Song of the Day

Song of the Day (172): Must Be Santa – Bob Dylan

I could not resist even if many will run from the room. Let’s mix punk, klezmer and polka and see what we get. Some hear beauty, some feel torture. When word leaked out that Dylan had recorded a Christmas album, critics and fans howled. He merely shrugged, “These songs are part of my life, just […]

Song of the Day (171): Merry Christmas Baby – Charles Brown

Before there was Ray Charles, we had Charles Brown pouring his heart into the soulful rendition of what he made a Christmas standard recorded by the likes of Else, Bruce Springsteen and Otis Redding. I haven’t had a drink this morning, but I’m all lit up like a Christmas tree. #Songoftheday #spreadinghappiness #charlesbrown #merrychristmasbaby #merrychristmas […]

Song of the Day (170): Santa Go Straight to the Ghetto – James Brown

I love this song and the story behind it makes it all the more special. The year was 1968 and James Brown had a successful career as an entertainer. Then an assassin kills the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Brown’s outlook changed. He became an activist. Brown went on TV to quell riots in Boston […]

Song of the Day (169): Willin’ – Little Feat

Lowell George wrote this song while a member of Frank Zappa’s band and it scared people because of tis frankness and mention of the three w’s, “weed, whites and wine.” Writing this song convinced George to leave Zappa’s band and he started his own, Little Feat. Little Feat recorded the song twice. The first time […]

Song of the Day (168): Hazy Shade of Winter – Simon and Garfunkel

A winter song, but definitely not a Christmas song. It captures time passing with the seasons and the hopes we have that fades away as the year wanes, the singer is “looking over manuscripts of unpublished rhymes.” The Bangles released a soulful version of this song. #Songoftheday #spreadinghappiness #simonandgarfunkel #hazyshadeofwinter #christmassong YouTube: https://youtu.be/dVA-1iJxRQI?si=hKkynihas3XTs-Ff Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2GB8OypbvrvCee61FKx5dp?si=ce8b2020857145dd

Song of the Day (167): River – Joni Mitchell

“River” is like Die Hard, taking place at Christmas so it’s associated with the holiday, but it’s not really a Christmas song. The song does capture some of the reality of Christmas season. While many celebrate and relish relationships, some are lonely and blue (yes, the name of the album on which this appears) and […]

Song of the Day (166): Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder

You always remember your first and this was the first Stevie Wonder song that I knew and loved. It exudes joy and energy. The song proved a turning point as it was Wonder’s first self-produced song and won more creative freedom for him at Motown leading to his burst of creativity in the 1970’s. #Songoftheday […]

Song of the Day (165): Don’t Do It – The Band

Here’s yet another Holland-Dozier-Holland song that Marvin Gaye first recorded and made it a hit. Gaye called the song “Don’t You Do It’ and it is some beautiful R&B, but I will forever link this song to the Band with Levon Helm on the vocals. His voices the mix of joy and misery that comes […]

Song of the Day (164): Band of Gold – Freda Payne

In 1970, this song dominated the airwaves. Who could resist Freda Payne belting out the verses that came from the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. And what a story: the marriage unconsummated and all she’s left with is a cold wedding ring. It has that classic Motown Sound (bass line hook, four-on-the-floor snare drum and tambourine), […]