Ricky Skaggs, "Shady Grove"

If you can get past the fact that this is a studio version dubbed over a low quality video, it's a pretty sweet romp.  Every time I see that gal, I always tell her, "Howdy."

Ladytron, "Destroy Everything You Touch"

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: Johnny Cash, "Wichita Lineman" (Glen Campbell Cover)

The State of Kansas wrote to remind me that today is in fact it's 151st birthday.  Last year, it sought a full-fledged extravaganza, replete with barbecue, Free State beer and trivia games.  This year, the Sunflower State has much more modest ambitions.  All it asked was that I play it a little Johnny Cash... with a Kansas twist.  I'm all too happy to oblige.  Ad Astra Per Aspera, my friends.

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Lou Gramm, "Just between You and Me"

Maura texted me the most mysteriously tender message the other night: "Even if heaven and earth collide tonight, we'll be all alone in a different light."  I wondered if it were some sentimental poetry brought on by the Mayan prophecy.  No, it was some inspired Lou Gramm (Foreigner), from 1989's Long Hard Look.  Enjoy!

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Alabama, "I'm in a Hurry (and Don't Know Why)"

This one vividly teleports me back to 8th grade, when I couldn't be pried apart from my buddies Jeff, Cameron and Isac.  Within my ever-distant memory, this remains the soundtrack to that year.  In an effort to dredge up some more nostalgia, I skimmed the surface of the 'Nets, and found this ever-helpful song description on wikipedia:

"The song is an up-tempo, in which the narrator talks about the fast pace of today's society.  He states that he is always in a hurry but he doesn't know why he is rushing."

Thanks for the insight.  Simpler times.

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Shai, "If I Ever Fall in Love" (a cappella)

From 1992.  13-year-old me was floored.  For that matter, I still am.  My frie-e-e-e-nd...

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Roxette, "Listen to Your Heart"

While it might be a stretch to say that Roxette owned the late '80s, it's not by much. In my 10-year-old mind, the Swedish tour-de-force could do no wrong. I nearly wore out my dad's cassingle (cassette single, for the uninitiated) of this song. Luckily, I had the foresight to record it onto a mix tape or three. I like this exchange from the liner notes of Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! (and it saves my having to dig for a back story):

Per Gessle (PG) : The Big Bad Ballad. This is us trying to recreate that overblown American FM-rock sound to the point where it almost becomes absurd. We really wanted to see how far we could take it.
Mats M.P. Persson (MF): It sounds a bit dusty today, but it was our second #1 in the US...
PG: which of course we couldn't ever dream about since it was more or less made for Sweden. When it hit big in the States we suddenly found ourselves lumped together with bands like Heart and Starship, which wasn't the intention behind Roxette at all. But we got out of that one... I hope.
MF: The video was great. Shot with an American crew at the Borgholm Castle. The director thought we had built the ruin just for the video.
PG: It took some time to convince them that the place actually was for real.
MF: Today we perform it in a stripped down version, with acoustic guitars. Still love the melody.

Enjoy!

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Bobby Brown, "Every Little Step"

As many of you know (or recall), there was no such thing as MTV in Wellington, KS, in 1988.  Therefore, the video for a song like this (my favorite song in 1988, 1992 and 2004) was left to the imagination of a dorky 9-year-old kid.  Even a dorky 9-year-old kid, however, could not have dreamed up the bike shorts/tank top/suspenders ensemble that Bobby B. pulls off for parts of this one.  Enjoy!

NOSTALGIA WEEK: Fleetwood Mac, "Seven Wonders"

From 1987's Tango in the Night... this was magical, I'm telling you.

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY! NOSTALGIA WEEK! The Escape Club, "Wild Wild West"

In the grand tradition of gimmicky nonsense here at Tuna Day, today marks the beginning of Nostalgia Week .  This mostly means the posting of songs that hold an irrationally(?) dear place in my heart... mostly from the mid-'80s through the mid-'90s.  To kick things off, though, we're starting with an open request!  Two gimmicks in one!  Today's song comes to us courtesy of Wooden Brendbury.  All names have been changed to protect anonymity, in the event of tenacious digging from Politico or HuffPo.  Brendbury explains the trigger for his selection:

In 1989 our class took a field trip to 'Exchange City,' a fake city within a local community college where were were to learn about money.  We had to choose occupations, and everybody applied for what they wanted.  The teacher picked most of them, but we held elections for Judge and Mayor.  I was elected Mayor.  While at Exchange City, the Judge was arrested for speeding (no running was allowed in Exchange City).  Excited, I ran over to the newspaper to report the news, and while I was on my way, I got arrested for speeding, too.  The song playing on the "radio" (over the PA system) was... "Wild Wild West."  

Wild, Wild West.  Nothing could have been further from the truth.  It was on that day, over 20 years ago, that Brendbury resolved that he would never work in politics in a lawless town.  And that's why he lives in Washington.

Enjoy this ridiculously creepy (creepily ridiculous?) video...

Etta James, 1938-2012... "Tell Mama" and "At Last"

Man, could she bring it...

The Like, "He's Not a Boy"

My crash course on The Like (who evidently have been around for 10 years) came courtesy of this interview in Filter magazine.  Have a listen to this one, and see if you agree with Tennessee Thomas (the drummer, who has also played behind She & Him), when she describes the inspiration for 2010's Release Me: "We tried to imagine what it would sound like if The Supremes fronted The Animals."  Top it off with the fact the group recorded the album with the Dap-Kings and Mark Ronson (the producer for Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen), and it all makes sense.  Enjoy!

Emily Jane White, "Dark Undercoat"

The title track from 2009's Dark Undercoat... here's a melancholic dose of the San Franciscan singer/songwriter.  Enjoy.

Alison Krauss with Tony Rice, "Sawing on the Strings"

So tune up the five-string
Tighten up the hide
Tell all the hill folks to get inside
We'll make music till the rafters ring
All that pickin' and a-sawin' on the strings

Sia, "Breathe Me"

The Kills, "Tape Song"

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: Led Zeppelin, "Hey Hey What Can I Do"

Comin' your way from Jay B. in Brooklyn, who reminds us that this wasn't even on an album--it was the B-Side for "Immigrant Song."  And it's great.  Enjoy!

Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Road Trippin'"

From the U.K. version of Californication... let's go get lost.

Dead Prez, "Hip Hop"

Dilated Peoples f. Kanye West, "This Way"

The Dead Weather, "Gasoline"

What would it sound like if Janis Joplin fell into a giant blender? It must be something like this, I think.

The Ting Tings, "Traffic Light"

From We Started Nothing...

Karen Elson, "The Ghost Who Walks"

The title track from Karen Elson's (supermodel, formerly married to Jack White) debut album, The Ghost Who Walks... a bluesy, soulful effort featuring White (on drums), Jackson Smith (Patti's son), Jack Lawrence (The Dead Weather, The Ractonteurs, The Greenhornes, Stop the Virgens), and Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket).  Enjoy!

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: The Little Willies, "Jolene" (Dolly Parton Cover)

A long-distance request from the formidable double threat of the International BMZ... reminds them of Montero's in Brooklyn.  Enjoy!

Fruit Bats, "Ruminant Band"

The Raveonettes, "Black Wave"

Jenny and Johnny, "Big Wave"

Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) and Johnny Rice...

Rooney, "When Did Your Heart Go Missing"

TV on the Radio, "You"

Ditto for TVOTR.  From their most recent album, Nine Types of Light... A delightfully wacky video for a beautiful song.  Enjoy!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Hysteric" (Acoustic Version)

It's a new year, and you know what that means... it's OK to post another YYYs song!  This one knocked me out when I first heard it (after buying It's Blitz!).  Hope you like it, too.  These strange steps trace us back... 

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY: Michael Kiwanuka, "Tell Me a Tale"

From Brooklyn Joe, Tastemaker... Enjoy! Happy New Year!