I was going to do a post about the recent tragedy in Arizona. It was long and political and in the end not what I wanted to do with Cover Freak. I spent so much time writing it that I didn’t have time to come up with an alternate theme. So here are some random apolitical songs.

Jason Heath & The Greedy Souls “Crazy Train” (Ozzy Osbourne)
I’ll always remember seeing Ozzy at the Aragon Ballroom when he was touring for his first solo album. That was several lifetimes ago for both me and Ozzy. Somehow I think (or at least hope) that the intervening years have been kinder to me than to Ozzy.

This Like “You Belong To Me” (Elvis Costello)
No, Elvis Costello didn’t write this song. It was first released in 1952, although this really is a cover of Costello’s cover.

Update: Wikipedia lied to me. Elvis Costello did write it after all. Thanks to Jordan for pointing that out.

Mike Ness “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” (Bob Dylan)
I’m not a big fan of the Baby Boomer musical icons who have been forced down my throat my whole life by Boomer radio programmers and advertising executives. Among those dinosaurs I have the most respect for Bob Dylan. He’s written an amazing number of crappy songs and many of his lyrics are impenetrable gibberish, but he’s capable of writing amazing tunes like this song. I also like the way that he’s constantly challenging himself and reinventing his songs when he plays live.

Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk “A Man Of Constant Sorrow” (Dick Burnett)
The argument has been made by greater minds than mine that punk music is a modern form of folk music. I dunno about that, but I do like this version of the traditional folk song originally recorded by a blind fiddler.

Mark Ronson “Toxic” (Britney Spears)
An earnest acoustic version of this song popped up on my iPod the other day, but I prefer this version. The musical arrangement is wonderfully funky and the rapping is funny, but decidedly not safe for work.