Most people remember Lou Rawls for his silky-smooth vocal delivery and his disco era hit “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” but by the time he had that hit in 1976, Rawls had already been recording albums, and yes many hits, for 14 years. Chicago-born Rawls got his start by replacing Sam Cooke in […]
Song Of The Day – “Stay” by Rihanna (featuring Mikky Ekko)
Rihanna makes great records …her albums are wildly inconsistent, but recording hit singles is her strength, and over the span of seven years, Rihanna has established herself as one of the biggest pop stars ever. Her latest album is called “Unapologetic,” and it is her most ballad-heavy release. The album’s title references her decision to […]
Song Of The Day – “The Painless Dentist Song” by Allan Sherman
Funny guys are often tragic figures, and Allan Sherman surely fits into this category. In the span of several years, Sherman went from the pinnacle of success as a TV sketch writer and recording artist who had a huge hit with the song “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh,” (plus the requisite books, cartoons and board games […]
Song Of The Day – “Toki’s Theme” by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Ever since the news broke about Dave Brubeck’s passing earlier this week, I’ve been mourning the only way record geeks like myself know how to, grab all of the music you own by the artist and start listening. I’m a serious record collector who has been at it now for over 40 years. In that […]
Song Of The Day – “I Got Rhythm” by Bud Freeman Trio
The other day I was pondering about the lack of Jazz clarinetists in today’s Jazz landscape which got me on a clarinet binge here at the homestead, which in turn led me to Bud Freeman. Chicago’s own Bud Freeman got his start on the clarinet before switching over to the tenor saxophone where he became […]
Song Of The Day – “Dinner Bell” by They Might Be Giants
Choosing the perfect Thanksgiving Song Of The Day is not an easy task. In the past, I’ve done the obvious with the all-American standby, “Alice’s Restaurant” by Arlo Guthrie. It’s something I’ve listened to every year on Thanksgiving ever since I was a kid, and I will be spinning it again (on vinyl, of course.) […]
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Does Anybody Love You?” by Todd Rundgren
Rodgers & Hammerstein…Lerner & Lowe…Andrew Lloyd Webber…Todd Rundgren? Todd’s name up there with some of Broadway’s most illustrious composers is not so farfetched. Indeed, one can trace the Broadway sensibility Rundgren has harbored for years thorough tracks like “Can’t We Just Be Friends,” “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference,” “Parallel Lines,” “Change Myself,” “Hello It’s […]
4th Of July Playlist
4th Of July Playlist Here’s my own personal 4th Of July Playlist. I’m sure there are songs you feel deserving of such an endeavor. If so, add them and let me know… Woody Guthrie: This Land Is Your Land http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE Ray Charles: America The Beautiful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg The Beach Boys: Spirit Of America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc0cvsSwvs0 Grateful […]
Song Of The Day – “Rednecks” by Randy Newman
Here is what Randy Newman had to say about the lead song from his 1974 masterpiece “Good Old Boys”: “I wrote ‘Rednecks’ soon after I saw Lester Maddox (Georgia Governor from 1967-1971) on the Dick Cavett Show. They sat Maddox next to Jim Brown, a black man and one of the greatest football players of […]
Song Of The Day – “Buckets Of Rain” by Bette Midler with Bob Dylan
Here’s one for those of us who are watching Sandy from afar…good luck to you all! This great duet/cover comes to you from Bette Midler’s 1976 album “Songs For The New Depression.” The session came about because Dylan had hoped Midler would join him on the Rolling Thunder Revue with an eye towards her being […]
