Jim Jones, "Perfect Day"

Speaking of Lou Reed, when I first saw the title of Jim Jones’ new song, I fervently hoped he might be covering the symphonically depressing classic Danny Boyle used so effectively to soundtrack the overdose scene in Trainspotting. It turns out that the truth is even more odd than one man’s fervent hope.

A pretty blatant recasting of the Black Eyed Peas’ world-ruining “I Gotta Feelin’” (which has been watched 70 million times on YouTube) replete with autotune and not-very-good rapping that takes cues from Ice Cube’s “Today Was a Good Day,” Jones song has something about it, something I can’t quite put my finger on, that I like. Maybe it’s how gentle and friendly he sounds? Or maybe it’s the video, which is totally confusing and all-the-over-the-place. (A perfect day is spent visiting an old woman dying in a hospital? Or even stranger, providing medical treatment? I’m pretty sure this is the world’s first depiction of a rapping oncologist.) But still, in the end, it is somehow actually engendering of honest good feeling. Maybe it’s the fact Jim delivers his chorus in sign-language. Or that the video is dedicated to Jim’s aunt, Sally Jones, along with anyone else who has been affected by cancer. And to the United States soldiers overseas. And also to anyone with a hearing disability! This might be the greatest casting of a wide-net shout-out since ODB showed love to Suge Knight, Eskimos, the babies and schoolteachers, among others, at the end of “I Can’t Wait” (which is strangely not available in its original form on YouTube.) And so in Jones’ spirit, here’s wishing everybody a perfect weekend. It sure is nice outside.