Music Video Weekend: Remembering Belushi, “With a Little Help from My Friends.”
Saturday, March 6th, 2010 Posted in Fun Clips, Music | No Comments »Since I was remembering the inspired genius of John Belushi just the other day, I figured I'd keep the good times rolling by sharing this classic comedy bit from SNL. Here's Belushi's hilarious take on Joe Cocker, doing his/their version ...
51 Great Bob Dylan Covers: A Chronological Guide
Friday, February 26th, 2010 Posted in Greatest Hits, Music | 10 Comments »I'm a sucker for cover tunes. I'm always curious to hear a fresh new take on a song, almost any song. It's like a conversation between two artists, a nod, a wink, a genuflection. Sometimes it's pure fun; other times, ...
Music Video Weekend/Poetry Friday Combo Platter: “Gentle On My Mind”
Friday, February 19th, 2010 Posted in Music | 3 Comments »While I was writing it, if I had any idea that was going to be a hit, it probably would have come out differently and it wouldn't have been a hit. That just came real fast, a blaze, a blur." —John ...
Music Video Weekend: “Shakin’ All Over”
Saturday, January 30th, 2010 Posted in Family, Music | No Comments »My son Gavin, ten years old, is a true musician. He's played piano for seven years and started playing guitar two-three years ago. It's fascinating to watch him slowly develop his own personal taste in music. The big hurdle is that ...
Music Video Weekend: “The Dark End of the Street”
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 Posted in Music | No Comments »I usually begin these things with approximately the same sentence: I've been listening to this song all week, and I see no reason to change that pattern now. "The Dark End of the Street," written by Chips Moman and Dan Penn, ...
Music Video Weekend: Glen Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 Posted in Music | 3 Comments »This is one of the greatest songs ever written. Seriously. Sometimes I even get a physical reaction, goosebumps, when I hear it. Written by Jimmy Webb, "Wichita Lineman" was most famously recorded by Glen Campbell in 1968, when it reached ...
Pretty Lights on the Tree, I’m Watching Them Shine
Friday, December 11th, 2009 Posted in Music, the writing process | 2 Comments »Sometimes you can hear a song a hundred times and on a random afternoon it will hit you in a new way. Whap, right upside the head. As a huge Bob Dylan fan, that happens to me frequently, where I'll ...
Music Video Weekend: The Avett Brothers, “I and Love and You”
Saturday, December 5th, 2009 Posted in Music | No Comments »"Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in/Are you aware the shape I'm in" Welcome to the mighty Avett Brothers, from their fabulous 2009 disk, "I and Love and You." I can't quite explain why this song connects so powerfully with me, maybe ...
Music Video Weekend: Gary Jules & Michael Andrews, “Mad World”
Saturday, November 21st, 2009 Posted in Music | 2 Comments »Not sure where I've been, but I just discovered this song -- or this version of the song -- as sung by Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack. I have to listen to it every day. Sounds a little ...
Music Video Weekend: Red House Painters, “Have You Forgotten?”
Saturday, November 14th, 2009 Posted in Music | No Comments »"When we were kids, we hated things our parents did." Or this: "Have you forgotten how to love yourself" ------- Obviously, I love Youtube. One of the reasons is for the creativity that abounds there, so much from unknown places, ordinary people -- not ...