Alby's Latest Posts
Song of the Day 2/10: Childish Gambino, “This Is America”
With the Grammy Awards on TV tonight, here’s a song nominated for song of the year, record of the year and best music video, and it deserves to win all three. The video been viewed 482 million times on YouTube since its release last May, when it set off weeks of criticism, interpretation and arguments […]
Song of the Day 2/9: Jackson Browne, “Doctor My Eyes”
Jackson Browne came of age at the dawn of the Southern California singer-songwriter boom, releasing his first album in 1972. This song, with its bouncy beat undercut by bleak, despairing lyrics, became a surprise hit. Browne apparently worked on this song for months before speeding up the tempo and ditching an even bleaker third verse. […]
National Enquirer Business Plan Could Save Journalism
As you’ve heard by now, the National Enquirer tried to blackmail Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, threatening to publish his dick pics if he didn’t back off investigating AMI, the Enquirer’s corporate parent. Judging by what I’ve seen in print, people aren’t surprised at the sleaziness of this; it was revealed months ago that the […]
Song of the Day 2/8: Pete Seeger, “Old Dan Tucker”
With all the controversy over blackface this past week, I thought I’d demonstrate that minstrelsy is anything but gone. Given that it was the most popular form of live entertainment in this country for nearly a century, eradicating it entirely would be impossible, because many of its songs and traditions permeated society so long ago […]
Song of the Day 2/7: Bob Dylan and Friends, “My Back Pages”
Bob Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden was 27 years ago now, but this video of the show’s climactic number has aged pretty well. Highlights include a typically understated but brilliant guitar solo verse by Clapton (the note he bends at 2:22 is chill-inducing) and the jubilant performance of Neil Young, whom I’ve […]
Yes, Virginia, Democrats Can Be Racists, Too
The Democratic Party’s zero-tolerance chickens have come home to Virginia to roost. When Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook photo was “discovered” last week, Democrats fell over each other to demand his resignation. Among their justifications for the swift judgment was the fact that the lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, is an African-American whose politics are […]
Song of the Day 2/6: Tony Molina, “Nothing I Can Say”
Don’t settle in for a long listen here. Like most of Tony Molina’s songs, this lovely little jangle-pop melody clocks in at a brisk 1:12. The tune is one of 10 on last year’s “Kill the Lights” album, which has a total playing time of just about 15 minutes. The music draws comparisons to Elliott […]
A Boy Named Trump
The story of the Claymont boy who was bullied because his last name is Trump made the news in Delaware a few weeks ago, but it didn’t seem worth much attention at the time — there are lots of people named Trump in this country, about 5,000 of them according to Wikipedia, almost a fifth […]
After 70 Years, Harry Themal Caps His Pen as News Journal Shrinkage Continues
Last week’s latest round of Gannett layoffs sounded almost benign — only three people lost their jobs at the News Journal — until you realize that number represented almost 10% of the newsroom staff. And the full-timers aren’t the only things readers won’t find in its ever-diminishing pages anymore. Harry Themal, whose career in local […]
Song of the Day 2/5: Small Faces, “Itchycoo Park”
Don’t know about you, but an unseasonably warm day in winter like today brings back fond memories of cutting school to hang out in the park — and, therefore, Ronnie Lane’s 1967 ode to doing exactly that. It’s all too beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ViwvgtvbA Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane are just lip-synching, but the video gives you […]
Song of the Day 2/4: Wilco, “Monday”
Jeff Tweedy’s homage to the Stones, from Wilco’s “Being There” album, released in 1996. If you listen closely, you can hear the cowbell. I’m pretty sure this is the most upbeat song ever with “Monday” in the title.
Song of the Day 2/3: The Rev. Al Green, “The Lord Will Make a Way”
Bet you’d find a lot more people in church if all the music was as funky as this title track from Green’s first gospel album.
Song of the Day 2/2: Ray Charles, “You Don’t Know Me”
Groundhog Day is the least impressive of holidays, but it has the best movie associated with it. The song most associated with the movie is naturally the Sonny and Cher ditty Bill Murray wakes up to over and over again. But the best use of a song on the soundtrack comes when Murray finally constructs […]
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