The Rob Gordon Shuffle, 5.21.06

Fiona Apple - "Fast As You Can": mp3 (link removed)
I miss this Fiona Apple, the one who was angry and hopeful and sad-eyed all at once. Jon Brion's production on this track is masterful - everybody dropped the ball a bit on Extraordinary Machine, JB included, but When The Pawn... is still an utterly brilliant record.

Johnny Cash - "Folsom Prison Blues": mp3 (link removed)
I finally got At Folsom Prison, and goddamn. The whole country two-step stuff (referred to by one of Neil Young's bassists as "eat-shit" bass playing) bores me a lot of the time, even when Johnny Cash is playing it, but his charisma on this performance is undeniable.

Dr. Dre - "Still D.R.E.": mp3 (link removed)
I also rock my khakis with a cuff and a crease, but it's because I usually wear sandals and without cuffs, the pants are too long and I step on them and wear out the bottoms. I'm keepin' it real.

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The Rob Gordon Shuffle is a weekly Sunday rundown of fascinating songs without particular regard to genre or timeliness. It is absolutely not a top 5.