The Playlist, Part Two

(originally written 5/5/15)

Edge Of Glory, Lady Gaga - A song time-warped from 1987 into 2011. Better yet: it's got natural-sounding echo, which I've always had a taste for. Clarence Clemons blew the sax on this track for the last time...he passed away near its release date.

Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant - Can't hear this track now without thinking of 3rd Rock From The Sun. Curse you, Solomons.

End Of The Road - This was played as my graduating high school class ('98, batch!) prepared to walk out for presentation. Many students, including myself, needed Kleenex—them for their tears, me for the streams of sweat my hot ass cap and gown created.

Erotic City, Prince - Is it "funk" or "fu*k?" No one, even Prince himself, seems to know. No censored version exists anywhere online, however, so I lean toward the former—until common sense kicks in with the question "Who funks until the dawn?"

Escape, Enrique Iglesias - For no reason, 10 years and two computers ago I replaced my Windows XP signoff sound with this song. Still today, whenever it plays on I-Tunes, I expect the computer to shut off—and am pleasantly surprised/relieved when it doesn't. Yes, I'm weird. Let's move on.

E.T., Katy Perry - My daughter Josie has a rager for this song, often making me play it 3-4 times in a row. Ladies, watch the video and make note of the long, alluring look Katy gives the "alien" right after smooching him back to life. Master it. Use it. If your man isn't responsive to it, he's dead.

Eternal Flame, The Bangles - A decent 80's slow-pop ditty ruined for me by an ex who was obsessed with it to the point of making me play it while we made out. (Looking back, why did I admit to even owning it?!)

Ever The Same, Rob Thomas - Before ever hearing this song on the radio, Fox SportsNet used it in a commercial highlighting the "We Believe" era Golden State Warriors in the community. So now, anytime it plays, images of Adonal Foyle doing stand-up and Baron Davis impersonating King Kong fly thru my head.

Everything I Do, I Do It For You, Bryan Adams - Greatest power ballad ever; seems to encompass everything that was 90s love songs. If I ever do a film, this would play over any happy couple's montage.

Everything She Wants, Wham! - There exists five-minute and 6:30 versions of this song. Up until 2009 I'd only ever heard the short version—meh. But one day I caught wind of the long version...and my life changed. For those of you who spent extensive time with me in those summer months of 2009...I apologize for humming, singing and playing this cut on a 24-hour loop. Thank you for not punching me. (Watch the video sometime. It's just...so...WHAM.)

Fallen, Lauren Wood - Who? If you're in my age range, you've heard the song somewhere—in your local eatery, drug store, or as part of those "Love Songs" CD sets they sell on TV for four easy payments of $29.99 (it was also part of the Pretty Woman soundtrack). It's a catchy little tune, the kind nobody dislikes enough to ever switch off, or likes enough to add to their I-Pod. Wood never did much before or after this hit even though she had a great voice and was good-looking enough for stardom. Guess she didn't twerk or own any blue wigs.

Firework, Katy Perry - Speaking of blue wigs...this really is an inspiring song. In the video, Katy plays more of a guardian-angel role as opposed to sexpot—but she's sexy even when not trying to be. I found myself equally wanting her to take me to and tuck me in bed. Not easy to do.

Fly Away, Lenny Kravitz - Ah, the summer of 1998. Me and my buds were young, single, and out of public school forever. Every weekend, we hopped in our dawg's big purple pickup truck, queued up this hit, and "flew away" on I-680 on a mission to waste money at Tower Records. I estimate dropping literally 20% of my first two paychecks at that place. But I'm not here to talk about the past.

Good Time, Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen - The first 2/3 of this song are fun, happy—the kind of song you wanna hear on a road trip with the top down surrounded by buds. Then it gets cluttered and unnecessarily complicated, dragging on too long and making you regret ever planning the stupid road trip. Think the movie Hancock, but in MP3 form.

Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life), Green Day - The song played over the prelude over the final Seinfeld episode. If you didn't tear up slightly, you may be part-cyborg.

Hazard, Richard Marx - A 1991 song about a man in love with a woman, Mary, in the town of Hazard. She was perfect in every way...until she disappeared. Marx' character is accused of harming her and he is run out of town. The lyrics and haunting music almost make you feel like you're the one who lost Mary and have a posse wanting your blood. Kind of creepy, actually.

Heaven Is A Place On Earth, Belinda Carlisle - Can't hear it without flashing back to middle school, when my friends Alex and Diana "treated" me to a live performance in my own home. Let's just say it wasn't something I'll soon forget.