Nightmare on Grammar Street

Hope you had a great Halloween and a greater World Series (sorry ‘bout that, Ranger fans). Now it’s back to school with a wog’s worth of wicked tunes that contain (gasp!) grammatical errors. So if your English teacher looks like he or she is having a Bad Word Day, better refrain from singing one of these songs—or you might be doing the Dunce Cap Dance in the corner. You can find the songs in my Monthly Wog over at Podwogging.com. And that ain’t no lie!

Let’s Give ‘Em a Five

In addition to possessing a large cranium, the human animal is blessed with clever fingers and clever hands. Since musicians rely on these body parts as much as their sense of rhythm, it’s only natural that references to them would work their way into songs, either metaphorically or literally. This week’s wog features all songs in which fingers and hands play a part, either in the band name or song title. Among other offerings you’ll find Crazy Fingers by the Dead (ironically, Captain Jerry was missing one) and Too Many Hands by the Eagles, as well as songs by Powderfinger and Badfinger. This is also a very light walk...unless, of course, you choose to walk on your hands. Get the skinny at Podwogging.com.

LA Harmonic Convergence

The Mamas and the Papas were one of the first groups to drag 60s folk music kicking and screaming into pop stardom. Their hummable (and woggable) melodies bopped along with great harmonies, and while their sound dated rather quickly, they’re still an enjoyable listen if you’re burned out on metal or rap. This week’s wog is rather lightweight and only 33 minutes, but if you want to relax you could do worse. Find the list at Podwogging.com.

This week I’ll be taking a break from wogging and the next post will be in two weeks.

A Sonic Wash

There’s water showers, and there’s music showers. Don’t believe me, listen to the songs in this week’s wog, A Sonic Wash. Whether it’s Ronan Hardiman’s lush choral instrumental plunging you into a relaxed mood, Brian Eno’s dripping piano notes wrapped in mind-refreshing lyrics, or Cocteau Twins’ swooping waves of vocal strangeness cleaning out your skull, you’ll emerge from this moderate wog mentally clean, even if you’re sweaty and your clothes are dirty. And at 34 minutes, you can linger in this wash without worrying about wasting water! Get the list and more at Podwogging.com.

Fools Wog In

Hey, you just won a free iPod! And an invitation to participate in the IPWC (International Podwogging Championships) to be held in Sydney, Australia, this Thursday, April...uh...first. Oh well. Maybe I’m a fool for thing king I could fool you. But I have a nice little wog to celebrate April Fools, which you can find at (natch) Podwogging.com. In this week’s wog you’ll find all kinds of songs about fools, from Ricky Nelson’s Fools Rush In, to completely different two songs with the name Ship of Fools by The Doors and Elvis Costello (and it could have been three with the one by the Dead) to Martha’s Foolish Ginger by Tori Amos. Also with tunes by Bonnie Raitt, the Stone Roses, Robin Trower, and Steely Dan, It’ll give you 39 minutes of motley fun on the wogging trail.

Brownie Points

Whether contemplating his girlfriend’s pregnancy or fantasizing about escaping on the road, Jackson Browne pretty much embodied the zeitgeist of the 70s: wanting to find spiritual fulfillment, yet not willing to quite give up the creature comforts brought about by America’s economic perch sustained by global military domination. Ah, life as the guilty conscience of America can be tough. Good thing he knew how to rock out, as this week’s wog surely demonstrates: to balance the agony of The Fuse or Rock Me on the Water we have the kick-out-the-jams Redneck Friend and The Road and the Sky. You don’t have to walk on water, just get your sneakers out on the roadside and wog. The roadmap is at Pogwogging.com.

Prayer-Optional Wogging

Take some Byrds-inspired ringing guitar work, add a hip-sounding collegiate lead singer from Australia, and finish with an almost U2-like big rock sound. That’s The Church, best known for their lush, alt-rock hit Under the Milky Way, way back in the 80s. But if you think they didn’t rock, check out Reptile—my fave—or When You Were Mine, both from The Blurred Crusade. And they played uptempo, too—even Milky Way is a light jog. This 40-minute set will delight your senses and pound your pulse, friends. Check it out at Podwogging.com.