Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele :: When You Were Mine

When you were mine
I gave you all of my money
Time after time
You done me wrong



















Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele, "When You Were Mine"

Yes. this is the Prince song and yes, Dent May plays a magnificent ukelele, that is no euphemism. I know, too many covers can be cloying, but this one is both sweet and sad, lovely and lilting. I like his achy-break-y voice. And I believe Dent May is heartbroken over the girl. I'm not sure, in spite of a whole lot of emotion, that Prince is in fact all that shook up. I mean, he's Prince. He may be short, but he is potent if you get my drift. The man gots all the ladies. But anyway, I don't mean to slag Prince. His original version, from Dirty Mine, is flipping gorgeous. Okay then. So Dent is from Mississippi. And I still have to do that little spelling thing m-i-ss-i-ss-i-pp-i thing to spell it. He likes John Waters and Tab. So I like him. There have been plenty of other covers, I could do a whole week of just this song: Cyndi Lauper. Tegan & Sara. Mitch Ryder. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Ani DiFranco. Crooked Fingers (I need to track that one down!!)

On a related note to my book (but not to this post) I recently was a guest on more than a dozen radio programs promoting 30 DAYS TO GETTING OVER THE DORK YOU USED TO CALL YOUR BOYFRIEND. A few were fun, some were embarrassing, one was truly embarrassing. Wanna hear me on Dr. Alvin Augustus Jones "Eternity in Your Heart" family radio programming in Virginia? Go ahead. Okay you probably really don't want to. It's um, painful.

On an un-related note... did you see my very own brother posted a note on my site. I just noticed. Yipee! I love my brother.

More about Dent May :: More about my brother!

Eagle Seagull :: I'm Sorry But I'm Beginning To Hate Your Face

Don't give a damn who lead who on
It's of no concern to me
If you could tell the new man, please
To hang up my shirt
As he takes it off your shoulders
It's the least he could do
If we're going to share you

















Eagle Seagull, "I'm Sorry, But I'm Beginning To Hate Your Face"

Oh, snap. Ok I have never written or uttered those words together, but Oh how I do live the snarkiness and sharpness of those lyrics. The song goes on to recount how she isn't the same person anymore, how they don't talk, all the things that lead to the heart-breaking end of a relationship. This Lincoln, Nebraska based band is big in Germany. And Austria. And why they aren't big here I don't know. I like Eli Mardock's breathy, pained voice. I really, really do.

More about Eagle Seagull.

A Smile And A Ribbon :: The Boy I Wish I Never Met

The boy-oy I wish I never met
The boy-oy I wish I never met













A Smile And A Ribbon, "The Boy I Wish I Never Met"

Okay so I don't know the lyrics, exactly. This is another Swedish band, this one comprised of Rebecca Melhman and Martin Lindqvist. Their MySpace page mentions that they basically took Rebecca's failed relationship and set it to music. Sounds perfect for this here blog, no? This song starts off slow, soft and fuzzy and then at about a minute and ten seconds in the drums and guitar kick in and it's a lovely low-fi pop gem that you can pogo round the house to singing "The boy-oy that I wish I never met..." It's still a little fuzzy and soft 'round the edges and that's just a-ok in my book. Their song "Book Cover" is equally fine for this mix tape and frankly, so is the rest of their tunes. Lovely!

More about A Smile And a Ribbon can be found here.

The Boy Least Likely To: Faith

Oh but I need some time off from that emotion
Time to pick my heart up off the floor
And when that love comes down without devotion
Well it takes a strong man baby but I'm showing you the door














The Boy Least Likely To, "Faith"

I have posted this one before as well, but hopefully there are many new folks to these pages now in this, the SECOND DAY OF MY BOOK BEING AVAILABLE. And well, you can never go wrong with hand claps or George Michael covers.

Oh how I love the Boy Least Likely To! This English duo (with a handful of other musicians playing things like recorders and glockenspiels) have been releasing singles and EPs since 2003. They have one full length, The Best Party Ever and it's a delightful confection, so sugar coco pop with sing along choruses and beautiful instrumentation, the stand-outs being "Be Gentle With Me" and "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star."

And here they cover the George Michael Dear John letter of a song, "Faith." Oh the inner turmoil and angst George wrote about, wanting his lover so but knowing he was better off without. And this is one of those kiss-off songs that is too much fun NOT to sing along with. So put it on loud and dance around your room in your jammies. This track is from their website and if you go there, link below, you can download even more tunes.

More about The Boy Least Likely To :: Full lyrics to "Faith"

Donovan Woods : I Ain't Saying She's Better Than You

And all of the things you showed to me
That lead me to this solemn decree
I ain't sayin' she's better than you, you see
She's just better, than you, for me













Donovan Woods, "I Ain't Saying She's Better Than You"

It's true, I posted this long ago. If you've been with me, you know. But I had to, on this, THE DAY MY BOOK COMES OUT, pick the best break-up song, possibly, ever.

Break-up songs don't get any more truthful and forthcoming than this. This may be difficult to hear, this song. But I think it's worth it. Not just for the beauty of the music, or his wistful voice or delicate guitar, but the incredibly succinct sentiments here that I suspect are behind many, many break-ups.

There are lessons here gals, there are lessons.

Here is a guy opening up and being honest, he found someone better. Not a better person, just better for him.


Now, not to be overt or blunt here but hey, it is a blog for a book and that book comes out TODAY!!!! So head on over to Amazon.com, if you feel like it of course, and check it out, purchase it, tell your friends, you know the rest. It does make a great gift!!!!!! xox

You can BUY IT HERE (how was that for blunt?)




Donovan's MySpace Page :: More Songs By Donovan

Julie Feeney :: You Bring Me Down

I need to catch the bee in your bonnet
Turn it inside out with you on it



















Julie Feeney, "You Bring Me Down"

Julie Feeney is an Irish singer songwriter who used to perform (as a singer, not a dancer) with Riverdance. But don't hold that against her. She's actually got a very quirky and loverly sound. She's also an elementary school teacher, or at least she went to school and graduated as one. Cute, no? This song is such a kiss-off. This is from her CD 13 Songs which finds her playing eleven instruments on, including the toy-like tinklings of the recorder, harmonium and accordian.

More about Julie?

April McLean:: Rock, Paper Scissors

I don’t know why I should care
I’m always looking for something in you that’s not there
And it doesn’t seem fair but it’s all that we’ve got
Because the truth is you can’t be someone that you’re not



















April McLean, "Rock Paper Scissors"

This is a very catchy song about a crappy relationship that is dissolving, or should be. April sounds a little like Aimee Mann and Sam Phillips (the voice of the Gilmore Girls) and even a little Marti Jones (so 90s!) Songs from her first CD were on the show Felicity. Oh I loved Felicity. I need to get that on DVD. But I digress, this is a pop nugget ideal for a break-up mix.

Read more about April

Anna Terneheim :: To Be Gone

Leave the body leave the mind
Leave the body leave the mind
Every promise every place behind
I just happen to feel so alone
For today for all days to come



















Anna Ternheim, "To Be Gone"

You know I love the Swedes. Anna is Swedish and she's won a few Swedish Grammys and October 07 saw the US release of her second CD. This is from her first though. This song isn't clearly about a break-up, but it's so melancholy and delicately dark and, if you'd decided to sulk for an afternoon in your misery (something I think is ok as long as we are in fact talking about an afternoon and not an abundance of afternoons) well this would be really gorgeous and well, effective on that soundtrack. I like Anna, check out her new CD.

More about Anna.