99. ABC: All of My Heart

My first thought hearing this is that it's the kind of song that couldn't be made today.

Anyone born 1978 or later doesn't really remember when life was 95% regular and 5% meta (instead of the 75% to 25% split we have today). A time when irony was reserved for O Henry stories and didn't impact your life on a daily basis. And how, around 1990, that pussy Cobain and that pussy Seinfeld and others came along and killed earnestness and banished it forever. I sometimes think those of us born between 1970 and 1974 are the lucky ones, we were raised with earnestness but got irony dropped into our personalities just before it was too late, ending up with a nice mixture of each.

This song is earnest in every way imaginable. Tinkly intro. Tesh-like vocals. Ridiculously corny lyrics:

But I hope and I pray
That maybe someday
You'll walk in the room with my heart
Add and subtract
But as a matter of fact
Now that you're gone I still want you back

Here's a link to the video (note to people born after 1978: you'll probably be shocked to learn that the guy in the tux and the lady in lingerie aren't supposed to be funny at all).

This song is so earnest in lyrics, vocals and music that it can challenge some of the kings of earnestness.

And after listening to this song and watching the video, all I can think of is the debt of graditude I owe to Messrs. Cobain and Seinfeld.

RATING: 28.