MFD Not-So-Random Five #8

In which I select five songs from 1976-1985 based on an arbitrary theme. (Not to be confused with this blog's Random Five feature, a different exercise in arbitrariness). Today's theme, for the "dog days of summer:" songs that have the word "dog" in their title.

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1. "Do the Dog" by The Specials (1979, 2 Tone)
   A ska cover of Rufus Thomas' 1963 single "The Dog" which is more like a complete deconstruction of the song than a cover. But I still dig it.
   


2. "Dog Eat Dog" by Adam and the Ants (1980, Epic)
   The first Adam and the Ants tune I ever heard was "Killer in the Home." It appeared on a 1981 Epic sampler cassette titled Exposed. I was intrigued. Then "Dog Eat Dog" came up on the second side of the tape and I was hooked. Purchase of the Kings of the Wild Frontier album quickly followed, and I stayed with Adam Ant until he teamed up with Phil Collins, then I quickly lost interest. But Kings of the Wild Frontier is one of my favorite albums of 1980 (even though I didn't hear it until later) and "Dog Eat Dog" is side 1, track 1 of that album.
   
   
   


3. "Dog and Butterfly" by Heart  (1979, Portrait)
   When I was a kid, I thought this was an Olivia Newton-John tune (I never claimed I was a smart kid, just a smart ass). But Ann Wilson sure brings it with these vocals, don't she? The star of this show, however, is the laid back folkish songwriting and subtle arrangement. The song barely cracked the Top 40, peaking at #34, which is a damn shame. Of course, Top 40 at that time was mainly disco and country crossover, so there really wasn't room for a folk ballad, no matter how beautiful it was. (note: I just checked out the Hot 100 chart of March 31, 1979 and that's a helluva chart. Maybe that explains why "Dog and Butterfly" didn't get any higher: too much competition. Or maybe this song just lulled me into a nostalgic 7th grade daze.)


4. "Dogs" by The Judy's (1980, Wasted Talent)
   The Judy's were a local band out of Pearland, Texas, just south of Houston. The trio would end up as opening acts for groups like Talking Heads and The B-52's (oddly enough, a then-unknown R.E.M. opened for The Judy's in Austin in 1981). They became a regional favorite, then me and my high school friends fell in love with them in the summer of 1982 with their album Washarama. "Dogs" comes from the EP released prior to Washarama, The Wonderful World of Appliances. Sung from the perspective of David Berkowitz, this song is an odd exploration of The Son of Sam. Far from my favorite tune by the band, it's creepy and catchy at the same time.
   


5. "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton (1982, Capitol)
   When you read this set's theme, you probably guessed I'd include this song by Dr. Funkenstein. "Bow-wow-wow-yippee-yo-yippee-yay!" may be some of my favorite '80s lyrics. Amazingly, this 1982 single never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 (it "bubbled under" at 101, but it topped the R&B chart and peaked at #38 Disco). I didn't love this as much in the early '80s as I should have. Now a classic, being widely sampled in hip-hop music for the last 35+ years.

MFD Random Five #32

In which I click the shuffle icon on the iTunes app and listen to the first five songs that pop up from the years 1976-85.

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1. "Everybody Loves You Now" by Billy Joel (1981, Columbia)
   I prefer this live version from Songs in the Attic to the 1971 original. Lots of energy but it's still just filler. Not bad filler for a debut album, mind you, and I dig the snarky lyrics.


2. "Tragedy" by John Hunter (1984, Private I)
   If I've heard this before, I've forgotten it. The song peaked at #39 on the Billboard chart in '85 so I must have this file because of the legendary, now complete, Megalist project. As for the song, it sounds like a poor man's Springsteen-Winwood-Carrack, driven by keyboard instead guitar. Easily forgettable, I'm surprised it made it to 39. Let's see how it did over on Adult Contemporary: no dice. A one-hit wonder. And now that I've heard it, I'll quickly forget it; next time I hear it, I'll say, "If I've heard this before, I've forgotten it."


3. "Mull of Kintyre" by Wings (1977, Capitol)
   #1 in the UK, non-charting here in the States. Sounds like an old Scottish pub singalong waltz, complete with bagpipes. Not bad, but not for me. Raise a glass to Sir Paul always, though.


4. "Empire Strikes Back (Medley: Darth Vader/Yoda's Theme)" by Meco (1980, RSO)
   What might have been a good idea in 1977 had tarnished badly by 1980.


5. "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton (1982, Capitol)
   And this Random Five is ultimately saved by Dr. Funkenstein! "Bow-wow-wow-yippee-yo-yippee-yay!" may be some of my favorite '80s lyrics. Amazingly, this 1982 single never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 (it "bubbled under" at 101, but it topped the R&B chart and peaked at #38 Disco). I didn't love this as much in the early '80s as I should have. Now a classic, being widely sampled in hip-hop music for the last 35+ years.