One of the things we do in the Women’s Glee Club is “Secret Glee Love” — akin to Secret Santa, but nondenominational and with a $5 limit. At the risk of finding out that she reads my blog (and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t), I have our president, Jaye (pronounced like the letter).
In keeping with the budget, I decided to make her a mix CD and make it themed to her name — songs that start with J(aye). This was surprisingly difficult — lots of songs start with “I” (the Magnetic Fields have an entire album of them), but not nearly as many start with the 9th letter of the alphabet. Initially, I tried to be really ambitious and come up with songs whose artists names also start with J, but after struggling to find the few I did find, I gave up on that. Once I opened my options up a little more, things started to come together and I was quite pleased with the results — provided she likes classic rock as much as I do. I haven’t had any blogging inspiration for awhile and Anand posts these things, so I am being a copycat posting the results of my evening’s compiling. (And now onto that other compiling job I have waiting for me… actually, it’s in perl, which isn’t compiled. So that pun fails.)
J(aye) Songs:
1. Just Like Starting Over — John Lennon
2. Jungle Love — Steve Miller Band
3. Jumpin’ Jack Flash — Rolling Stones
4. Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry
5. Joy to the World — Three Dog Night
6. Jane — Barenaked Ladies
7. Jesse’s Girl — Rick Springfield
8. Julia — The Beatles
9. Jackal — Ronny Jordan
10. Jealousy — Natalie Merchant
11. Janie’s Got a Gun — Aerosmith
12. Jet — Paul McCartney and Wings
13. Jailhouse Rock — Elvis Presley
14. Jokerman — Bob Dylan
15. Jack and Diane — John Mellencamp
16. Just Like Heaven — The Cure
Colossus of Rhode 
Here are some others in my iTunes…
Jackson Cannery — Ben Folds Five
Jennifer Falling Down — The Nields
Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For a Sunbeam — Nirvana (well, the Vaselines)
Jocko Homo — Devo
Joe the Lion — David Bowie
John, I’m Only Dancing — David Bowie
Jump Jive an’ Wail — Brian Setzer Orchestra (etc)
Just a Thought — Gnarls Barkley
Just Like a Woman — Bob Dylan
Just One of Those Things — Cole Porter (etc)
Just The Way You Are — Billy Joel
I actually had those last three as well, but I left them out because a) Jokerman is a better Dylan song and b) I already had two songs that starting with “Just” and they started to seem like a cop out. (I also ditched “Junk” by Paul McCartney/The Beatles, “Jealous Guy” by John Lennon, “Just My Imagination” by the Cranberries, and “Just a Girl” by No Doubt for similar sorts of reasons.)
Jump Jive an’ Wail wouldn’t have been an awesome choice though, if I had thought of it.
You’ve got to include the Cranberries song because if I remember it correctly, it has the Screech dance theme in it (well, maybe not exactly, but close enough).
And while Jesse’s Girl does start with a J, that’s the only thing it has going for it. You’d be better served adding Jean by Bobby Sherman. (Speaking of which, what about “Jeanie with the light brown hair”?) After all, if you’re going to put crap on this thing, may as well go for the whole hog.
It’s always tough to judge Dylan songs, one against the other, but I’d argue that Just Like a Woman is better than Jokerman. Further, two Dylan songs really make it twice as good.
And, since it’s a Christmas gift, why not include Jingle Bells, Joyeux Noel, etc.?
OK, but Radiohead’s “Just” is among their best, and the title is not a random phrase beginning with “just”. Also, the word itself appears in a non-prominent, non-trivial place in the lyrics.
you *must* include the cranberries song!
also, even though it *technically* doesnt fit, what about “i do both jay and jane” by larissa- such a classic and (sort of) has her name in it!
There is also “Julianne” and “Jane” by Ben folds, “Julie” By merril bainbridge “je ne m’en souviens pas” by better than ezra….
okay, i at least second “jingle bells”
In looking through what I’ve got on itunes, my suggestion would bye “Jammin” by Bob Marley. Unless you want Jingle Bells (as I seem to have 7 copies in a couple languages)