Wonder (Live)/Natalie Merchant (Merchant)
I always found Natalie Merchant a bit too precious for my taste, but
Sandra seemed to like her. This particular song is pleasant enough if
you imagine it as being sung about someone other than the singer herself.
(Easier said than done, I guess, since it's written in the first person.)
Lush and Green/Grandpaboy (Westerberg)
In 50+ years of existence, rock and roll has had virtually
nothing of substance to say about death. Here's one song that at least
faces the subject with appropriate measures of heartbreak and gallows
humor.
Everyday Is Like Sunday/Morrissey
(Morrissey/Street)
Sandbot was a big Smiths/Morrissey fan. When the Moz is on top of his game (as he is here), I kinda dig him, too.
Some Days Are Better Than Others/U2
(U2)
She was a child of an ironic age, which showed in her sense
of humor (as it does in mine).
Songbird/Fleetwood Mac (McVie)
But irony melts away in the face of genuine loss.
Tales from the Riverbank/The Jam (Weller)
In all my adult life, I've only met one other confirmed fan of the
Jam--Miss Sandbot.
Charlie Brown and His All-Stars/George Winston (Guaraldi)
By contrast, there are plenty of Peanuts fans in the world. But even so, Sandra ranked among the true believers.
When I Paint My Masterpiece (Live)/Bob
Dylan and The Band (Dylan)
Sit down and let me tell you about all the things I'm gonna do when I grow
up...
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a
Small Town (Live)/Pearl Jam (Abbruzzese/Ament/Gossard/McCready/Vedder)
...or is that all the things I should have done while I still had the chance?
Fading into Obscurity/Sloan (Sloan)
How many bands can write a convincing pop song about ambivalence in the face of middle age?
Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye/Annie Lennox
(Porter)
How strange the change from major to minor
From the 1990 Cole Porter tribute/AIDS benefit CD, Red Hot +
Blue.
Gentle Moon/Sun Kil Moon
(Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon)
She mentioned in an email once that she'd been listening to this
band. A note of quiet, somber beauty to go out on.
Rest in peace, my friend.