Utah sucks.

Fiery Jack by Toy Dolls
From the beginning, punk has been divided into two categories: fun and angry. (In my mind, at least.) The Ramones, for example, are fun. And awesome. The Sex Pistols, on the other hand, are angry. Happily, before the ashes cooled on the Sex Pistols' inglorious flame out, Toy Dolls injected some silliness into British punk. I remember being convinced in high school that we could make our own music videos, toting around one of those huge VHS cameras. I mean, how hard could it be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ActFW-rUYXM

One Way Ticket to Pluto by Dead Kennedys
The Dead Kennedys were angrier than most of the punk I like, but somehow they managed to seem both more fun and more serious than The Sex Pistols. "One Way Ticket to Pluto" is far from their most well-known song, but it's definitely fun. It's another in the long line of Jello Biafra's insightful political commentaries in songs like "Kill the Poor," "California Uber Alles," and "Rambozo the Clown."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2DUIj4UqJI

My Sanity by Bad Religion
Okay, so Bad Religion doesn't fit well in my fun/angry dichotomy. Maybe if there was a third category? Melodious punk? Wry intellectual punk? In any case, I consider it fun, if not mostly harmless. "Struck a Nerve" almost feels more grunge than punk, but Bad Religion was never a band that cared about what they were supposed to sound like, and it's the song that made me fall in love with that voice. My favorite is "My Poor Friend Me", or perhaps "Better Off Dead". This year's album, Age of Unreason, is their best in years. And is it just me, or does Graffin look like he could be your home teacher ministering brother? I'm sure he would have some interesting messages to share.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGqxmKkwHjY

Peanuts by The Police
Their entrepreneurially appropriative musicianship couldn't be contained in punk for long, but that's where The Police started. Vestiges of "Dead End Job" and "Landlord" can still be heard in "Next to You" and perhaps even "So Lonely." I'm glad they outgrew it, but I'm also glad it's there. Peanuts always makes me smile, not least because it sounds like Sting is shouting out to Dr. Seuss at 3:18 in the album version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSun5yAzlOI

Punk Rock Girl by The Dead Milkmen
If third wave ska was a mash-up of early-punk Police and reggae-fusion Police, then 90's pop punk was the Dead Milkmen's teen pregnancy. Nah, all that's crap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyaK3jo4Sl4

Previous Friday's Fives: https://www.cougarboard.com/board/search.html?thread=0&relevance=0&private=0&author=panguitch&parent_author=&text=five%3A&categories=13&searchid=202339309