Introduction
Five Songs Special, 4/14/2018
Five Songs

Five Songs Special, 4/14/2018

It's our birthday! I posted the first Five Songs one year ago! In that time, assuming I've gotten my tagging right, I've posted 313 of these things, meaning you all have gotten a minimum of 1,565 different songs (plus a few bonuses along the way). NOT BAD. I'm still thinking about what to do for the second year of Five Songs. I might retire this thing, because it is a fair bit of work for something that is usually looked at by a number of people I can count on one hand. But, at the same time, it's still fun, usually.

One thing I was considering was to maybe do four of the songs randomly and then whack on a fifth that I'm reminded of by the other four. But maybe that violates the spirit of things. I could just do a bonus song each day, but that's increasing my work. Well, I'll think about it. In the meantime, HIT IT, AMAZON!

Fugazi, "Birthday Pony"

I'm giving Five Songs a birthday present today. ALL BIRTHDAY SONGS. And yes, we're leading off with Fugazi. Because Fugazi fuckin' rules, and we haven't had NEARLY enough of them around here. This is from Red Medicine, which is a great album (of course), albeit not as great as several of their others. WHATEVER FUGAZI IS GREAT

The Smiths, "Unhappy Birthday"

Oh, fine shuffle, an unhappy birthday? (checks notes) Oh, I did this to myself. Well, fine. I do quite enjoy how spiteful Morrissey's lyrics could be when he was trying.

Clem Snide, "Happy Birthday"

There, that's much nicer. Another band we haven't had nearly enough of around here. I want Eef Barzelay to write a toast for me one day.

Andrew Bird, "The Happy Birthday Song"

We have had some stuff from Andrew Bird, but I don't think we've had a song from his best album yet, the magnificent The Mysterious Production of Eggs. This is one of my very favorite albums by anybody, and might be tops of the list for albums to sing along with. (The Smiths' Strangeways, Here We Come is also on that list.) Also, I think this is the first album that wasn't a They Might Be Giants album that the boy asked for by name.

They Might Be Giants, "It's Not My Birthday"

IT IS MY BIRTHDAY THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Yes, I'm arguing with my own songs.

Anyway, you didn't think you weren't getting out of here without some They Might Be Giants, did you? It's a typically clever Linnell song, with charming wordplay, a delightful melody, and that wonderful part in the second verse where it's just him an his accordion.

Joshua Buergel
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