New Jack City

If you like your Jack how it is right now, cross your fingers.

Improved Covers

I don't mean to piggy-back off of Kit's occasional "The List" feature. But if you've known me for a while, you may be aware that I have a bit of a list problem myself.

The following is one that I have been mulling for awhile.

The list is of popular songs of which a cover version is seemingly more famous or beloved (EDIT 2/19 8:39PM: Not necessarily "better"...) than its original recording. I am going for performances with reasonable separation of time or style, so a "What Hurts the Most" wouldn't be on my list. I will begin the list by naming (to the best of my ability) the song, the original artist, and the cover artist.

- "Hound Dog" - Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton; Elvis Presley
- "Hard to Handle" - Otis Redding; The Black Crowes
- "I Swear" - John Michael Montgomery; All-4-One
- "I Can Love You Like That" - John Michael Montgomery; All-4-One
- "Bless the Broken Road" - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Rascal Flatts
- "Callin' Baton Rouge" - New Grass Revival; Garth Brooks
- "Shameless" - Billy Joel; Garth Brooks
- "To Make You Feel My Love" - Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks (see a trend?)
- "Hurt" - Nine Inch Nails; Johnny Cash
- "I Will Always Love You" - Dolly Parton; Whitney Houston
- "On Broadway" - The Drifters; George Benson
- "Blueberry Hill" - Gene Autry or Glenn Miller; Fats Domino
- "Wind Beneath My Wings" - Roger Whittaker (!!!); Bette Midler

You can add to the list if you like by commenting, but for the love of God don't blow it.

The Past

I'm not really sure what this is about...

It goes without saying, since she loves me and all, that Meghan is not your typical woman. One way in which this is true may seem insignificant to anyone who isn't intimately acquainted with my particularly potent brand of nerdiness and my need for a sustained immersion in the familiar. But it is most certainly not insignificant that Meghan likes to watch old band videos. At the end of dinner tonight, she said she would like to see the 2004 video (that of my last year with the band). I immediately sought out a waiter for a box.

From the second the video started, I was amazed at those people and how they oozed with personality and uniqueness. That little hint started this chain reaction of thoughts and recollections of all of these people from even further back. This separation I had finally achieved between myself and one million things about that group of people instantly disappeared. I had forgotten about several old friends, some of the traditions, and selected mental pictures and recordings I had made in wise moments of realizing that it wasn't going to last forever. At thirty frames per second, the past seems perfect.

I really did love the moments that were worthy of the highlight reel. That's why I stayed around for so long.

But the more I reflected, the deeper I crept into the memories of those days. I began to remember feeling behind, all the time. I started remembering the frustrations... pulling teeth to get support, managing varying levels of proficiency in those around you, choosing what to do poorly in order to be able to do everything, trying to wash the day away with a Jack and Dr. Pepper, being owned.

There were moments in those days that I hope I never forget - moments that, when recalled, continue to make me smile my honest smile and to summon a tear of fondness

But there were many more hours of film on the cutting room floor. Much of that footage wasn't very pretty.

Boobs! (and other far less significant bullets)

• I was sick for most of last week with what I would once have called "Strip Throat." If I have to be sick, that's about the best I can hope for... no puking, no grody pooping, little fever, and a sore throat.

• When I went to the doctor to check on my condition, I received a bit of a shock. The only things a doctor has ever told me to do were to stop a habit that I quit long ago, manage a habit which I recently began to manage, and to exercise. That changed last week. He told me two things, one of which was to lose weight. I am still a little blown away by this, since it was the first time I had heard it.

The other thing will be something I'll keep an eye on. I'll let you know if you need to know.

• Meghan is slated to be a bride's maid at a wedding this July. She went to Atlanta today with the other members of the wedding party for the second attempt to find dresses. As a part of the day, they all went to Intimacy for bra fittings.

Meghan reports a very unfriendly experience at the Atlanta branch of Intimacy, which is located at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. After working with her "customer service" representative and sharing her opinions regarding this first couple of items she was given to try, the employee more or less left her in a room with twelve bras without offering further assistance. The employee could also be overheard telling another customer that she would prefer to work with her than Meghan, which the employee made apparent by not returning to the fitting room. That's about the time Meghan walked out.

• And in other news, I'm getting worried about Munson.

If you would like to witness the collapse of one part of the music industry as it happens, follow this story. The way I see it, the outcome of this will be the end of the major labels as we know them or the end of the songwriting profession as we know it. I'm sure you know what side I'm on.

(HT - Hagood)