It’s been hot in New Orleans. How hot? We just had the two hottest days of the year thus far. We had some air conditioning issues at Adrastos World HQ. They’ve been resolved but I feel a bit enervated from the heat, so I’m doing a listicle instead of a full-blown political post. I don’t feel like being a blowhard today…

Now that I’ve kvetched, let’s get to the Penny Song Dozen. It’s inspired by the *only* thing Team Trump has done right: No more pennies will be minted after the current supply of blank coins is exhausted.

This move is shockingly sensible for an insensate regime. Who needs more pennies? I have a huge jar of pennies on a shelf in my study. It hasn’t been touched in years. Does any of this have anything to do with this nickname, President Pennywise? Hell no, but discuss amongst yourselves anyway.

This post involved a lot  of research. I’d never heard at least half the songs. That’s okay by me. Blogging is often a road of discovery for me. This may be a penny ante discovery, but a discovery, nonetheless.

I was not surprised that there were few 21st Century songs with penny in the title. In 2025, pennies are both plentiful and nearly worthless much like MAGA maggots.

I avoided songs that are about some chick named Penny, which are at least a plurality of penny songs. So, no Hanson or Lionel Richie. Relieved? I thought so.

The songs are in chronological order until the penultimate pair, which have pennies in the title. I closed with the better known of the two tunes. Otherwise, I would have made a heavenly hash of things…

We begin with the Nat King Cole Trio posing a question that nobody would ask in 2025.

There was no such thing as penny candy when I was a kid. It was something I heard about from the Bowery Boys, and they were unreliable witnesses. Is Jim Reeves more trustworthy? Beats the hell outta me.

This song by the British jazz trumpeter, Humphrey Lyttleton, dates from the year of my birth. I guess that dates me.

Penny Lane is my favorite Paul McCartney song. In a word: Exquisite. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It’s time to Monkee around. Hey, hey, hey.

Penny Arcade is a perfect song for this post since I’m just playing around. I usually specialize in the arcane, not arcades…

Let’s throw the post to the Gibb brothers:

A short and sweet acoustic instrumental from the Other Peter:

Rory Gallagher was underrated in his day and largely forgotten today. I can attest to the fact that he was a great guitarist: I saw him open for Peter Frampton. It’s a mystery as to whether or not he was a bad penny.

I’ve always liked the expression used by Willie Nelson as the title of the next song.

Some classic country from Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton. I wonder if he carried her bags, it’s what porters do, after all.

Finally, Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Say no more.

What’s an Adrastos music dozen without some lagniappe?

We continue with a number that reminds me of the time I was an impecunious teenager and paid for a movie in loose pennies. The woman at the ticket window hated me. Who could blame her?

Our final helping of lagniappe not only has penny in the title, it comes from UK folk royalty, Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies: