Wake up, I think I got something to say to you

For about a hundred years, I considered "Maggie May" to be a guilty pleasure. Its ubiquitousness on the radio, in malls, drugstores and elevators immediately places it into a category that said: "For the love of God, if I hear this once more, I will scream, loudly."

But I recently had a revelation: Every time I hear this song, I stop and listen. And it always is welcome.

Every single time.

So, I've decided that it's more than a guilty pleasure -- it's one of my favorite songs. And I have not heard a version that I don't like, and I am especially fond of the "Every Picture Tells a Story" one with the classical intro, and the Faces BBC live version from their box set. I wanted to link that one here, but the homemade accompanying video is full of nudity, and to say it's ridiculous is an understatement. But the performance is rawer, more immediate, and feels a tad more alive than the 45 that everyone, and I mean everyone, is familiar with.

So, below are the Faces hamming it up to a recorded track with a live Stewart vocal. Take special notice of legendary British disc jockey John Peel pretending to play the mandolin, along with the other pretenders. An impromptu soccer match breaks out near the end, and earlier Woody and Ronnie Lane are seen running back onto the stage, after undoubtedly stepping off to chase a bird just before the guitar break.

But you know what? It's still great.

Like I said, every single time.