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.)
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