Back in December of 2011, I finally discovered iTunes on my Mac. This service has really helped me to reconnect with my love of music. One of the things that I really like about music is that so often a given song has a strong association with a time or with a moment in my life. So, I thought that I would share my latest five downloads and a bit about my history with each song.
- Say Say Say - Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson (1983) - Back in the early 80s I had a bad case of MJ fever. This song came out when I was a senior in high school, when the world still bathed in the afterglow of Thriller. I really was a big fan of this one.
- 3 a.m. Eternal - The KLF (1992) - I came across this song back when it was in rotation on a TV network that used to air something called music videos. I believe it was called MTV. This song pulled me in with its cryptic tribal chants and its pounding, eclectic futuristic rhythms.
- The Mayor of Simpleton - XTC (1989) - A song that came out in my early college years. Playful, quirky, and fun. Jangly guitars with a hipster vibe.
- Third World Service - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1983) - When I was a freshman in college, one of the guys in my dorm had an MMEB greatest hits album. The only song that I knew was Blinded by the Light (something about being wrapped up like a douche in the night). This song was one that I loved. I had not thought of it for nearly 30 years until just the other night. It took me back to a very different period in my life.
- Blue on Black - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band (1998) - This song won a bunch of awards for best blues rocker of the year back when it came out. It is a bruising, edgy, guitar-driven piece with juxtaposing lyrics that serve it well. I had not heard this one for a while and I welcome it to my collection.
