Look, I'm not playing with you here. Paul Anka has elevated himself from a weirdo who did cutesy 60's tunes to a virtual genius. It might just be his arrangements, but whoa, you cannot not listen to his new album and NOT be entertained. I dare you to try.
It's not like other people haven't tried to arrange say, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as a swing number, but Anka's arrangements are fantastic.
I'm not joking. Check it out on iTunes if you don't believe me. I would say that "Wonderwall" is another favorite, though for sentimental reasons, the Lionel Richie song, "Hello", is nice. (For some reason, I remember really liking Lionel Richie in the early 80's. Before I was eight, probably. And of course, the video for "Hello" is a pop-culture staple, with a recent spoof Starburst commercial proving it.)
All I'm saying about the Anka album is that it might be possibly the best album EVER to play during a grown-up dinner party, if you have those sorts of things. (Which S and I do not, the single best reason why being that we don't have a dining rooom table or a kitchen table or a table of any sorts on which it is appropriate to eat. That's right, our apartment is that small.) I think your guests will be astounded by the perfection of the album for the situation, because not only will they be listening to swing music, but swing music versions of their favorite rock songs. (Except for "Black Hole Sun" which is possibly the worst song ever in the history of the world, in any version.)
Comments