Once again, back is the incredible

Pitchfork's video site, Pitchfork.TV, is commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back with a three-part video series offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of that kick-ass album. You know what other great album was released in 1988? If you said Martika by Martika, then you get a gold star. I used to do this totally rad lip synch routine to "Toy Soldiers" in front of my stuffed animals, and let me put it this way: I got a standing ovation EVERY time.

Here's the first chapter of Pitchfork.TV's three-part look at Nation of Millions (go to the above link to see the full picture at Pitchfork.TV):

You're not a kid at 33

This 1972 gem by Danny O'Keefe, covered by countless others (including Elvis, Waylon Jennings, Charlie Rich, and Dwight Yoakum), is my favorite song of the moment:

We're fated to pretend

This song (from the 2007 album Oracular Spectacular) is catchy. (Yes, I know I'm late to the MGMT party.)  Here is a live version from the show "Later . . . with Jools Holland." You ingrate.

Lottery or car crash

Another good song from 1995's Post is "Possibly Maybe." The lyrics are interesting, and the opening riff is cool and spooky and moody sounding. And here we go:

And everybody knows Bjork's most famous song, "Big Time Sensuality" (from 1993's Debut). But here is a pretty different, live version of the song, with Bjork accompanied by Talvin Singh and Guy Sigsworth:

Betty Hutton did it first, but Bjork did it cuter

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Bjork of the 1940s. Okay, I'm saying that only because the Icelandic weirdo's "It's Oh So Quiet" (from 1995's Post) is a remake of Betty Hutton's "Blow a Fuse." Here is the original song:

And here is Bjork's remake, complete with endearing Spike Jonze video (I especially like the dancing mailbox):

Only iTunes knows what I'm going through.

When I go to the iTunes music store, the songs it suggests for me (based on my recent purchases) are, in order:

1. "Baby Come to Me" by James Ingram

2. "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger

3. "Dance Hall Days" by Wang Chung

4. "So Much in Love" by All-4-One

5. "Pinch Me" by Barenaked Ladies

What's weird is that, if I had to come up with a suicide note made up of five songs, these would probably be the exact five songs I would choose. And in this particular order, no less.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME, iTUNES.

P. Cet in the house

I'm being totally serious when I say this was one of my favorite songs as an elementary school kid. Yes, I had a very dramatic internal life, full of romance and wonder!

And an external life full of getting beaten up.