Aimee Man has been creating articulate character sketches in song since the 1980s when she was MTV-marketed as part of the group ‘Til Tuesday and could regularly be seen (heavily made up) singing “Voices Carry” sandwiched between Milli Vanilli and Culture Club videos. After the demise of ‘Til Tuesday, Mann set out on a solo […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Ruin” by Cat Power
I don’t know what it is about Charlyn Marie Marshall, the artist we now know as Cat Power. Every music rag I pick up amply pours the accolades on like maple syrup and, of course, I feel the need to eat it up. As a result, I’ve purchased several of her records and find that, […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Montauk” by Rufus Wainwright
The self-described “Gay Messiah” got back into the game this year with his most seventies-esque album called “Out Of The Game.” Under the tutelage of producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Wainwright delivered a record sonically more in line with classic Steely Dan than the baroque, rococo sound of his last few releases. Wainwright has said […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “I Just Can’t Help Believing” by Elvis Presley
Everybody has a favorite version of Elvis: the hip-swivellin’ 1950s hep-cat, the swarmy good ‘ol boy of his many second rate films, the leather-clad comeback kid of 1968, the sequined-suited star of Vegas, and, sadly, the fat bloated disaster of the late ‘70s before he met his maker, 35 years ago today. My particular favorite […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Life On Mars” by Barbra Streisand
Here’s one for fans of NASA and its latest Curiosity mission on Mars. I love the photos that are coming out of the red planet so far and can’t wait to see more. Now, on to this cover of one of David Bowie’s prettiest melodies and greatest songs…Like most people, I think Barbra Streisand has […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Easy Come Easy Go” by Cass Elliot
Only in the 1960s could someone as robust as Cass Elliot become an equally big star. Sure, she had talent to burn and a set of unrivalled pipes, but in this day of the thinner than thin in showbiz, she just would not have stood a chance…and a shame it would have been indeed. The […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “1-2-3” by Len Barry
After singing during his military career for a few years, Leonard Borisoff changed his name and joined Philadelphia vocal group The Dovells in 1958 singing lead vocals on their million selling hit “Bristol Stomp,” plus “You Can’t Sit Down,” “The Continental” and “Hully Gully Baby.” Barry struck out on his own and within a short […]
Song Of The Day – “Daddy’s Song” by Harry Nilsson
Nilsson is one of my favorites songwriters, right up there with Lennon & McCartney, Bob Dylan, Bacharach & David, Jagger & Richards, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, et. al. This song was originally from Nilsson’s second album, “Ariel Ballet” from 1968. But a funny thing happened on the way to the pressing plants. Without Nilsson’s knowledge, […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani
Shouldn’t everyone have four Harajuku Girls with them everywhere they go? I think so…and so does Gwen Stefani. After all, it was Stefani who put Harajuku fashion on the map in America anyway via her L.A.M.B. line of clothing. While not designing fashion, Stefani also has children with rock stars, launches perfume lines, records solo […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Graduation Day” by The Beach Boys
The Four Freshman took this song to the top twenty back in 1956 and the Wilson brothers were listening. And while The Beach Boys certainly were influenced by the Freshmen, the Freshmen were in turn influenced by vocal groups of the Big Band Era like The Pied Pipers and The Modernaires, as well as the […]
