To accommodate iOs 8.0 a couple of months ago, I had to clean out my phone—a virtual extension of all the moving and unpacking I’ve been doing in the physical realm lately. A rewarding exercise.
Lately, I’ve been using the “Music” area of my phone for whole albums from FIDLAR, The Orwells, The Dirtbombs and the two Early Songs of Randy Newman compilations on Ace Records. Those previous binges are the only reason those bands aren’t on my phone right now. Other major favorites that have lived on my phone for ages and are not currently represented are ? and the Mysterians’ “96 Tears,” Moes Haven’s “Peter Bogdonavich Can’t Stop Talking About Orson Welles,” Frankie Trumbauer & Bix Beiderbecke’s “Borneo,” Danny Kaye & The Andrews Sisters’ “Bongo Bongo Bongo,” John Alden Carpenter’s “Krazy Kat” ballet score, and many different tunes by Mark Mulcahy, The Archies and the great Bert Williams.
Here’s the current line-up, judiciously selected from my iMac library. I wasn’t trying to select exactly 50. That just happened.
“American Beat ’84,” The Fleshtones
“Apathy,” Mikal Cronin
“Are You Ready for the Fallout?,” Fastball
“The Ballad of the Sad Young Men,” Tani Seitz (The Nervous Set original cast soundtrack)
“Bang Shang a Lang,” The Archies (this song is also my ringtone)
“Beatnik Love Affair,” Noel Coward
“Book of Revelation,” Mr. T Experience
“Can’t Stop Singing,” Teen Beach Movie soundtrack
“Dishonest John,” The Jim Jones Revue
“Doin’ the New Lowdown,” Don Redman Orchestra
“Don’t Sugar Me,” Walt Kelly & Norman Monath (I Go Pogo)
“Every 1’s a Winner,” Hot Chocolate
“Everyone Says I Love You” (Zeppo Marx, Horsefeathers soundtrack)
“Everyone Says I Love You” (Chico Marx, Horsefeathers soundtrack)
“Everyone Says I Love You” (Harpo Marx, Horsefeathers soundtrack)
“Everyone Says I Love You” (Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers soundtrack)
“The Fatalist,” Lyonnais
“Faust,” Secret Colours
“The Girl from Ipanema,” Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
“Goin’ Down,” The Monkees
“Gotta Find You,” Joe Jonas (Camp Rock soundtrack)
“Hello Dolly,” The Shadows of Knight
“Hit Me,” Faust
“Hymn to Fredonia,” Marx Brothers Duck Soup soundtrack
“I Know a Place,” Petula Clark
“I Like Bananas,” Henry Hall & His BBC Dance Orchestra
“I’ve Been to a Marvelous Party,” The Divine Comedy
“Let the Fireflies Fly Away,” Mark Mulcahy
“Lies,” Nancy Sinatra
“Living is So Easy,” British Sea Power
“The Monkey Song,” Hoagy Carmichael
“My Hat’s on the Side of My Head,” Al Bowly
“No Future Part II: The Airing of Grievances,” Titus Andronicus
“No Future Part III: Escape from No Future,” Titus Andronicus
“Not Lately,” Bert Williams
“Oh, Is She Dumb!,” Eddie Cantor
“Olly Olly Oxen Free,” Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra
“The Perfect Nanny,” Louis Prima & Gia Maione
“Randy Scouse Git,” The Monkees
“Sodane,” Pastels & Tenniscoats
“Sugar Sugar,” The Archies
“Tapioca Tundra,” The Monkees
“This Time Josephine,” The Fleshtones
“Two Lovely Black Eyes,” Charles Coburn
“The Underture,” Alice Cooper (Welcome 2 My Nightmare)
“Village Green” Ray Davies and the Crouch End Festival Chorus, from The Kinks Choral Collection
“Watching the Knife and Fork Spoon,” Don Redman Orchestra
“We’ve Got the Look,” The Tyler Trudeau Attempt
“Where the Wind Blows,” Coco O. (The Great Gatsby soundtrack)
“Suds!,” w.h. Walker
“1, 2, 3, Partyy!,” Mission of Burma