After The Rain

Holy shit, I can't sleep after my men's rec-league basketball team won AGAIN tonight (bringing our season record to 2-2). I also can't sleep due to finally completeing my MP3 collection of the Hot 100 hits of 1991.

So much pap, but all so tasty. Most of the songs from that year remind me of riding my bike, pining for Frank Thomas rookie cards and playing RBI Baseball for the NES. I was young, dumb, in love with neon colored shorts and I would stay up all night Saturday to watch that NBC video countdown show with Scott Shannon. Sure, Sonic Youth and Ice Cube may have been the underground and critical darlings, but I just wanted to know why fucking Ted "Theodore" Logan was at the shrink in the Paula Abdul video for "Rush, Rush".

Anyways, one song struck me as particualrly awesome while listening to the tracks tonight:



Yes, I loved "After The Rain" an unhealthy amount as a child. I remember snowmobiling at my Grandparent's cabin to some bar called the White Hawk and playing this on the jukebox at least ten times in a row. I also may have played KLAX and for sure ended up eating tons of fried cheese.

Analyzing Nelson 20 some years on, I still like this song. And I absolutely fucking love Nelson's other big hit"(I Can't Live Without) Your Love and Affection". I guess it plays into my love for pop pap. There's twin dudes with chick hair singing angelic harmonies, a quasi power ballad solo, and a redemption theme. By the board nonsense that 8 year old Jake and 28 year old Jake can agree on wholehartedly.