What's Stuck in My Head Today?

[stan] 9:19 a.m. - Song

2009-01-13T09:19:00.003-06:00

Song: Various incidental themes
Artist: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts video game

Why: Well, it's probably because we have been playing it off and on since we got the Xbox 360 for Christmas.

[stan] 4:35 p.m. - Song

2008-12-19T16:35:00.000-06:00

Song: (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Artist: Blue Öyster Cult

Why: This song was playing on the radio at a co-worker's desk as I walked by. I immediately walked up and said, "I need more cowbell!"

I was met with a blank stare, followed by a quizzical look that said, "What the crap you talkin' 'bout dude?"

I then had to explain the Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Christopher Walken, which I don't have to describe any further because everyone else in the world knows what the crap I am talking about, dude.

[stan] 7:10 a.m. - Songs

2008-12-19T07:10:00.003-06:00

Song: Jump
Artist: Van Halen

Song: Jump Around
Artist: House of Pain

Why: At some point during my shower, my brain decided that it would create a mashup of these two songs - the heavy synth intro from the former, and the repeated lyric, "Jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down," from the latter. If I had any kind of music mixing or DJing skill whatsoever, I would be all over that combination. It was pretty awesome.

For the record, I neither jumped nor jumped around during my shower.

[stan] 8:40 a.m. - Phrase

2008-12-17T08:40:00.005-06:00

Phrase: Panko bread crumbs

Why: I'm not really sure why this is stuck in there, except that I must have seen it on a menu or something recently. I don't even know what panko bread crumbs are, or if they are any different than regular bread crumbs. I suspect that panko is one of those words that restaurants like to put on menus to make their food look fancier, like "pan-seared" (meaning "fried") or "lightly grilled" (meaning "fried") or "aioli" (meaning "mayonnaise"). If I go in to Denny's to get some chicken fried steak (or chicken fried chicken, which is all kinds of redundant), I don't want to see "white chicken breast fillet dusted with panko bread crumbs then pan-seared and lightly grilled, served on a bed of romaine with aioli." Dude, it's chicken-fried steak!

[nicole] 10:23 a.m. - Song

2008-12-09T10:23:00.003-06:00

Song: I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart
Artist: George Willis Cooke

Why: Except the version in my head is the Spanish version that I learned on a missions trip to Mexico in 1996:

Yo tengo gozo, gozo, gozo, gozo en me corozon. Donde?
En me corozon. Donde?
En me corozon.
Yo tengo gozo, gozo, gozo, gozo en me corozon. Donde?
Porque Cristo me salvo
We sang this at church on Sunday morning and it was so much fun. We all said "Where?" in the right place, and I even sang it once in Spanish to Stan.

Today it got stuck in my head because I was just so happy to be finished with American Novel that I felt like I was overflowing with "good tidings of great joy"! (There! I said it my way. Take that, lady!) I sang it all the way back to work.

[nicole] 8:45 a.m. - Song

2008-12-08T08:45:00.000-06:00

Song: American Honky-Tonk Bar Association
Artist: Garth Brooks

Why: You're kidding, right? I have absolutely no clue what could have possibly happened to trigger this song. Seriously. I stepped into the elevator, and immediately the song was in my head. I even started singing it aloud in there. It went straight from my head to my mouth, and I honestly couldn't control the urge to sing it. I was shocked at myself. Fortunately, I was the only person in the elevator.

Incidentally, I have a suspicion that there are security cameras in all of the elevators, so I'm always a little cautious about my actions in the elevator. No talking to myself, singing to myself, signing to myself, or dancing around to the music in my head. I save all of that for the restroom stall.

[stan] 7:40 a.m. - Song

2008-12-04T07:40:00.000-06:00

Song: Stand By Your Man, as sung by The Blues Brothers
Artist: Tammy Wynette

Why: As I was getting clothes out of my closet this morning, I glanced in the corner where I have a few VHS movies stacked on top of a box. The Blues Brothers was one of those movies. My brain just flashed to the scene at Bob's Country Bunker where the "Good Ol' Blues Brothers Boys" are singing this song and the crowd finally stops throwing beer bottles at them (well, almost).

[stan] 10:49 a.m. - Song

2008-12-03T10:49:00.004-06:00

Song: I Had a Little Chickie (ice cream truck version)
Artist: Unknown

Why: It's back! Except I need to make a correction to the first post where this was stuck in my head: I actually had heard the tune since I was kid, just not the words.

See, every summer the neighborhoods of Portland were filled with either this tune, or a few measures of "The Entertainer," or, appropriately, "Pop Goes the Weasel," being played (really, beeped) over the squawky PA system on ice-cream trucks. You know the trucks I am talking about. Ranging in size from three-wheel converted parking-meter-reader buggy straight on up to windowless "raper van", these vehicles were driven by the most creepy of characters. I preferred to call them "carnies with a driver's license." The kids would excitedly run out to the street to buy Popsicles or Drumsticks or those ghetto ice cream sandwiches that cost like two cents but are still super delicious, while their parents would be hiding behind the trees with firearms and machetes in case something went awry.

So anyway, I am not sure why I thought of that whole scenario, but it's the ice cream truck version of "I Had a Little Chickie" that's stuck in my head right now.

Nice.

[jana] 10:18 p.m. - Song

2008-12-02T22:17:00.002-06:00

Song: Walking in Memphis
Artist: Lonestar

Why: I don't know, but I've actually had songs about locations in my head all day. Mostly, I've been going back and forth between "Walking in Memphis" and "Oh Canada." Who knows why?!?

[stan] 10:43 a.m. - Location

2008-11-20T10:43:00.001-06:00

Location: Corner of SW Yamhill & Broadway, downtown Portland, looking due east

Why: Again, these locations are a mystery. Why do I keep seeing specific scenes like this?

[stan] 9:37 a.m. - Song

2008-11-18T09:37:00.003-06:00

Song: Where's Your Head At? (Klaas Remix)
Artist: Jean Elan

Why: I heard this song while listening to Podrunner last week. It was part of an hour-long mix that was released a few months ago. Today, I looked up the song and listened to it by itself. It's such a catchy song - there's really nothing too unique about it, but I just love the sound. As soon as I get a chance, I'm going to download this one from iTunes, then use it as my Power Song on the Nike+ application.

[nicole] 9:23 a.m. - Song

2008-11-17T09:22:00.002-06:00

Song: Only Wanna Be With You
Artist: Hootie and the Blowfish

Why: It was playing on the radio in the company cafeteria, and now it is stuck in my head. Thanks, local Lite Rock Radio Station.

[emily] 9:44am - song

2008-11-17T08:46:00.003-06:00

Song: God of This City
Artist: Chris Tomlin

Why: We sang it at church yesterday. It just keeps rolling around in my head. It disappears for awhile, then pops back in. I'm sure it has something to do with my recent ruminations on tolerance, acceptance, and God's character!

[stan] 3:57 p.m. - Location

2008-11-12T15:57:00.006-06:00

Location: Corner of NE 28th Ave. and Glisan St., Portland, looking east

Why: I'm not sure why, but this is where I used to do my laundry for several years. I'm not thinking about laundry, though.

[stan] 4:24 p.m. - Song

2008-11-04T16:24:00.004-06:00

Song: I Won't Back Down
Artist: Tom Petty

Why: I really can't say. Also, what I'm hearing in my head is not exactly the version of the song I heard on the radio, but it's a very minimalist, acoustic guitar version that my brain just decided to create. Sort of a soft, non-echoing, blig-blig-blig-blig of the chords with a barely-heard sung voice. Kind of like the verses of Adam Sandler's song "Somebody Kill Me" from The Wedding Singer (you know, before he starts screaming). And now that I've made that reference, guess what? Now it's Adam Sandler's voice singing Tom Petty's song.

[emily] - 2:41p.m. Song

2008-11-03T13:43:00.003-06:00

Song: Final Countdown
Artist: Europe

Why: If only I could tell you why. I woke up from a nap yesterday with this in my head...and it still won't go away!

[emily] 9:45 a.m. - Song

2008-10-29T08:47:00.004-05:00

Song: What You Own
Artist: Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp - RENT Original Cast

Why: Who knows! RENT is stuck in my head quite often, and this is one of my favorites. It popped in there while I was getting ready for work this morning. The "I don't own emotion, I rent..." line started replaying over and over. Ah, RENT!

[stan] 8:12 a.m. - Song

2008-10-29T08:12:00.005-05:00

Song: More
Artist: Matthew West

Why: It accidentally started playing on my phone's music player as we left for work today. Once I got to work, I brought out the iPod and listened to it in full. What an amazing song about how much God loves us:

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are Mine, and you shine for Me too
I love you
Yesterday and today and tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

[stan] 1:39 p.m. - Song

2008-10-27T13:39:00.001-05:00

Song: Spooky
Artist: Classics IV

Why: I don't really know. It came from virtually nowhere. Spooky.

[stan] 7:00 a.m. - Song

2008-10-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Song: (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
Artist: Elvis Presley

Why: Okay, this one's a little bit strange. Do you remember the opening scene of the movie Walk the Line, when the concert inside Folsom Prison is just starting, the band is playing an introduction and Johnny Cash is still waiting to go onstage (while staring poignantly at the woodshop's table saw)? And because he's taking his time to go out there, all you hear for a couple of minutes is just the pulsing, repeated introduction to the first song? Well, that's kind of how I heard this song in my head. Not the verses, not the chorus, just a repeating measure or two of the bassline and beat. It's like when a radio DJ uses a snippet of a familiar song, seamlessly looped over and over, as an underlying musical "bed" for whatever he is announcing.

As for where it came from, or why it was just a basic loop instead of the main song, I have no idea.

[stan] 10:45 a.m. - Songs

2008-10-24T10:45:00.004-05:00

Song: Y.M.C.A.
Song: Macho Man
Artist: The Village People

Why: I saw that ridiculous photo from my blog post a few days ago, and that triggered not one, but two of The Village People's ridiculous songs.

That's something about The Village People, KC & The Sunshine Band, and a handful of other disco-era acts that makes me actually like their music. It's not that I like it for straightforward reasons, like most disco fans do (and certainly not for its gay themes) - it's that their music actually sounds just kind of silly. And I really do appreciate songs that have a silly quality to them, at least in the way that I internally measure silliness. I mean, there is music that most people would describe as silly - like carnival music, for example - but personally, I don't find it as silly as others do. The silliness factor to me is entirely personal. If a song's sound makes me laugh a little, then I like it.

This explains why I also like The Beauty, The Beta Band, Soul-Junk, Beck, Jim Noir and most any song that features a banjo breakdown.

[stan] 11:15 a.m. - Song

2008-10-22T11:15:00.003-05:00

Song: Landslide
Artist: Fleetwood Mac

Why: I heard this song literally three times in the course of about 90 minutes, on the radio(s) in the background at work. I have no idea what would make the radio stations want to play this song so often.

I have never liked this song. Ever. From the first time I heard it until now. I do not know why people think it's such a good song, such an important song, etc. It's terrible. Stevie Nicks' voice is normally really annoying to listen to, but in Landslide it is over-the-top terrible. Smoke another cigarette why don't you.

When The Smashing Pumpkins recorded this song in 1994, it did not improve at all. Considering that the only direction it could go was better, it still failed. Then I heard The Dixie Chicks try it in 2002. Sure, they have some talent with the harmonies and the fiddles and what not, but they could have picked a better song. I mean, any song would have been better. Like "2 Legit 2 Quit" or maybe "Manah-Manah". Or maybe the W section of the phone book set to "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star."

(By the way, I don't usually backdate posts from two days ago - it's the 24th as I write this - but I didn't get a chance to blog this one when it was actually stuck in my head.)

[nicole] 4:45 p.m. - Song

2008-10-16T16:45:00.005-05:00

Song: My Prerogative
Artist: Bobby Brown

Why: Well, I just happened to make the statement on my blog that something was "my prerogative." Enter: Bobby Brown.

[stan] 1:13 p.m. - Song

2008-10-02T13:13:00.006-05:00

Song: Real Love
Artist: Jody Watley

Why: Wow, I have no idea at all. It wasn't on any radio. I haven't heard this song in at least a decade, not even on the ubiquitous 80's retro programming on any radio station in town. I haven't even heard the words "real" and "love" next to each other in the same sentence lately. So, this one squeezed its way right out of the usually-locked Vault of Songs I Really Don't Ever Need To Hear Anymore, where hopefully, when it realizes how lonely it will be in the General Assembly area of my brain, it will return soon.

There's this tiny part of me that wants to wonder what Jody Watley is doing now, but I think I can ignore it. Does it really matter?

[stan] 7:00 a.m. - Song

2008-10-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

Song: London Bridge (live version)
Artist: Clumsy Lovers

Why: I listened to the Live! album last night on the iPod while studying. That album gives me such a happy feeling whenever I listen to it. I am so bummed that on the one chance we would have to see them perform in SW Missouri (over in nearby Branson on Oct. 9), we'll actually be in Portland.

[stan] 6:34 a.m. - Song

2008-09-30T06:34:00.000-05:00

Song: Blackbird
Artist: The Beatles (sung by Sarah MacLachlan)

Why: It's a good thing I had this song on my brain, because it reminded me that we needed to send I Am Sam back to Netflix.

[stan] 6:36 a.m. - Song

2008-09-25T06:36:00.005-05:00

Song: Maybe I'm Amazed
Artist: Paul McCartney

Why: This song has actually been stuck in my head every morning for the last week or so. Strange, because by the time I get to work, I've forgotten it was there. And I don't know where it came from. Maybe brushing my teeth evokes it?

Embarrassingly, up until just a minute ago when I looked this song up on Wikipedia, I always thought it was called "Baby I'm Amazed". I guess I should pay attention a little better.

[stan] 2:36 p.m. - Song

2008-09-24T14:36:00.001-05:00

Song: Strong Badia National Anthem
Artist: Strong Bad

Why: Thanks, Nicole.

[stan] 2:06 p.m. - Song

2008-09-23T14:06:00.001-05:00

Song: Beautiful Mess
Artist: Diamond Rio

Why: Couldn't tell ya. Good song, though.

[stan] 9:22 a.m. - Song

2008-09-23T09:22:00.003-05:00

Song: The Flame
Artist: Cheap Trick

Why: I really think I need to stop listening to the radio at lunch time. Or, at least, stop listening to Mike FM. All they seem to play is these bad 80's songs, although I will concede that on a few occasions, they've played songs I actually like. Mike-FM and the lite-rock station (yes, that's l-i-t-e, I think it's required by law to spell it that way) seem to be obsessed with a certain subset of these not-so-great 80's songs. One of those is that creepy song by Benny Mardones, where he sings, "She was sixteen years old/'Leave her alone,' they said." (It's extra creepy because he was in his 30's when he recorded it. Talk about the uh-oh feeling.)

By the way, I'd much rather hear Cheap Trick's remake of "Don't Be Cruel", which was released in the same year. But I never hear them play that. It's 100 times better than "The Flame".

[stan] 9:15 a.m. - Song

2008-09-20T09:15:00.003-05:00

Song: Joyride
Artist: Roxette

Why: This song was on the radio on Wednesday at lunch time, and I hadn't heard it in years. I never particularly liked it to begin with - it was not one of Roxette's finest. But this song has literally been stuck in my head for fully three days. Oh, why won't it go away???

[nicole] 1:46 p.m. - Song

2008-09-18T13:46:00.006-05:00

Song: Ebony and Ivory
Artists: James Roday and Dulé Hill

Why: I recently received an email from a company with the word "ebony" in it. I was scrolling through my emails, looking for something and when my eyes passed over this email, immediately I heard the "Psych" version of this song in my head!

P.S. If you don't watch "Psych", you are really missing out.

"Side by side on my pýahno"

[stan] 3:32 p.m. - Song

2008-09-16T15:32:00.005-05:00

Song: Just What I Needed
Artist: The Cars

Why: It was on a radio, somewhere. Not my favorite Cars Song, especially after being completely ruined by its overuse in TV commercials. (I'm talking to you, ~~Best Buy~~ Circuit City.) No, that honor falls to "Drive".

[stan] 2:15 p.m. - Song

2008-09-15T14:15:00.002-05:00

Song: If You Leave
Artist: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Why: It was on the radio behind me. I know this is a repeat, but I had to mention it again, because of the song it replaced: Cher's "Believe". I really don't like that song at all, and I run the risk of getting it back in my head by mentioning it here, but I will stand strong and cling to "If You Leave" if I can. Either that or "Manah Manah".

Yep, that worked like a charm. Manah manah.

[nicole] 9:20 a.m. - Song

2008-09-15T09:20:00.003-05:00

Song: Walking in Memphis
Artist: Marc Cohn

Why: I really don't know what triggered it. It just slipped in, and now I'm going to put some other music (read: Mamma Mia!) on to get it out of my head.

[sam] 8:00 p.m. -Song

2008-09-12T21:53:00.003-05:00

Song: Mamma Mia
Artist: ABBA

Why: It must be said that I love ABBA and I love this song. However, I dare anybody to tell me that they can't listen to that vibraphone intro and leitmotif and say it doesn't lodge in the head with a straight face.

[stan] 9:58 a.m. - Songs

2008-09-12T09:58:00.001-05:00

Song: Mad About You
Artist: Belinda Carlile

Song: Only the Good Die Young
Artist: Billy Joel

Song: Friends in Low Places
Artist: Garth Brooks

Why: These were all in my head for such short periods (all within a couple of minutes) that I didn't want to make a separate post for each. Oddly, only "Friends in Low Places" was one I had just heard on the radio.

[stan] 7:25 a.m. - Song

2008-09-12T07:25:00.000-05:00

Song: Goin' Home
Artist: The Acappella Company

Why: I don't know why - it just showed up while I was in the shower this morning.

[stan] 9:15 p.m. - Song

2008-09-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Song: My Patch (links to YouTube)
Artist: Jim Noir

Why: Have I done this one before? It seems like I did, but I searched and found nothing. Anyway. On the way home from the grocery store, Nicole and I started singing this song together. It was fun. We also did a little bit of The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations", which was a natural transition since Jim Noir's sound is so similar.

[sam] 3:26 PM- Comedy Bit

2008-09-11T17:21:00.004-05:00

Artist: Jim Gaffigan
Word or Phrase: Hooot Pooockets!

Why: Curse those darned YouTube videos! When I first saw Gaffigan's signature "Hot Pockets" riff I thought he hit it out of the park, and funny ... you bet! But now it won't get out of my head, and I wander around work murmuring things like the jingle with the words "Caliente ... pockets!" so much that I think my cow-orkers think I'm demented. Possibly with some actual brain damage!

Ironic thing? I love Hot Pockets!

[stan] 2:00 p.m. - Song

2008-09-11T14:00:00.003-05:00

Song: Sherry Fraser
Artist: Marcy Playground

Why: I don't know. In fact, I have not thought about this song in probably seven or eight years. Funny how they just come out of the woodwork like that.

[stan] 8:18 a.m. - Song

2008-09-11T08:18:00.002-05:00

Song: Stay (I Missed You)
Artist: Lisa Loeb

Why: I thought I heard it on the radio a minute ago, but it turned out to be a different song. A song I really didn't like. So I forced "Stay" to...stay. And that itself was hard to do, because as I have probably said before, songs that are barely audible, once recognized, have this magical ability to become much louder.

[nicole] 3:43 p.m. - Song

2008-09-10T15:43:00.002-05:00

Song: Honey, Honey
Artist: Amanda Seyfried

Why: I just bought the new Mamma Mia! soundtrack, so every day I wake up with a different song in my head!

[stan] 3:26 p.m. - Location

2008-09-10T15:26:00.003-05:00

Location: Corner of S. River St. and W. Fairview Ave., Carthage

Why: Not sure. Although I will be near there tonight (that's right where the church is).

[sam] 12:53 pm - Song

2008-09-10T14:53:00.003-05:00

Song: Hey, Deanie
Artist: Eric Carmen

Why: Just like "Make Me Lose Control" (see the last entry), this song (as arranged and performed by Carmen, not the version did by Shaun Cassidy back in the 70s) is just fun and hook-y and bouncy, which is strange, because if there's one musical trend that makes me wish for plainchant it that trend during the 70s of faux-50s "malt shop" songs done by polished teen-idols, and this song comes right out of that wave.

[sam] 12:47 pm - Song

2008-09-10T14:47:00.005-05:00

Song: Make Me Lose Control
Artist: Eric Carmen

Why: The chorus mostly. The song is done in that breezy, echo-y 80's style during the verses which leads up to this crashing, anthem-like chorus with the bass doing more than just providing rhythm but this real cool thumping-puncutation.
This is what they called a hook. I am the quintessential pop music consumer; I like my songs hook-y, catch-y, and about three minutes long.

[stan] 2:36 p.m. - Song

2008-09-10T14:36:00.002-05:00

Song: Rhythm of the Night
Artist: El DeBarge

Why: It was playing softly over the PA here at work. So guess what, it was the elevator music version. Pardon me while I dry heave a little bit.

Mercifully, my brain was able to reconstruct the original song from memory, although I don't think it's that much better.

[stan] 7:45 a.m. - Song

2008-09-10T07:45:00.000-05:00

Song: The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Artist: Russ Taff

Why: Completely out of left field, this one.

[stan] 3:36 p.m. - Song

2008-09-09T15:36:00.004-05:00

Song: You Belong to the City
Artist: Glenn Frey

Why: This is one of the prime examples of absolutely horrendous 80's music. Is there any instrument that screams out "BAD 80'S MUSIC" more than a saxophone? Kenny G, I am talking to you.

[stan] 12:57 p.m. - Song

2008-09-09T12:57:00.002-05:00

Song: That's What Friends Are For
Artist: Dionne and Friends

Why: It was on the radio at lunch time, part of an apparent "Crappy Music 10 in a Row", except that it probably was more like 100 in a row. Ugh, lite rock.

It boggles my mind that according to Billboard, "That's What Friends Are For" was the most popular song of 1986. All this time I thought it was "Rock Me Amadeus".

[jana] 10:57 p.m. - Song

2008-09-05T22:57:00.002-05:00

Song: Over the Moon
Artist: Rent (Original Cast)

Why: Because it just sticks. Especially the "bee dee bong."

"Cuz who'd want to leave Cyberland, anyway?
Walls ain't so bad
The dish and the spoon for instance
They were down on their luck
They'd come knocking on my doghouse door
and I said, 'Not in my backyard, utensils!
Go back to China!' [Bee dee bong]

'The only way out is up," Elsie whispered to me.
"A leap of...faith."

[stan] 3:20 p.m. - Song

2008-09-04T15:20:00.005-05:00

Song: Chicago (links to YouTube video)
Artist: Sufjan Stevens

Why: I realized yesterday that I hadn't kept up with Sufjan's 50 states project, where he plans on releasing an album for each of the 50 U.S. states. He's done them for Michigan and Illinois, the latter released in 2005, so I wondered if there had been any more states released since.

Chicago is one of my favorite tracks on the Illinois album.

[stan] 12:27 p.m. - Song

2008-08-21T12:27:00.001-05:00

Song: Too Many Walls
Artist: Cathy Dennis

Why: I wish I could say that I heard it on the radio and that it got lodged into my hippocampus from there. But no, that would be a lie. The truth is, it just came out of nowhere. Well, nowhere except some abstract post-high school memories, I suppose.

*Sorry about the Myspace link. The Wiki page for Cathy Dennis was doing weird things.

[stan] 8:16 a.m. - Song

2008-08-21T08:16:00.002-05:00

Song: Every Breath You Take
Artist: The Police

Why: It was just on the radio again. The other day when it came on, I was walking by my co-worker's desk and I casually quipped, "You know this song is about a stalker, don't you?" She then told me that from then on the song was ruined for her. Well played, Stan.

So just now when it came on again, I swear I heard her groan a little because she remembered what I said, and was starting to hear the stalker's voice in the lyrics. It thrills me to no end. That's the gift that keeps on giving.

[nicole] 7:23 a.m. - Song

2008-08-20T07:23:00.001-05:00

Song: We Belong
Artist: Pat Benatar

Why: Honestly, it just popped into my head while I was reading the latest Olympic news. I don't know where it came from.

[stan] 8:17 p.m. - Song

2008-08-18T20:17:00.002-05:00

Song: (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me
Artist: Naked Eyes

Why: I don't know.

[stan] 6:40 a.m. - Song

2008-08-18T06:40:00.000-05:00

Song: Out of the Woods
Artist: Nickel Creek

Why: It's unusual that I would have this version of the song in my head, as I've only heard it a couple of times. I have, however, heard the version sung by the writer and original performer, Sinéad Lohan, about a thousand times.

[stan] 3:47 p.m. - Song

2008-08-15T15:47:00.003-05:00

Song: I Just Called to Say I Love You
Artist: Stevie Wonder

Why: I just won an endurance race against a hospital billing department's phone system - I was on hold for at least 20 minutes and I stuck it out. They kept coming back on the line, asking, "Do you want his voice mail, or do you want to continue to hold?" and each time I was more and more determined to outlast them. It was like being in the Customer Service Olympics, and I was competing in the Men's 800-meter Being On Hold, and God bless America, I was going for the gold!!!

During that time, the only actual song I recognized was this Stevie Wonder song. Granted, the vocals were replaced by a flute, and the rest of the instruments were played by a Walgreens bag full of moist Ex-Lax, but that just added to the degree of difficulty.

USA! USA! USA!

[stan] 5:08 a.m. - Song

2008-08-15T05:08:00.000-05:00

Song: If You're Gone
Artist: Matchbox 20

Why: I don't know, but I wish it would go away. I have never liked Matchbox 20, and I think it's primarily because they've ruined the name Matchbox for me. I played with Matchbox cars as a wee lad (well, maybe not so wee, it was up until junior high), and I was perfectly happy with the name association until these doofclowns came along with their stupid I-want-to-push-you-around-at-3-a.m. songs.

Now I want to go outside and play cars in the dirt. I love to make the roads.

[stan] 5:30 a.m. - Song

2008-08-14T05:30:00.001-05:00

Song: In the Highways
Artist: Leah, Sarah, and Hannah Peasall (as the Wharvey Gals) from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack

Why: Nicole and I saw the film a few days ago, and this song came back to my head this morning.

[stan] 8:54 p.m. - Song

2008-08-13T20:54:00.003-05:00

Song: Keep A-Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)
Artist: Rev. Richard Wayne Penniman

Why: I don't know how it got into my head, but I don't mind it at all. This is, in my opinion, Little Richard's greatest song. The energy in "Keep on Knockin' is unparalleled my most rock and roll songs—it's just a relentless, sweaty torrent of sound. This is the song you want on your party mix CD.

By the way, the drum intro is the direct inspiration for the intro to Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll"—you know, the one that was nearly ruined by being in all of those dumb Cadillac commercials.

[stan] 8:09 p.m. - Song

2008-08-12T20:09:00.002-05:00

Song: How Bizarre
Artist: OMC

Why: I don't know. Just popped in there.

[stan] 12:25 p.m. - Location

2008-08-12T12:25:00.001-05:00

Location: West Burnside Street in Portland, at the end of the North Park Blocks.

Why: Not sure why. Just remembering all the times I drove up and down that street over the years, I guess.

[stan] 7:21 a.m. - Song

2008-08-12T07:21:00.000-05:00

Song: Money for Nothing
Artist: Dire Straits

Why: Someone sent a "fun fact" type email to our department at work, and it was about old computers. One of the links in the e-mail led to a page on the Commodore Amiga, where I discovered that it was the computer used for the graphics in Weird Al's parody of the song.

[stan] 9:16 a.m. - Song

2008-08-11T09:16:00.001-05:00

Song: Bugler's Dream (Olympics theme)
Artist: Leo Arnaud

Why: Finally, one that makes sense. We watched the opening ceremonies yesterday, and of course, I heard this song a lot. The part repeating in my head is just the very beginning, with the timpani and the opening notes. It's quite powerful, and believe it or not, it actually doesn't invoke images of athletics at all.

Bugler's Dream would be a great car horn, though. Hmm, I think I may have just invented the next trend—downloadable car horn "honktones". Imagine someone cutting you off in traffic and the next thing they hear is that "Hey! Hey!" from the beginning of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me." Sweet.

[stan] 6:23 a.m. - Song

2008-08-11T06:23:00.002-05:00

Song: I Had a Little Chickie
Artist: Unknown

Why: Beats the heck outta me. It just popped into my head out of nowhere - I'd literally not heard this little tune since I was a kid.

The way we always sang it was:

Well, there once was a chickie
And she wouldn't lay an egg,
So I poured hot water
Up and down her leg,
Well, the little chickie cried
The little chickie begged;
And the poor little chickie laid
A hard-boiled egg.

Boom-diddly-yada, hot chick.

Well, there once was a chickie
And she wouldn't lay an egg,
So I poured gun powder
Up and down her leg,
Well, the little chickie cried
The little chickie begged;
And the poor little chickie laid
A hand grenade.

Boom-diddly-yada, no chick.

The weird things we remember...

[stan] 5:41 p.m. - Song

2008-08-08T17:41:00.003-05:00

Song: Quickfast - except done in a extremely up-tempo, lyric-yelling, punk style
Artist: ABC's The Bod Squad (and in my brain, maybe Green Day?)

Why: During my prime Saturday morning cartoon watching years in the late 70s and early 80s, ABC aired these cartoon PSAs called The Bod Squad . They were in the same vein as Schoolhouse Rock, except, I guess, ABC figured they didn't fall under a "schoolhouse" umbrella theme, so they got their own name.

I don't know what made me think of the song - but why on earth did my brain punkify it? And, more importantly, has anyone ever recorded it that way?

A piece of toast and one of these:
Peanut butter or a slice of cheese
Milk or juice to wash it down
It's the fast fast quick fastest breakfast in town!

[stan] 5:20 a.m. - Song

2008-08-08T05:20:00.002-05:00

Song: Smoke on the Water
Artist: Deep Purple

Why: I woke up with it. I don't know why it's there, but I really wish it'd go away. I don't like this song at all.

One of the things I like about doing this blog is that if one day there's some song stuck that I don't like, I can read an earlier post with a good song, and that will probably replace the one that's in there. See, my brain's already hearing, "I'm all outta love, I'm so lost without you..." Oh, wait. That's not a good replacement.

[stan] 12:26 p.m. - Location

2008-08-07T12:26:00.002-05:00

Location: SW Vista Ave. in Portland, right about here by the school, right around dusk on a rainy fall evening.

Why: Strangely specific with the time and weather. I don't know where that came from...maybe I'm just looking forward to fall?

[stan] 6:47 a.m. - Song

2008-08-07T06:47:00.002-05:00

Song: The Blower's Daughter
Artist: Damian Rice

Why: No idea. Just kind of woke up with it.

[stan] 11:27 p.m. - Song

2008-08-06T23:27:00.002-05:00

Song: Bohemian Polka
Artist: "Weird Al" Yankovic

Why: No idea why. But as a fan of the original Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, I think that this polka-soaked rendition is hilarious and awesome. Not to mention the fact that I just invented the adjective, "polka-soaked."

[stan] 3:02 p.m. - Song

2008-08-05T15:02:00.003-05:00

Song: All Out of Love
Artist: Air Supply

Why: On the radio behind me. I absolutely dare you not to think about the SNL spoof of this song. "I think I dig your stuff..."

[nicole] 7:00 a.m. - Song

2008-08-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

Song: Baby, I Believe in You
Artist: New Kids on the Block

Why: Early this morning, either just as I was waking up, or earlier when I woke before the alarm, I had the song "Love Me Sexy" from Semi-Pro in my head. Somehow, that migrated into "Baby, I Believe in You". There is similar beat in both songs.

[stan] 1:15 p.m. - Song

2008-07-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

Song: You Are
Artist: Lionel Richie

Why: Another one on the radio at work.

[stan] 12:45 p.m. - Song

2008-07-31T12:45:00.000-05:00

Song: Tarzan Boy
Artist: Baltimora

Why: Another one on the radio at work.

I still think of the Listerine commercial that brought the song back from the dead and put it back on the charts.

[stan] 12:35 p.m. - Song

2008-07-31T12:35:00.001-05:00

Song: If You Leave
Artist: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Why: Another one on the radio at work.

Incidentally, my wife has informed me that we will be watching Pretty in Pink this weekend because of this one. I can't remember if I've ever seen it because I’ve generally stayed away from films with either “Pretty” or “Pink” in the title.

[stan] 5:13 p.m. - Song

2008-07-30T17:13:00.004-05:00

Song: Making Love Out of Nothing at All
Artists: Air Supply (1983) and Bonnie Tyler (1995)

Why: No reason. Incidentally, this song was written by Jim Steinman, who also wrote "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and several Meat Loaf hits, including "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)", which are, of course, basically the same songs.

[nicole] 6:15 a.m. - Song

2008-07-30T06:15:00.001-05:00

Song: (Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
Artist: Nelson

Why: I actually went to bed with this song in my head, and it was still there when I woke up. I really don't know what triggered it, but it did trigger a conversation about Ricky Nelson.

In case you don't remember, or don't know, Ricky was the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet". Ricky Nelson was also mentioned in the original film version of The Parent Trap, from the scene where Susan's posters are blown off of the wall by the storm:

Sharon McKendrick: Who's that?
Susan Evers: Are you kidding? Ricky Nelson?
Sharon McKendrick: Oh, your boyfriend.
Susan Evers: I wish he was! You mean you've never heard of him? Where do ya come from? Outer space?

*Quote reference: IMDB.com

[nicole] 6:30 a.m. - Song

2008-07-29T06:30:00.000-05:00

Song: Sussudio
Artist: Phil Collins

Why: Well, I had "A Groovy Kind of Love" in my head already, so another Phil Collins song was a natural transition. Odd that it was this one, though.

[nicole] 6:15 a.m. - Song

2008-07-29T06:15:00.002-05:00

Song: A Groovy Kind of Love
Artist: Phil Collins

Why: I kept confusing a line of this song with a line from Tommy Page's "I'll Be Your Everything".

[nicole] 6:00 a.m. - Song

2008-07-29T06:00:00.003-05:00

Song: I'll Be Your Everything
Artist: Tommy Page

Why: I actually woke up with this one in my head, so I have no idea what started it. However, it did lead to this song.

In case you don't know, Tommy Page was a one-hit-wonder back in the early 90s. His big hit, "I'll Be Your Everything", was a success mostly because of the backing and background vocals of three members of New Kids on the Block.

[stan] 6:45 a.m. - Word

2008-07-24T06:45:00.001-05:00

Word: Fonoimoana

Why: It's just one of those silly sounding names I heard a few years ago, and I don't really know why it's repeating itself right now. It's kind of like Will Ferrell's character in Elf, when he goes to his dad's office and meets a coworker named Francisco...Francisco...Francisco.

Eric Fonoimoana is a professional volleyball player who won the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics. I first read about him in the mid-90's in Volleyball Magazine (yes, there is such a thing, and I was even a subscriber!)

[jana] 11:50 p.m. - Song

2008-07-23T23:50:00.002-05:00

Song: Thank God I'm a Country Boy
Artist: John Denver

Why: I have absolutely no idea.

[stan] 5:15 p.m. - Song

2008-07-23T17:15:00.005-05:00

Song: Silent Night
Artist: Mahalia Jackson, remixed by 46bliss for Old Navy's 2004 Christmas CD, Jazzy Jolly

Why: Christmas music? Seriously? I got nothin'. No "Christmas in July" jokes, please.

[stan] 7:51 a.m. - Song

2008-07-23T07:51:00.004-05:00

Song: Sugar, Sugar
Artist: The Archies

Why: Literally, it was the brown sugar I put on my oatmeal this morning. That's it.

When I was a kid I thought this was a weird song. A few years ago, however, I bought the soundtrack of the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" (which I never watched, though someday I want to), and this song was on it. Once I really listened to its bubblegum poppiness, it really hooked me. Even though The Archies were just as fictitional as The Monkees and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I totally recommend that soundtrack, by the way. There are many excellent songs on there. Just the seamless transition between The Chords' "Sh-Boom" and Bobby Darin's "Under the Sea" is worth the price of the CD.

[stan] 6:07 a.m. - Song

2008-07-23T06:07:00.003-05:00

Song: Ronnie's Rap (links to YouTube)
Artist: Ron & the D.C. Crew

Why: Wow, this one's really obscure. I honestly have no idea what dislodged it from the recesses of my memory.

I remember hearing this in 1987, before I had any idea what was going on in the world of politics (actually, I still don't). But it was funny to listen to a Ronald Reagan impersonator do a rap on the radio, because rap was still relatively new and impersonating Reagan was funny at the time. Here's a sample of the lyrics:

I'm the Big Gipper, don't mess with me...
I'm the baddest rapper this side of D.C.
With my best girl Nancy as my spouse,
rappin' to you from that big White House

Well, I get up in the morning, and I have some toast,
and Nancy and I take a ride up the coast.
I'll sign a bill, then take a nap
This is what I call my Presidential Rap!

I have discovered that novelty songs like this one (which actually hit the charts and peaked at #93) are hard to find links to on the Internet. I can't actually verify that the YouTube link even works, since it's blocked where I'm posting from.

[nicole] 12:15 p.m. - Song

2008-07-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Song: We Didn't Start the Fire
Artist: Billy Joel

Why: I've been listening to the album all morning.

[stan] 10:31 a.m. - Location

2008-07-21T10:31:00.003-05:00

Location: Rocky Butte, Portland, Oregon

Why: Just another one of those random memories, I guess. I do remember a few years ago there was one summer that I went up there quite a bit so I could climb up the rock walls. They were slightly slanted, so it was pretty easy to climb them without needing any special gear, which I couldn't have afforded, anyway.

I practiced climbing the walls one afternoon when until I slipped and fell all the way to the bottom, scraping my palms and slightly injuring my right rotator cuff on the way down. I don't think I ever climbed those walls after that.

[nicole] 4:35 p.m. - Song

2008-07-17T16:35:00.001-05:00

Song: No Such Thing
Artist: John Mayer

Why: It really doesn't matter. It's John Mayer. He doesn't need a reason to be in my head.

[stan] 8:41 a.m. - Phrase

2008-07-17T08:41:00.007-05:00

Phrase: "Just pieces of the puzzle"

Why: I have had this on my brain all morning, and I just now remembered it was a line from Zoolander, which Nicole and I watched last week.

[stan] 6:30 a.m. - Songs

2008-07-17T06:30:00.000-05:00

Song: I Am in Love With You
Artist: Darrell Evans

Song: Forever
Artist: Chris Tomlin (sung by Montavilla Baptist Church)

Why: Occasionally, two or more songs will simultaneously be playing in my head. How, though? Well, my brain finds a way to just mix the songs together, perhaps using the music from one and the sung words from another. These two fit together nicely.

(I've only heard "Forever" performed and sung in two churches - and in my head, I was hearing the worship team from Montavilla, not Full Faith Church.)

[stan] 4:25 p.m. - Song

2008-07-16T16:25:00.002-05:00

Song: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Artist: Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Why: Just another one on the radio.

[jana] 8:20 a.m. - Song

2008-07-16T08:20:00.003-05:00

Song: Morning's Here
Artist: Friends (I don't know who the guy is)

Why: Because if you have to wake up, it's pretty much the best morning song there is. Although, to be honest, I think if someone actually woke me up by singing it, I wouldn't be as happy as Joey is in the video clip above. I'd respond a little more like this.

[stan] 6:45 a.m. - Song

2008-07-16T06:45:00.002-05:00

Song: Sweet Georgia Brown
Artist: Brother Bones & His Shadows

Why: As I was typing a comment on Katie's Facebook page this morning, I happened to use the term "globe-trotter". So of course I thought about the Harlem Globetrotters....

[stan] 4:52 p.m. - Song

2008-07-15T16:52:00.003-05:00

Song: It Must Have Been Love
Artist: Roxette

Why: Once again, it was on the radio at another desk. This is how a lot of songs get lodged in my brain cracks, hearing them from someone else's distant radio. And I've noticed that a lot of songs are not new ones but 80's and 90's songs. I think this is because of years of overexposure coupled with the fact that I rarely if ever listen to Top 40 radio anymore. I'd bet that I wouldn't recognize 80% of the artists and 95% of the songs on the Billboard Hot 100, though I might be surprised.

[stan] 2:41 p.m. - Location

2008-07-15T14:41:00.002-05:00

Location: Denton, Texas, right about here

Why: Who knows.

[stan] 10:11 a.m. - Song

2008-07-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

Song: All I Want for Christmas Is You
Artist: Mariah Carey

Why: That's the question I keep asking myself, and also the sweet baby Jesus.

[nicole] 9:53 a.m. - Song

2008-07-15T09:53:00.003-05:00

Song: Electric Youth
Artist: Debbie Gibson

Why: I actually have no idea. It just jumped into my head. And while looking for the links for this post, I discovered there is a camp in California called Camp Electric Youth, founded by none other than Debbie Gibson (who now insists that everyone call her Deborah.) It is "geared towards serious young performers ages 7 - 17." Why, oh why, didn't they have one of these camps when I was a kid?

[jana] 8:31 a.m. - Song

2008-07-15T08:26:00.003-05:00

Song: Jesus, Take the Wheel
Artist: Carrie Underwood

Why: There is no logical reason why this song should be in my head. I haven't heard it on the radio in a while, nor have I listened to the album recently. And it started once I got to work, not while I was driving. I do have to say that it's a good song, even though it's not my favorite from that album.

[nicole] 7:07 a.m. - Song

2008-07-15T07:07:00.002-05:00

Song: Trashy Women
Artist: Confederate Railroad

Why: Stan and I talked about the word 'brazen' this morning, and this song came to mind. It has been in my head since.