My Thermos

This week's mission: Top 5 Goodbye Songs

Bye Bye Love - The Cars

I still enjoy this first Cars LP quite a bit. The latter stuff, mmm, not so much.

Goodbye Girl - Squeeze

I wanted to name my cats Difford and Tilbrook, only partially successful. Glenn is one heck of a guitar player as shown in this clip I discovered back in Feb '07

49 Bye-Byes - Crosby Stills & Nash

I've never counted them to see if it's really 49, but a great song anyway.

She's Leaving Home - The Beatles

It's The Beatles.

Goodbye Cruel World - Pink Floyd

Goodbye cruel world
I'm leaving you today
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye all you people
There's nothing you can say
to make me change my mind
Goodbye

The sudden cut to silence is chilling. I still get goosebumps when I listen.

What's on your list?

(via Music Memoirs)

This week's mission: Top 5 Bands That You Wish You Could See Live

In thinking about compiling my list, I decided that there were a number of different ways to approach this, the most obvious being those bands that I wish I could have seen - but didn't have the opportunity.

While I certainly could compile such a list, I decided to go literal and stick with the current tense. Bands that are still touring that would be at the top of my wish list.

1) Gov't Mule - I never get tired of seeing these guys live. Sure, we saw them just a little over a month ago but I could handle another show about now. In fact, they are playing at the amazing Red Rocks Amphitheater on Aug 31 and I certainly wish I could be there. The fact that they change up the setlist every night makes sure I never see the same show twice.

2) The Allman Brothers Band - Again, a different show every night means I can never get enough of this band. They are in Chicago next week and it looks like we may get the chance to go after all. I've lost count of ABB shows I've seen, but they still are in my top 5 to see whenever I get the chance.

3) Paul Weller - He doesn't get to the states often enough for me and it doesn't look like his upcoming House of Blues show is an option for us. I'm a huge fan but never had the chance to catch a live show. I really must remedy that.

4) Joe Jackson - One of my favorite live performers. I've seen him in various incarnations / band configurations over the years and have never been disappointed. Always a must see if I can.

5) Paul McCartney - Oddly, his show is the same every night but I still can't imagine ever tiring of it. I've been fortunate to see Sir Paul many times - check out how "For Just One Moment" he changed my world.

SB

(Via Music Memoirs)

So I did some digging and it seems that the Top 5 on Friday topic that I see over at Mini-Obs originates at The Music Memoirs, so if they don't mind I think I'll just join in on the fun and start doing this regularly.

This week's topic - Top 5 Acoustic Albums

oh - but there is a catch: Unpluggeds don't count

So here goes:

Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries

Michael is an extraordinary musician I've written about before and is truly a master of the acoustic guitar. Aerial Boundaries was the first I heard of him and it really was and continues to be an amazing experience every time I listen. I never had the chance to see him live, regrettably, before he passed in 1997 - but there is lot of material out there if you look around. If you don't have this album, buy it.

Warren Haynes - Live at Bonnaroo

It shouldn't surprise any regular reader of My Thermos to see this one here. Warren is a favorite of mine and this solo appearance in front of 80,000 at Bonnaroo is a great listen. Featuring stripped down versions of some Mule songs as well as a bunch of tasty covers including the Dead's Stella Blue, Radiohead's Lucky, Eagle's Wasted Time and U2's One - it really is a great performance. Buy this one as well.

Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Quite possibly the greatest album ever recorded. If this isn't in your collection, well, I don't even know what to say....

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue (Vol 1 & 2)

What happens when you take completed Woody Guthrie Lyrics and give them to Billy Bragg and Wilco to "collaborate" with Woody on the tunes. You get Mermaid Avenue - a mostly brilliant collection of songs. I couldn't choose between the two - neither should you.

Lyle Lovett - I Love Everybody

I know I seem to mention this album a lot but that's because it's just so amazingly brilliant. I guess this isn't 100% acoustic, but it largely is and certainly has that "feel" to it. Check the archives here for more on Lyle and this LP.

Honorable Mentions:
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Adam Hood - 6th Street (EP)
Randy Newman - Sail Away
Warren Zevon - Learning to Flinch

So how did I do?

Oh - and eliminating the unpluggeds wasn't really a big deal to me. I probably would have included the Paul McCartney Unplugged Official Bootleg but otherwise I find the typical unplugged collections pretty forgettable. Never could figure out why the Clapton one was so popular.

SB