Thursday, August 2, 2012: Wilco - Impossible Germany

Moving through the countries participating in this years Olympics, let's shine the spotlight on Germany.

Best Sports: Historically very competitive in athletics, as well as canoeing and equestrian.

Star Performers: Birgit Fischer is considered the greatest canoeist of all time, raking in eight gold medals and four silvers over six Olympic Games. Her legacy is alive and well, and German canoeists will be hoping to make a splash in London. Reigning gold medalist in the K-1 canoeing class, Alexander Grimm, will be looking to defend his title. The equestrian team will also be strong, although "wonder horse" Totilas will miss the Games as his rider, Matthias Rath, suffered from glandular fever during the final Olympic selection trial event. Britta Steffen, double gold medalist in Beijing in the 50m and 100m freestyle swimming, will also be expected to triumph, while Betty Heidler, world record holder in the women's hammer, should challenge for gold.

Olympic Medal History: 413 Gold, 400 Silver, 447 Bronze

Medal Total: 1260 (Combined medals of modern Germany, East Germany, West Germany and the Unified Team of Germany)

Olympic Debut: 1896 (as Germany)

Total Games Appearances: 23

(All Olympic information is courtesy of The Telegraph, and their excellent Olympics Country Profile page).

Wednesday, April 4, 2012: Wilco, Nick Lowe & Mavis Staples - The Weight

Wilco, Nick Lowe & Mavis Staples rehearse "The Weight" backstage at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in December 2011.

Pure magic.

Monday, May 30, 2011: Wilco - Ashes of American Flags

Someone turned me on to this song, and I think I played it a dozen times in a row before I could let it go and move on to another song.

Beware - here is a song that scoops you up by the collar, shakes you about, drenches you in its tears and whisky and then leaves you along the side of some country road just outside of town.

Also, there is some profanity (the "f" word, specifically) towards the beginning of the song.

If I'm honest, usually stuff like that disqualifies a song from being selected for CSOTD, but there is just to much beauty here to resist.

God in Heaven, this is a beautiful, powerful siren of a song.

Happy Memorial Day.