Monthly Archives: May 2024

Music Monday: May 27, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

Memorial Day

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Forty years ago Bruce Springsteen’s phenomenal seventh studio album broke through to the mainstream and turned him into megastar. Born in the U.S.A., which was released on June 4, 1984 by Columbia Records, spent four consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart a month later. It reclaimed the top spot again in January 1985 for 3 straight weeks.  

Seven of the 12 songs-“Dancing In The Dark”, “I’m On Fire”, “Cover Me”, “Glory Days”, “My Hometown”, “I’m Going Down” & the title track-became Top Ten hits. But all 45 minutes of the album solidified Springsteen’s place in music and pop culture history as it took on a life of its own, thanks in large part to five performance videos that were in heavy rotation on MTV.

To celebrate the record’s 40th anniversary and in honor of those who gave their lives in service to our country, below is my post from Memorial Day 2022.

Mem Day 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today we pause to honor those who made the greatest sacrifice for our country, our privilege & our way of life. But let us not forget their family, friends and those they fought beside who were left behind as well. They live with that loss every day, not just on Memorial Day. It makes the phrase, “we don’t know them all, but we owe them all” resonate with even more meaning. Thank you to all the heroes & those who will carry them in their hearts and minds always.

When Bruce Springsteen released his 1984 career changing album, I remember reading a review that said in one verse from the title track, The Boss probably gave us the best definition of war ever put into words. And it is not defined by location, generation or ideology. It is defined by duty, sacrifice, bravery, honor and loss. And giving everything you have in the name of freedom.

“I had a brother at Khe Sanh
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They’re still there
He’s all gone“.

BruceBorn1984
USA back

The front & back covers of Bruce Springsteen’s iconic 1984 album. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Bruce Springsteen: “Born In The U.S.A.” (1984, written by Bruce Springsteen).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: May 20, 2024

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

Blog image for 2024

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Fifty years ago Steely Dan released their third studio album. Pretzel Logic made its debut in February 1974. The band was formed by core members Walter Becker (1950-2017) on guitar and bass & Donald Fagen on keyboards. Both men, who met when they were students at Bard College in New York, also shared songwriting duties. The album also featured one of the group’s earlier members and future Doobie Brother, Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter, on guitar and Jim Gordon of Derek & The Dominos on drums.

By May of 1974, the first single from the album became a Top Ten hit on Billboard’s Hot 100. It is highlighted by an incredible musical arrangement including the use of a flapamba, a great lead vocal by Fagan, backing vocals by future Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit and a smoking guitar solo by Baxter. No wonder the track become the best selling single of Steely Dan’s career to date.

“I have a friend in town he’s heard your name
We can go out driving on Slow Hand Row
We could stay inside and play games I don’t know
And you could have a change of heart“.

Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan

Top: The band’s 1974 album. Bottom: Steely Dan circa 1974 (L-R): Denny Dias, Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Jim Hodder. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Steely Dan: “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” (1974, written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: May 13, 2024

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

Blog image for 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The world has officially been listening to The Rolling Stones for six decades. Their first album was released 60 years ago in April 1964. It included covers of songs written by Willie Dixon (“I Just Want to Make Love to You”), Buddy Holly (“Not Fade Away”) and Rufus Thomas (“Walking The Dog”), along with one track written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (“Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)”).

We are blessed to still have both of those men from the group’s original lineup. As for the others, drummer Charlie Watts passed away in 2021, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones died in 1969 and bassist Bill Wyman retired in 1993.

When Jones placed an ad looking for musicians to form a band in 1962, he envisioned it to be one with a blues sound. But once the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership took off, the group’s songs shifted more towards rock music. That and some other problems amongst the three men in addition to personal issues Jones was allegedly having led to him being fired from the band a month before his death in July 1969. He was, however, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with his former bandmates in 1989.

But 25 years earlier, The Stones self-titled debut album introduced us to another band from England that shared their love of American music with us. And in 1964, nothing expressed that more than a cover of a Motown song, originally released in the fall of 1963 by my great musical love, Marvin Gaye. And The Stones answered the question asked in that song on the same album with the group effort, “Now I’ve Got a Witness”, which was credited to the band’s collective pseudonym of Nanker Phelge. Ladies & gentlemen, The Rolling Stones.

Rolling-Stones-1964-The-Rolling-Stones

The Stones 1964 self-titled debut album (L-R): Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Can I Get A Witness” (1964, written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: May 6, 2024

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

Blog image for 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today marks my dad’s 85th birth anniversary. This was one of his favorite songs. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August 1975. It is from the album released the same year, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Even now, our love for Elton John keeps us connected.

“It’s four o’clock in the morning
Damn it listen to me good
I’m sleeping with myself tonight
Saved in time
Thank God my music is still alive“.

captain_fantastic_and_the_brown_dirt_cowboy_lp_1

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Elton John: “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” (1975, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).

Stay safe & well.