Week 5: My Mama Told Me

This week's list features songs that include or refer to advice from dear old Mom. Perhaps not surprisingly, most of them seem to tell how such advice was not followed. Then again, the advice itself is of variable quality, what with the open misogyny of Johnny Mercer's mama, the creepy overprotection of Roger Waters' mother, and the bland indifference of Doris Day's mom.

Big thanks to Daniel S. for reminding me that Arlen & Mercer wrote the all-time classic mom advice song, Stacey G. for getting Mama Leone into the mix, Ahren O. for introducing me to the moody moodiness of Danzig, and my sister Mary for suggesting the Decembrists, which led to me to one of the craziest Lego videos I've seen.

1. "Blues in the Night," Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer

My mama done tol' me
When I was in knee-pants
My mama done tol' me, "Son
A woman'll sweet talk
And give you the big eye
But when that sweet talking's done
A woman's a two-face,
A worrisome thing who'll leave you to sing
The blues in the night

2. "Shop Around," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

And then she said
Just because you've become a young man now
There's still some things that you don't understand now
Before you ask some girl for her hand now
Keep your freedom for as long as you can now
My mama told me
You better shop around

3. "Que Sera, Sera," Doris Day

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be
Will I be pretty will I be rich
Here's what she said to me
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que Sera, Sera

4. "Magic Man," Heart

"Come on home girl" Mama cried on the phone
"Too soon to lose my baby and my girl should be at home"
But try to understand
Try to understand
Try try try to understand
He's a magic man, Mama

5. "Mama Said," The Shirelles/Dusty Springfield

My eyes are wide open
But all that I can see is
Chapel bells are calling for everyone but me
But I don't worry cause
Mama said there'll be days like this
There'll be days like this my mama said

6. "Movin' Out," Billy Joel

Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Mama Leone left a note on the door
She said "Sonny move out to the country."

7. "You Can't Hurry Love," Diana Ross & The Supremes

I need love, love to ease my mind
I need to find, find someone to call mine
But mama said
You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
She said love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take

8. "Mama Told Me Not to Come," Randy Newman/Three Dog Night

I seen so many things I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is but I don't wanna see no more
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said, that ain't no way to have fun

9. "Billie Jean," Michael Jackson

People always told be careful what you do
Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And Mother always told me be careful who you love
Be careful what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth

10. "Mama Tried," Merle Haggard

I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole
No-one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied
That leaves only me to blame 'cos Mama tried

11. "Don't take Your Guns to Town," Johnny Cash

A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down
And he heard again his mother's words
Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town

12. "Mother," Danzig

Mother
Tell your children not to walk my way
Tell your children not to hear my words
What they mean
What they say
Mother

13. "Devil's Right Hand," Steve Earle

I saw my first pistol in the general store
In the general store, when I was thirteen
Thought it was the finest thing I ever had seen
So l asked if I could have one someday when I grew up
Mama dropped a dozen eggs, she really blew up
She really blew up and I didn't understand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

14. "Mama Said," Metallica

Mama, she has taught me well
Told me when I's young
Son your life's an open book
Don't close it 'fore it's done
The brightest flame burns quickest
That's what I heard her say
A son's heart's owed to mother
But I must find my way

15. "Ashes to Ashes," David Bowie

My mother said to get things done
You better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You better not mess with Major Tom...

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16. "Mother," Pink Floyd

Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry
Mamma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true
Mamma's gonna put all of her fears into you
Mamma's gonna keep you right here, under her wing
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing
Mamma's gonna keep baby cosy and warm
Oooh babe, Oooh babe, Oooh babe
Of course Mamma's gonna help build the wall

17. "Mother, the Queen of My Heart," Jimmie Rodgers

Till one day the angels called her
That debt that we all have to pay
She called me close to her bedside
These last few words to say
"Son, don't start drinking and gambling
Promise you'll always go straight"
Ten years have passed since that parting
That promise I broke I must state...

18. "The Mariner's Revenge Song," The Decembrists

Then one day in spring
My dear sweet mother died
But before she did
I took her hand as she dying cried:
Oh Ohhhhh
"Find him, bind him
Tie him to a pole and break
His fingers to splinters
Drag him to a hole until he
Wakes up naked
Clawing at the ceiling
Of his grave

Week 4: Ain't That America

This week’s playlist is dedicated to songs about America, but I wasn’t necessarily looking for patriotic songs. Instead, I was thinking of Big American Songs about Big American Themes. The list includes likely suspects like Springsteen and Paul Simon, along with some newer voices like Rufus Wainwright and Bleu Edmondson. A foreign perspective is supplied by Neil Young and U2.

Thanks to Kant M. for the Bleu Edmondson tip, to Guy K. for thinking of Spinal Tap, to Traci P. for Don McLean, and to Eric V. for reminding me how great Neil Young is. Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World indeed.

1. "Pink Houses," John Mellencamp

'Cause they told me when I was younger
"Boy you're gonna be president."
But just like everything else those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went

2. "The Pretender," Jackson Browne

Caught between the longing for love
And the struggle for the legal tender
Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring
And the junk man pounds his fender.
Where the veterans dream of the fight
Fast asleep at the traffic light
And the children solemnly wait
For the ice cream vendor

3. "Born to Run," Bruce Springsteen

In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected
and steppin' out over the line

4. "American Tune," Paul Simon

We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age's most uncertain hours
And sing an American tune
Oh, and it's all right, it's all right, it's all right
You can't be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow's going to be another working day
And I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying to get some rest

5. "Rockin' In The Free World," Neil Young

We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder gentler
Machine gun hand
We got department stores and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer

6. "American Woman," The Guess Who

I don’t need your war machines
I don’t need your ghetto scenes
Colored lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be

7. "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," John Prine

While digesting Reader's Digest
In the back of the dirty book store
A plastic flag with gum on the back
Fell out on the floor
Well I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I'd tell her how good I feel

8. "Going to a Town," Rufus Wainwright

I'm going to a town that has already been burnt down
I'm going to a place that has already been disgraced
I'm gonna see some folks who have already been let down
I'm so tired of America

9. "America," Spinal Tap

Super highways here and there
Pretty womens everywhere
Brady Bunch and Smokey Bear
Buildings reaching to the sky
Afro-Sheen and apple pie
PTA and FBI

10. "City of New Orleans," Steve Goodman

Good morning America how are you
Say don't you know me I'm your native son
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
And I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

10. "Red, White, and Blue," Lynyrd Skynyrd

We don't care if you 're a lawyer, or a texas oil man,
Or some waitress busting ass in some liquor stand.
If you got soul
We hang out with people just like you

12. "American Pie," Don McLean

Now for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me

13. "American Saint," Bleu Edmondson

It's another round of sound checks and train wrecks
The lost boys and the rejects
Fallen angels dancing to the music drifting softly on the southern wind
Talking like the heroes that we wont be
Spittin out the game that little Jimmy sold me
Fighting for each other though it seems like we'll never win
American saint
American saint

14. "American Girl," Tom Petty

Well she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn't help thinkin'
That there was a little more to life somewhere else
After all it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin'
She had one little promise she was gonna keep

15. "In God's Country," U2

She is liberty
And she comes to rescue me
Hope, faith, her vanity
The greatest gift is gold

Sleep comes like a drug
In God's Country
Sad eyes, crooked crosses
In God's Country

15. "America," Simon & Garfunkel

Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for America

Week 3: Songs for Stalkers

I've always thought of this as a potential K-tel record ad: For those times when you just can't let go! From the cheerful threats of the Beatles to the dogged persistence of the Temptations to the outright violence of Guns N' Roses, you'll find something for every obsessive former/unrequited/imaginary lover.

I had a ton of great suggestions this week. Special thanks to JGP for finding me a whole list to steal from; to Todd G, JJJ, Nick C, Mary D, and Ron P for teaching me about the darker side of 80s & 90s indie pop; and to Susan B for suggesting Clay Aiken, the least threatening stalker in history.

I took the liberty of throwing in Bill Shakespeare at the end. Not a singer, true, but I found a video with appropriately creepy footage from a Twilight movie, so I think it should count.

1. "Run for your Life" The Beatles

Well I'd rather see you dead little girl
Than to be with another man
You better keep your head little girl
Or I won't know where I am
You better run for your life if you can little girl
Hide your head in the sand little girl
Catch you with another man that's the end
Little girl

2. "Hey Joe" Jimi Hendrix

Hey Joe where you goin' with that gun in your hand
Hey Joe where you goin' with that gun in your hand

I'm going down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messing around with another man
I'm going down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messing around with another man

3. "I Will Follow Him," Little Peggy March

I must follow him
Ever since he touched my hand I knew
That near him I always must be
And nothing can keep him from me
He is my destiny

I love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow
He'll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever

4. "Every Breath You Take," The Police

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you

5. "Silhouettes," The Rays

Took a walk and passed your house
Late last night
All the shades were pulled and drawn
Way down tight
From within, the dim light cast
Two silhouettes on the shade
Oh what a lovely couple they made

6. "Private Eyes," Hall & Oates

Private Eyes
They're watching you
They see your every move
Private Eyes
They're watching you
Private Eyes
They're watching you watching you watching you watching you

7. "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," The Temptations

I know you wanna leave me
But I refuse to let you go
If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy
I don't mind cause you mean that much to me
. . .
If I have to sleep on your doorstep
All night and day just to keep you from walking away
Let your friends laugh, even this I can stand
Because I want to keep you any way I can

8. "You Belong to Me," Patti Page/Jo Stafford

See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me

9. "I Put a Spell on You," Screamin' Jay Hawkins

I love you
I love you
I love you anyhow
I don't care if you don't want me
I'm yours right now
I put a spell on you
Because you're mine

10. "I Want To Come Over," Melissa Etheridge

I know you're home
You left your light on
You know I'm here
The night is thin
I know you're alone
I watched the car leave
Your lover is gone
Let me in

11. "Escape," Enrique Iglasias

If you feel like leaving
I'm not going to
Beg you to stay
Soon you'll be finding
You can run
You can hide
But you can't
Escape my love

12. "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?," Mental As Anything

If you leave me can I come too?
We can always stay
But if you leave me can I come too?
And if you go can I come too?

13. "Throw Your Arms Around Me," Hunters & Collectors

I dreamed of you at night time
And I watched you in your sleep
I met you in high places
I touched your head and touched your feet
So if you dissapear out of view
You know, I will never say goodbye

14. "Invisible " Clay Aiken

Whatcha' doin' tonight?
I wish I could be a fly on your wall
Are you really alone?
Who's stealing your dreams?
Why can't I bring you into my life?
What would it take to make you see that I'm alive?

If I was invisible
Then I could just watch you in your room
If I was invincible
I'd make you mine tonight

15. "(Crazy for You But) Not That Crazy " The Magnetic Fields

I pretended you were Jesus you were just dying to save me
I stood beneath your window with my ukelele
I made a yard a playground just in case we had a baby
Now I'm crazy for you but not that crazy

16. "A Good Idea," Sugar

That's a good idea she said she said
I wanna feel you in the water
With your hands on my head
Push you down into the water
She said she said

17. "Crash Into Me," Dave Matthews Band

Oh I watch you there
Through the window
And I stare at you
You wear nothing but you
Wear it so well
Tied up and twisted
The way I'd like to be
For you, for me, come crash
Into me

18. "I Drove All Night," Cyndi Lauper/Roy Orbison

I drove all night
To get to you
Is that all right
I drove all night
Crept in your room
Woke you from your sleep
To make love to you
Is that all right
I drove all night

19. "Rid of Me" PJ Harvey

I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me

20. "Just My Imagination," The Temptations

Each day through my window I watch her as she passes by
I say to myself you're such a lucky guy
To have a girl like her
Is truly a dream come true
Out of all of the fellows in the world
She belongs to you
But it was just my imagination
Running away with me
It was just my imagination
Running away with me

21. "Used to Love Her," Guns N' Roses

I used to love her but I had to kill her
I used to love her but I had to kill her
I had to put her
Six feet under
And I can still hear her complain

22. "Meet Me Halfway" Black Eyed Peas

I spent my time just thinkin thinkin thinkin bout you
Every single day yes I'm really missin' missin' you
And all those things we used to used to used to do

23. "Sonnet 116," William Shakespeare

...Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove

Week 2: Hellooooooo, baby (Telephone songs part 2)

The second half of this week's list includes several more people pestering the operator, a couple misguided attempts to connect to old lovers, and an all-time great cheating song.

The videos feature a big-hair showdown between the monster afros of The Sylvers, the leonine excess of Jeff Lynn & ELO, the Jheri curled smoothness of Midnight Star, the hippie grubbiness of Dr. Hook, and the classic Muppet yarn of Little Jerry and the Monotones. Pick your own winner!


11. "Chantilly Lace," The Big Bopper

Hello baby
Yeah, this is the Big Bopper speaking
ha ha ha ha ha ha
Oh you sweet thing!
Do I what?
Will I what?
Oh baby, you know what I like

12. "Operator," Midnight Star

Operator, this is an emergency
Operator baby, burning up on me
Operator, this is an emergency
Operator

13. "Operator," Manhattan Transfer

Operator
Information
Give me Jesus on the line
Operator
Information
I'd like to speak to a friend of mine

14. "Telephone Operator," The Leftovers

Telephone operator
Give me to my girl girl girl girl
Telephone operator
Give me to my girl

15. "Hot Line," The Sylvers

Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
For your love, for your love
Hot line, hot line
Calling on the hot line
On the hot line

16. "Telephone Line," Electric Light Orchestra

Hello
How are you?
Have you been all right
Through all those lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely nights

17. "Diamonds and Rust," Joan Baez

Well I'll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon was full
And you happened to call

18. "Sylvia's Mother," Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show

Please Mrs. Avery I just got to talk to her
I'll only keep her a while
Please Mrs Avery I just want to tell her
Goodbye

19. "Yes, Mr. Peters," Roy Drusky & Priscillia Mitchell

—Hello dear, will the same place be all right?
—Yes indeed, Mr. Peters, I can work late tonight
—Dear, is she near? Can she hear what you say?
—You're right, Mr. Peters, and I'm leaving right away

20. "Telephone Thing," The Fall

I hear you telephone thing listening in
I hear you telephone thing listening in
How dare you assume I want to parlez-vous with you?

21. "Bad Connection," Yaz

Can you hear me?
I've been calling all day
Can you hear me?
I'd wish they'd fix the wires 'cause my baby don't know
That I'm leaving in the morning and I'm ready to go
Can you hear me? Can you hear me at all?
Gotta get the operator make a telephone call

22. "As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone," Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty

—Darling I knew it was you
—Loretta there's something I just got to tell you
—Oh please tell me what to do
—I don't really know how to say this but I want to tell you that I
—You gave me the will to go on
As soon as I picked up the phone

23. "Telephone Rock," Little Jerry and the Monotones (Sesame Street)

Hey operator, please give us a hand
You gotta help us out 'cause we're the telephone band
We're calling all people that are sitting at home
With some rocking and rolling on the telephone

Week 2: Hello hello baby (Telephone songs part 1)

I got so many suggestions of telephone songs that I've divided this week's playlist in two. I also tried to limit the list to songs in which the singer is on the telephone, not just talking about the phone.

Extra credit goes to cheesy videos in which the singer is actually holding a phone, with J.C. Love topping that category. Thanks to Paul W., Guy C., and Andrew N. for unique suggestions, and to Joyce C. for thinking Broadway.

And if you find Stevie Wonder stuck in your head tonight, don't blame me; blame my brother Peter.


1. "He'll Have to Go," Jim Reeves

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let's pretend that we're together all alone
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low
And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go

2. "Telephone," Lady Gaga

Hello hello baby you called
I can't hear a thing
I have got no service
In the club you see see

3. "Memphis, Tennessee," Chuck Berry

Long distance information
Get me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party
Tryin' to get in touch with me

4. "Hanging on the Telephone," Blondie

I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall
I know he's there, but I just had to call
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone

5. "Operator," Jim Croce

Operator, well could you help me place this call
See the number on the matchbook is old and faded

6. "Telephone Hour," Lee Adams & Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie)

Hi, Nancy!
Hi, Helen!
What's the story, morning glory?
What's tale, nightingale?
Tell me quick about Hugo and Kim

7. "Telephone Love," J.C. Love

Telephone love, you sound so sweet on the line
Telephone love, you make my day every time
When you call I feel so good
Wish you were living in my neighborhood

8. "Thank you for Calling," Jo Stafford

Who can it be hello hello
Yes this is me darling oh darling
What a surprise
It's been so long why there's tears in my eyes

9. "I'm Straight," Jonathan Richman

I called this number three times already today
But I, I got scared, I put
It back in place, I put my phone back in place.
I still don't know if I
should have called up.

10. "I Just Called to Say I Love You," Stevie Wonder

No New Year's Day to celebrate
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring
No song to sing
In fact it's just another ordinary day
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/stevie+wonder/#share

Week 1: Met My Old Lover

This week's playlist features songs about running into an old flame. Perhaps it's not surprising that there are a lot of country songs in the mix, but Dan Fogelberg and Barry Manilow put in appearances too, as well as the Cars.  Thanks to Ann W. for the Tiny Tim tip-off, and other suggestions from Susan B., Eric V., Susan M., and of course Shari.  Think of something I missed?  Add a comment!

1. "Still Crazy After All These Years," Paul Simon

Met my old lover on the street last night
She seemed so glad to see me; I just smiled

2. "Hello Darlin'," Conway Twitty

Hello darlin', nice to see you
It's been a long time
You're still as lovely as you used to be

3. "Non, j'ai rien oublié," Charles Aznavour

Je n'aurais jamais cru qu'on se rencontrerait
le hasard est curieux, il provoque les choses...

(I never would have believed that we would meet again
Chance is strange, it brings things about...)

4. "My Wife Thinks You're Dead," Junior Brown

It's good to see you, baby
It's been a long long while
We're both a whole lot older
Have seen a lot of miles

5. "Unanswered Prayers," Garth Brooks

Just the other night a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame

6. "Same Old Lang Syne," Dan Fogelberg

Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

7. "I Got That Old Feeling," Lew Brown & Sammy Fain

I saw you last night and got that old feeling
When you came in sight, I got that old feeling

8. "Sometime Around Midnight," Airborne Toxic Event

...And so there’s a change in your emotions
   And all these memories come rushing
   Like feral waves to your mind

9. "Funny How Time Slips Away," Willie Nelson

Well hello there
My, it's been a long long time
How am I doin'?
Well, I guess I’m doing fine
It's been so long now and it seems like
It was only yesterday
Gee, ain't it funny how time slips away

10."I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You," Hank Williams

Today I passed you on the street
And my heart fell at your feet
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
Somebody else stood by your side
And he looked so satisfied
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you

11. "My Best Friend's Girlfriend," The Cars

Here she comes again
When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky
Oo, she'll make you flip
Here she comes again
When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky
I kinda like the way she dips

12. "Looks Like We Made It," Barry Manilow

There you are
Looking just the same as you did last time I touched you
And here I am
Close to getting tangled up inside the thought of you