Counting Down Songs (941 – 907)…

Happy Cinco de Mayo! So, we had a little lunch party thing here at work today and people had signed up to bring various “Mexican” dishes (I’m assuming… I have no idea the origin of most of the food). Wouldn’t you know it, but a few days ago while prepping for this little lunch thing, the relatively new girl working here asked me if I had any “family recipes” I could bring. Poor thing honestly believed that my ancestors came from Mexico. I say honestly, because her face got bright red when I told her my family isn’t from Mexico (and also let her know that my last name isn’t really pronounced “Horrez”, but ‘Har’ (like Hardy) – ‘iss’ (like iss)… at least that’s how I say it. It can also be said ‘Hor’ (like Whore) – ‘iss’ (again, like iss) but I don’t say it that way because when I do it sounds too much to me like ‘Whores’ or ‘Horses’. But who knows, with the hearing problems I had growing up… maybe I’m the one saying it wrong. :)

Now word is coming out that Bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot. My thought on this is that it was a bad idea for him to be unarmed. Listen, this wasn’t just some neighborhood thug doing bad things and running his mouth about it. Someone like that should be arrested and given his day in court. This was a guy who was the mastermind behind a lot of very bad things... and I know this because he said he was. In my mind, there was no need for a trial. There was already an admission of guilt. You don’t get to be the most wanted man based on shaky evidence. It’s not like there was any doubt. Matlock couldn't have gotten this guy off for what he did.  I’ll be honest, if you told me that the SEAL team was sent in there to arrest him and there was a big fight and they had to shoot him… I’d be fine with that. If you told me they went in there and saw that he was unarmed and shot him right before saying “Mr. Bin Laden, you are under arrest”… I’d be fine with that, too. The way I see it, this is a guy who has been on death row for 10 years and his time ran up. I understand people might disagree with me, and that’s fine. But I’m pretty comfortable with how I feel about this. I think people sometimes over think these things.

You might notice that I don’t say as much about some songs as I do others. There are a couple of reasons. The first is that, contrary to what many think, I don’t have a ton of time on my hands… so to talk a lot about 35 songs a day is almost impossible. The other reason is I just don’t have much to say about some of these songs. So there you have it. If it sounds like I’m saying the same thing about a lot of songs, I probably am.

We now continue our countdown of the I’m just sayin… Top 1,081 Songs of All Time:

941 - “The Last Song” by Poison

“This is my last song/ It's all I've got/ If bare my soul/ Don't you break my heart/ Won't you sing along/ This is my last song/ It's all I've got/ So don't you break my heart”

This is a great song. The first time I heard it was when I saw them play in Charlotte back when I was in college. I don’t know how they acted in their prime… but when I saw them they were very humble (yet still cool and having fun).

940 - “All Star” by Smash Mouth

“Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play/ Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid/ And all that glitters is gold/ Only shooting stars break the mold”

The music isn’t all that inspiring and the lyrics aren’t anything to write home about… but somehow when you put the two together I like this song.

939 - “Take The Money And Run” by Steve Miller Band

“This here’s a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue/ Two young lovers with nothin’ better to do/ Than sit around the house, get high and watch the tube/ And here is what happened when they decided to cut loose/

I don’t care all that much for the chorus, but I do like the other lyrics.

938 - “Better Than Revenge” by Taylor Swift

“She's not a saint/ And she's not what you think/ She's an actress, whoa/ But she's better known/ For the things that she does/ On the mattress, whoa/ Soon she's gonna find/ Stealing other people's toys/ On the playground won't/ Make you many friends/ She should keep in mind/ She should keep in mind/ There is nothing I do better than revenge”

No she didn’t…. Oh, yes she did! Wow, she’s a feisty little thing. I love it!

937 - “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles

“I read the news today, oh boy/ About a lucky man who made the grade/ And though the news was rather sad/ Well, I just had to laugh/ I saw the photograph/ He blew his mind out in a car/ He didn't notice that the lights had changed/ A crowd of people stood and stared/ They'd seen his face before/ Nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords”

Wow… a song like this from The Beatles is ranked in the 900’s? How did I let the staff here slip that one by me? I’m starting to feel like the CEO at VH1 going “What the hell is ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ doing ranked higher than ‘Free Bird’?” Oh well, I love the way this song changes tempo from slow to fast and back to slow.

936 - “All For You” by Sister Hazel

“There's been times, I'm so confused/ All my roads, They lead to you/ I just can't turn, And walk away...”

This could very well be my favorite Sister Hazel. It’s great with the whole group or just with a guy and a guitar.

935 - “Hey There” by Sammy Davis, Jr.

“Won't take this advice/ I hand you like a brother/ Or are you not seeing things too clear/ Are you too much in love to hear”

Maybe one day you’ll believe me when I tell you this guy could sing. Perhaps the most talented member of the Rat Pack.

934 - “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart

“Wake up Maggie, I think I've got something to say to you/ It's late September and I really should be back at school/ I know I keep you amused, but I fell I'm being used”

This is the kind of song that you have to sing along to.

933 - “Can't Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon

“And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight/ You're a candle in the window on a cold dark winters night/ And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might”

I started liking this song because Sonny would listen to it so much when I was little.

932 - “The Conversation” by Hank Williams, Jr. and Waylon Jennings

“Hank let's talk about your daddy/ Tell me how your mama loved that man/ Well just break out a bottle Hoss/ I'll tell you bout the driftin' cowboy band/ We won't talk about the habits/ Just the music and the man”

Two Country legends, one song… the question isn’t should it be on the list but rather how did it come in at only number 932.

931 - “Follow You Down” by Gin Blossoms

“I know we're headed somewhere, I can see how far we've come/ But still I can't remember anything/ Let's not do the wrong thing and I'll swear it might be fun/ It's a long way down when all the knots we've tied have come undone”

I love the lyrics in this song and the beat is pretty good, too.

930 - “Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny)” by Elton John

“And I've been knocking but no one answers/ And I've been knocking most all the day/ Oh and I've been calling oh hey hey Johnny/ Can't you come out to play”

I had this song for a long time before I ever listened to it. Then one day I read that it was written in honor of John Lennon so I thought I’d listen to it. It’s a very good song. I really like the chorus part.

929 - “Suzie Q” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

“Oh Suzie Q/ Oh Suzie Q/ Oh Suzie Q/ Baby I love you Suzie Q”

I like the music in this one… there’s not much to the lyrics if you ask me.

928 - “Some Mistakes” by Brad Paisley

“Some mistakes are too much fun/ To only make once”

For any of you scoring at home, you might notice a large number of songs on this list from Brad Paisley and Bon Jovi… that’s because they sing great songs.

927 - “Blame It on the Love of Rock and Roll” by Bon Jovi

“First time I heard the music/ I thought it was my own/ I could feel it in my heartbeat/ I could feel it in my bones/ My momma thinks I'm crazy/ My dad says I'm insane/ I got this boogie woogie fever/ That's burning in my veins”

This isn’t one of his more well known songs but man it’s good.

926 - “Girl Like That” by Matchbox Twenty

“You think this life would make me bolder/ But I'm running scared is all/ I hang on everything about you/ You think I'd settle down ‘cause I'm older/ But I roll with the changes is all/ I'm same old trailer trash in new shoes”

I like the vocals/lyrics to this song.

925 - “Hole in the World” by The Eagles

“There's a hole in the world tonight./ There's a Cloud of fear and sorrow./ There's a hole in the world tonight./ Don't let there be a hole in the world tomorrow.”

I think this is the first entry on the list that was inspired by 9/11. A soft, simple song that helped capture the mood of that time.

924 - “You Ain't Much Fun” by Toby Keith

“Now I'm paintin' the house and I'm mendin' the fence/ I guess I gone and lost all my good sense/ Too much work is hard for your health/ I could've died drinkin', now I'm killing myself/ Now I'm feedin' the dog, sackin' the trash/ It's honey do this, honey do that/ I sobered up, and I got to thinkin'/ Girl you ain't much fun since I quit drinkin'”

I think we’ve all been here before. Except for me, of course… The Wife is a ball of fun all the time.

923 - “Shame” by Matchbox Twenty

“What we learned here is love tastes bitter when it’s gone/ Pass yourself forget the light, things look dirty when it’s on/ Funny how it comes to pass, that all the good slips away/ And there’s no one around you can remember being good to you”

College Greg really liked Matchbox Twenty. I think part of the reason is that their lead singer had a voice that was easy to sing along with.

922 - “Take Me There” by Rascal Flatts

“There's a place in your heart where nobody's been./ Take me there./ Things nobody knows, not even your friends./ Take me there. / Tell me about your momma, your daddy, your home town, show me around./ I wanna see it all, don't leave anything out.”

I like the tempo change in this song.

921 - “Mine” by Taylor Swift

“You were in college working part time waitin’ tables/ Left a small town, never looked back/ I was a flight risk with a fear of fallin’/ Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts”

One thing I like about her songs is the lyrics mean something… they are just words to go along with music.

920 - “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve

“'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life/ Trying to make ends meet/ You're a slave to money then you die/ I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down/ You know the one that takes you to the places/ Where all the veins meet yeah”

I love the music of this song. It can get it stuck in my head for weeks at a time.

919 - “Pretty Maids All in a Row” by The Eagles

“Hi there,/ How are 'ya?/ It's been a long time/ Seems like we've come a long way”

An Eagles song on the list with Joe Walsh taking the lead vocals. A nice slow song that his voice is perfect for.

918 - “Mockingbird” by Toby Keith

“Mock (yeah)/ Ing (yeah)/ Bird (yeah)/ Yeah ( Oh yeah)”

A number of people have done this song. I thought about having the Carly Simon and James Taylor version on here… but I like this one better (I don’t think any other version of the song made the list, but I could be wrong).

917 - “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles

“C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now/ (Come on baby)/ Come on and work it on out/ (Work it on out)”

This is another song that has been done by a number of people. It’s a fun song and I think The Beatles did a good job with it.

916 - “Somewhere Near Japan” by The Beach Boys

“My engine's all burned out/ My crew has all bailed out/ I don't know where I am/ But it's somewhere near Japan”

Here’s a later song from The Beach Boys. A nice mellow number.

915 - “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift

“There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles/ Same old, tired place lonely place/ Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy/ Vanished when I saw your face”

It’s fun to hear her sing songs that aren’t killing some guy who did her wrong.

914 - “Donna” by Ritchie Valens

“I had a girl/ Donna was her name/ Since she left me/ I've never been the same/ 'Cause I love my girl/ Donna, where can you be/ Where can you be”

What a great slow song. How many times do you think girls named Donna have had to hear some guy sing this song to them?

913 - “Stand” by Rascal Flatts

“You feel like a candle in a hurricane/ Just like a picture with a broken frame/ Alone and helpless/ Like you've lost your fight/ But you'll be alright, you'll be alright”

I like the sound of the chorus in this song.

912 - “Life Goes On” by Poison

“I felt this before now I feel it again/ No matter how hard I try/ This feeling won't end/ So I pretend you're here by my side/ Tonight on this lonely ride/ Keep telling myself that”

A nice slow song (sort of) from a rock group like Poison is a nice change of pace.

911 - “Smokin' in the Boys' Room” by Motley Crue

“Smokin' in the boys room/ Smokin' in the boys room/ I tell you, I was smokin' in the boys room/ Smokin' in the boys room”

I like the music in this song. After about 30 seconds I really don’t care that they were smokin’ in the boys room… by the end of the song I’m a little pissed about all the second hand smoke someone is going to have to breathe in just to use the bathroom. But the music is good.

910 - “Long Day” by Matchbox Twenty

“It's sitting by the overcoat,/ The second shelf, the note she wrote/ That I can't bring myself to throw away”

There isn’t a huge difference in a lot of Matchbox Twenty songs… so if you like one of them, there’s a good chance you’ll like a lot of them. I like the lyrics on this one a little more than I do on the previous songs listed.

909 - “Crazy for You” by Madonna

“Swaying room as the music starts/ Strangers making the most of the dark/ Two by two their bodies become one”

Madonna has such a great voice (at least she did… I’m guessing she still does, but I could be wrong).

908 - “I'm Alright” by Kenny Loggins

“I'm alright/ Nobody worry 'bout me/ Why you got to gimme a fight?/ Can't you just let it be?”

I hear this song and I think about Caddyshack. And who among us can think of Caddyshack and NOT be happy? I mean, if you love the movie (and you should) then you have to love this song.

907 - “Reality” by Kenny Chesney

“Reality, yeah, sometimes life/ Ain't all that it's cracked up to be/ So let's take a chance and live this fantasy/ 'Cause everybody needs to break free from reality”

For some of you, this blog is your escape from reality…

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Torpedoman Second Class Henry Breault (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 28, 1923 while on board the US submarine 0-5. His citation reads:

For heroism and devotion to duty while serving on board the U.S. submarine 0-5 at the time of the sinking of that vessel. On the morning of 28 October 1923, the 0-5 collided with the steamship Abangarez and sank in less than a minute. When the collision occurred, Breault was in the torpedo room. Upon reaching the hatch, he saw that the boat was rapidly sinking. Instead of jumping overboard to save his own life, he returned to the torpedo room to the rescue of a shipmate whom he knew was trapped in the boat, closing the torpedo room hatch on himself. Breault and Brown remained trapped in this compartment until rescued by the salvage party 31 hours later.

Seaman George Breeman (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on board the USS Kearsarge. His citation reads:

Breeman displayed heroism in the line of his profession while serving on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge at the time of the accidental ignition of powder charges in the forward 13-inch turret.

Boatswain’s Mate John Breen (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 3, 1862 on board the USS Commodore Perry. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Commodore Perry in the attack upon Franklin, Va., 3 October 1862. With enemy fire raking the deck of his ship and blockades thwarting her progress, Breen remained at his post and performed his duties with skill and courage as the Commodore Perry fought a gallant battle to silence many rebel batteries as she steamed down the Blackwater River.