The blog of author Dennis Cooper

Happy birthday to me: My 60-something favorite songs of all time as of today, playable and in no order *

* (restored/updated)

Randy Newman Old Man

 

Tobin Sprout To My Beloved Martha

 

Destroyer An Actor’s Revenge

 

Sebadoh Brand New Love

 

Pinback Talby

 

The Velvet Underground White Light/White Heat

 

Nina Simone Pirate Jenny

 

Wire Mr. Marx’s Table

 

The Quick Teacher’s Pet

 

Pink Floyd Lucifer Sam

 

Pavement Grounded

 

Cheap Trick Auf Wiedersehen

 

Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band Big Eyed Beans From Venus

 

Guided by Voices Redmen And Their Wives

 

Laura Nyro Gibsom Street

 

Alexander O’Neal Criticize

 

Drive Like Jehu Here Come The Rome Plows

 

Sonic Youth Schizophrenia

 

Ramones I Don’t Wanna Go Down To The Basement

 

Donovan Epistle to Dippy

 

Superchunk Untied

 

Eno The True Wheel

 

Airport 5 Stifled Man Casino

 

The Shangri-Las Past, Present And Future

 

Gram Parsons $1000 Wedding

 

Loudon Wainwright III Kick in the Head

 

Andy Pratt Inside Me Wants Out

 

Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht Song of the Insufficiency of Human Endeavor

Play it here

 

David Ackles Midnight Carousel

 

Buffy Sainte-Marie My Country Tis of Thy People You’re Dying

 

The Rolling Stones We Love You

 

Spacemen 3 OD Catastrophe

 

The Jesus And Mary Chain Some Candy Talking

 

The Melvins Joan of Arc

 

The Dickies Fan Mail

 

Xiu Xiu Blacks

 

Family Voyage

 

New Pornographers Use It

 

Sparks Mickey Mouse

 

The Cramps Garbage Man

 

Neil Young Tired Eyes

 

Cat Power Nude as the News

 

Swervedriver Rave Down

 

Björk Hyperballad

 

Spirit Aren’t You Glad

 

The Left Banke She May Call You Up Tonight

 

ABBA Knowing Me, Knowing You

 

Magazine The Light Pours Out of Me

 

The Flaming Lips The Spiderbite Song

 

Jefferson Airplane Two Heads

 

Bow Wow Wow Chihuahua

 

Husker Du Divide And Conquer

 

Vår Pictures of Today/Victorial

 

Wall Of Voodoo Factory

 

Fleetwood Mac The Green Manalishi

 

The Fall Smile

 

Sebadoh As the World Dies, the Eyes of God Grow Bigger

 

Roy Wood & Electric Light Orchestra Look at Me Now

 

Incredible String Band Very Cellular Song

 

Dwight Twilley Looking for the Magic

 

The Flamin’ Groovies Slow Death

 

The Groundhogs Cherry Red

 

Echo And The Bunnymen Over The Wall

 

The Kinks Susannah’s Still Alive

 

Van Dyke Parks The All Golden

 

Fugazi Rend It

 

Drunken Boat Pool

 

Alice Cooper Halo of Flies

 

S.O.S. Band Just Be Good to Me

 

Chic My Feet Keep Dancing

 

Tricky Diss Never (Dig Up We history)

 

Tim Buckley Pleasant Street

 

My Bloody Valentine Cigarette in Your Bed

 

Ride Vapour Trail

 

Serge Lama Je suis malade

 

 

*

p.s. Hey. ** David Ehrenstein, Thanks for the links. I’ll hit them when post-p.s. ** kier, Hey, Kier, buddy boy!!!! Thanks about the French publisher. No, they’re my longtime French publisher Editions P.O.L., but I love them, and they’re generally considered the best publisher in France, so I’m just thrilled that they loved my new novel enough to take it. Hooray that your Paris stay is confirmed! Yes! So exciting, and I (and Zac) can’t wait to see you and have tons of adventures. I remember your friends, sure, of course, and awesome that they’ll be here as well. Oh, I’ll make sure you’ll get into ‘TIHYWD’. Yes, it’s the one with the Fujiko Nakaya fog sculpture/event. I’ll ask Gisele about that. I’m seeing her tomorrow. I’ll get a bead on other stuff around then and make notes. Greatness about your show! When is that? And I’ll look at the documentation. I weirdly have a gallery show soon too, of my gif novels, or of a few of them, here in Paris. Trippy. I’m good. In the final couple of days of finishing the murderous TV series script for better or worse, and okay otherwise. Love in a gigantic amount back to you! ** Sypha, Thanks. Well, a publisher just for France. Although I just got a German publisher for the novel too. Now if I can only get a US publisher. Yes, I meant the Ligotti Day. Cool, I’ll wait until you’ve done whatever revising and updating you want. Thanks! ** Thomas Moronic, Hi, T! I have a huge thing for fake food. Next time Zac and I go to Tokyo, I’m going to try to buy a bunch since Tokyo is godlike when it comes to fake food manufacturing and selling. Thanks about the French publisher. Yeah, I’m very happy about that. And thanks for the b’day wishes. I, of course, wish it wasn’t happening, but, since it is, might as well get celebratory. What’s your news, pal? Love, me. ** Steve Erickson, So far no suggestions. Oh well. You know me, I prefer my pop stars trashy and auto-tuned up the butt. No, obviously, I think it’s great that you took part in the demonstration. I think that’s very important. Yes, it’s POL. And a German publisher just bought it. Me too re: the States. Something will happen, but it’s taking for-fucking- ever. ** _Black_Acrylic, Thank you, Ben! Yeah, I do fit the Capricorn profile in that way, and, well, in a lot of ways, but I still don’t buy it. ** Ferdinand, Hi. ‘Wrong’ was published after ‘Closer’, but most of the work in it was written before ‘Closer’. It’s a compendium of my early short fiction dealies. As of now, the metro and trains are still very fucked up here, and it’s raining but it’s not too, too chilly. The strike will almost undoubtedly last through the month if not longer, so be prepared. ** Derek McCormack, Hi, D! Oh, my pleasure, duh! Happy happy happy everything! ** Kyler, Hi, K. Thanks. Enjoy your day of birthday prep. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that more than I’ll enjoy marking the inauspicious occasion of mine. ** Mark Stephens, Hi, Mark! Oh, man, you got pulled into the DC’s vortex. Thank you, old buddy. Ditto on the happy thing. ‘Happiness runs in a circular motion …’, etc. Lots of love from me to you! And to Julie! ** Misanthrope, Seems plausible. And thank for the birthday wish. May your laptop arrive glitch-phobic. ** Bill, Thanks a lot, Bill. Eek, best of luck with the keyboard/issues. Ouch. ** Right. I’m marking the occasion of my birthday by bringing back my old ‘favorite songs’ post with slight revisions to bring it up the speed of my current pickiness. Click away and find out where my heart and brain like to take their audio dream vacations, if you want. See you tomorrow.

26 Comments

  1. Quinn R

    Dennis! Wishing you a happy birthday, I hope you have a lovely day today……Thanks for the info about Fecteau. I’ll definitely keep an eye on the galleries & check if he’s showing anytime soon. Also, congrats on finding a publisher for your novel! I look forward to reading it 🙂

  2. Tosh Berman

    Wow! Going through your ‘music’ is a slippery slope here. I may have to stay at home and just focus on all of this. Happy birthday Dennis!

  3. James

    Dennis,

    Happy birthday! I hope your day is filled with happiness and wonder! And hey, it’s Friday! Also, big congrats on Editions P.O.L. picking up your novel for the French edition! That’s wonderful news!

    Big love from Seattle,

    James

  4. Dominik

    Hey, Dennis!!

    Happiest birthday to you!!! How are you on this special day?
    Unless I misunderstood something completely, I think you have a French and a German publisher interested in your new novel? Such amazing news! I’m really happy for you! I hope a US one follows suit ASAP!!
    It seems crazy and never-ending, this “ARTE wants the TV script to be more normal” hassle. I hope your meeting with Gisele will go splendidly tomorrow and you can at least have a little time to breathe during the producer and ARTE rounds…! It’ll be such a fireworks and happy tears kind of celebration when the whole thing is finished and ready to go live.
    And how did the meeting at the gallery go?

    I’ve had a kind of uneventful week so far (what a surprise, hah) but I’m definitely trying to pull myself out of last year’s depressed routine of “work-wasting all my time watching series/sleeping-actually sleeping”. I started cooking (something I’ve never done before, I mean never regularly), working out and writing every day. I feel a little like Effy in Skins (have you seen Skins?) when she comes out of the psychiatric hospital and has this big timetable on her wall: eat, sleep, pills, walking, Freddie (he’s her boyfriend). It’s a little scary but this kind of structure helps me right now, helps me stand up and start going again. So – all in all I think I’m pretty good. Or at least I’m getting there.

    Have the nicest weekend at all possible and please let me know how everything goes! Tons of love to you!!

  5. Montse

    Happy birthday to you, dear Dennis!

    I hope you treat yourself to some excellent French patisserie today and that you have an awesome day.

    I’m very happy to read about the French publisher! Congrats!!

    Love,

  6. Juan

    Happy birthday Dennis! Here’s to many many more. Thought about you yesterday as I got my copy of Horror Hospital in the mail. Recently started an MFA program and I’m using the Cycle as a base for my novel thesis, so you’ll be on my mind a long long while. Have fun, relax, and continue aging gracefully, you sweet poet laurate of childhood’s death.

  7. David Ehrenstein

    HIPPO BIRDIE TWO EWE, DENNIS!

    Here’s My Favorite Song

    I could send you tons more — and maybe I will.

  8. Daniel

    Happy B’day!

  9. Sypha

    Well, I said it on Facebook but I’ll say it again here: happy birthday!

  10. Carles

    Hey Happy Birthday and happy new year. Thank for the report. Great songs. Thank for your book. I read you from Spain. The last Dennis cooper book publicated in spanish is 2007. I hope read new books soon.

  11. Corey Heiferman

    Happy birthday and publication congratulations! The standard birthday wish here is health and wealth till 120, so here’s to 50-something more years! Two trashy Israeli pop songs for the occasion:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh-Ekk4CyfM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sx-8yyXFkI

  12. Carles

    Happy Brithday and happy new year.

  13. David Ehrenstein

    Correction on that song Here’s a link that works

    Greatly looking forward to Leos Carax’s Sparks movie Cause he did so well with Kylie Minogue

  14. Brendan

    Happy Birthday, dear Dennis. As usual your musical tastes are speaking to me. Love you included Rend It from my all time favorite Fugazi record. Hope you are having a great day. I have nothing exciting to report lately so I’m back to lurking. Fingers crossed for something of note to happen soon. Love, B.

  15. _Black_Acrylic

    I love that Shangri-Las tune because it reminds me of my 2nd favourite joke: The past, present and future walked into a bar. It was tense.

    My fave ever joke is this: Why do anarchists drink herbal tea? Because proper tea is theft.

    Apologies if you’ve heard those done to death over the course of your lifetime. Happy Birthday to you!

  16. Nicki Smith

    Just thought I’d sneak on here and wish you a very happy birthday Dennis! Lots of love xx

  17. schlix

    Happy Birthday and all the best for 2020!!!

    uli

  18. generator5

    Hey Dennis. Happy Birthday. It’s been a while. I used to go by “sleepyj” on here. I hope you have some fun today and thanks a lot for the song list. And the reading list a few weeks back. I have been catching up.

  19. Paul Curran

    Super Happy Birthday, Dennis!!!

    And that’s one hell of a playlist!!!

    Have a fantastic weekend.!!!

    Much love from Tokyo!!! xoxox

  20. Steve Erickson

    Happy birthday! Did you eat cold sesame noodles? Or nachos at the Hard Rock Cafe?

    That Alexander O’Neal song is nice (and new to me.) “Je suis malade” sounds like late ’60s Scott Walker.

  21. KK

    Happiest birthday to you, Dennis.

    I’m sure the party was on par with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIdV_FChiM

    Just kidding. Any plans for the week? Hopefully the ARTE shit ends soon.

    Best.

    Kyle

  22. Armando

    Hey,

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! *Big Hug*. I hope you’re having/had a Great one. What did you do? Here’s to you and here’s to many, many, many more!

    Lots of Love and the Best Wishes,

    a.

  23. Bernard

    I can’t believe there isn’t a single show tune on this list. Nice to see two Brecht/Weill songs, but they don’t count.
    Happy birthday! I have known you for many, many birthdays now. I believe they’re always terrific and always will be.
    I just got home and realized you’d already be asleep, but I hope you see my greeting in the morning. It’s been a while. Missing you. I do more when I’m around you.
    I have a bunch of travel coming up, mostly around dream stuff, and am still weighing the next trip to Paris. I was not crazy about last July’s heat, don’tchaknow, so I might wait til the fall, winter, or next spring. I’m looking at some other residencies to try a change of scene, if I can get in. I was interested in showing up for a day-long meeting of the New York School Studies Association on July 1. It looks like it’s in Paris because of a Prof Olivier Brossard. Do you know about any of this? I expect they’d like very much to be in touch with you. I wrote to them about presenting something about Tim if I came, although that’s beginning to seem unlikely.
    I’m following the blog but missing a lot of days. I’ll write again when I’ve caught up a bit. I’ll find out what movies you’ve seen, etc.
    xxoo Dennis. You’re the man.

  24. Damien Ark

    Happy birthday Dennis!

  25. Misanthrope

    Dennis, Happy Bidet again (that’s a Rigby-ism he uses on me).

    Laptop was/is glitch-free. So far. We’ll see what Monday brings.

    I hope you had a good day and had a lot of laughs and fun.

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