Hey! Canada!

Just a heads up to my so-called friends up North – I’ll be interviewed on CJAD 800 AM tonight at 9 PM EST by Peter Anthony Holder. I suspect there will be some discussion of Baby Got Back. Also, John Hodgman and I will be appearing at the Chelsea Barnes and Noble tonight at 7 PM. He will speak of lobsters. I will try not to forget the lyrics to the song that I have not quite finished, even now. Should be fantastic!

My Boing Boing Buddy

That’s not what it sounds like. My pal John Hodgman’s list of 700 hobo names has been boing boinged just in time, as his book is for sale starting today. Not to bore you because I know I’ve mentioned this here before, but it’s called The Areas of My Expertise and it will break your brain. I am currently writing a song about lobsters to complement a reading from this book – the old furry kind of lobster, which you may not be that familiar with.

Housekeeping

I’m having trouble keeping up with all the comments and emails, so I apologize if you feel like you’re not getting any love. Rest assured, I love you very much. Let me try to address a few things here all at once:

1. I do have a child. A baby girl child. All donations go directly to her (after passing through my crack habit).
2. Some reports from people having trouble with a few of the mp3s on the songs page. I think this has been corrected, but please let me know if you are unable to hear or download any of them.
3. The Shop Vac solo’s up. It’s official, Vincent is the winning solo. As for posting the other versions, I’ll have to give it some thought – doesn’t that undermine Vincent’s glorious triumph?
4. Karaoke versions – I think this is a great idea, and when I have time I will set up a section of songs without vocals so you all can impress your friends the way I have impressed mine.
5. Lyrics for Thing a Week songs are on their way. This is just another thing on my list that I haven’t gotten to, but I’m working on it.
6. My album “Jonathan Coulton Sings Songs by Black People” was a joke. I was attempting to underscore the ridiculous fact that here it is 2005 and white people like me still can’t stop themselves stealing from black culture. I was only kidding, but so many people seem to think it’s such a good idea that I may have to actually do it. Stay tuned…

And now some funny things:

My Ikea lyrics have been quoted in the Oregonian in an article about Ikea. They think I’m a real musician!

Through a trackback on one of my posts I found this great Fountains of Wayne sendup called Fountains of Wayne Hotline by musician Robbie Fulks.

And I can’t forget the most important thing: I’ve been Wil Wheatoned! Screw you Slashdot.

White Sox Curse

As you may have gathered from all the songs about math and squids and cyborgs, I’m not much of a sports guy. But even a Frito-eating benchwarmer like me feels a little tingle in the ol’ rosin bag when I think about the possibility that this may be the year the White Sox finally break the curse. Of course you all remember the Black Sox scandal of 1919 in which “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and his band of player-haters got caught throwing the world series and were imprisoned in the Phantom Zone by none other than commissioner of baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Since that dark day, the White Sox have never won the world series. Or something. Actually, I’m not too clear on the facts because I tend to skim when I read, and I haven’t really read much about this anyway. Still, in case you missed it the first time around, here is my song about that very subject: Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Devoted fans please note this is not a new song, it is just newly apropos, and I post it here just so the other kids can catch up.