I Shit Music

Like myself, every child of the 80′s has their go-to artist that transcends any feelings of irony or manufactured nostalgia. You know, that band or song that instantly makes you feel like it’s 1987 and you’re about to go ride your big-wheel down suicide hill. For me, that guy is mother fucking Peter Cetera. Love the guy – can’t get nearly enough of the man. And when it comes down to the raw meat of the situation, “Glory of Love” is my jam and a friggin’ half. It’s one of my Top 3 favorite songs of all time, probably much due to its’ inclusion on the soundtrack of the fabulous film, Karate Kid II. C’mon, the end fight in the pit of fire, then this track comes on… and then to get you all psyched up for the beginning of Karate Kid III which they knew was kinda gonna blow, they just show still clips of the fight scene from Part 2 and play the song again – Oh man, that was flippin’ radical.

But you show me another cat who owns the high end better than Mr. Cetera and I’ll show you a dingo on fire. Before I post my Top 5 all time Peter Cetera songs though, I’ll let you in on a little secret. The man is such a class act on top of being a quality artist, that he will send you a personalized autographed picture if you send him a self-addressed envelope. I know right? Sometimes your heroes really are golden. Go here for further instructions, but careful his main-frame may get overloaded when word really gets out.

1) Glory of Love – The hot shit. The song. THE song. And what a touching video with the lovely scenes of Okinawa.

2) Next Time I Fall in Love – Both of these first 2 tunes were released in 1986 – good God, what a year. The duet with super-Christian “Amy Grant” is a friggin’ banger – careful what it’ll do to your heart’s inner core. The classic 80′s key change will own you.

3) If You Leave Me Now – Next we go back another 10 years to Chicago‘s prime years. I always thought their horn-driven jazz-rock was incredibly lame, but when they let Cetera step up for the ballads, I held the proverbial phone. Probably the best “Ooooh Ahhh” song ever.

4) You’re the Inspiration – Still Chicago but from 1984, and ironically the inspiration Peter probably needed to realize his potential as a solo artist.

5) Little Dancing Man – My geeky love for the completely absurd Tim and Eric Awesome Show: Great Job boiled over when they brought in Cetera to record this epic jam for their new TV show about Ted Danson getting shrunk down to 6 inches. Sometimes life gives you amazing gifts.

And here’s the end-fight from Karate Kid II in case you forgot how incredibly epic it really is.

So if you’ve completely flaked on the Valentine’s day front, and your loved one is a most hip cat, then the off-beat Brooklynites of Yeasayer have got you in control. Today the band released a new video for the track “I Remember” off of last year’s brilliant Odd Blood LP, as well as a three-track EP of the songs with some different remixes. You can go to the band’s website today, and they have a link where you can send the EP to a loved one in the form of a digital valentine – pretty fly, but believe me the girl still wants flowers. Check the link at www.yeasayer.net or watch the video below.

In other most lovable V-Day news: LCD Soundsystem will appear on The Colbert Report tonight – Radiohead‘s new album The King of Limbs will magically appear on Saturday – and I’ve included my favorite love song of all time below the Yeasayer video just in case their neo-psychedelic seizure-inducing video makes your head feel as funny as mine did after viewing.