The subject of the current set on my radio blog is good covers. I tried to find some you might not have heard, but frankly, probably most of them you have.
Enjoy!
Category: Music
Musical Influences
The other day I was in the car listening to my favorite radio station (Dave FM), and this song I’d heard several times came on, but this time the DJ actually mentioned the artist and title. It was the Killers’ song “All These Things That I’ve Done.” I thought every time I heard that song “those guys sound like T. Rex.” Then it occurred to me that I think that about lots of artists. So this radio blog is dedicated to artists and their obvious influences. I have some good tunes over there. Go check it out! As always, my radio blog is always accessible through the sidebar under “Currently Listening,” too.
Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley died May 29, 1997 at the age of 30. Since today was a teacher workday, I was listening to music at work — specifically, my radio blog. I have one of my favorite Jeff Buckley songs on it right now — “Last Goodbye.” I decided I’d rather listen to more of his music than the rest of my own playlist, so I went to Radio Blog’s website to search for other radio blogs with Jeff Buckley on the playlist. I listened to “Lover, You Should Have Come Over.” I started thinking about his tragic death. I thought of all the beautiful music we didn’t get to hear. I thought of his amazing voice, silenced forever. Tears welled in my eyes, and I felt foolish.
Radio Blog is Back!
The Radio Blog is back and has its own home, too. I have a theme this time: songs I downloaded or ripped because I heard them on a TV commercial and was either reminded I liked them or decided I liked them. I never thought I’d say that about rap. It took 20 years, but I guess there are a few rap songs I like.
You can also see a cute picture of my niece on the Radio Blog.
You can permanently access the Radio Blog from the sidebar at the right — look under “Currently Listening,” located underneath the calendar and “Currently Reading.”
I Want It That Way
This has to be one of the most entertaining performances I’ve seen in a long time (via my blog friend Robert).
My favorite is the guy in the background just plugging away, completely oblivious.
Related posts:
Top 100 Meme
It has been an incredibly long time since I participated in a meme, but Dana had a good one that brought back some memories. The idea is to post the Top 100 songs from the year you graduated from high school and highlight the ones you liked. The songs I liked will be bold. I found a site with the ARC Top Songs here.
- “Nothing Compares 2 U” — Sinéad O’Connor
- “Vogue” — Madonna
- “Vision of Love” — Mariah Carey
- “Poison” — Bell Biv Devoe
- “From a Distance” — Bette Midler
- “Love Takes Time” — Mariah Carey
- “Hold On” — Wilson Phillips
- “Because I Love You (The Postman Song)” — Stevie B
- “It Must Have Been Love” — Roxette
- “Pump Up the Jam” — Technotronic (*Dana blushes and hides her face*)
- “Rub You the Right Way” — Johnny Gill
- “Do Me!” — Bell Biv Devoe
- “The Power” — Snap
- “Cradle of Love” — Billy Idol
- “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?” — Michael Bolton
- “Close to You” — Maxi Priest
- “Escapade” — Janet Jackson
- “Hold On” — En Vogue
- “Ice Ice Baby” — Vanilla Ice
- “Release Me” — Wilson Phillips
- “I’m Your Baby Tonight” — Whitney Houston
- “Blaze of Glory” — Bon Jovi
- “She Ain’t Worth It” — Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
- “Love Will Lead You Back” — Taylor Dayne
- “All Around the World” — Lisa Stansfield
- “If Wishes Came True” — Sweet Sensation
- “Opposites Attract” — Paula Abdul featuring the Wild Pair (*Dana has no excuses and apologizes most sincerely*)
- “Unchained Melody” — The Righteous Brothers
- “I Don’t Have the Heart” — James Ingram
- “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” — Nelson (*Gah. No excuse.*)
- “Impulsive” — Wilson Phillips
- “Two to Make It Right” — Seduction
- “Black Velvet” — Alannah Myles
- “Everything” — Jody Watley
- “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You” — Heart
- “I Wanna Be Rich” — Calloway
- “Roam” — The B-52’s
- “Sending All My Love” — Linear
- “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” — Jane Child
- “Rhythm Nation” — Janet Jackson
- “Here And Now” — Luther Vandross
- “The Way You Do The Things You Do” — UB40
- “Downtown Train” — Rod Stewart
- “Feels Good” — Tony! Toni! Tone!
- “Something To Believe In” — Poison
- “Can’t Stop” — After 7
- “Dangerous” — Roxette
- “Unskinny Bop” — Poison
- “Step By Step” — New Kids On The Block
- “Groove Is In The Heart” — Deee-Lite
- “Black Cat” — Janet Jackson
- “Alright” — Janet Jackson
- “Come Back To Me” — Janet Jackson
- “Giving You The Benefit” — Pebbles
- “I’ll Be Your Everything” — Tommy Page
- “More Than Words Can Say” — Alias
- “Just Between You And Me” — Lou Gramm
- “U Can’t Touch This” — MC Hammer
- “Have You Seen Her” — MC Hammer
- “No More Lies” — Michel’le
- “Enjoy The Silence” — Depeche Mode
- “Janie’s Got A Gun” — Aerosmith
- “Love Song” — Tesla
- “Do You Remember?” — Phil Collins
- “Pray” — MC Hammer
- “Free Fallin'” — Tom Petty
- “I’ll Be Your Shelter” — Taylor Dayne
- “Praying For Time” — George Michael
- “Ready Or Not” — After 7
- “How Can We Be Lovers” — Michael Bolton
- “Girls Nite Out” — Tyler Collins
- “King Of Wishful Thinking” — Go West
- “Freedom” — George Michael
- “Something Happened On The Way To Heaven” — Phil Collins
- “What Kind Of Man Would I Be?” — Chicago
- “I Wish It Would Rain Down” — Phil Collins
- “Get Up! (Before The Night Is Over)” — Technotronic
- “Just Like Jesse James” — Cher
- “I Remember You” Skid Row
- “Everybody Everybody” — Black Box
- “Epic” — Faith No More
- “Oh Girl” — Paul Young
- “I Go To Extremes” — Billy Joel
- “Price Of Love” — Bad English
- “Romeo” — Dino
- “When I’m Back On My Feet Again” — Michael Bolton
- “Here We Are” — Gloria Estefan
- “Make You Sweat” — Keith Sweat
- “Whip Appeal” — Babyface
- “Forever” — Kiss
- “What It Takes” — Aerosmith
- “C’mon And Get My Love” — D-Mob with Cathy Dennis
- “Stranded” — Heart
- “The Humpty Dance” — Digital Underground
- “This One’s For The Children” — New Kids On The Block
- “When The Night Comes” — Joe Cocker
- “Miracle — Bon Jovi
- “Whole Wide World” — A’me Lorain
- “Jerk Out” — The Time
- “Knockin’ Boots” — Candyman
Wow. I don’t even remember a lot of those. I should upload the ones I liked to my radio blog, but not tonight. I need to go to bed! I really hope Steve does this — 1986 was such a good year.
The Black Crowes
I have been a fan of the Black Crowes ever since their commercial debut, Shake Your Money Maker. I remember listening to their album nonstop and talking enthusiastically about them to my friend, Sheila. “They just sound like Atlanta,” I enthused. She laughed. Ever since then, I have felt a bit like the voice crying in the wilderness. I love the band, and I don’t feel they’ve ever received the recognition or attention they deserve. Of course, it doesn’t help that the lineup is shaky, and the sibling rivalry between Chris and Rich Robinson is notorious. Still, I think they have a solid sound — crunchy, raunchy guitar and plenty of blue-eyed soul.
I decided to shake up my radio blog with a Black Crowes set list that serves as a good introduction to the band. Or it serves as a list of some of my favorites, anyway.
- Go Faster
- From the album By Your Side, which taken as a whole is not up there on my list of favorite Crowes albums. This track is very good, though. Makes me want to go faster, anyway. Quit laughing, Steve.
- Wiser Time
- From the album Amorica, which is solid all the way through, and was described by one recent Amazon reviewer as the “soundtrack to [his] life.” I agree with that assessment of the album. This is possibly my favorite Crowes song, if I had to pick one. It is best listened to while driving southbound on the Connector through Atlanta just as the downtown skyscrapers loom in the zodiacal light, to borrow a favorite phrase of Steve’s. Or while driving across the flat expanses between small towns on I-70 westbound in Kansas.
- Sometimes Salvation
- From the album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, which is my favorite Crowes album. If you only buy one Crowes album, you should buy this one. This song is really high up there on my list of favorite all-time songs.
- A Conspiracy
- From Amorica. I like the slide guitar. Have mercy, baby.
- Ten Years Gone
- From Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Live at the Greek. My favorite Led Zeppelin song, done much justice by the Crowes backing Jimmy Page. No one can deny that Zep influenced the Crowes, and they sound great together.
- Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
- This is live concert track, so the sound quality is not great, but it is such a great cover, I had to include it. The Crowes are often compared to Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones, although this song was on Sticky Fingers.
- High Head Blues
- From Amorica. Kind of psychedelic. The video was funny. I like the… I think it’s a vibraphone… in this one. You’ll know it when you hear it. It’s groovy.
- My Morning Song
- I really hear the blues/Led Zeppelin influence on this one, which is from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.
- Cypress Tree
- From Lions. Really crunchy guitar; heavier sound.
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- From The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Also one of my all-time favorite songs. It’s not out of spite. I just know what’s right. Yep. Very fine white blues.
What’s not on my list? The overplayed and somewhat trite “She Talks to Angels.” If that’s what you know about the Crowes, you are better served by a listen to my radio blog than commercial radio. As much as I love Shake Your Money Maker, I don’t think it’s their finest album, and I didn’t include any tracks from it here.
The Black Crowes have a great website. It is really appealing to the eye. Call me weird, but I think it’s fun that the guitar is somewhat interactive. If you want to get a really good taste of their music, they play clips of LOTS of their songs, plus there is video footage (although low quality and slow to load) and concert recordings.
All of this plus Rich Robinson is cute not as cute as Steve — Happy Father’s Day, Steve!
Enjoy!
New Tunes… Again
After another couple of months passed, I finally got around to updating my radio blog (get your own). This selection group should be titled, “What the Hell?” Instead it’s just stuff I like, and it’s a testament to my, shall we say “eclectic” tastes.
Playlist:
- The Cure, “Just Like Heaven”
- REM, “So. Central Rain”
- Motley Crue, “Home Sweet Home”
- Maroon 5, “Sunday Morning”
- k.d. lang, “Trail of Broken Hearts”
- Crowded House, “Weather With You”
- The Cranberries, “When You’re Gone”
- Blondie, “The Tide is High”
- Alison Krauss, “Down in the River to Pray”
- ABBA, “Dancing Queen”
Bonus points to anyone who can connect “The Tide is High” to “Dancing Queen.”
New Tunes
I have (finally) updated my radio blog (see sidebar, scroll down). All Journey, all my favorite Journey songs. This is the soundtrack of my youth. Don’t you dare mock me. You sing along with at least one out these eight, and you know you do.
What band formed the soundtrack to your youth?
Related posts:
Imagine
Twenty-four years ago today, John Lennon was assassinated.
I can’t believe it has been that long. I still wonder… what if?