Tune That Name: W-Z

“Don’t you ever tangle with the ruling class …”

“Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967,” John Mayer
“Mr. Wendal,” Arrested Development
“Wendell Gee,” R.E.M.
“William & Maggie,” Charlie Peacock
“Willie and the Pigman,” Tonio K.
“Winona,” Matthew Sweet
“She’s My Winona,” Fall Out Boy
“Woody,” The 77’s
“Ziggy Stardust,” David Bowie

I think that “January 1967” in the title of John Mayer’s song is a nice touch. It’s a specific detail not included in the tall tale of the song itself, but that specificity, for just a moment, gives you pause — wait, did this really happen?

Here’s another video for an alternate take on “Wendell Gee.” This one features R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills singing and playing piano and the video fascinates me because I want to see more from this concert. It’s from a 2002 (?) event in Atlanta that included Mills, June Carter Cash, Cindy Wilson (of the B-52s), Don McLean, Edwin McCain and Angie Aparo. Here’s the only other track I could find: Wilson doing a downbeat, acoustic reworking of “Roam.” If anyone can scrounge up more from that concert (I’m hoping there was some kind of everybody-sing grand finale of, like, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”) please post a link.

And here’s one more version of “Ziggy Stardust,” because Gail Ann Dorsey.