Paddy Donovan
@p-j-d.bsky.social
I like some things. You probably like things too, and I bet they’re real neat.
We all know 'Ebony & Ivory' but IMO the best Stevie Wonder / The Beatles product is SW's exuberant cover of 'We Can Work It Out'. Joyous.
January 23, 2026 at 9:48 AM
We all know 'Ebony & Ivory' but IMO the best Stevie Wonder / The Beatles product is SW's exuberant cover of 'We Can Work It Out'. Joyous.
I am again forced by the music gods to say I Wear My Sunglasses At Night is not without merit.
January 7, 2026 at 6:12 PM
I am again forced by the music gods to say I Wear My Sunglasses At Night is not without merit.
The guy singing “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” is like a super gaslighting fucker, right?
January 7, 2026 at 11:02 AM
The guy singing “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” is like a super gaslighting fucker, right?
I profoundly love REM though am not a super fan. But I am finally ready to say Everybody Hurts is a terrible song. So bad. So trite. And it’s weird because they’re capable of such nuance and beauty and depth. Just for starters, take Sweetness Follows as a counter example of their brilliance.
December 31, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I profoundly love REM though am not a super fan. But I am finally ready to say Everybody Hurts is a terrible song. So bad. So trite. And it’s weird because they’re capable of such nuance and beauty and depth. Just for starters, take Sweetness Follows as a counter example of their brilliance.
Startling insight here. Rest easy, Mr Bangs, music journalism is in good hands.
November 15, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Startling insight here. Rest easy, Mr Bangs, music journalism is in good hands.
I dare you to say who should play Updike in a biopic.
October 25, 2025 at 11:53 AM
I dare you to say who should play Updike in a biopic.
REM: when you want interesting musicality AND emotional engagement. One stop shop. Incredible catalogue.
October 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
REM: when you want interesting musicality AND emotional engagement. One stop shop. Incredible catalogue.
One Tonal Shift After Another
October 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
One Tonal Shift After Another
I hope we see a shit-ton of kids dressed as Ace Frehley this Halloween.
October 17, 2025 at 12:11 AM
I hope we see a shit-ton of kids dressed as Ace Frehley this Halloween.
Just reminded that INXS did a song with Ray Charles. I like INXS but that was a HUGE get for INXS. I don't care about the context or back story for why Ray Charles did it, just a massive feather in the cap of INXS.
September 18, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Just reminded that INXS did a song with Ray Charles. I like INXS but that was a HUGE get for INXS. I don't care about the context or back story for why Ray Charles did it, just a massive feather in the cap of INXS.
Let's admit we're all struggling with whether there's a because of the implication joke we can make. There's probably not.
"A section...includes recollections of Epstein’s horrible sexual escapades, apparently including...holding a knife up while telling women to take off their swimsuits on a boat."
"A section...includes recollections of Epstein’s horrible sexual escapades, apparently including...holding a knife up while telling women to take off their swimsuits on a boat."
You Really Need to See Epstein’s Birthday Book for Yourself
This time, the conspiracy theorists were right.
www.theatlantic.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Let's admit we're all struggling with whether there's a because of the implication joke we can make. There's probably not.
"A section...includes recollections of Epstein’s horrible sexual escapades, apparently including...holding a knife up while telling women to take off their swimsuits on a boat."
"A section...includes recollections of Epstein’s horrible sexual escapades, apparently including...holding a knife up while telling women to take off their swimsuits on a boat."
I love that Beatles song 'Pay The Bagpiper' but we're paying him to shut the hell up haha amiright? Bagpipes suck lol.
August 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
I love that Beatles song 'Pay The Bagpiper' but we're paying him to shut the hell up haha amiright? Bagpipes suck lol.
Rewatching some Sopranos...Man, Proval in this scene. Sublime. youtu.be/d-jFQ9T081U?...
You're Flexing - The Sopranos HD
YouTube video by TonySoprano
youtu.be
August 22, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Rewatching some Sopranos...Man, Proval in this scene. Sublime. youtu.be/d-jFQ9T081U?...
Listening to Blonde on Blonde and I think they got the song order wrong and I could not ever be more arrogant than this.
July 24, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Listening to Blonde on Blonde and I think they got the song order wrong and I could not ever be more arrogant than this.
What's your favourite Bob Dylan album (and why)?
July 24, 2025 at 2:15 PM
What's your favourite Bob Dylan album (and why)?
"I wear my sunglasses at night" is a rare example where the chorus is the worst part of the song (and the verse part is like actually pretty great).
July 24, 2025 at 2:04 PM
"I wear my sunglasses at night" is a rare example where the chorus is the worst part of the song (and the verse part is like actually pretty great).
Laid awake for hours last night trying to figure out how computers work.
May 13, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Laid awake for hours last night trying to figure out how computers work.
Superb piece. www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-...
An Open Letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Who Thinks My Daughter is a Tragedy
Dear Mr. RFK Jr.,
(The “dear” is tradition. Don’t mistake it for affection.)
You said autistic children are a burden. That they ruin families. That...
www.mcsweeneys.net
May 9, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Superb piece. www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-...
My 6yo child has developed nuanced Monopoly strategy that I, a long-time adult who thought of himself as reasonably clever and who has played a lot of Monopoly, never considered. I will now do a thorough analysis of Monopoly's economic efficiencies. So I can beat my 6yo child.
April 24, 2025 at 2:43 AM
My 6yo child has developed nuanced Monopoly strategy that I, a long-time adult who thought of himself as reasonably clever and who has played a lot of Monopoly, never considered. I will now do a thorough analysis of Monopoly's economic efficiencies. So I can beat my 6yo child.
The wealth of the richest 200 Australians has risen from the equivalent of 8.4% of GDP in 2004 to 23.7% of GDP in 2024. Neither major party is even considering doing a damn thing to address this.
April 20, 2025 at 5:15 AM
The wealth of the richest 200 Australians has risen from the equivalent of 8.4% of GDP in 2004 to 23.7% of GDP in 2024. Neither major party is even considering doing a damn thing to address this.
Interesting how the widening disparity in classes of commercial airline travel reflects the increasing income inequality in many parts of the world. Wonder where else we see this.
March 22, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Interesting how the widening disparity in classes of commercial airline travel reflects the increasing income inequality in many parts of the world. Wonder where else we see this.
"now more than ever" is one of the dumbest things people say, and people say a lot of dumb shit
March 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
"now more than ever" is one of the dumbest things people say, and people say a lot of dumb shit
Just hit IWD in my time zone so, much love and gratitude to the many superb women in my life. Thank you. There's more to do and more to say but I'll leave it there for now.
March 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Just hit IWD in my time zone so, much love and gratitude to the many superb women in my life. Thank you. There's more to do and more to say but I'll leave it there for now.
"Zero Day", a show 😆 about a 😅 recent US President who was 😅 competent, 😂 had integrity and 🤣🤣🤣 some measure of bipartisan support. I mean, I get the function of storytelling to advance ideals without needing to accord to reality but the West Wing - a steadicam wet dream - was not this delusional.
March 7, 2025 at 3:48 PM
"Zero Day", a show 😆 about a 😅 recent US President who was 😅 competent, 😂 had integrity and 🤣🤣🤣 some measure of bipartisan support. I mean, I get the function of storytelling to advance ideals without needing to accord to reality but the West Wing - a steadicam wet dream - was not this delusional.
Started a new job recently. Great organisation, lovely colleagues, wonderful workplace culture, I feel like I'm part of something making a positive difference and am supported and valued. Imposter Syndrome through the fuckin roof.
March 7, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Started a new job recently. Great organisation, lovely colleagues, wonderful workplace culture, I feel like I'm part of something making a positive difference and am supported and valued. Imposter Syndrome through the fuckin roof.