Jessie by Joshua Kadison

We all know about someone who is or has been in a doomed relationship – you know, the kind that makes you shake your head and think, ‘the sex cannot be that good.’ You just can’t understand how that person keeps going back to that relationship.

Today’s pick, Jessie by Joshua Kadison, is a song that puts in words what must go through the minds of people who find themselves in those kinds of relationships. If you are one of those, you’re probably nodding right now and— (hey, put that phone down right now!)

*shakes head*

Anyway, “Jessie” was written by Joshua Kadison and was the lead single from his album, Painted Desert Serenade. It’s so simple and so recognisable/relatable – AND to be honest, Joshua Kadison has that bad boy look that gives him the perfect tortured hero look, which soooo makes the song work.

See for yourself:

♫ From a phone booth in Vegas, Jessie calls at 5 A.M.
To tell me how she’s tired of all of them
She says, “Baby I’ve been thinking about a trailer by the sea
We could go to Mexico, you, the cat, and me
We’ll drink Tequila and look for sea shells,
Now doesn’t that sound sweet?”
Ah Jessie you always do this every time I get back on my feet

Jessie paint your pictures about how it’s gonna be
By now I should know better, your dreams are never free
But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea
Jessie you can always sell any dream to me
Oh Jessie, you can always sell any dream to me

She asks me how the cat’s been, I say, “Moses he’s just fine”
But he used to think about you all the time
We finally took your pictures down off the wall
Jessie how do you always seem to know just when to call
She says, “Get your stuff together, bring Mose’ and drive real fast”
And I listen to her promise “I swear to God this time it’s gonna last”

Jessie paint your pictures about how it’s gonna be
By now I should know better, your dreams are never free
But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea
Jessie you can always sell any dream to me
Oh Jessie you can always sell any dream to me

Jessie you can always sell any dream to me

I’ll love you in the sunshine,
Lay you down in the warm white sand
And who knows maybe this time,
Things will turn out just the way you planned

Jessie paint your pictures about how it’s gonna be
By now I should know better, your dreams are never free
But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea
Jessie you can always sell any dream to me
Oh Jessie, you can always sell any dream to me♫

I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack

There was no contest today. While there are many ‘I’ song titles that I like – even love – I Hope you Dance by Lee Ann Womack is by far my favourite. When you wiki the song, the first line you get is: “I Hope You Dance” is a crossover country pop song written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers, and recorded by country singer Lee Ann Womack. [Note to self: check out other songs written by Mark D. Sanders & Tia Sillers]

I discovered the song about ten years ago (thanks, Delilah of WSRS) and it’s just one of those songs that hooked me from day 1. I figure it has such touching lyrics that it has got to mean something to everyone. On the radio, parents especially like to request it for their children, but I think they are just words that one must remind oneself of every now and then.

And just because I love the lyrics so much, I’ve posted them below the video.

♫I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances, but they’re worth takin’
Lovin’ might be a mistake, but it’s worth makin’
Don’t let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin’ out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?)♫

What do you think?

 

 

Hello Hello by Ofori Amponsah

I decided to come back home with H. It was a tough decision because there were four songs competing for this spot.

Hello Hello won out because…well…I don’t want to be disowned by my country people. Okay, the truth is probably more that I hadn’t listened to it in a while, so when I sampled all the H songs it stood out. Whatever the case, I am pimping Ghanaian music today – deal with it!

My taste in Ghanaian music is limited, and this song never really hit the local charts, but (as in the case with Janet Jackson) this song is my favourite from Ofori Amponsah – actually, it’s the only of his songs that I like. The others are the usual high-life with a beat that says ‘you must dance’ – even if you just want to listen.

So here goes:

Other songs competing for this spot:

• How You Remind Me – Nickelback
• Hoy – Gloria Estefan
• Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen

 

Good Gone Girl by Mika

I discovered Mika through my brother, and quickly liked his music, although my guess is that his bubblegum angle may not appeal to many.

Good Gone Girl is a song on his album “The Boy Who Knew Too Much”. It was written by Mika and Jodi Marr. I love the lyrics expecially and the harmony toward the end of the song.

 

♫She’s walkin around all over the town.
Needs somebody to notice but the goodness gets her down.
She’s happy to choose somebody to use.
Good gone girl she’s got nothin left to lose♫

Let’s see what you think of it.

Like it?

 

Frema by Richie

It would be unfair to not pay homage to Ghana music, so F is for Frema (name of a girl) Ghanaian music producer, Richie. I think he pulled a Daniel Beddingfield here, in the sense that he doesn’t call himself a musician/singer and spends more of his career on other musicians than on his own music, but once in a while decides to release a song of his own.

Frema was first of such songs (as far as I know) and one of my favourite songs to come from a Ghanaian artiste. At the time it came out, it was very different from what everyone else was doing, so that made this song stand out.

I hope  you enjoy it…

Everytime by Janet Jackson

Remember when Janet Jackson suddenly realised she was a woman, and she really got her sexy on? Yeah, that sudden awakening resulted in the album, Velvet Rope. Frankly, I have never really been a fan of Janet Jackson’s music, but with Everytime, she hit gold. I simply love the instrumentation. I would even admit to using this song to get in the zone for a love scene.

Everytime was written by Janet Jackson along with James Harris III, Terry Lewis, René Elizondo, Jr. The lyrics are great, but I love the instrumentation even more – plus those little sighs she makes in the song. Well, done, Janet. Well done.

Any thoughts?

Drop The Pilot by Joan Armatrading

 

(sorry, guys, I thought I’d scheduled this, but apparently, I hadn’t. This is for yesterday)

The funny thing about Drop the Pilot is that I’d probably not readily put it on my all time favourite list, but it never ceases to energise me when I  here it. And I did try very hard to get a copy of it, so it makes the list. It was written and first performed by Joan Armatrading and was the first song released from her album The Key in 1983 (yes, I was alive then, although I didn’t hear the song till much later in life).

Apparently, Mandy Moore has also performed this song before, but I haven’t heard it before. My philosophy when it comes to music is that, the original is always best. I know at least one person is going to try to argue with that, but I am unrepentant!

I like this song simply because it’s fun.

What do you think?