Playlist: Classic Rock: Choice Cuts

A continuing celebration of my favorite classic rock songs. Updated. Enjoy!

Bob Seger

01. Neil Young – “Pardon My Heart” (1975)

02. Crosby, Stills & Nash – “You Don’t Have to Cry” (1969)

03. Bob Dylan and the Band – “All Along the Watchtower (Live)” (1974)

04. Bob Seger – “Against the Wind” (1980)

05. The Beatles – “Day Tripper” (1965)

06. Bruce Springsteen – “Thunder Road (Live)” (1975)

07. Bryan Adams – “Summer of ‘69” (1984)

08. Fleetwood Mac – “Landslide” (1975)

09. Bob Seger – “Old Time Rock and Roll” (1978)

10. Bob Seger – “Night Moves” (1976)

11. Manassas – “It Doesn’t Matter” (1972)

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

13. Traveling Wilburys – “End of the Line” (1988)

14. The Kinks – “Celluloid Heroes” (1972)

15. Bob Seger – “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” (1976)

16. Warren Zevon – “Werewolves of London” (1978)

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Playlist: Folkies

A continuing celebration of my favorite folk songs. Updated. Enjoy!

Simon & Garfunkel

01. Simon & Garfunkel – “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (Live)” (1970)

02. Simon & Garfunkel – “Mrs. Robinson” (1968)

03. Simon & Garfunkel – “Bookends” (1968)

04. Simon & Garfunkel – “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)

05. Peter, Paul and Mary – “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (1965)

06. John Gorka – “Love Is Our Cross to Bear” (1987)

07. John Gorka – “The One That Got Away” (1990)

08. Loudon Wainwright III – “Your Mother and I” (1986)

09. Loudon Wainwright III – “White Winos” (2001)

10. Loudon Wainwright III – “The Acid Song” (1986)

11. Loudon Wainwright III – “Unhappy Anniversary” (1986)

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Playlist: Psychedelic Laundromat

A continuing celebration of my favorite psychedelic songs. Updated. Enjoy!

The Beatles

01. The Beatles – “Got to Get You into My Life” (1966)

02. The Doors – “People Are Strange” (1967)

03. The Yardbirds – “For Your Love” (1965)

04. Sagittarius – “Song to the Magic Frog (Will You Ever Know)” (1968)

05. Donovan – “Hampstead Incident” (1967)

06. Bob Dylan – “Desolation Row (Alternate)” (1965)

07. The Beatles – “Paperback Writer” (1966)

08. Jefferson Airplane – “Volunteers” (1969)

09. The Brogues – “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker” (1965)

10. Spirit – “Nature’s Way” (1970)

11. Donovan – “Widow with a Shawl (A Portrait) (Live)” (1967)

12. The Beatles – “Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 4)” (1966)

13. Traffic – “Dear Mr. Fantasy” (1967)

14. Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood – “Sand” (1968)

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Playlist: Byrds of a Feather

A continuing celebration of my favorite Byrds songs. Updated. Enjoy!

The Byrds

01. The Byrds – “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” (1968)

02. The Byrds – “Mr. Tambourine Man (Live)” (1970)

03. The Byrds – “The World Turns All Around Her” (1965)

04. The Byrds – “Here Without You” (1965)

05. The Byrds – “Your Gentle Way of Loving Me” (1969)

06. The Byrds – “Tulsa County” (1969)

07. The Byrds – “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)” (1969)

08. The Byrds – “Chimes of Freedom” (1965)

09. The Byrds – “Set You Free This Time” (1965)

10. The Byrds – “Goin’ Back” (1968)

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Playlist: Cheer Up, Sleepy Jean

A continuing celebration of my favorite Monkees songs. Updated. Enjoy!

The Monkees

01. The Monkees – “Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)” (1967)

02. The Monkees – “Through the Looking Glass” (1969)

03. The Monkees – “Listen to the Band” (1969)

04. The Monkees – “Daydream Believer” (1967)

05. The Monkees – “You Just May Be the One” (1967)

06. The Monkees – “Love Is Only Sleeping” (1967)

07. The Monkees – “Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears” (1966)

08. The Monkees – “She Makes Me Laugh” (2016)

09. The Monkees – “Sunny Girlfriend (Live)” (2019)

10. The Monkees – “She’ll Be There” (1967)

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Playlist: In Praise of Sunshine Pop

A continuing celebration of my favorite sunshine pop. Updated. Enjoy!

The Beach Boys

01. The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations” (1966)

02. The Turtles – “Me About You” (1967)

03. The Beach Boys – “God Only Knows” (1966)

04. The Association – “Everything That Touches You” (1968)

05. The Mamas and the Papas – “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon” (1967)

06. The Mamas and the Papas – “Safe in My Garden” (1968)

07. The Mamas and the Papas – “My Heart Stood Still” (1966)

08. The Beatles – “Octopus’ Garden” (1969)

09. Harpers Bizarre – “Witchi Tai To” (1969)

10. Sagittarius – “Song to the Magic Frog (Will You Ever Know)” (1968)

11. The Left Banke – “She May Call You Up Tonight” (1967)

12. The Beach Boys – “Our Prayer” (1966)

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New Faves 04/04/2021

Marxism got one thing right- economics drives history. If people want mind-blowingly good music on a large scale like we saw in the 20th century then the music business must adapt to the new landscape- where listeners call the shots- and increase profit incentives for artists and songwriters. Otherwise, it’s going to be near impossible for anyone to round up the next cream of the musical crop, make millions off them, and ensure they are known to every living soul- even if they are the next Beatles, Frank Sinatra, or Bob Dylan. As we all know, the richest artists aren’t necessarily the most talented and I doubt I would recognize the names of any of today’s newest and wealthiest musicians. Will there ever be worldwide musical superstars such as we saw in the 20th century whose talents deserve such riches and fame? 

Mandrill

Not every artist becomes rich and famous and it’s hard to make art when you’re working three jobs and scraping to survive. For consumers to be able to enjoy the best of what is out there, artists need an economic incentive to expend energy, time, and capital on writing, recording, and performing- and some way for their music to reach potentially millions of listeners. Though the 20th century saw many artists getting ripped off (even the big names), it was a great time for consumers of music as well as artists and producers. Time to be great again. We have nothing to lose but the pop slop that continues to offend and send each of us scurrying to our separate corners of the Internet (and has been doing so for the past 25 years). Here are some of my favorite most recent musical discoveries. Enjoy- and Happy Easter!

Cracker

01. Alkaline Trio – “She Lied to the FBI” (2013)

02. Arab Strap – “The Shy Retirer” (2003)

03. Bruce Springsteen – “Thunder Road (Live)” (1975)

04. Dramarama – “Scenario” (1985)

05. Nat King Cole – “Harlem Blues” (1958)

06. Cracker – “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)” (1992)

07. Kelly Hogan – “Papa Was a Rodeo” (2000)

08. The Postal Service – “Sleeping In” (2003)

09. Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting for You)” (2014)

10. Future Islands – “A Dream of You and Me” (2014)

11. Mandrill – “Fencewalk” (1973)

12. The Monkees – “Through the Looking Glass” (1969)

13. The Peppermint Trolley Company – “I’ve Got to Be Going” (1968)

14. Judy Collins – “Michael from Mountains” (1967)

15. Yo La Tengo – “Detouring America with Horns” (1992)

16. Damien Jurado – “Letters & Drawings” (1999)

17. M. Ward – “To Go Home” (2006)

18. Josh Rouse – “Dressed Up Like Nebraska” (1998)

19. The Bevis Frond – “He’d Be a Diamond” (1991)

20. Mickey Newbury – “I Don’t Think Much About Her No More” (1969)

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