Presidential Tunes

We were riding along the other night, my Peggy and me, listening to one of the 14 dozen homemade CDs that roll around in my SUV. Two of the songs, back to back, were "I Can't Get Over Me Not Getting Over You" by Little Jimmy Dickens, and then along came "Raw Ramp" by T. Rex.  We both had to admit that it was highly unlikely that any other couple in all the world was listening to two songs by those two artists at that time.

And so, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of the songs I would want played for my presidential inauguration, in case every other person in the country, and several Estonians, turn down the job of POTUS and I am voted in, 1-0.   Hey, a fella can dream, can't he?

And even though I know that the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard all have their outstanding bands, I don't like cover versions, so they can all give their thumbs a rest and play these originals as I smartly approach the podium:

This Could Be The Start of Something:  Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.  Oh, it would be something, all right...

Sabre Dance by Aram Khachaturian:  The song that they always play when plate spinners are spinning plates. Relax...no fine china will be flying around!     

High school confidential: Jerry Lee Lewis / Joe Jammer The instrumental version of an old Jerry Lee number done in London with a guitarist named Joe Jammer.  This song moves right along, I tell you.

Surrender by Cheap Trick.  Sing it with me..."Mommy's all right...Daddy's all right...they just seem a little weird...Surrender, but don't give yourself away."

Robert Earl Keen Merry Christmas From the Family As President, I might have to send people out to the KwikSak for some diet Sprites and fake snow.  They need to know how!

Bing Crosby  Do You Hear What I Hear   I know the inauguration will take place in January (don't know yet what year, or planet) but it's never too late to hear the finest Christmas song ever!

It IS Steven Tyler, yes it is.

Aerosmith Dude Looks Like a Lady Because everyone deserves to look the way they want to, until they look like Steven Tyler has taken to looking, and then it's time to talk 

Mötley Crüe - Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) Because when I was just a wee lad, my grandfather gave me a propeller beanie that carried this slogan on its front

Sammy Davis Jr Please Don't Talk About me When I'm gone The greatest entertainer of this or any other generation (tie with Jerry Lewis!)

Phil Harris Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas As president, I might request that the military bands play this whenever I arrive at a big ceremony or supermarket

Somebody's been using that thing  Milton Brown and his Brownies- This is one of those records that we used to find in someone's father's record collection as we rifled through it on New Year's Eve while the "adults" were making merry upstairs

Garrison Keillor and Meryl Streep  Gold Watch and Chain  Mr Keillor's movie version of his Prairie Home Companion radio show was the first movie in which I saw Meryl Streep act.  Then I saw her in "The Devil Wears Prada" and I was amazed.  She was able to portray a completely different type of person! Peggy had to sit me down and explain that was she "acting" and that she is the best at it, and that in real life she is like neither of those women.

Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts  Roly Poly  I think that Doug Clark was kin to me, at least in the sense of the comic songs and tender, vivid love ballads we both liked.

Jerry Lewis You'll Never Walk Alone Jerry Lewis, not to be confused with Jerry Lee Lewis, tied with Sammy Davis, Jr, in my all-time list because, like Sammy, he could do anything in any show biz venue.  And extra points for making Labor Day something to look forward to all summer long.

All Summer Long:  The Beach Boys sang about a time when T-shirts, cutoffs and pair of thongs were standard summer attire for all of us.  Note:  not the kind of thongs you're thinking of!

But then again, I'm not the kind of president you're thinking of. But let's enjoy the music again!  Enjoy the inauguration!