Monthly Archives: March 2024

Music Monday: March 25, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

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Lately I have been drowning myself in John Lennon’s songs from his years with The Beatles. With each album he became more and more eloquent about what was on his mind. And it was deep, beautiful & thought-provoking. Sometimes I think today’s pick from The White Album does not get enough recognition for being the exceptional track it is. And the message it sends is an uplifting one delivered in Lennon’s succinct yet effective manner. What a way to make the listener feel nothing but love and acceptance. Thank you, John.

“The sun is up
The sky is blue
It’s beautiful
And so are you“.

Version 1.0.0

The Fab Four’s extra gift to fans who bought The White Album-individual pictures of the band (L-R): George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Beatles: “Dear Prudence” (1968, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: March 18, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

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(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Thirty years ago-March 21, 1994-Bruce Springsteen won the Oscar for Best Original Song for the track he wrote for the film, “Philadelphia”. The Boss was already a megastar, thanks to the massive success of his album, “Born In The U.S.A.” ten years earlier. And that blockbuster came 11 years after the release of his debut album in 1973.

As Springsteen noted in his acceptance speech, it was the first time he wrote a song for a movie. And he hit it out of the park. Just like a Boss. You can watch his performance from the 66th Academy Awards and hear his acceptance speech here. Watching it all these years later, and knowing how much The Boss regretted not having The E Street Band inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame with him in 1999, I would say they are the only thing missing in this clip.

Speaking of that career honor, which came during the 14th annual induction ceremony on March 15, 1999 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, it was U2 frontman Bono who was given the privilege to usher Springsteen into the Rock Hall. With speech highlights that included gems like-‘”Bruce took us from Haight-Ashbury to Asbury Park” and “He’s not The Boss-he works for us!”, Bono expressed what all Springsteen fans feel-that he is singing only for us. And for that, we are most grateful.

Bruce Oscar

Top: Bruce Springsteen on Oscar night in March 1994. Bottom: Bruce (L) and Steven Van Zandt (R) during The Boss’s performance following his induction in 1999. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Bruce Springsteen: “Streets Of Philadelphia” (1993, written by Bruce Springsteen).

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” (Live performance at the R&R HOF induction ceremony, March 1994. Originally recorded in 1975. Written by Bruce Springsteen).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: March 11, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

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(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Ten years ago I was in the throes of a serious “Parenthood” addiction. The Braverman’s had become my family and those weekly episodes were like having my own seat at their dinner table. I was home.

The music only added to my love of this show and in S5 E13-“Jump Ball”-it helped me get reacquainted with The Cowboy Junkies. They rose to prominence in 1988 with the release of The Trinity Session, which featured their unique acoustic driven covers-including The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane”-along with a few traditional standards and original tracks. Led by the haunting and impressive vocals of Margot Timmins combined with the musicianship of her brothers Michael and Peter along with family friend, Alan Anton, the group has a sound that is hard to duplicate.

The song featured in the TV episode was written by English-Canadian singer & songwriter David Wiffen. It was included on his 1971 self titled debut album but a year earlier, it appeared on folk singer Tom Rush’s eponymous record. Most of the cover versions I have heard follow his interpretation. The Cowboy Junkies did and it is on their 1996 release, Studio: Selected Studio Recordings 1986–1995.

About four years ago, I found another cover of today’s pick thanks to Anthony Mason’s CBS This Morning musical profile of The Black Crowes from March 2020. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson have covered this track a lot over the years, both together and with separate musical projects like The Chris Robinson Brotherhood which featured it on their 2015 album, Betty’s Blend Vol. 2: Best From The West. But my favorite version is a 2009 live performance that gives this incredibly rich and provoking tune such great depth along with an absolutely gorgeous guitar arrangement. The title varies depending on what source is used as a reference, but this is a one of a kind song if ever there was one. And I love it.

“You can’t say much in a phone call
You know how it is
I have to tell you one sure thing
Won’t you listen to this
I want to tell you that I love you
I want to tell you just how I feel“.

Cowboy
Rich and Chris

Top: The Cowboy Junkies circa 2023. Bottom: The Robinson Brothers of The Black Crowes circa 2019: Rich (L) and Chris (R). (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

The Cowboy Junkies: “Lost My Driving Wheel” (1996, written by David Wiffen).

The Black Crowes: “Driving Wheel” (2009 live performance. Written by David Wiffen).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: March 4, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

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I have been in a deep dive of Chris Isaak’s music lately after finding a few live clips of some shows he did last year. That has me missing his quirky, cool & unbelievably funny self-titled Showtime show which has yet to be made available on DVD or for streaming despite the fact that it ended its three season run 20 years ago.

Today’s song, which was featured in S2 E12 as a fabulous duet with country artist Allison Moorer, is from his 1998 album, Speak Of The Devil. It was the follow up to his sixth album, The Baja Sessions where he put an acoustic spin on some of his previously released songs along with his own takes of Dean Martin’s “Return To Me” and Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely”. It is hard to believe that Isaak’s debut album came out almost 40 years ago in 1985. But his voice, his lyrics and his sound are evocative and timeless which are the main reasons why I cannot get enough of his music after all these years.

“Cause I still dream of you
And I will call your name
And I will wait
Till you come back again“.

Chris

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Chris Isaak: “Walk Slow” (1998, written by Chris Isaak).

Stay safe & well.