David Klein was one of my first friends -- in fact, sometime as a kid in the seventies I remember listening to his older brother's Beatles albums in a New Jersey basement and realizing for the first time how much music can really mean. I reconnected with David when he commented on some of my playlists right here, and now I'm thrilled to say he's written a very cool book about his own musical obsessions called If 6 Was 9 And Other Assorted Number Songs. Apparently, there are an infinite number of sequels coming since this tome is subtitled Vol 1: The No. 1 Song In Heaven To Peng! 33. And even though all my life I have suffered from what one middle school teacher gently called "a mild case of math anxiety," I still recommend this book to you. But just to be safe, I will only pick some of my favorite number songs from the book up to #9 -- since when we get to double digits, that old math anxiety begins to kick back in. So add it up, like the Violent Femmes might say, and here's my list of some great numbers. As always please add your own below, and add If 6 Was 9 to you gift-giving list too. Or should that be "2"?
"One Headlight" -- The Wallflowers
"Two Hearts" -- Chris Isaak
"Three Little Birds" -- Bob Marleyf
"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" -- Bruce Springsteen
"5ive Gears in Reverse" -- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
"Six Days on the Road" -- Charlie Pride
"The Magnificent Seven"-- The Clash
"Eight Days a Week" -- The Beatles
"Cloud 9" -- The Temptations