MONKEY GONE TO HAVANA

1. Five Years, Yo La Tengo
From their debut, and trust me, in a blind taste test, there's no chance you'd know it's the Real Thing...

2. Surfer Girl, The Beach Boys
“In my Woody, I will take you everywhere I go.” Sorry, that still makes me laugh. But, damn, they make it sound like The Lord's Prayer. And maybe it is, Beavis. Maybe it is...

3. Dear Grandma and Grandpa, Tortoise
This is a good opportunity to mention that I had occasion to multiply 666 by 4.17 today while I was crunching some numbers at work. I'll save you the trouble: the result was 2777.22. Now, I'm not a religious man, and numerology holds little sway with me, but it pleased me greatly to see those three sixes turn into three sevens, surrounded by three twos.

4. Preciso Dizer Que Te Amo, Cazuza & Bebel Gilberto
I logged eight credits of intermediate Spanish in college, and passed only because I had a very cool instructor who knew that passing was a requirement for me to get into grad school. But I'll take a shot at translating that title: “What a Precise Cigar, Dizer.” Not 100% sure who Dizer is, but I think he was a painter...

5. Champs, Wire
Woo hoo-- post-punk handclaps!