My Top 1000 Songs #965: Bad Reputation

[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.]

I don't remember exactly how I first came across singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston. But in 1994--when his third (and IMHO best) album This Perfect World came out--I'd just moved out to the suburbs ourside San Francisco, and was occasionally dropping by the local Tower Records for some retail therapy after a long day at the office and commute home. And I hazily recall this being one of those CDs I snapped up on one of those trips, maybe saw it on display and grabbed it on a lark.

I still love the album, which conjures a very of-the-moment personal association that brings me back to a particular point in my life, entering a new phase of adulthood. Plenty of really great tracks, especially opener "Bad Reputation." It's an amiable bit of melodic rock, tossing in some gentle jangle and some Americana and some FM-dial-friendly Laurel Canyon vibes. Nothing flashy, but kinda begs to have you throw it onto one of those playlists you cue up whenever friends drop by.

Live on Conan 1994:

Solo acoustic 2016: