by Sam Juliano
My third novel, Mikey’s Absolution, will be available on Amazon at the end of the week. My favorite of the three books has had a journey with late plot changes from zero-hour inspirations. Like its predecessors, the book will be available on paperback and Kindle, with an HC Barnes & Noble option in the works. Sales figures for Paradise Atop the Hudson and Irish Jesus of Fairview are currently at 1,836 for the former and 782 for the latter. The average for Amazon-published books is 250 for the book’s lifetime, so I can’t help but be thrilled with the performance of my Fairview, New Jersey-set series. I have already started Book 4, The Glorification of Sarah Furano, which I aim to publish in the fall of 2025, roughly ten months from now, God willing. I would like to thank Tony D’Ambra for his help and suggestions and the encouragement of other site members and followers. Plans are being made for a book launch at the Fairview Free Public Library soon. Thank you, Editor Rob Bignell and artist Andrew Castrucci, for your fabulous contributions! And thank you, Mark Smith, of Ohio, for keeping the comment section alive with remembrances and scholarly discourse!
Lucille and I saw three 2024 films this week. My ratings are: Wicked 2.5 of 5.0; The Wild Robot, 4.5 of 5.0; and the Iranian The Seed of the Sacred Fig, 5.0 of 5.0.
Thanking Lee Price for his continuing examination of Mizoguchi’s Sansho the Bailiff. His essays have been extraordinary.
The Favorite Fantasy Films poll results will be posted in a few days, so I’ll hold them until next week’s MMD.
Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” Named Favorite Popular Song of 1989!
Further immortalized in David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart,” Chris Isaak’s influential love song was voted the favorite popular song of 1989 in balloting attended by 26 participants. According to voting tabulator Angelo A. D’Arminio Jr., “Wicked Game” prevailed over Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin” and Elvis Costello’s “Veronica,” 139-131-130.
1 Wicked Game – Chris Isaak 139
2 Free Fallin – Tom Petty 131
3 Veronica – Elvis Costello 130
4 Love Shack – B-52’s 125
5 Fight the Power – Public Enemy 124
6 Rockin the Free World – Neil Young 123
7 About a Girl – Nirvana 114
8 Lovesong – The Cure 112
9 Like a Prayer – Madonna 106
10 You Got It – Roy Orbison 100
11 Pictures of You – Cure 86
12 Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode 82
13 Roam – B-52s 78
14 Here Comes Your Man – Pixies 72
15 Debaser – The Pixies 69
16 Another Day in Paradise – Phil Collins 50
17 Janie’s Got a Gun – Aerosmith 50
18 So Alive – Love & Rockets 50
19 She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals 46
20 The End Of The Innocence – Don Henley 46
21 Head On – The Jesus & Mary Chain 40
22 I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty 40
23 Love in an Elevator- Aerosmith 40
24 Lullaby – Cure 40
25 Monkey Gone to Heaven- Pixies 40
26 Sowing the Seeds of Love – Tears for Fears 40
27 The Sensual World – Kate Bush 36
28 Crossfire – Stevie Ray Vaughn 35
29 If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher 35
30 We Didn’t Start The Fire – Billy Joel 35
31 Falling – Julee Cruise 34
32 Have I Told You Lately – Van Morrison 32
33 Everything Is Broken – Bob Dylan 31
34 Head Like a Hole – Nine Inch Nails 30
35 I Want It All-Queen 30
36 I’ll Be You – The Replacements 30
37 Love Song – Tesla 30
38 Love Will Never Do Without You – Janet Jackson 30
39 Runnin’ Down a Dream Tom Petty 30
40 She Bangs the Drums – The Stone Roses 30
26 ballots cast.
Favorite Popular Song of 1990!
We have reached a new decade. As always, every voter can list up to 20 songs alphabetically, chronologically, or in ranked order. My list is alphabetical. NOTE: DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20.
Across the River – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
All Together Now – The Farm
Another Day in Paradise – Phil Collins
Baby, I Love Your Way – Big Mountain
Being Boring – Pet Shop Boys
A Better Love – Londonbeat
Blue Sky Mine – Midnight Oil
Dirty Boots – Sonic Youth
Enjoy the Silence – Depeche Mode
Freedom ’90 – George Michael
Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
Heaven or Las Vegas – Cocteau Twins
Hold On – Wilson Phillips
It Must Have Been Love – Roxette
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Guns N Roses
My Friend Goo – Sonic Youth
Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor
Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode
Power to the People – Public Enemy
Twin Peaks Theme – Angelo Badalamente
——————————————————————–
1 Nothing Compares 2 U Sinéad O’Connor
2 Enjoy The Silence Depeche Mode
3 U Can’t Touch This MC Hammer
4 Vogue Madonna
5 Groove Is In The Heart Deee-Lite
6 Thunderstruck AC/DC
7 More Than Words Extreme
8 Man In The Box Alice In Chains
9 Vision of Love Mariah Carey
10 Wind of Change Scorpions
11 Poison Bell Biv Devoe
12 Can I Kick It? A Tribe Called Quest
13 Mama Said Knock You Out LL Cool J
14 Freedom ’90 George Michael
15 Gonna Make You Sweat C & C Music Factory
16 Crazy Seal
17 Hard To Handle Black Crowes
18 Unbelievable EMF
19 Been Caught Stealing Jane’s Addiction
20 Cemetary Gates Pantera
21 Sadeness (Part 1) Enigma
22 Silent Lucidity Queensrÿche
23 Justify My Love Madonna
24 Right Here Right Now Jesus Jones
25 Suicide Blonde INXS
26 Hold On En Vogue
27 She Talks To Angels Black Crowes
28 Feels Good Tony! Toni! Tone!
29 It Must Have Been Love Roxette
30 Around The Way Girl LL Cool J
31 All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You Heart
32 I Touch Myself Divinyls
33 Get Here Oleta Adams
34 The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) Cher
35 All The Man That I Need Whitney Houston
36 Blaze of Glory Jon Bon Jovi
37 Tom’s Diner D.N.A. (featuring Suzanne Vega)
38 Candy Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson
39 Save Me Fleetwood Mac
40 The King of Wishful Thinking Go West
41 Cradle Of Love Billy Idol
42 Praying For Time George Michael
43 Everybody Everybody Black Box
44 Close to You Maxi Priest
45 Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door Guns N’ Roses
46 I’ve Been Thinking About You Londonbeat
47 Here’s Where The Story Ends The Sundays
48 Loaded Primal Scream
49 Cliffs Of Dover Eric Johnson
50 Murder Rap Above the Law
51 Someday Mariah Carey
52 I’ll Give All My Love To You Keith Sweat
53 More Than Words Can Say Alias
54 Brothers Gonna Work It Out Public Enemy
55 Unskinny Bop Poison
56 AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted Ice Cube
57 Signs Tesla
58 Blue Sky Mine Midnight Oil
59 Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You) Robert Plant
60 (Can’t Live Without Your) Love & Affection Nelson
61 Painkiller Judas Priest
62 Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em Eric B. & Rakim
63 The Ship Song Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
64 Just The Way It Is, Baby The Rembrandts
65 Step On Happy Mondays
66 Bonita Applebaum A Tribe Called Quest
67 High Enough Damn Yankees
68 Mercy Mercy Me – I Want You Robert Palmer
69 Hold On Wilson Phillips
70 The Obvious Child Paul Simon
71 Giving You The Benefit Pebbles
72 21st Century (Digital Boy) Bad Religion
73 Knockin’ Boots Candyman
74 Coming Of Age Damn Yankees
75 From A Distance Bette Midler
76 Send Me An Angel Scorpions
77 I Like The Way (The Kissing Game) Hi-Five
78 Only Your Love Bananarama
79 My, My, My Johnny Gill
80 She’s So High Blur
81 Rock Dis Funky Joint Poor Righteous Teachers
82 Don’t Treat Me Bad Firehouse
83 Velouria Pixies
84 Energy Flash Joey Beltram
85 In The Ghetto Eric B. & Rakim
86 Serious Duran Duran
87 Release Me Wilson Phillips
88 What Time Is Love? The KLF
89 Gold Digger EPMD
90 Looking At The Front Door Main Source
91 Hold You Tight Tara Kemp
92 Rhythm Of The Rain Dan Fogelberg
93 Step By Step New Kids on the Block
94 Something To Believe In Poison
95 Good Clean Fun The Allman Brothers Band
96 Policy Of Truth Depeche Mode
97 Kinky Afro Happy Mondays
98 The Only One I Know The Charlatans
99 Hole Hearted Extreme
100 Kool Thing Sonic Youth
20 more worth mentioning.
101 Stranded Heart
102 Do Me! Bell Biv Devoe
103 Miles Away Winger
104 Civil War Guns N’ Roses
105 Empire Queensrÿche
106 Being Boring Pet Shop Boys
107 Let’s Talk About Sex Salt-n-Pepa
108 Crying In The Rain a-ha
109 Killer Adamski
110 For You The Outfield
111 Dig For Fire Pixies
112 Jealous Gene Loves Jezebel
113 More Sisters of Mercy
114 Runaround Van Halen
115 Joey Concrete Blonde
116 The First Time Surface
117 Texas Twister Little Feat
118 Put The Message In The Box World Party
119 So Hard Pet Shop Boys
120 We’re All In The Same Gang West Coast Rap All-Stars