Exit Someone

It was time for a name change. I decided to uphold the tradition of stealing my blog title from an admired song. But with a twist of course – a deleted S here, an added S there. The change is also proof that I read – and listen to - your comments.

I recently made a mix CD for a friend who turns 40 soon. Two CDs actually. One song for every year of his life. A one-song-per-artist limit. The process got me to thinking. Thinking got me to make a list.

The Top 40 Years For Music, 1965 – 2004

40. 1971. Tepid, slight, murky.
39. 1982. Clunky. The synthesizer not yet perfected.
38. 1990. We turn off our stereos, we read books.
37. 1965. The Americans are fading, the Brits are still learning.
36. 1995. The implosion. Blame O.J.
35. 1970. Britain begins its seven-year vacation.
34. 1992. No, there are too many of you.
33. 1998. Don’t get too close to the speakers.
32. 1973. Art, I think I make it on my own.
31. 1979. This is your music industry on eggs. Hall, Oates buy their villas.
30. 1987. A for effort, C+ for legacy.
29. 1968. Uh-oh, you’re starting to try too hard.
28. 1996. Big black boots. An old suitcase.
27. 1976. Backbones are formed.
26. 1981. I was 15. She was 13. We were heroes.
25. 2000. They’re better live.
24. 1969. Aah, that summer.
23. 1986. There’s always the import section.
22. 1985. A freight train filled with disappointing follow-ups.
21. 2001. Waking up to the D.
20. 1993. All roads lead to the LBC.
19. 1974. Rhythm finally catches up to blues.
18. 2004. Foggy, clearing up.
17. 1989. Simpleton’s Mayor ponders poi.
16. 1997. Women and men.
15. 1972. Contractual obligations make good double albums.
14. 2002. Introspectors take over.
13. 1980. Mussels are pulled out of shells.
12. 1966. Brian Wilson overweight, not yet obese.
11. 1991. Guitars are pulled down from attics.
10. 1975. Bruce revs a hemi-powered engine.
9. 1988. They might be P.E. in full effect.
8. 1978. Fools believe in this year’s model.
7. 1999. Please bear with me as I recite my 69 joys and concerns.
6. 1983. Lions find the garden, the shortwave radio is on.
5. 2003. Dear catastrophe perktress, greetings from L.A.
4. 1967. Seminal.
3. 1994. An entire generation reaches its pre-implosion peak.
2 1984. Dearly beloved, I dance in the dark with the having-fun girls.
1. 1977. Aja. Rumours. Disco. Punk.

There’s always room for debate.