My Top 1000 Songs #664: Whenever You're On My Mind

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.] 

Now, THAT'S how you write a jangly power pop song!

Sure, Marshall Crenshaw's 1983 sophomore LP, Field Day, couldn't quite match his 1982 self-titled debut, which was riddled with classic pop songs (yeah, we'll be getting to some of those!), he had held back this ringer. (The original demo later showed up on the debut album's reissue CD.) And what a song! The perfect sing-along chorus that sticks in your brain like bubblegum on a hot sidewalk... the chiming guitars... the big 80s drums that actually work... the simple love song lyrics that make you want to throw the track on a mixtape for your latest crush... everything one could want in a power pop song.

Live:

Solo acoustic in 2011:

Ronnie Spector cover:

Marti Jones cover: