FRIDAY RANDOM TEN

Time once again for the Friday Random Ten - a randomized mix of Choons from the Little White Choon-Box d’Elisson.

This week’s list leads off with a beautifully twisted number from Tom Waits, the paranoiac “What’s He Building?” The live version is especially tasty because Waits interacts with the crowd, playing with the lyrics, carefully constructing a tone poem of incipient madness.

Also noteworthy is the cut by Matisyahu, who appeared at the Tabernacle here in Atlanta last night. I’ve seen Matisyahu perform here - he was at Smith’s Olde Bar almost a year ago - and I’m sorry I did not get out to see this show. Hip-hop Hasidic reggae? You bettah believe it.

I also must mention the tenth song, from Moonraker’s first CD. Some New York and Boston readers may be familiar with this group, named Best New Band at the 2003 Boston Music Awards. I’m especially familiar with ’em, as they’ve stayed at Chez Elisson - and the bass player is none other than Elder Daughter’s main squeeze, Khody.

1. What’s He Building? (live) - Tom Waits
   
   What’s he building in there?
   What the hell is he building
   In there?
   He has subscriptions to those
   Magazines... He never
   Waves when he goes by
   He’s hiding something from
   The rest of us... He’s all
   To himself... I think I know
   Why... He took down the
   Tire swing from the Peppertree
   He has no children of his
   Own you see... He has no dog
   And he has no friends and
   His lawn is dying... and
   What about all those packages
   He sends. What’s he building in there?
   With that hook light
   On the stairs. What’s he building
   In there... I’ll tell you one thing
   He’s not building a playhouse for
   The children. What’s he building
   In there?
   
   Now what’s that sound from under the door?
   He’s pounding nails into a
   Hardwood floor... and I
   Swear to God I heard someone
   Moaning low... and I keep
   Seeing the blue light of a
   T.V. show...
   He has a router
   And a table saw... and you
   Won’t believe what Mr. Sticha saw
   There’s poison underneath the sink
   Of course... But there’s also
   Enough formaldehyde to choke
   A horse... What’s he building
   In there? What the hell is he
   Building in there? I heard he
   Has an ex-wife in some place
   Called Mayors Income, Tennessee
   And he used to have a
   consulting business in Indonesia...
   but what is he building in there?
   What the hell is he building in there?
   
   He has no friends
   But he gets a lot of mail
   I’ll bet he spent a little
   Time in jail...
   I heard he was up on the
   Roof last night
   Signaling with a flashlight
   And what’s that tune he’s
   Always whistling...
   What’s he building in there?
   What’s he building in there?
   
   We have a right to know...
   
   
2. Zomby Woof (live) - Frank Zappa
   
3. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
   
4. Sesame Seeds - Mitch Hedberg
   
5. Suo Gan - John Williams, Empire of the Sun
   
6. Interlude - Matisyahu
   
7. Knights Of The Round Table - Monty Python’s Spamalot
   
8. Penny Lane - The Beatles
   
9. Wacky Adventures of Abe Lincoln - Laurence Simon
   
10. Night With You - Moonraker
    

It’s Friday. What are you listening to?