Green Monkey Music Project Part 2

For the musically inclined, I just participated in the latest GMMP, which was a geography-related mix. You had to pick songs with place names in the title. My selections and why I picked ’em:

“Walkin’ to New Orleans” – A Fats Domino classic. I’ve always liked the tick-tock rhythm, the rhythm of a walkin’ man who’s “gonna need two pair of shoes when I get through walkin’ these blues.” Now that’s some sadness. Plus it’s kinda cute the way he says “honey” in the lines “You used to be my honey/ ’til you spent all my money.”

“Going Down to Liverpool” – A great song from the Bangles’ All Over the Place, which I got in vinyl. The song was written by Kimberley Roo, the guitarist for one-hit wonder Katrina and the Waves. Wow, just typing that band name now gives me the chills.

“Lodi” – CCR. This has always been one of my favorite CCR tunes, about the tough life of a traveling musician who’s so broke he can’t even leave town. This guy’s as sad as Fats, though he doesn’t think to walk out of town—whether to New Orleans or just LA or someplace.

“Wichita Lineman” – A Glenn Campbell classic. The lyrics are rather silly, though I love the chorus. The mood of this song reminds me of my childhood, spent listening to Campbell (and others of his ilk) when he was a GOD of country music. My mother listened to just about every kind of music there was back in the late 60s and early 70s, which shaped my own rather eclectic musical tastes.

“Anchorage” – Michelle Shocked, whose stage name is a take on “Miss Shell-shocked.” I knew about Shocked from her days playing the Kerrville Folk Festival, and the album from which “Anchorage” comes, “Short Sharp Shocked,” was a solid effort. I like this song because it talks about getting back in touch with an old friend after a long time: “I took time out to write to my old friend, I walked across that burning bridge.” That’s something I never have the guts or energy to do, though I do think about old friends and girlfriends sometimes.

“Walking in L.A.” – This great song is off the Missing Persons Destination Unknown, which was a great album. It’s great 80s rock, with the famous octave-hiccupping Dale Bozzio on lead vocals, and Warren Cuccurullo, an underrated guitarist in my opinion, on lead guitar.

“I Left My Heart (in San Francisco)” – The greatness of Tony Bennett. Need I say more?

One more project, and I'll get the green monkey crown!