My Fantasy Baseball draft was Friday so the time I would normally spend lovingly crafting a theme was instead spent scouting the Pirates’ backup middle infielder. So here’s some random stuff.

Wesley Willis “Amie” (Pure Prarie League)
Even though I live in Chicago, Wesley Willis wasn’t on my radar until a couple of months before his death. I’m not sure how that happened and it’s one of my great regrets in life.

Spiderbait “Black Betty” (Ram Jam)
This song completely eclipses the original. This is the definition of rock and roll, baby. Thanks to Doctor Cyclops for pointing this one out.

Gunnar Madsen “Naive Melody” (Talking Heads)
Gunnar Madsen is one of the founders of the Bobs, the weirdest a capella group on the planet. This is from his first solo album, The Power Of A Hat.

Abrevadero “All My Little Words” (Magnetic Fields)
This one sounds like a Handsome Family song, what with the banjo and singing saw.

Fink “All Cried Out” (Alison Moyet)
I absolutely loved Alison Moyet’s Alf album when it came out, and this was my favorite song from it. The original is a howling cry of bitterness from a woman wronged. Here we have a much more resigned and philosophical take.