Tag: Van Morrison

Time to Retire These? My Response

I mentioned yesterday that an MSN article listed some 1960’s Pop Songs that they felt needed to be retired. I didn’t say much about how I felt, as I wanted to see what my musical friends had to say. So here is a look again at the songs and why they felt they should be retired, followed by my two cents.

Let’s first talk about the word “retire.” I am guessing from the tone of the article that retire means to “go away for ever.” Isn’t that a bit harsh? I think so. Each of these songs (like it or not) may be someone’s favorite song.

While working in oldies radio, we used to have features that would pull out a song you don’t hear all the time and play it. Sometimes, we’d call it a “Forgotten Favorite” or a “song from the Music Museum.” The idea is to play a song that makes the listener go, “Wow, I remember this one,” “I haven’t heard this in forever,” or simply “Oh, wow!” One consultant I worked with used to call them “Oh Wow Songs.”

When radio “tested” songs, the audience is sat in an auditorium. They are played anywhere from 500-800 song clips. Each clip is usually 15 seconds long. They call those “hooks.” Ideally, it is the most recognizable part of the song. After they hear it, they are asked if they 1) liked the song, 2) disliked the song, 3) heard it too much, 4) didn’t hear it enough, or 5) don’t care either way.

The answers from that music test is then calculated and decisions are made about where it should be on the play list. If a song that is in a hot rotation is said to be played too much, the station would probably back off on the number of times it is played. If it was something they wanted to hear more of, they might spin it a few more times.

With all of that in mind, Let’s look at the songs again:

Sugar Sugar – The Archies

MSN: “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies is a quintessential bubblegum pop tune that dominated the airwaves in the late ’60s. With its catchy chorus and playful melody, it quickly became a favorite among young audiences. Despite its charm, the song’s simplistic lyrics and repetitive tune can feel overly sweet, much like its title.

As a product of its time, the song was emblematic of the manufactured pop sound that appealed to a broad audience. Yet today, its perpetual presence in commercials and retro playlists has led to listener fatigue.

Keith: I’d like to know how they know that the listener is “fatigued” by this song. Was the song “tested?” Did they gather a bunch of people in an auditorium and actually let the listeners voice an opinion? I highly doubt it. It is a pretty bold statement to say people are tired of a song.

Bubblegum or not, the song is still being used in movies, commercials, and is a familiar favorite to radio listeners. Familiar is often what gets better ratings.

Green Tambourine – Lemon Pipers

MSN: The Lemon Pipers’ “Green Tambourine” captures the essence of the psychedelic era with its vivid imagery and whimsical sound. The song invites listeners into a world of colorful imagination, driven by its distinctive tambourine rhythm.

Despite its initial success, the song’s psychedelic charm feels dated, often overshadowed by more timeless tracks from the era. Its vivid imagery, once enchanting, now appears somewhat kitschy.

“Green Tambourine” was one of the first bubblegum pop songs to hit number one, symbolizing the fleeting nature of the genre’s appeal.

Keith: FYI – Kitschy means considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way. Thanks for using big words here MSN.

Does it sounded dated? Maybe, but no more dated that Magic Carpet Ride or any other “Psychedelic” song from that time. Does the “sound” of a song dictate whether or not it should be played? Let’s face it, if that was the case, we’d never hear disco or 80’s music. Talk about dated!

Personally, I don’t care for the song. That doesn’t mean that it should be retired.

In the Year 2525 – Zager and Evans

MSN: Zager and Evans’ “In the Year 2525” paints a dystopian future, capturing the anxieties of the late 1960s. The song’s lyrics take listeners on a speculative journey through time, each verse exploring the consequences of technological advancement.

While impactful during its time, its heavy-handed delivery and bleak outlook haven’t aged well. The song’s prophecy-driven narrative feels out of place in today’s music landscape, where optimism often takes center stage.

Keith: It seems to me that “today’s music landscape” is centered in drugs, sex, and profanity, so I’m not even sure that is a worthy comparison. Does “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon need to go away, too? “Gimme Shelter” by the Stones? Seems to me that there are plenty of songs that paint a grim future…

Cherish – The Association

MSN: “Cherish” by The Association is a ballad that epitomizes the romantic spirit of the 1960s. Its gentle melody and heartfelt lyrics made it a favorite for couples and weddings.

However, the song’s overtly sentimental tone can feel cloying to modern ears. While it speaks to eternal love, its earnestness may seem exaggerated today, overshadowing its lyrical beauty.

Keith: “Cloying” means excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, especially to a disgusting or sickening degree. Apparently, wanting to express your love to someone in song is annoying to “modern ears.”

Maybe that is what’s wrong with the world today. Maybe people feel that this kind of feeling is impossible to experience? Perhaps there is more lust in the world than love? I go back to another “cloying” song – What the world needs now – is love!

Little Children – Billy J Kramer

MSN: “Little Children” by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas tells a playful yet subtly unsettling story through its lyrics. The song’s narrative involves coaxing children to keep secrets, wrapped in a catchy melody that belies its unusual theme.

While musically engaging, the lyrics raise eyebrows today, as the playful intent can be misinterpreted. Its charm lies in its ability to create vivid imagery, though its content doesn’t resonate well with contemporary audiences.

Keith: In the past, I have been guilty of buying something and telling the kids, “Don’t tell mom.” I know that the article is trying to take this to an entirely new (and all to common today) level. I’m sure that was not the intention. It was like the “Baby It’s Cold Outside” fiasco a few years ago. “Let’s make the song say something that it wasn’t intended to say!”

I don’t hear the song enough for it to be a big deal. Honestly, in today’s music, there are far more disgusting and immoral things being sung about.

MacArthur Park – Richard Harris

MSN: Richard Harris’s “MacArthur Park” is an epic ballad known for its abstract lyrics and grand orchestration. The song’s vivid, though puzzling, imagery of a cake left in the rain has intrigued listeners for decades.

Despite its ambitious nature, the song’s dramatic delivery and length can feel overwhelming, often sparking debate among music enthusiasts. Its metaphorical complexity leaves some listeners puzzled rather than enchanted.

Keith: I never cared for this song. To me, it was a long song that I could play when I needed to use the restroom. Incidentally, I’d like to flush this song down a toilet. But, that is MY subjective opinion.

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles

MSN: The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is a track that divides fans and critics alike. Its upbeat rhythm and catchy lyrics tell the simple story of Desmond and Molly Jones, painting a picture of everyday life.

Despite its playful nature, even within The Beatles, the song has drawn mixed reactions. Some band members themselves were not fond of it, and its repetitive chorus can feel tiresome.

Keith: Proof that music is subjective. Some of the Beatles themselves didn’t care for it. Does that mean retire it? Oh, and as far as the “repetitive chorus,” do they even know what a chorus is? It is literally defined: a part of a song that is repeated after each verse, typically by more than one singer.

I can think of countless songs where the chorus is repeated over and over. Many times, the chorus of the song is all the listeners know!

You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – Righteous Brothers

MSN: The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” is a soulful anthem of love and longing. Its powerful vocals and lush orchestration have made it a staple in romantic playlists.

However, the song has been covered so extensively that its impact can feel diluted. While its emotional depth remains intact, listener fatigue is inevitable due to its pervasive presence across media.

Keith: I divert to Turntable Talker, Randy here. I don’t know how many covers there have been, but they aren’t all being played on the radio. Certainly not enough to cause “listener fatigue.”

The song is a classic.

Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire

MSN: Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” is a protest song that captures the tumultuous spirit of the 1960s. Its urgent lyrics and raw delivery reflect the era’s social and political unrest.

While it resonated with audiences during its release, the song’s heavy-handed approach can feel outdated today. Its message, though powerful, lacks the nuance appreciated in contemporary protest music.

Keith: What exactly is the “nuance” that is appreciated in contemporary protest music? To me, this is a BS line to diss on the song.

Personally, it is one of the songs I hated to play. I never liked it, but I understood the message and how important it was for the time that is was released.

Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations

MSN: The Foundations’ “Build Me Up Buttercup” is a buoyant track that has become synonymous with feel-good nostalgia. Its upbeat tempo and catchy chorus have made it a perennial favorite at parties and karaoke nights.

While undeniably infectious, the song’s constant rotation can lead to listener fatigue. Its simplistic lyrics, once endearing, may now seem repetitive.

Keith: Thanks to the movie, There’s Something About Mary, this song gained more popularity in 1998. I believe that there was an earlier movie that also featured the song in the early 90’s that did as well, but I cannot think of what it was. Anyway, I can tell you that I played the snot out of this at parties and people danced!

It is not my favorite song, and yes it is repetitive. I wouldn’t mind hearing it every so often, not every day though.

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

MSN: Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” is a timeless classic that captures the essence of youthful romance. Its infectious melody and lively beat have made it a favorite across generations.

However, its overplay has led some listeners to seek fresh alternatives, despite its enduring charm. The song’s universal appeal is both a blessing and a curse, contributing to its overexposure.

Keith: Again, if music testing was done, and it truly was played too much, there is a way to fix it. Play it less. A lighter rotation on the radio will make it sound even better when you DO hear it. Imagine not hearing it for a month and then finally hearing it – it will have that “Oh Wow” factor.

I don’t feel that this should ever go away forever.

The Ballad of the Green Berets – Sgt. Barry Sadler

MSN: Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler’s “The Ballad of the Green Berets” is a patriotic anthem that reflects the valor and sacrifice of soldiers. Its martial beat and stirring lyrics resonated deeply during the Vietnam War era.

Yet, in today’s context, the song’s straightforward patriotism may not strike the same chord. While honoring bravery, its style feels dated to modern sensibilities.

Keith: My dad is a veteran. I have many veteran friends. I constantly walk up to people with Veteran hats and thank them for their service. I love veterans and all that they have done for our country. They are heroes. I say all of that, because I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. I never liked this song. I’m not sure why.

I think that it could be appropriate to play around Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day, but that is it. It is just not a song that I feel should be in a regular rotation. There are plenty of other patriotic songs, most of which only come out for those special days mentioned above. Those songs may or may not feel out of place when heard on a normal day.

I’m trying not to let my personal feelings for the song sway me and my thoughts. I hope that it came across that way.

Yummy Yummy Yummy – Ohio Express

MSN: Ohio Express’s “Yummy Yummy Yummy” epitomizes the bubblegum pop genre with its sugary-sweet lyrics and catchy melody. The song’s playful repetition of “I got love in my tummy” made it an instant hit among teens.

However, its simplistic nature can feel overly kitsch, thus losing its novelty over time. The song’s enduring presence in retro playlists might not appeal to those seeking depth.

Keith: To me, this is a novelty song. Novelty songs are rarely on a regular playlist. I don’t think I ever played this when it wasn’t part of a themed weekend or a countdown show. I also don’t think I have ever seen it on a “retro playlist.” I also highly doubt that anyone “seeking depth” is going to grab an Ohio Express album.

Conclusion

Much of MSN’s “reasoning” for retiring these songs is flimsy. Honestly, the piece sounded like it was written by a guy who just hates these songs. Despite trying hard to make the reasons sound grounded in facts, they are not.

Music, like many other things, is subjective. What I like may not be what you like. How many times a song is played is based on your perception. I could play a song you love and a song you hate the same amount of times in a day. The song you love you are not hearing enough, while the song you hate you are hearing too much.

I realize that all of these types of lists are subjective, and I will take it that way. I appreciate your thoughts!

Time to Retire These?

I post this for all of my readers, but for my musical readers especially. Let me have your honest opinion.

While surfing MSN the other day, I came across an article entitled “1960’s Pop Songs That Should Be Permanently Retired.” I agree with some of these, and I’m sure you can guess which ones. On the other hand there are a couple I actually like.

So here is the list. No commentary. What are your thoughts? I will post my own comments in an upcoming blog.

1960’s Pop Songs That Should Be Permanently Retired (From MSN.com)

Sugar, Sugar – The Archies

Green Tambourine – Lemon Pipers

In The Year 2525 – Zager and Evans

Cherish – The Association

Little Children – Billy J. Kramer

MacArthur Park – Richard Harris

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da – The Beatles

You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – Righteous Brothers

Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire

Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

The Ballad of the Green Berets – Sgt. Barry Sadler

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy – Ohio Express

There were a couple others on the list that were more late 1950’s, so I opted to not share those.

So, what do you think? Do you agree? Are there songs that should be on this list that aren’t? I’d love to hear your comments.

The Music of My Life – Decade Extra – The 2000’s

This is sort of a continuation of the Music of My Life feature. It focused on music from 1970-2025. It featured tunes that have special meaning to me, brought back a certain memory or a tune that I just really like. I found that with the first three decades, there were songs that I didn’t feature. So I sat down with my original lists and selected some songs that “bubbled under,” so to speak.

I figured a good way to present them was to focus on a decade. 10 years = 1 song per year = 10 songs. Two weeks ago we finished looking at the 90’s. This we we’ll move to the 2000’s. So, let’s check out a few “Decade Extras.”

2000

I’m not sure why, but the more I listened to Barenaked Ladies The more I liked their stuff. It always seemed like they were having a good time and always like to have some tongue in cheek kind of lyrics.  Pinch Me is no exception.

According to Songfacts, this song is one of the many that the band often change the lyrics to during live performances for comedic effect. Lyrics that are often changed include “And run through with my gym short on” replaced with “no clothing on,” “And change in to drier clothes” to “changing to my sister’s clothes.” When they were on tour with Alanis Morissette, the line was often changed to “change into Alanis’ clothes.”

In the third verse there is a classic schoolyard joke: “I could hide out under there – I just made you say underwear.” This caused a fan trend of throwing underwear on stage during live performances. When this happens, Robertson changes the line to “I just made you throw underwear.”

Bandmember Ed Robertson came up with the concept for the Philip Harder-directed music video, where he plays a fast food worker who daydreams an exciting life with restaurant patrons dancing all around him. One customer is played by Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack, a friend of the band who did the cameo free of charge. The story hit close to home for Robertson, who really did work at a Wendy’s back in the ’80s.

Pinch Me

2001

I suppose this is another one of those great Friday at 5 songs.  I don’t know that I ever used it as one on my radio show, but it certainly could work.  The song was previously recorded by The Ranch, a short-lived Country trio founded by Keith Urban.  It was the Dixie Chicks, however, who would have a hit with Some Days You Gotta Dance.

Urban played guitar on their rendition, but according to Songfacts he kept the female trio waiting. The Australian country star recalled to Rolling Stone: “I got on a bit of a three-day bender and couldn’t come to the session and had to call them and tell them I’m going to be a bit late. Then I would call them and say I’m going to be a bit later. And then I would call them and be a bit later. And I completely missed the session. I lived like a street away. It was ridiculous. I could have walked there with my guitar in hand and I couldn’t make it. I remember just feeling so ashamed and disgusted at myself. I finally [showed up] the next day.”

“I think they brought in another guitarist that ghosted my playing, so I think there are two players on there,” Urban added. “I’m not sure how much of mine actually ended up on there.”

What amazes me about this song is that it was the eighth and final single from their Fly album! That is truly unheard of. At most, usually there are only four singles released from an album. I don’t deny that the album itself was one of the best released that year, but eight singles?!

The song peaked at #7 on the Country chart and #55 on the Hot 100. Is hard not to want to dance to this one.

Some Days You Gotta Dance

2002

As a radio DJ, you get a lot of requests. A lot of times it’s because someone loves a song, sometimes they want to dedicate a song, and sometimes they want to play it in remembrance of someone. It’s hard to believe today, but at one time the DJ was a friend who made their listener feel good with the songs that they played.

That is kind of the sentiment of Van Morrison in a song that not many people know. ‘Hey, Mr. DJ” is a song written by Van Morrison and recorded on his 2002 album, Down The Road. In the song, he pleads with the DJ to play a song that will “Make everything all right.” It was released as a single in the United Kingdom and charted at number fifty-eight.

The Rolling Stone reviewer, David Fricke said, “‘Hey Mr. DJ’ is a requiem for the one-on-one electricity of pre-Clear Channel radio, swinging with sweet brass and the iconic echo of Sam Cooke’s ‘Havin’ A Party.’

The song was originally recorded in 2000 with Linda Gail Lewis, intended for an album entitled Choppin’ Wood. Before the release of the album, Lewis’ contributions to the song were removed and string and vocal overdubs were added.

Hey Mr. DJ

2003

I remember the first time I played Clocks by Coldplay on the adult contemporary station I worked at. I was really hooked from that opening piano and even long after my shift I can remember that piano playing in my head as sort of an earworm.

According to Songfacts, lead singer Chris Martin wrote the lyrics and the piano riff for “Clocks” in 15 minutes in a studio in Liverpool, shortly before Coldplay released the album. Since they didn’t have much time, they put it aside and planned to work on it for their next album. When the band’s manager, Phil Harvey, heard the demo, he convinced them to do whatever was necessary to record it for A Rush Of Blood To The Head, especially since the song deals with the importance of time. Consequently, Coldplay delayed the release of the album by two months to finish “Clocks.”

The song was a favorite of many other musicians. U2’s Bono included “Clocks” on his “60 Songs That Saved My Life” list, compiled to coincide with him turning 60. “I chose ‘Clocks’ because I can hold onto it tighter than time,” he wrote in a “fan letter” to Coldplay. “‘Clocks’ arrived in the nick of time with its Phillip Glass-type arpeggiation and ecstatic exhortation… I just punched the air in a manly, but not aggressive way. ‘They are not a rock band,’ I thought out loud to myself, ‘there is something much more interesting going on… they’re like The Isley Brothers or something.'”

“Clocks” won the Grammy for 2003 Record Of The Year.

Clocks

2004

One of the hardest things about scheduling music on a country station is creating a balance of up-tempo to mid-tempo songs in comparison with slow ballads. Country music certainly has a lot of ballads and a lot of times those ballads are hits at the same time which makes it very difficult to schedule the music so there’s not too many slow songs in a row. I remember that being the problem when Brad Paisley released Whiskey Lullaby.

The subject matter of the song itself is not very happy. As a matter of fact it is a very sad song about a man who gets his heart broken so bad, he drinks himself to death. His ex blames herself for his death and also starts drinking, eventually killing herself with the whiskey as well.

I still remember the line of the song that made me want to add it to our playlist. Songfacts even mentions it: The key line in the song is “He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger,” a striking metaphor for what happens when drinking away one’s sorrows will no longer work, and it becomes a method of suicide.

The song is a duet with Alison Krauss, who sings the second verse in the role of the woman and also plays viola on the track.

Despite earning the 2005 CMA for Song Of The Year and also taking Video Of The Year at both the CMAs and ACMs. It was not a #1 Country hit. The way that a song becomes number one is by the amount of plays it gets on the radio. Because of the songs sad and depressing nature, it just didn’t get played as much. What’s interesting is it was never expected to be a single.

The Dixie Chicks were the first act to put the song on hold, but they didn’t record it. Then Brad Paisley heard the tune and spotted its potential as a duet. Country legend Bill Anderson co-wrote the song and recalled:

“Brad called me one day on the phone, and said, ‘I’ve been listening to this ‘Whiskey Lullaby,’ what would you think if I brought a girl to sing on that second verse?’ And I said, ‘I’ve never thought of that. Who do you have in mind?’ And he said, ‘Well, I think there’s only two people who could do it, and I would like to have one of those: Alison Krauss or Dolly Parton.’ And I told him, ‘Well, you don’t have to ask my permission to do that, because I love them both!’ So next thing I knew, they worked out all the contract stuff with Alison and everything fell into place.”

The song is extremely sad, but hauntingly beautiful at the same time.

Whiskey Lullaby

2005

I suppose I don’t remember too much about this year’s particular season of American Idol. But I must have watched it on and off occasionally because I remember when Katherine McPhee sang it.  I was really impressed with not only her singing but I kind of like the song too.  I’m talking about KT Tunstall’s Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.

From Songfacts:

In The Guardian newspaper of February 24, 2006, Tunstall explained: “One summer, I was traveling in Greece on a little moped and this massive black horse had broken free in an olive grove and was going nuts. It looked apocalyptic: a seed was sown. I wrote the song years later in a tiny studio in Shepherd’s Bush. I was about to tour Scottish coffee shops and was worried about coming across like Phoebe from Friends. At the same time I saw a brilliant guy called Son of Dave who looked like a ginger nylon 1980s’ Elvis: really raw blues with just voice and effects. I got a pedal and one of my techie friends helped me put myself and my guitar through it. It’s probably the most scientific I’ve been, but the song was written in a 10-minute burst. The lyrics where my ‘Heart stops dead’ refer to a heart murmur I had as a baby. I got into this fantasy that my heart felt betrayed and had decided to stop working. The song is about having to dig incredibly deep to find out who you wanna be.”

KT Tunstall says in You magazine November 4, 2007 about granting Katharine McPhee permission to cover her song on American Idol:

“It was a bit of a quandary for me, because I don’t like reality pop shows at all. They’re great TV, but they’re not good for music. When Katharine chose ‘Black Horse,’ she demonstrated a bit of personality in what’s otherwise a puppet show, and that appearance did me a lot of favors.”

Black Horse and The Cherry Tree

2006

I do realize that this is the second song from Brad Paisley on this list. He impressed me from the first time I saw him playing a little local club at a show we hosted.

He is an absolutely amazing guitar player. I was really impressed with the fact that he played every guitar on this particular song. Brad is also one of those tongue-in-cheek kind of artists, and this song is a good example. The World.

It was released on March 13, 2006, as the third single from Paisley’s 2005 album Time Well Wasted. It reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and also peaked at number 45 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The music video was directed by Scott Scovill. It features a little girl whose older sister finds one of her CDs in the former’s room and yells at her for it. The little girl then opens a little chest that reveals a Brad Paisley concert. She magically appears at the concert, and Brad Paisley gives her his hat. Then when the little girl is in her room again, her older sister comes in to apologize for being mean and permit her to listen to her CDs anytime. The little girl then shows her older sister what’s in the magic chest. The concert shows earth balls rolling around on top of the audience, which has been done at some of Brad Paisley’s concerts. The video peaked at #1 on CMT’s Top 20 Countdown in 2006.

The World

2007

Every once in a while, I will come across a song that I like, just because of the sound of it. That’s why James Blunt’s 1973 wasn’t on my original 2007 list, but is here.

I Like Music asked James Blunt what 1973 meant to him personally. He replied:

“Well I was born in 1978. So I wrote it about a girl called Simona in a song about a nostalgic moment – it’s a celebration of something we did last year in Ibiza. And Pacha originally opened in 1973, but 1973 was also a great year for music, so many fantastic albums came out at that time.”

According to Blunt, the girl “Simona” mentioned several times in the lyrics was based on a real woman whom he met at a club.

I’m not sure why, but I like the sound of this one.

1973

2008

The Fray always seemed to have a song that hit me with deep lyrics.  I felt that way with You Found Me.

The starting point for this song was back in 2006 when frontman Isaac Slade found himself pondering why bad things happen to good people after witnessing various crises among people close to the singer. The lyrics for this tune came from these deliberations. Slade said on The Fray’s website that this was a tough song for him to write. He explained:

“Its about the disappointment, the heart ache, the let down that comes with life. Sometimes you’re let down, sometimes you’re the one who lets someone else down. It gets hard to know who you can trust, who you can count on. This song came out of a tough time, and I’m still right in the thick of it. There’s some difficult circumstances my family and friends have been going through over the past year or so and can be overwhelming. It wears on me. It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest.”

This song was inspired by a dream. Isaac Slade told The Sun February 6, 2009:

“I dreamt I ran into God on a street corner. He looked like Bruce Springsteen and he was smoking a cigarette. I had it out with him and asked ‘Where were you when all this bad stuff was happening to these very undeserving, good people?'” Slade, whose Christian faith is important to him added: “There were tough times. I was questioning my faith, angry at things that had happened in my life and the lives of my friends. A friend had suffered a miscarriage, I had lost my grandfather. I was angry and the song felt angry and hopeless too. I imagined what I’d say to God, in the face of all the crap my friends have gone through in the last couple of years.”

His description reminds me of the country song A Few Questions by Clay Walker. In that song, he questions God about a lot going on the in the world.

You Found Me

2009

I have said in the past that when Lady Antebellum (now Lady A) first came by the studio, I knew they would be a success. They have proved that in many ways. It took them three songs to get their first chart topper and it took them quite a while to get there.

I Run To You was the first #1 on the Hot Country Songs Chart for the group. The track took 26 weeks to climb to the top.

Co-Producer Paul Worley said on the album’s liner notes: “The song is an expression against hate, prejudice, negativity, running the rat race, but ultimately the redemption of love! And it has an irresistible melody and a head-bobbing groove. What could be better?”

While the trio had had two previous hits they really connected with their audience with this song. “Our fans grasped who we were with ‘I Run to You,’ “Hillary Scott told Billboard magazine. “The message and that song is so much about what we’re about. It was like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Now you know us and we know you.”

This won the 2009 CMA Single of the Year Award. Lady Antebellum also snagged the Vocal Group of the Year award at the same ceremony, ending a six-year run by Rascal Flatts in that race.

I Run To You

That wraps up this week. We’ll go one more week in the early 2000’s before moving to the 2010’s and then putting a bow on this feature for good. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading and thanks for listening – see you next week.

The Music of My Life – Decade Extra – The 1970’s (Part 2)

This is sort of a continuation of the Music of My Life feature. It focused on music from 1970-2025. It featured tunes that have special meaning to me, brought back a certain memory or a tune that I just really like. I found that with the first three decades, there were songs that I didn’t feature. So I sat down with my original lists and selected some songs that “bubbled under,” so to speak.

I figured a good way to present them was to focus on a decade. 10 years = 1 song per year = 10 songs. Last week we looked at the 70’s, and I thought we’d stay there one more week before moving on to the 80’s. So, let’s check out a few “Decade Extras.”

A hat tip to songfacts.com for much of the information.

1970

I suppose it wouldn’t be right to leave out the number one song for the entire year I was born, so we start off with Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. Paul Simon wrote this about providing comfort to a person in need. It started as a modest gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it together.

He wrote the song with just two verses, considering the song “a little hymn.” Art Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee heard it as more epic, and convinced him to write an extra section, which Paul did in the studio (the “Sail on, Silvergirl part”). This was very unusual for Simon, as he usually took a long time writing his lyrics. The song got a grand production, and after hearing it, Paul thought it was too long, too slow and too orchestral to be a hit. It was Clive Davis at Columbia Records who heard the commercial appeal of the song, and insisted they market it like crazy and use it as the album title.

In 1971, this won five Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Contemporary Song, Best Engineered Record, and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists. The album also won Album of the Year.

My mom loved this song and I remember her singing along with it on car trips.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

1971

Many folks poked fun at Ringo Starr when he began a solo career. Of the four, people thought he was the least likely to have success as a solo artist. He proved them wrong and he still tours to this day. One of the songs that did well for him was It Don’t Come Easy.

Ringo is the only songwriter credited on this one, but he had a lot of help from George Harrison. George was very generous in giving his former band mate full writing credit. The track (less Ringo’s vocal and horn parts) was already completed when Harrison gave it to him, and it included a scratch vocal by George.

Fun Fact: Peter Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger sang on the intro to this song (“It don’t come easy, ya know it don’t come easy”). Badfinger was signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records, and helped out George Harrison’s first solo album.

It Don’t Come Easy

1972

Growing up there were a lot of Van Morrison songs that I liked, but never knew it was him. It wasn’t until I worked at my first radio station that I discovered he sang Moondance, Domino, and Jackie Wilson Said.

Listening to Jackie Wilson Said, I would have never guessed that the recording was unorganized. However, according to guitarist Doug Messenger the session was chaos! He told “Uncut”:

“Jackie Wilson Said was totally disorganized. He didn’t know where anything went, and no one seemed to know what to do with it. Van went away and the band worked on the basic structure. When he came back we went through it a couple of times and he was real happy because all of a sudden it seemed to be making sense. He said, ‘I think it’s coming together,’ which is what he always said when he felt it was working.”

“I remember he said to the drummer, Ricky Schlosser, ‘When I sing “boom boom boom,” hit the tom and the kick drum at the same time.’ We ran through it once or twice, and the first recorded take is what’s on the album. It was all over the place, but somehow it worked. Even when he ad-libbed at the end -‘One more time’- somehow we all kept it together. At the end, Van was smiling like a Cheshire Cat. ‘I think we got it!’ We tried a second take and – of course – it all fell apart.”

Give it a listen and see if you can hear the “disorganization.”

Jackie Wilson Said

1973

The next song makes me think of my oldest son. His mother would play songs from her iPod around the house and one of those songs was Let Me Be There by Olivia Newton-John. There would be times where he would take her iPod and listen to it in headphones. I still laugh when I think about him singing loudly and off-key “Let me be there in your mornin’, let me be there in your night!” It was really more of a scream than singing.

The was Newton-John’s breakthrough single in the US, where it landed in the Top 10 on the Hot 100, the Country chart, and the Adult Contemporary chart. At the time, she was still living in Britain and didn’t travel across the pond to promote the single or the album. Turns out she didn’t need much promotion at all. When the song hit it big, people had no idea who she was. That actually was a relief to the singer. “The one great thrill I had in America was that my music was accepted before I was ever seen, before I was on television, before I did live appearances,” she told Rolling Stone. “Therefore I had to hope it was my music and not my face.”

Keep in mind that this was five years before she starred in the movie musical Grease. She would win her first Grammy Award for song. This was surprising because she was up against country veterans like Tammy Wynette and Dottie West. She won for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Let Me Be There

1974

I was lucky enough to have never walk in on my parents when they were being intimate. My friends who have say it was a truly traumatic experience. On the TV series That 70’s Show, that exact thing happens to Eric, the main character. As he opens the door, Tell Me Something Good by Rufus and Chaka Khan. As a running gag throughout the episode, that song pops up a few times. I think of that episode when I hear this song.

Stevie Wonder wrote the song and recorded it himself on December 13, 1973 – he copyrighted it on January 3, 1974. His version was never released because he gave the song to Rufus, since Stevie was a fan of their lead singer, Chaka Khan. 

Chaka Khan tells the story that Stevie was going to bring them a song in the studio, and when he dropped by and played her one he had written, she stunned her bandmates by telling the mighty Stevie Wonder she didn’t like it! So Wonder asked her astrological sign, and when she told him Aries, he delivered “Tell Me Something Good.” According to Chaka, she loved it and they worked out the song together in the studio, although Stevie is the only credited writer on the song.

Fun Fact: Rufus evolved from a group called The American Breed, who had the hit “Bend Me, Shape Me.” They took their name from a column in Popular Mechanics magazine called “Ask Rufus,” later shortened to Rufus when Chaka Khan joined the band in 1972.

Tell Me Something Good

1975

I remember playing Bad Blood by Neil Sedaka when I worked at the oldies station. I had no idea at the time that he had done anything other than those 60’s songs he was known for.

Sedaka wrote this song with Philip Cody.  Phil said in a Songfacts interview that it’s his least favorite song. “I went to visit my family and I spent some time with my grandmother, who is an old Sicilian lady. She was telling stories about the lady up the street who used to be a witch, a Strega. And the whole idea of people being good or evil because of what goes on in their blood was just part of the superstitious nature of my Sicilian upbringing that I tried to stay as far away from as I could. (laughing) I just thought it would be an interesting way to approach a lyric: rather than from a place of enlightenment the idea is that love makes us stupid. And that’s where I went. It wasn’t (heavy sigh – pause)… I did it, and I didn’t think I did a very good job on it, and before I had a chance to do a re-write Neil was in the studio with Elton doing the song, and that was it. So I guess the best things are left undone.”

This song turned out to be Sedaka’s biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Top 100, remaining there for three weeks. He was helped by Elton John, who sang back-up for this song which ensured airplay. In an odd coincidence, this song was knocked out of its #1 position by an Elton John song, “Island Girl.”

Bad Blood

1976

More Than a Feeling was Boston’s debut single. It turned out to be a big surprise hit. Songfacts says: The group’s rise was sudden and unexpected; when “More Than a Feeling” was released, their managers spent a lot of time pitching it to radio stations, which is a very tough sell for an unknown band, but the song is so polished and radio-friendly that many stations put it on the air. It took off, and very soon this unknown band with an album recorded mostly in a basement was a major player on the rock scene.

Boston’s Tom Scholz worked at Polaroid, which made him enough money to buy equipment to create a basement studio. He did most of the recording of the first album there. He actually took a leave of absence from his job at Polaroid to complete the album. Once the album was released, he went back to work.

Songfacts says, “disco was big, so he wasn’t sure his rock record would find an audience. He got very excited when co-workers would summon him to let him know ‘More Than A Feeling’ was playing on the radio. After that happened a few times, he was confident enough to quit his day job.

The song is a classic rock standard and appeared on the soundtrack of the film “FM,” which was the subject of this blog on Monday.

More Than a Feeling

1977

Being born and raised in Michigan, Bob Seger’s music was everywhere when I grew up. When my dad played in a wedding band Night Moves and Trying To Live My Life Without You were songs that they played at gigs.

Mainstreet was a song that was always requested at the station. The actual street Seger sings about in this song is Ann Street, which was off of Main Street in Ann Arbor. Seger told the Chicago Sun-Times: “It was a club. I can’t remember the name of the club, but the band that played there all the time was called Washboard Willie. They were a Delta and Chicago blues band. Girls would dance in the window. They were a black band, and they were very good. That’s where I would go but I was too young to get in. It wasn’t in a great part of town but college students loved to go there.”

This was the second single from the Night Moves album, following the title track. Both songs are very nostalgic and a departure from high-energy rockers his fans were used to hearing. By this time, Seger had been at it in earnest for over a decade and was just starting to break through to a national audience. Live Bullet was his first album to find a broad audience; many who bought it snatched up Night Moves when it came out, and weren’t disappointed. Both albums ended up selling over 5 million copies, making Seger a star.

Mainstreet

1978

Kiss You All Over by Exile was another one of those songs that dominated pop and country radio. It was the perfect crossover song.

In an interview with Billboard, writer Mike Chapman said:

“It’s a very unusual song and is very much about what music in the US is all about in 1978. It’s MOR (Middle Of the Road) soft rock, slightly disco though not pure disco, and has a sensuous lyric line that Americans love. Americans are big lyric listeners and listen to every word.”

It is no surprise that the song has frequently been used as backing music for TV scenes involving various degrees of smooching or similar lip-caressing activities. Songfacts notes that the most creative use of “Kiss You All Over” goes to the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s use of the song in a 2007 montage of hockey players kissing the Stanley Cup. HA!

Kiss You All Over

1979

Many DJ’s will play the song Single Ladies when they do the bouquet toss at weddings. I always love using Ladies Night by Kool and the Gang. It had a funky beat that the ladies would dance to as they waited for the bride to toss her flowers.

Songfacts notes that disco was dying when “Ladies Night” was released at the end of 1979. That didn’t stop Kool & the Gang from using a disco groove on this track and mentioning the “disco lady” and “disco lights” in the lyrics. The song mixed in enough of their funk flourishes to stand out from the pack and bring them into the ’80s – it reached its chart peak of #8 in America the second week of 1980.

Like most Kool & the Gang songs, every member of the group is credited as a writer. “Ladies Night” started with a groove their multi-instrumentalist music director Ronald Bell came up with. His brother, Robert “Kool” Bell (the bass player in the group), gave him two ideas for lyrical themes: “Ladies Night” and “Hangin’ Out.” It was no contest – Ronald knew there were ladies nights everywhere, and loved the idea.

They fleshed out the song with the group, but struggled to find a hook. Ronald Bell remembered a piece of advice from his mother. He recalled to Billboard: “My mother, Aminah, had a hand in that one. Because she would say to me, ‘Always give the people nursery rhymes. Give them something they remember.’ She liked the Dells’ song, ‘Oh What A Night,’ so I put that in. When we were finished, we were all in tune that this was it. We just didn’t know how big!”

Of course, younger folks will always think of Jon Lovitz in the Wedding Singer when they hear this one.

Ladies Night

Yes, there are plenty of great songs I missed from the 1970’s, but next week, we’ll head to the 80’s. I’ll feature ten songs, one from each year of the decade. I hope you will join me next week.

Thanks for listening and thanks for reading.

The Music of My Life – 2014

Welcome back to The Music of My Life, where I feature ten songs from each year of my life.  In most cases, the ten songs I choose will be ones I like personally (unless I explain otherwise). The songs will be selected from Billboard’s Year-end Hot 100 Chart, Acclaimed Music, and will all be released in the featured year.

As you might remember, I started this last May on my birthday. I have tried to work a week or two ahead on this feature. One thing I have noticed as we move into the late 2010’s and 2020’s is that there are not that many songs that mean anything to me. No life event connects with them. There are only a few I may like. That being said, it is very possible that I will combine two or three years into one week. I also have a feeling that there may be upcoming years where I don’t pick any songs. If that happens, the feature will wrap sooner than expected, which may be a good thing.

2014 was actually a good year of music for me. I turned 44 that year. I had a new career in sleep and was still able to do a few hours on the radio. Many of the songs from this year were ones I played on the air …

It didn’t mean much to me in 2014, but Let It Go by Idina Menzel sure does today. It is the first song I danced to with my daughter at our first Daddy/Daughter Dance. That may have been the only song we danced to that first year, but I will never forget it. It is from her favorite movie, Frozen.

“Kids don’t want to stand out all the time, they want to fit in,” Menzel said regarding this song. “It’s about finding that thing that makes you different that’s going to make you special and extraordinary.”

Let It Go won for Best Song at the Oscars in the 2014 ceremony. It also earned an entry in the 2016 Guinness World Records book for “Most Languages Featured on a Single.” It was recorded in 42 different languages for Frozen‘s foreign releases.

Let It Go

Paramore was primarily known for their rock music. Ain’t It Fun is a very different sound for them. It was more pop/dance than rock. (From songfacts) Bassist Jeremy Davis told The Guardian that the band had their largely teenage fan base in mind. “After we started writing weird stuff like ‘Ain’t It Fun,’ we got nervous,” he said. “But that was a comfort. We’ve grown and we don’t like the same music we liked, so why would [our fans] not? That idea kept us pushing ourselves.”

Songfacts also says, “This upbeat track mixes gospel, soul and some Prince-style R&B. Hayley Williams told The Sun: “Taylor (York) and I came up with the melody and I thought about Prince, too. Then it got layered with more groove and funk and all the cool elements. The next thing I know there’s a gospel choir in the studio and we have that track. It’s been so liberating to write this record.”

The xylophone in the song really helped the song to stand out on the air. That’s what I remember most about the first time I played it. “Well, that’s certainly different,” I thought.

The song is catchy. I don’t know that I’d call it an earworm, but you get hooked right from the beginning.

Ain’t It Fun

The next song is one that I have written about before. I chose it in the 2021 Song Draft that Hanspostcard hosted. It is one of those songs that I love to listen to. Here is the blog I wrote for the Song Draft:

Song Draft 2021 – Pick 7 – Love Runs Out

Love Runs Out

Who would have imagined that in 2014 a Cole Porter song would be popular? Thanks to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Porter’s Anything Goes was very popular … again.

The recording of the song took place over a year in New York City. Bennett’s quartet was present, as well as other musicians. It received mostly positive reviews. The Chicago Tribune said that it found Gaga to be in “good voice” and Bennett in “classic form”. V Magazine called the song a “fresh take” on the original. MTV News said “Gaga is clearly having a blast, doing her best Broadway belting with tons of energy and enthusiasm”

On the Billboard Jazz Digital Songs chart, the track debuted at the top, becoming Gaga’s second entry on that chart, following “The Lady is a Tramp”. The song was Bennett’s 15th entry on the Jazz Digital Songs chart, and his third number-one single. “Anything Goes” sold 16,000 digital downloads in the US during the week of its release.

Lady Gaga’s voice is one that could easily sing the American Song Book. The true sound of her voice is lost on current music. And how could you not like Tony Bennett?

Anything Goes

One song that really stands out to me from 2014 is Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. It was one that many brides I DJ’d for picked as their first dance. It’s a great choice.

The first time I heard it, it reminded me a bit of Into the Mystic by Van Morrison. Little did I know that Ed says Van Morrison heavily influenced this song. He told songfacts:

“No one’s really channeled Van Morrison for a long time. Everyone always channels, Michael Jackson and the Beatles and Bob Dylan, and I feel like Van Morrison is a key figure in the music that I make.”

The video features Sheeran and his partner Brittany Cherry ballroom dancing and was shot all at once in 16 mm film. “I wanted the video to be a little different, so I opted for ballroom dancing,” he explained when the video was released in October 2014. “I had lessons for five hours a day when I was on my US tour last month.”

Songfacts says: With electronic music ruling the airwaves, this was one of the few hit songs of its time with a guitar solo (played by Chris Leonard), which is near the end of the song in place of a bridge. Running 4:41, it was also very long by 2014 hit song standards, although this extra time makes the song more appealing as a first dance wedding number.

Thinking Out Loud

When Shake It Off hit the radio, it drove me crazy. At that time, Taylor Swift was everywhere. There was a ton of publicity leading up to her 1989 album. This was the lead single.

This song IS an earworm. Even if I switched stations or turned down the monitors in the studio, I still found that it would run through my head. Gee, I don’t know why? The phrase “shake it off” shows up 36 times in this song, mostly in the chorus. “Shake” appears 70 times. URGH!

Songfacts says: The song originated from Swift learning to overcome her fear of not being accepted. “I think it kind of takes not caring what people think about you a step further to kind of locking the fact that people don’t get you,” she explained to BBC Radio 1’s Breakfast Show. “Kind of taking pride in the fact that you know you are and it honestly doesn’t matter if someone else doesn’t want to understand you. We go through these scenarios in so many different phrases of our lives, no matter what it is.”

“I’ve had to learn a pretty tough lesson in the past couple years that people can say whatever they want about at any time, and we cannot control that,” said Swift. “The only thing we can control is our reaction to that… You can either let it get to you… [or] you just shake it off.”

Shake It Off

Another big song that worked well as school dances was Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon. I used to love watching folks jumping around and dancing to it. It was always great to hear them shout the chorus as it played.

Vocalist Nicholas Petricca told American Songwriter magazine the story of the song:

“Well, (Guitarist) Eli Maiman and I were working on something that’s now the verse. And it had this great feeling that we couldn’t stop playing over and over. We didn’t have a chorus and we didn’t have a subject or a lyric.”

“So over the next weekend, I went to this awesome party they have at The Echo in Echo Park, Los Angeles, called Funky Soul Saturday. The story of ‘Shut Up and Dance’ is based on a true story of hanging out there with my friends… this girl actually told me to shut up and dance with her. We took it back to the studio and it spun out very quickly after that.”

It was only later that Petricca realized he could use the girl’s comment as a song lyric. “At the time, I was in my head and not with it,” he said. “She’s one of my best friends and pulled me out into the moment, and that really became the subject of the song. Encouraging people to let go of whatever it is that’s bothering you and get into your body and out of your head. Coming home and working on the song I thought, this is it. This is totally it.”

Shut Up and Dance

OneRepublic makes a second appearance on the list with an amazing song – I Lived.

Songfacts says:

While opening for U2 in the summer of 2012, OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder observed the effect of Bono’s lyrics on the Irish band’s fans, as they sung along to their songs. “These lyrics are so from his gut and so like honest, but poetic,” Tedder told Radio.com. “They’re not trying to be ambiguous or trying to be cool.”

Inspired, Tedder decided that with the Native he was going to write lyrics people could relate to, which meant he would have to share a little bit of himself. Accordingly, nothing on the album is a work of fiction. This song, for instance is a love letter to the singer’s son, Copeland Cruz, who was born in 2010.

How often are we told to live life to its fullest? The chorus is an example of doing just that:

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived

The song’s music video pays tribute to teenage fan, Bryan Warnecke, and his struggles living with cystic fibrosis. The clip ends with Tedder driving Warnecke to a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado to see OneReublic perform.

I Lived

Another song that jumped out of the radio at listeners was Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer. The song almost sounded out of place on Adult Contemporary stations because of its “country” sound. Grammer even went as far as to call the song, “a fun hoedown!”

The song’s music video features a montage of around one hundred real-life couples that have been together from several months to over 70 years. Grammer said,  “My manager and I were on the phone talking about an idea for the video. We wanted to press home the concept that this isn’t a song about a guy who’s cheating. This is about a guy who is being true. So we started calling all of our friends and family that we knew had been married for a long time and asked them to lip sync the song.”

“They all started sending videos in and we started asking by word of mouth if people knew a couple who’d been married a long time. It was so fun getting all our friends and family involved that we decided to just put it up on social media and ask the fans to be part of the video too. We asked them to get their parents and grandparents to be in it also.”

Honey I’m Good

Finally, another song that just clicked with the school dance crowds, as well as adult crowds. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars struck gold with Uptown Funk.

The intro reminds me of the intro to Smoke on the Water. As it progresses, you get another instrument, then another, etc… Songfacts explains:

This intro sets the stage for the rest of the song, introducing the hooky “doh doh doh” vocal and the clapping drum sound (made with a Linn drum machine) that show up throughout the song. Before the intro ends, various other key instruments in the song appear: bass, snare drums, cheery guitar, horns and a swishy synth effect.

Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars and the producer Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Drake, Alicia Keys) share writing and production credits on the song. It originated from a lick that Mars and his band were playing on tour.

“When we hit on that opening line – ‘This s–t, that ice cold. Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold’ – we knew that we had the seed of this really exciting idea,” Ronson told Billboard magazine. “I pushed myself much more than I have on anything else in the past.”

Mars and Ronson create a monster party vibe in this song, starting with the title: “Uptown” implies high class, while “Funk” is the rhythm and release. The lyrics are way over-the-top, with Mars explaining that he’s so hot he’s forcing dragons into retirement. It’s clever, fun and outrageous, but also meticulously constructed with a mix of rhyming patterns.

The song went on to be the biggest of 2015.

Uptown Funk

So there you have it, 2014 in song. Did I miss one of your favorites from that year? Tell me about it in the comments.

Next week, we’ll look at 2015. My list includes the first song my wife and I ever talked about (before we were married) and one by her favorite country singer. It also includes a “tribute” to Frank Sinatra and the worst dance song since Gangnam Style! All that and more next week.

Thanks for listening and for reading!

The Music of My Life – 2005

Welcome back to The Music of My Life, where I feature ten songs from each year of my life.  In most cases, the ten songs I choose will be ones I like personally (unless I explain otherwise). The songs will be selected from Billboard’s Year-end Hot 100 Chart, Acclaimed Music, and will all be released in the featured year.

I turned 35 in 2005. There was plenty going on in my personal life at this time. We were doing various therapies for my son, who had been diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. I had settled into my position at 94-5 The Moose in Saginaw as their afternoon guy and music director. I was certainly loving that. And at some point during the year, my mother’s cancer returned.

At the time, My Space was pretty popular. I was blogging a lot on there. Somewhere, I have a Word document with every one of those blogs. I had to contact them to get them. I had stopped posting there after joining Facebook, and at some point they moved content. I was thankful to get those blogs as they covered the time leading up to my wedding, the birth of my sons and the death of my mom.

I posted a lot about new songs we were playing on the radio, too. A few of them make this list. Let’s head into 2005:

The legendary Ray Charles passed away in 2004, but before he did, he recorded an amazing duets album. Genius Loves Company was the best selling recording of Charles’ more than 50-year career. It was a collection of duets with Norah Jones, Natalie Cole, Elton John, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor.

The album entered the Top 10 on the US album chart more than 40 years after Charles’ previous appearance on that same chart. This broke the record held by another act who also made his comeback with a duets album. In 1993 Frank Sinatra’s Duets reached the Top Ten 25 years after his previous Top 10 album.

Here We Go Again was a song that Ray had recorded in 1967. Then in 2004 he re-recorded this as a duet with Norah Jones for Genius Loves Company. She recalled collaborating with Charles on this song in a 2010 interview with Billboard magazine:

“I got a call from Ray asking if I’d be interested in singing on this duets record. I got on the next plane and I brought my mom. We went to his studio and did it live with the band. I sang it right next to Ray, watching his mouth for the phrasing. He was very sweet and put me at ease, which was great because I was petrified walking in there.”

This song won Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration in 2005 eight months after Charles passed away. In addition Genius Loves Company was awarded Album of the Year among six other awards, as the American music industry paid lavish tribute to him.

Unlike Frank Sinatra and Willie Nelson, Ray Charles’ voice is as strong as ever on this recording. I felt Sinatra’s voice was weak on his duets albums. Willie is still putting out albums and at times he sounds like he’s just speaking the lyrics. Ray, however, sounds fantastic. I love the blending of these two voices.

Here We Go Again

The next song is an example of a song that I first heard in a polka. You read that right – a polka. Weird Al Yankovic has done quite a few polka medleys on his albums. The medley usually contains a verse or chorus from a pop song done as a polka. When I first heard Beverly Hills by Weezer on the radio, I found I liked it.

Weezer lead singer (Rivers Cuomo) explained in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine that this song is about how he could live in Beverly Hills, but he wouldn’t fit in. “I could live in Beverly Hills, sure,” he says, meaning he could afford it easily. “But I couldn’t belong there.'”

Songfacts explains:

The song comes off as satire, but that wasn’t what Rivers Cuomo had in mind when he wrote it. “I was at the opening of the new Hollywood Bowl and I flipped through the program and I saw a picture of Wilson Phillips,” he said. “And for some reason I just thought how nice it would be to marry, like, an ‘established’ celebrity and live in Beverly Hills and be part of that world. And it was a totally sincere desire. And then I wrote that song, ‘Beverly Hills.’ For some reason, by the time it came out and the video came out, it got twisted around into something that seemed sarcastic. But originally it wasn’t meant to be sarcastic at all.”

The music video was shot at the Playboy mansion. It included appearances by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and some of the Playboy bunnies. Two of those bunnies were Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt.

Beverly Hills

When I was music director at the Moose, I spoke with a lot of record people. One of the industry folks knew I loved music from the Rat Pack. She asked me if I had heard of Michael Buble’. I hadn’t. She sent me some MP3’s of his music and I was hooked.

The song could have been sung by just about any artist who tours. The lyrics sound as if they could be autobiographical. It is sung by someone who spends a lot of time on the road with great success. With that success, there is sacrifice. He is missing his home, particularly the woman he loves.

Despite the fact that Home only reached #72 on the Hot 100 chart, it was a breakthrough song for him. The song hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary survey in July 2005. Three years later Blake Shelton reached #1 on the Country chart with his cover of Bublé’s hit.

Bublé and Blake Shelton teamed up in 2012 to record a holiday version of this song for Shelton’s, Cheers, It’s Christmas album. The collaboration happened after Shelton sent Bublé an email saying he hoped to record a yuletide-themed rendering of the tune. “I had the idea of doing a Christmas version of ‘Home,'” he said.

This was the song that proved to folks that Michael was more than a cover artist. His original songs are just as good as the standards he records. He is also more than just a Christmas artist. It bugs me that people pigeon hole him and label him like that. He’s one of my favorites.

Home

My on air name was “Keith Allen.” As a music director, I got to hear all the new music before it went on the air. I popped Play Something Country by Brooks and Dunn in the CD player and loved it. On my first listen, I thought they said my name – Keith Allen. I suppose, in a way, they did. But the lyrics refer to Toby Keith and Alan Jackson:

Said, I’m a whiskey drinking, cowboy chasing, hell of a time
I like Kenny, Keith, Alan and Patsy Cline.

I have to tell you my favorite story about this song. When my program director and I first heard this, we said, “That’s a number one song!” We told our consultant that we wanted to add it. He said he didn’t feel like it was a hit. We were both shocked. We both told him that we felt it would be number one. He fought us.

He fought us for a few weeks on this one. He finally said that if we really felt it was a hit, we should add it. We wound up making a wager. I told him that if it didn’t go to number one, we’d buy him dinner. He said if it did hit number one, he would buy US dinner. The week it hit number one, he called us for our weekly music call. When we answered we started giving him restaurants we could go to!

His issue with the song? The “wolf-like” howl of the chorus.

Play Something Country

The next song is one that everyone jokes about on October 1st every year. “Someone needs to go wake up the guy from Green Day!”

This song reminds me of Fastball’s The Way. I say that because it starts with a simple acoustic guitar behind lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. Then the song kicks in with drums and the rest of the instrumentation. I love the sound of that.

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong wrote this song about his father, who died of cancer on September 1, 1982. At his father’s funeral, Billie cried, ran home and locked himself in his room. When his mother got home she knocked on the door to Billie’s room. Billie simply said, “Wake me up when September ends,” hence the title.

“My father died in September of ’82, and I purposely, up until that point, never went there,” Armstrong said in an interview. “I think really what I was doing was processing that loss that I had with this person that I never really knew. So I wrote that song for my father and about that loss and how 20 years had passed. I remember right after I wrote it, I felt this huge weight off my shoulders.”

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Another country newcomer makes my list this week. I have actually written about him, and the song. Here is that blog:

Tune Tuesday – Must Be Doin’ Something Right

Must Be Doing Something Right

The next song is  one of the slowest chart climbers in history. It was on the American Hot 100 chart for 23 weeks before it entered the Top 40. KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” was inspired by another artist, Patti Smith. Tunstall said, “The inspiration for the song was Robert Mapplethorpe’s photograph of Patti Smith on the cover of her album Horses. I was staring at it one day thinking it was incredible. It’s everything I love about music – mysterious, inviting, frightening.”

Suddenly I see
This is what I wanna be
Suddenly I see
Why the hell it means so much to me

“The chorus was me thinking, ‘that’s what I want to be,'” Tunstall told The Guardian. “Not a famous pop star with lots of money, but like this woman who’s living her life as an artist. I’d been trying for more than 10 years to be a professional musician. I was just exhausted from trying to persuade other people I was good enough.”

I remember hearing this song shortly after realizing that my first marriage was over. After all I learned and discovered through therapy, the title spoke to me. Suddenly, I saw just what was going on and I realized that I couldn’t do it anymore.

Suddenly I See

There were some really good country songs around this time. There were many new artists and some really distinct sounds that were on the radio. I was impressed with Josh Turner from the first time I heard him. I couldn’t believe the tone of his low voice.

Your Man is a song that I wish I could have written. Here is a guy who has been thinking about his woman all day long. He tells her to lock the door, turn the lights down low, and play some music.

I’ve been thinking about this all day long
Never felt a feeling quite this strong
I can’t believe how much it turns me on
Just to be your man

That’s LOVE right there!!

I love the entire feel of this song. It’s the perfect song to “sway” to.

Your Man

As the “Nostalgic Italian,” I think it is safe to say that I believe in the power of a photograph. The memories that can come from looking at an old picture just amazes me. My Friday Photo Flashback is always fun to do. I think that is because of the stuff that comes to mind with those old pictures.

I know there are plenty of people who hate Nickelback. However, Photograph is a song that I can relate to in so many ways. (From songfacts): This song is about reviewing the memories (missed and forgotten) from the band’s childhood in Hanna, Alberta. The lyrics are a chronicle of real events and personal landmarks lead singer Chad Kroeger recalled as he wrote it.

“It’s just nostalgia, growing up in a small town, and you can’t go back to your childhood. Saying goodbye to friends that you’ve drifted away from, where you grew up, where you went to school, who you hung out with and the dumb stuff you used to do as a kid, the first love – all of those things. Everyone has one or two of those memories that they are fond of, so this song is really just the bridge for all that.”

Someone once said, “If you don’t think photos are important, wait until they are all you have left.” I couldn’t agree more.

The photograph Kroeger is holding in the video is the one that inspired the song: It’s a shot of him and their producer, Joey Moi, at a New Year’s Eve party.

Photograph

We wrap up 2005 with a One Hit Wonder. Defining a “one hit wonder” isn’t really easy. Most feel it is when the artist fails to have their follow up released crack the Top 25. There are certainly many songs that fit into that category.

Daniel Powter’s album was released in America in 2006. Bad Day was released in the UK in 2005. In the fifth season of Americal Idol, the song was played over a video montage of the contestant that was being sent home that week. This helped the song gain popularity.

Powter is from British Columbia who later moved to Los Angeles. “Bad Day” was his first single released on a major label (Warner Bros.), and his only hit. He later described it as “a blessing and a curse.” Powter said:

“I was touring the world and performing for thousands of people, but I felt like the song was starting to define me. I actually found myself getting almost angry about it.”

This was the top-selling digital download of 2006. This was the star of people prefer downloading songs to buying CDs. It was part of a shift toward digital distribution of individual songs. In America, the album sold 500,000, but the single was digitally downloaded over 3 million times!

My mom was doing chemotherapy and radiation for her breast cancer at this time. She found the song to be inspiring. It basically says that even if you have a bad day once in a while, things will get better. My mom always tried to have a positive outlook. She battled cancer for 10 years and by this point she was tired.

My mom had the gift of gab. She was always on the phone. She assigned Bad Day to be the ringtone for her cell phone. I believe it was on there until she passed away. When I hear this song, I am taken back to those final weeks of her life.

Bad Day

What song from 2005 did I miss that was your favorite? Drop it in the comments.

Next week, we’ll focus on 2006. On my list is a song about a steeplechase runner, a song that became a hit because of Grey’s Anatomy, and a song that was a hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart and the Country charts. It also has a great Drifter’s cover song, one that took on a whole new meaning for me when my daughter was born, and a creative way to insinuate profanity without actually using it.

Thanks for reading and for listening! See you next week.

The Music of My Life – 1993

Welcome back to The Music of My Life, where I feature ten songs from each year of my life.  In most cases, the ten songs I choose will be ones I like personally (unless I explain otherwise). The songs will be selected from Billboard’s Year-end Hot 100 Chart, Acclaimed Music, and will all be released in the featured year.

In 1993, I turned 23 and was still coping with the fact that my girlfriend had broken up with me. It wasn’t until a year later that I began going out with a buddy and hitting the Karaoke bars. It was while we sat and waited for our turn to sing that I heard many songs that were new to me. The first was by Expose.

Expose had success with dance/pop music. When they crossed over and had a #1 song with Seasons Change, they decided to go in a different direction. Their focus was shifted to more mature audiences. The label picked some great songs for their third album, including the Diane Warren song “I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me.”

When one of the gals we hung out with at Karaoke got up and sang this, I watched the words on the screen. The heartache was still pretty fresh and it actually choked me up. It was the break up that I really never saw coming and the fact that she moved on so quickly rubbed salt in my wound.

Today, I appreciate the song for the powerful lyrics, the beautiful arrangement, and the lovely vocals.

I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me

Elvis Presley recorded two songs called “Trouble”. The first was back in 1958. The second was in 1975, but that time he spelled it out. The latter was written by Jerry Chesnut. Travis Tritt covered it on his third album and it was the title track.

Tritt’s version went to #13 on the charts and got some positive reviews. Geoffrey Himes, of Billboard magazine, reviewed the song favorably, saying that Tritt transforms it with “boogie-woogie piano, slide guitar and super-fast tempo into a bar romp reminiscent of (the band) Little Feat.”

Not to diss on Elvis, but Tritt’s version is superior.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

I’m not the biggest Rod Stewart fan. I can’t give you a reason for that. However, there are a few songs that I feel he does a really good job with. One example of this is from his 1993 Unplugged performance – Have I Told You Lately.

The song was originally done by Van Morrison. According to songfacts.com, the song is widely considered to be about Van Morrison’s relationship with God and religious convictions. Although we’ve never heard him speak specifically about the song, he does acknowledge a spiritual element in his music.

In 1993, during his Unplugged show, Rod dedicates the song to his wife Rachel Hunter (They divorced in 1999). You can really hear the emotion as he sings this, and when you watch the video, those emotions are more apparent.

The song was a huge hit, reaching #5 in both the US and the UK. It remains one of the most popular bridal dance songs.

Have I Told You Lately

Every once in a while, there a song that just pops out of the radio at me. That was the case for Every Little Thing by Carlene Carter. From the opening guitar strums and the drum that kicks into the beat, I was hooked.

Carlene is the daughter of June Carter Cash and her first husband Cal Smith. I’d never heard of her prior to this song, but she’d been recording and writing for some time. As a matter of fact, the album Little Love Letters was actually her seventh album!

To me, this was one of those songs that just made me feel good. It’s happy. It’s uptempo. It’s about a gal who loves her man so much everything reminds her of him. Isn’t that what we all want? Someone who loves us like that?

Every Little Thing

The next song was another one that hit me in the emotional gut. The song could be taken a few ways I suppose. I think you can look at a variety of situations and wonder, “What Might Have Been”. Our lives are full of “What ifs” and such.

When I heard this song, I thought about my ex girlfriend and wondered what our lives would be like if we had stayed together. Depression makes you dive deep into those hurtful thoughts. In hindsight now, I am glad to be where I am and realize that things happened the way they did to get me where I am today. At the time, though, this one ripped me apart.

It’s a truly beautiful song by Little Texas.

What Might Have Been

The early 90’s was a great time for dance music. There were some really awesome songs that kept folks out on the dance floor. As opposed to years later, I never really had to struggle to find a good follow up song back then.

One of my go-to songs was from the German group Real McCoy. The group was a dance trio formed in Berlin in 1993. They were made up of 2 female dance singers and a male rapper. This quickly became a huge hit in European dance clubs, and hit #2 UK. It went to #3 in the US.

It featured a good beat and the signature 90’s synthesizer. The song caught the attention of Clive Davis, who worked a deal with the band and the song took off!

Another Night

The next song was written before the band who sang it was ever created. Blind Melon’s bass player, Brad Smith, was not exactly feeling great. That’s when he wrote No Rain. He says, “The song is about not being able to get out of bed and find excuses to face the day when you have really, in a way, nothing.”

At the time, Brad was dating a girl who was going through depression (she would sleep through sunny days and complain when it didn’t rain), and for a while he told himself that he was writing the song from her perspective. He later realized that he was also writing about it himself.

He once said,  “A lot of my songs come from a darker place. And if you just met me walking down the street, you’d say, ‘Oh, you’re such a happy guy, Brad. Why the dark songs?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’ For me, it just has more meaning if you can get inside someone’s soul and identify with them on a heavier level and try to connect with them on that level. Because when you’re sad and you’re down, you’re the most vulnerable, and you feel the most alone.”

This is one of those songs where I really got lost in the lyrics. I felt like there was something more to them, and I couldn’t figure it out.

No Rain

The next one is another one of those songs I heard at the karaoke bar. Sadly, many of the people who tried to sing it were awful!

Linda Perry, the front woman for 4 Non Blondes, said, “There are times when we just need to take a deep breath and scream from the top of our lungs, ‘What’s going on!?'” On a podcast, she said that was the way she felt when she wrote the very cathartic song, “What’s Up”. “It’s like, ‘Why does it always seem like either I’m struggling, or there’s some f–king political mess happening? Why is this all happening in the world?'”

Fun fact: After the “And I scream at the top of my lungs, what’s going on?” line in the chorus, Linda Perry sings, “Hey hey hey hey…” She put this part in as filler, planning to insert lyrics, but the song sounded so good that way she left it in.

The song is sort of an anthem I suppose. I tend to agree with Linda. There are plenty of times where I wonder exactly what’s going on ….

What’s Up

The next one reminds me of my former sister-in-law. She always made me laugh and there are plenty of songs that make me think of her. This one is no exception. She loved Jim Carrey and this song was featured on the soundtrack. It is Boom-Shack-A-Lak by Apache Indian.

I can’t recite any of the lyrics except the chorus. and all I know is that it had a bouncy feel to it and was loaded with wacky sound effects. It is actually kind of silly.

Larry Flick of Billboard magazine described the song as “a wacky blend of guttural toasting and retro-pop shuffle beats.” He felt that “the hook has the potential to take up permanent residence in your brain, while the fun array of sound effects are sure to get those shoulders shakin’ out of control.” He also encouraged, “Seek it out and give it a whirl.”

I can hear my former sister-in-law laughing at this as I type…

Boom-Shack-A-Lak

The final song for this week is one that really didn’t mean much to me in 1993, but it sure did in 1999. When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, there was a lot of uncertainty. I recall many times wondering about how long she was going to be around. She was in and out of remission so many times.

When I got engaged to my ex wife, there was a lot of talk about whether or not she’d make it to see us get married. Her battle was a long one and she struggled so much with the chemo and radiation. It was through this time that I realized just how strong she was!

She would battle that disease and fight like no one’s business. So when it came time to choose a song to dance with my mom for the mother/son song, I thought long and hard about it. With every passing day, I realized just how much of a hero my mom was to me. She was stronger than I could have ever imagined. So, I chose Mariah Carey’s Hero.

I remember walking out to the dance floor and meeting her there. I remember her telling me how much she loved me and how handsome I looked. I told her how amazing she was and how much I loved her. We both shed tears and it is four minutes of my life that I wish I could revisit every day. I miss her terribly.

Hero

So what song from 1993 was your favorite? What did I miss? Drop it in the comments.

Next week, we visit 1994. There are a couple cover songs, but no Elvis covers. There’s a tribute to a Rock and Roll legend. There’s a bit of country and a bit of alternative music. I’ll share a great story about a singer who appreciates the veterans of our country, and feature my favorite “last song of the night” at weddings and parties.

Thanks for reading!

The Music of My Life – 1970

As I celebrate birthday 54, I am borrowing (ok, stealing) an idea from another blogger. I have altered the idea a bit, and may decide to change it up after a few posts …

I am calling the feature “The Music of My Life.” I plan on starting with the year I was born and picking 10 favorites from that year. I will move on through the years one by one. I doubt I will go too deep in the more modern years, so I’m not sure how long this will go on.

Right now, I am hoping to do this once a week. That’s a bit adventurous of me, but I am really hoping to be able to work ahead on these.

So what sources am I using to choose my songs? First, I am looking at the Billboard Year-End Top 100. This can be a problem as some of the songs from the list may have been released the year before. Next, I am looking a lists from various sources with all the songs released as singles for each year. Finally, my buddy Max (who may or may not be the blogger I stole this idea from), gave me a cool website to check out. It is acclaimedmusic.net

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of my favorites from the year I was born…

1970

I may as well start with the song that was number one on my birthday – American Woman by The Guess Who. It was released in January of 1970 and was the third biggest song of the year. A cool thing about this song – the whole thing was improvised on stage during a concert after Randy Bachman was tuning his guitar after breaking a string!

American Woman – The Guess Who

Next, a group that never had a number one song. That has always baffled me. CCR had a few hits in 1970. Travelin’ Band was released in January of 1970 and has a very 1950’s sort of sound to it. John Fogerty has been said to have channeled a bit of Little Richard in the vocal delivery of this song. Coincidentally, CCR was sued by the publishing company that had the rights to Little Richard’s “Good Golly Miss Molly,” because they sounded so much alike. The case was settled out of court.

Travelin’ Band – CCR

I always loved the sound of Dave Edmunds I Hear You Knocking. In 1970, he was getting ready to cut a version of Wilbert Harrison’s Let’s Work Together, when he heard that the group Canned Heat had just cut it. As he was driving in his car, a radio station played the Smiley Lewis’ 1955 version of I Hear You Knocking. He realized just how similar it was to Let’s Work Together and knew he wouldn’t have to change much and recorded it. He played all the instruments on the song (except maybe the bass guitar).

I Hear You Knockin’ – Dave Edmunds

Another group I have always liked is Badfinger. The song was recorded in May of 1970 and released in October. The band loved this song, but some of the folks at Apple records had no interest in releasing it. In August, the American director at Apple in New York heard the tape and liked it. The song was remixed and released as a single. It was a Top 10 single.

No Matter What – Badfinger

Released in January of 1970, Norman Greenbaum had a Top 5 Hit with Spirit in the Sky. Jesus is mentioned many times throughout the song, so I remember being surprised to read that Norman was Jewish! In a 2006 interview, he said that he was inspired to write the song after watching country singer Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. He said that he thought, “I can do that,” and wrote “my own gospel song.”

As far as the unique sound of the opening guitar lick? Normal used a Fender Telecaster with a fuzz-tone circuit built into the body to generate the song’s characteristic guitar sound. Because of the song’s length and religious tone of the lyrics, the record company was initially reluctant to issue the song. They came to their senses and finally released as a single after two other singles from the album had poor sales. The rest … is history.

Spirit in the Sky – Norman Greenbaum

Edwin Starr is one of my favorite Motown singers. In 1970, he released a song co-written by another Motown artist, Barrett Strong. The song is basically a protest song as the Vietnam War was still going on. The song was recorded originally with the Temptations singing it, however, the label decided to withhold the Temptations’ version from single release so as not to alienate that group’s more conservative fans, and had Edwin Starr record and release it.

War – Edwin Starr

By the time I was born, the Beatles were getting ready to call it quits. However, in March of 1970, they released Let It Be. At the time, the song became the highest debut ever on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It entered the chart at number 6 and went straight to the top. This was the final single released before Paul announced he was leaving the band.

Let It Be – The Beatles

One of the great song intros in classic rock belongs to All Right Now by Free. The song was recorded in January of 1970 and released on my birthday in the UK (May 15). Drummer Simon Kirke said: “‘All Right Now’ was created after a bad gig in Durham. We finished our show and walked off the stage to the sound of our own footsteps. The applause had died before I had even left the drum riser. It was obvious that we needed a rocker to close our shows. All of a sudden the inspiration struck (Bass Player Andy) Fraser and he started bopping around singing ‘All Right Now’. He sat down and wrote it right there in the dressing room. It couldn’t have taken more than ten minutes.” It’s a great jam!

All Right Now – Free

This song fits exactly what many blogger friends and I do often – Turn Back the Hands of Time through music, movies, and nostalgia. One of R&B’s greatest was released in February of 1970 by Tyrone Davis. The song was Davis’ second big hit. It went to number one on the Billboard R&B Chart and went to number three on the Pop Singles Chart.

I’ve always loved the way the intro starts with drum and bass, then adds guitar and keyboard (xylophone?) and finally the strings before Tyrone’s smooth vocal. And who doesn’t sing along with the background singers when they come in? I know I do.

Turn Back the Hands of Time – Tyrone Davis

Finally, we grab a cut from Van Morrison’s 1970 album, Moondance. Into the Mystic is just such a cool song. I guess this would fall into the category of “Yacht Rock” today. It has a spiritual feel to it. One article compared it to Yesterday by the Beatles describing it as “another song where the music and the words seem to have been born together, at the same time, to make one perfectly formed, complete artistic element.”

Van said the use of homophones really lent the song to have alternate meanings. He states: “Originally I wrote it as ‘Into the Misty’. But later I thought that it had something of an ethereal feeling to it so I called it ‘Into the Mystic’. That song is kind of funny because when it came time to send the lyrics in WB Music, I couldn’t figure out what to send them. Because really the song has two sets of lyrics. For example, there’s ‘I was born before the wind’ and ‘I was borne before the wind’, and also ‘Also younger than the sun, Ere the bonny boat was one’ and ‘All so younger than the son, Ere the bonny boat was won’ … I guess the song is just about being part of the universe.”

Into the Mystic – Van Morrison

I hope you enjoyed giving these songs a listen. Picking just 10 was harder than I thought. What about your favorites from 1970??

Up next – 1971….