Play It Again, Jean III – Part 2

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” 

– John Lennon

Ringo Starr

01. The Love Affair – “Everlasting Love” (1968) from Oldies: Pass the Fritos VI – Part 1
I grew up hearing the Carl Carlton version on the radio; then discovered the U2 version years later; and only recently discovered this ‘60s version by the Love Affair. I love the way this song just jumps out of the speakers and pulls me onto the dance floor. Is this the first disco song?

02. The Gants – “My Baby Don’t Care” (1965) from Oldies: Pass the Fritos VI – Part 2
Mississippi’s best (only?) ‘60s garage rock band. Simple, direct, universal- you can almost see the singer’s sneer as well as the bored looking girls watching and hoping they’ll play a Beatles song.

03. John Prine – “Long Monday” (2005) from Country Grab Bag IV
I was sorry to hear that after 50 years of making music, John Prine- the former mailman- died in April from COVID-19. Half his ashes were spread on his favorite river where he spent summers as a kid; the other half will be buried with his mom and dad.

04. Crystal Gayle and Tom Waits – “Take Me Home” (1982) from Country Grab Bag IV

“I’m so sorry that I broke your heart.” I have had my heart broken before, but I never got to hear those healing words (that probably would have helped take years off my recovery time).

05. Ringo Starr – “Photograph” (1973) from Classic Rock: Choice Cuts VI
Another song of heartbreak, but Ringo has a way of somehow turning it into a feel good song.

06. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Walls (Circus)” (1996) from Classic Rock: Choice Cuts VI
“Some days are diamonds- some days are rocks.” Yes, that's Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac on backing vocals. I checked.

07. Richard Harris – “Paper Chase” (1968) from Oldies: Pass the Fritos VII – Part 1
Irish dramatic actor decides to try his luck at music; gives it his all; and finds success. There is just enough charm, whimsy, and good music here for me to enjoy this song unironically (and the harpsichord doesn’t hurt, either). BTW- I think a paper chase is some English version of hide-and-seek. It’s also the title of one of my favorite movies (1973) about a Harvard law student’s coming of age.

08. The Searchers – “Take Me for What I’m Worth” (1965) from Oldies: Pass the Fritos VII – Part 2
Written by American songwriter P.F. Sloan, by 1965 rock lyrics were finally starting to break new ground (thanks to Bob Dylan) and the Searchers (from Liverpool) knew a good song when they found it.

09. Guided by Voices – “Game of Pricks” (1995) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 1
Long known for creating lo-fi mini-epics, I tried getting into GBV in college but found their music too weird and indecipherable, though every once in a while they would throw out a catchy anthem like this gem. I know just a few chords on the guitar but “Game of Pricks” sounds like it would be fun to play.

10. The Plimsouls – “Now (Live)” (1983) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 1
Power pop underdogs who just came along at the wrong time to ever make it big. This song rocks!

11. Fountains of Wayne – “Stacy’s Mom” (2003) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 1
Power pop one hit wonder almost missed making the Jean’s final cut this year. But then I listened to how passionately and convincingly the band sings near the end of the song: “Stacy’s mom, oh-ohhhh, Stacy’s mom, oh-ohhhh,” and I just had to include it. I was sorry to hear the song’s co-writer, Adam Schlesinger, died in April from COVID-19.

12. NOFX – “Please Play This Song on the Radio” (1992) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 2
I’m not sure if precious is the right word for this song, but it always puts a smile on my face.

13. Minor Threat – “Seeing Red” (1981) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 2
These guys came out of nowhere (Arlington, VA and DC) in 1980 and soon inspired hardcore imitators all over the world. But their sound was so unique and intense- there was no one else like them. In middle school, I used to carry a little tape recorder wherever I went playing Minor Threat songs.

Lou Reed

14. The Living End – “Who’s Gonna Save Us?” (2003) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 2
Another song that almost didn’t make the final cut- but I decided to include it. I feel this song did not get the love it deserved when it was first released in 2003 (by Australians, no less). As a pop punk song, it’s slicker than grease, but also has a timeless message for when things go bad and there is an absence of strong leadership. I need someone to explain to me why the COVID-19 death toll in the United States is so much higher than in other countries. At best, our national response during this American tragedy has been unacceptable and people should demand answers.

15. Tracy Chapman – “The Times They Are a-Changin’ (Live)” (1992) from Bob’s Birthday Bash III – Part 1
I saw Tracy live at Wolf Trap in Virginia some years ago. She is a great performer and takes this Dylan song and just owns it. Perhaps this song is just another way of saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Some French guy said that.

16. Lou Reed – “Satellite of Love” (1972) from Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 2
This was my song in the summer of ’92- don’t ask me why- but it sounded great while driving around Long Island with the windows rolled down. Not many artists besides my fellow Islander Lou Reed could get away with song lyrics like “I like to watch things on TV”. More songs like this, please!

The Beatles

17. The Beatles – “Octopus’ Garden” (1969) from The Love You Make
The other three Beatles always seemed to be having the most fun when working on songs for Ringo who actually wrote this one himself after vacationing on a boat in Sardinia.

18. Cecilia Bartoli, György Fischer – “Vivaldi: Sposa son disprezzata” (1992) from Classical Music Faves III

I first heard this song on an episode of The Sopranos. I don’t know what she’s saying, but it’s beautiful- though she doesn’t seem happy. “Sposa son disprezzata” in Italian means “I am wife and I am scorned.”

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

 

Recommended Links:

Donovan & Crystal Gayle – “Catch the Wind (Live)”

Ian MacKaye on the Power of Punk

Play It Again, Jean III – Part 1

My blog turned three years old last month! So, I suppose now it’s time once again for me to look back and pick out my favorite musical moments from the past year. Enjoy!

JFK and Sinatra

01. Townes Van Zandt – “Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel” (1969) from These Are the Funny Ones
At 25, Van Zandt was a master songwriter (though he may not have known it yet- “Pancho and Lefty” was still a few years away). While there are poetic elements in this song that remind me of Bob Dylan- an obvious influence on Van Zandt- to me the lyrics are more carefully considered both philosophically and theologically and come from much darker places than any Dylan had visited up to that point. The song is sparse, country, but what is also obvious is how much care and polishing went into the words; the music; and the performance. Each time I listen, I hear something new. Now that’s economy.

02. Elton John – “Little Jeannie” (1980) from Reg Dwight – Part 2
This is not one of the many classic songs Elton John wrote with Bernie Taupin- and it shows. Still, it’s a sweet, catchy, and even sophisticated pop song that reminds me of my early ‘80s childhood- when it was always summer- and cheesy new wave and cheesier pop music ruled radio (as well as MTV). To me, “Little Jeannie” still sounds good and hits the spot all these decades later; but, if you’ve got something better from today’s pop music scene for me, then please- the Jean is all ears. I’m waiting.

03. Elton John – “Your Song” (1970) from Reg Dwight – Part 1
This most famous of all the John-Taupin collaborations is also one of the most perfect pop songs ever. Sentimental and overplayed, sure, but “Your Song” is still going strong at 50 years old and is mandatory listening for any aspiring singer-songwriter who hopes to make any money (hey- if only Townes Van Zandt had written more songs like this).

Townes Van Zandt

04. Martina McBride – “O Holy Night” (1998) from Christmas Faves III – Part 1
I’m always curious to hear if artists tackling “O Holy Night” will be up to the task- and McBride does not disappoint. Too many artists, however- including Martina- leave out the additional verses of the song (originally written in French in 1843). In Weezer’s 2008 version of “O Holy Night”, however, the band includes the third verse and chorus (below) that drive home the meaning of the Incarnation (which means “becoming flesh”): that the one infinite, eternal, and spiritual God- who created all things from nothing- loved us so much He- the Son of God- the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity- while retaining his divine nature- took to Himself a human nature, (i.e. a human body and soul like ours) and united it to His divine person, and became man without ceasing to be God at the same time; then suffered, died, and rose from the dead in order to achieve our redemption so we could live with Him forever.

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease,
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His Holy name!

Christ is the Lord! All praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory, evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory, evermore proclaim!

Annunciation by Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo

05. Townes Van Zandt – “For the Sake of the Song” (1969) from These Are the Funny Ones
I think Townes Van Zandt- the young Texan’s third album- works best as a whole, but if I have to pick a favorite song then it’s the opening track which also appeared on his debut album of the same name but then Van Zandt decided to re-record the song a year later. The guy recorded three albums in two years! People had time to do things like that back then- 50 years ago. Is that a harpsichord I hear?

06. Bob Dylan – “Murder Most Foul” (2020) from Downhill After Dallas
The title of this song comes from a line in Hamlet when Hamlet is confronted by his father’s ghost who demands his son avenge his “murder most foul… strange and unnatural”. They killed JFK’s brother, Bobby, a few years later and after that Jackie Kennedy took her kids and left the country. Can’t say I blame her. I feel similarly every time there is another school shooting. Donald Trump, when he was running for president, said the following to an audience at a Christian college: “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK? It’s, like, incredible.” Are we as a country crazy to stand for this kind of stuff or what?

President and Mrs. Kennedy arrive in Dallas, November 22, 1963

07. Yusuf / Cat Stevens – “All Kinds of Roses” (2009) from Rock Grab Bag VII
Simple, beautiful- the world needs more songs like this, please!

Matthew 5:44-48: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

08. Richie Havens – “Here Comes the Sun (Live)” (1970) from Rock Grab Bag VII
I think I like this version better than the Beatles’ original.

09. Pixies – “Catfish Kate” (2019) from Alternative Grab Bag V – Part 2
I find something comforting in the fact that the Pixies are still in the world making weird, post-punk fairy tale songs like this. This song rocks!

Sinatra in Egypt

10. Frank Sinatra – “I Would Be in Love (Anyway)” (1970) from Francis Albert – Part 5
Sinatra always had an ability to rock out in his own way, but is that an electric guitar I hear? I’ve read good things about this album- Watertown. I’ll have to check it out.

11. The Righteous Brothers – “Unchained Melody” (1965) from Oldies: Pass the Fritos VI – Part 1
Epic, sublime, and otherworldly- for me this song is Phil Spector’s crowning achievement in the studio (though I’m sure he would disagree).

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

Recommended Links:

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk – A Brief Summary of Catholicism

Jimmy Breslin on JFK’s Assassination: Two Classic Columns

Two Minutes to Midnight: The Very Last Hurrah by Pete Hamill

Bob’s Birthday Bash III – Part 2

Some Dylan fans are a bit too fanatical for me and they believe Bob can do no wrong (which of course he can and would readily admit). And while I have no problem with artists covering Bob Dylan songs (most eventually do), I get annoyed when they depart from the original lyrics. But that should be less of a problem in the future since Dylan (or one of his minions) has now posted all of his lyrics on his website. Here are more of my favorite covers of Bob Dylan songs. Happy Birthday, Bob! Enjoy!

Joan Osborne

01. Joan Osborne – “Man in the Long Black Coat” (1995)
02. Derek Webb – “Every Grain of Sand (Live)” (2003)
03. Townes Van Zandt – “Man Gave Names to All the Animals (Live)” (Unknown)
04. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (1968)
05. Susan Tedeschi – “Lord Protect My Child” (2005)
06. Joan Baez – “Forever Young (Live)” (1975)
07. Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash, and Shawn Colvin – “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Live)” (1992)
08. Sting – “Girl from the North Country” (2012)
09. Purna Das Baul – “Mr.Tambourine Man” (2013)
10. Eliza Gilkyson – “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” (2001)
11. Joan Osborne – “Tangled Up in Blue” (2017)
12. Joan Osborne – “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” (2017)

Joan Baez

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Bob’s Birthday Bash III – Part 1

Bob Dylan will turn 79 years old this Sunday which means he will be 79 years further away from his birth (and, like all of us, one day closer to his death). As far as influence on 20th century music, for my money Bob Dylan is equally as important as the Beatles (although a friend once tried to convince me Jimi Hendrix had a bigger influence on music than Dylan- a position I find laughable). Thanks to Bob Dylan, rock music was able to move on lyrically from “Tutti Frutti” and “I Want to Hold Hold Your Hand” to more poetic songs that reflect life’s complexities like “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “All Along the Watchtower”. And, speaking of “Mr. Tambourine Man”, if artists are going to take the trouble to cover it then I wish they would sing the fourth verse that includes my favorite lines of the song:

Steep Canyon Rangers

Then take me disappearin’ through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Stevie Wonder

Here are more of my favorite cover versions of Bob Dylan songs. Enjoy!

01. Steep Canyon Rangers – “Let Me Die in My Footsteps” (2018)
02. The Byrds – “Lay Lady Lay (Alternative Version)” (1969)
03. The Everly Brothers – “Abandoned Love” (1985)
04. Stevie Wonder – “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1966)
05. The Chocolate Watchband – “Baby Blue” (1968)
06. The Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Justin Vernon – “Every Grain of Sand” (2013)
07. The Charlie Daniels Band – “Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)” (2014)
08. Jack Savoretti – ‘Nobody ‘Cept You” (2015)
09. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová – “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” (2007)
10. The Animals – “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (1977)
11. Tracy Chapman – “The Times They Are a-Changin’ (Live)” (1992)
12. Lloyd Cole – “You’re a Big Girl Now” (1996)

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Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 2

Alternative is a marketing term American corporations coined in the ‘90s during the grunge explosion but there have always been alternatives to mainstream music depending on where and when you were living. As a kid growing up on Long Island in the ‘80s, radio and MTV were pushing Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, and Madonna, but the alternatives I discovered and preferred were the Monkees, heavy metal, and finally the punk and hardcore music that inspired my friends and me to start our own local music scene in which we couldn’t care less about what was happening on the radio or MTV. 

     

Minor Threat

Following the crowd has never appealed to me- which may explain my attraction to so-called alternative forms of music- and looking back on those times I did follow the crowd usually fills me with shame. I’ll never forget what an old Irish priest told us during Mass one Sunday in Falls Church about why he disliked the euphemism “go with the flow”. “Garbage goes with the flow, my dears,” he warned us. What is the alternative music for today’s youth? When will this global pandemic end? And will our kids ever experience the world the same ways we did? Too many questions. For now, here are more of my favorite alternative songs including punk pioneers, power pop, alt dance, new wave, post-punk, hardcore, pop punk, skate punk, Britpop, and grunge. Enjoy the alternative!     

01. 39 Steps – “Slip into the Crowd” (1985)
02. Garbage – “Thirteen” (1998)
03. Frank Black and the Catholics – “Black Letter Day” (2002)
04. NOFX – “Please Play This Song on the Radio” (1992)
05. Big Star – “Nightime” (1975)
06. Teenage Fanclub – “Ain’t That Enough” (1997)
07. Hole – “Celebrity Skin” (1998)
08. Lou Reed – “Satellite of Love” (1972)
09. James – “Laid” (1993)
10. Morrissey – “Irish Blood, English Heart” (2004)
11. Raspberries – “I Don’t Know What I Want” (1974)
12. Minor Threat – “Seeing Red” (1981)
13. Fountains of Wayne – “Mexican Wine” (2003)
14. Shoes – “The Summer Rain” (1982)
15. The Living End – “Who’s Gonna Save Us?” (2003)
16. Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers – “That Summer Feeling” (1983)
17. Big Star – “Thirteen” (1972)
18. The B-52’s – “Mesopotamia” (1981)
19. The Barracudas – “Campus Tramp” (1980)
20. The Dictators – “Who Will Save Rock and Roll?” (2001)
21. The Mr. T Experience – “Alternative Is Here to Stay” (1995)
22. The Mr. T Experience – “You Today” (1995)

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Recommended Links:

Ian MacKaye on the Power of Punk

Alternative Grab Bag VI – Part 1

I have a New York friend who once told me in wintertime he listens to punk and in summertime he listens to reggae. While the warmer weather and approaching summer normally get me in the mood for oldies, classic rock, and even reggae, lately I’ve been teleworking a lot from a makeshift home office where I found myself wanting to listen to alternative music. By definition, alternative music is oppositional and non-conformist and can usually help listeners fight back against whatever’s bugging them be it traffic, other people, lousy weather- or the monotony of being stuck at home. Here are some of my favorite alternative songs including punk, power pop, experimental, and indie/alternative. Enjoy!

Bob Mould

01. Sonic Youth – “Youth Against Fascism” (1992)
02. Superchunk – “Learned to Surf” (2010)
03. The Queers – “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got an Ugly Daughter” (1998)
04. They Might Be Giants – “Tesla” (2013)
05. Ramones – “Rockaway Beach” (1977)
06. The Greenberry Woods – “Trampoline” (1994)
07. Sebadoh – “Rebound” (1994)
08. Screaming Trees – “Sworn and Broken” (1996)
09. Shoes – “Too Late” (1979)
10. The Replacements – “Left of the Dial” (1985)
11. Greg Dulli – “Pussywillow” (2005)
12. Screeching Weasel – “Peter Brady” (1993)
13. Rancid – “Bob” (2002)
14. Guided by Voices – “Game of Pricks” (1995)
15. Guided by Voices – “The Rally Boys” (2019)
16. Fountains of Wayne – “Stacy’s Mom” (2003)
17. Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers – “Abdul and Cleopatra” (1979)
18. Bob Mould – “Sunshine Rock” (2019)
19. King Tuff – “Screaming Skull” (2012)
20. The Plimsouls – “Now (Live)” (1983)

Peter Brady (Aka “Phil Packer” )

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Recommended Links:

Bob Mould Interview –  1985

Oldies: Pass the Fritos VII – Part 2

Whether it’s film, history, religion, politics, or music, I’m all about seeking truth. By researching, going to the source, and tracing influences, I am much better able to make informed decisions and enhance my overall enjoyment of the experience. Thanks to radio, television (mostly PBS), and the public library, I knew the history of rock & roll from an early age. By my twenties, I already owned Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly albums and while I didn’t listen to them often, I did listen to them- for enjoyment, yes, but also to build up my knowledge of music- which I dig- and learn how it all got started. For me, oldies is the key to understanding and appreciating modern popular music.

Buddy Holly

We all know who and how rock got started in the ‘50s (though fewer know how it almost didn’t survive after Little Richard gave up secular music to preach the gospel, Elvis Presley entered the army, Chuck Berry went to jail, and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash; but that was before the Beatles and the British Invasion came from across the Atlantic and saved the day). We all know who influenced John, Paul, George, and Ringo; but who influenced Richard, Elvis, Chuck, and Buddy? Those names are less well-known and probably lost to the mists of time. Unknown, too, are the names of the millions whose lives oldies music changed, inspired, and enriched. Oldies are old, yes, but also historic, fun, and still have a lot to offer us. Here are more of my favorite oldies songs including some ‘50s rock & roll. Enjoy!  

Dedicated to Little Richard

Little Richard

01. The Zombies – “She’s Not There” (1964)

02. Little Richard – “Keep A-Knockin’” (1957)
03. Chuck Berry – “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956)
04. The Monkees – “Daydream Believer”  (1967)
05. Small Faces – “All or Nothing” (1966)
06. The Balloon Farm – “A Question of Temperature” (1967)
07. The Human Beinz – “Nobody But Me” (1967)
08. The Ivy League – “Tossing and Turning” (1965)
09. Peter and Gordon – “I Go to Pieces” (1964)
10. Them – “My Lonely Sad Eyes” (1966)
11. Elvis Presley – “Long Legged Girl (With the Short Dress On)” (1967)
12. Buddy Holly – “Well…All Right” (1958)
13. The Clique – “Soul Mates” (1969)
14. Love – “Alone Again Or” (1967)
15. Bill Haley & His Comets – “Thirteen Women” (1954)
16. The Searchers – “Take Me for What I’m Worth” (1965)
17. The Crystals – “Da Doo Ron Ron” (1963)
18. The Crickets – “It’s So Easy” (1958)
19. The Coasters – “Poison Ivy” (1959)
20. Little Richard – “Tutti Frutti” (1955)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

 

Recommended Links:

Bob Dylan – Nobel Lecture

Chuck Berry Hail! Hail Rock 'n' Roll

Pete Townshend – 'Interview' 1974 p1

Pete Townshend - 'Interview' 1974 p2

Pete Townshend - 'Interview' 1974 p3

Oldies: Pass the Fritos VII – Part 1

Oldies- the origin of rock- follows a straight line up to the Beatles before splitting into oldies and classic rock- and then dies in the ‘70s right around the time of my birth. Are you with me so far? When I was a kid in the ‘70s and ’80s, oldies music was for moms and kids who had no use for Rush, Led Zeppelin, or Bad Company- let alone ‘70s sleaze peddlers like Aerosmith or the Stones. Oldies provides a safe, groovy place to let your spirit and imagination soar free while still being able to feel hip and rock out. While oldies music by definition sounds dated, for me the best of it remains imaginative, fun, thrilling, and satisfying. Classic rock, on the other hand, adheres to safe, lucrative formulas that enabled it to enjoy a much longer run than oldies music but classic rock, too, now finds itself at the end of the line.

Yet oldies may have the last laugh. Alternative music artists- most from my generation and mostly nerds and record geeks- were less impressed with generic classic rock and more influenced and inspired by the oldies music of their childhoods and later oldies discoveries at record stores and on mix tapes that somehow seemed cooler and more exciting than anything happening on classic rock radio stations (or even in the so called punk and hardcore music scenes). By the end of the century, alternative music- perhaps the true and rightful successor to oldies music- had at last closed the decades long gap with classic rock- and may outlast it. Here are more of my favorite oldies songs including psychedelic, garage rock, British Invasion, and girl groups. Enjoy the “alternative” sounds of oldies music!

01. The Byrds – “Wild Mountain Thyme” (1966)
02. The Turtles – Happy Together” (1967)
03. The Troggs – “Give It to Me” (1967)
04. The Neon Philharmonic – “Morning Girl” (1969)
05. The Monkees – “Can You Dig It? (Demo)” (1968)
06. The Zombies – “I’ll Call You Mine” (1968)
07. Richard Harris – “Paper Chase” (1968)
08. Dusty Springfield – “Stay Awhile” (1964)
09. The Neon Philharmonic – “Morning Girl, Later” (1969)
10. The Music Machine – “Talk Talk” (1966)
11. The Searchers – “Needles and Pins” (1964)
12. The Turtles – “You Baby” (1966)
13. The Rolling Stones – “Back Street Girl” (1967)
14. The Outsiders – “Time Won’t Let Me” (1966)
15. Manfred Mann – “Sha-La-La” (1964)
16. Oliver – “Jean” (1969)
17. The Who – “So Sad About Us” (1966)
18. The Cookies – “I Never Dreamed” (1964)
19. The Who – “Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand” (1967)
20. The Shangri-Las – “Past, Present, and Future” (1966)

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Classic Rock: Choice Cuts VI

The warmer weather reminds me summer is coming and the official soundtrack to summer when I was a kid was classic rock- usually courtesy of WBAB. The smell of grilled hamburgers, freshly cut grass, and the sounds of “Dream On” wafting over fences and through trees from neighbors’ backyards- this was summer on the Great South Bay in the ‘80s. Classic rock is on life support now- as is commercial radio- but all it takes is some charcoal and classic rock to reignite that summer magic. Here are more of my favorite classic rock songs- including some top shelf AOR. Enjoy- and let there be barbecue!

Journey

01. Journey – "Lights" (1978)

02. The Beatles – “And I Love Her” (1964)

03. The Beatles – “All You Need Is Love” (1967)

04. Journey – "Any Way You Want It" (1980)

05. The Hooters – "And We Danced" (1986)

06. The Beatles – “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” (1965)

07. Bob Dylan – “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (1973)

08. Journey – “Wheel in the Sky” (1978)

09. Journey – “Faithfully” (1983)

10. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Ramble Tamble” (1970)

11. Bob Dylan – “Wigwam” (1970)

12. Bob Dylan – “The Man in Me” (1970)

13. Electric Light Orchestra – “From Out of Nowhere” (2019)

14. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – “Teach Your Children” (1970)

15. The Animals – “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (1977)

16. Stephen Stills – “Love the One You’re With” (1970)

17. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Walls (Circus)” (1996)

18. Bob Dylan – “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” (1965)

19. Pat Benatar – "Shadows of the Night" (1982)

20. The Turtles – “Earth Anthem” (1968)

21. The Beatles – “Ticket to Ride” (1965)

22. Paul McCartney – “Early Days” (2013)

23. The Stills-Young Band – “Midnight on the Bay” (1976)

24. Bruce Springsteen – “My Love Will Not Let You Down (Live)” (2000)

25. Ringo Starr – “Photograph” (1973)

Bruce Springsteen

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Soul by the Dozen VIII

Classic soul music is something everyone should have in their collection though I’ll admit it can be hard to find great soul studio albums. Most of the soul albums I’ve had over the years have been great compilations of funk, Motown, or ‘60s soul- maybe the occasional soundtrack. Classic soul songs just sound better on a compilation, a mix tape, or on the radio while sitting in traffic with your mom. But if it is a soul studio album you must have then you probably can’t go wrong exploring ‘70s studio albums by Al Green- that guy knows how to lay down a groove and can probably keep you- or you and your significant other- engaged for an entire album. As for other great soul studio albums, I’ll keep searching, but for now here are more of my favorite soul songs by the dozen. Enjoy!

Diana Ross & The Supremes

01. Al Green – “Light My Fire” (1971)

02. Betty Harris – “Mean Man” (1968)

03. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – “You’re All I Need to Get By” (1968)

04. Diana Ross & The Supremes – “Reflections” (1968)

05. The Four Tops – “Walk Away Renee” (1967)

06. The Bar-Kays – “Montego Bay” (1970)

07. The Flirtations – “Nothing But a Heartache” (1969)

08. David Ruffin – “My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)” (1969)

09. The Contours – “It’s So Hard Being a Loser” (1967)

10. Billy Preston – “That’s the Way God Planned It (Alternative Version)” (1969)

11. The Jackson 5 – “I’ll Be There” (1970)

12. Billy Preston – “Looner Tune” (1971)

Billy Preston

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The Love You Make

Growing up on Long island, a vinyl copy of this album somehow made its way from our neighbor’s basement into our living room and never left. We spent many weekend afternoons as a family listening to Abbey Road on the turntable when there wasn’t much else to do (Internet and cell phones had not yet been invented). Like many, I know every note of this record. If you can own only one Beatles studio album, this is the one. So what are you waiting for? Find yourself a copy immediately!

Abbey Road is a celebration of the Fab Four’s ten-year ride as the decade’s- and the world’s- most popular group and a fitting farewell to their fans (who were now starting families of their own). Among all the Beatles’ albums, Abbey Road has a unique warmth. I especially enjoy the modern sounds (modern for 1969) of songs like “Come Together” and “Something” that foreshadowed what was to come in the ‘70s musically. And, as annoying as McCartney-penned Beatles’ songs can be (on this album we get “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and “Oh! Darling”), they are good-natured fun and can still run circles around anything acts like Pavement, Magnetic Fields, or Beck ever accomplished in their entire careers.

Love it or hate, I think Side 2 of Abbey Road is still the most gratifying 20 minutes of music in the history of rock, and “The End” contains the group’s final message to the world: “And, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” And then McCartney tacks on a stupid song about the queen. But Paul was the band’s hitmaker and that’s probably why the other three put up with him for so many years. Beatles have to eat, too. On their own, none of them ever got this good again- including McCartney. Grade: A+

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The Beatles – “In My Life”

These Are the Funny Ones

By 1969, popular music had become louder and bigger but the songwriting not necessarily better and yet somehow this quiet, little record was born into the world around the same time as Abbey Road. A Texas country singer by definition, Townes Van Zandt is arguably one of the first and most important of the singer-songwriters, and- like the best of them- he knows how to cast a spell and turn less into more. While aware of his music for at least the past fifteen years, I’ve never really given any of his albums a chance until now- and I’m glad I did. While rightly or wrongly Van Zandt has the reputation for being an outlaw, depressed, and generally self-destructive (yawn), here on this record shine beauty, vulnerability, and even a sort of tranquility that carries me along like a gentle mountain stream.

I can’t help but think Van Zandt and John Denver had a lot in common in the way they viewed the world and the two country boys just expressed it differently in their music; Denver has the reputation for being a sunny optimist while Van Zandt is known for being a dark cloud of desolation. Of course, if one chooses to focus on the lyrics then there is darkness and existentialism but for me Townes Van Zandt is not a downer. It is just honest, pretty, timeless, and reminds me of the quote by Michelangelo: “Beauty is the purgation of superfluities.” The words are there for the listener to hear- or not- and this makes the album- his third- good for repeated listenings as the overall music creates a calm, soothing atmosphere that for me ends all too soon. This is a record around which one might start- or restart- a vinyl collection.

Townes Van Zandt is country music for people who want something a little less honky-tonk and a bit more quiet and dignified. Nothing against John Denver, but Townes Van Zandt is the anti-John Denver album. The protagonist in the songs has researched and figured out the predicament in which he finds himself and is damned if he can’t find a way out and so (for the time being) he’s content to just sit and wait for grace- or death- whichever comes first. Now finally getting the recognition he deserves, Van Zandt was featured prominently in the new Ken Burns documentary Country Music that includes a story in which someone tells Townes his songs are really good- but why doesn’t he try writing some funny ones? Van Zandt’s response? “These are the funny ones.” Grade: A

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Guy Clark Talks About Towns Van Zandt

Jean’s Jazz: Smells Good III

What else can I say about jazz? As a neophyte without a guide, you are on your own and even with a guide you are likely to have different tastes than the so-called experts. Also, I find many of the “greatest” jazz albums to be unlistenable and so my advice is to keep your ears open and follow whatever sounds good- even if that means just enjoying jazz covers of popular songs and standards. Life is too short for each person to become a jazz expert but that should not deter us from becoming masters of our own jazz listening and taking whatever pleasures we can from “America’s classical music”. Here are some more of my favorite jazz songs. Enjoy!  

King Curtis

01. Clifford Brown – “Easy Living” (1953)
02. Charlie Hunter Trio – “Come as You Are” (1995)
03. Thelonious Monk – “Abide with Me” (1957)
04. Herbie Mann – “Memphis Underground” (1969)
05. Slim Gaillard and His Orchestra – “Yip Roc Heresy” (1951)
06. Sonny Rollins – “My One and Only Love” (1964)
07. King Curtis – “Games People Play” (1969)
08. Keith Jarrett – “Shenandoah” (1999)
09. Thelonious Monk – “Stuffy Turkey” (1964)
10. Herbie Hancock – “Fat Mama” (1969)

Thelonious Monk

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What Is Jazz?

Folkies VI

I’m pleasantly surprised at how what I assumed was only my passing interest in folk music has resulted in a sixth entry on the subject. In my opinion, the ingredients for a good folk song are not so different from any other genre: truth, sincerity, and a hook. Nobody wants to be preached at or dragged down into depression, so the song should offer at least a glimmer of hope or chance at resolution. Ah, but there is the rub as most of the pain of life comes from what appear to be hopeless situations without resolution. That’s maturity, for you, and if you haven’t figured out some way to help others live, or gained some valuable life lesson or insight into the human condition, then you probably should not attempt to write or play folk music- or should you? Here are some more of my favorite folk songs. Enjoy! 

The Civil Wars

01. James McMurtry – “Cold Dog Soup” (2011)

02. The Avett Brothers – “Murder in the City” (2008)

03. Ian Felice – “In the Kingdom of Dreams” (2017)

04. Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger – “This Land Is Your Land (Live)” (1993)

05. Jason Isbell and Elizabeth Cook – “Pancho & Lefty” (2013)

06. Simon & Garfunkel – “Blues Run the Game” (1965)
07. Simon & Garfunkel – “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” (1966)
08. James McMurtry – “You Got to Me” (2015)
09. The Civil Wars – “Same Old Same Old” (2013)
10. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – “Will You Go Lassie Go (Live)” (1984)

11. Ryan Bingham – “Sunrise” (2007)
12. Simon & Garfunkel – “Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall” (1966)

Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie

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