“Dolby’s Five Favorite Songs”

Michael Jackson – “Man in the Mirror”

Goodwill is pretty sweet. I mean, it kinda smells bad. But you know. We can forgive it for that. “Man in the Mirror” is the best song to hear in a Goodwill, and it is one of my favorite songs at large. This can’t help but bode well for Goodwill. I don’t think I’d like to hear “Man in the Mirror” in an Abercrombie. Abercrombie is the type of place where problems are just created. You’re standing there, on a day off, no boss or customers yelling at you, feeling pretty good, and all of a sudden someone with PROBLEMS just running thought their veins inundates your periphery. This is why I never go in Abercrombies.

 

Pearl Jam – “Faithfull”

I’ve got to see Pearl Jam twice. I don’t think they ever played this, preferring older stuff, for the most part, usually treating No Code with what many would deem inordinate attention, playing “Jeremy” each time, and maybe a “Given to Fly” and a “Do the Evolution” here and there, definitely by no means overdoing it on the luminescent Yield. This friend I have names “No Way,” the track right after “Faithfull” on Yield, as one of his favorite Pearl Jam songs. I dunno, I think he just hasn’t been to Wrigley Field enough, hasn’t let himself go enough, he still too into concept and premeditation. “Faithfull” is pure major chords, balls, and forward trek, the great American dissent.

 

The Roots – “Mellow My Man”

I recently got a chance to meet a Mr. Black Thought. It was in Philadelphia at the unveiling of The Roots’ mural. He was standing, really short, yup, and about 20 times as happy as he was short, with I believe the guitarist and the manager. One of the guys I know was the manager.

Hopefully you know the story of Ice-T, first of all, making Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, as well as, more humorously, that of Mr. T actually alleging that Malik B. died, including him in the credit list at the end of the film of late emcees. The fiasco was all resolved on twitter within the last year. But make no mistake, though B. would have some shining moments on Illadelph Halflife, Mr. Thought steals the show on this one. It was my favorite rap song in 2002, the year I graduated high school, and it’s right the f up there today.

 

Toad the Wet Sprocket – “Good Intentions”

My cousin just got to see Toad the Wet Sprocket, and he came back, or, at least, after some prodding, gushing about the set list, which apparently unearthed some memorial gems for him, as well as the stage banter, in which I guess the guy was on bended knees, proverbially speaking, hoping that the crowd didn’t feel ripped off by the new album and the ticket price, which was actually a little high, $37.50. It was the highest price I’d ever seen at that venue, The Bluebird in Bloomington, IN. No band is more deserving. TTWS had zero schtick whatsoever. They’re the types of guys who would have ended up cranky old hunchbacked gas station clerks if they hadn’t formed the band. This is the perfect song for a hangover, and hangovers are just the thing to try to forget.

 

Kanye West – “Heard ’em Say”

Uh-huh. Yeah.

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