Arts and Entertainment
Song of the Day 12/10: Sammy Davis Jr., “The Candy Man”
Today’s song is in honor of former White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, who yesterday filed to run for Congress in a deep-red Texas district. Dr. Jackson, who also served in that position for presidents Bush and Obama, was known as the Candy Man for his willingness to dispense pharmaceuticals without any of that bothersome […]
Song of the Day 12/6: The Rolling Stones, “You Got the Silver”
It was 50 years ago today that the Peace ‘n’ Love era ended with the free concert at Altamont Speedway outside Oakland, infamous for the stabbing death of a young fan at the hands of the Hell’s Angels. It was just one day earlier that the band dropped its classic “Let It Bleed” LP, which […]
Song of the Day 12/4: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, “It’s All Going to Pot”
Weed-culture icon Willie Nelson told a TV interviewer the other day that he’s given up smoking marijuana because his 86-year-old lungs won’t take it anymore. So in tribute to America’s Secretary of Cannabis, here’s him and ol’ Merle paying tribute to Mother Nature. The video was made in the recording studio, and I don’t think […]
Song of the Day 12/3: Robbie Robertson and Van Morrison, “I Hear You Paint Houses”
Martin Scorsese’s new film “The Irishman” has sent the book it’s based on, Delaware prosecutor-turned-author Charlie Brandt’s Frank Sheeran confessional “I Heard You Paint Houses,” to the top of the New York Times bestseller list 15 years after its initial publication. As with most Scorsese movies, Robbie Robertson produced the soundtrack, which includes a couple […]
A Serious Question
And one you’ll never get corporate-humping journalists to ask corporate-humping Democrats: Why are proposals from Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders called “unrealistic” when the favorite centrist candidate, punch-drunk Joe Biden, is basing his campaign on the oh-so-realistic claim that Republicans will have an epiphany? That’s a fuck-ton less realistic than the idea that we can […]
Song of the Day 12/2: The Who, “All This Music Must Fade”
Pete Townshend of the Who sat for a fascinating interview in yesterday’s New York Times magazine in which he looks back on his career, the history of rock and what it all meant. He just released a novel, “The Age of Anxiety,” and he’s also promoting a new Who album, released in September, which kicks […]
Song of the Day 12/1: Tom Jones w/ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “Long Time Gone”
How weird was America in 1969? This weird: Welsh singer Tom Jones not only had a TV show, “This Is Tom Jones,” he invited all manner of counter-culture artists on the show to perform with him. Crosby, Stills and Nash had just added Neil Young to their lineup that summer, allowing Stills and Young to […]
Song of the Day 11/30: Hiss Golden Messenger, “Saturday’s Song”
Hiss Golden Messenger — singer-songwriter M.C. Taylor, guitarist Scott Hirsch and lots of guest musicians who change from album to album — have been turning out beautifully crafted Southern folk-rock (or Americana if you prefer) for a decade now without really breaking through. It’s not for lack of trying — Taylor has released 11 albums […]
‘Bulo’s Fave Tunes For Oct./Nov. 2019
A rare spate of traveling delayed my due diligence for October. Accordingly we have a Very Special Double Edition of my fave new tunes. I also plan to do both a Best of 2019 list soon and a Best of the Decade list by year’s end. If I get the requisite technical assistance, I’ll provide […]
Song of the Day 11/28: Ray Davies, “Thanksgiving Day”
Ray Davies released this song on an eponymous 2005 EP. As is his custom, the bright, shiny melody covers some pretty dark lyrical territory. “It’s all over, the American way,” might have sounded like a lament about the Bush administration then, but these days it sounds downright prescient.
Song of the Day 11/27: The Skillet Lickers, “Turkey in the Straw”
Not to be confused with that Sarah Palin YouTube hit, “Turkey in the Processor,” this 1926 recording is one of the earliest of this 19th-century American folk tune, which derived from an even older Irish ballad. The Skillet Lickers were mostly Georgians with day jobs, led by Gid Tanner, and their music was old-time even […]
Song of the Day 11/26: Eddie and the Hot Rods, “Do Anything You Wanna Do”
Eddie and the Hot Rods were one of the English “pub rock” bands that led directly to punk rock — in fact, the term was first used in a review of the band’s energetic live act. This 1977 track was the band’s high point. Though it received no airplay in the U.S., it reached No. […]
Song of the Day 11/25: AC/DC, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
The theme song for the Republican ratfucking brigade. This tune goes back to the Bon Scott days, a reminder that Brian Johnson could take his place but couldn’t really replace him. It was recorded and released in 1976 in Australia and the U.K., but not until 1981 in the States, a year after Scott’s death. […]
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