Song of the Day

Song of the Day (236): Danny Boy – Black 47

In the mid-1990’s, we faced a new medical crisis: AIDS was upon us. While the scientific community worked, sometimes at cross purposes to understand this disease, in many quarters fear gave rise to hate. Much of that hate claimed to take inspiration from God, making it all the more blasphemous. Many leaders stood up and […]

Song of the Day (235): Stagger Lee (a.k.a. StaggoLee) – Mississippi John Hurt

In 1895 in St. Louis, on a cold, dark Christmas eve, Lee “Stag” Shelton and William “Billy” Lyons had themselves a card game. There are different versions of what happened, but everyone agreed that they got into an argument over Stagger Lee’s Stetson hat and he killed Billy Lyons. Shelton got probation, though he later […]

Song of the Day (234): Too Stoned to Cry – Margo Price and Billy Strings

There’s whiskey and wine and pills for the pain Fast easy women and a little cocaine I’m walking the line between hell bent and high I ain’t happy, I’m just too stoned to cry Margo Price and Billy Strings make the most of this song written by Andrew Combs, squeezing the country out of it. #Songoftheday #spreadinghappiness #love #margoprice […]

Song of the Day (233): It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

I didn’t grow up in a house full of music. My Dad would put on stacks of Christmas records during the holidays and the occasional Broadway album. The radio carried the talk radio of the day, Rambling with Gambling anyone? As the eldest, I didn’t have much guidance when it came to music, but I […]

Song of the Day (232): Take a Letter, Maria – R. B. Greaves

I kept my cool, I ain’t no fool. “Take a Letter, Maria” is the very definition of hip-swinging, sophisticated soul. R. B. Greaves, who wrote and performed the song, sings with a voice so full of confidence and hipster’s grace that you can picture his sharp suit and wry grin, maybe even the cocked hat […]

Song of the Day (231): Exalted Rose – Mark Germino and the Sluggers

Like others before him, Mark Germino heard Johnny Cash sing and that led him to write and sing his own songs. And like the mighty Elvis, he drove a truck while trying to break into the Nashville scene. He had a knack for lyrics both catchy and meaningful so others recorded his songs and he […]

Song of the Day (230): Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin

It’s April 1968 and Aretha Franklin is in the studio recording her next album. During a break, she and her backup singers, The Sweet Inspirations, mess around and start singing “I Say a Little Prayer,” a Burt Bacharach and Harold David song that Dionne Warwick had recently released. Producer Jerry Wexler picks his head up […]

Song of the Day (229): (We’re Not) The Jet Set – John Prine and Iris Dement

A classic country love song that plays up a basic lifestyle against the ostentatiousness of the wealthy: No, we’re not the jet set We’re the old Chevro-let set Our steak and martinis Is draft beer with weenies Our Bach and Tchaikovsky Is Haggard and Husky Written by Bobby Braddock, George Jones and Tammy Wynette made […]

Song of the Day (228): Frenchette – David Johansen

It’s all here: vocals with a growl and enough passion to make you notice, an inventive melody, a mix of a power ballad and frenzied rock and roll, lyrics that are fun and taut all spun together with the skill of the Brill Building but none of the slickness. Word broke today that David Johansen, […]