There are just too many great “summer” songs to mention, but my best-of catalog would at least include ‘Summertime Blues’ by Eddie Cochran, ‘In The Summertime’ by Mungo Jerry (what a name), ‘Hot Fun In The Summertime’ by Sly & The Family Stone, ‘Summer Wind’ by Frank Sinatra, ‘Cruel … More The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer In The City” (1966)
Something incredible happens when you tune in Sirius Radio channel 31. Supernatural, even. Tom Petty is still alive. Still there nonchalantly talking about music – his own, and that of multitudes of other artists. Still rambling from topic to topic in an excited but unhurried drawl. Still irreverent, a bit … More Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “The Last DJ” (2002)
When my son, Max, was in college at Vassar, he had his own radio show, “Band Geeks,” on WVKR, the college radio station beaming out a 3,700 watt signal to campus, to greater Poughkeepsie, NY, and through the magic of the internet, to anyplace else. I was a faithful listener. As with most college radio … More Cat Stevens “Father and Son” (1970)
Not that long ago the rock world lost a great, a guy whose name everyone knows, but I’m not sure whether everyone knows he was that name. Huh? John Warren Geils Jr., better known professionally as J. Geils, was, of course, the namesake for the long-time blues/rock powerhouse, the J. Geils Band, the group he … More J. Geils Band “(Ain’t Nothin’ But A) House Party” (1973)
There’s a lot of talk nowadays about what’s “real” country music. Personally, my views fall pretty much in line with a righteous fellow named Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos, whose website “Saving Country Music” has been around for over 10 years, and whose mission seems pretty self-explanatory (clue: It starts with something like Waylon & Willie, not … More Rolling Stones “Dead Flowers” (1971)
It seems to me the turning of the annual calendar means not only a new year but the inherent wish, whether recent times have been good or bad, for things to get better. And on that theme there are many good songs from which to choose, but some are just, well, better than others. A … More The Kinks “Better Things” (1981)
This marks my 100th post for SoMuchGreatMusic.com and in the months since I started it I’ve consistently put off, over and over, writing on one of the favorite and most important artists in my life, Bruce Springsteen. Really, more than just put it off, I’ve been wholly intimidated to try to cover him. I mean, … More Bruce Springsteen “Land Of Hope And Dreams” (2000)
I think most music observers who are fans of Van Morrison – and could there be any who are not – consider this song a bit of a trifle, given the outrageous output that Morrison had already assembled at the point that ‘Wavelength’ was released in the fall of 1978 (just for example, ‘Brown Eyed … More Van Morrison “Wavelength” (1978)
Obviously, there was ‘Freebird’ and there was ‘Green Grass and High Tides’. That pair seems undeniable and indisputable as numbers 1 & 2. But beyond those two epic southern rock guitar marathons by Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Outlaws respectively, what would come next? I’d allow either of ‘Whipping Post’ or … More Blackfoot “Highway Song” (1979)
For all the cheeriness of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘All You Need Is Love’, ‘Good Day Sunshine’, ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, the Beatles also wrote some goddamn dark songs. And I’m not even talking about … More Beatles “Run For Your Life” (1965)
