Big Star :: Haley Bonar

I love, love, love St. Paul folk singer Haley Bonar and was a little disappointed when Meggo beat me to the blogging with "Something Great" a few months ago. I've been wanting to pull something together about my other favorite song of hers, "Big Star," (also the name of her newest album) for a while, and I figured that our local music theme month was a good time.

Do you remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine dates a guy who's obsessed with the song "Desperado?" He actually "shushes" her so he can hear the whole thing. "Big Star" has been doing that to me lately. This song always makes me stop and just kind of put everything on hold for a while. I've actually pulled my car over when it came on the radio to listen it from beginning to end.

It's a heartbreaking song about the fickleness of fame and celebrity (I think). I especially love the little hints of the electric guitar just in the background of the chorus, just kind of bleeding through Bonar's singing. It makes my frigid Minnesotan heart ache.

"Big Star" Link

You can dress yourself up

Put on a little bit of makeup

Go out and get a haircut

And stumble out into the morning

They'll all hate you tomorrow
When no one buys your single
When you fall they'll look the other way

They're going to buy you airplanes

Fly you all over the oceans

Give you all the loving that you need

Give you all the loving that you need

Gonna be a big star

Waiting

On a big wish

I'm making

They're gonna call you "baby"

Treat you like a symbol

Of something that they'll never understand

I'm gonna read your stories

Spend springtime in the gardens

Tell my children all about the days

But I can't make you happy

I can't make you money

I can only fold your laundry

Gonna be a big star

Waiting

On a big wish

I'm making

Back Door Santa :: Clarence Carter

It's finally winter and the holiday season!

I filed this song in the back of my head since I heard it last Christmas, and now that's it's after Thanksgiving, I'm thrilled that I can now blog about my new favorite Christmas song, "Back Door Santa" by Clarence Carter.

I don't know what else to say about "Back Door Santa" except that it's a jumping soul tune from the '70s with really suggestive lyrics. You can guess what it suggests from the title. It's way better than "Santa Baby," which has always just creeped me out.

I knew I had to post this song on the blog because it's so hilarious.

Back Door Santa :: Clarence Carter

They call me back door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
They call me back door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
I make all the little girls happy
While the boys are out to play

Well I ain't like old Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I ain't like old Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I come runnin' with my presents
Every time you call me dear

I keep some change in my pocket
To chase the children who are home
I give 'em a few pennies
So we can be alone
I leave the back door open
So in case anyone smells a mouse
Won't Santas be in trouble
If there ain't no chimney in the house

They call me back door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
They call me back door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
I make all the little girls happy
While the boys are out to play

"Back Door Santa" link!

The Mountain Goats: This Year

I first heard The Mountain Goats from the radio station we're always talking about, The Current. The first song they were playing was the title track from their newest full-length, Heritic Pride, which I thought was pretty good--It didn't change my life upon the first hearing, but it did stick with me enough to want to blog about it. What attracted me was the pretty simple lo-fi sound paired with really beautiful lyrics about the execution of an unnamed heretic.

When I started doing some research for the blog, I stumbled on their song "This Year" from their 2005 release The Sunset Tree. Where "Heretic Pride" was what a considered a nice song having a lot going for it, but still kind of forgettable, "This Year" made me hit the Replay button six times in a row.

It's the same lo-fi sound: just an acoustic guitar, drums, piano, bass, and lead singer John Darnielle's nasal tenor. Again, it's the lyrics that really get me. It's about that restlessness of being young and on the precipice of really starting your own life, but still being pretty immature and still under someone's thumb. With so many songs about adolescent frustration or ennui, it's rare that any of them can get their meaning across anymore. "This Year" did so wonderfully for me. Take a read real quick:

I also can't help but inject my own personal interpretation into it. This has been a bad year for a lot of different people, it seems. Many people I know (myself included) have experienced all sorts of random unfortunate events like being mugged, getting hit by a car, getting laid off, getting dumped, and everyone just has this feeling of uncertainty in themselves and the world in general.

It's hard to be optimistic lately, but I've kind of adopted "This Year" as a theme song, repeating the chorus to myself when The Man is trying to put me down: I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.

Lyrics:

I broke free on a Saturday morning
I put the pedal to the floor
Headed north on Mills Avenue
And listened to the engine roar

My broken house behind me
And good things ahead
A girl named Cathy
Wants a little of my time
Six cylinders underneath the hood
Crashing and kicking
Aha!
Listen to the engine whine

I am gonna make it through this year
If it kills me
I am gonna to make it though this year
If it kills me

I played video games in a drunken haze
I was seventeen years young
Hurt my knuckles punching the machines
The taste of scotch rich on my tongue

And then Cathy showed up
And we hung out
Trading swigs from a bottle
All bitter and clean
Locking eyes
Holding hands
Twin high maintenance machines

I am gonna make it through this year
If it kills me
I am gonna to make it though this year
If it kills me

I drove home in the California dusk
I could feel the alcohol inside of me hum
Pictured the look on my stepfather's face
Ready for the bad things to come
I downshifted
As I pulled into the driveway
The motor screaming out
Stuck in second gear
The scene ends badly
As you might imagine
In a cavalcade of anger and fear

There will be feasting and dancing
In Jerusalem next year

I am gonna make it through this year
If it kills me
I am gonna to make it though this year
If it kills me