I’ve spent this week preparing for my fantasy baseball draft, which has taken much of the time I usually devote to this blog. So I’m going to recycle a theme from December. Thanks once again to George Blowfish and Uncle Flakey for their contributions.

Paul Anka “Wonderwall” (Oasis)
Mr. Anka’s album Rock Swings was an attempt to revive his career by performing his interpretations of contemporary songs. It didn’t quite work out for him the way American Recordings did for Johnny Cash.

Richard Cheese “Loser” (Beck)
Sometimes Richard Cheese tries too hard but he really nails it on this one. I’ve always thought that the original sounded like a postmodern lounge tune.

Kate the Kat “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” (KISS)
There was a bike trail near my childhood home that I liked to ride. There was an industrial building that sat with its blank back wall facing the trail. It was a magnet for graffitti, including a very large KISS logo.

There was also a metal door that had been painted with the word “Ace” and a picture of Ace Frehley’s face. That door looked like that for years. Nobody ever painted over it. For some reason that image has stayed with me.

Mel Torme “Happy Together” (The Turtles)
I first heard the Velvet Frog (I know that’s not his real nickname, but I just love the imagry) when he sang “Zaz Turned Blue” on the first Was/Not Was record. He was a gifted singer with a great sense of humor.

Enoch Light “I Feel The Earth Move” (Carole King)
You know how there was that one kid in grade school who was flamingly, outrageously gay? You weren’t old enough to know what homosexuality was, but you knew that there was something “different” about this kid.

Well, that kid in my class decided one day (for no apparent reason) to play “I Feel The Earth Move” for the class while he danced a fabulous little dance. This was in fifth grade. Man, I thought I had successfully repressed that memory.