I’ve had three favorite bands in my life and at various points each has done a song or two I didn’t care for. With Queen it was “Get Down Make Love.” With U2 I haven’t exactly hated much, but there have been a few tracks along the way that I felt weakened the overall impact of the record. But man,
Read moreWelcome to 30-Day Song Challenge, the Sequel. Over the last month I’ve been working through the 30-Day Song Challenge, and I liked the idea so much I created a follow-up around 30 of the questions I wished the original had posed. You’re invited to track along, comment, offer your own entries, and by all means click the link above (or
Read more“Favorite” is such a funny word. This time last year was pure turmoil, to be honest. It was a time for thinking about mistakes, about regrets, about loss and about opportunities foregone. Hope and despair and unbearable levels of stress. And confusion over what’s real and what’s illusion and who you know and who you just think you know. So
Read moreAnd now, something completely different. One of the best things about my life as a child, a thing I looked forward to eagerly, was Sunday morning, before we went to church. Channel 12 had a show featuring gospel quartets and I’d always park in front of the TV and listen to those marvelous harmonies. Religiously, you might say. Even as
Read moreThis was the hardest one yet, and I’m surprised by that. I mean, I have done plenty in life to feel guilty about. But I think I’ve just discovered that my mind doesn’t associate songs with that emotion as well as it does others. Interesting the things we learn about ourselves. Anyway, I think this is the best I can
Read moreMainly I wish I could play guitar, period. You know, because axe-slingers get more groupies than poets. And there are a lot of songs I wish I could play. I guess one stands out, though – my favorite Rush song from my favorite Rush CD. Ladies and gentlemen, “Spirit of Radio”!
Read moreI don’t play an instrument anymore, but when I was a kid I took several years of piano and I was in the band in junior high and high school. For some reason, our band director, Mr. Mauney, loved Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4,” so trust me when I tell you, we could rock that sucker. This video is
Read moreThis is more like it. Sorta. The technical answer to the question is “everything that Electric Six has ever released.” Some of their songs are more hysterical than others, though. Like this, which I barely know how to describe, other than to say this is why you need to keep nutbags like Dick Valentine away from history books.
Read moreI’m going to be honest – today’s challenge got to me. When I was young death was an abstraction, and it wasn’t one I feared. I fear aging, but not dying, I said, and it was true. Still is, to some extent. I’d far rather kick over dead right now than to lose my ability to fend for myself, physically
Read moreIt seems so very unlikely that I’ll ever get married again, but if I do I hope she’ll understand why wedding songs are requiems, why the confession of love cannot help connoting loss, betrayal, rejection. Love is the denial of these tragedies and only the existence of pain can give happiness meaning. I hope she’ll forgive me this image of
Read moreThere are so many sad songs and so many things to be sad about, so I suppose there are a lot of correct answers to this one. For my part, few things are sadder than the moment when the music dies. And I have to tell you, I really miss Warren Zevon.
Read moreThis is almost unfair. When I’m happy I listen to all kinds of music. When I’m not happy, there are thousands of songs that can pick me up. Seriously – the relationship between music and happy is impossible to articulate where I’m concerned. I’ll drive myself crazy if I try to come up with the definitive answer. So in the
Read moreA song I listen to when I’m angry? Oh, hell – this one is easy. Not only do I listen to Rammstein when I’m mad, “Du Hast” makes me feel good about being mad.
Read moreHmmm. What is my favorite album, anyway? A Night at the Opera? Reckoning? Zenyatta Mondatta? Million Star Hotel? Romeo at Julliard? Damn. This is tough. But I guess I’ll go with my knee-jerk response when I first saw the question and say The Unforgettable Fire. So, hope you’re enjoying your Saturday night (of course, if you are, then you’re probably
Read moreI could go a lot of different directions here, but I decided to be straight-up about my self-interest. I’d like to hear Fiction 8‘s “Hegemony” on the radio, partly because I just love the song, partly because I’m good friends with front man Mike Smith, and oh yeah, partly because I co-wrote it. (More on that process here and here.)
Read more
lullaby pit 