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read_me.gif Southern Voice Washington Blade

One To Ten

Running the numbers

by j. brotherlove

The more music I rip into my computers, the more fun I have making playlists based on all kinds of criteria. My latest set is composed of song titles that included the numbers “One” through “Ten”.

Meme-worthy?

You decide.

1 - “My One Temptation”. I’ve been a big fan of Mica Paris ever since I heard her unique, soulful voice. This was one of her first (and few) hits.

2 - “Goody Two Shoes”. I’m a huge Adam Ant fan. Huge, I tell you. My second concert was an Adam Ant concert and despite a steady decline in artistic quality, I own most of his stuff. He’s now crazy.

3 - “The Three Great Stimulants”. If you’ve visited this site for any length of time, then you know my love for Joni Mitchell. This isn’t one of her best songs, I admit. But it does shows her affinity for layering. Besides, it’s hard for me to hate anything she does.

4 - “Four Words From Heartbreak”. Poor Heather Headley. The R&B scene wasn’t as kind as we had hoped, was it? Regardless, this is a touching song with pristine vocal delivery. [note: There appears to be a glitch with this song in my playlist. I’ll try to fix that.]

5 - “Five-Four-Three-Two (Yo! Time Is Up)”. Before Brownstone and EnVogue, there was Jade. This is a throwaway song that never hit big but it has always been one of my favorite.

6 - “Six”. Since all of Madhouse songs bear numbers as the titles, I could’ve cheated and them for this entire list. A Prince project consisting of instrumental and funky jazz, this song was played quite a bit on R&B radio. Too bad you can’t get this kind of variety on-air today.

7 - “Seven Years”. I have to admit, I don’t listen to a lot of Norah Jones. She’s very talented and her voice is engaging. But the truth is, I’d rather listen to Joni, Rickie Lee Jones or Rosie Vela to get this type of vibe. This is still a great song, though.

8- “Eight Minutes To Sunrise”. My opinion of Common has taken several forms. Like me, he’s a handsome brother from Chicago and I dug him when he still had “Sense” attached to his name. But when this “conscious” rapper started spitting homophobic lyrics (most ridiculously on Like Water, For Chocolate I had to end my support. Dating Erykah helped turn him around but I’m not convinced he’s reformed. Jill Scott gives this single the juice to keep it tight, though.

9 - “Cloud Nine”. The Temptations was one of my first favorite groups. Don’t believe me? At the age of three, on a flight to Chicago, I looked out the window of the plane and asked my mother “Is that Cloud Nine?” I was a crowd pleaser, even back then.

10 - “One Goodbye In Ten”. Shara Nelson, the voice that haunted Massive Attack’s runaway hit, “Unfinished Sympathy”, launched two solo projects most Americans never heard. This song is from her first album - a throwback sound but in true Shara style ends with a bit of a twist.

pub: 02/15/2005 | previous entry | next entry | feedback x 3 | subscribe

I suppose you’re throwing down the gauntlet, huh? I’ll take the challenge!

You’ll have to act fast, EJ - George chose about three songs for each number.

Songs flow in this numerical order under the heading, “The Memes Between Us”, @ mandrake society