The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment (21 page)

 

“The Changeling” by the Doors.
The opening song on the ‘70s masterpiece
L.A. Woman
. Not an obvious choice from Jungle Jim & the Boys, but just a great opening—hoarse, bellowing: bombed Lizard King at his best.

 

 

“What Is Life” by George Harrison.
Again, great guitar opening, buildup, everything.

 

 

“Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango.
This is a 1972 saxophone song from Manu Dibango, a guy from Cameroon. It starts off dark and mysterious, with atmospheric conga drums pounding out a rhythm only the Dark Continent could produce. Next: whispers, mutters, chants, and ominous words. And finally the
blast
of a saxophone solo. The song is engaging, unique, enigmatic, and great. Older fans will recall it immediately; younger fans who have never heard it will be blown away.

 

 

“Hero Worship” by the B-52’s.
Wow. Just WOW. Ricky Wilson, dear, departed guitar genius, played with only four strings and invented his own tunings. This song is on the B-52’s first record, a masterpiece of brilliant, raucous, musical subversiveness, equal to “Never Mind the Bollocks” by the Sex Pistols and the Ramones’ first record—all landmarks in the reinvention of popular music in the mid-1970s. This song got kind of lost in the sauce, with hits like “Rock Lobster” and “Planet Claire” dominating the airwaves and dance floors, but dang, it is an amazing song. Ricky’s astonishing guitar duels with his sister Cindy’s bizarre, amazing voice, until she simply shrieks the song, causing it to pull free of the earth’s gravity and float around the cosmos. You wouldn’t hurt yourself walking out to “Lava” off that first album, either.

 

 

“(It’s a) Family Affair” by Sly & the Family Stone.
Great intro, and then Sly comes in, obviously zonked out of his mind on only God knows what. He totally blows the timing when he comes in on the second verse, which is hysterical and makes the song even better.

 

 

“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” by U2.
I include this song begrudgingly because Bono is such a self-righteous, pontificating wanker. But it just has such a great, great opening. The song is interesting and original—Big Room all the way. And to their credit, U2 had a big-room sound years before they were playing big rooms. So props. Now Bono, lose the welder’s goggles, grow your hair out, and shut up once in a while, ya big windbag. I’ll be back to torture you at some point.