There’s really no thematic rhyme or reason for the five songs that begin with “C” for today. Also, that title makes absolutely no sense at all!

Also, a quick note: I generally write these stream of consciousness style with minimal editing. Sooooo, if it looks disorganized, there ya go. All of these posts generally are. Sometimes the brain keeps ahead of the digits, but not very often.

Chicken Fried

All of the finer things in life that you really need are in Chicken Fried – fried chicken, cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right, love. It’s pure, cornpone country music – celebrating the little things in life. And it’s awesome. Zac Brown and band can PLAY. George and I have seen them in concert once and they did a spot on heavy metal song from Metallica (blanking on the tune). Other than the vocals not sounding like Hetfield, you’d have been hard-pressed to close your eyes and not think a metal band was on stage.

I don’t think I’ve heard a song from Zac Brown that I don’t like at least a little yet. Stoked to see them again in August with the girls in Hershey – Lauren’s excited, Casey’s just along for the ride.

Comfortably Numb

I came late to Pink Floyd. In high school, Pink Floyd was linked to one of the guys who sat next to e in history class and always smelled like what I later figured out was weed (I was extremely shy in high school). I also quickly discovered in college that a joint and Pink Floyd went exceedingly well together.

The Wall is brilliant. And Comfortably Numb has always been one of my favorite tracks on the album. Nails alientation and how you can gradually disappear into yourself when life just doesn’t go the way you thought it was going to go.

Just about everytime I get a fever, especially a high one, at some point I think of

When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons

Which, as someone who’s had a fever of 104 a number of times – yeah, strepthroat! – is about a perfect way to describe what that feels like.

I was lucky enough to see Pink Floyd’s Division Bell show twice in 1993/4 – once in the Superdome in exchange for making pizzas for an hour. The second time my mom bought a ticket so I could drive Kirk, my brother, and his girlfriend at the time to Rice stadium for the concert. A high, rain, and a lightening storm made that an exceptional concert. The only downside was that it was cut short.

This is from that tour.

Can’t Buy Me Love

I love the Beatles, but I’m not sure any of their songs are going to be big on the list. Can’t Buy Me Love always makes me think of the movie by the same name. One of those cheesy, stupid, high school movies that all have basically the same plot and that I seem to have a huge weakness for. I mean, everyone likes The Breakfast Club, but I’ve watched way more than I’ve needed to in my life – including parts of 16 Candles again. How can you not laugh at Long Duck Dong and “Automobileeeeee?” followed by maniacal laughter and crashing sounds.

Can’t Buy Me Love has a young Patrick Dempsey, long before he became Mcdreamy guy. Around the same age he was also in In The Mood, a movie that I always thought about when cranky old farts were talking about sex starved “youth today” (the movie came out in the late 80s).

But I digress, Can’t Buy Me Love, simple fun early Beatles. Singing for 2 minutes and change and driving teenagers all over the world crazy with bad haircuts. And, remember, you really can’t buy love, but you can rent it!

Carry On Wayward Son

C’mon. Pure 1970s rock. This needs to be given the same treatment as Bohemian Rhapsody got to become a huge song in pop consciousness again.

Also, good musical parenting – Casey LOVES this song and Lauren is at least fond of it. #parentingwin! We will sing along to it now and again – summer day, windows down, radio up . . . maybe Zac should add that to Chicken Fried.

Coming Up Easy

This one IS tied to a specific memory. When I first visited England with George, we were picked up at Heathrow by Alec, her stepfather, and Sally, her Mom. In between nodding off, trying to be polite and semi-interesting from the jetlag, I have two vivid memories of that drive:

1. Coming up over the hill leaving the Cotswalds and descending into the Vale of Eversham (and thinking — still do — that I was driving into a postcard — sheep, hills in the distance, fields with hedges)
2. Alec played Paolo Nutini’s Sunny Side Up album. Had no idea who it was, but bought the album when we got back home.

I only had the pleasure of spending a total of maybe 3 weeks with Alec (those two weeks at Christmastime and then the week before our wedding a few years later) before he succumbed to cancer. He was and will remain to the end of my days one of the best, nicest people I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet.

Anytime this song pops up on my iPod, I spare a thought for him.

As I was just putting this online, a Raisin Bran commercial came on with a piano version of what I initially thought was Bad Moon Rising but might be Werewolves of London. Either way, WTH does that have to do with two scoops?