More proof in the wonderful cornucopia that USE TO BE pop music, before rhythms replaced melody and thought, not focus groups, produced lyrics.
Not that dreck wasn't marketed in the days of AM radio -- Sturgeon's Law is a reality of the universe -- but "way back then," even dreck was conceived and produced through a system that allowed more human fingers on every step of the process. The human touch sometimes ennobles the basest products of work-for-hire: Sistine Chapel, anyone?
1 - Birthday The Beatles / Beatles Remixers Group (4:17)
2 - A Song for You Leon Russell (4:04)
3 - Mother Freedom Bread (2:33)
4 - Wake Up Sunshine Chicago (2:34)
5 - Up on Cripple Creek (live) The Band (4:39)
6 - Superstar Bette Midler (5:09)
7 - Goodbye to Love Carpenters (3:50)
8 - Smoke on the Water Deep Purple (3:44)
9 - Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Elton John (4:57)
10 - How Do You Do Mouth & MacNeal (3:12)
11 - Deteriorata National Lampoon (4:25)
12 - I Love Every Little Thing About You Stevie Wonder (3:53)
13 - The Circle Game (live) Joni Mitchell (6:24)
14 - Pinball Wizard Elton John (5:12)
15 - Dog & Butterfly Heart (5:05)
16 - We Belong Together Rickie Lee Jones (4:58)
17 - A Life of Illusion Joe Walsh (3:28)
18 - Come Together The Beatles / Beatles Remixers Group (4:02)
The first and last tracks are wonderful alternate mashup/rearrangements of Beatles standards, making them (in the words of Dickens) "Recalled to Life."
Track 11 was conceived by the National Lampoon guys in response to the cheesy success of "The Desiderata" as a an example of the shallow public seeking non-condemnatory "deep thoughts." Lyrics to both are given here.
You are a fluke of the universe. NEW 2021 LINK
See you Monday, fellow fluke!
