Arts and Entertainment
Song of the Day 1/21: Pigmeat Markham, “Here Come the Judge”
Some say this was the first rap song, which would be quite a distinction for Chitlin’ Circuit vaudevillian Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham, born 1904, whose “here come the judge” routine was adopted by and immortalized on TV’s “Laugh-In.” I, on the other hand, say this is the perfect theme song for the opening day of this […]
Song of the Day 1/20: Bob Dylan and Clydie King, “Abraham, Martin and John”
Everybody who’s old enough remembers the Dion version of this response to the twin assassinations of 1968, penned, incongruously, by Baton Rouge musician Dick Holler, the same guy who wrote “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron.” Dion’s harp-filled production laid on the schmaltz, but many singers over the years, from Marvin Gaye to Emmylou Harris, have […]
Song of the Day 1/19: Generation X, “Your Generation”
Before Douglas Coupland’s book, before demographers’ appropriation of the term, a bunch of louts from London led by a bloke named William Broad formed a band to take advantage of the burgeoning punk scene. Taking their name from a pop-sociology book of the mid-60s, written about the generation that included the Beatles and the Stones, […]
Song of the Day 1/18: The Clash, “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”
“London Calling,” the Clash double LP released 40 years ago this month, stunned audiences who thought punk rockers were just a bunch of low-talent yobs by presenting a array of rock and roll musical styles reinvigorated with punk-rock energy. Three of the 19 tracks were covers, including this remake of a fairly obscure Jamaican track […]
Song of the Day 1/17: Dave Matthews Band, “The Best of What’s Around”
The Rock Hall of Fame, like the NFL’s, announces a list of nominees for the honor, then excludes a bunch of them in a final vote, which always struck me as a crappy thing to do to the also-rans. This year’s batch of nine Rock Hall rejectees included several that arguably belong more than some […]
Song of the Day 1/16: T. Rex, “Hot Love”
Better late than never, T. Rex has finally been admitted to the Rock Hall of Fame in its newest class, along with such rock-adjacent artists as Whitney Houston and Biggie Smalls (the Doobie Brothers, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails round out this year’s honorees). This non-album single was the band’s first of four UK […]
Song of the Day 1/15: Brook Benton, “A House Is Not a Home”
In honor of Sen. Dave McBride (h/t El Somnambulo), whose house in New Castle County is not his home, though we never need an excuse to showcase a Burt Bacharach/Hal David tune. The song was first recorded in 1964 by Dionne Warwick, who made a career of turning Bacharach compositions into hits, but it was […]
Song of the Day 1/14: The Band, “Chest Fever”
Sorry I’ve been absent for a couple of days — I came down with one of the various viruses (non-computer variety) making the rounds. I doubt it was actually “chest fever,” but I couldn’t find a song called “non-stop vomiting.” Released on The Band’s debut LP “Music From Big Pink,” the tune served as a […]
Song of the Day 1/11: Rush, “Tom Sawyer”
Neil Peart, widely considered among the best drummers in rock history, died this week at age 67, three years after learning he had brain cancer. Though he joined Rush after their first album, he quickly became the cornerstone of their sound, and not just behind the drum kit. He also wrote or co-wrote all the […]
Song of the Day 1/10: Badfinger, “Come and Get It”
This song was released in the U.S. 50 years ago — Jan. 12, 1970 — and it kicked off the tragic career of the recently renamed Welsh band The Iveys, now known as Badfinger, a name suggested by John Lennon when they were signed to Apple Records. Paul McCartney wrote it for the film “The […]
Song of the Day 1/9: Peter Gabriel, “Games Without Frontiers”
Peter Gabriel’s anti-war song was released on his third self-titled album, an effort rejected by his record company as “commercial suicide.” Atlantic rued the decision when Gabriel took the album to Mercury and this became a U.K. hit as a single. The song’s framework — the phrase “Jeux Sans Frontières,” so often misheard by Americans […]
Song of the Day 1/7: The Turtles, “Eve of Destruction”
Though Barry McGuire’s anguished version is the one that hit No. 1 on the charts, it was the Turtles who first recorded the song by P.F. Sloan (“Secret Agent Man”) that was pitched to and rejected by the Byrds. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan harmonize beautifully on the choruses, but the tune wasn’t released as […]
Front Country Coming To Arden–Courtesy Of El Somnambulo…
…and the Arden Concert Gild. Who the bleep is Front Country, you might ask? Well, they won Best Band honors at both the RockyGrass and Telluride Bluegrass Festivals. Their lead singer, songwriter, and force-of-nature Melody Walker, won the Best Songwriting Competition at Merlefest. Here’s the thing, though–they’re not essentially a bluegrass band. Hey, why try […]
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