10 Great songs for this Halloween

Maybe you've already had your Halloween party, but it's not the end of October yet. There is still plenty of opportunity to let the creepy music ring through the house or workplace. And just in case you're sick of "The Monster Mash" here\s 10 songs that will fit in nicely to any Halloween playlist.

1. Misfits - "Scream!"

Really any song by the Misfits would work on a Halloween playlist. With titles like "Pumpkin Head", "Astro Zombies" and even "Halloween" picking from their catalog is a non-brainer (heh heh). "Scream!" was intended to be used on the soundtrack for the movie of the same name, but the director foolishly decided not to use it. The video was directed by zombie flick legend George A. Romero. Have a peek.

2. Horrorpops - "Walk Like A Zombie"

Though it might not be a particularly frightening tune "Walk Like A Zombie" definitely has the elements and themes that rise from the earth around Halloween. The HorrorPops come from Denmark and have found a modest amount of fame in the recent years. Given the popularity of zombies all year round, this one should fit right in.

3. Cradle Of Filth - "Her Ghost In The Fog"

From horror-punk to goth-metal. This one isn't as much about scary, creepy ghosts as it is about avenging lost loves and helping restless souls find eternal peace. The lyrics paint a lovely picture and weave a fantastic tale, all told on the backdrop of dark misty forests and burned down churches.

4. Type O Negative - "Wolf Moon"

Type O Negative is known for their unique blend of doom and goth metal set beside traditional rock and roll melodies. Like the Misfits, most songs in their library could be used to flesh out a Halloween mix. Since we already have zombies and ghosts, here is "Wolf Moon".

5. The Damning Well - "Awakening"

On the surface "Awakening" sounds like a typical (if not excellent) nu-metal track, but listen closely and you'll realize the song is sung from the eyes of a vampire. A little more digging reveals that this song was featured on the Underworld soundtrack. The Damning Well is actually a supergroup comprised of members from Limp Bizkit, Nine Inch Nails, Filter and Devo.

6. King Gordy - "Lucifer's Apology"

King Gordy is an american horrorcore rapper who is known to collaborate with fellow Detroit rapper Bizarre. "Lucifer's Apology" is a slow brooding tale of a relationship long since dissolved. While it's told through the eyes of Satan yearning to make amends with God, it can also be used as an analogy for many terrestrial relationships as well.

7. The Cure - "Lullaby"

Though a lullaby isn't what jumps to mind when one thinks about being scared, The Cure's Robert Smith has crafted a song about being lulled to sleep only to fall into a nightmare. He based the description of the nightmare on an actual one that had affected him as a child: being eaten alive by a giant spider. If thats not a terrifying thought I don't know what is.

8.  Siouxsie & The Banshees - "Scarecrow"

Legendary horrorpunk group Siouxsie & The Banshees crafts another creepy song. This one seemingly about talking to a Scarecrow in the middle of the night as if it was a real person. And perhaps that Scarecrow convinces Siouxsie to do something unspeakable. Great spooky song.

9. Dave Matthews Band - "Halloween"

Perhaps one of DMB's rarest songs to be performed live "Halloween" has become something of a legend among fans. The only song on Before These Crowded Streets to not have it's lyrics printed on the inside booklet and when it is performed live it's never sung the same way twice. Draw your own conclusions to this one, but it's one of the only songs i've ever had someone tell me that it scared them. Dave kind of wears a Tom Waits mask in this one too. Neat.

10. Arthur Brown - "Fire"

To end off this list i'll give a preview of my next Halloween list which will be released this week. Before Lady Gaga, before Marilyn Manson and even Alice Cooper there was The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. Yes he is wearing a hat that is on fire. Happy Halloween everyone!

Thanks everyone for reading!

Come back soon for my next Halloween list!

JZ

10 Songs With Titles That People Often Get Wrong

Not everybody remembers song titles and lyrics like it's the driving route to their place of work. Often times when describing a song they heard people go by the most sung lyric, and even then it's not rare for some to get those wrong too. Here's a list of songs that have been plagued since their release by being called by the wrong name.

1. "Baba O'Riley" - The Who

This is the granddaddy of them all. Even people who pass themselves off as Who fans still call this one "Teenage Wasteland". The lyric respsonsible for this doesn't even appear until around the 2:20 mark, though it does appear frequently throughout the rest of the song. "Baba O'Riley" is actually a combination of 2 early demos by Pete Townsend. The name came from his spiritual adviser Meher Baba and experimental, minimalist composer Terry Riley, who Pete admired.

2. "The Rockafeller Skank" - Fatboy Slim

This song was part of the late 90's revival of electronic and techno music. Maybe it was because audiences at the time weren't used to hearing such amplified, catchy albeit repetitive music that they often mislabeled this one "Funk Soul Brother". Those are the only lines in the song and they are repeated quite often. I guess  audiences at the time weren't used to hearing such amplified, catchy albeit repetitive music.

3. "Sliver" - Nirvana

Speaking of repetitive, Nirvana's "Sliver" is perhaps the most repetitious song in their whole catalog. Not sure if it's typos or inattention to detail that gets this one penned as "Silver" instead of "Sliver", but it is indeed "Sliver". Fun fact: the Nirvana clone band Silverchair named themselves after this song and combined it with You Am I's "Berlin Chair" only to have the same phenomenon occur and it was misread as "Silver" instead of "Sliver". Great song from a great band though.

4. "D'Yer Maker" - Led Zeppelin

There were a few Zeppelin tunes I could have included here, but I had to write about this one. First off i'm sure many audiences don't even know which Zeppelin song this is...they could hear it on the radio and never know the name of the song. It gets often mispronounced as "Dear Maker" or "Dye Er Maker". The reggae influence in the song should be a hint, the proper pronounciation should sound like "Jamaica". It's a pun people! Bad example: "Hey Polly is on an island holiday!", "Jamaica?", "No it was her choice". ZZZiiiinnng!!

5. "Closer" - Nine Inch Nails

I guess the general population isn't overly addicted to song names and artists when it comes to what they like listening to. When a song gets super popular and even transcends genre and jumps into a world that isn't familiar with the rest of the artists' work it just becomes another song. Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" became one of those songs. Instantly popular among youths in the 90's who were interested in pissing off their parents, NIN fans or not, mainly because of it's most memorable line....the line that gets substituted for it's title even to this day "I Wanna Fuck You Like An Animal"

6. "Vincent" - Don McLean

Known mainly for his song "American Pie" Don McLean might be enjoying a little more success today if people were calling his other famous song (and searching for it online) by it's correct name. "Vincent" gets wrongly called "Starry Starry Night" because, I guess, those are the first lyrics in the song. Nevermind that it's a name of a famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh whom the song is about.  See! Even on Youtube it has "Starry Starry Night" in parenthesis. That wasn't there on the album sleeve.  I had American Pie on cassette tape in my younger days. It's awesome. Both sides. I recommend it.

7. "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" - Bob Dylan

What was Bob on about with that title? This song became an anthem for an entire generation and became known by it's most prominent line "Everybody Must Get Stoned". Though Dylan himself has stated it has nothing to do with drugs and claims he will "never write a drug song". The official story of how the song got it's name was two women came into the recording studio to get out of the rain and Bob correctly guessed their ages at 12 and 35. You can believe what you want and just for squeaks and gigs go ahead and multiply 12 by 35.

8. "Bodies" - Drowning Pool

This one might night seem like a huge reach or an unforgivable sin, but to a music stickler like myself there is a difference between calling a song "Bodies" and calling it "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor". That difference? One is the song's title, the other is not.

9. "Bonzo Goes To Bitgurg" - The Ramones

This song is the only one on the list to actually change it's title the often mislabeled one. It was written about Ronald Reagan's trip to Bitburg, Germany. You see Reagan was once an actor and starred opposite a chimpanzee in a movie called Bedtime For Bonzo. Depending on which version of the story you hear the band changed the song's name or simply added the extra title "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down" because Johnny Ramone actually supported Reagan and wanted it changed or simply audiences were calling it that anyway because of the song's refrain.

10. "Fightstarter Karaoke" - The Dropkick Murphys

I'm even guilty of this one. For the longest time I thought this song was called "Riot Tonight". I guess it's one of the many downfalls of the digital music era. Not owning the album, holding it in your hand. You get second hand music everyday, and unless you know better, many of the songs you download are either given the wrong title or credited to the wrong artist. Honestly, how many of you have "Walking In Memphis" by Bruce Springsteen in your collection? How about "She Sells Sanctuary" by The Cure? It's a trend that happens constantly and sadly, in the foreseeable future I can only feel it will get worse.

Thanks again all!

Follow the shit out of me on twitter!!

@johnnyzhivago

Always love

JZ

10 More Great Drinking Songs

Oktoberfest is upon us again and many of you might be searching for the perfect soundtrack to go along with your various festivities. Ol' Johnny is always happy to ablige. Now, not all these are necessarily about drinking, but have that vibe that goes so well with visiting pals and having a few rounds. 10 More Great Drinking Songs.

1. "Shakespeare Road" - The Mahones

What better place to start than with a band that was formed on St. Patrick's Day in Kingston Ontario? It was 1990 and while they were only slated to be a one time thing, their (at the time) unique blend of high energy Celtic music infused with punk rock made them an immediate fan favourite. They've been singing and swiggin' and drinking ever since.

2. "Mari-Mac" - Great Big Sea

This one isn't really about drinking, but rather an old timey east coast song about marriage. Great Big Sea's version is great though and it's fun watching drunk people try to keep up with the increasingly faster vocals.

3. "Have A Drink On Me" - AC/DC

I've made my feelings about AC/DC well known before, so no need to delve into that once again. This song with the right combination of brain lubrication can make for a fun section of an already care free night.

4. "Got Your Money" - Old Dirty Bastard

This one might seem a little out of place, but thinking back to my high school partying days this song was ALWAYS played. So now I can't hear it without craving a rye & coke or a Mike's Hard Lemonade. haha

5. "Chip" - The Real McKenzies

Vancouver's Real McKenzies have crafted a wonderful celtic/punk rock sound and once you hear that signature bagpipe sound you'll agree that having a drink or two with The Real McKenzies is as right as rain.

6. "Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer" - Billy Currington

Do I really have to explain this one?

7. "You Don't Know How It Feels" - Tom Petty

Almost any Tom Petty song could've been included here, "You Don't Know How It Feels" has that laid back, warm summer's day vibe to it that just goes so well with a few cold ones.

8. "Up The Hill" - Captain Tractor

Captain Tractor are another Canadian band famous for their Celtic inspired sound and are often confused with The Arrogant Worms, likely due to their cover of one of their songs. "Up The Hill" is nothing if not a great drinking song. It's fast paced, great to sing a long to and is actually about being drunk.

9. "Keasby Nights" - Catch 22

I included this one or will include it on my list of songs with great lyrics. Rightfully so, it's got one of the best/catchiest choruses i've ever heard. Incidentally that also qualifies for it for a great drinking song.

10. "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You" - Tom Waits

Not every drinking song has to be high energy and all about the good times. The night needs to come to an end at some point. Tom Waits is great at capturing moments and emotion in his songs. This one is that perfect song for the end of the night, when the lights come on in the smokey old pub and you gotta go back to face reality again.

Enjoy Oktoberfest and all of October. The best month!

Drink responsibly friends!

JZ

10 Great Live Versions Of Already Great Songs

Is there anything better than experiencing a song in it's truest most stripped-down form? The live show, when thought about, could seem like a silly expendinture. Going to SEE a band perform music that is intended for listening? As my fellow music lovers can attest to however, seeing one of your favourite songs blasted out right in front of you is the peak of musical nirvana. It would be nice to do a list of great live show experiences, but how would I share it with all of you? So i'll go with ten great performances of great songs, that were thankfully caught on tape...the audio kind or the video kind. 10 Great Live Versions Of Already Great Songs

1. "Run Like Hell" - Pink Floyd (The Wall Live, 1981)

Pink Floyd's The Wall is always included in discussions about the greatest albums of all time. It is perhaps the most famous concept album of all time and definitely Floyd's most well known effort. In 1981 (great year by the way) they performed the album in it's entirety. Now any Pink Floyd fan would know that the boys wouldn't simply be satisfied with just performing the music, this particular show featured visual and stage theatrics based on the album's continuous narrative. Thankfully it was all recorded and in 2000 the live double album Is Anybody Out There? was released. It was a great gift to a Pink Floyd fan like myself who was too young to enjoy this marvelous band at their peak. I fell of all the songs "Run Like Hell" got the best treatment on this album.

2. "Wolf Like Me" - TV On The Radio (David Letterman, 2006)

Brooklyn's TV On The Radio has yet to really crack the mainstream, but i'm sure if you ask them that's just fine. They've already earned respect among music critics and rabid fans alike. This performance of an already energetic song exemplifies that they're not only gifted musicians but genuinely love the music they perform. I feel like this performance alone made Letterman a fan of the band. Check out his reaction at the end.

3. "Surrender" - Cheap Trick (Live At Budokan, 1978)

 It's funny when a greatest hits record or live album is a band's most successful release for a band. That's exactly what happened to Cheap Trick in 1978 when they released a live album of 2 shows performed in Japan. For some reason Japanese music lovers were nuts about Cheap Trick and they let it known as the crowd's screams get so loud on some tracks it drowns out the band. Probably best known for "I Want You To Want Me" I became a fan of this group after I heard this album's version of "Surrender".

4. "Apollo I: The Writing Writer" - Coheed & Cambria (Neverender: Night 3, 2008)

Coheed & Cambria are notorious for their live shows. Full of energy, packing each playlist to the brim with crowd pleasers and standing to shoulder to shoulder with fellow fans in what has come to be known as "praise pools". In 2008 Co&Ca announced they'd be playing their 4 studio albums start to finish in a series of live shows known as Neverender with each album getting it's own night to shine. There are almost too many songs to pick from this catalog and this performance. "Apollo I" has always held a soft spot in my heart and for that reason it gets the nod here.

5. "All Apologies" - Nirvana (MTV Unplugged, 1994)

One of my favourite Nirvana songs. Here's my thoughts on the Unplugged album. Those who were in attendance i'm sure were a little let down at the time. They paid to see Nirvana live and while yes they got a very intimate performance of the band 6 of the 14 songs performed were covers and the most popular Nirvana song performed was "Come As You Are". "All Apologies" wasn't a hit until after this album was released. I'm sure if I ask those same people now how they feel about experiencing it live and I guarantee they say that they wouldn't have traded it for the world.

6. "Fuckin' Up" - Neil Young (unknown)

 For a long time this was the only version of this song that I knew. And looking back it's still my favourite. I don't know where it was recorded or when, but you can tell it's live. Listen around the 2:24 mark when Neil Says "Hey, wait a minute" the guy operating the recording equipment chuckles. Good little moment there.

7. "We Laugh At Danger And Break All The Rules" - Against Me! (unknown)

Again the when/where of this version is unknown to me and I would never of even heard it if it wasn't for Youtube. In all honesty this could be any Against Me! concert in any city. The crowds are very often louder than the band and everybody is there to enjoy the music. This song does feature some of Against Me's most sing-a-long-able lyrics. Enjoy!

8. "Live Forever" - Oasis (Late Show, circa 1996?)

I say Oasis but it's actually just Noel with an acoustic guitar belting this one out. I really prefer his version of the song. I'm not sure what show this is off or even what year, but it's likely a British talk show around the mid 90's. Maybe he was the sole guest or maybe Liam stormed off again. No matter Noel here nailed it.

9. "Runaway" - Jamiroquai (Abbey Road Sessions, 2006)

Daaamnnnn check out that bass! I know this isn't exactly a raw live performance as there is some sound engineering and production here, but the performances they recorded were all live and done in one take. Jamiroquai is really one of those bands that you can't describe. You can't compare to them to anyone else. Very unique....hmmm that gives me an idea about another list.

10. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Metallica (Day At The Green, 1985)

Definitely saved this one for last on purpose. It is well documented that Metallica are my favourite band but a small piece of me is dead because of the fact I will never get to witness them live in their original form. In 1986 Cliff Burton, the original bass player, was killed in a bus crash. This video really highlights his abilities and justifies many claims that he was the best metal bass player to grace the stage. Keep in mind this was before Metallica really exploded. After this they would embark on a European tour to open for Ozzy Osbourne and literally stole the show. It was during that tour that Metallica would lose Cliff Burton. Take a few minutes and enjoy his beauty.

JZ

10 Great Songs Not Sung By The Lead Singer

Ever hear a song by a popular artist and for some reason it sounds a little off? You can't place it, but the style of song is right, however the vocals are completely different. Maybe the singer was tired that day or they used a different mic. It's not far off that other members of the group are talented singers as well, not just the one designated as the "lead singer". Here's 10 songs where the lead singer stepped aside to give someone else a shot at the chops.

1. "Mankind" - Pearl Jam

No Code has always been given a bad rap. Largely ignored by radio and slammed by critics. It's one of my favourite Pearl Jam albums though. It's got a wide variety of musical styles and influences that makes Pearl Jam great and it's a true testament to their longevity. "Mankind" perhaps is the stand out bizarre track as not only does it sound like it was written in the 1950's, it features guitarist Stone Gossard on lead vocals.

2. "Off My Line" - Spin Doctors

Along your musical journey when someone brings up the Spin Doctors there is typically only one song that gets mentioned: "Two Princes" or if they are a seasoned music adventurer they'll also discuss "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong". Such a shame as Pocket Full Of Kryptonite has so much more to offer, but couldn't shine out from behind the massive success of that one song. "Off My Line" is a funky track that I always felt sounded different from typical Spin Doctors songs...which is because as I recently found out, guitarist, pianist Eric Shenkman handles the lead vocals. You can still hear the familiar voice of Chris Barron doing the background "Yeah YEAHs"

3. "Absolutely Anytime" - The Watchmen

The Watchmen were one of Canada's most popular acts throughout the 90's. Their album Silent Radar was certified gold in 1998 and produced the hits "Stereo" and "Any Day Now" which are still played on mainstream radio. Different musical aspirations brought the group to an end in 2001, but not before they rewarded fans with a double disc of old favourites and new songs that had never seen the light of day. Among them was "Absolutely Anytime" which was not only written soley by guitarist Joey Serlin but also featured him on lead vocal duty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3I-wQbtQBw


4. "Shackled" - Vertical Horizon

On previous albums from Vertical Horizon Keith Kane and Matt Scannell would typically share songwriting and singing vocals, but on 1999's Everything You Want Scannell handled lead vocal duties on all but the last track on the album. "Shackled" features Kane as the singer and was written by him and in my opinion is the album's best track.

5. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult

I always wonder was the deal with those parenthesis in the title of this song. Just call it "Don't Fear The Reaper" nobody calls it just "The Reaper". Perhaps BOC's most popular song, if not only for that SNL skit with Christopher Walken, yet how many listeners knew that Blue Oyster Cult's guitarist wrote and sang lead on this song instead of usual vocalist Eric Bloom? Donald Roeser, also known as Buck Dharma sang a handful of BOC's songs yet most of them ended up being hits. See also "Godzilla" and "Burning For You"

6. "Bloodcot" - Rancid

The first single from 1998's Life Won't Wait featured Rancid guitarist Lars Frederiksen on lead vocals. Diehard Rancid fans will tell you that he and Tim Armstrong typically alternated lead vocal duties on previous albums, but most of their well known hits featured Armstrong on the mic. This was the first Rancid single and video that had Lars front and center.

7. "The Lines You Amend" - Sloan

While it's true all four members of Sloan are capable vocalists, the majority of their songs and hits in particular were sung by bassist Chris Murphy or guitarist Patrick Pentland. "The Lines You Amend" from 1996's fantastic album From One Chord To Another features Jay Ferguson on the lead. It's always been my favourite Sloan song. Don't worry Murphy and Pentland couldn't stay away, they sing the bridge on this song.

8. "I'm One" - The Who

I love how this song starts out mellow and eventually becomes a rock anthem of the dejected and solidarity. We know now that Pete Townsend had no problem stepping in front of the mic, but hearing The Who without Roger Daltry just brings another great aspect to an already great group.

9. "Don't Look Back In Anger" - Oasis

During the recording session of What's The Story Morning Glory? Noel Gallagher told his brother Liam that he wanted to sing vocals on either "Wonderwall" or "Don't Look Back In Anger". He was hoping he'd get to do "Wonderwall" as he wrote it as a love song for his girlfriend, of course Liam chose that one in an act of spite and Noel sang the lead on this track. I actually prefer Noel's voice to Liam's and this song ended up one of my favourite Oasis tunes. Noel would take over on lead vocals often as Liam would notoriously no-show concerts or simply storm off stage and refuse to perform.

10. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" - The Arcade Fire

Montreal's now world famous Arcade Fire boasts a line up of 9 musicians and are known for their diverse style and intricate performances. Typically group founder Win Butler handles lead vocal duties, but slowly Regine Chassagne has been taking the charge on various songs. Firstly the song "Haiti" on Arcade Fire's smash debut Funeral and more recently "Sprawl 2 (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" on 2010's The Suburbs.

Thanks for reading as always!

Gonna try to update more often....pesky life keeps getting in the way

@jonnyzhivago

10 Great Songs At Random (Not Really At Random)

Been hearing some good music lately and reliving great songs from years ago that I had forgotten about. There is no correlation between these songs other than the fact that I think they are great. And I didn't just close my eyes and picked 10. I picked them deliberately. So they're kind of random...but not really. You get it.

1. "Mykonos" - Fleet Foxes

How do I describe Fleet Foxes? Borque/pop? Indie/folk? Perhaps no description is necessary, because about 10 seconds into "Mykonos" the question you'll find yourself asking isn't "What is this?" it's "Why am I only hearing this now?" Get on the ground floor before everyone including your bratty 12 year old neighbour is talking about Fleet Foxes, wearing their shirts...

2. "Hail To The King" - Avenged Sevenfold

Guess who's back? Avenged Sevenfold, or AVX7 as they're sometimes referred to online, have had a rough go of sorts. After playing on the Warped Tour in 2003 vocalist M. Shadows underwent throat surgery which many fans felt affected his ability to scream in the metalcore style that they were accustomed to. Though Shadows denied this, stating it was a conscious effort to sing more melodies, a large portion of their fanbase lost interest. Then at the end of 2009 their drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan was found dead of an overdose. Hearing a song like "Hail To The King" on the radio brought a smile to my face. The band hasn't caved or given in....and it sounds like they're having just as much fun as ever

3. "Cities In Dust" - Siouxsie & The Banshees

Siouxsie & The Banshees were one of the fore runners of the goth-punk scene in the 70's. They rose out of the London punk scene and became fast allies with groups like The Sex Pistols and The Misfits. "Cities in Dust" is off their 1985 album Tinderbox. By then they had already garnered a world wide following and reputation. Even to this Siouxsie & The Banshees are still known among music circles...all without mainstream attention. Heck, one of my cars is named after them.

4. "Royals" - Lorde

Lorde is the stage name of New Zealander Ella O'Connor. This another song that has taken off this year. It may be easy to breeze by on first listening but it eventually sticks in your head. It's almost like a hip-hop song slowed down to a crawl. There's something about her voice though that makes you want more...

5. "Easy To Tame" - Kim Mitchell

We're really going all over the place now, but if you've read these lists before...you cannot be questioning it. Lately my fellow countryman Kim Mitchell has been living on the airwaves of a radio station in downton Toronto, as an afternoon host. There was a time when he was one of our brightest stars. I was not fully aware at the time, but in my later years people would talk about Kim Mitchell "How can anyone not like him?" they'd say "He wrote 'Patio Lanterns'" "Yes" i'd reply "But he also wrote "Might As Well Go For A Soda'" and there the conversation would stalemate...if my opponent had at the time brought up "Easy To Tame" I would have gladly conceded the battle. Never mind the video......the 80's...

6. "Escape Artist" - Sage Francis

Sage Francis is a hip-hop artist/rapper/slam poet who I just cannot get enough of. I close my eyes and point to any song in his library and put it on. Turns out...it's amazing! Such is the story of how I discovered "Escape Artist". Enjoy

7.  "Sex" - The 1975

If you've been to YouTube at all lately you may have noticed a pop up ad promoting a new single by a band called The 1975. Unless you use adBlock, in which case here is your heads up that this song is great. Their a young band out of England and i'm pretty sure they weren't alive in 1985...let alone 1975...so their name may be a tinge perplexing, but if they keep pumping out rock like this....i'll forgive them.

8. "Shout Me Out" - TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio are a great band from Brooklyn, one of my favourites. They always have high and energy and bring a new sound to the table with every album. "Shout Me Out" is off their 2008 release Dear Science which landed near the top of almost every top ten list that was created that year. They last released an album in 2011 shortly before the death of their bassist/pianist Gerard Smith. They currently have no plans for a 5th album.

9.  "Mister Vesselin" - Krisko

Was recently overseas and during my time in Bulgaria there was this catchy track being played on the radio, and every niteclub and pub played it at least once a night. Through crude hand signals and dispersing what little Bulgarian I learned I was able to get a waitress to tell me the artist's name. She scribbled some letters from her alphabet on a cocktail napkin along with six letters that I recognized from mine: "Krisko".

10. "A Bar In Amsterdam" - Katzenjammer

Here's another band from Europe. Formed in Oslo, Norway Katzenjammer sing in English, so their music is more accessible to Western audiences.  "A Bar in Amsterdam" actually comes off their 2008 debut Le Pop. It's a fun little drinking tune with lightning quick trumpets and a very sing-a-long-able chorus.

There ya go. You may not have enjoyed all of them, but I hope you found a new band to check out.
What song are you jamming to right now? Drop me a line, let me know

Cheers permanently!

JZ

@jonnyzhivago

10 Songs That Were First Featured On Greatest Hits Albums

Y'know when a long surviving band releases one of those Greatest Hits albums? We've all seen 'em. First off, some might say that greatest hits records are for housewives and little girls, a cheater's guide to some of the best artists out there. Us true fans of bands deemed worthy enough for Best Of albums had to sift through the sand of debut and concept releases to find those cherished gems nestled between the lead off single and a ten minute experimental piano solo. Why suffer though when you can just wait ten years and pick up all an artist's most popular songs in one spot. When you do there's always that one new song that wasn't never released or written specifically for the compilation. I always wondered how they knew that song would be a greatest hit one day. Well here's ten songs released in just that way...some lived up to the hype, others....not so much.

1. "Get Born Again" - Alice In Chains

Greatest Hits albums are a good way for a band to fulfill their contractual obligations to a record company without putting too much effort into the release. Maybe a group signed a bad deal and grew weary after studio album 4 on a 7 album deal. Knock out a few "Best Of" discs and look for greener pastures to play music from. "Get Born Again" was a new single featured on the 1999 release Nothing Safe: The Best Of The Box. The song was originally written by Alice guitarist Jerry Cantrell for his solo career but after Layne Staley heard it they decided to make it an AIC song. Staley would never be featured on a full length Alice In Chains album again due to his increasing struggles with drugs. Perhaps the band was waiting for him to clean himself up and was keeping the record deal at bay by putting out compilation discs. He never would as he was found dead of an overdose in 2002.

2. "Mary Jane's Last Dance" - Tom Petty

This is an example of a new song featured on a "Best Of" album that did live up to it's hype. It was recorded in 1993 and released on Petty's Greatest Hits album that year. It skyrocketed up the charts and became his first top 20 hit peaking at #14. The video won the Best Male Video category at the MTV music awards in 1994 and was a memorable one in which Petty played a mortician who becomes infatuated with and eventually brings home the corpse of Kim Basinger.

3. "Again" - Lenny Kravitz

Kravitz released his Greatest Hits record in 2000 and it featured two new singles. "Black Velveteen" which saw moderate success but the album's first single "Again" garnered the most attention. It earned him a Grammy in 2001 and was also his first top ten hit since 1991's "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over"

4. "Man Overboard" - Blink 182

Alright, bending the rules slightly for this one as The Mark, Tom & Travis Show album wasn't actually a greatest hits release but a live album. A new song was tacked on the end though and was the studio version of "Man Overboard" a song purportedly about ex-drummer Scott Raynor's departure from the group.

5. "Can't Repeat" - The Offspring

There are some bands and artists with a longevity who have yet to release a Greatest Hits record but could totally fill a quadruple album's worth of songs. Metallica is the first one that comes to mind. The Offspring you'd might think would be a band uninterested in a Best Of album but they released one in 2005.  Though it was actually just a collection of their singles, the one new song "Can't Repeat" failed to gain any significant attention and is the one song on the disc that deserves an asterisk when the words Greatest Hits are involved. Bonus fact! The hidden track on The Offspring's album is a great cover of The Police's "Next To You".

6. "Tonight She Comes" - The Cars

The Cars were a force to be reckoned with in the 70's and 80's. At the time they released their Greatest Hits in 1985 they had 3 top ten hits. The new single off the album "Tonight She Comes" became #4 to do so. 3 years later The Cars would call it quits due to  dwindling interest and the band members' desires to pursue solo careers. Though their bassist and founding member Benjamin Orr passed in 2000 from cancer, the band reunited in 2010.

7. "You're The World To Me" - David Gray

While we over here in North America might not think David Gray is worthy of a greatest hits album in his native UK he is an absolute monster. Three number 1 albums, 4 international smash singles and multiple Brit Award nominations. The new track off of his Greatest Hits album was "You're The World To Me" and he described the song as a "Joyous tune amongst a bag of happy shit"

8. "Bad Day" - R.E.M

REM are another of those bands who's career has spanned multiple decades, had a band member leave the group and who have jumped from record label to record label. As such they've release a few Best Of albums. The Best Of REM released in 1991, REM In The Attic in 1997 and Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage in 2011 to name a few. "Bad Day" came off the 2003 Best Of album In Time.

9. "Thanks, That Was Fun" - Barenaked Ladies

With a title like that it's no wonder many fans thought the Barenaked Ladies were calling it quits and saying good bye in 2001 when they released a Greatest Hits album with "Thanks, That Was Fun" being the last track. To add to the wonder the video featured clips sewn together of all their past music videos. Like flipping endearingly through and old yearbook and remembering when.

10. "The Sweetest Thing" - U2

U2 released two greatest hits albums The Best Of 1980-1990 in 1998 and The Best Of 1990 - 2000 in 2002. "The Sweetest Thing" came off of the former. While the song was originally released as a b-side to an earlier single, it was retooled and rerecorded for the compilation album and acted as a new single in 1998. As the story goes Bono wrote the song as an apology to his wife (who appears in the early moments of the video) as he had missed her birthday while recording The Joshua Tree in 1986. As part of the deal she donated all profits from the single to her favourite charity. Chernobyl Children's Project International.

Thanks again for reading! Hoping to do this more often!

Twit at sh'boy! @jonnyzhivago

Cheers

JZ