All Rodents, All The Time

My roommates and I live in a lovely house in Kirkwood, Atlanta. We keep it tidy and never leave crumbs on the floor. We close windows and doors. But a rat came anyway. Maybe because our house is warm during the cold months. Maybe because we’re so inviting. Maybe because he couldn’t resist my fabulous green couch. Or maybe because we have a big, wet basement with lots of clothes to eat and a hole in the wall that leads to the house. Who knows?

The rat first appeared in my roommate’s chamber. Since we hadn’t locked eyes, it didn’t phase me much. Then he appeared in the living room during a dinner party. That made me mad. Later, while we were cleaning up the dishes, he ran right by us and into the framing of our oven.

My roommates and I are nice people. We’re gentle with animals and other humans. That said, I don’t know what got into us when we cornered the rat and, to spare you plenty details but no euphemisms, he passed away. We felt terrible. For the past two nights, I’ve had nightmares about rats and telephone wires and slide shows and a universe that may never forgive me.

So in remembrance of the rat that mercy couldn’t save, here’s a collection of songs about rodents. Under the gross bodies, red eyes and sheer tactlessness, there are little rat hearts.

Modest Mouse gets extra credit for having a rodent in the band name and song title, and Sufjan and Badly Drawn Boy get points taken away for sharing a song title.

Note: Associate editor Steve LaBate did the insensitive and lacking-in-creativity digital photo embellishment because Jason’s at home playing Final Fantasy.

1. Sufjan Stevens “Year Of The Rat” (Enjoy Your Rabbit)
2. Modest Mouse “I Came As A Rat” (The Moon And Antarctica)
3. The White Stripes “I Think I Smell A Rat” (White Blood Cells)
4. American Music Club “Song Of The Rats Leaving The Sinking Ship” (Love Songs For Patriots)
5. The Hold Steady “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” (Separation Sunday)
6. Badly Drawn Boy “Year Of The Rat” (One Plus One Is One)
7. The Walkmen “The Rat” (Bows + Arrows)
8. Sonic Youth “Rats” (Rather Ripped)
9. Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s “Quiet As A Mouse” (The Dust Of Retreat)FREE!
10. Viktor Vaughn “A Dead Mouse” (Vaudeville Villain)
11. Birdmonster “Of Mice” (No Midnight)
12. Azure Ray “We Are Mice” (Hold On Love)