Death Impends

My first concert (Benatar, not UB40). I word this like a distant nostalgic event and not a few weeks ago 71 now and still sounded in great form.

7/25/2024 36 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy 34 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 30 Queen - I Want to Break Free 30 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 29 Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes 28 Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams 27 Nik Kershaw - The Riddle 26 Tina Turner - What’s Love Got to Do With It 26 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) 26 Madonna - Like a Virgin 25 Baltimora - Tarzan Boy +4 22 U2 - Pride (In The Name of Love) 21 Stevie Wonder - Part-Time Lover 20 The Commodores - Nightshift 20 Dee C. Lee - See the Day 19 Elton John - Nikita 18 Colonel Abrams - Trapped 17 Bananarama - Robert De Niro’s Waiting 17 Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor! 16 Madonna - Material Girl 15 Bronski Beat & Marc Almond - I Feel Love (Medley) 14 Spandau Ballet - Only When You Leave 12 Ashford & Simpson - Solid 09 Jimmy Nail - Love Don’t Live Here Anymore 03 UB40 - Don’t Break My Heart -6

Had a couple of bizarre DDP-related dreams in recent days. The first, from a few nights back, was my final write-up was DJ Jazzy Jeff from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Unsurprisingly, a healthy 50-something is not actually a DDP pick. Ray Anthony was also one of my final obits, which is a little more plausible. The second was last night, where I was suddenly a serious contender in the DDP again, and I felt good about my chances because Banana picked Madonna. Only upon further digging, it wasn't the Madonna, but a terminally ill serial killer, and he had also picked Ronald Shurer (my Medal of Honor chap from a few years back, who in this dream was alive again and gravely ill), so I felt more deflated as the dream went on.

7/24/2024 29 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 29 Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes +1 28 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 28 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy +1 25 Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams 25 Baltimora - Tarzan Boy +2 24 Nik Kershaw - The Riddle 24 Madonna - Like a Virgin 24 Tina Turner - What’s Love Got to Do With It 23 U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) 23 Queen - I Want to Break Free 23 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) 21 Bronski Beat & Marc Almond - I Feel Love (Medley) 21 Stevie Wonder - Part-Time Lover 20 Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor! 20 The Commodores - Nightshift 20 Jimmy Nail - Love Don’t Live Here Anymore 20 Dee C. Lee - See the Day 19 Elton John - Nikita 19 Colonel Abrams - Trapped 18 Bananarama - Robert De Niro’s Waiting 18 Ashford & Simpson - Solid 18 Spandau Ballet - Only When You Leave 16 Madonna - Material Girl 13 Red Box - Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo) 12 Status Quo - Marguerita Time -6 12 UB40 - Don’t Break My Heart

7/23/2024 28 Queen - I Want to Break Free 28 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 27 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill +1 26 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy +1 24 Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes  24 Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams 24 Colonel Abrams - Trapped 24 Tina Turner - What’s Love Got to Do With It +1 23 Nik Kershaw - The Riddle 23 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) 23 Madonna - Like a Virgin 22 Elton John - Nikita 21 U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) 21 UB40 - Don’t Break My Heart 21 Bronski Beat & Marc Almond - I Feel Love (Medley) 21 Stevie Wonder - Part-Time Lover 21 Baltimora - Tarzan Boy +1 20 Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor! 20 Spandau Ballet - Only When You Leave 20 The Commodores - Nightshift 20 Jimmy Nail - Love Don’t Live Here Anymore 20 Dee C. Lee - See the Day 18 Status Quo - Marguerita Time 18 Bananarama - Robert De Niro’s Waiting 18 Ashford & Simpson - Solid 16 Madonna - Material Girl 13 Red Box - Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo) 00 Joe Fagin - That’s Dyin’ Alright -6 A lot of good stuff here. Had to listen to a dozen or so but most were keepers.

I thought it was real for maybe a minute. Read the paragraph about Rosalynn and it becomes a bit more obvious.

Andy Beshear (Undead In Ohio mixed the names up, Steve Beshear is Andy's father and also a former governor) won the governorship in 2019 due to the massive unpopularity of incumbent Matt Bevin and the goodwill surrounding the Beshear name thanks to his father's popular tenure. A perfect storm, to be sure, but one that took talent to seize. Then he won reelection fairly comfortably; his challenger ran heavily on transphobic culture warring in hopes it would polarize the race against a popular incumbent. All it ultimately did was cement Beshear as the adult in the room

7/22/2024 70 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 64 Tears for Fears - Mad World 57 Yazoo - Don't Go +2 48 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +2 43 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold -6 23 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 15 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 06 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence

Yeah, I'm going to a Four Tops/Temptations dual concert this December and it would've been cool to see an original Four Top (though the Tempts still do have Otis Williams touring). Starting to attend concerts this year with my music tastes definitely has a lot of "strike while the iron is hot". RIP to a titan!

7/19/2024 53 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 51 Tears for Fears - Mad World 42 Yazoo - Don't Go +2 41 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold 37 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +2 29 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence 28 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 26 Ph.D - I Won’t Let You Down 25 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 22 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 19 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 17 Soft Cell - What? 14 Wah! - The Story of the Blues  14 Howard Jones - New Song -6 06 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times

Bad timing for me - I'm taping The Bob Newhart Show now but haven't gotten to it yet so my obit on him would be far more informed had he died in a few months' time! Though I have watched an Ed Sullivan Christmas special a couple of times, recorded in the early 90s well after Sullivan's death so Bob Newhart hosted. RIP.

Not giving up on Jimmy

7/18/2024 51 Tears for Fears - Mad World 49 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 36 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence 36 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +2 36 Yazoo - Don't Go +2 34 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold -2 29 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 28 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 28 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 26 Ph.D - I Won’t Let You Down 23 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 22 Soft Cell - What? 20 Howard Jones - New Song -4 16 Wah! - The Story of the Blues  11 Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) 11 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times

For someone who's been on the Drop 40 for so long, I completely forget he exists unless I stumble upon a conversation about him. I'd imagine he falls off the D40 next year; he only narrowly stayed on this year.

7/16/2024 37 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 37 Tears for Fears - Mad World 35 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence 32 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl?  30 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 28 Ph.D - I Won’t Let You Down 28 Yazoo - Don't Go +4 26 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold 24 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 24 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 22 Soft Cell - What? 20 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 20 Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) 20 Wah! - The Story of the Blues 20 JoBoxers - Boxerbeat 20 Howard Jones - New Song 17 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times 17 Haircut 100 - Love Plus One 15 The Style Council - Long Hot Summer/Paris Match 15 Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch -2 14 Odyssey - Inside Out 12 Shakin’ Stevens - Cry Just a Little Bit -4 07 Culture Club - Victims

7/15/2024 32 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 31 Tears for Fears - Mad World +1 28 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +1 27 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence +1 27 Yazoo - Don't Go +1 26 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 24 Ph.D -- I Won't Let You Down 24 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 22 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold 22 Soft Cell - What? 21 Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch 20 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 20 Odyssey - Inside Out 20 Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) 20 Wah! - The Story of the Blues 20 JoBoxers - Boxerbeat 20 Howard Jones - New Song 20 Shakin’ Stevens - Cry Just a Little Bit 18 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 17 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times 17 Haircut 100 - Love Plus One 15 The Style Council - Long Hot Summer/Paris Match 15 Culture Club - Victims 15 Michael Jackson - Beat It 13 Toto - Africa -6 12 Rod Stewart - What Am I Gonna Do 08 Duran Duran - Union of the Snake

I thought it was amazing as a teen due to its meme masterpiece reputation. The more I've expanded my horizons, the duller it's gotten.

The top of the scoreboard is a proper bottleneck now. Seven teams crossed the 100-point mark with her death, and drol's B Team is only 6 points behind Banana.

7/14/2024 26 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 26 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye  30 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence 30 Tears for Fears - Mad World 26 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +2 25 Yazoo - Don't Go +2 25 Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch 24 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 24 Ph.D -- I Won't Let You Down 24 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary 22 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold 20 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 20 Haircut 100 - Love Plus One 20 Odyssey - Inside Out 20 Soft Cell - What?  20 Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) 20 Wah! - The Story of the Blues 20 JoBoxers - Boxerbeat 20 Howard Jones - New Song 20 Shakin’ Stevens - Cry Just a Little Bit 19 Michael Jackson - Beat It 17 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times 17 The Style Council - Long Hot Summer/Paris Match 17 Rod Stewart - What Am I Gonna Do 13 Toto - Africa -6 12 Duran Duran - Union of the Snake 12 Adam & The Ants - Ant Rap  11 Culture Club - Victims

7/13/2024 25 Tears for Fears - Mad World +1 24 Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag 24 Ph.D -- I Won't Let You Down 24 The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You 24 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye  24 Yazoo - Nobody’s Diary  24 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence 24 Yazoo - Don't Go +2 23 Michael Jackson - Beat It 23 Eurythmics - Who’s That Girl? +1 22 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold 20 Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It 20 Haircut 100 - Love Plus One 20 Odyssey - Inside Out 20 Soft Cell - What? 20 Wham! - Young Guns (Go For It!) 20 Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) 20 Wah! - The Story of the Blues 20 JoBoxers - Boxerbeat 20 Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch 20 The Style Council - Long Hot Summer/Paris Match 20 Rod Stewart - What Am I Gonna Do 20 Howard Jones - New Song 20 Shakin’ Stevens - Cry Just a Little Bit 20 Culture Club - Victims 19 Toto - Africa -4 18 Adam & The Ants - Ant Rap -2 17 The Belle Stars - Sign of the Times 13 Duran Duran - Union of the Snake

This prediction hasn't had much legs so far, with Dr. Ruth the first mentioned above to die. But that could easily be the breaking of the dam.

Okey doke. Here's the catchup. Nature man Simon Cowell has headed off to the great wilderness, and running wild is a zoo of seven pickers. 25 points for hell, 20 for BuffaloPhil, Etushispushingupdaisies, and Funeralopolis, and 25 sub points for drol, Famous6Eva, and msc. France has fended off fascism once more, for now, but it hadn't been as banner a month for their cultural icons. Within the span of a week, Francoise Hardy had yé-yéd out of here and Anouk Aimée delved into La dolce morte. Around the HPDP we had a hearty helping of French toast: Toast had them both as unique picks hereabouts, gaining 35 points a piece (25 base + 10 bonus). A day before Aimée came the death of dance musician Dario G. The stage name of Paul Spencer, Dario G started off as the name of a musical trio before settling on a solo act, but at the HPDP turntable it was a duo with 30 points each for BuffaloPhil and wannamaker. The death of fell runner Joss Naylor helps DevonDeathTrip climb the mountain of a scoreboard, with a boost of 20 points (20 base + 8 bonus). gcreptile made sure to give union activist Jane McAlevey a seat at the table when organizing his team. He works up a total of 21 points (15 base + 6 bonus). On with the new scoreboard, with the podium static. 1. Torva Messor 235.19 2. Perhaps 215.19 3. Banana 173 4. drol 160.19 5. wannamaker 160 6. BuffaloPhil 157 7. Thatcher 155.19 8. Charles De Gaulle 153 9. MariNisia 151 10. msc 144 11. Toast 140 12. Book 135.19 13. maryportfuncity 130 =14. ladyfiona 125.19 =14. Pedro67 125.19 16. diego 124 =17. Hell 120.19 =17. YorkshireBanker 120.19 =19. chilean way 119 =19. YoungWillz 119 21. DevonDeathTrip 118 22. theoldlady 117.19 23. CaptainChorizo 111.84 24. John Key 110.19 25. An Fear Beag 105 26. Funeralopolis 100.19 27. arghton 98 28. Etushispushingupdaisies 95 =29. Sean 90.19 =29. The Unknown Man 90.19 31. RadGuy 86 32. Imelda 82.19 33. markb4 81 34. gcreptile 76.47 35. BabyBlue 75.19 36. justonecornetto 72 =37. Famous6Eva 67 =37. Grimgrass 67 39. Prophet 65.19 40. The Old Crem 65 41. CalebH 63 42. Captain Hemlock 55.19 =43. DeathBecomesThem 45 =43. GuyFromFuture 45 45. livingbygrace 42 46. WEP 28 =47. Bibliogryphon 25 =47. MalePoster 25 =47. ThereWillBeDeaths7 25 50. DeathByArsenic 16.98 51. JoeMoneypenny 5 =52. Death Impends 0 =52. Gooseberry Crumble 0 =52. Great Uncle Bulgaria 0 =52. Joey Russ 0 =52. LizLemon 0 =52. TheKillingTime 0 =52. time 0 =52. WillyWonka422 0

Glad there was some way I could reassure during a very confusing 36-or-so-hours! Far more confidence than Biden could ever project

Love has been added.

7/9/2024 53 Madness - Baggy Trousers 52 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 49 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir 46 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let’s Groove 41 Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry 33 ABBA - One Of Us 20 Bad Manners - Special Brew  17 Rainbow — I Surrender +4 13 Godley & Creme - Under Your Thumb  11 Spandau Ballet - Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)  09 Madness - My Girl 02 Bad Manners - Can Can -6 Was busy, finally got around to listening to the unfamiliar songs here...