tenessential
Man-Business Songs
Alternative Press - Editorial Intern on 1/27/09 @ 4:13 PM - altpress.comSelected by Kevin Wade
Music has always been largely a testosterone-filled mating call. We could probably date this back to the ancient Sumerians if you gave us a little more time. This month, AP seeks to find songs that provide the backing for your traditionally "manly" tasks-rebuilding a car engine, shoveling snow, chucking darts at the local dive bar... We're talking about songs that conjure up images of conducting man business without descending into the overbearing machismo of speed metal and thug hardcore. Slip these 10 tracks onto your iPod, fire up the barbeque and remember, when you're browsing through the jukebox at the bar, AC/DC isn't the only soundtrack to guys' night out.
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STEVE MILLER BAND "Jungle Love" (from Greatest Hits 74-78) (CAPITOL,1978)
Is there anything about this song that doesn’t scream hanging out with the bros? Sure, the lyrics really don’t say that at all, but this is the type of song you always hope to hear when you turn on a classic-rock radio station. A genuine American rock ’n’ roll classic that flew just enough under the radar that it feels brand new every time you hear it.
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NEIL DIAMOND "American" (from The Jazz Singer) (CAPITOL,1980)
We wanted to include the entire NFL Films music library in this position, but Neil Diamond is a more than adequate representation. He’s got the voice you want to party with. If this song doesn’t play in your head when you’re watching football on Sundays, you’re either bitter because your team’s losing or you’re from Canada.
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BIZ MARKIE “Just A Friend” (from The Biz Never Sleeps) (COLD CHILLIN,1989)
Biz Markie’s career as an MC will always be a footnote in the annals of hip-hop because this is about the only memorable song in his whole discography. But it’s so good and so perfect for an afternoon of drinking 40s and sitting on the front porch, it’d be an absolute crime to call it anything other than essential. The combination of a simple stomping beat with whiny crooning is two parts awkward and eight parts pure genius.
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JON BON JOVI “Blaze Of Glory” (from Blaze Of Glory: Music Inspired By The Film Young Guns II) (MERCURY,1990)
It would be pretty bold to claim Bon Jovi for the male gender when “Livin’ On A Prayer” is probably heard more in sorority houses than mechanic shops these days, but this highlight of the Young Guns II soundtrack is the perfect example of Bon Jovi not only assisting in turning an otherwise pretty bleh movie into man business, but his first foray into the solo realm proved that even relentless shredder Richie Sambora had no right to try and slip his name into the band’s moniker.
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NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS “O’Malley’s Bar” (from Murder Ballads) (WARNER/REPRISE,1996)
We know what you’re thinking: Do guys really have the attention span for a 15-minute song? No, they don’t. But when you wake up with a hangover, you’ll pay attention to every detail of Cave’s treacherous caper. Throw in his uncanny ability to fuse blues, goth and rock, and you’ve got a real winner. Don’t crank this jam at a party or you’ll bring it crashing down, but consider this your soundtrack to male-related drinking peril.
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OLD 97’S “House That Used To Be” (from Too Far To Care) (ELECTRA,1997)
It’s tough to pick an essential Old 97’s song because they all kind of sound the same. Luckily for this Dallas outfit, they make the perfect soundtrack to an upbeat night out with the guys-consider yourself extra-blessed if your guys’ night out happens to involve seeing the band live. The decidedly Texan brand of rock ’n’ roll is a fantastic gateway into the best things about country music, particularly for those too self-conscious to admit that Travis Tritt and Alabama actually are pretty awesome.
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LIFTER PULLER “Manpark” (from Fiestas & Fiascos) (SELF-STARTER,2000)
History may eventually remember Lifter Puller’s later iteration as the Hold Steady more favorably, but the ruggedness and sass pouring from this song just scream man business. Really, anything from the now-rather extensive catalog of Lifter Puller/the Hold Steady is a suitable candidate for your own playlist-there are those that would argue that frontman Craig Finn may be the best thing to happen to bar rock since the Pogues.
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THE BOUNCING SOULS “Manthem” (from How I Spent My Summer Vacation) (EPITAPH,2001)
This may be a list of essential songs, but this jam should be required by law, literally serving as a chronicle of all the best things “guys’ night out” has to offer (and the melody is downright legendary to boot). Ladies, if you ever wonder why your husbands/boyfriends can’t shake their immature habits with their friends, we really can’t think of a better way to explain it than the lyrics to this song.
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AS FRIENDS RUST “More Than Just Music, It’s A Hairstyle” (from A Young Trophy Band In The Parlance Of Our Times EP) (EQUAL VISION,2002)
The most remarkable trait of these unsung Florida heroes may be that they weren’t terribly skilled on any particular instrument but proved the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, bringing melody that packs a serious punch. Though the band’s final EP showcases a new level of maturity from the group, this song in particular has the kind of unpolished charm that makes sense to those with a Y chromosome.
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ANDREW W.K. “Never Let Down” (from The Wolf) (ISLAND,2003)
Andrew W.K.’s debut album, I Get Wet, is a definite masterpiece (in some circles, anyway), but it had a bit of a beer-commercial/frat-house vibe that sometimes you’d rather not associate with. The Wolf, on the other hand, is flat-out majestic, almost in the vein of a modern day Neil Diamond. Andrew W.K. could never put out another record, and you still wouldn’t forget playing this song on repeat after your last breakup.
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