TODAY AT MERLE'S: Lionel Richie

If you commute on Chicago's Brown Line train, you're no stranger to the massive reconstruction project that started earlier this year. My stop has been blissfully unaffected these past six months, but that's about to change; the Francisco station will soon be shutting down for its six month facelift, and to lament its closing I'll be providing updates covering the following:

Every morning, Merle's, the cafe next to the Francisco stop, helps us commuters get ready to face the day by broadcasting a "light favorites" radio station over its outdoor speakers at ear-bleed volume. Each day we're treated to another adult contemporary classic. But in a matter of a few short weeks, this grande helping of poptastic ear candy will be ripped from our lives like a Band-Aid off a scraped kneecap.

So in honor of the closing of the Francisco stop, I present "TODAY AT MERLE'S", spotlighting my morning's imposed musical gem. . .


TODAY AT MERLE'S: "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie

What self-respecting American citizen could hear this song at 7:20 a.m. and not find themselves facing the uncontrollable urge to get their piña colada on? I was shocked to see people with the nerve to actually stand still as this song graced the airwaves. Not everyone I met was jamming in the street, and I felt cheated. Indeed, three of them were so uninspired by Lionel's ode to communal stuff-strutting they actually cut in front of me as the train pulled up. They didn't exactly look like they were in the mood to party, karamu, fiesta, forever -- they just looked like they wanted to sit their asses inside some air conditioning, pronto.

Listen to a clip of "All Night Long" in RealPlayer. Come join our party, see how we play!