Without-Feathers.com

Only sick music makes money today.

– Friedrich Nietzsche, “Der Fall Wagner”

Music: Guilty Pleasures

It’s always been my worst nightmare that some day, for some reason, the government will confiscate my computers. Am I worried because of illegal programs or indecent pictures? No—I just don’t want anyone to know that I have these songs in my music library. So why am I putting up a whole page about them? Hmm...

“Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” –  The Andrews Sisters

Hey, it’s Yiddish swing—what’s not to love? It’s catchy, it’s singable, and for awhile it had the Nazis fooled into thinking it was a German song. That makes it good in my book.

“Celebrity Skin” –  Hole

Say what you want about Courtney Love, but you have to admit that when she’s not in rehab or flashing her boobs, she can sometimes, occasionally, channel her drug-fueled misfit rage into a really rockin’ performance. This song makes my Top 5 Snark List.

“Connection” –  Elastica

Frankly, I can’t understand a damn word that comes out of the singer’s mouth in this song (at least until she gets to the chorus, anyway). But it’s got a great pounding beat, and there’s something about this song that makes a girl feel like she’s walking in slow motion with a wind machine turned on her, flipping her hair and strutting her stuff, while around her men goggle in wordless admiration. Sexxxay, baby.

“I Love The Night Life” –  Alicia Bridges

Maybe I associate this with vampires, as in Love At First Bite. Maybe I associate this with Hugo Weaving, as in the hilarious music video. Or maybe I just like disco. All I know for sure is, I love the night life, I got to boogie / On the disco rah-HOUNNND, oh yeahhh...

“La La” –  Ashlee Simpson

What a sexist piece of crap, from a no-talent wannabe who just so happens to be related to another no-talent wannabe. But... it does have a catchy beat. And... and it’s fun to dance to. And... okay, okay, I actually bought it off iTunes. That’s another 99¢ in the Lipsynching Wonder’s ugly cargo pockets. Satan, take me to thee.

“Mr. Brightside” –  The Killers

It’s a good song, yes. But the guy singing it is American, and he’s using a British accent. But the chorus is catchy. But... he sings in a British accent. But it’s not anywhere near as pretentious as that makes it sound. But still... he sings in a British accent. So yes, there is some pretention. Just a little.

“One More Minute” –  “Weird Al” Yankovic

Talk about your awesome break-up songs. This is the official song of my parents’ divorce, and quite appropriate it is, too. Accompanied by a nostalgically-sweet tune, Al catalogues the insane, bizarre, and downright disgusting things he’d prefer to do rather than spend "one more minute" with his erstwhile beloved. Classic Weird Al humor.

“Play That Funky Music” –  Wild Cherry

This song has become so associated with me that my friends and family have started referring to it as “Romy’s song”. I’m not exactly sure why I like it—the kitsch value combined with the one-hit wonder appeal is seductive, that’s for certain. Whatever the draw, it’s a great boogie-down tune. If you ever see a frizzy-haired white girl breakin’ it down like Travolta while belting out this number, you’re probably looking at me.

“See Your Lights” –  The Church

If the lead singer didn’t say ec-scape instead of es-cape, I’d be happy to add this to my All-Time Favorites list instead of sticking it in here. Perhaps I’m being petty, but that unforgivable verbal flaw must forever relegate this song to my list of obscure preferences.

“Toxic” –  Britney Spears

Yeah, I know, it’s ~*~bRiTnEy~*~, but... hell, it’s just plain catchy. And it sounds great in the shower. Many’s the time I’ve caught myself caterwauling, “Intoxicate me nowww, with your lovin’ nowww, I think I’m ready nowww...”

“White Rabbit” –  Jefferson Airplane

I like to joke that my mother sang this to me as a lullaby when I was a baby—that’s probably not true, but hey, my mother’s a hippie, so you never know. I love Grace Slick’s flexible voice, and I love the fact that this song is about drugs—erm, I mean that I love the way this song skewers the societal stigma unfairly inflicted upon recreational drug use. Yeah.

“Wuthering Heights” –  Kate Bush

Kate Bush is unarguably an acquired taste—and, if you want to acquire her, you’d probably do best to start out with this song. Based on the famous Brontë tale of star-crossed lovers and windy moors, this is sung from the perspective of Cathy... the dead Cathy. And, even though the singer’s runs sound like she’s being goosed repeatedly as she performs, she captures the eerieness and passion of the dead girl’s ghost coming to tap at her lover’s window in the night, begging to be let in from the cold.

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