Timely tunes

Ok, so here we are on another Wednesday. In the past, I've often tried to write about words on Wednesdays in order to force the alliteration of Wacky Wordy Wednesday upon you, but I don't know about this time. I already wrote about words on Monday and Tuesday, so maybe some of you are looking for a change of pace. I'm not sure I'm ready to switch gears yet, but I have to decide quickly before my babbling becomes too lengthy.

As I try to find a topic for the day, I wanted to briefly comment on two songs currently playing on some stations here in L.A. First off, the Foo Fighters have a song out called "The Pretender" right now. Aside from the fact that chorus reminds me (and I'm sure a whole bunch of other folks) of a Sesame Street song, there's one line that I really approve of: "I'm what's left; I'm what's right." I truly enjoy that usage, and I tip my hat to Mr. Grohl (if he indeed writes their lyrics). The second song I want to talk about is by the band Interpol. I was listening to it and thought it was catchy, and the dj at the end say, "That was Interpol with 'No I in Threesome.'" What a great title! Coming from someone who spends way too much time looking at what letters comprise what words, I think that's glorious. I just heard the song again this morning, and the part that I thought said, "Let us be free" might actually be, "Let us be three." Eeeenteresting.

Aha! And like that, a topic was born. No, not threesomes, but rather words and music. Sorry if that disappoints you...sicko. If I'm reading the calendar correctly, today should be September 26th. Therefore, I expect to hear Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" about a dozen times before Monday rolls around. The stations tend to do that kind of thing, and while I understand why, it can still be a bit of overkill.

In a couple of months, get ready for "A Long December" by Counting Crows to be all over the air waves. It's a great song on a great album, and I'll prepare myself by purposely not playing it in my car for at least a month prior to December. If we're lucky and get some rain during that time, I'll expect to find Guns N' Roses singing "November Rain" at least twice that day (plus the obligatory headlines on the news referencing that song).

And then we have the days-of-the-week songs. It makes me wonder if Mama Cass ever thought, "I'm glad 'Monday Monday' became a hit, but I didn't realize that it would only be played on one-seventh of the days." I'd like for you to keep your ears out, gentle readers, and report back to me if you'd be so kind. Do any stations play that song or "Manic Monday" by the Bangles on any day other than Monday? How about the Carpenters' "Rainy Days and Mondays," for that matter? Technically, they should at least be able to play that one on a rainy Wednesday, right?

While we're on that specific topic, I feel like I've heard the Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" on many days of the week, but I need to pay attention now. They do mention all seven days in the lyrics (even if the weekend days have to wait until the bridge), so they really shouldn't feel too pressured to limit that one to Friday.

Lest we forget, here is the granddaddy of this topic: Prince's "1999." The song was in a normal rotation for years before December of 1998 kicked it into hyperdrive. That whole year, it was on somewhere at all times. When December of 1999 came, I'm pretty sure it set some records by being played a ridunkulous amount of times. (I still don't get why he says, "Two thousand zero zero" though. Isn't that 200,000?) I'm pretty sure I won't be around to witness it, but Zager and Evans will have their day in the sun when "In the Year 2525" breaks the radio playlist record. Ya know, if they still have radios then.

You know what I should do? Cement my legacy right now. I should write a catchy but not too trendy song about 2015. I can find plenty of good rhymed with "fifteen" while also being able to use the "one-five" pronunciation to rhyme with "feel so alive" or something. That's right, we're going to celebrate like...ooh, I just thought of something even better! I don't use exclamations lightly, folks, so you should take note of that one. It's a lot harder to rhyme with 20 (which I believe I've already tackled in this space), but check this shit out: I write a song about how clearly I can see my future and have it full of 20-20 double-meanings. Oh yeah, it's so on. Since I actually have perfect vision, I can write directly from the heart, and that always helps the audience connect more.

Why stop there though? While I'm inventing a new career for myself as a songwriter, let's get the less-represented days in the mix. I can hear the chorus already: "But everything will be alright/When I'm with you on Thursday night." I may need to add a line about being a little sluggish on Friday morning for work but being totally worth it. Yeah, that's the ticket. Now I just need to learn how to write music and then wait for the dough to start pouring in. This is going to kick so much ass. (My spellchecker suggested "kick so many asses" instead, which I find delightful.)

Last but certainly as far from least as possible, I want to welcome two new humans to the world with whom I expect to be close. On Sunday, my cousins Daniel and Beth had a little girl named Bailey, and then yesterday our good friends Lisa and Paul had a little boy named Nolan. Congratulations to both families, and I can't wait to meet the new additions.

Have a great day, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow for another Sorry Honey It's Thursday post. Go shorty, it's a Thursday; we gonna party like it's a Thursday. Sorry.