Pat Benatar - "Promises in the Dark"

 

We saw Pat Benatar at the Beach about two weeks ago at a brand new venue called The Dome.  They had only had the first concert earlier that week.  The facility was nice, if a bit soulless because it was brand new. A lot of our concerts lately have been at places like The Birchmere in Alexandria, and the Warner Theater in DC.  The setlist on May 7, 2025 was pretty similar to the show at the Warner almost a year ago, but at the Beach they did the song "Precious Time", the title track from their 1981 LP.  

It's an excellent song, and not one that they often do, so I was pretty excited to hear that night. I was going to blog about that song, but then realized I blogged about it seven years ago.  Since "Precious Time" was never released as a single, but it was the B-side to the "Promises in the Dark" single, this post is then about the A-side. "Promises in the Dark" is an excellent song, still a concert staple, and the was in high rotation on MTV back in the day. And yes, Neil still counts off "1-2-3-4" coming out of the break.

Pat Benatar - "Promises in the Dark", "Precious Time": both songs feature Neil Giraldo's finest guitar work.

What a terrible pic ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

The marquee changed right as I snapped the pic; we were racing to beat the crowd out of the parking deck and did not pause to wait for "Benatar Giraldo" to cycle back around, 

Bonnie Raitt - "I Can't Make You Love Me"

 

Danette, Bonnie, and I saw Bonnie Raitt at Chrysler Hall on November 16 (for some reason, there's no entry at setlist.fm).  Just days after her 75th birthday, she still had a big, strong voice, played guitar with authority, and in general gave a great show.  Her first encore was her top-20 single, "I Can't Make You Love Me", from her 1991 LP "Luck of the Draw".  A surprise treat for us was that Williamsburg's own Bruce Hornsby came out and joined her for that song; I did not realize he played on the studio version of that song back in the day.  Listening to it now, it's very clear that it's him playing piano, but if I ever knew this, I had forgotten.  

Each of her shows is apparently a little bit different: for example, Roanoke was treated to her covering "Need You Tonight" and "Burning Down the House".  I would have loved to have seen those, but we'll be happy with Bruce Hornsby as a guest.

Bonnie Raitt - "I Can't Make You Love Me"

Bonnie Raitt & Band plus Bruce Hornsby, 2024-11-16

Devo - "Uncontrollable Urge"

Happy birthday Danette!!!

Last year, I was back to picking a song that reminds me of Danette, independent of whether or not she actually liked it ("The Story").  This year, I'm picking a song she actually likes, while still being especially relevant to her.  

The song is "Uncontrollable Urge", from Devo's 1978 debut LP "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!".  Due to the unlikely and meteoric success of 1980's "Whip It", it's tempting to think of Devo as a one hit wonder, but a closer inspection reveals that's not even close to true.  They got a lot of MTV airplay back in the day, even if "Whip It" might have been the only song to make the radio.  Some minor hits they had include: "Love Without Anger", "Girl U Want", "Freedom of Choice", "Through Being Cool", "Peek-A-Boo", and of course, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", a cover of The Rolling Stones classic for which "Uncontrollable Urge" was the B-side (bonus: our shared love of B-sides was covered three years ago).  

I suspect it was similar for Danette: I always liked Devo since my exposure to them in 1980, but I was really too young to fully get the message: de-evolution, Bob & The Church of the SubGenius, etc.  The pre-teen me detected something more than just silly novelty songs, but it wasn't until college that the full context was exposed to me.  Like Danette, you can enjoy Devo on the surface, or you can take the time to really explore their deep point of view and aesthetic.  Or, preferably, both.  

But the reason for this particular song?  It's the opening theme song for the MTV series "Ridiculousness", a show that Danette is obsessed with.  MTV will run daily marathons of this show, and she'll watch them all.  The show consists of the hosts and the special guests reacting to short videos from social media, mostly people doing stupid things (frequently due to testosterone poisoning), making bad decisions, falling down, etc.  The videos are sometimes positive (cute animals, people avoiding catastrophe), but they're almost always silly.  "Low brow" is not what one thinks of when they think of Danette, but this guilty (?) pleasure for her allows her to disengage from the gravity of her normal circumstances, and nicely captures her duality: though not everyone knows it, she can be quite fun and silly.  Danette is like Devo wearing their energy domes and playing purposefully and awkward classic rock covers: it might appear silly on the surface, but it's 10X more mischievous, biting, and clever than you anticipated.  

Though the members of Devo are baby boomers, their music is more closely associated with GenX, and is part of the soundtrack of the misfit intellectuals, weirdos, lost souls, geeks, and punks of our generation.  If you are to understand us, you must understand songs like "Uncontrollable Urge".  

Devo: "Uncontrollable Urge"  

Previous birthday songs:

2023: Brandi Carlile - "The Story" 
2022: Plastic Bertrand - "Ça plane pour moi" 
2021: Adam and the Ants - "Christian D'or" 
2020: Walk Off The Earth - "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"
2019: Nicki Minaj - "Monster"
2018: Bear Hands - "Giants" 
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me" 
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster" 
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors" 
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"  

The Boomtown Rats - "Rat Trap"

 

Garry Roberts, the lead guitarist and co-founder of The Boomtown Rats, died just over a year ago.  The Boomtown Rats were never really big in the US, but I recall a couple of their videos from the early days of MTV.  Their biggest hit, in the US anyway, was "I Don't Like Mondays", which is a fine song.  

But I'd rather remember Roberts & company for their 1978 single "Rat Trap", from their second LP "A Tonic for the Troops".  "Rat Trap" is credited as the first "punk / new wave" single to hit #1 on the UK singles chart.  Which is of note, but is it really punk / new wave?  To my ear, this sounds like it would be at home on Bruce Springsteen's 1975 LP "Born to Run".  I don't even mean that as a criticism, just an observation that saxophone, the storytelling, the song length -- this doesn't sound remotely "new wave" to me, much less "punk".  

Regardless, it's a great song, and Garry Roberts was an instrumental part of the band construction and sound.  The US audience is more familiar with frontman Bob Geldof, from his role in Live Aid, and playing the role of "Pink" the movie "Pink Floyd -- The Wall".  

The Boomtown Rats - "Rat Trap" (Live Aid, 1985-07-13)

Bonus link - "I Don't Like Mondays" 

Biz Markie - Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz (forgotten song)

This July Marcel Theo Hall, aka Biz Markie, died.  He was probably best known for his one big single, 1989's "Just a Friend", which I covered long ago in my post about Freddie Scott and "(You) Got What I Need".   While I have unlimited love for "Just a Friend", Biz was so much more: once again demonstrating the difference between centrality and popularity.  While he came across as a carefree clown, he was a serious rapper and DJ, well known for his extensive record collection and respected by his peers.  Luminaries such as The Beastie Boys knew this, and included him on their records (e.g., cleverly transforming a Ted Nugent instrumental ("Home Bound") into a "real" song ("The Biz vs. The Nuge")).  He was also a guest on DJ Kool's 1996 party anthem "Let Me Clear My Throat" (video).  

I'm choosing to remember Biz with an earlier song of his, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz", since it nicely features both his rapping and beatboxing.  It can be found on his self-titled 1986 EP as well as his 1988 debut LP "Goin' Off".

So don't feel guilty about enjoying "Just a Friend", but do take the time to explore some of his lesser-known canon.  He was a big part of the classic hip hop sound, and there's a good chance he's among your favorite rapper's favorite rappers.   

"Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz"

Bonus links: Covid-era (2020-04-03) home DJ set: part 1, part 2.

Plastic Bertrand - "Ça plane pour moi" (forgotten song)

 

Normally I try to choose songs for Danette's birthday based on songs that make me think of her, not necessarily favorite songs of hers.  This year, it's both:  "Ça plane pour moi", a song that she really enjoys -- to the point where it would be impossible for me to hear it and not think of her.

The song is by Belgian artist Roger François Jouret, aka Plastic Bertrand, and was released in 1977 on the LP "An 1".  I wish I could say that either of us were cool enough to know about French language punk songs in 1977, but it's only through us recently watching "Killing Eve" that we first heard it.  Killing Eve had a great soundtrack (check out this Spotify list), with many selections coming from the band Unloved (of which David Holmes is a member) but "Ça plane pour moi" was used only once (I think) and in that brief moment it managed to make quite an impression on Danette.  She ordered the CD shortly thereafter and has played it a ton since then. 

What does the song mean?  Well, it's mostly nonsense, but the chorus does translate as:

It's all working out for me, it's all working out for me
It's all working out for me, me, me, me, me
It's all working out for me
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
It's all working out for me

But after a long period of life complications, things both personal and professional are actually working out for her, so I guess the song is applicable.  

Happy Birthday Danette -- "You are the King [Queen] of the Divan!"

Fun facts about the song:

• It's not actually sung by Plastic Bertand, it's actually sung by producer Lou Deprijck.
• It has the same music as "Jet Boy, Jet Girl" by Elton Motello (vid).
  
• Although arguably a novelty song, it was good enough for Joe Strummer: "Plastic Bertrand compressed into that three minutes a bloody good record that will get any comatose person toe-tapping, you know what I mean? By purist rules, it's not allowed to even mention Plastic Bertrand. Yet, this record was probably a lot better than a lot of so-called punk records."

Plastic Bertrand - "Ça plane pour moi"

 

Previous birthday songs:

2021: Adam and the Ants - "Christian D'or"
2020: Walk Off The Earth - "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"
2019: Nicki Minaj - "Monster"
2018: Bear Hands - "Giants"
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me"
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster"
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl" 

Depeche Mode - "Death's Door" (forgotten song)

Andy Fletcher, a founding member of Depeche Mode, unexpectedly died earlier this week.  As part of the founding trio of Depeche Mode, Fletcher received no songwriting credits and his role in the band was that of business manager, spokesperson, and tie-breaker for creative disputes.  As I've gotten older, I can better appreciate the role of someone like Andy in a creative endeavor.  

As a member of Generation X, it's impossible to not like Depeche Mode -- it was a constant soundtrack in high school, college, and beyond.  While not to diminish the influence of their early work in their ongoing discography, for my money, it's hard to beat their three LP run of "Music for the Masses" (1987), "Violator" (1990), and "Songs of Faith and Devotion" (1993), all of which I plan to review here some day (tm).  

There are dozens of songs with which we could recognize Andy Fletcher's passing, but I will take overlooked "Death's Door", from the excellent 1992 Wim Wenders soundtrack "Until the End of the World".  Most of the soundtrack was original music, with some of the artists releasing the songs on later LPs.  I don't think Depeche Mode ever released "Death's Door" on a regular studio LP, so other than B-sides and a single with remixes, I think the soundtrack is the only place you can hear it. 

Depeche Mode - "Death's Door"

John Prine - "Sam Stone" (forgotten song)

I'm far behind in my In Memoriam posts, so I'll close out 2020 by scratching one off the list and acknowledging the passing of John Prine, who we lost to Covid-19 near the beginning of the pandemic. 
 

I'll admit that while I knew of John Prine, I was mostly ignorant of his music.  But I did know the he was a songwriter's songwriter (cf. Roky Erickson, Daniel Johnston, and Leonard Cohen), and was revered by people I revere, such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. 

I'm marking his passing with one his most celebrated songs: "Sam Stone", from his 1971 debut LP.   Today I learned that this song was referenced via melody in Pink Floyd's "The Post War Dream" and lyrically in Spiritualized's "Cop Shoot Cop", which are both on extraordinary LPs: "The Final Cut" and "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space", respectively. 

 

John Prine - "Sam Stone" -- live 1997, Sessions at West 54th; live 1988, Austin City Limits; 1971 LP Version

Bonus link: Johnny Cash, "Sam Stone" -- live 1987, Austin City Limits

Eric Clapton - "It's In The Way That You Use It" (forgotten song)

 

So it turns out that Eric Clapton is collaborating with Van Morrison for another anti-lock down song.  This is apparently separate from the Van Morrison songs we learned of last month.  This is disappointing, dangerous, and completely tone deaf: how many people should be put at risk so this septuagenarian can do live shows again?

I'm not the biggest Eric Clapton fan, but owing to the time and place of my birth, I can't help but a fan to a certain degree.   He's objectively a guitar god, "Badge", "Layla", and "Wonderful Tonight" are all great song, and they have formed the soundtrack for various moments in my life.  So with sadness, I have to admit that the news about Clapton's does have a measure of personal disappointment.  

I will mark this occasion with a song that I like, even if not one of his greatest.  "It's in the Way That You Use It" was first featured on the soundtrack of "The Color of Money", a film that I really enjoyed when it came out.  It was later released on his LP "August", but it will always be a soundtrack song for me.  I'm not here to convince you that it's one of his classics, and it definitely has cheesy 80s production.  In preparing this post I learned that it was co-written by Robbie Robertson, which is pretty cool.  But I'm not going to deny that I like this song, even if the latest news does diminish my enjoyment just a bit.

"I've seen dark skies, never like this"

Eric Clapton - "It's in the Way That You Use It"

The Outfield - "Your Love" (forgotten song)

"Josie's on a vacation far away

Come around and talk it over

So many things that I want to say

You know I like my girls a little bit older"

Every child of the 80s will immediately recognize the opening lyrics of The Outfield's 1986 hit, "Your Love".  Lead singer and bassist Tony Lewis died this week, and this caused a discussion on the on-going text chat with my friends.  No one claimed this was their favorite song, but all praised it being a "genius pop song" and the lyrical content applicable to the moral dilemmas of teenagers / young adults (in other words, being "down with O.P.P.").  It was a radio and MTV staple back in the 80s, and an inescapable part of our HS soundtrack.

In our discussion, an interesting question arose: is the side chick younger or older than Josie?  younger or older than the male?  I, along with all the guys on the chat, had always assumed that the side chick was youngest of this love triangle.  That's a safe cultural (and gendered) assumption.  But re-reading it today I was less certain: "I like my girls a little bit older" -- wait, is she the oldest one?  Is she Stacy's mom?  All of the sudden I wasn't sure.  

I asked Danette and she said she always assumed the side chick was the oldest of the three.  Hillary said she assumed the side chick was older than Josie, but still younger than the male.  

 

I only have a few data points, but maybe there's something to the idea of a gendered interpretation of this silly but fun song.

The Outfield - "Your Love" (official video, with extended intro), (radio & LP version)

Van Morrison - "And It Stoned Me" (forgotten song)

Can we separate the art from the artist?  Sometimes?  Maybe?  Or perhaps just focus on the earlier part of their canon?  

Almost a month ago I saw that Van Morrison, who is nearly universally revered, had released three songs protesting the UK's Covid lock down.  Apparently they feature charming lyrics like scientists are "making up crooked facts" and "No more lockdown / No more government overreach". 

Why am I so disappointed to learn this?  Well, in addition to taking a dangerous and selfish position regarding his inability to tour, the lyrics seem a little too on the nose and not up to his standards.  I appreciate Van Morrison for his stories of fantasy, mysticism, spirituality, and nostalgia.  My all-time favorite of his is "And It Stoned Me", the opening track from his sublime 1970 LP "Moondance". 

Channeling the same coming-of-age nostalgia of "Stand By Me", "The Wonder Years", and "Dandelion Wine", it recalls the adventures of a single day where everything magically aligns.  Quoting from the Wikipedia page, which in turn quotes from Van Morrison's 1993 biography:

I suppose I was about 12 years old. We used to go to a place called Ballystockart to fish. We stopped in the village on the way up to this place and I went to this little stone house, and there was an old man there with dark weather-beaten skin, and we asked him if he had any water. He gave us some water which he said he'd got from the stream. We drank some and everything seemed to stop for me. Time stood still. For five minutes everything was really quiet and I was in this 'other dimension'. That's what the song is about.

Aside from being a great song, what's the personal connection for me?  It makes me recall a weekend during the summer of 1991.  I was 22, not 12, but like Van Morrison's imagery of the rain, the fishing hole, and "great big gallon jar", water was a recurring theme for that weekend.  The mists of time may have caused me to conflate the events of multiple trips, but all of these things happened and I'm pretty sure they all happened in one weekend.

Half a mile from the county fair

And the rain came pourin' down

Me and Billy standin' there

With a silver half a crown

Hands are full of a fishin' rod

And the tackle on our backs

We just stood there gettin' wet

With our backs against the fence

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Hope it don't rain all day

I had graduated and was about to start working at CSC as a contractor for NASA (my time as a civil servant did not begin until that Fall). Drew, Terry, and Fred were all a grade behind me and staying at UVa and JMU for the summer in between their junior and senior years.  I drove from Newport News to Charlottesville in my 1968 Mercury Cougar and picked up Drew, and the two of us drove to Harrisonburg to visit Terry and Fred for the weekend.  While driving the scenic, mountainous route (US 29-US 33) between Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, the Cougar's radiator hose burst and steam was pouring from under the hood.  On back roads and in the days before cell phones, this could have been a disaster, stranding us miles from help.  Instead, right as the steam was pouring out, an exit appeared and Drew and I were able to coast through the exit and straight to a service station, where we were patched up and soon back on our way.  

I had originally planned to stay at Terry's place, but we stopped by Fred's first and his place was so nice that I never made it to Terry's (Fred was one of the few people who at 21 had a place that looked like it belonged to a married 40 year old).  Later that night, thanks to Fred, was the first and only time that I've been thrown out of a bar.  

Then the rain let up and the sun came up

And we were gettin' dry

Almost let a pick-up truck nearly pass us by

So we jumped right in and the driver grinned

And he dropped us up the road

Yeah, we looked at the swim and we jumped right in

Not to mention fishing poles

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Let it run all over me

The next day a bunch of us drove out to Switzer Lake and the day began with us jumping into the lake via a rope swing hanging from a tree on the side of a ridge.  Later we were in canoes and paddled around the lake, including seeing the structures you see at 3:06 in this video.  After canoeing, we hiked around the lake some and eventually came across a large boulder, maybe 5' in diameter, partially embedded at the top of a ridge.  Fueled by our collective testosterone, we decided that the boulder needed to be dislodged, freed from centuries of imprisonment on the side of the hill.  It was quite an undertaking given its size and its deep embedding.  We immediately attacked it with our hands and sticks, slowly digging it out.  Since I was the only one of our crew that had taken engineering classes, I introduced them to the idea of levers and fulcrums and then we started making real progress.  After much effort, we had the sweet release of watching the tumbling boulder of death race down the hillside.  The sun was setting, and sore, hungry and thirsty, we began the trek back to the parking lot, satisfied with our pointless triumph over nature.  It had been a perfect day, and there was no way it could be improved upon.

On the way back home we sang a song

But our throats were getting dry

Then we saw the man from across the road

With the sunshine in his eyes

Well he lived all alone in his own little home

With a great big gallon jar

There were bottles too, one for me and you

And he said Hey! There you are

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Oh, the water

Get it myself from the mountain stream

But it did get better: as we approached that picnic area next to the parking lot, Fred saw that members of his fraternity were there and having a cookout.  Greetings were exchanged and we simply strolled into an ongoing party, complete with music, food, and beer.  An already perfect day improved, via a level of serendipity that could exist only in a pre-cellphone era.  

So why does this song resonate with me?  On the surface, Van Morrison's images of the pastoral pleasures of a 12 year old would not seem to speak to me at 22 years old. Sure, there's the recurring motif of water (rain, fishing hole, drinking vs. radiators, Switzer Lake, and, well, drinking).  But reflecting on this further, I think there's more.  First, thanks to Daryl Schoolar's recommendation from a year or so earlier, "Moondance" was still a new LP to me in 1991.  Second, the summer of 91 was a turbulent one for me, including my transition from being a college student to having a career.  This was the weekend before I started full-time with CSC, and while Terry, Drew, and Fred still had a year (or more) of college, I knew I was in transition.  This was not the end of my adventures with Terry, Drew, and Fred -- indeed, the hijinks continue to this day -- but it will never be the summer of 91 again. 

So I will do my best to separate the artist (ca. 2020) from the art (ca. 1970 & 1991) and not let Van Morrison's current commercial crassness erase the magic of "Moondance", its bucolic opening song, and those transcendental moments in 1991.

And it stoned me to my soul

Stoned me just like Jelly Roll

And it stoned me

And it stoned me to my soul

Stoned me just like goin' home

And it stoned me

Van Morrison - "And It Stoned Me"

Public Image Ltd - "Rise" (forgotten song)

Et tu, Johnny?

Turns out Johnny Rotten is a Trump supporter (ht Drew for sharing the disappointing news).  I guess the guy who once sang "I am an anti-Christ / I am an anarchist" decided the most punk thing he could do would be to go MAGA. 

"I could be wrong I could be right".

 Johnny, you're wrong -- they must have put a hot wire to your head.

 PiL - "Rise"

Charlie Daniels - "Uneasy Rider" (forgotten song)

Charlie Daniels died earlier this week.  I've already covered that owing to the time and place of our birth, both Danette and I are big Southern rock fans, of which the Charlie Daniels Band was a central member.  Similar to how The Allman Brothers straddled Southern rock and the Grateful Dead-style jam band sound, CDB straddled Southern rock and country & outlaw country.

Of course, he'll forever be known for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", several other of his songs were radio staples growing up: "The Legend of Wooley Swamp", "In America", "The South's Gonna Do It Again" (the original name check song?), and "Long Haired Country Boy".  The thing that most of these songs have in common is that they all tell great stories.

But I'm going to choose to remember him with his first single, 1973's "Uneasy Rider", from the LP "Honey in the Rock".   You still occasionally hear it on the radio, but it's infrequent.  Not only is it a fun story, it also captures the time when Charlie Daniels was still an outlaw and not the establishment.

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a great song, but you should explore the rest of his canon as well.

Charlie Daniels - "Uneasy Rider"

Rush - "Subdivisions" (forgotten song)

Neil Peart, legendary drummer of Rush, died last week.  I can't begin to convey the status that he enjoyed with other musicians, but a quick scan of the condolences from his peers will make it clear how how highly esteemed he was.  Rolling Stone listed him as #4 in the best drummer of all time.

I was a pretty big Rush fan growing up, eventually collecting a sizable portion of their discography.  As established in the book "Ready Player One", when I was in college most of the computer science students I knew were Rush fans, their precision and virtuosity  being a natural metaphor for programming.

I wasn't sure which song to pick to mark his passing.  With few exceptions, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson wrote the music and Neil wrote the lyrics, and thus all my favorite Rush songs reflect Neil, making a choice difficult.  My favorite Rush song is probably "Limelight", but a close second is "Subdivisions" from their 1982 LP "Signals".  Whereas "Limelight" reflects Neil's estrangement to the life of an adult rock star ("One must put up barriers / To keep oneself intact), "Subdivisions" is that same alienated introvert in middle and high school ("Nowhere is the dreamer / Or the misfit so alone").

The deciding factor in choosing this song is it's the only one that features a background vocal for Neil.  His is the voice saying "subdivisions" in the chorus, even though it's Alex lip synching it in the video.

We've known for a while that Rush was semi-retiring, but knowing that they've officially come to an end is disappointing.  Rush, especially "Permanent Waves" / "Moving Pictures" / "Signals" era-Rush, was the soundtrack for the suburban Gen Xers and it's sad to see that come to a close.

Rush - "Subdivisions"

Frida - "I Know There's Something Going On" (forgotten song)

I could have told you that "I Know There's Something Going On" was a song from the 1980s -- I have a vague memory of the song from back in the day, even though I don't recall the video or remember hearing it on the radio --  but it's been only 72 hours since I learned these facts:

• Frida is actually Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA, who is also now a German dowager Princess and Countess and living in Switzerland.

• The song itself was written by journeyman song writer Russ Ballard, who also gave us songs like "Back In The New York Groove", "Winning", and "Since You Been Gone".

• Phil Collins was the producer, backup singer, and drummer for the entire LP, "Something's Going On".

Who knew?  Sure, "Who cares?" too, but I since I recently learned this hat trick of trivia I wanted to share it with you.  Of course, the drums have Phil Collins's signature gated reverb sound, but that was not uncommon in the 80s.  Also, I had no idea that ABBA members had solo careers. 

Frida -- "I Know There's Something Going On"

Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)" (forgotten song)

I'm pretty late getting to it, but on my birthday this year Roky Erickson died.  He was probably best well-known for his time in the 60s with The 13th Floor Elevators, but even they are all but lost to history, making Roky yet another installment in the "influential but not famous" category.  A song writer's song writer, his passing was noted by Rolling Stone, NPR, The New Yorker, and others. 

To say this life and career had many ups and down would be an understatement -- rather than rehash his troubles here I'll simply recommend the 2005 documentary "You're Gonna Miss Me", a documentary that is both entertaining, and then profoundly disturbing as it veers into Southern Gothic.

There are many parallels between Roky and Daniel Johnston, who died a few months after Roky.  One of the things they shared in common was a near universal respect from other artists.  As such, I'm choosing to mark his passing with a song I learned of from "Phases", Angel Olsen's excellent 2017 LP of covers, demos, and outtakes.  Angel Olsen is a tremendous song writer, and on "Phases" she covers a song by Bruce ("Tougher Than The Rest") as well as "For You (I'd Do Anything)" from Roky's 1995 LP "All That May Do My Rhyme".  There are about 100 reasons why I think Angel Olsen is incredible, and that fact that she does obscure covers from Bruce and Roky is one of those reasons. 

Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)", live version (IIRC, this is from the documentary)
Angel Olsen - "For You"*



Bonus link**: 13th Floor Elevators - "You're Gonna Miss Me"

Bonus bonus link: trailer for "You're Gonna Miss Me"


* So technically, Angel misnames her cover.  "All That May Do My Rhyme" has two different songs with similar titles: "For You" and "For You (I'd Do Anything)"; the song that Angel covers is actually "For You (I'd Do Anything)".

** By law, every article about Roky must mention this song. 

Gary Myrick And The Figures ‎- "She Talks In Stereo" (forgotten song)

I was listening to "Underground 80s" recently and heard the song "She Talks In Stereo" by Gary Myrick And The Figures, a single from their eponymous 1980 LP.  It sounded vaguely familiar, but I wasn't sure if I ever heard it on MTV (possible) or the radio (unlikely).  I asked Danette and some of my friends but no one remembered it.  Later I learned it was on the soundtrack of 1983's "Valley Girl" -- perhaps I remember it from there?  I saw the movie back in the day, and I know it's notable for helping launch Nicholas Cage's career, but otherwise I remember almost nothing from the film itself.

"She Talks In Stereo"

B-side bonus link: "Model"

The Cars - "Since You're Gone" (forgotten song)

Ric Ocasek, best known as the main creative force behind The Cars, died last month.  Although associated with the late 70s / early 80s new wave movement, it's hard to overstate the influence that The Cars had on modern music.  Much like the Beatles, the reason why The Cars do not sound dated today is because they directly and indirectly influenced everyone who came after them.  I will not attempt to replicate the many memorials that followed his death (for example: Weezer's tribute and this retrospective in Rolling Stone), but instead I'll offer my own perspective.

The Cars hit their peak popularity right at the time I was hitting the age where one really becomes aware of music.  I always liked what I heard on the radio (and at the time, you heard it a lot), but "Shake It Up", their fourth LP from 1981, is the first one I remember coming out as a "new" LP; prior to that their previous three LPs had always existed, represented both on the radio and in the record store bins that I would browse but seldom have the cash for purchasing.  I did get "Shake It Up" on cassette tape shortly after it came out.

This is also the LP that corresponds with the debut of MTV in 1981, and while they probably had videos prior to MTV, they were one of the bands that quickly embraced the medium and went beyond simple concert footage.  While the title track had a good video, my personal favorite was the melancholy "Since You're Gone".  I'm not 100% sure, but I believe those were the only two singles that received videos and radio airplay.  "Shake It Up" is not necessarily considered one of their "classic" LPs, but it's the first one that I bought and thus remains special to me.

Of course, one has to note that Ric Ocasek's contributions to music were not just through The Cars; his production credits alone would guarantee him a place in the hall of fame.  Although the list is a who's-who of alternative bands, I'm especially fond of his work on my two favorite Weezer LPs, "Blue" and "Green"; imagine how much better "Pinkerton" would have been if they had worked with Ocasek on that one as well.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention one of my middle school crushes, Julie, who was a huge fan of The Cars (as well as The Police, well before they were popular) who even at the time could articulately explain the significance of The Cars and their impact on music. She was a year ahead of me, exotic, and infinitely cooler than I was (or indeed, cooler than entire neighborhood we shared).  She would later be a member of one of the many alternative bands our high school would produce. I would have eventually formed the same opinion of The Cars on my own, but I am indebted to her precocious insight and tutelage about which bands are truly innovative and why.


The Cars - "Since You're Gone"

Nicki Minaj - "Monster" (forgotten song)

"You could be the King but watch the Queen conquer"

Ok, technically "Monster" is a single by Kanye West, featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.  And no disrespect to Kanye and the others, but Nicki's verse is what Danette loves and is thus the reason why I'm choosing it for her tenth (!) installment of birthday songs.

While neither of us are necessarily fans of Kanye, and he's recently lost his way, we do respect him and I can build a pretty good argument that he's a hip-hop version of Brian Eno.  From his fifth (2010) LP,  "Monster" is one of many tracks where he conjures intriguing soundscapes that push the boundaries of the genre.    

Danette likes Nicki because she's fabulous, larger-than-life, and feminist AF (even if she hedges a bit, she's the embodiment of it).  Danette's the same, and as her career has hit new heights she's ran afoul of all kinds of misogynistic haters: her group's work "isn't that impressive", there are people that "wouldn't work for her for a million dollars", and one even accusing her and her colleague of plagiarism.   Only one of those things are true, and her detractors have since all been "driven before her".

I've already established that these birthday songs are ones that make me think of Danette and not necessarily songs that she likes, but in this case it is both.   Nicki is fierce in a male-dominated space, and so is Danette.  NASA doesn't really support using walk-up music for meetings and presentations, but if they did, she'd alternate between "Bad Reputation" and Nicki's verse in "Monster".

"I think big, get cash, make 'em blink fast
Now look at what you just saw, this is what you live for
Aaahhh, I'm a motherfucking monster!"

"Monster" - Nicki Minaj's verse only (live 2015)
"Monster" - full song
Bonus link: "Monster" - Adele's version in Carpool Karaoke

Happy birthday Danette!

Previous birthday songs:

2018: Bear Hands - "Giants"
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me"
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster"
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"

Eddie Money - "Shakin'" (forgotten song)

Eddie Money died this week.  A continuing staple of classic rock radio, I often wondered why he was famous.  I like his songs, always sang along when they come on the radio, etc.  But as this Rolling Stone article points out, he always seemed an unlikely rock star.  Why did he make it and not any of the hundreds of artists that toil in anonymity that are at least as good if not better?

After his death was announced, I put this question to my friends and Terry and Scott pointed to at least a partial answer: after he moved to San Francisco, he caught the attention of promoter extraordinaire Bill Graham.  Scott also revealed that he had a personal connection with Eddie Money (his wife's cousin married Money's niece). 

One of my first LPs was 1982's "No Control", which featured my favorite song of his, "Shakin'".  Many of his other songs remain more popular (e.g., "Two Tickets to Paradise"), but this one is arguably his heaviest, featuring great work from guitarist Jimmy Lyon.  I also fondly recall the cheesy video, which features drag racing and a pre-Purple Rain Apollonia (I did not realize that until this week).  The modish lyrics reflect an archaic attitude to drunken driving (see also: "Trashed"), but *he* didn't steal or drive the car, *Roseanne* did, so at least there's a feminist angle.  Right?  Regardless, it's still a fun song, and I'll still enjoy his other songs as well even though he'll always be an unlikely rock star.

Eddie Money - "Shakin'"

Scott, Eddie, Ro, 2013.