BYOBB Edition

1. Triple Trouble (Green Mix)- Beastie Boys

• "If you (if you) wanna know (wanna know), the real deal about the three, well let me tell you we're triple trouble ya'll, we're gonna bring you up to speed, so check it out." The original version of "Triple Trouble" from 2004's "To the Five Boroughs" found the Beastie Boys rhyming over the beat from "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang which of course samples "Good Times" by Chic. The remix from the "New York State of Mind" ablum uses the beat from "White Lines" by GrandMaster Flash and the Furious Five which of course samples "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid. Still with me? "Triple Trouble" is a great song- you can't go wrong with either version. The song has references to Helen of Troy, Jabba the Hut, sharp AND cheddar cheese...well done B-boys. If you are hungry for more Beastie Boys, the new LP "Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1" is expected to find the light of day come September.

2. Oodles Of O's- De La Soul

• "Charging barricades like a raging rhino, the donuts come big and some in jumbo, the landlord is finished but before I go, I'll give a shout to Quest and my fellow Jungle Bro's." I have no idea what this song is about. I thought reading the lyrics would help but not so much. What I can say is that "Oodles of O's" comes from the "De La Soul is Dead" album which is a bit of a landmark in hip-hop. I did catch the trio in concert last year at Bam Margera's bar in West Chester. De La's set was delayed for what felt like an eternity due to technical issues- the group blamed the venue for not being prepared for a hip hop show. To keep the crowd from losing their minds, the house DJ played non stop old school hip hop during the delay- the ultimate highlight was the Beastie Boys "Shake Your Rump". Plugs 1, 2 and 3 eventually did their thing to the delight of the crowd.

3. The Dynamo of Volition (Live)- Jason Mraz

• "I do not answer the call if I do not know show is calling, I guess the whole point of it all is that we never know really. Oh, fists knock bumping and wrists locked twisting up a riz-la, kid Icarus on the transistor, Nintendo be giving me the blister." How did the Jason Mraz "iTunes Live: London Session EP" wind up in my collection when it's not available in the US iTunes store? It's really none of your business. Of course when Apple gives you no reasonable means to purchase something you tend to get creative. This is a great version of "The Dynamo of Volition"...I'd take it over the studio take from "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things." This song has a great acoustic riff and some memorable lyrics ("I do not sleep without a mistress") but it doesn't stand out as one of my favorites from the album. That being said, the album as a whole is very good and getting better with time. The more I listen to "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" I'm happier and happier that I own an unopened copy on vinyl. When something is really good you don't want to ruin it by opening and using it. It also helps not to touch it and to avoid eye contact.

1. Monday Monday- Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs

• "Monday Monday (ba-da ba-da da-da), so good to me (ba-da ba-da da-da), Monday morning, it was all I hoped it would be, oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee (ba-da ba-da da-da), that Monday evening you would still be here with me." On "Under the Covers, Vol. 1" Sweet and Hoffs tackle some of the best pop music from the 1960s. The album produces some great results, most notably the duo's take on Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere". In the case of "Monday Monday" the results are adequate. There is certainly no lack of ambition with this cover- the Mamas & The Papas original is an absolute classic and the harmonies are as tight as can be. The remake can't quite match the feel of the original. It doesn't help that we have 2 vocalists trying to do the work of four singers. Perhaps Susanna should have called up her old Bangles band mates to have them lend some back up vocals. History shows that they're up to the task. After all it was the Bangles cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter" that taught us that Simon and Garfunkel could rock-years before the Lemonheads reinvented Mrs. Robinson.

2. California- Joni Mitchell

• "So I bought me a ticket, I caught a plane to Spain, went to a party down a red dirt road, there were lots of pretty people there, reading Rolling Stone reading Vogue." 1971 was a great year for music. "What's Going On" took R&B to new heights, "Who's Next" and"Led Zeppelin IV" provided rock and roll thrills and albums like "Tapestry" and "Blue" were tour de force showcases for brilliant songwriting. Joni Mitchell has such a distinct and original sound. If you can point me to anyone that came before Joni with a similar sound I'm all ears. "Blue" will probably go down as her best album. It's not just the highlights ("California" is one for sure) that make "Blue" great but rather the entire collection of songs. There was nothing "single driven" about this effort- the album stands as a cohesive work of art. After all "Blue" was made in an era where the expectation was you'd drop a needle, step away for 15-20 minutes, flip and repeat. Might as well make the whole thing great.

3. Travelin' Band- Creedence Clearwater Revival

• "737 coming out of the sky, won't you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride, I wanna move, playin in a travelin' band, oh yeah!" "Travelin' Band" is all the proof I need that John Fogerty listened to a lot of Chuck Berry and Little Richard records growing up. We have the gritty CCR sound, classic Fogerty rasp and a 1950's rock song structure and feel. "Travelin' Band" comes to us from 1970's "Cosmo's Factory" which also brought us great songs like "Lookin' Out My Back Door" and my personal favorite "Who'll Stop the Rain". I've played"Who'll Stop the Rain" on guitar for years. I also sang it karaoke a few years ago. Imagine my surprise when the supposed "actual lyrics" varied quite a bit from what I've been singing for a long time. I could go back and re-learn the lyrics but I'm in a good place with my version of the song.

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1. Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)- Ray LaMontagne

• "All my life I've been a poor boy son, scratching for my meat, I have been kicked in my teeth till the blood run hot and sweet, seen a lot of living my friends and this I will repeat, just because you knock a man down don't mean that you got him beat." Most Ray LaMontagne songs are a laid back affair. Ray's vocals and lyrics are often what brings the intensity. In the case of "Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)" from the "Gossip In the Grain" album, the music is just as heated as the lyrics. The song is a good example of modern roots music....aside from the quality production it sounds like something that could have been recorded about a century earlier. When LaMontange sings about getting kicked in the teeth and being "down but not out" it's like a battle cry...and one I can relate to.

2. They Say (feat. Kanye West & John Legend)- Common

• "They say 'dude think he righteous', I write just to free minds from Stoney to Rikers. They say 'the crochet pants and the sweater was wack', seen 'the corner', now they say 'that n*gga's back', uh." Collaborations are a dime a dozen in hip-hop but this one is special. These guys sound like an established group. Common and Kanye rhyme over a great jazz loop and a funky drum beat (samples of "Ghetto Child" by Ahmad Jamal and "Papa Wings" by Stanley Turrentine) while John Legend provides great vocals for the chorus. On the fashion side there is nothing wack about crochet. In fact the great college and NFL football legend Rosie Grier published "Rosie Grier's Needlepoint for Men" in 1973. You tell a 6'5 300 + pound man that you have problems with his crocheting.

3. Hate It or Love It [G Unit Remix]- 50 Cent

• "Daddy aint' around probably out comittin' felonies, my favorite rapper used to sing check-check out my melody. Hate it or love it the underdog's on top and I'm gonna shine homie until my heart stop." As far as I remember the original version of this song was a vehicle to introduce the rapper known as "The Game" to the masses. Yes it was released on his album "The Documentary" but the collaboration with 50 Cent ensured a wider audience. The Game spits some nice rhymes but I have to give a "tip of the cap" to 50 on this one. The "check out my melody" nod to legendary emcee Rakim is simply fabulous. The remix version is much like the original but with appearances from additional "G-Unit" rappers. The Game has certainly come a long way since a 2000 appearance on the dating show "Change of Heart" where a then-girlfriend referred to him as "a scrub". It turns out that girl was probably a "pigeon".

1. Your Ass Got Took- Scarface

• "Cause if you make a false move it'll cost you, no need to cry for help the world just lost you, and I don't give a f*#k about no witnesses.....witness this (gun shot)." The Geto Boy's Scarface launched his solo career in 1991 with "Mr. Scarface is Back". I recently stumbled across this CD while unpacking some old boxes. "Your Ass Got Took" is based off of a sample of "Four Cornered Room" by War. This song must have had quite an impact on Scarface. Not only does he sample it here, he also references it twice lyrically on Geto Boys songs, most famously on the intro to "Mind Playing Tricks On Me"- "I sit alone in my four cornered room staring at candles." "Mr. Scarface is Back" stands up all these years later but with all the death and mayhem described on "Your Ass Got Took" you have to wonder why can't we be friends.

2. Keep on Hoping (feat. Raul Midon) [live]- Jason Mraz

• "And do you know what it's like to want her?, and to breathe her name in every song you sing?, she is in everything." Jason Mraz and R&B singer Raul Midon teamed up to write "Keep on Hoping" for Midon's debut album "State of Mind". The song made it's way into my collection thanks to the inclusion of a live version of the song on Mraz's 2006 "Geekin' Out Across the Galaxy" EP. I'm not a big fan of this song and the EP doesn't offer anything earth shattering save a great live recording of "On Love, In Sadness" which may qualify as my favorite Mraz song.

3. Whip It- Devo

• "Crack that whip, give the past a slip, step on a crack, break your momma's back, when a problem comes along you must whip it." Back when my parents didn't let me watch music videos but somehow I still did, the video for "Whip It" was a staple on MTV. In retrospect the video is somewhat risque. While most of the band is rocking out (with not one but two guys on keyboards) another member of the band is using a whip to remove clothes from a woman. I'm not sure what the rustic western farm setting and S&M is all about...but perhaps it served as inspiration for Spinal Tap's "Sex Farm". "Whip It" took Devo to the height of their mainstream appeal 30 years ago but the band is still around. They recently put out a new album and performed at the Coachella music festival just last month.

1. It's Alright- Jay-Z

• "Bounce if you wanna bounce, ball if you wanna ball, play if you wanna play, floss if you wanna floss, it's alright, you heard? it's alright, holla back." If you find Jay-Z on my iPod it means that someone put it on a mix for me (I'm not going to purchase Jay-Z anytime soon). I'm trying to let this rapper grow on me but as time goes on it seems less and less likely. The best thing I can say about this song is the sample is good- "Once In a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads (one of my favorite songs of all time). I was recently unpacking some boxes and came across a bunch of "old school" hip hop CDs including 1993's "Home Invasion" by Ice-T. I hadn't listened to the CD in years and years. I was surprised to find a song called "99 Problems"and sure enough it's the basis for the Jay-Z hit. I guess he's more of a biter than a writer.

2. Common Pleasure- Jason Mraz

• "I'm gonna keep on keeping on, I'm gonna reap being strong, and I got my head on, though misconnected, it's alright cause I do it protected." This particular version of "Common Pleasure" comes from the 1999 debut independent release "A Jason Mraz Demonstration". I didn't become familiar with Mraz until a few years later but I recently came across a number of his early independent releases thanks to a combination of the Internet and not having a girlfriend. This original version is based on acoustic guitar and has a mellow coffee shop vibe. The more well known live version from the "Tonight, Not Again: Jason Mraz Live at the Eagles Ballroom" CD/DVD is performed on electric guitar with a sped up tempo. Both versions feature great percussion (compliments of Toca Rivera) and scat lyrics that are quite fun to sing along with. If you are a die hard Mraz fan I'd recommend digging around for a copy of "A Jason Mraz Demonstration". In addition to "Common Pleasure" you'll find the original versions of "Sleep All Day" and "0% Interest" among others.

3. Out Of The Woods- Nickel Creek

• "I roller coaster for you, time out of mind must be heavenly, it's all enchanted and wild, just like my heart said it was gonna be. If this is gonna run 'round in my head I might as well be dreaming." I can remember the 1st time I heard Nickel Creek. I was in a car heading from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon in 2000. I think it was an NPR program that we stumbled upon- I was blown away by Nickel Creek's musicianship. There isn't much in the way of bluegrass in my collection but this is too good to pass up. "Out of the Woods" is gorgeous....dare I say achingly beautiful. It's also smooth as hell. A friend of mine had me watch a few episodes of the Internet series "Yacht Rock" this past weekend. "Out Of The Woods" might as well be a bluegrass tribute to the Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald genre. "Yacht Rock" suggests that "Sailing" by Christopher Cross is the smoothest song of all time. I won't argue that, but "Out Of The Woods" is not far behind.

Is it live or is it memorex?

1. If Only (Live from Soho)- KT Tunstall

• "Looking at the stars for the answers, but all that I found was silence and a dirty ground, if only you could see me now, if only you could hear me out, if only it was only me now." In her first iTunes exclusive live EP ("Live Sessions") KT Tunstall shows her mastery of the loop pedal to simulate the sound of a full band. On her next iTunes exclusive live release ("Live from Soho") the singer/songwriter uses a loop pedal here and there but for the most part relies on her full band to create the sound of a full band. The studio version of "If Only" is featured on 2007's "Drastic Fantastic" album. Both the studio and live versions prominently feature the glockenspiel, which Tunstall refers to in the "Live from Soho" album as the "rockenspiel". "Live from Soho" focuses on material from "Drastic Fantastic" but also includes a handful of songs from the brilliant "Eye To The Telescope".

2. Happy Jack (Live at Leeds)- The Who

• "The kids would all sing, he would take the wrong key, so they rode on his head in their furry donkey.....but they couldn't stop Jack or the waters lapping, and they couldn't prevent Jack from being happy." This classic rock gem was first featured on The Who's 1966 sophomore album "A Quick One". In fact due to the somewhat risque title the album was distributed as "Happy Jack" in the states. This particular version comes from the landmark 1970 "Live at Leeds" album. "Happy Jack" allows The Who's rhythm section to shine. The bass and drum parts drive the song- the colorful lyrics and Beach Boys style backing harmonies just add to the enjoyment. The Who perform "Happy Jack" during the Leeds concert as one of "3 selected hit singles....the 3 easiest". Many many years later "Happy Jack" was used in an advertisement to help promote the eco-friendly Hummer.

3. Covered in Rain (live)- John Mayer

• "Tonight we're gonna order in, drinking wine and watching CNN, it's dark I know but then again, it's the brightest thing I've got, when I'm covered in rain." This is probably my favorite John Mayer song. If you listen to "City Love" on the album "Room For Squares" you'll hear a love song about New York City and a girl named Lydia. If you listen even closer to the bridge you'll hear the lyrics "and I can't remember life before the day, she called up and came to me covered in rain". "Covered in Rain" is not just a reference to "City Love", it's a continuation of the story. "City Love" is a love song to NYC written pre 9-11, while "Covered in Rain" is the post 9-11 postscript. We find that like the city, the relationship is damaged. "Come December Lydia left, she mentioned something about it being for the best." This live version of "Covered in Rain" comes from the 2004 "As/Is" collection of live concert recordings. Mayer normally plays this song on electric guitar (no studio version has been released). Perhaps the best version I've ever heard was in Chicago in the summer of 2007; Mayer performed it acoustically as an encore. In that performance he worked in lyrics to "Everything Is Not Broken"; the other song he wrote that reflects on 9-11. The circle was complete. It was amazing.