I'm In Love With That Song

Welcome to 2019!  Let's start the year off with one of the Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time. There is simply no other band like The Who.  Genius and violence, vunerability and madness... all words that can be used in equal measure to describe The Who.  Four larger-than-life characters that created a dozen indelible classic albums; a band that recorded so much great music that a song like this was tossed aside, eventually released on a ramshackle album of leftovers & outtakes.  Most bands would give an arm & a leg for a song this good.   "The Naked Eye" (Peter Townshend) Copyright 1974 Fabulous Music Ltd/Towser Tunes Inc.

On this special Bonus podcast, I thought I'd put together a short little episode and play a favorite holiday song.  It'll be a new "I'm In Love With That Song Podcast" tradition!  So let's start with a great track from The Kinks.  Happy Holidays, everyone!   "Father Christmas" (Ray Davies) Copyright 1977 Davray Music Limited, Sony/ATV Music Publishing

His career spanned over 60 years; he toured around the world (playing 200 shows a year, well into his 70's), and released more than 50 albums.  But B.B. King will be remembered primarily as one of the most infuential guitarists in history.  His impact is so imbedded in the DNA of the guitar that no player is untouched by his influence. This is one of many great songs in his vast catalog; a great example of his powerful voice, his ability to embody a song, and his mastery as a guitar soloist. "There Must Be A Better World Somewhere" (Doc Pomus & Dr. John) Copyright 1981 Daremolby Music/Stazybo Music, Inc. (BMI)

Graham Parker arose from the UK Pub Rock scene, a back-to-basics sound that was a precursor to Punk.  Along with his band, The Rumour (which included guitarist Brinsley Schwarz, a legend in his own right), he recorded a handful of essential albums in the '70's and has released a string of great records throught his long career.  A notable songwriter with a distinct edge and a wonderfully biting voice, he's influenced many artists that followed.  Here's one song that represents everything I love about Graham Parker.     "Stupefaction" (Graham Parker) Copyright 1980 Street Music Ltd

When the band relased their first 2 albums in 1968 & 1969, they set off a musical revolution; the psychedelic sounds of the '60's were out and a return to the roots was back in style.  "Whispering Pines" is their most haunting, beautiful ballad, with a lead vocal from Richard Manuel that's so vunerable it makes you ache to hear it.  The Band were at their peak during this time, with every member writing & performing at their best.  Let me know what you think -- write a review, leave a comment, and share with your friends! "Whispering Pines" (R. Manuel and J.R. Robertson) Copyright 1970 Canaan Music, Inc.  

I will admit that I can be prone to hyperbole, but I'm convinced this is The Best Album Of The 1980's and one of the greatest albums of all time.  It is a perfect album.  A magnificent song cycle that reveals something new each time you listen to it.  A masterwork of songwriting and production.  I could go on... This song is a blast of pure pop; catchy, clever and concise-- 3 minutes and 20 seconds of pop genius.  It will make you smile.   NOTE: During the podcast, I reference "The Fool Guitar".  More details on that legendary instrument can be found here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fool_(guitar)   "That's Really Super, Supergirl" (Andy Partridge) Copyright 1986 Virgin Nymph Music, Inc (BMI) - Copyright 2010 Ape House Ltd

Forget talking about "women who rock", Sass Jordan is one of the best rock vocalists out there, male OR female.  This Canadian singer & songwriter is not well known in the USA, which is a shame because she's got a voice that's unique, powerful and compelling.  This song is from her 1994 album, "Rats", which is her hardest-rocking album (and, in my opinion, her best).  Check out this song, then go find more music by Sass Jordan.  And don't forget to share & leave comments!   "Head" (Sass Jordan & Stevie Salas) Copyright 1994 WB Music Corp/Cat Sass Music/Green Lantern Music (ASCAP)/Songs Of Polygram International Inc. and Salidified Songs (BMI)

One of the most underappreciated bands in rock.  Undaunted by the ups & downs of the fickle music business, Cheap Trick have played over 5000 shows and released 20 albums, including "Rockford" in 2006, one of their best albums ever.  I could've picked any song from this album-- it's that good-- but I settled on "If It Takes A Lifetime".  If you don't have this album in your collection, don't wait-- Go get it now.   "If It Takes A Lifetime" (Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Neilsen, Bun E. Carlos & Julian Raymond) Copyright Z.P.N.&C./Sony/ATV (BMI) and Maxiva (ASCAP)

A great hard rock & power pop band that somehow fell through the cracks in the late '70's, Starz had all the ingredients to make it big-- a band of seasoned professionals with a charismatic frontman, a big-name manager, and a record deal with Capitol Records... but while bands like Foreigner, Styx & Boston sold millions of records, Starz just couldn't break thru to a larger audience.  Too bad, because these guys had some great rock tunes.  Here's one of their power-pop tracks that serves as a great example of how to write a catchy, memorable song.   Special thanks to the RockNPd Expo for connecting me with the guys in the band.   "She" (Peter Sweval, Joe X. Dube, Michael Lee Smith, Brendan Harkin & Richie Ranno) Copyright 1978 Starzongo Music, Inc/Rock Steady Music, Inc/ASCAP

Aretha Franklin recorded over 40 albums during her career; this episode, we revisit a song from her breakthrough album, "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You" from 1967. This was actually her 11th album (!), but it was the first one recorded for Atlantic Records and it's the one that made her a legend. Aretha Franklin was probably the single most influential singer of our time-- just listen to any episode of American Idol for proof. Aretha was not only a great vocalist, she was one of the greatest interpreters of songs in history. She didn't just cover a song, she made it her own. "A Change Is Gonna Come" was Sam Cooke's finest moment, but Aretha strips it down to its purest form and imbues it with pain, world-weariness, and hope - one of the greatest emotionally cathartic moments on record. "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke) Copyright Kags, BMI

Who's the greatest singer in rock history?  You could make an arguement that it's Glenn Hughes.  He's played & recorded with Trapeze, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, KLF... and released a collection of great solo albums.  He's an amazing hard rock vocalist & bass player, but my favorite stuff is when he's getting funky-- real funky.  This track combines the funk with the hard rock -  the best combo since Reese's put peanut butter in their chocolate. (Do you have to be a certain age to get that reference?)  Regardless, Crank It Up!   "Crave" (Glenn Hughes) Copyright 2008 Ponce Songs (BMI)

Every artist wants to pay tribute to the people who inspired them.  No one's ever done it better than The Replacements' tribute to Alex Chilton.  This song has a great hook and a chorus that stays with you... It's stayed with me so long that I named this podcast after it.     "Alex Chilton" (Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson & Chris Mars) Copyright 1987 Done To Death Music (ASCAP), Nah Music (ASCAP) and Chris Mars Publishing Inc.

Living under The Beatles' shadow was a blessing and a curse for Badfinger.  One of the greatest Power Pop bands of all time, they crafted a catalog of great songs that defined the genre.  "Day After Day" is one of the greatest singles of all time, featuring a beautiful melody, great performances, and a guest appearance by a Beatle.  What more could you want?  This song deserves a place in history.   "Day After Day" (Pete Ham) Copyright 1971 Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Adrian Belew is best known as a brilliant sideman & guitar foil (Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads) and a member of King Crimson, but most people are unaware of his "band on the side", The Bears.  The other 3 members are no slouches either-- this was really a band of 4 equal members that could all write great songs.  The Bears blend Art-Rock and Power Pop in their own distinctive way.  This song features lead vocals by 3 members, and packs plenty of substance & meaning into a 4:53 pop song.  If you're unfamiliar with The Bears, this song provides a great entry point.   "As You Are" (The Bears) Copyright 2001 Car Caught Fire Music/ASCAP

When a great soul singer meets a song by one of the great pop songwriting teams, magic ensues.  Al Green takes a song by the Bee Gees and turns it into one of the classic singles of all time.  Let's nurse our broken hearts together as we dig into this amazing song.  Please take a minute to share this podcast, and thanks for spreading the word!   "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" (Barry Gibb & Robin Gibb) Copyright 1971 Gibb Brothers Music