Anxious Anthems & Opinions on Paul Simon
Nervy guitars and pounding drums can perfectly convey the restless sensation of being on the verge of breaking down. Jim and Greg share their favorite Anxious Anthems. Then, they review the new album from venerable songwriter Paul Simon.
Anxious Anthems
Forget "keep calm and carry on." This week, Jim and Greg play their favorite "Anxious Anthems." Then they chat with some listeners to hear what songs make them nervous.
Jim
- The Feelies, "The Boy With the Perpetual Nervousness"
- Ida Maria, "Oh My God"
- Toots and the Maytals, "Pressure Drop"
- Queen, "Sheer Heart Attack"
Greg
- Lupe Fiasco, "Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)"
- Eurythmics, "Beethoven (I Love to Listen to)"
- Pixies, "Where Is My Mind"
- Brook Benton, "Rainy Night in Georgia"
Listener Picks
- Hannah from Crofton, MD: The Beatles, "I’m So Tired"
- Jean from Evanston, IL: The Boomtown Rats, "Someone’s Looking At You"
- Karl from Albany, OR: Motion City Soundtrack, "Delirium"
Stranger to Stranger Paul Simon
After his success with Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist, it would be easy for Paul Simon to rest on his laurels. But Simon has continued to push himself with new ideas and rhythms. His 13th solo album is Stranger to Stranger, and it finds Simon using some of the weird home-made instruments of legendary experimental composer Harry Partch, and collaborating with Italian electronic dance artist Clap! Clap!. Greg appreciates that Simon is an artist that continues to innovate. He likes both the humor and the references to mortality (without being morbid) that the now 74-year-old throws into the lyrics. Jim is less impressed, feeling that Simon's work radiates an annoying self-satisfaction. Jim admits that Simon works with rhythms well but believes he is giving the illusion of doing something new, rather than actually doing something new. It's a Buy It for Stranger to Stranger from Greg and a Try It for Jim.
Greg
When outlaw country legend Merle Haggard died in April of this year, many obituaries focused on his huge 1969 hit "Okie From Muskogee." It was a divisive song from a contentious time in U.S. history. Many took it as a flag-waving anthem that mocked the counterculture. Haggard himself changed his tune many times regarding whether he personally agreed with the lyrics or not. What Greg finds interesting is that the single Haggard wanted to put out following "Okie From Muskogee" was "Irma Jackson," a song in defense of interracial romance. The record company "suits" wouldn't release it, believing it would alienate his new fans. Three years later, Haggard finally got his way and the single was released. Greg believes Haggard was finally able to show that he was much more than the one-dimensional character in "Okie." And that's why he selected "Irma Jackson" to take to the Desert Island Jukebox today.
Featured Songs
- The Rolling Stones, "19th Nervous Breakdown," 19th Nervous Breakdown / As Tears Go By, Decca, 1966
- The Feelies, "The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness," Crazy Rhythms, Stiff, 1980
- Lupe Fiasco, "Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)," Lasers, Atlantic, 2011
- Ida Maria, "Oh My God," Fortress Round My Heart, Nightliner, 2008
- Eurythmics, "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)," Savage, RCA, 1987
- Men at Work, "Who Can It Be Now?," Business as Usual, CBS International, 1981
- Eddie Cochran, "Nervous Breakdown," Cherished Memories, Liberty, 1962
- The Beatles, "I'm So Tired," The Beatles, Apple, 1968
- The Boomtown Rats, "Someone's Looking At You," The Fine Art of Surfacing, Mulligan, 1979
- Motion City Soundtrack, "Delirium," My Dinosaur Life, Columbia, 2010
- Toots and the Maytals, "Pressure Drop," Sweet and Dandy, Beverley's, 1968
- Pixies, "Where Is My Mind?," Surfer Rosa, 4AD, 1988
- The Smiths, "Panic," Rank, Sire, 1988
- Bauhaus, "Nerves," In the Flat Field, 4AD, 1980
- Queen, "Sheer Heart Attack," News of the World, EMI/Parlophone, 1977
- Brook Benton, "Rainy Night in Georgia," Brook Benton Today, Cotillion, 1970
- Paul Simon, "The Werewolf," Stranger to Stranger, Concord, 2016
- Paul Simon, "Wristband," Stranger to Stranger, Concord, 2016
- Merle Haggard and The Strangers, "Irma Jackson," Let Me Tell You About a Song, Capitol, 1972
- The Band, "Stage Fright," Stage Fright, Capitol, 1970
- Grateful Dead, "Operator," American Beauty, Warner Bros., 1970
- Eleanor Friedberger, "He Didn't Mention His Mother," New View, Frenchkiss, 2016
- Bob Dylan, "My Back Pages," Another Side of Bob Dylan, Columbia, 1964
- Bob Dylan, "Highlands," Time Out of Mind, Columbia, 1997
- Chance the Rapper feat. Jeremih, Francis and the Lights, "Summer Friends," Coloring Book, self-released, 2016
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