Alby's Latest Posts
Song of the Day 5/17: Rolling Stones, “Paint It, Black”
I read yesterday that Donald Trump’s obsession with The Wall has manifested itself as micromanagement of its design. He wants scary spikes on top, and he wants it painted black so it will absorb heat and, gloves apparently being unknown in the Mexico of his mind, be too hot for swarthy invaders to climb. So […]
Song of the Day 5/16: Jackie DeShannon, “Bette Davis Eyes”
Everyone knows “Bette Davis Eyes” if they listened to the radio in 1981, when Kim Carnes’ breakthrough single spent nine weeks at No. 1 and was single of the year. Many people know the song was written by Jackie DeShannon. But not many have heard her version of her most famous tune, which she released […]
Song of the Day 5/15: Donovan, “Atlantis”
When we think of the ’60s we tend to think of the social movements for civil rights and against the war in Vietnam, which gives the impression that people back then were wrapped up in serious issues. We tend to forget that the hippie era gave rise to just as much bunkum and bullshit as […]
Here’s What Biden’s Selling
Horse-race pundits already have all but conceded the Democratic nomination to Joe Biden, which is easy to do now because people haven’t yet had a chance to hear his sales pitch for the job. Bloomberg News national political reporter Sahil Kapur, following Biden on the trail in New Hampshire, heard his chat with one couple […]
Song of the Day 5/14: The Greenberry Woods, “Trampoline”
The early to mid-’90s saw an incredible wave of power pop bands that fought a losing battle for attention while the recording industry went gaga for grunge instead. One of the casualties was the Greenberry Woods, a quartet from Baltimore whose catchy hooks and jangly guitars couldn’t cut the grungy gloom that ruled rock radio […]
The Nut Factory in Our Midst
You might have seen the Buzzfeed interview and profile of Katie McHugh, a former Breitbart writer who now calls herself a former white nationalist, or maybe some of the voluminous commentary churned up in its wake. Rosie Gray, who covers the alt-right for Buzzfeed, traced McHugh’s history, from her exurban upbringing to Allegheny College through […]
Song of the Day 5/13: Bruce Springsteen, “Wild Billy’s Circus Story”
Old-timers might remember that when Bruce Springsteen was first signed to Columbia Records, he was promoted as the “new Dylan” — or, rather, the latest in a long line of new Dylans, because that comparison was hung around the neck of every troubadour with a guitar from Donovan on down. If you had seen this […]
Song of the Day 5/12: Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton, “Dear Mr. Fantasy”
H/t to Nancy Willing, whose Traffic video posts got me listening to Blind Faith, Steve Winwood’s collaboration with Eric Clapton. The supergroup was formed after Clapton left Cream and Winwood left Traffic, but the high expectations of British music fans quickly soured Clapton on the experience. They only had one album’s worth of material, a […]
Song of the Day 5/11: The Traveling Wilburys, “Congratulations”
Bob Dylan writes so many songs he can’t use them all. Some he leaves as demos that get out and get finished by others. Some he tosses into side projects like George Harrison’s late-’80s supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys. Producer Jeff Lynne said the song was basically complete when Dylan brought it in, leaving the other […]
Song of the Day 5/10: Argent, “Liar”
Three Dog Night had the hit with it, but “Liar” was written by Argent guitarist Russ Ballard and was included on the band’s first album. I’m sure it will turn up on the soundtrack for the miniseries that will someday be made about the Trump Interregnum. Here’s the Three Dog Night version, with Danny Hutton […]
So Simple Even Kos Gets It
I find myself disagreeing with Markos Moulitsas when he says things like “Democrats must nominate a woman” and similar proclamations that are too calculating by half. I also dislike his not-subtle anti-Bernie bias. But even Kos understands that Democrats pay too much attention to trying to avoid riling up Trump’s base. As he points out, […]
Song of the Day 5/9: Hall and Oates, “You Make My Dreams”
MTV changed how music was promoted, but we tend to forget that when music videos were a new medium, record companies weren’t inclined to spend much (read “any”) money on them. For this single from 1980’s “Voices,” Hall and Oates apparently got just one camera, and choreographed the whole band’s performance so everyone could mug […]
Song of the Day 5/8: Wilbert Harrison, “Let’s Work Together”
This seems like as good a time as any to remind everyone that “united we stand, divided we fall,” even if it took Wilbert Harrison years to realize it. The song we now know as “Let’s Work Together” was released in 1970, but it’s the same tune he released in 1962 as “Let’s Stick Together,” […]
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