A Joyful Song for Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. by sharing Stevie Wonder and a slew of stars and celebrities singing “Happy Birthday,” 4+ minutes of aural energy and joy. As one of the song’s “comments” on YouTube put it: “Stevie should have a national holiday named after...
You Can’t Keep a Good Song Down
It's back. Again. Lesley Gore's monster 1963 hit "You Don't Own Me." Three+ years ago Grace and rapper G-Eazy released a mix version, and now it's Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana Grande belting their hearts out on this classic, emotionally wrenching and early feminist...
Dolly Parton’s Ode to Labor Day: “9-5”
https://youtu.be/UbxUSsFXYo4
“Only Human” by the Jonas Brothers: Slick and Sexy.
Pop Rock band the Jonas Brothers are huge: they are young (late 20s-early 30s), global heart throbs, culturally significant to millions. The group went through the Disney talent funnel, and their sound is perfectly smooth, polished, and produced; they are clean...
Break-ups: It Seems Like It’s Never Really Over–And Yet–
Carole King's "So Far Away" couldn't be further from Katy Perry's "Never Really Over," but each song so P-E-R-F-E-C-T-L-Y expresses the lingering, conflicting emotions post romantic "break up." King's style fits her time: abstract, lilting, lyrical, contemplative and...
“Music For Grown-ups:” Steve Perry
Steve Perry is back, reminding us how much we missed him. Even though he just turned 70, he's still got it; his voice and energy level are less intense than "back in the day," but he makes up for it with earned wisdom, and a matured point of view. He was inspired to...
“I don’t wanna work, I just wanna bang on the drum all day!”
Labor day is a national holiday that honors "labor" by giving "laborers" the day off, so what better way to chill and enjoy it (though we know many are hard at work today) than watching and listening to a very laid back Todd Rundgren along with Daryl Hall and...
How to Stump Your Friends & Win at Music Trivia
At your next party or BBQ, ask your friends to list a few--say five-- of the best selling acts in music history. Odds are, Abba won’t be on the list, even though one of their biggest hits, 1976’s “Fernando,” has sold over 10 million copies --a rare achievement,...
Happy Birthday, America.
Three weeks ago, Neil Diamond was awarded the Songwriters Hall Of Fame top distinction, the Johnny Mercer Award, its Lifetime Achievement honor. Diamond wrote the inspiring and uplifting “Coming to America” almost 40 years ago, for the movie "The Jazz Singer,”...