Alby's Latest Posts
Song of the Day 3/31: Ralph McTell, “The Streets of London”
No song about London has been recorded more often than “The Streets of London” – there reportedly have been more than 200 covers over the years. Ralph McTell wrote it years before his first album came out in 1968, but he thought it too depressing to include on his debut LP. It appeared the next […]
Song of the Day 3/30: The Clash, “London Calling”
In our apocalyptic age it’s hard to remember that the media has always peddled stories of impending doom. When Joe Strummer wrote this song in 1979, he recalled later, “I read about 10 news reports in one day calling down all variety of plagues on us,” including both an impending ice age and the sun […]
Song of the Day 3/29: Paul Melançon, “Jeff Lynne”
Sometimes a song intended as homage nails it so well it’s hard to tell it from the original. That’s the case with “Jeff Lynne,” indie pop-rocker Paul Melançon’s tribute to the Electric Light Orchestra frontman and songwriter. Melançon said the first record he ever bought was ELO’s “Out of the Blue,” and he certainly learned […]
Song of the Day 3/28: World Party, “Sweet Soul Dream”
Karl Wallinger, the multi-instrumentalist best known as the leader, and frequently the only member, of World Party, died at his home in England two weeks ago of a stroke. He was 66. Wallinger first gained attention in 1983 when he joined the Waterboys, where his keyboards set the mood of that band’s biggest hit, “The […]
Song of the Day 3/27: John Cougar Mellencamp, “Crumblin’ Down”
Richard Serra, whose massive steel sculptures – the less artistically inclined among us would describe them as walls – were the source of controversy and a federal lawsuit, has died at age 85. Serra gained widespread notoriety in the ’80s when he used a commission from the federal government for a public sculpture in a […]
DL Open Thread Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Six members of a construction crew are missing and presumed dead in the Baltimore bridge collapse, but it could have been a lot worse. Alex Jones and his ilk spun lots of conspiracy theories, and that’s before they knew the workers who died were immigrants from Central America and Mexico. Ever since the Supreme Court’s […]
Song of the Day 3/26: Counting Crows, “Raining in Baltimore”
From Counting Crows’ debut album, “August and Everything After,” released in 1993.
DL Open Thread Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Move over, Donald. The top story on cable news today will be the rescue efforts at Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed after a cargo ship rammed it about 1:30 this morning. It’s being treated as a mass casualty event; nobody is sure how many workers and vehicles were on the steel structure. Another […]
Song of the Day 3/25: Barenaked Ladies, “If I Had $1000000”
Dedicated to Donald Trump, with all the sympathy he deserves. Barenaked Ladies wrote about what they’d do with a million dollars even before the band formed in 1988. Frontmen Steven Page and Ed Robertson were working as counselors at a summer music camp, and they would sing this to the campers on the bus, filling […]
DL Open Thread Monday, March 25, 2024
Today’s the deadline for Trump to come up with the cash or equivalent in New York, but he took time last night to go to his West Palm Beach golf club to celebrate his victory in – here, I’ll let him tell it: “THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY & THE SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY.I WON BOTH!” […]
Song of the Day 3/24: Cypress Hill w/the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, “Insane in the Brain”
Life, as we know, imitates “The Simpsons,” which is why we got a Trump presidency. Even minor gags from long-ago episodes have come to pass: The U.S. won the Olympic gold medal in curling, the guy in Siegfried and Roy was attacked by one of his white tigers, Michelangelo’s David became the subject of censorship […]
Song of the Day 3/23: Пикник, “Королевство кривых” [Piknik, “Kingdom of Crooks”]
Once again, terrorists have attacked a live music event, this time a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow. Gunmen associated with the Islamic State opened fire before the start of a performance by Piknik, one of Russia’s longest-running rock bands; the death toll stood at 133 as this was written. Piknik, aka Picnic, recorded […]
Song of the Day 3/22: Barrett Strong, “Money (That’s What I Want)”
Donald Trump is getting INCREASINGLY FRANTIC! as the clock winds down toward his deadline for posting bond as he appeals his fraud conviction. Before you read any story about it, you should cue up this song as the soundtrack. Barrett Strong had his only hit as a performer with “Money,” written by Berry Gordy. It […]
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