"The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" in Summation: A look back at the three-month-long blog series and a brief look at another forthcoming endeavor

September 8th, 2014 marks the end to "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" blog series, a massive, daily-undertaking of writing unique, individualized writeups on the one-hundred songs that a personal effect on me or songs that I felt were criminally underrated and deserved recognition. The blog series began June 1st, 2014 and continued all the way until September 8th, 2014 where a brand new writeup would be posted each day (with a few missteps and late releases) and would be marketed around social media, giving readers a more personal look into my upbringing and my views on music along with exciting and intriguing new music to check out.

In terms of readership, the blog series wasn't that successful, mainly because of the niche-topic and the different domain from my traditional ProBoards, Youtube, and Blogspot link. Admittedly, I was disappointed that readership wasn't higher and, in that regard, the blog series is, by conventional definition, a flop. Yet, in a money-driven, viewership-driven society, we think of how much we made or how much we got out of putting into a product, and it's hard to condemn or obscure that fact when it makes up so much of why we do something. However, I cannot measure the amount of personal gratification it took me to create and publish this blog, writing several unique writeups day-in and day-out, resurrecting memories and old favorite songs and reflecting on moments in my life gave me an incredible amount of happiness each and every day.

My neighbor described the series better than I have when I was telling him about what I was doing with this project. "It sounds like a diary," he said, "a public diary where people can read into you and your feelings, and the fact that you're honest and descriptive about your feelings on music make it that much more interesting." I couldn't have said it better. The blog series was a public diary; an entryway into my life and my emotions with music, and with that, I consider the series a huge success.

I'd like to take this time to announce that this isn't the last daily blog series you'll be seeing from me either. Starting December 15th, 2014 and going until December 24th, 2014, I will be doing "The Ten Christmas Songs of Steve Pulaski," where I list my top favorite Christmas songs, which will deviate greatly from your archetypal "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" and "Silent Night." I also plan on doing a blog on my ten favorite musicians currently working today, a blog on my top five favorite songs from 2014 at the beginning of 2015, and continue doing album reviews on my main ProBoards site. I'll still be active with music, just not to the extent of "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" blog series...for now, at least.

Below is some statistical data for "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski," with the songs broken up by genre and what percentage said genre made up of the entire blog series. Also included are the most common artists of the blog and ten songs that were originally slated to make it into the blog series but were cut last minute.

The most popular artists of the blog series, out of eighty-five artists:

Hank Williams III - 6

Gary Numan - 5

Hank Williams - 5

Chief Keef - 4

Dolla - 4

Toby Keith - 4

A breakdown of what percentage specific genres made up of the blog series:

Country (27%):

99. I Don't Have to Be Me ('Til Monday) - Steve Azar
92. Where the Blacktop Ends - Keith Urban
91. I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight - Toby Keith
90. Some Beach - Blake Shelton
85. Cocaine Blues - Hank Williams III
83. Common Man - John Conlee
82. Move It On Over - Hank Williams
80. The Race is On - George Jones
79. Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
76. Why Can't We All Just Get a Longneck? - Hank Williams, Jr.
74. Brokenheartsville - Joe Nichols
73. Straight To Hell ("Satan is Real" Medley) - Hank Williams III
70. People Like Us - Aaron Tippin
66. Baby We're Really In Love - Hank Williams
60. When the Sun Goes Down - Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker
58. Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On - Neal McCoy
53. Crazed Country Rebel - Hank Williams III
52. How Do You Like Me Now?! - Toby Keith
50. Settin' the Woods on Fire - Hank Williams
42. Gutter Town - Hank Williams III
39. Waitin' on Joe - Steve Azar
33. It's a Great Day to Be Alive - Travis Tritt
32. Should've Been a Cowboy - Toby Keith
31. If the Shoe Fits - Hank Williams III
21. Six Pack of Beer - Hank Williams III
7. I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive - Hank Williams
2. Beer for My Horses - Toby Keith feat. Willie Nelson

Rock (21%):
84. Lookin' Out My Backdoor - Credence Clearwater Revival
77. Some Kind of Wonderful - Grand Funk Railroad
71. My Back Pages - Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison
68. Can't Even Tell - Soul Asylum
67. I'm Alright - Kenny Loggins
65: Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
56. The Resist Stance - Bad Religion
54. Limelight - Rush
51. Carry on Wayward Son - Kansas
49. Runnin' Down a Dream - Tom Petty
45. Midlife Crisis - Faith No More
40. Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
37. American Pie - Don McLean
36. I Fought the Law - The Clash
35. Ridin' the Storm Out - REO Speedwagon
30. A Horse With No Name - America
26. Proud Mary - Credence Clearwater Revival
22. Piano Man - Billy Joel
16. Life's Been Good to Me - Joe Walsh
13. Everything Louder Than Everything Else - Meat Loaf
11. The One I Love - R.E.M.

Rap (18%):
100. Crank That (Soulja Boy) - Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
98. Got Them Bands - Chief Keef
93. Ride Wit Me - Nelly feat. City Spud
88. Super Size Me - Toothpick
87. Statistic - Dolla
78. Out Here Grindin' - DJ Khaled feat. Akron, Rick Ross, Plies, Lil Boosie, Trick Daddy, and Ace Hood
69. Kay Kay - Chief Keef
63. Role Model - Dolla
62. Shit Bag - Plies
61. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco
47. Real Nigga Roll Call - Lil Jon and The Eastside Boyz
41. Stepped on My J'z - Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, and Ciara
34. Savage - Chief Keef
28. Corner High School - Dolla
18. Lollipop - Lil Wayne feat. Static Major
17. Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.
5. Who the Fuck is That? - Dolla, T-Pain, and Tay Dizm
3. Love Sosa - Chief Keef

Pop (16%):
97. Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
96. Normal - Baha Men
94. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye feat. Kimbra
89. Ocean Man - Ween
64. Burning Love - Elvis Presley
59. They Don't Care About Us - Michael Jackson
57. Let it Whip - The Dazz Band
55. Move It Like This - Baha Men
48. Poetry in Motion - Johnny Tillotson
29. Crocodile Rock - Elton John
25. Coconut - Baha Men
24. Dragostea Din Tei - O-ZONE
23. Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
20. Wavin' Flag - K'naan
15. Mayor of Simpleton - XTC
9. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

Techno/Remix/Other (12%):
75. Reason - Giuseppe Andrews
72. Down in the Park - Gary Numan/Tubeway Army
38. Laroo - Giuseppe Andrews
27. Electrocuted - Giuseppe Andrews
19. Metal - Gary Numan
14. The Machman - Gary Numan
13. Everything Louder Than Everything Else - Meat Loaf
12. Schmoyoho - Bed Intruder Song
10. Cars (Remix) - Fear Factory and Gary Numan
8. In the Year 2525 - Zager and Evans
4. You Play to Win the Game - DJ Steve Porter
1. Cars - Gary Numan

Comedy/Parody (4%):
95. King of Suede - Weird Al Yankovic
86. Asshole - Denis Leary
81. Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) - Warren Zevon
6. White and Nerdy - "Weird Al" Yankovic

Folk (3%):
46. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - The Four Lads
44. Winchester Cathedral - The New Vaudeville Band
43. I'm Henry the Eighth - Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone

Songs that were originally slated to be in the blog series but were replaced last minute (make no mistake, I still thoroughly enjoy these songs - maybe one day, they'll get a belated entry):

Didn't Make the Cut:
101. "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Glen Campbell
102. "Video Killed the Radio Star" - The Buggles 

103. "We Didn't Start the Fire" - Billy Joel 

104. "'Merican" - Descendants 

105. "Bad Moon Rising" - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

105. "Day 'n' Nite" - Kid Cudi 

106. "Already Gone" - The Eagles 

107. "Party Like a Rockstar" - Shop Boyz 

108. "Elvira" - The Oak Ridge Boys

109. "Rock N Roll Jesus" - Kid Rock

110. "Days Go By" - Keith Urban

I thank you once more for indulging in "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski." It was a privilege for me to publish and illustrate. 

Song #1: Gary Numan - "Cars"

Song #1: Gary Numan - "Cars" (1979)

The Pleasure Principle

 "It's the only way to live; in cars."

The obvious question I get why I try to explain the purpose behind my blog series "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" is "what song will be number one?" While I refused to even hint at any song that was on the list before the writeup was released, I informed people I wasn't ranking the songs from "favorite to least favorite" or vice-versa and that the selection of what song went with what specific number was entirely random and cherry-picked by me.

Song number one of "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" is Gary Numan's "Cars" to solidify that fact. I have a feeling when people see that this is the song I selected to conclude the three-month-long blog series, they'll realize, "he really wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't ranking them favorite to least favorite." However, do not get that fact twisted. Gary Numan's "Cars" is still a song I hold extremely dear to my heart, arguably more-so than many choices in this blog series. For such a simple song, it evokes so many emotions and is also a pioneering force for the electronic/techno style many people my age listen to today ("EDM" for electronic dance music as it is billed today").

"Cars" was released in 1979 and was one of the most unique and different-sounding tunes to hit the American airways. Short on the "new wave" movement in American music in the 1980's, "Cars" was a song recorded heavily with the assistance of computers, synthesizers, and sound mixing, all of which were relatively primitive compared to the high-tech mixing and audio manipulation that can be found in even the most basic song today. The instrumentation in "Cars," along with Numan's modified and synthesized vocals, which sound wholly robotic and almost like a humanoid, were beyond revolutionary for the time. The instrumentation, like much of Numan's early albums, created sounds that may have never been heard before, and structuring and mixing that may have never been employed to that effect before he came around. 

All of that makes "Cars" such a deeply original and unique song in its aesthetic. As for the lyrics, they make up about one minute of the three and a half minute song. Ironically, I stated in my writeup for Kansas's "Carry on Wayward Son" (number fifty-one on "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski") that I wasn't a big fan of songs that were almost entirely comprised of instrumentation, and now I conclude my blog series with a song that is predominately instrumentation. However, the lyrics of the song are simple, mysterious, and different, as Numan finds solace in life while he is sitting inside his vehicle. He feels safe, comfortable, and protected in his vehicle, where "the image breaks down," so he says, and questions if people would visit him if he would proceed to open his door to them. His mind races through a great deal of thoughts, so he claims, but even as he rests there, "nothing seems right in cars," he claims.

Some have said the lyrics are simply about Numan's love for vehicles, and some have even said the song is an anthem against suicide. I can't even begin to make an assumption on the meaning of the song. What I can say is this is one of the most infectious and addicting songs I've ever heard. It "Cars" has solely been an instrumentation track, like most of the songs on The Pleasure Principle album are, I would have said it's pretty unique, but Numan's simple yet complex vocals and lyricism make for a song I love indulging in at any given time (for the record, when the song comes on where I work, which is maybe once a month, my productivity increases ten-fold).

A wrap-up blog for "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" will follow shortly after the publication of this blog post, along with an important announcement about a follow-up series in the vein of this one. Thank you all for the support and readership of this blog series. It has been an incredible experience.

Give "Cars" a listen,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXEu1odjKZM

Song #2: Toby Keith feat. Willie Nelson - "Beer for My Horses"

Song #2: Toby Keith feat. Willie Nelson - "Beer for My Horses" (2003)

Unleashed

"Said, 'somebody's been shot, somebody's been abused, somebody blew up a building, somebody stole a car, somebody got away, somebody didn't get too far.' Yeah, they didn't get too far."

If you forced me to pick my all-time favorite country song, I think I'd have to pick Toby Keith and Willie Nelson's "Beer for My Horses." As much as I adore the country-heatbreak songs of Hank Williams, George Jones, and Merle Haggard, and I love contemporary country artists like Colt Ford and Brad Paisley, I have to pick "Beer for My Horses" for several reasons. For starters, here's a song that takes on an entire new life once you've seen the music video. The song, alone, is a masterful detailing of old police-work vs. new police-work, but the music video erects a terrific crime drama scenario that enchants and excites. In addition to giving us great music, the music video gives us a nail-biting story to latch on to, making this one of the multifaceted country songs I know of in terms of approach, and one of the most exhilarating.

Speaking in context of the music video, the song follows a serial killer near the Midtown River, an assuming area that is loaded with "corruption and crime in the streets," according to Willie Nelson in the song. We immediately drop in on a news report covering a potential fifth victim of the Midtown River murderer, a man who apparently goes after prostitutes in late hours of the night, kills them, and leaves vague trails. Toby Keith and his partner Corin Nemec have been dispatched on the case, but even with five alleged murders, they still can't develop a solid lead. Much to Corin's dismay, Toby calls Willie Nelson, his father, who used to work as an Arizona Ranger after his father influenced him when he was a young boy. Toby is convinced that Willie will help him nab the suspect, and once they travel to Willie's ranch in the middle of scenic nowhere, as the home is tucked away in grassy plains, Toby and Corin are greeted with a load of police nostalgia. They see Willie's old badge, old pictures of the force, old police equipment, and hear of stories back when Willie was an officer in his prime.

Speaking in context of the song, the song details more with the contrasting work of policemen from the early 1900's to present-day. The chorus celebrates the idea of celebrating justice, condemning violence and needless crime, and raising up ones' glasses "against evil forces" by providing your men with a shot of strong, potent whiskey and your horses with an ice-cold brew. 

Returning to the video, the video plays like an episode of CSI, but set to a fantastic country song to add to the suspense and energy. After revisiting this video for the first time in months, I still act like I did when I first saw this video at age eight, wiggling around in my seat, singing along (admittedly off-key), and just feeling the rush of nostalgic energy and enthusiasm I have always had for this song.

The song was so rooted in plot and narrative that, in 2008, a film of the same name was made. The downside, however, was the plot of the music video was abandoned, and Corin Nemec nor Willie Nelson, other than a very brief cameo, appeared in the film. Toby Keith held his own in the picture, but the magic and zest of the song was traded in for typical redneck entertainment. Nonetheless, the music video is still arguably my favorite music video of all time, and the song never fails to excite. This song is a must-hear and the video is a must-see for everyone.

Give "Beer for My Horses" a listen (and a watch), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1JOFhfoAD4

Song #3: Chief Keef - "Love Sosa"

Song #3: Chief Keef - "Love Sosa" (2012)

Finally Rich

"Raris and Rovers, these hoes love Chief Sosa; hit 'em with that cobra, now that boy slumped ova."

My writeup on Chief Keef's addicting song "Love Sosa" will be considerably shorter, given the fact that I already wrote a blog concerning the Chicago-based rapper and his monstrous rise to fame, along with this particular song. To try and exercise brevity when it comes to "Love Sosa," it's one of the most infectious and satisfying rap songs I've ever heard, predominately for its brazenness and its invitation into the life of a violent and carefree teen rapper.

Keef, born Keith Cozart in the notoriously violent and gang-infested Chicago suburb of Englewood, has made clear his gang-affiliation with 3hunna/O'Block, a gang that originated in his housing project of Parkway Gardens. Keef has been unapologetic in his love for the lifestyle, rather than the typical hatred and condemnation of such a lifestyle. While numerous songs detail his lifestyle, "Love Sosa" does so in a fragmented style, meaning he uses a great detail of random, interconnected sentences in hope to achieve a banger.

"Love Sosa" shouldn't be as loved by me as it is, really. When I first heard the song, I detested it, finding its lyricism awful and its flow weak. But I had a biting urge to hear it again. Then again. Then play it to my mother. Then send it to my uncle, who loves rap music. Then I had to download it. Then I had to sing it aloud whenever I heard it. Then I had to play it on the jukeboxes in bars. Then I added it to my playlist for songs I plan to play on my ride to the first day of college. Yeah, I'm kind of obsessed.

While "Love Sosa" isn't my favorite Keef song in terms of lyricism and relevance, it is probably my favorite song in terms of its sound and production, alongside Keef and Lil Reese's "I Don't Like." Chicago-based producer Young Chop handles the production on "Love Sosa" and makes it click instantaneously, adding infectious sounds and incredible synthesizers to make an effective hip-hop song, erected off of everything the "drill" subgenre in rap is made of ("drill" is characterized by Chicago music that details violent situations with excessive vulgarity and "trap"-style instrumentation).

All I ask, like I do with every song I post, is for you to listen to "Love Sosa" and form your own opinion. Most will hate it, few will truly love it, and I doubt anyone will appreciate it quite like myself.

Give "Love Sosa" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLeTLe811Wg

[Delayed Post]: Song #4: DJ Steve Porter - "You Play to Win the Game"

Song #4: DJ Steve Porter - "You Play to Win the Game" (2010)

Porterhouse Productions

"We go out, we hit people in the mouth, number one. Number two, we cannot give them the game. Number three. Hello? We suck!"

DJ Steve Porter is a DJ known for his complex and entirely immersing remixes he compiles together, usually for ESPN or "The Today Show." His remixes range anywhere from one-minute to three or four minutes, and compile a montage off the regular/post-season highlights of sporting events or of popular TV show moments. While most of his remixes are sports related, one doesn't have to be incredibly in-tune or immersed in the sporting world to just admire the incomparable artistry and talent in his remixes.

My favorite remix of Porter's is "You Play to Win the Game," a remix featuring the famous rants of NFL coaches, like Herm Edwards' famous line, which is the title of the remix, Jim E. Mora with his famous "Playoffs?" line, which has now become a regular sports soundbite, and Mike Singletary's old school rules for his then-failing San Francisco 49ers. The remix is so finely mixed, artfully constructed, and musically potent that it functions like your average song, with a chorus, specific verses, and an explosive/revealing final verse.

The song is one of my favorite motivating tunes, mainly because hearing so many people heated and speaking entirely in the moment makes on replicate similar feelings, and my go-to tune for when I'm angry or agitated (right after Plies' "Shit Bag," number sixty-two on "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski"). Not to mention, the song compiles such incredibly musicality, to material that isn't inherently musical, which is an unbelievable achievement on part of Porter. He not only made a great song, but did so by meticulously measuring, emphasizing, and perfecting things like sound mixing, instrumentation, speed, and pitch to, in turn, make an amazing song that rightfully deserves more recognition than it has merited, even by the standards of DJ Steve Porter remixes. 

Give "You Play to Win the Game" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLlIdZikDk

[Delayed Post]: Song #5: Dolla feat. T-Pain and Tay Dizm - "Who the Fuck is That?"

 Song #5: Dolla feat. T-Pain and Tay Dizm - "Who the Fuck is That?" (2008)

The Miseducation of Dolla

"You be runnin' when I shoot, I be shootin' when you runnin', 'Kon got me out the streets, told me 'Dolla, get that money!'"

"Who the Fuck is That?" was the first song I ever heard by Atlanta-based rapper Dolla, who quickly rose to earning my title of "favorite rapper." I discovered the song by browsing through the single discography of rapper T-Pain in what was a simple bout of listlessness while on Wikipedia one day in 2008. I found a song called "Who the Fuck is That?" and marveled at the brazenness of its lyrics, but mostly, the promise and commendable effort put forth by the album's lead singer Dolla.

Dolla sings with such power on the song, living up to the standards set forth by the promising and demanding production of the song. He raps with breakneck flow and addicting choruses that prove impeccable talent for someone so young and seemingly inexperienced in the world. However, one look at the young rapper and a listen to one or two of his songs proves that he has knowledge, fluidity, and incomparable ideas that make him an effective product of his often broken and seedy environment.

He's assisted other rappers on Akon's Konvict label, which Dolla was signed to up until his tragic death in 2009, a death that still appalls and dismays whenever it stumbles across my mind. Dolla is assisted by the likes of T-Pain, who enjoyed monstrous, surprisingly long-term success from 2007 to 2009, and Tay Dizm, another rapper who is still looking for his success. With that, "Who the Fuck is That?" is a superb gem in rap music that still makes me sing aloud whenever I hear it.

Give "Who the Fuck is That?" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiw9C12AolE

Song #6: "Weird Al" Yankovic - "White & Nerdy"

Song #6: "Weird Al" Yankovic - "White & Nerdy" (2006)

Straight Outta Lynwood

"I'm nerdy in the extreme and whiter than sour cream."

I was introduced to the massively talented parody artist "Weird Al" Yankovic by a friend in middle school, where I was completely amazed by his, then, most recent album Straight Outta Lynwood. Being that the only parody artist I knew at the time was Cledus T. Judd, and even he was all over the place in terms of quality, Yankovic stood out as somebody who could make a competent and hilarious parody song, while rarely making the song repetitive. He'd do things like change up the chorus, change the lyrical structure of the song, and never become too dirty in his material, effectively being a mostly-clean, genial singer who just wanted to have a little fun with mainstream.

"White & Nerdy" is probably Yankovic's most successful single in the 2000's, for I scarcely remember the last time I heard a parody song quoted so extensively and even gain airplay on the radio. The song is a parody of the Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bones' hit song "Ridin'," an intriguing gem of rap music concerning police and racial profiling. "White & Nerdy" is far less political, creating a song about the eccentric and goofy things white people do, like attend Renaissance Fairs, ride segways, and code computers for fun.

Yankovic keeps up with the breakneck speed of the song by never slowing down or pausing, and maintaining complete control of the lyrics of the song and the collection of ideas he is trying to get out there. On top of that, I'm not sure there's a better song by Yankovic to begin your descent into parody madness. The song takes a fairly popular, known song and puts an incredible creative spin on it. "White & Nerdy" kicked off a mad "Weird Al" addiction for me, as I went out and bought every single one of his albums, all of whom I still have today, and even attended his concert in Merriville, Indiana at the Star Plaza Theater with my mother on July 5th, 2008. Even with all those credentials, I'm still proud to say I listen to "Weird Al" quite frequently and consider him one of the most fun artists working today.

Give "White & Nerdy" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw

Song #7: Hank Williams - "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive"

Song #7: Hank Williams - "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" (1952)

40 Greatest Hits

"Everything's against me and it's got me down; if I jumped in a river, I would probably drown."

The irony of Hank Williams' "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" is a soul-crushing one, as it was the final single of Williams released while he was alive, and managed to top the charts posthumously, after his death on New Years Day 1953. The song details a down-on-his-luck man, who has lost his woman, his luck, and his self-esteem, saying that he can struggle and strive for better, but still winds up having nothing and, in turn, will allegedly never get out of this world alive.

For such a dour song topic, new listeners will be surprised at the upbeat tempo the ballad carries, which easily makes it one of my favorite Williams' songs. Williams had so many songs that detailed pain so somberly and effectively that you felt you yourself were experiencing such pain, as you listened to the lyrics of the songs being sung and absorbed the music and the careful flow of his songs. "I'll Never Get Out of This World" alive sounds deceptively positive, judging by the tempo, before it hits you with some serious sadness, but manages to captivate and enchant throughout the two minutes it plays.

This was another Williams song that came into my life late my eighth grade year, where Williams' music was touching that sentimental part of my soul that I really didn't know I had. Thanks to my loving grandfather, who wound up schooling me in classic country, particularly Williams, not only was I up to date on an amazing singer, but I got an intricate lesson in where the music I loved originated; that's something we should expect from fans of particular genres.

Give "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7FQeFOBtBk

Song #8: Zager and Evans - "In the Year 2525"

Song #8: Zager and Evans - "In the Year 2525" (1969)

2525: Exordium & Terminus

"In the year 9595, I'm kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive. He's taken everything this old Earth can give and he ain't put back nothin', whoa, whoa."

By now, in "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski," as we near the end, I have revealed numerous ways I've been acquainted to music of the years, be it watching Country Music Television (CMT) religiously, burning CD's with my uncle, listening to music blare through my headphones as I rock on a rocking chair, or just find the songs on my own through some weird force, like work or school. The one way I haven't revealed is that frequently, always on Mondays, I sit outside with my father and we talk informally and aimlessly about life, things to do, and other such obligations and joys of life. These talks aren't as deep or as intimate as you think, but they're more than meets the eye a lot of times. The last half hour of our talks, which usually last anywhere from one hour to three hours, are usually devoted to my father wanting to hear specific songs played off my phone.

One day, we sat out back and my dad hit me with something. "Punch up on your phone a song called 'In the Year 2525' by Zager and Evans. God, what a weird fucking song. I remember when that came out. It's one of the strangest fucking things I have ever heard. You'll love it." He was correct; I still remember sitting in the darkness outside, which only intensified the creepy lyricism of the ballad. The song has no conventional structure - no chorus and no specific verses. The only consistency the song bears is beginning each line with "In the year...," starting with 2525 and continuing in intervals of 1010 (3535, 4545, 5555, etc). Following each introductory line is a statement about what state the human race will be in at that time, what technological advances have been made, and what element of scientific progress has made to further rob the world of its humanity.

The song goes on, telling of how one day we won't need our teeth or our eyes anymore, for machines are assisting us through our daily activities. We won't need husbands or wives, and we pick our sons and daughters "from the bottom of a long glass tube." The song then descends into the probable reactions of an Almighty God on a nation that has worked to rob every miracle from life and made it into a scientific project of convenience and unnatural selection. It is a scary thought, especially in a day and age where scientific progress is moving quicker and quicker.

"In the Year 2525" is a special case in music history, being about the condemnation of scientific advancement and being released in 1969, the same year as Neil Armstrong walked on the moon (the song was number one on the charts during that event). Furthermore, this is also the rare case where a song by a new artist made number one on the charts but subsequent releases by the artist never did so much as chart again. That's right, Zager and Evans are the very definition of a one-hit wonder, soon fading into complete obscurity and pursuing other ventures that weren't in the mainstream music industry following the monstrous success of their sole song. 

I love the song because not only is it a number one hit song few would remember today, but because Zager and Evans seem to predate Gary Numan, who faithful readers of this blog series know has already made three appearances. Zager and Evans, like Numan, speak of the darkside of technology in the midst of all the greatness that stems from it, and just like Numan, they provide the song with their own style and sound, Right now, however, "In the Year 2525" is a curious piece of history, but I'd like to think that if technology continues to advance at unforeseen rates, this song will come out of the woodwork and make it back into the mainstream again.

Give "In the Year 2525" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lWzTvdtEx0