Song of the Day 6/26: John Prine, “Lake Marie”
This isn't John Prine's most famous song, but it's the one that many of his fans -- including Bob Dylan -- consider his greatest. Unlike most of his story songs,…
Song of the Day 6/25: George Harrison, “Wah Wah”
Here's another song that, for reasons I can't fathom, has never been employed for its obvious calling as a TV commercial. It's Hoagiefest time at the region's favorite convenience store,…
Song of the Day 6/24: Blue Swede, “Hooked on a Feeling”
"Hooked on a Feeling" had been a hit twice and been recorded by several artists before it hit No. 1 in America in 1974 with this version by a group…
Song of the Day 6/22: Death Cab for Cutie, “Cath…”
Huzzah! Tonight's Firefly lineup actually includes a band whose name I recognize. After a string of successful albums in the '00s, Death Cab seemed to peak in 2008 with its…
Song of the Day 6/21: Yes, “Your Move/All Good People”
A message slipped into this chess metaphor was as close to political as Yes ever got. If you only heard it on AM radio when it was released as a…
Song of the Day 6/19: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, “Kitty’s Back”
As an antidote to the new Bruce Springsteen album, a pleasant enough departure from his usual sound but about as energetic as a Perry Como record, here's the song that…
Song of the Day 6/18: The Thorns, “No Blue Sky”
The Thorns was an interesting experiment. Solo artists Shawn Mullins, Pete Droge and Matthew Sweet began working together as a CS&N-style acoustic harmony group in 2002 for an album that…
Song of the Day 6/17: Al Kooper, “God Sheds His Grace on Thee”
Al Kooper is one of rock's Zelig characters. His career started in the 1950s as a member of the Royal Teens, responsible for the single "Short Shorts." In the 1960s…
Song of the Day 6/16: New York Philharmonic Orchestra, “Fanfare for the Common Man”
This is probably the only piece of music in the classical canon inspired by a political speech. Henry A. Wallace, FDR's third-term vice president, proclaimed in early 1942, "Some have…
Song of the Day 6/15: The James Gang, “Tend My Garden/Garden Gate”
Back when Midwestern power trios like Grand Funk Railroad ruled American rock, none was better than the classic lineup of the James Gang -- Jim Fox on drums, Dale Peters…
Song of the Day 6/14: Baltimora, “Tarzan Boy”
After that '80s-sounding song yesterday, I got to wondering what would be the most '80s song ever -- the one that best embodied the sound of the decade, for good…
Song of the Day 6/13: Billy Ocean, “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going”
This song was born in the wrong decade. If it had been written and released before the mid-'70s it would be considered a Carolina beach music classic -- it's got…
Song of the Day 6/12: The Velvet Underground, “Rock & Roll”
The LP was named "Loaded" because the band's new record company wanted an album "loaded with hits." The result was the most pop-oriented set of Lou Reed's career. Of course,…