Hall and Gloats

I don't know why I'm so giddy about this, but I had to smile and pat myself on the back when I read that Daryl Hall agrees with yours truly that "She's Gone" is the best Hall and Oates song ever. (You may remember MY POLL last year when I asked you guys to vote, too. The results were HERE -- and only one of you saw it the way Daryl and I do.) I know it doesn't really mean anything, but it is kinda cool to find out a songwriter with a dozen of huge hits (read: no obvious "best") agrees with you. (I wonder if Paul Simon thinks "America" is his best? I think it's safe to say Madonna doesn't agree with me on "Into the Groove," even though she's totally wrong.) I certainly can't complain about his other four picks: "Sara Smile" is a classic and he's right about "You Make My Dreams," which was very cute in "(500) Days of Summer." Oddly, I always knew "Every Time You Go Away" by Paul Young was a cover, but I assumed it was a '60s soul song. I'm kinda embarrassed, although I guess it just shows why two really were the kings blue-eyed soul. My true No. 2, however, would have to be "Rich Girl." I can't help but wonder if Hall is bitter about that one given the litigation from Patty Hearst that ensued.

Incidentally, this fun item appears in the final issue of my latest Entertainment Weekly subscription. For those who don't recall, I decided to give them another chance (a year ago this week, apparently) after having dropped them after many years of loyalty after losing patience when their focus got to be too much on kids' interests and videogames. And I stayed away after they blatantly STOLE from my blog twice in the ensuing years, given me no credit either time (HERE and HERE). The 12 months are up and while I do think it's better than it was when I let it run out a few years ago, I don't think I will be renewing. The crepe paper it's printing on (an obvious cost-cutting measure) totally creeps me out (I think the scan above depicts what I'm talking about perfectly), and I find it just piles up along with Details, GQ, Advocate, Interview and Rolling Stone while I'm busy trying to catch up on my daily newspapers and old Tennis magazines. (Oh. And because I also work in print media, I'll be kind and not mention the Michael Jackson tour feature and Jennifer Aniston-John Mayer anniversary stories that appeared in print at the most untimely moments -- much.) And am I the only one who has noticed the stuff on EW.com is usually better than the print edition?