1. Brooklyn Queens- 3rd Bass

• "She says she's pure from legs to her thighs and we should talk over some Chinese and fries, I tell her to step, but hey that's the scene cause she ain't nothin...but a Brooklyn Queen" This gem from the "Cactus Album" is based on the disco hit "Best of My Love" by The Emotions. Like the Beastie Boys before them 3rd Bass were considered a novelty in the late 80s-were people really going to accept white rappers? 3rd Bass didn't last very long but Eminem has sold more albums than any other artist this decade so maybe the answer is yes. Next time I have some fries I might need to do it with Chinese.

2. Eric B. Is President- Eric B. and Rakim

• "Eric B easy on the cut, no mistakes allowed cuz to me, MC means move the crowd, I made it easy to dance to this but can you detect what's coming next from the flex of the wrist.." Today this is widely considered "old school" hip hop but it was actually the beginning of a new chapter for rap music. This single (issued in 1986) and the subsequent debut album "Paid in Full" ushered in a new era in hip hop. Ironically the song pays tribute to the DJ (who built the foundation for hip hop) while forever putting the MC in the spotlight. Public Enemy's Chuck D lamented the fact that "Yo! Bum Rush the Show" was delayed and released after "Paid in Full". He felt "Paid in Full" made P.E.'s debut dated on arrival. On this track Rakim shows why he is widely considered the greatest rapper of all time.

3. Mean Mistreater- Johnny Winter

• "Remember, remember, baby when you were layin' out across my bed, you know you were drinking moonshine, baby and talking all out your head" Where would music be without the blues? This song wound up on a Sony "soundtrack of the century" double CD compilation in 1999 and subsequently into my collection. I enjoy the interplay between the electric guitar and harmonica and the down and out lyrics. This is straightforward blues about someone who did you wrong. I'm sure everyone can relate to that.

1. Sister Golden Hair- America

• "Well I tried to make it Sunday, but I got so damn depressed that I set my sights on Monday and I got myself undressed". This classic rock radio staple sounds reminiscent of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" but then again so does Rilo Kiley's "Silver Lining" and a moment or two from Wilco's new single "You Never Know". I suppose imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This song ends up being rather upbeat given the gloomy introductory lyrics. Younger music fans not familiar with America would probably recognize their song "Ventura Highway"- it's riff serves as the basis for Janet Jackson's pop hit "Someone to Call My Lover". R.I.P. Michael.

2. Microphone Techniques- 3rd Bass

• "Somebody's flippin, so I tell him to shut up, we'd use the F word, but Ice Cube got the copyright, so I'll make it Funky For You with Greg Nice... and his partner Smooth B, watch the Superbowl just for Bud Bowl III". 3rd Bass are joined by Nice and Smooth for this fantastic song from their sophomore release "Derelicts of Dialect" best known for the single "Pop Goes the Weasel". I've referenced "Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest as one of the best sophomore albums of all time. "Derelicts of Dialect" serves as another example and would also qualify as one of the most underrated albums of all time across any genre. The fact that there wasn't a follow up is astounding.

3. White Room- Cream

• "I'll wait in this place where the sun never shines, wait in this place where the shadows run from themselves." This song is pretty epic for clocking in at just 5 minutes. The lyrics offer some very interesting imagery even if I have no idea what they are talking about. Maybe they make more sense under the influence of illicit substances. I'm not the biggest Clapton fan but I must say the outro guitar solo (which represents the last minute of the song) is fairly insane....had I heard this when it came out in 1968 I would have probably creamed my jeans, no pun intended.

1. Nanci- Toad The Wet Sprocket

• "I can't believe you would bend your words like Uri Geller's spoons" This is one of my all time favorite Toad songs. It's a sweet country rock number with a great hook (and a great bridge to boot). I've been looking for a girl who can bend spoons with her mind for years. The 1st time I saw Glen Phillips (former lead singer of Toad The Wet Sprocket) live was in Jan of 2001 and I almost got to play this song with him. It was at the Iota in Arlington which is my favorite venue in the DC area. Someone requested the song but Glen couldn't remember how to play it so he offered to sing it if someone in the audience could play the guitar part. My arm shot up (the only Toad song I knew how to play) but some dude closer to the stage beat me to it. He did ok whereas I would have torn it up. Speaking of the Iota- be sure to check out Lucky Day (best band in the DC area) there this coming Tuesday night.

2. Funky Piano- EPMD

• "Hear my jam with the funky piano" This Chuck D sample from P.E.'s "Timebomb" serves as the hook for EMPD's tribute to their DJ- DJ Scratch. This song provides the outro for 1990's "Business As Usual". The best thing about this song is the fact that the DJ gets his due. Not only do Erick and Parrish pay respect to DJ Scratch but the song features scratching (imagine that)...an art form that would all but disappear from mainstream hip hop records only a few years later. "Business As Usual" features the debut of Redman and the song "Gold Digger" with LL Cool J. EPMD beat Kayne to the punch by about 15 years but who's counting.

3. Luka (Live On VPRO)- The Lemonheads

• " My name is Luka, I live on the second floor, I live upstairs from you, yes I think you've seen me before" An enjoyable rock remake of the popular Suzanne Vega song. This live version from the Creator album starts with a cover of "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath before it gets to the actual cover. The studio version of this song wound up on the "Lick" compilation. The Lemonheads described "Lick" by saying "we just stitched together whatever we could find, some remakes and some covers...we just did some very clever editing to make it sound like we're a real project...a real band but it's a complete fraud". Not far from the truth.

1. Beautiful Sorta- Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

• "Wasted like a bum with somebody's wallet, pictures inside of you and me, you and I" I had a dream once that I needed to listen to the "Cold Roses" album more so I did the next day and it sounded better than ever. "Beautiful Sorta" is a straight forward rock number. Most of this album has a Grateful Dead/Neil Young vibe with a great blend of acoustic and electric guitar. I caught Ryan Adams in 2005 when he was touring to support this album. When he decided to play acoustic in the middle of the venue a riot almost ensued. It was great.

2. Cease to Exist- Charles Manson

• "Walk on walk on, I love you pretty girl" This song is best known to the world as "Never Learn Not to Love You" by the Beach Boys as featured on their Friends/20/20 album. The Beach Boys were covering Manson decades before bands like Guns N' Roses and the Lemonheads. Dennis Wilson and Manson were friends prior to the infamous Tate-Labianca murders. I found the "LIE-The Love & Terror Cult" album at a seedy store on South Street in Philadelphia when I was in high school. Now you can find it on iTunes. Go figure.

3. Freedom, Pt. 2- The Beautiful Girls & Mason Jennings

• "Freedom, is ours to hold it's just a struggle in your mind, to keep your soul, keep your soul." This song features a great acoustic guitar riff and Mason Jennings so I can't resist it. It also has great spiritual references. "The seeds that we speed into life to be trees will soon become fallen if their roots aren't deep". Peep Jeremiah 17:7-8 and you'll know what I'm talking about.

1. Should I Stay or Should I Go- The Clash

• "This indecisions bugging me , esta undecision me molesta, if you don't want me set me free, si no me quieres, librame." A standout song from 1982's "Combat Rock" which would be the last real album from the band. The Clash are considered an "important" band to most rock historians but I'm just a casual fan. It turns out you don't even need to be a fan to enjoy this song. Who knew that back up vocals in another language could sound so good.

2. Why Do You Do This To Yourself?- Evan Dando

• "You drank out on the fire escape until you couldn't speak, why do you do this to yourself? Another bright spot on the "Baby I'm Bored" album from 2003. Maybe the best part of this song aside from the nice melody is the work by Jon Brion on the marxophone. What's a marxophone you ask? Why it's a fretless zither of course. Brion (already famous at this point) went on to co-produce Kanye West's "Late Registration".

3. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)- John Mayer

• " Bills pile up sky high, send that boy off to die." This Marvin Gaye cover from the classic "What's Going On" album is featured on the "As/Is" compilation made up of songs from several live shows from 2004. This version, which clocks in at 7 minutes, features some nice guitar work (of course) and scratching from turntablist DJ Logic. John Mayer's next studio album "Continuum" would feature the single "Waiting on the World to Change" which owes quite a debt to "What's Going On" as well as just about any song recorded by the Impressions. Speaking of John Mayer and cover songs, the John Mayer Trio performed on the Tonight Show last week with a scorching version of the Mamas and the Papa's "California Dreamin'"...if you missed it see YouTube.

Hump Day Edition

1. Don't Stop- Girl Talk

• "Soulja Boy up in this hoe watch me lean and watch me rock superman dat hoe then watch me crank dat robocop." This song from the "Feed The Animals" mash up masterpiece features everything from Megadeth to the Cure and of course Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. "Feed The Animals" takes you on a pirated musical journey mixing hip-hop, dance, R&B, rock, metal, 80s and beyond. The samples (it's all samples) come fast and furious rewarding seasoned and untrained ears. If you are at Bonaroo next week be sure to check out Girl Talk.

2. The Infamous Date Rape- A Tribe Called Quest

• "Uh huh, you know science, you get buckwild runnin mad games as if your name was Scott Skiles." If you don't like A Tribe Called Quest then I'm willing to bet you don't like hip hop. This song comes from the "Low End Theory" album that would qualify as one of the great all time sophomore efforts across any genre. This may not be one of the top tracks from Low End Theory (see Buggin' Out, Check the Rhime, Scenario) but I'm not about to leave anything off my iPod from this classic.

3. All My Life- Evan Dando

• "All my life I thought I needed all the things I didn't need at all my life I thought I wanted all the things I didn't want at all." After the Lemonheads disbanded in the late 90s front man Evan Dando disappeared for a number of years only to return in 2003 with the solo album "Baby I'm Bored". "All My Life" comes off like a mantra for someone who's been through serious turmoil. In Dando's case it was self inflicted. Members of Guster (who had toured with the Lemonheads in the late 90s) commented that Evan and company were taking drugs they had never even heard of. "All My Life" serves as a lament and a stand out song from an otherwise uneven affair.

Here Comes 2 Edition

1. Don't Need Anything- Glen Phillips

• "I've got almost nothing, but I understand...that I don't need anything that I don't have."
  This song is the opposite of what George W Bush told you to do after 9-11. Instead of giving into mindless consumerism this song tells you to take stock of what you already have. People have been conditioned to feel good from buying things- in the words of Chuck D, "...people don't even own themselves, paying mental rent to corporate presidents". Listen to this song and simplify.

2. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word- Elton John

• "What do I gotta do to make you love me?" If sad songs say so much this song must say a lot. Dark and depressing. Songs like this make it hard to jog to my iPod on shuffle but appeal endlessly to the ocean of sadness in my heart. It's a monsoon people.

3. Angels & Whores- Ike Reilly

• "Riding in my Crown Vic outta school half-lit" I'm not sure if I have any idea what this song is about but I'm not sure it matters. This is a fun, upbeat and profane rock song off the "Salesman and Racists" album which I love. I think Ike fell off a bit after his debut and insinuated that a friend felt the same way while she was talking to him. Whoops.