Each of these songs was written and performed by a complete stranger via fiverr.com, a web site where people offer to do things for $5. I took a bunch of them up on it.

I sent each of these fine folks a found grocery list (the list songs) or a link to the story I wrote at milkeggsvodka.com (the MEV songs) and asked them to interpret in their own way. It worked out pretty good — thanks to everyone who played along.

FWIW, I made about 20 requests and a little more than half delivered (you get your money credited back to your account when a transaction is cancelled). The ones who didn’t deliver came up with all kinds of serious excuses: I got the flu, I just moved, my camcorder died, my computer died, my friend died, etc. One person was good/blunt enough to simply say, “I don’t have time to do this.”

Anyway, grocerylists.org is proud to present the new musical masterpiece CD “Let’s All Go to the Grocery Store!”:

1. Cheerdealer: “The Official Milk Eggs Vodka Jingle” (the book)
2. Brodafin” “Spaghetti (List #449)”
3. IdiosyncraticAl: “Candy & Gin (List #1096)”
4. Israel279: “At the Grocery Store (MEV #1)”
5. Michiel: “Cupcakes (List #701)”
6. MD2020: “Times Is Tight (MEV #2)”
7. sam_ovp: “My First Shopping at Grocery Shop (List #382)”
8. Jeiji: “No Treats for Bad Dog (List #1648)”
9. Pablo Woodruffe: “Make Our Lists Forever (MEV #3)”
10. Taryn Parker: “Underwear and a Lemon (List #126)”
11. Stocking: “Hatchet & Sheath (List #407)”
12. Casey Smalley: “Everything is Gonna be OK (List #270)”

And it’s free! Here are a couple samples…

• Jeiji: “No Treats for Bad Dog (List #1648)”
• Casey Smalley: “Everything is Gonna be OK (List #270)”

If you’re wondering about the lyrics to the bizarrely entrancing track #7, here they are: My_first_shopping_at_Grocery_Shop.doc. ESL extravaganza! I do appreciate his effort and hope he put that $5 to good use.

You can find the actual lists linked above, if you want to know the specific inspirations for each track.

You can download the MP3s here. Get the cover art here. Released under a Creative Commons license.

PS: Look for my book MILK EGGS VODKA (the jingle song) to be re-released in paperback in April 2011.

UPDATE: The paperback is now available and here’s a video to celebrate.

[Update: Here's the recap post.]

Yes, on Thursday, July 1, 2010, I am going to be on the freakin’ Jimmy Kimmel Live show. Here’s the episode summary from TV.com: “Actress Dakota Fanning; grocery list collector Bill Keaggy; Korn performs.” That’s the ABC network. Check listings for the time in your area.

So. Yeah. Weird. We’ll be talking about other people’s grocery lists — as seen here at grocerylists.org and in the “Milk Eggs Vodka” book. What else is there to say? Watch it! Let me know if I look nervous!

• Here’s the proof on TV.com
• More info on STLtoday.com
• The web site that started it all (you’re there right now)
• The book on Amazon

It came about because of my spot in “The Curators,” a documentary film project by the always awesome Coudal Parters out of Chicago.

Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday, July 1!

FIRSTLY,

Filmly: Ever wonder how abandoned shopping carts end up where they do? Check out this great short film by Jesse Rosten.

Cart – The Film from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Lostly: For more on the subject be sure to see “The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification.”

Minely: And of course you already know I wrote a book based on this very site. Right? You knew that didn’t you? It’s called “Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found” and you can buy it. Or you could buy my other book.

SECONDLY,

Creeply: The creepiest refrigerator of all time? I think I’ve seen worse. In fact, if you want creepy try looking at these gross food packages, or this amazing mask, or anything on this page.

Bestly: There is a rumor that this is the world’s best pancake recipe. Let’s all try it and see.

Cholesteroly: I can vouch for this apple dumpling recipe, though. Made it. Insane. Yum.

Mathly: If you’d rather skip the heart attack, then try making a mathematically correct breakfast — yes, a real Mobius Sliced Linked Bagel.

LASTLY,

Linky: I added my del.icio.us feed as a linkblog on the keaggy.com home page, making that the first design change to the page since I posted that layout in 2002.

Run-on-sentencey: Last month I went to SXSWi and had fun and met cool people I’d only known online and saw others I hadn’t seen in a long time and I came home inspired to make things but not quite sure what then it hit me that while there are hundred of funny and strange periodic tables out there on the web there was no periodic table that rounded up the best of the periodic tables. So I made one.

Oh, and here’s the token grocery link: Healthy Eating Begins at the Supermarket — Learn to efficiently shop for healthy foods.

Later.

The event is sponsored by He Said/She Said, an exhibition and event series held in the home of Pamela Fraser and Randall Szott. They take turns presenting what amounts to an ongoing conversation about art and culture — Ms. Fraser presenting art and artists, and Mr. Szott sharing the activities of people who work in other contexts (that’s me :-). Together they hope to offer up a fun and thoughtful take on current ideas in art and life.

All the info you need is here: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1327562/

Hope to see you there!

-bk

Update: The scene, as it was. Thanks, Randal & Pamela!

Check out www.50sadchairs.com to see some page samples and (if you want) by it at Amazon or Blueq.com.

C’mon!

Anyway, the new site is a different take on things. It tells a short story (about 30 sentences) about life, based completely on found grocery lists. It’s my way of proving to you that strangers’ discarded grocery lists can be filled with life. True, the lists are trash, but that’s not the point. It’s all about taking a moment to think, to pay attention. To see the little moments and seemingly unimportant things that show us who we really are. Plus, it’s sort of about making fun of the weird things people buy and the fact that a lot of them can’t spell “bananas.”

Check out milkeggsvodka.com and tell your friends!

I’m working on a project and I need your suggestions for the coolest robots, pirates and monkeys ever. Now, of course I’ve got C-3PO, Blackbeard and Curious George on the list — I need suggestions that might not be part of the fabric of popular culture. Or RPMs that are more underground. Or whatever.

So send me your ideas! You get bonus points for including a useful web link, but it’s not required. Everyone who contributes will have their name put in a hat and one random winner will receive a cool set of prizes (which will somehow include robots, pirates and monkeys).

The deadline? It may change, but let’s say March 15. Thanks!

The best part? One of our funniest grocery lists is included in Maggie’s book. Yay for us and her! (You can also order it from Amazon here: No One Cares What You Had For Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog)

The Junk Science opening went great. Thanks to everyone who stopped by! If you missed it, the show will be up for two months at COCA. I should’ve taken more pictures, because it actually got good and crowded, but it was so much fun just talking to everyone. This is The Grocery List Collection installation mentioned below.