Hey everyone! My name is Chris and I host Some Guy’s Blog. As a three-time participant in the Green Monkey Music Project, Splotchy has generously allowed me to invade his blog and select the next mix theme.
Well, after giving it some thought, I have come up with something that reflects my love of travel and exploration. I hereby announce the “Geography Pop Quiz” Mix. The titles of all songs must contain a specific geographical reference: either a continent, country, state, city, or street. It can be a place you’ve been or a place you hope to see someday or a place you never want to go. It’ll be our own little musical travelogue.
My songs will be last and I guess I’ll take on the first six people who express interest. How about 5-7 songs each? Sound good?
Oh, and before I wrap this up, how about a round of applause for our host, Splotchy? He’s going to round up all these songs and make them all available, free of charge to you – the reader. That’s pretty damn cool.
OK, who’s in?
Here’s my songs:
Goin’ To Chicago Blues – Joe Williams
Amsterdam – Guster
Sunny South Kensington – Donovan
Mardi Gras In New Orleans – Fats Domino
Indiana – Lionel Hampton & Oscar Peterson
It’s Nearly Africa – XTC
Michigan – John Linnell
I’m in! I’m in!
Song selections to come!
How about:
Walkin’ to New Orleans-Fats Domino
Going Down to Liverpool-Bangles (their version is cool)
Lodi-Creedence Clearwater Revival
Wichita Lineman-Glenn Campbell
Anchorage-Michelle Shocked
Walking in L.A.-Missing Persons
I Left My Heart in San Francisco-Tony Bennett
Hey dguzman- Sounds good and I don’t mean to be a stickler, but do you think we should have two Fats Domino songs about New Orleans? Don’t get me wrong, I love Fats, but maybe we should mix it up more. I’ll leave it up to you.
Bob Haggart & Ray Bauduc – Big Noise From Winnetka
Bob Dylan – Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
The Ramones – 53rd & 3rd
Magnetic Fields – Come Back From San Francisco
Tom Verlaine – Stalingrad
Wire – Map Ref. 41N 93W
[Artist TBD] – Aquarela do Brasil
There are so many versions of “Aquarela do Brasil” (also known simply as “Brazil”), I’m gonna have to choose one tonight.
The Wire song doesn’t match the types of locations you listed, but it is a specific geographical reference. If I’m violating the spirit of the mix, lemme know. I have another song in reserve.
I’m in! I so desperately want to join the ranks of the monkey masters.
Question: Does it count if the title is the name of a place, but the song isn’t really about that place? For instance, Jackie Greene’s song “Georgia” is actually about a woman named Georgia. Although he does mention a different place – New Orleans – in the song. What’s the ruling on this?
I’m in! This will be good because half the time I don’t pay attention to the track name, so it will make me work a little.
Besides, this will get me my Monkey Master Badge! My precioussssss.
Splotchy- Yours is completely valid. Go with it!
Beckeye- The song itself does not need to be about a specific place, so “Georgia” is perfectly acceptable.
Two more openings!
Ohh, ohh, please pick me!! Please?!?
Are you all out of slots or can I play too? This one sounds like fun!
Oh man, I’d like to do this one too. Let me know if any slots are still open.
If you still have room….
Charlotte Street- Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Don’t Go Back to Rockville- R.E.M.
Rainy Night In George- Brooke Benton
Nebraska- Bruce Springsteen
China- Red Rockers
Born In Chicago- Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Hollywood Bed- The Blasters
Duh. That’s “Rainy Night In Georgia.”
Damn, chris!
Is your green monkey sprayed with pheromones or somethin’?
This is super fun. I could make up a list all on my own. I came up with 22 and that wasn’t even trying very hard. I did some whittling.
So anyway, if I’m one of the lucky few 🙂
Commerce, TX – Ben Kwelller
Savannah Smiles – Okkervil River
Arizona – Pedro the Lion
Via Chicago – Wilco
This is not America – David Bowie
Only Living Boy in NY – Simon & Garfunkel
London Calling – The Clash
OK, I’m gonna cut it off here. Since Johnny Yen and Gizmorox posted their songs already, they are in. Splotchy, since you are the one who has to fish around for the songs, you make the call if you want to let Bubs and Moxie join in.
Woof, a person’s got to be pretty quick off the mark to make it onto these things. I knew I should have worn my runners today.
Oh well, next time – I look forward to the lists and scoffing about how I could have done so much better.
(Nice choice of theme, Chris!)
What, I’m going to say they *can’t* join? Bubs would retaliate by embarrassing me, telling about the time when I peed in his backyard. Damn, did I just type that out loud?
Nine participants – it’s like the Fellowship of the Green Monkey Mix or something.
Can I be Legolas?
🙁 I would’ve liked to do this one too…
Hmmm….whilst I am sorely disappointed that I am not in on this I do love the idea of outsiders choosing the themes…….
Chris,
I’m shaving my mix down to five songs in case you want to let more people in on this crazy-fun theme.
A lot of people seem interested and I see some new participants who might deserve a shot over this two-timer.
Let me know if you want to give me the boot or if you would like my humble offerings.
1. Outer Bongolia – Stereolab
2. Grantchester Meadows – Pink Floyd
3. Springfield – Sufjan Stevens
4. Eros – Tortoise
5. Brewster Road – Pullman
P.S. I know Eros is a moon, but it is a place, right?
Splotchy says let ’em in, so the participants are:
Myself
splotchy
dguzman
beckeye
manx (
johnny yen
gizmorox
bubs
moxie
and to Manx: Your list looks good to me, and although I’m not sure “Outer Bongolia” is a real place, I’m intrigued to hear about it nonetheless.
I had to look it up as well.
It’s nestled in the Congo, Africa. Latitude 3.0667 / Longitude 21.5667 / Altitude 1509 ft.
Strangely enough, the capital of Outer Bongolia is “Dude!”.
“Zurich is Stained” Pavement
“Holland 1945” Neutral Milk Hotel
“Death Valley ’69” Sonic Youth.
“West Germany” Minutemen.
“We’re From Barcelona” I’m From Barcelona.
“Iceland” The Fall.
“Holiday in Waikiki” The Kinks.
Oops. I’m late to the party. My bad.
Splotchy, I wasn’t going to bring that up. I was going to mention the time I fished you out of that bayou in Chalmette after the aggressive ducks chased you.
Dammit, I’m too late. Well, I’ll be there for the next one, I suppose.
Here are mine:
“Memphis in the Meantime,” John Hiatt
“Florida,” Bill Janovitz and Crown Victoria
“Feelin’ Massachusetts,” Juliana Hatfield Three
“New York City,” Mason Jennings
“Allentown,” Billy Joel
“Rio,” Duran Duran
“Mexico,” The Bogmen
You may have trouble finding that Bogmen song. The record was released on Arista, but they never really made it big. Any problems, let me know and I’ll send the mp3.
DAMN! I HATE living on the other side of the world. You posted this after I went to bed and when I got up there were 30 comments already. So. Not. Fair.
Can I put dips in ahead of time to participate in number 10? I’m leaving for Thailand Friday and won’t be around for a week, but after that I want to play!
Wait, doesn’t Lulu get some kind of Time Zone Mulligan or something?
And because Beckeye picked John Hiatt’s “Memphis in the Meantime,” I’m marrying her if something ever happens to Kim.
chris, if you don’t mind me throwing my weight around a bit, I’d prefer you be the first person in the mix, as it is your baby after all — I’ll take the end spot.
I’m compiling the song list, tentatively ordering them based on your participant list (with the adjustments mentioned above):
chris
dguzman
beckeye
manx
johnny yen
gizmorox
bubs
moxie
splotchy
If this isn’t okay, just suggest your own ordering. As Sean Connery famously said, You’re the man now dog!
Johnny, does this mean I can start telling people that I’m engaged?
Yay! I feel special 🙂
Splotchy- Fine by me. I’ll be happy to lead things off.
Great, man.
By the way, don’t worry about sending me your songs, chris.
I was able to find them all.
Email from Bubs with his picks:
Singapore–Tom Waits
Mozambique–Bob Dylan
Streets of Laredo–Marty Robbins
Viva Las Vegas–Elvis Presley or the Dead Kennedys
Blue Moon Of Kentucky–Bill Monroe
Wild Cats of Kilkenny–The Pogues
That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)–Lyle Lovett
Beckeye- Yes, you can tell everybody– except Kim, of course.
Yee haw! I get to hang with the popular music-lovin kids.
My songs:
Manhattan Avenue – Nellie McKay
Mercy Street – Peter Gabriel
Lubbock or Leave It – Dixie Chicks
Going to California – Led Zeppelin
Blue Savannah – Erasure
Lonely Night in Georgia – Marc Broussard
Mississippi – Train
I can send any of the ones you can’t get, Splotchy. Thanks!