My Top 1000 Songs #823: To Call My Own

[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.]

A second appearance on the list from Golden Smog, IMHO one of the only "super-groups" whose records surpass much of the work of their individual contributors. Like the more Americana-tinged "Looking Forward To Seeing You," it's off 1998's superb Weird Tales--the two tracks open the LP with a dynamite one-two punch--and it's a winning gem of jangly power pop.

This one is helmed by Dan Murphy, guitarist from Soul Asylum (joined by the usual assortment of players from Wilco, Jayhawks, etc.), and it's another reminder that it's a shame he didn't step to the mic more often with that band. Indeed, the song feels like a sequel of sorts to "Cartoon," one of Murphy's rare Soul Asylum leads (and an early entry on this list), with endlessly catchy hooks and some seared-in-the-brain lyrical couplets. "Blowing through my losing streak, bought the farm on a dead-end street. Nothing ever grows under your sun."

Live 2022 (rough sound):