The Undiscovered Country Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental philo-groinal consultant Fah Lo Suee and I will be heading to a Learning Annex in Stillwater, Minnesota where we'll be attending a special accounting seminar hosted by Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Prozac). Apparently she's got some kind of system where you can prove that 4000 dollars actually equals 150,000; should come in handy next time I'm trying to balance my checkbook.

In any case, posting by moi will more than likely be sporadic for a little while.

But in the meantime, here's another little fun project for us all:

Most Memorable Post-Elvis Pop or Rock Song About Getting Away From It All

Songs about travel, in other words, or more specifically the specific faraway places you might dream of someday travelling to.

And my totally top of my head Top Five is:

5. The Kinks -- Holiday in Waikiki




Based on a true story, or so I've heard. Apparently it stuck in Ray's craw that he had to pay to go swimming on some idyllic beach. A fabulous song in any case -- that Hawaiian guitar break in the middle doing the hula thing never fails to crack me up.

4. The Clash -- London Calling



Okay, granted it's not exactly a travel poster, but it makes you want to go there just the same, no?

3. The Go-Go's -- Vacation




My favorite Go-Go was Jane Weidlin, in case anybody was wondering. Wotta cutie.

2. Three Dog Night -- Shambala



I figured we needed a hippie hashish trail song here, but I'm just sick to death of "Marakesh Express." Sorry. Anyway, I really like this one even if Three Dog Night aren't cool.

And the numero uno On the Road to Somewhere tune, I'll brook no debate, has to be --

1. Gene Pitney -- Mecca





For obvious reasons. I love this record, incidentally, and I think it's really pretty sad that it can't be played on oldies stations anymore -- also for obvious reasons.

Alrighty then -- what would your choice(s) be?

34 comments:

  1. The "Country" is the place to be:

    Canned Heat - Going Up the Country

    Chicago - In the Country

    (More) Three Dog Night - Out In the Country

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cousin Kevin11/06/2009 8:46 AM

    Country Joe and the Fish == The Harlem Song.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tsk tsk.

    What kind of Beach Boys fan leaves out "Kokomo"?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tom Rush - On the Road Again

    Canned Heat - On the Road Again (different song)

    Roues Brothers - Behind the Dixie Sun (makes me want to go record hunting in the deep south, which would be a great way to get away as far as I'm concerned!)


    ROTP(lumber)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Ronettes' "Paradise" and Brian Wilson's "Let's Go Away for Awhile" come to mind...

    ReplyDelete
  6. What kind of Beach Boys fan leaves out "Kokomo"?

    One that is an actual fan.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Steve, this was a fun one -

    Wilco + Billy Bragg (all Wilco?) - "California Stars" - in the same spirit as Steve's "London Calling" - makes me want to head to Yosemite or Big Sur or the California desert. To me, this is one of Wilco's best, and along with "Walt Whitman's Niece", the highlight of Mermaid Avenue

    Neil Young - "Sugar Mountain" - don't want to be leaving there too soon...

    The Beatles - "Yellow Submarine" - a trip to the Sea of Green

    The Who - "5:15" - horns!
    (It strikes me that are a number of Who tunes that could be on this list)

    Yo La Tengo - "Return to Hot Chicken" - not sure where Hot Chicken is, but this is a nice little instrumental that opens I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One

    Liz Phair - "Stratford-On-Guy" - how can you make such a great song out of just flying into Chicago? Off of Exile in Guyville

    Tom Waits - "Shore Leave" - from Swordfishtrombones - not exactly the type of vacation the Go-Go's were referring to -
    (By the way, I will join in Steve's admiration for Ms. Weidlin - plus, her singing on the bridge of "Our Lips Our Sealed" is (IMHO) one of the finest moments in 80's pop, bar none)

    New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbour" - from Challengers - I suppose this is probably more of a 'band on the road' song, than a vacation song, but I hope it is close enough to qualify. A truly weird video.

    and doesn't this one require something from:

    Traveling Wilburys - how about "End of the Line"?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Speaking of Beach Boys', I'll throw in Brian's absolutely brilliant "Busy Doin' Nothing"...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I got Two Tickets to Paradise.

    Sorry!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gummo,

    What kind of Beach Boys fan leaves out Let's Go Away For A While?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tom Waits - "Shiver Me Timbers"

    A few songs off "Hell's Ditch" by Pogues - "Sunny Side of the Street", "Sayonara", "Ghost of a Smile". Basically, Shane MacGowan wishing he could quit the Pogues and hang out on Thai beaches smoking opium.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Joni Mitchell - several cuts off Hejira

    ReplyDelete
  13. Whoa, lots of choices, and I admit making a mixtape on this theme, which helped:
    Thailand: Vic Chestnutt
    Stranded in Greenland: For Against
    Give Paris One More Chance: Jonathan Richman
    Denmark Street: The Kinks
    That's Why We Don't Live in Mauritania: Loud Family
    South America: Shout Out Louds
    Manchester: Hair (soundtrack)
    Neverland: Todd Rundgren
    Beechwood Park: The Zombies
    San Tropez: Pink Floyd
    Bangkok: Alex Chilton

    ReplyDelete
  14. Safe European Home by The Clash - a good bummer vacation song to go with Holiday in Waikiki

    Hollywood by Los Lonely Boys - recent, worth seeking out

    Tokyo, I'm on My Way - Puffy Ami Yumi

    Promised Land - Chuck Berry

    ReplyDelete
  15. For your dystopian holiday getaway:

    Holiday in the Sun -- Sex Pistols
    Desolation Row -- Bob Dylan

    And how about the entire "Blows Against the Empire" album, Paul Kantner's little escapist fantasy about a band of technohippies hijacking the first interstallar craft?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Um ... "California Dreamin'." Helloooooo!

    Jeez.

    And "Woodstock", "Back in the USSR", "You Can't Catch Me" (okay, maybe it's not post Elvis, so sue me), "New York State of Mind", "If You're Going to San Francisco", "Wooden Ships", "Space Cowboy" ... and, for something more contemporary, "Around the World" (Chili Peppers)

    ReplyDelete
  17. "Another Girl, Another Planet" - Only Ones
    "Holiday in Cambodia" - Dead Kennedys
    "Bermuda" - Roky Erickson
    "I'm On An Island" - Kinks
    "Gotta Getaway" - Stiff Little Fingers
    "Tommy's Holiday Camp" - The 'OO

    -bill buckner

    ReplyDelete
  18. Best Late-Bush Era get-away-from-it-all song:

    "Borneo" - Firewater

    This in-studio performance at KEXP is big fun.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Can't think of anything better than CCR's "Green River." "New York State of Mind" is up there.

    Love "Mecca!" Great record!!

    PK

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a great theme.

    You know, I was thinking, Vermont's a good place for an indy bookstore or a vegan restaurant:

    -- Peace and Love -- Fountains of Wayne

    And you know where it's nice to spend a week or two?

    -- Mozambique -- Dylan

    ReplyDelete
  21. Got to agree with David that Jonathan Richman's "Give Paris One More Chance" has to be the most exuberant ad for travel I've ever heard in a pop record:

    Now hear the boys singing Beegees songs under the skies

    Give Paris one more chance

    And on the steps of Montmartre they harmonise

    Give Paris one more chance

    Because if you don't think Paris was made for love

    Maybe your heart needs a telegram from up above

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMF7Jq8xNGI

    I've also always been fond of Bobby Bloom's one hit, "Montego Bay." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXjVd0TeOX0

    ReplyDelete
  22. Elvis Costello - I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea
    and Tokyo Storm Warning

    Jonathan Richman - 19 In Naples

    Phil Ochs - Tape From California

    John Cooper Clarke - Majorca

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow, you left the oldies for me.

    Leaving on Jet Plane - Joni Mitchell

    Katmandu - forget who did it. Didn't really like the song but always wanted to go there.

    Sandy Beaches - Delbert McClinton

    2000 Light Years from Home - Stones

    And the song I've heard covered in every dive bar with live bands I've ever been in - On the Road Again.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I can't believe nobody has mentioned "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN" yet ...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Not to mention gettin' your kicks on "Route 66" ...

    And "Born to Run" to that place in the sun ...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Katmandu!

    Bob Seger, bitches!!!!
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Rockaway Beach, the Ramones hat tip to the Beach Boys...

    ReplyDelete
  28. Los Abandoned, "Van Nuys"

    'nuff said.

    ReplyDelete
  29. A few more:

    We Gotta Get Out of This Place - Animals

    Traveling Man - Lynard Skynard

    And of course there's a Ricky Nelson song with the same name but I don't think that's post Beatles - is it?

    And of course then there Rambling Man - Allman Bros

    Ramble On - Led Zep

    and the song that seems to fit every category Roger Miller - King of the Road. Oh wait, is that post Beatles?

    Did anybody list Africa - Toto

    ReplyDelete
  30. Mecca. Thanks Steve for turning me on to this fine song.

    ReplyDelete
  31. A clown puts his makeup on upside down
    So he wears a smile even when he wears a frown
    You might think I'm here when you put me down
    But actually I'm on the other side of town.

    My body's in this room with you just catching hell
    While my soul is drinking beer down the road a spell
    You might think I'm listening to your grocery list
    But I'm leaning on the jukebox and I'm about half ... way there

    I'm sittin' on a chair just behind my ear
    Playing dominoes and drinking some ice cold beer
    When you get done talking I'll come back downstairs
    And assume the body of the person you presume who cares

    I'm across the river on the other side of town
    In my mind I'm on the other side of town

    John Prine, "Other Side of Town", from the Fair and Square album

    ReplyDelete
  32. I vote Noam wins. I love that song more than I can say ... and yet I forgot all about it.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Island in the Sun by Weezer

    I was shopping in Whole Foods once and they played this song. I found myself pushing the cart down the aisle, zombie-like, singing "we'll never feel bad anymo-ore," passing a woman going the other direction doing exactly the same thing...

    ReplyDelete
  34. Million Miles Away - Plimsouls

    ReplyDelete