- "Ever since you've been leaving me, I've been wanting to cry, now I know how it feels for you, I've been wanting to die, but it's much too late for goodbyes." This is the song you hear at the Wawa and think to yourself, the 80's weren't that bad. If you don't find yourself at a Wawa from time to time you are missing out. "Too Late for Goodbyes" comes from Julian's 1984 debut album "Valotte". In the parlance of 1984 I'd say this song is doubleplusgood. The production is text book mid 80's but "Too Late for Goodbyes" is good/catchy enough that the dated production can't stop my enjoyment. I'm not sure what's creepier- Julian Lennon's vocal resemblance to his father John or Dhani Harrison's visual resemblance to his father George. I'm a pretty good judge on being creepy but I'd say it's too close to call. Julian wasn't able to sustain a career in music but I can't imagine the life of Beatle spawn being too rough. As a footnote, when Julian's parent's divorced Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" to comfort him (Paul felt it would be easier to sing Jude than Jules). It turns out the movement we need is on Julian Lennon's shoulders.
2. Shut Em Down- Public Enemy
- "I like Nike but wait a minute, the neighborhood supports so put some money in it, corporations owe, they gotta give up the dough, to my town or else we gotta shut em down." "Apocalypse 91- The Enemy Strikes Black" represents the last album from Public Enemy's golden age. Arguably the most important group to come out of the 1980's, P.E. would lose steam after "Apocalypse 91" until they found their footing again with 1998's "He Got Game". Chuck D put corporate America on notice with "Shut Em Down". Why should the "hood" support Nike when the corporation doesn't invest in the community? Ice Cube hit the same note in 1991 with his song "The Wrong N**** to F*** With" when he spoke out against buying Raiders gear-"stop giving juice to the Raiders, cause Al Davis never paid us." Since 91 there are countless examples of clothing/apparel companies that have watched profits soar from hip hop community support without giving back to the inner city. If you dig "Shut Em Down" be sure to check out the Pete Rock remix version available on "Def Jam recordings Greatest Hits". Bonus footnote: the Public Enemy logo- a silhouetted b-boy in cross hairs was designed from a sketch of Cut Creator, LL Cool J's original DJ.
3. Kicking Television (studio version)- Wilco
- "I'm serious, you'll see, I'm working on my abs, I'm working on me, oh I'm kicking, yeah I'm calm, oh I'm kicking, television, television." In 2005 Wilco released the "A Ghost Is Born Tour EP" to compliment the release of 2004's "A Ghost Is Born" album. The EP features a few live songs and two studio recordings not found on "A Ghost Is Born"- "Panthers" and "Kicking Television". The later finds the band in punk/garage rock mode, a departure of sorts from their typical sound. "Kicking Television" would go on to become the name of Wilco's 2005 live double album. Last year the band released "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" on vinyl (with bonus tracks) for the first time in conjunction with National Record Store Day. I ordered it online and haven't taken it out of the box, preserving it's mint condition status. This past weekend I celebrated National Record Store Day 2011 by picking up Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (fantastic) and Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" (insane) on vinyl. Perhaps caught up in the celebration I opened both albums. I may live to regret that but my turntable seems pretty happy about all the attention it's getting.
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