Arts and Entertainment – Page 109

Song of the Day 3/25: 10,000 Maniacs, “Peace Train”

By Alby March 25, 20221 Comment

How could a song that advocates peace become controversial? Well, how about if the guy who wrote it later supported the assassination of an author for blasphemy? Even when it…

Song of the Day 3/24: U2, “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”

By Alby March 24, 2022

As the Ukraine War grinds into its second month, this seems like a fitting commentary on Vladimir Putin's predicament. Bono wrote the song, which appeared on the band's 2000 LP…

Song of the Day 3/23: Dead Kennedys, “Police Truck”

By Alby March 23, 20221 Comment

There's a reason police act above the law: They are. The so-called "police bill of rights" is a list of special privileges that place them outside the laws that govern…

Song of the Day 3/22: Bobby Bloom, “Montego Bay”

By Alby March 22, 2022

Before Bob Marley, Caribbean music in the U.S. mostly had a Latin flavor and beats that favored ballroom-style dancing. But every once in a while a bit of calypso and…

Song of the Day 3/21: Бетон (Beton), “Kyiv Calling”

By Alby March 20, 20223 Comments

You know how musicians can avoid being sued for copyright infringement? Ask the copyright holders for permission. That's what Ukrainian punk band Бетон, transliterated as Beton ("concrete" in Ukrainian), did…

Song of the Day 3/18: Gillian Welch, “Winter’s Come and Gone”

By Alby March 18, 2022

Yeah, it's a few more days until it's official, but it's starting to feel like winter's come and gone. This sounds like it came from the depths of the Depression…

Song of the Day 3/16: Dolly Parton, “Jolene”

By Alby March 16, 20226 Comments

Millions of people think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should stick to honoring musicians who actually play rock music instead of inducting rappers and dance-pop superstars, but it…

Song of the Day 3/15: The Wailin’ Jennys, “One Voice”

By Alby March 15, 20222 Comments

One voice, the adage goes, makes more noise than 1,000 voices that remain silent. Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor of Russian state TV's Channel One, staged a one-woman protest by interrupting…

Song of the Day 3/14: Hot Butter, “Popcorn”

By Alby March 14, 20221 Comment

EARWORM ALERT One of the first compositions written expressly for the synthesizer is also one of the best-selling instrumentals of all time -- but not in its original version. "Pop…

Song of the Day 3/13: Sonny Dae and His Knights, “Rock Around the Clock”

By Alby March 13, 2022

American exceptionalism at work: Daylight Savings Time started today in the USA. It doesn't begin until March 27 in Europe. In 1955 Bill Haley's recording of this song topped all…

Song of the Day 3/11: The Staves, “I’m on Fire”

By Alby March 11, 2022

One of Bruce Springsteen's simplest compositions is also his most frequently covered -- well over 100 versions are out there. The Staves -- the stage name of the Staveley-Taylor sisters…

Song of the Day 3/10: Dua Lipa, “Levitating”/Artikal Sound System, “Live My Life”

By Alby March 10, 2022

A copyright infringement lawsuit was filed last week against Dua Lipa over her hit "Levitating," Billboard's No. 1 song of 2021, by a reggae band called Artikal Sound System. Though…

Song of the Day 3/9: Sugarloaf, “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You”

By Alby March 9, 2022

As Americans face rising gas prices with their usual calm equanimity, a couple of slapdicks in the Middle East have decided they're going to leverage their oil supply to issue…