
Soft Rock - Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey An instrumental version, so you can sing along with the choruses, as Big B has been known to do, when he has a drop taken.

The Great Society - Love You Girl Many thanks to the lads in MGMT for peeling this one off in their Late Night Tale . The melody keeps bringing me back to the "Smiling faces, I can see" part of As Tears Go By (also from '64/'65)... coincidence? Written and sung by David Miner. Recorded October–December 1965, Golden State Recorders, San Francisco, California.

The Sopwith Camel - Fazon One of my New Year's resolutions was to not post any more music with wah-chicka-wah-style funk rhythm guitar in it, but for soundscapes this pillowy, I make an exception.

General Strike - My Other Body A set of humans made a series of decisions several years ago, and this was the result. Special thanks to Dan Hougland for the tip.

Harry Nilsson - Save the Last Dance for Me Just some good lost weekend music.

Neil Diamond - Lady Oh Off of 1976's Robbie Robertson-produced Beautiful Noise . This with Robbie Robertson on guitar, Bob James with the string and horn arrangements.

Hatsune Miku Orchestra - Nice Age It's come to this.

Joe Dassin - Le Jardin de Luxembourg Salut les Amoureux "Like many Russians, Olga adored Joe Dassin, especially the songs on his last album, with their resigned, lucid melancholy. Jed shivered, feeling an irrepresible crisis coming on, and when he remembered the words of "Hello Lovers" he began to cry." --Michel Houllebecq

Improved Sound Limited - Nine Feet Over the Tarmac Suicide Road With a tip of the hat to my brother , here are two songs by Improved Sound Limited from Wim Wender's 1976 movie Kings of the Road . I haven't seen it, but based on these two tracks I'm going to tentatively say it's the best fucking movie ever made.

Elton John - Amoreena OK, this is the third time I've posted this song, but it's that good. And we haven't heard this version from 11/17/70. Note to self - live more like a lusty flower in '12.

Stephen Stills - Midnight in Paris From 1976's not very good Illegal Stills , here's a track written by Donnie Dacus and Stills's wife at the time, Veronique Sanson. Listen as Stephen Stills sings in French. Wonder about the debt Woody Allen owes to this album. Midnight in Paris? And does Stephen Stills bear a little more than a passing resemblance to a certain Wilson brother? Just sayin'.

The Beach Boys - Little Bird Dennis Wilson comin' at ya off of Friends . I feel like the string section should be given the sample treatment. Or maybe it has been? Whatever. I'd still probably prefer this version.

Bee Gees: I Close My Eyes From the b-side of the Bee Gees' 1st . Add it to the list of classics released in 1967.

Terry Melcher - Beverly Hills The Old Hand Jive And speaking of Terry Melcher, here are two from Terry Melcher , an album Bud Scoppa in [...]

Al Hazan - Just Another Broken Heart Get ready to hit play again and again on this one from Al Hazan. Some things to know about the man, from his website: "In addition to his music career, Al has been a licensed real estate broker since 1954, worked as a professional photographer, is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, and now specializes in treating crime victims as a Doctor of Psychology." And, relevantly: "Dr Hazan earned his PhD in Psychology in 1987 after writing his dissertation on the Seven Developmental Stages of [...]

Chris Robison - I'm Gonna Stay With My Baby Tonight Special thanks to Wombletunes for this one.

Eddie Hooper & Storm - Pass It On (Part 1) Although I already recommended purchasing an mp3 of this, I have to post it now--slightly slowed, à la Tako in this mix--for New Year's inspirational purposes. Can't wait to hear part 2.

2011: The Year In Review Igor Stravinsky - Otche Nash Brenda Lee - The Crying Game Zoo - Hard Times, Good Times Tuesday - Sewing Machine France Gall - Les Petits Ballons England's Glory - Bright Lights Nancy Sinatra - Sugar Me Helen Banks - Do You Know Sensational Nightingales - My Sisters And Brothers Sadistic Mika Band - Hi Jack (I'm [...]

Marie Moor - Illusions Since no one has offered to send me their copy of this record yet, I'm posting a sweet youtube rip of it for now. (Thanks to the folks at clipconverter.cc for the good times.) Words and music by Friedrich Hollaender . Here's a clip of Marlene Dietrich singing the O.G. In this crazy paradise, you are in love with pain. Pop the champagne.

Je Demain - L'Hiver Au Bord De La Mer Special thanks to TV Disko for the tip on this one. Lordy, we haven't posted any hibernian French synth-pop this frothy since Mikado . Read an interview (in French) with Je Demain here . Have a spacious New Year.