My brother and sisters and I are inveterate listmakers with each other. Think of it as one endless High Fidelity Top 5 email chain--favorite movies, childhood memories, places to go on vacation, beaches, Broadway shows, books, etc. You name it, we've probably exchanged lists on it. I'm usually the spoilsport who says that I can't possibly narrow things down to just 5. My youngest sister started the Top 5 80's hit songs list, and once again, I complained how hard it was to narrow it down. But I buckled down and picked them. In no particular order, here are my 5:

Tenderness-General Public, In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel, Every Day I Write The Book - Elvis Costello, Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson and Graceland - Paul Simon.

There's at least 20 others I could have added in their place, but 20 years + later (sigh!) I will still stop and listen to each one of these songs and still love them as much.

So what's your 5?

"They are interested in your stuff, however, and sooner or later, they will swamp your kind out of existence." Sadly No on the dwindling honkie tribe.

Jesus' General's effort to seek guidance from Wiley S Drake results in little satisfaction.

Marc McDonald looks at how FOX blew it's chance at credibility.

You'll want to save this for when you've got more than a minute - Blue Herald's massive new Right Wing Cartoon Watch

And finally, it's a passing as sad as any, and as I hold the final issue of the Weekly World News in my hands, I must try hard to think about the good times, even though the grave of Elvis grows a bit colder, and Bigfoot trudges sadly through the frozen tundra which scientists predict will be a tropical paradise next year after the reversal of the magnetic poles. When again shall we see the everyman outrage of Ed Anger, who introduced the phrase "pig-bitin' mad" to the English lexicon? Or the sage advice of Dottie, who routinely advised the lovelorn that their best course of action would be suicide? So long, Bat Boy. Branches Up, Roots Down offers the eulogy.

Guest blogged by Mark Hoback. Send tips to mhoback AT verizon Dot net.

Macon Telegraph:

James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured "Godfather of Soul," whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco as well, died Monday, his agent said. He was 73.

[..]Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, he was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style.

If Brown's claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.

"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. "To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close." Read on...