This Week’s Top 5 Most Played Songs From Swap’s iTunes

The Rules: I reset the play counters for all the songs currently on my iTunes. Then at the end of every week, I check to see what the top five most played songs are. Whatever happens to be in this top five are then presented in order here from most played to least. If I have posted a particular song in the past, then I will bypass that song and post the next in line. If one artist dominates the list, then I will write about that artist in lieu of a Top Five list.

Yes, I know the Top 5 list is early this week, but I figured I’d post it because well, it doesn’t look like the list will be changing in the next twelve hours. Plus, it’ll give me time to get the second half of The Black Crowes outtakes ready for tomorrow.

I got my hands on a bunch of Elvis Presley outtakes a couple of years ago when I was on a radio tour with Stephen Cochran. His radio promotions guy had these Cds with him and we had a blast listening to them. These outtakes showed a side of The King that I had never thought about… he messed up like everyone else, and his sense of humor was definitely one for the books.

This live performance of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” isn’t so much an outtake, but it’s absolutely hilarious and a must-have for any collection.

Legend goes (as explained in Wikipedia): “Elvis, occasionally during live performances, would randomly change lyrics to give them humorous connotations. One popular instance was recorded at the International Hotel in Vegas on August 26, 1969. During the performance, instead of singing: “Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there”, he sings “Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair”. Moments later, he saw a bald man in the audience (as legend has it), and burst into laughter which continued into the next lines. The audience was treated to additional laughter during the spoken verse singing: “You know someone said that the world’s a stage, and each must play a part.” Seeing the irony of his own lyrics, Elvis was again overtaken by laughter and barely recovered. The audience enjoyed the sincerity of the moment while Elvis regained his composure. Meanwhile the band and backup singers continued to keep the song going. It is speculated that much of Elvis’ mirth derived from the solo backing singer whose falsetto remained resolute throughout. To this, Elvis comes back just in time for the line: “And I had no cause to doubt you” followed by more laughter. So overtaken, Elvis encourages the backup singer to “sing it, baby” drawing even more laughter which nearly brings the house down. In the end, the song is finished to a round of applause.”

I love this version and I guess I listened to it a lot of times this week, as it lands in the number one spot. Cracks me up every time I hear it. I’m gonna take one more listen just for sh**s and grins.

Amazon Search: Elvis Presley

Your Dig-It Download:
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (live in Vegas)

Bruce Springsteen’s live acoustic performances are something special. I often enjoy these acoustic versions more than the studio takes because he usually sounds so much better in them. Maybe this is because he’s more relaxed, maybe it’s because this is the way the songs were originally conceived, maybe it’s because he’s just frikkin’ awesome. Whatever the reason, I really wish he’d put out an official acoustic concert album or box set that covers his entire canon.

I would totally spend my hard earned money on that.

But until that day comes, I will enjoy these bootlegs. This last week I started listening to his 1980 release The River, and one song grabbed me: “Drive All Night.” So I went into my Springsteen bootlegs and found an acoustic performance from 2005. I like the tempo he takes this live performance more than what’s recorded on The River… plus it sounds so lonely and builds to a nice climax that I just wanna cry and pat Bruce on the back to say, “It’ll be ok, man. It’ll be ok.”

Bruce shoulda run for prez.

Amazon Search: Bruce Springsteen

Your Dig-It Download:
Drive All Night (solo piano live, 11-08-05)

Man alive this song is just what I needed this week. The Whigs’ “Right Hand Over My Heart” is just about one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in a long time. When I first heard it, the drums immediately brought U2’s “Bullet the Blue Sky” to mind, but the rest of the song sounds nothing like it. The song seriously kicks major ass… I think I played it like fifteen times in a row. I could not get enough of it. The only reason I stopped playing it was that I was done working out and had to put my iPod away. If my workout had lasted longer, then this song would have probably hit number one this week.

This three piece formed in Athens, GA when the members were still in college. They recorded their first album in a frat house with equipment they bought from Ebay. After finishing the record, they sold all that equipment to help recoup the expenses.

“Right Hand Over My Heart” is off their second album, Mission Control. If you like what you hear, you gotta pick it up. Either that or get someone to buy it for you. Like your mom. Or your friend that owes you $10. Yeah, you know who I’m talking about…

Amazon Search: The Whigs

Right Hand Over My Heart

Jeff Tweedy is best known as the frontman for Wilco, but he was also a member of the great Uncle Tupelo, one of the founding fathers of the Alt. Country genre. He’s toured on his own as well, and has since released a live DVD Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest of these shows.

“What Light” is off of Wilco’s sixth studio album, Sky Blue Sky. The album was released in 2007 and hit number four on the Billboard Top 200. This was the highest a Wilco album had ever debuted, selling about 87,000 copies in its first week. “What Light” is one of the more upbeat and optimistic songs from Tweedy, with lines like, “If you feel like singing a song / And you want other people to sing along / Just sing what you feel / Don’t let anyone say it’s wrong.” It’s not an incredibly new idea, but it’s an idea that we all need to be reminded of every now and then.

This live acoustic performance of “What Light” was recorded in 2006 when Tweedy was on a solo tour supporting his live DVD. Check it out and then go pick up some Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, or that DVD.

Amazon Search: Jeff Tweedy, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo

Your Dig-It Download:
What Light (solo acoustic live, 2006)

I totally forgot that I had this bootleg in my REM stuff. I had my iPod on “shuffle” when this live version of “Fall On Me” came on. VERY cool.

A cut off of their Life’s Rich Pageant album, this song remains one of my favorite REM songs. I love belting out the chorus whenever it comes around… I love it so much that if the whole song were just the chorus, I think I’d be a happy man. As it turns out, only about 72.612% of the song is the chorus. Don’t ask me how I came up with that number.

Tackling the subject of environmentalism, “Fall On Me” is perhaps REM’s first step into political activism. I totally dig the line “Feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air.” I’m still not 100% sure what that line means, but it’s cool and I sound really edumacated whenever I say it in class.

Professor: Can anyone tell me what the log of 25 is?

Professor: Dude, I f***in’ love that song too! You got an “A”!

It never hurts to quote REM. NEVER.

Amazon Search: REM

Your Dig-It Download:
Fall On Me (live)

Make sure to check back tomorrow for The Black Crowes’ Southern Harmony outtakes!

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