For part 50 of my youtube countdown, we dissect the many ways in which life is a bitch.  For instance, I was laid off my job yesterday.  Yes, loyal readers, I am now but one of the unemployed masses, set to be scrambling for an unemployment check, desperately sending out resumes, left wondering what it all means as I eat a bowl of corn flakes for dinner.  Luckily, the Beatles, who never had too many employment problems, nonetheless made a beautiful anthem to the “aimless young man set adrift” demographic in the guise of “You Never Give Me Your Money.”  This song, from Abbey Road, set off the famous song cycle that typifies side 2 of the legendary record.  The video I present is nothing fancy, just a cool compilation of Beatle clips set to the tune.  The video is a little dratty, but the song is top notch of course.  I think these are Paul McCartney’s most unpretentious lyrics, and a reflection of the amazing musical craftsmanship he was capable of in this era.  I’m putting this up for me, and everyone else seeking a new job, and a better life.  Enjoy.

For part 49 of my youtube countdown, I found an awesome clip of John talking about love and relationships before launching into “Jealous Guy,” his song from 1971’s Imagine.  “Jealous Guy,” was originally written when the Beatles were in India as “Child of Nature.”  The original lyrics were about self discovery, but the new words are about John’s real self discovery, that he was an asshole towards women most of his life.  Read any Beatle biography, and the picture one gets of John is that of a misogynist, a cheater, and a hitter.  Not a pretty portrait, especially for a guy who fronted so many revolutions for progressive social change, and not to mention, wrote some of the greatest love songs ever written.  But we all know that John was never a saint, and this clip is fantastic because you can just tell John is a more mature person, and vulnerable in a completely honest and modern way.  Enjoy.

Another live show, this time me playing an original.  Sip From Your Fork, written when I was 22, never properly recorded.  A damn fine set of lyrics.

It was clearly your fault, you are locked in a vault
and what’s worse you have swallowed the key

You are covered in sleet and you are in it so deep
that in time theyll forget where you’re buried

so you might as well send your demons to hell
give a shout for some help do not worry

theres a reason to live that is true
you know what to do
its waitin for you because, its in you

I only can watch, as your monolog flies by
your mind and your lips everyday

you rant and you rave, yet you cannot convey youre insane
no one knows what to do, with you

youre dry as a cactus and without a tune, as you sip from your fork
and get bent by your spoon

come with me i can show you the way, ill show you today, why today
because, its monday

i will not believe that you will not be free
oh these negative illusions you spray

ill always contend, and i never pretend
when i beg you to see it that way

but youre chained to a rock, with your eyes on a clock
ears defeaned to things that I say

I can reach you if you reach for me, we both can believe
if you wish to be free, then you will be

Words and Music by Willie Simpson

Welcome to part 48 of my youtube countdown!  Sorry music fans, I got a comedy video for you, and guess what, I’m not really sorry!  This is Louis CK, the funniest standup comedian alive, talking about how nobody is happy with the incredible futuristic society we were all born into.  I actually remember seeing this appearance on the Conan show years ago, 2004 I think, and NEVER forgetting it.  Luckily, the folks at youtube never forgot either.  Louis basically says everything that’s been on my mind about people in today’s world, and I won’t spoil it by repeating his brilliant and hilarious insights.  Please, do your soul a favor, sit back, and prepare to laugh, a lot.

In part 47 of my youtube countdown I present to you two titans of classic rock and roll.  Jerry Lee Lewis, the Killer, and Carl Perkins, the king of rockabilly, united, as they often were, having a ball playing a medley of “Mean Woman Blues,” and “Blue Suede Shoes.”  This video is a blast of fun.  Jerry is playing the piano with his shoes, with his usual fire, while Carl steps up to Jerry’s near unmatchable energy and provides a FANTASTIC guitar solo.  There are so many things to like about this video.  First, I love Carl’s gorgeous powder blue electric guitar.  I love how when Jerry misses a line, he makes this hilarious Looney Tunes like face, but rolls on smoothly.  Of all the classic rock and rollers, Jerry was the closest to an abstraction, a larger then life hellcat sent from the moon to turn your High School Hop into a scene of pure raging anarchy.  Because of Jerry’s scandal where he married his 13 year old cousin, the world was really robbed of appreciating Jerry’s star at its highest levels of ridiculousness.  But whatever, he still rolls on.  Sadly, Carl doesn’t, but no one need worry there, he burned such a legacy of genius, and I’ll be exploring that more tomorrow.  Enjoy.

In part 46 of my youtube countdown, we travel back to the past again, my past.  When I was 17 years old, “Strawberry Fields Forever” was my favorite song in the world.  I don’t know why exactly, but this song just seemed like the greatest work of music I’d ever heard.  I loved the loping mellotron introduction.  I loved the way John’s voice stretched over the distorted string quartet, as if it were being pulled like taffy.  I loved Ringo’s manic jungle like drumming.  In fact, this is the most psychedelic drumming Ringo achieved with the Beatles, a massive achievement in a string of drumming highlights for Ringo in this period, (A Day in the Life being Ringo’s true drumming masterpiece.)  I remember as a teenager writing the words, “Living is easy with eyes closed,” everywhere; in my notebooks, on desks, on my locker, on walls.  I remember finding an old newspaper in my attic that my dad had from 1969 with the original “Paul is Dead” article, highlighting all the clues, with one claiming that John is chanting “I buried Paul” in the outro.  The reality of course being him saying “Cranberry Sauce;” (an equally delicious phrase in a song full of gorgeous imagery.)  Speaking of gorgeous imagery, the video I present here is the most perfect, stunning capture of the Beatles legendary video for “Strawberry Fields.”  The video presents the Beatles at their most weird.  They are reveling in their artistry and merry prankster like shenanigans.  What is the theme of this video?  As far as I can tell, the Beatles are gathering in a field, and are constructing some sort of magical piano by tying the strings to a tree.  Then of course they paint it with beautiful psychedelic colors.  So, here you go, unabashed strawberry love from me to you.

The alternative vibe continues in part 45 of my epic youtube countdown.  This time its Ween, on the, ahem, “unforgettable” Jane Pratt Show in 1993 playing “Freedom of ’76.”  The song, a slow soul jam, comes from Ween’s brilliant album Chocolate and Cheese.  Ween, for the uninitiated, consists of Gene Ween (aka Aaron Freeman, lead singer) and Dean Ween (aka Mickey Melchiondo, lead guitar.)  Both guys are geniuses, two of the world’s best contemporary songwriters.  When Ween broke through as 19 year olds in the early 90s, they were pegged as a comedy rock act, which couldn’t be more of a misrepresentation.  While its true that there is great humor in their rock, their true skills lie in melody creation and tasteful arrangement construction.  Their talent is so powerful, they are capable of tackling any genre of music, making it original, and making it their own.  What’s great about this clip is the amazing clueless Jane Pratt interview with the very stoned Gene and Dean before they launch into their stunningly weird duet.  Expect more Ween in the future, enjoy.

Welcome to part 44 of my youtube countdown!  Today I bring you a real blast from the past.  It’s the Flaming Lips on the David Letterman show in 1995 performing their only commercial pop hit, “She Don’t Use Jelly.”  I discovered the Flaming Lips when I was 17 years old ten years ago, right before they blew up again in the pop culture landscape.  They are kind of impossible not to love.  Their sound is a psychedelic mix of screeching yet melodic electric guitars, bodacious larger than life drumming, and lead singer Wayne Coyne’s unmistakable, warbly high, pitched croon.  For whatever reason, “She Don’t Use Jelly” made it to #55 on the US Billboard charts, probably just riding the grunge wave of the early mid 90s, but the Flaming Lips were never a grunge band.  They have always been a psychedelic garage band bent on pop music domination, clawing their way to immortality by recording dozens of gorgeous songs and records, having an always incredible experimental live show, and lastly, just through sheer grit and determination.  They are the ultimate underdog story in rock history.  So, without further ado, I present to you their epic ode to female masturbation, with Paul Shaffer making another appearance in a band that no one would have ever have guessed he performed with.  Enjoy.

In part 43 of my youtube countdown, I present to you the Magnetic Fields singing “Grand Canyon,” one of their great songs off their epic 69 Love Songs album.  The Magnetic Fields are the brainchild of serially depressed genius Stephin Merritt.  To me, Stephin is lyrically as brilliant as Bob Dylan..yes, I know what I just said, but its true.  He is a master pop lyric craftsman and probably one of the top 3 contemporary songwriters in the world today.  He sings in a very low Sintra-esque voice, which, to me, adds a timeless quality to his very original music.  “Grand Canyon,” a breathtakingly brilliant song about rekindling lost love, is one of 69 songs from his aforementioned triple album.  The album, which you all should get, and which I’ll probably do a big feature on soon, is one of the greatest pop albums of the past 20 years, and deserves to be heard by all, so check it out.  In the meantime, let the brilliant simple words of “Grand Canyon” serve as your introduction to this band of geniuses.

For part 42 of my youtube countdown, we continue our prodigy theme as we take a look at Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls, aka the Notorious B.I.G..  In this clip we see a 17 year old Biggie on the street in Bedstuy proving that he will be the best rapper in the world.  There is something so magical and mind-blowing going on here.  On the one hand, Biggie seems perfectly at ease in his environment, dominating this rap battle like no one in the world could with his perfect genius flow.  On the other hand, Biggie is clearly a star.  He is, pardon the pun, too big for this street.  He is busting with talent and clearly going somewhere.  This is the type of video you just repeat over and over and hate youtube for not having the entire battle posted to really soak the moment in.  Anyway, Biggie is the greatest rapper who ever lived, and hope you enjoy this as much as I do.