Heaven could be any place at all …

“Kneel at the Feet of Jesus,” Willie Nelson
“The Kneeling Drunkard’s Plea,” Johnny Cash
“Knife,” Aztec Camera
“Knife,” Grizzly Bear
“Knife Chase,” Tom Waits
“Knife Going In,” Tegan & Sara
“Knights in Shining Karma,” XTC
“Knock ‘Em Out,” Lily Allen
“Knock on Wood,” Eddie Floyd
“Knockin’ in a Room,” Twitchen Vibes
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” Bob Dylan
“Knowing Me, Knowing You,” Abba
“Knoxville Girl,” Nick Cave
“Knuckle Too Far,” James

Couldn’t find a video of Johnny Cash singing “Drunkard’s Prayer,” so the link above is to a version by the Carter sisters, from back before June Carter became June Carter Cash.

That song was a hit for the Louvin Brothers — here’s their version. They had an even bigger hit with their oddly chipper rendition of “Knoxville Girl.”

Wikipedia has an interesting, if short, entry on that song, an Appalachian murder ballad first recorded in 1924. It’s an odd and very, very dark song detailing the murder of the girl of the title. No reason is given for it and the song’s narrator — the murderer himself — seems just as puzzled by it as anyone else. I don’t understand that song. I suspect I don’t want to understand that song.

The way that I feel is no longer news …

“Jack of All Parades,” Elvis Costello
“Jack’s Valentine,” Over the Rhine
“Jackeyed,” Micah P. Hinson
“Jacksie,” Over the Rhine
“Jackson,” Lucinda Williams
“Jacksons, Monk & Rowe,” Elvis Costello
“Jaded,” Green Day
“Jail Guitar Doors,” The Clash
“Jailer,” Asa
“Jailhouse Rock,” Elvis Presley
“Jam,” Michael Jackson
“James,” Huffamoose
“The James Bond Theme,” Leroy Holmes
“Jamey’s Got the Blues,” Randy Stonehill
“Jamie All Over,” Mayday Parade
“Jane Says,” Jane’s Addiction
“Jangling Jack,” Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Somehow I don’t seem to have a copy of Johnny and June singing “Jackson.” Have to fix that at some point.

Spin the bottle, pick the victim …

“Has Anybody Here Seen Hank?” The Waterboys
“Has He Got a Friend for Me?” Maria McKee
“Hate and War,” The Clash
“Hateful,” The Clash
“Haunted,” Evanescence
“Haunted,” Shane MacGowan & Sinead O’Connor
“Haunted,” Ramona Silver
“Haunted,” Taylor Swift
“Haunted Castle,” The Kingsmen
“Have a Little Faith in Me,” Jewel
“Have a Little Faith in Me,” John Hiatt
“Have a Little Faith in Me,” Patty Larkin
“Have to Drive,” Amanda Palmer
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Have You Had Enough?” Rickie Lee Jones & Squirrel Nut Zippers
“Have You No Pride,” The Donnas

I try to keep Christmas music separate the rest of the year, but “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a terrific song. It’s not so much about one particular holiday as about the holidays in general. I seem to be collecting versions of that song, so far including: Bright Eyes, Cold Play, The Pretenders, Sarah McLachlan and Hem.

And for a collection of covers of John Hiatt’s “Have a Little Faith in Me,” see this earlier post.

The compass points the workers home

“The Great American Cure,” Randy Stonehill
“Great Big Love,” Bruce Cockburn
“Great Big No,” The Lemonheads
“The Great Speckled Bird,” Johnny Cash
“The Greatest,” Cat Power
“The Greatest Cowboy of Them All,” Johnny Cash
“Green Arrow,” Yo La Tengo
“Green Eggs and Ham,” Moxy Fruvous
“Green Grow the Rushes,” R.E.M.
“Green Mansions,” Van Morrison
“Green Onions,” Booker T. & The MGs
“Green River,” Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Greenman,” XTC
“Greenshirt,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
“Greenville,” Lucinda Williams

Happy Cockburn is good, but I like angry Cockburn even better.

For anyone other than Johnny Cash, recording a song about how Jesus was “The Greatest Cowboy of Them All” would be a very bad idea. It wasn’t the very best idea, even for Cash, but somehow he pulls it off.

I love the video above for “Green Onions.” Booker T. & The MG’s play it like it isn’t something they composed, but something they just discovered — like this is the first time they’ve ever heard it and even they can’t quite believe how cool it is.

“Green Onions” is another song I would encourage you to imagine as the soundtrack playing throughout your day. Maybe you don’t much care for your job or your boss or your cubicle or whatever, but the next time you’re walking from your desk to the copier or to the printer, imagine this sweet groove playing as you stride across the office — suddenly you’re the coolest person on earth and whatever you’re doing is the coolest thing anyone could possibly be doing.

(You can also do this with Yo La Tengo’s “Green Arrow,” but that’s a different vibe. Now you’re not just some person walking to the break room, now you’re dark and mysterious. Careful, though, it’s a bit noir-ish, so if “Green Arrow” is your personal soundtrack you may not be headed for the happiest of endings.)

I’ve been playing this over and over since stumbling across it earlier this week. This is Bill Frisell, Eyving Kang, Ron Miles and Curtis Fowlkes doing John Hiatt’s “Have a Little Faith in Me.”

Yeah, it’s your basic guitar-violin-trumpet-trombone combo.

Fowlkes’ trombone line may be permanently stuck in my head. And, actually, I’m happy about this.

I’m also happy that this song is becoming something of a standard. It should.

Here are nine more versions of Hiatt’s classic, just because:

• John Hiatt
• Jewel
• Joe Cocker
• Mandy Moore
• Jon Bon Jovi
• Delbert McClinton
• Chaka Khan
• Ilse DeLange
• Solveig Slettahjell

If I send it to you, you’ve got to promise to keep it whole

“Fall at Your Feet,” Crowded House
“Fall Away,” The Fray
“Fall Behind Me,” The Donnas
“The Fall of Troy,” Tom Waits
“Fall on Me,” Cry Cry Cry
“Fall on Me,” Mark Erelli
“Fall on Me,” R.E.M.
“Fall to Pieces,” Avril Lavigne
“Fall Too Soon,” Milla
“Fallen Angel,” Robbie Robertson
“Fallen for You,” Sheila Nicholls
“Fallin’,” Asher Roth
“Falling,” Julie Cruise
“Falling Dove,” Crowded House
“Falling for You,” Weezer
“Falling or Flying,” Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
“Falling Out of Love at This Volume,” Bright Eyes
“Falling Slowly,” The Frames
“Falling Up,” Rickie Lee Jones

Yes, there’s an Asher Roth song in there. It’s a Chester County thing.