Song of the Day

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with the seasons and the hopes we have that fades away as the year wanes, the singer is “looking over manuscripts of unpublished rhymes.”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), […]

Song of the Day (163): Merry Christmas from the Family – Robert Earl Keen

We’re getting on Christmas, so I will sprinkle in a few holiday songs starting with this classic. With his barb wired wit, sharp eye and phrase making, Robert Earl Keen captures the absurdity of family gatherings designed to promote love and harmony but resulting in a chaotic mess. Of course, it comes from Texas where […]

Song of the Day (162): Hammond Song – The Roches

From their 1979 debut album, this song has the three sisters voicing a plea: If you go down to Hammondyou’ll never come backIn my opinion you’reon the wrong track It turns into an internal dialogue of sorts of a family unit breaking a part. One side is saying don’t go and the responds I’m going. […]

Song of the Day (161): Travelin’ Band – Creedence Clearwater Revival

This song had me from the opening chords with Doug Clifford’s drumming charging the whole piece with a frantic energy. John Fogerty wanted to pay homage to one of his idols, Little Richard, thus he added the saxophone and some Little Richard Like yells mid-way through the song. First heard it when I copy of […]

Song of the Day (160): Suzanne – Leonard Cohen

Here’s a winter song full of smoke and intimacy huddled against the cold. Leonard Cohen, the Jewish mystic poet form Montreal who turned away from the path of wealth and comfort his family laid before him, took up with Suzanne Verdal, a dancer who lived along the St. Lawernce River and they really shared tea […]