Early in the Morning, I'm Callin' YouTube, Vol. VI

It took me awhile to come around to Sufjan Stevens (who my friend, Kayley, saw last night at the Brooklyn Acamedy of Music in a concert about the Brooklyn Queens Expressway--it was supposed to be better than it sounds) but lately, I've been listening to him a lot. The reason? Songs like "Casimir Pulaski Day."

I have no interest in rap, except for "Ghost Ride the Whip"--although it's pretty much the worst rap song ever (especially with lines, "Ghost ride, ghost ride/Get out the way, let Casper drive/Ghost ride, go crazy/Who that drivin'? Patrick Swayze." For all those who don't know how to ghost ride, Urban Dictionary describes it as, "When you put your car on cruise control and climb out and dance on the roof." So lame, but a catchy song.

There's a plethora of great Who clips on YouTube, but this, a version of "A Quick One (While He's Away)" from '68's Rock 'N' Roll Circus, might just be the best thing out there.

Here's a pretty good version of "My Back Pages," with help from Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and, of course, Bob Dylan, although Dylan does sound terrible in it.

I normally hate videos that consist only of pictures, instead of video, accompanied with music, but in the case of the Everly Brothers' "Take a Message to Mary," the song is so good, I don't really care.

Five Best...Overrated Albums That Are Still Pretty Good

#5. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols

I love the album as much as the next person, but is it the greatest punk album ever as many lists would clam it to be? Um, I’ll take The Clash any day, thank you very much.

#4. Tommy by The Who

There are some many better Who albums (let’s start with The Who Sell Out) but much of the time is spent talking about this album. It’s good and interesting, but it’s no “A Quick One” or “Substitute.”

#3. The Joshua Tree by U2

I never miss the chance to make a good U2 joke (or at least cracking on Bono) because of their “epic” status, but when I listen to Tree, I can't help but think how good of a band they are. Also the fact that it has my name in the title and came out the year I was born helps too…

#2. Nevermind by Nirvana

Not their best album (I’d give that honor to Bleach), but the one that everyone talks about and listens to. Still, for any other band, it’d be the greatest thing they could ever hope to release—after all, it is a really good album.

#1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles

I know the album is beyond influential and I do think some of the tracks are great (“A Day in the Life,” “Getting Better,” “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”), but there’s no way this is better than Rubber Soul.

Five Best...Rock Operas

(Working off the Wikipedia page for "rock opera albums" because if you try hard enough, you can make nearly any album fall under the title of being a "rock opera.")

#10. Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution

#9. American Idiot by Green Day

#8. Frank's Wild Years by Tom Waits

#7. Greendale by Neil Young

#6. Quadrophenia by The Who

#5. Joe's Garage by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

#4. Tommy by The Who

#3. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie

#2. Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) by The Kinks

#1. "A Quick One (While He's Away)" by The Who

Five Best...Songs about Masturbation

#5. "Darling Nikki" by Prince and the Revolution

Knew a girl named Nikki,
I guess you could say she was a sex fiend.
I met her in a hotel lobby,
Masturbating with a magazine.

#4. "Orgasm Addict" by the Buzzcocks

Well you tried it just for once found it all right for kicks,
But now you found out that it's a habit that sticks,
And you're an orgasm addict, you're an orgasm addict,
Sneaking in the back door with dirty magazines.
Now your mother wants to know what all those stains on your jeans.

#3. "I Touch Myself" by The DiVinyls

I don't want anybody else,
And when I think about you I touch myself.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, aah.

(Sorry, but I had to...)

#2. "Pictures of Lily" by The Who

I got so sick of having sleepless nights,
I went and told my dad
He said, ‘Son, now here’s some little something’
And stuck them on my wall

#1. "Pump It Up" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Down in the pleasure centers,
Hell bent or heaven sent,
Listen to the propaganda,
Listen to the latest slander.
There's nothing underhand,
That she wouldn't understand.
Pump it up until you can feel it.
Pump it up when you don't really need it.