Arts and Entertainment
Song of the Day 9/27: The Cure, “Friday I’m in Love”
The Cure, the venerable British band led by Robert Smith, released its first new song in 16 years this week ahead of the November release of a new album. “Alone” doesn’t sound goth but it won’t dispel the label that’s dogged Smith since the ’80s, regardless of what his music has sounded like. That’s what […]
Song of the Day 9/26: Scorpions, “Rock You Like a Hurricane”
As Hurricane Helene prepares to strike Florida’s Gulf Coast, I’m reminded of how frequently those storms come up in popular music, at least here in the Western Hemisphere. Hurricanes go all the way back to the source in rock ‘n’ roll. It’s right there in the second verse of Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music,” […]
Song of the Day 9/25: Los Bravos, “Black Is Black”
Janet Jackson – ‘memba her? – returned to public attention the past few days by weighing in on the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian,” Jackson said of Kamala Harris, whose mother is Indian. “Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched […]
Song of the Day 9/24: Wolfgang Mozart, “Eine Ganz Kleine Nachtmusik”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dropped a new single this weekend. No, really. Music archivists digging through manuscripts in the Leipzig Municipal Library found the transcription of music for a string trio that, though not in his hand, is credited to “Wolfgang Mozart.” Mozart scholars are over the moon – it’s the classical-music equivalent of a new […]
Song of the Day 9/23: The Move, “Do Ya”
Jeff Lynne brought his farewell tour with ELO to Philadelphia over the weekend, and if you missed the show, fear not – some fans have posted Friday’s entire show on YouTube. Lynne is the only one remaining from the band’s original lineup; he and drummer Bev Bevan split acrimoniously 30 years ago. ELO grew out […]
Song of the Day 9/21: Joe Jackson, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?”
On a day filled with weird news, nothing topped the story of New York magazine suspending high-profile political reporter Olivia Nuzzi over her “personal relationship” with loonball nepo baby RFK Jr.. Jokes about his animal magnetism aside, what possessed her? That’s the musical question Joe Jackson posed in his debut single back in 1978, and […]
Song of the Day 9/19: Foo Fighters, “My Hero”
Seems like every recording artist save Kid Rock wants Donald Trump to stop using their music, and some have been winning their cases in court. The latest example is Eddy Grant, who won his lawsuit over the use of “Electric Avenue” in an online 2020 campaign ad. Trump’s campaign has licensed lots of music through […]
Song of the Day 9/18: JD Souther, “Best of My Love”
JD Souther, best known for writing hit songs for the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and other Southern California soft rockers of the ’70s, died yesterday, cutting short a modest late career renaissance for the 78-year-old singer-songwriter, who was set to tour with Karla Bonoff. Though he played with Glenn Frey in a short-lived band called Longbranch […]
Song of the Day 9/17: Tito Jackson, “Love One Another”
Tito Jackson, the Jackson 5 guitarist whose name became a punchline, died the Sunday of a heart attack at age 70. Tito knew standup comedians used his name for cheap laughs. “I’ve always been the quietest member of the group, so people make jokes about me,” he said in a 2018 interview. “One of my […]
Song of the Day 9/16: Jane’s Addiction, “Jane Says”
In Boston the other night, fans went to a Jane’s Addiction concert and a hockey game broke out. Mid-song, lead singer Perry Farrell turned his aggro act on Dave Navarro, body checking the guitarist and then taking a swing at his head before stage security wrestled Farrell off the stage. Naturally, scores of concertgoers had […]
Song of the Day 9/14: Al Stewart, “Year of the Cat”
In case you hadn’t noticed, this year’s presidential election is all about cats. I’m not clear on whether Republicans hate cats. Their disdain for cat ladies seems to indicate they do, but on the other hand they’re equally incensed by the notion that Haitians in Ohio are eating pet cats. Frankly, I have a feeling […]
Song of the Day 9/13: Frankie Beverly and Maze, “Before I Let Go”
Soul singer Frankie Beverly, who died this week at 77, wasn’t well known to white audiences. He and his band Maze didn’t hit their commercial stride until the late ’70s, after the disco craze had died down. Beverly’s brand of smooth, funk-seasoned soul never crossed over to the mainstream – he never had a Top […]
Song of the Day 9/12: Linda Ronstadt, “La Cigarra”
Big shout-out to Linda Ronstadt, who took to Instagram on the occasion of a Trump rally in her hometown today to blister the immigrant-hating/immigrant-marrying ex-president. Donald Trump is holding a rally on Thursday in a rented hall in my hometown, Tucson. I would prefer to ignore that sad fact. But since the building has my […]
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