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Albums of Impact

The following is a compilation of a 20 day Facebook daily challenge thrown down at me by my good friend Jim during the first months of the COVID pandemic.  I had anticipated his request and had given the challenge great thought.  To clarify, my interpretation of the challenge was to daily post an album that has had impact in my life.  They are not necessarily my most favorite albums of my most favorite artists, though many may be that.  There are many albums I absolutely love and think are among the best albums recorded that are not included in my 20.  And there are none of this decade, century, or millennium – to be honest, there are none that were released after the year of my high school graduation, 1984, though some did not impact me until my college years.  That is not to say I haven’t had impactful albums in the past 36 years, but when you’re a teen, just being awakened to music, there was greater opportunity to be wowed and amazed.  Or maybe that was just my experience.  Plus, no great music has been released since the ‘80s anyway 🤣 – JK! 😉  Though there truly was something magical about the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. 

So I worked on compiling this list over several weeks leading up to the challenge.  I listened to each album in its entirety over the course of that time, which was such a treat, a delight.  If you take nothing else away from this post, go back and listen to your top dozen or two albums from start to finish.  So often we just listen to songs or compilations from artists.  But albums were released, at least back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, as conceptual pieces, meant to be listened to in order, in their entirety.  And it was such a pleasure to listen to my favorite music once again in that fashion, almost like listening to it for the first time…

I will share my albums chronologically in the year of their release, which doesn’t necessarily reflect the order of their impact to me or denote any ranking of their importance.  I just felt it was the easiest way to organize my days.  You may also learn a little bit more about me, my experiences, not to mention more about the artists I share, some of whom you may already know and love, some you may want to explore or listen to further.  No real surprises, though – you’ll see…

So, who else to start with, but the King – Elvis:

Elvis PresleyElvis Presley (’56) –  I remember my Uncle Joey, lifelong musician, giving our family this album when I was probably 6 or 7 years old.  I remember as he handed the album to us thinking that it was his album, with him on the cover, lol!  It’s the first album I remember listening to in our house.  It likely was the gateway to my love of rock music, and this album allowed me to embark upon my “Elvis phase”, the first of many “required” rock fan phases in the ‘70s (along with The Beatles and The Doors). 

Packed with songs like “Blue Suede Shoes” (a song of which I acquired a bit of karaoke infamy at the Collis Center after having a few too many beers with dorm mates sophomore summer of college – I thought I sounded pretty good, and I sure did shake my hips…), “I Got A Woman”, “Just Because”, “Tutti Fruiti” – we actually did our own version of karaoke as kids, microphone and all (though not connected to anything, lol!) in my parents living room listening on our Panasonic console unit, with record player (you could load 4 or 5 albums, and it would drop down each one, one after another, for listening) with built in speakers.  We used to sing to John Denver and Johnny Cash on that thing as well!  Though only 11 at the time, I was devastated when Elvis died in the summer of ‘77…

Elton JohnElton John (’70) – His first US release (though Empty Sky was released previous to this in Britain), jam-packed with great songs, piano, orchestration, and lyrics.  Though if you care to listen how amazing a composer Elton really is, listen to some of these early songs on Elton John Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – just beautiful with a full orchestra backing, though Elton John edges it out with the young, octave higher Elton vocals.  Also interesting to note, people often so love Elton’s lyrics, but remember it is his lyricist Bernie Taupin who is really speaking to you, as he writes the lyrics, and Elton writes the music. 

And a big thanks to the inspiration from my brother John, as well as my lifelong friend Jim to become a big Elton fan.  Elton is one of the few artists, along with Billy Joel and Genesis, that I started and successfully completed my quest to own every vinyl album they recorded.  Though I’ve since parted with many, I’ve kept my favorites, especially original pressings, live albums, or cool album art, such as Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy, and also among my very favorites Madman Across The Water, with “Madman”, “Tiny Dancer”, and my VERY FAVORITE Elton song, “Levon”, though “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”, of Honkey Chateau fame has been moving up in my Elton rankings and may edge it out someday.  I was lucky enough to see him in concert with Billy Joel in 2002 – great concert, over 4 hours long!

Van MorrisonMoondance (’70) – This is the 1st CD I ever purchased once I broke down and bought a CD player in medical school in 1988.  It used to be my desert island CD, and still is among them.  Classic Van Morrison – I love every song on here.  I still own my original vinyl, with the liner notes a 2 page fable written by his girlfriend Janet Planet, telling the story of an artist in ancient times who has a great gift but keeps it to himself.  When his wife gets sick, he cures her using his gift of song.  She then asks, “but who will ease your pain, who will save you?  While the title song is among the greatest ever written, “Into The Mystic” is one of my favorite mellow, soothing, romantic songs:

I want to rock your gypsy soul just like in the days of old,
and magnificently we will fold into the mystic…

Into the mystic – van morrison

For a similar feel, though from a different album, check out “So Quiet In Here” off “Enlightenment”:

Foghorns blowing in the night,
salt sea air in the morning breeze,
driving cars all along the coastline,
this must be what it’s all about,
this must what paradise is like,
so quiet in here, so peaceful in here…

So Quiet in here – van morrison

I love Van Morrison (though have never seen him in concert – I’ve heard he’s too unpredictable: on a bad day, he’s really bad…)

The DoorsMorrison Hotel (’70) – This is among 1st vinyl albums I owned and was the start of my “Doors phase” (along with Elvis and the Beatles).  I was amazed by Morrison’s ability to sing with raw power and grit on “Roadhouse Blues”, “You Make Me Real”, and “Peace Frog”, but then wax poetic, or sing soft and melodic, as in “Blue Sunday” or “Indian Summer”.  And I loved Ray Manzarek’s keyboards and Robbie Krieger’s wailing guitar, not to mention John Densmore’s drumming.  This was ROCK.  Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Morrison in Oliver Stone’s movie “The Doors” is worth a watch, too, for those less familiar with their impact on the late ‘60s and early ‘70s music scene.

Don McLeanAmerican Pie (’71) – You couldn’t get away from the title song in the ‘70s – it got tons of air play.  It was one of the first songs I learned the lyrics to and would sing all the time, though at that age I’m certain that I was never quite sure what “rye” or a “levee” was.  Often viewed as one hit wonder, McLean’s “Vincent,” a song about Vincent van Gogh (whose birthday, March 30th, I share, along with another artist, Francisco de Goya, as well as several musicians Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Norah Jones, Tracey Chapman, MC Hammer, Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett) also received some air play, and is a decent song, along with other great melancholy songs that follow.  I found myself listening to this lots after my dad died in 1986: “but February made me shiver…” the month my dad, and the music (Buddy Holly) died.  I often felt my dad looked a bit like Buddy Holly, lol!

Can you find my pain? Can you heal it?
Then lay your hands upon me now
And cast this darkness from my soul.
You alone can light my way.
You alone can make me whole once again.

Crossroads – don mclean

And for the first time I’ve been seeing
The things I’d never notice, without you.
And for the first time I’m discovering
The things I use to treasure, about you.

Winterwood – don Mclean

Never knew how much I needed you
Never thought you’d leave, until you went
Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can’t forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

empty chairs – don mclean

Sad, I know, but what my grieving heart needed for a while after losing my father…

Led ZeppelinIV (’71) – This album is such a classic, with such great songs from such a great band, though Zep 1 & 2 are close in quality, and have many of my favorite Zep songs, it’s hard to beat this album.  While John Bonham died prior to my concert going years, and my brother John Storo missed his opportunity to see his favorite band in New Haven just before they disbanded, getting “snowed out” by a blizzard, we did get to see their first reunion of sorts at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985.  I’ve since seen the tribute bands Get the Led Out (twice) and The Jason Bonham Tribute Band (once), just amazing tributes to perhaps the best rock band ever.  Go see them if you have the opportunity.  You won’t be disappointed.  I also loved Zep’s “Lord of the Rings” references in several of their songs.

The drums will shake the castle wall,
The ring wraiths ride in black, ride on.

the battle of evermore – led zeppelin

How years ago in days of old
when magic filled the air
T’was in the darkest depths of Mordor
I met a girl so fair
But Gollum and the evil one
crept up and slipped away with her

Ramble on – led zeppelin

It’s a win-win any time you can pair one of the greatest of bands with one of the greatest of books!

Pink FloydDark Side of the Moon (’73) – I obviously heard tracks from this album first on the radio – there was no MTV, iTunes, Pandora, or Spotify back then.  But I really listened to this album on my older brother John’s cassette, with its partner in crime Wish You Were Here (’75) on the other side.  I had never heard anything so mesmerizing, hypnotic, orchestral, with such unusual sound effects – a ground-breaking album.  I once made the mistake of listening to this cassette while taking a long walk in my hometown late one night down old country roads with few homes, no cars, no street lights, with all the screams and footsteps and noises being absolutely terrifying in the pitch black, uncertain if they were on the recording, or were real.  But I didn’t have any other cassettes on me, and wanted to listen to music, so needless to say I didn’t turn it off!  Playing this album and any other Floyd albums in college always caused dorm mates to come in our room, sniff around, and ask how we could be listening to Floyd without smoking marijuana.  The closest our room came to marijuana during Floyd music was the burning of incense and lit candles, though the same can’t be said for our sophomore year neighbors who could have supplied a medical dispensary for many months with their endless supply of weed… 

My younger brother Bob’s gravestone bears the inscription of the latter half of the quote:

For long you live and high you fly,
and smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry
and all your touch and all you see
is all your life will ever be.

breathe – pink floyd

Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (’74) – This is one of my favorite Genesis albums, one of the bands that I eventually owned every album of (along with Billy Joel and Elton John), thanks this time to the inspiration provided initially again by my brother, John, and then further kindled by the enthusiasm of Steve, my sophomore year college roommate visiting from UCSD who was a big Genesis (as well as Journey) fan.  I never got to see Genesis, but have seen Phil Collins, and more recently Steve Hackett, the guitarist for Genesis in the ‘70s prior to their pop era, playing all of my favorite, “old”, psychedelic Genesis fare, including this album, as well as Selling England By The Pound and Foxtrot (including the 23 minute long “Supper’s Ready” – no one writes songs like that anymore!).  You can watch Steve Hackett in concert on YouTube, or give a listen to Seconds Out for old Genesis in concert, though by that time with Phil Collins at the lead instead of Peter Gabriel.  We used to marvel at how deep Gabriel rasped on this album “Carpet Crawlers”….  So I challenge you to give this album a listen on Spotify, and you’ll probably think I’ve lost my mind.  Yes the story and lyrics are bizarre and surreal, the music psychedelic, but it’s musically so good…

Beach Boys Endless Summer (’74) – one of the first cassette tapes my brother John Storo and I owned, joining the “Columbia Record and Tape Club” in the ‘70s (I think The Bay City Rollers, The Partridge Family, The Carpenters, The 5th Dimension, and even AC/DC were among our purchases).  Jam packed with feel good summer hits.  It makes you want to thrown on your bathing suit, put on some sunscreen, grab a towel, and head to the beach.  It evokes fond memories of times spent every summer at the North Hampton and Cape May shores with my mom, dad, and brothers.  I didn’t learn to surf until 2014 in Santa Barbara, CA, when my daughter was looking at college there, and we both took surf lessons.  Definitely felt like a Beach Boy, and had Surfer Girl, Surfin’ Safari and Surfin’ USA going round and round in my head!

Billy JoelTurnstiles (’76) – The quest to find this album started my album collection.  My first concert was Billy Joel at the Hartford Civic Center in ’82 with Jim Ouellette.  I had heard the song “Prelude/Angry Young Man” but didn’t know the title, and, being pre-internet, had no way to research it, so I just started buying Billy Joel albums until I found Turnstiles, and a true Billy Joel fan was born.  Many of my favorite songs are on this album, including “Summer Highland Falls”, “Miami 2017”, “I’ve Loved These Days”, and “New York State of Mind”, among other hits. 

The two other Billy Joel albums that were almost a tie with this, but surpassed due to this being the album that started it all, were Songs in the Attic, a great live Billy Joel album with the best versions of older songs such as “Miami 2017” and “Captain Jack”, as well as his very first album, no not Piano Man, which is great and among my favorites, but Cold Spring Harbor, very singer-songwriter sounding – give it a listen.  Giving “Turnstiles” a fresh listen a few times through, I reaffirmed what a truly exceptional album it is.  And these lyrics perhaps sum it up:

Oh baby, I think you are lost in the seventies.
Oh baby, the music she ain’t what she used to be…

…Oh baby, where are the oldies they used to play?
Oh baby, you want to crawl back into yesterday…

all you wanna do is dance – billy joel

So yeah, maybe basically that’s me, musically…

BostonBoston (’76) – This is pure ‘70s hard rock, a powerful rocking album, most of it listened to, along with Kansas selections “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind”, Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”, “Sweet Emotion”, and “Dream On”, songs from “Frampton Comes Alive”, and many other ‘70s rock anthems on Saturday mornings during bowling league at Vernon Lanes with my brother John and friend Chris.  Song for song, this is perhaps one of the best ‘70s rock albums ever, and is one of the top few best selling debut albums of all time (along with Guns ‘N Roses “Appetite for Destruction” and Pearl Jam “Ten”); there’s not a dud on here: “More Than a Feeling”, “Peace of Mind”, “Foreplay/Long Time”, “Rock And Roll Band”, “Smokin’”, “Hitch A Ride”, “Something About You”, “Let Me Take You Home Tonight” – just amazing.  Summarizing Boston’s contribution is perhaps their song about their own story:

Well, we were just another band out of Boston
On the road and tryin’ to make ends meet
Playin’ all the bars, sleepin’ in our cars
And we practiced right on out in the street
No, we didn’t have much money
We barely made enough to survive
But when we got up on stage and got ready to play

people came alive

rock and roll band – boston

And then, only as an MIT grad turned rock star can pen:

Now you’re climbin’ to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn’t take too long
Can’tcha you see there’ll come a day when it won’t matter?
Come a day when you’ll be gone, whoa

peace of mind – boston

Steely DanThe Royal Scam (’76) – I first heard this album as a pre-teen when trying to sleep at my grandmother’s when my uncle Joey came home from the bars at 2 in the morning. While “Hey Nineteen”, “Do It Again”, “Reelin’ in the Years”, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”, “Peg”, “Aja”, and “Gaucho” are amazing songs that I love, this album is without a doubt my favorite Steely Dan album, with “Kid Charlemagne” my favorite song, interestingly, about a notorious drug “chef” in the ‘70s who was famous for manufacturing hallucinogenic compounds, though the whole album is spectacular, with great jazz influenced piano, guitar and horns. Not many rock/pop bands had such extensive horns in their music – Steely Dan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Doobie Brothers, Billy Joel… 

Some trivia notes: jazz great Larry Carleton is featured on guitar, with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers, and Timothy B. Schmidt of Eagles fame singing back-up vocals on this album.  Coincidentally this is the album that features the line “turn up the Eagles, the neighbors are listening”, spurring the Eagles to respond on their next album, Hotel California, “they stab it with their steely knives but they just can’t kill the beast”.   Some consider this the ugliest album cover ever…   I was so lucky to have seen Steely Dan for the first time not long before Walter Becker died.

BeatlesLove Songs (’77) – This is a tribute to my Beatles phase (along with the Elvis and Doors phases most kids in the ‘70s went through).  I had heard plenty of Beatles albums before this, and especially like Abby Road and their Red and Blue greatest hits double albums.  But I fell in love with this album, thanks to Tom, from whom I taped his double album from his vinyl to cassette.  It’s almost impossible to find this on CD (though per Amazon you can own a new vinyl copy of this for $300-380 including shipping and handling, lol!  Though sorry Tom, used copies are only going for $15-35…), s0 I had to be creative and years ago made a playlist of the songs on iTunes and Spotify so I could still listen to this collection. I even burned a copy to CD.  While not a rocking album, every song on here is a singer-songwriter gem.

SupertrampBreakfast in America (’79) – I recall this as the first album that I ever felt “peer pressure” to listen to, remembering one of my classmates talking about how great it was.  While I had seen the album cover here and there, I felt clueless not knowing all the songs.  Thus it became a part of my cassette collection.  Some great songs from a great ‘70s band, including “The Logical Song”, “Goodbye Stranger”, “Breakfast in America”, and “Take the Long Way Home”.  It led me to eventually start buying Supertramp albums in college, including Crisis?  What Crisis?, Even in the Quietest Moments, Paris, and Brother Where You Bound?.  Nostalgia…

When I was young,
it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees,

well they’d be singing so happily
Oh joyfully, playfully watching me
But then they send me away

to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh responsible, practical
And they showed me a world

where I could be so dependable
Oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical

the logical song – supertramp

Eagles Live (’80) – This is the best compilation of Eagles classics, with these live versions better than their studio counterparts.  I always had thought this was taped at the concert my brother John Storo and cousin Joseph Garitta went to at the Yale Bowl in ’80, but alas it was recorded in Inglewood, Santa Monica, and Long Beach California.  They are the only band I know of who have had top 10 hits with 5 lead singers: Don Henley, Glen Frey, Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, and Timothy B. Schmidt (The Beatles, CSNY and Fleetwood Mac had “only” 4 singers with hits).  There’s a great documentary called “History of the Eagles” that was free on Netflix, but no longer – now you have to buy or rent it on Amazon.  Though Amazon does have the “Hell Freezes Over” movie free on Prime Video for members.  One of my very favorite Eagles songs is on this live album, “Seven Bridges Road”, which has some of the best harmonies of all time.  Check out this acapella version of the intro from the ‘70s:

StyxParadise Theater (’81) – This is quintessential Styx, which was played almost in its entirety on the Mr. Roboto tour I was able to see in 1984.  I was fortunate enough to see Styx again (minus Dennis DeYoung, though along with Def Leppard and Tesla) over 30 years later, and they were still fantastic.  This is such a great rock/musical theater album, and I always thought the cover was too cool.  It even supplied my high school yearbook quote: “These are the best of times…”  Also love older Styx releases such as Crystal Ball, Cornerstone, Grand Illusion, and Pieces of Eight – including the great songs “Renegade and “Lord of the Rings” – another band with Lord of the Rings referencing!. 

Most of my Styx recordings were pirated from my friend Rob’s vinyl collection.  Though not on this album, but instead on Grand Illusion (’77), I always wonder how blown away people must have been hearing “Come Sail Away” – give it a listen and imagine how different it would have seemed from the typical ‘70s fare at the time.  A bit of trivia – twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo at the age of 12 first started playing with a then 14 year old Dennis DeYoung in the Chicago suburbs, the early origins of the band…

Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime
We’ll take the best, forget the rest
And someday we’ll find these are the best of times
These are the best of times

the best of times – styx

RushMoving Pictures (’81) – This is classic Rush, with many of my favorite songs. I still crank up the volume if “Tom Sawyer” comes on the car stereo! I saw them in concert on their Power Windows tour with John Storo and Steve Farrell. “Marillion” opened for them. It so amazed me the sound that just 3 guys were able to put out, with Neil (RIP) effortless at drums, and Geddy often doing 4 things at once (bass guitar, bass pedals, keyboards, and singing – how?), with Alex perhaps one of the most underrated guitarists in the world. I am also amazed that over a 40+ year period of band’s existence, once Neil joined in 1974, they had no change in the band lineup – just 3 guys, friends, playing together until they could play no more. So sad that Neil has left us. His book Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, about his bike travels and dealing with his grief after his only daughter and then wife died in less than one year, makes for an insightful, interesting read.

On a different note (no pun intended), interesting that 3 of my 20 albums are in Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 10 progressive rock albums of all time (this, #3, along with #1 Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and #9 Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, with some of my other favorite Floyd, Genesis, and Yes albums rounding out their top 10…)

U2Under A Blood Red Sky (’83) – I first heard this album on Dartmouth College Cheerleading road trips.  It opened a whole new world of live, driving, socially and politically poignant rock, including “Gloria”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “New Years Day” – every song in this set is amazing.  And who does a live rocking version of Psalm 40 (“40”)?  We sang this song in the church folk group at AQ House on campus at Dartmouth.  It wasn’t until years later that I realized that the lyrics of the song that seemed appropriate to sing at church were taken directly from Psalm 40, thus the name, lol!  Again, who can get away with that, but Bono?  And the Edge’s guitar.  I just love this album.  While in retrospect I grew to love Joshua Tree that followed, it took me a few years to appreciate it, as it wasn’t quite the raw rock of this live performance.

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the mire and clay

I will sing, sing a new song…

“40” – u2

Dire StraitsAlchemy (’84) – I first listened to Dire Straits on Dartmouth College cheerleading road trips, where it became a staple, one night with one of our cheerleaders, Leann, drunkenly requesting, after a few too many Brador (Molson product, 50% higher alcohol content) beers, to listen to “Romiette & Julio” (a.k.a. “Romeo & Juliette”), lol!  I gave further attention to this live set listening to my brother’s cassette on a Walkman at a UCONN basketball game at the Hartford Civic Center while awaiting the game to start.  I then grew to love this as perhaps my favorite live album of all time (along with Eagles Live) my sophomore year of college, with the best versions of some of my very favorite songs, especially “Romeo & Juliet” and “Sultans of Swing”.  It was the first CD I ever put on cassette, borrowing the CD and CD player (before I had either) from a dorm-mate.  I recently watched the concert footage to this album for the first time (found it on Amazon for cheap) – I guess it’s the closest I’ll get to seeing them perform (apart from the simulcast performance from Wembley Stadium in London to JFK Stadium in Philly at the “Live Aid” concert, with only a 2-song set list: “Money for Nothing” with Sting, and “Sultans of Swing”), though Mark Knopfler, another of rock’s underrated guitarists, still tours now and then, so maybe…

And a lovestruck Romeo, he sang the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade
He says something like, “You and me, babe, how about it?

romeo & julilette – dire straits

Bob MarleyLegend (’84) – I first listened this album from my brother, John, I think. I had heard Bob Marley songs over the years, but when this album came out, it just blew me away, chock-full of all his hits. Others successfully recorded some of the songs on here, including Eric Clapton’s “I Shot the Sherriff” (Clapton’s only #1 hit in the ‘70s), and Stevie Wonder’s “Jammin’”. I also really love “Redemption Song”. Regina Storo and I heard this album perhaps a bit in excess at our Sandals resort on our honeymoon in Jamaica, but we didn’t mind – we just loved the reggae, with such an upbeat, happy feel to it. Though I’ve since learned that this album was “homogenized” to attract a white middle-class audience to purchase it. Thus not included are his songs as a political revolutionary decrying the brutal history of slave trade in the Caribbean and Americas. Tragic and sad. Also tragic, while I always assumed that he died of a drug-related cause as most musicians so, believe it or not he died of melanoma.

Bob truly was a reggae legend, and I still love to this day listening to this album. I would often sing “Three Little Birds” to the kids at night when putting them to bed. Other favorites (for me at least, not sure what the kids thought) were Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” (or Girl, if singing to Kate), The Beatles “In My Life”, Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful”, Elvis’s “Love Me Tender”, James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend”, Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band”, and Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle”. While “Three Little Birds” seems perhaps more of a “wake-up” song, I couldn’t help but feel hearing “don’t worry ‘bout a thing ‘cause every little thing’s gonna be alright” was such a good thing to hear when trying to drift off to sleep.

Rise up this mornin’, smiled with the risin’ sun
Three little birds pitch by my doorstep
Singin’ sweet songs of melodies pure and true
Saying’, this is my message to you

Singing’ don’t worry ’bout a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright

three little birds – bob marley

Other albums of significant impact to me over the years, my “honorable mention” list, include (including a few from the 90’s, believe it or not!):

Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die (’70)
American Graffiti – Soundtrack (’73)
The Moody Blues – This is the Moody Blues (’74)
Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run (’75)
Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive (’76)
James Taylor – Greatest Hits (’76)
Joe Cocker – Greatest Hits (’77)
Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (’77)
Steve Miller Band – Greatest Hits (’78)
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Gold & Platinum (’79)
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall (’79)
Journey – Escape (‘81)
Simon & Garfunkel – Concert in Central Park (’82)
Bryan Adams – Cuts Like a Knife (’83)
The Police – Synchronicity (’83)
Yes – 90125 (’83)
Big Chill – Soundtrack (’83)
Madonna – Madonna (’83)
Prince – Purple Rain (’84)
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Welcome to the Pleasure Dome (’84)
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense (’84)
Howard Jones – Dream Into Action (’85)
Bruce Hornsby and the Range – The Way It Is (’86)
The Kinks – Come Dancing with the Kinks (’86)
Peter Gabriel – So (’86)
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (’86)
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Live Alive (’86)
Eric Clapton – Crossroads Collection (’88)
Pearl Jam Ten (’91)
Hootie & The Blowfish Cracked Rear View (’94)
Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack (’14)
Crystal Bowersox Alive (’17)

So in considering a playlist, I would love to just insert links to each album, as for reasons discussed above, I think these albums are best listened to in their entirety, but thought such multiple links would be unwieldy. I considered creating a playlist with a favorite song or two or even three from each album, but that would detract from the concept of trying to inspire album oriented listening. So instead I included just one song, and for lack of a better way, chose the most popular song based on Spotify listeners. A few were surprising, such as Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic” over “Moondance,” the Eagles “Seven Bridges Road” over “Hotel California,” or U2’s “40” over “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”

And I’d also like to alert you to the fact that The Beatles Love Songs does not exist as an album on Spotify, but is instead a playlist of the song list of the album created from the albums on Spotify. Given it was a compliation album of studio songs, it doesn’t lose anything in translation thus assembled. However, that is not the case for Dire Straits’ live album Alchemy, as only a few of the live songs are available on Spotify, with the other songs studio versions to complete the song list. However, that waters down the amazing versions of this live album, in my opinion Dire Straits very best work. It is a difficult album to find in a streaming version – I do not see it on Amazon Music or Apple Music. For those really interested, you’ll have to buy a copy in vinyl or CD format on Amazon or EBay.

So on to the playlist. If any of the artists and songs interest you, select the album link from the song list menu, and it will take you. tothe full album for your listening pleasure. I hope you enjoy some of these albums as much as I have. They are worth a listen.

I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew.  Rediscover the passion of music in your life. Listen to albums that have impacted your life.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to the MUSIC!

AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs – the 100 Greatest American Movie Music

AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs – The 100 Greatest American Movie Music

The American Film Institute recently released their list of 100 greatest songs in movies (check out their web link:https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-songs/?fbclid=IwAR32Nm2idohe_clwZbkczGY3HRpNAX2B3wtFjjzWJ81Sq5rPQGOoGQPtyZc (I can’t imbed the link in the blog, but you can copy and paste to view)

That inspired me at the suggestion of a friend to make a Spotify playlist of the same. Some analysis of the list led to some interesting observations:

Artists having the most songs on the list include (with # songs):

    5: Fred Astaire, Judy Garland

    4: Gene Kelly, Julie Andrews, Marni Nixon*, and Barbra Streisand

  3: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope

* Regarding Marni Nixon, similar to my disillusionment with the discovery that Christopher Plummer didn’t sing his vocals in “The Sound Of Music”, she provides the singing voice for Deborah Kerr in The King & I, Natalie Wood in West Side Story, and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. Kudos to Ms. Nixon, though much to her disservice as she was largely unknown. But it somewhat sullies my adoration of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady – her beauty and her (not her) voice… She did sing “Moon River” in Breakfast At Tiffany’s at least – phew.

And movies that appear the most include (with # songs):

3: Singin’ In The Rain, The Sound of Music, West Side Story.

2: The Wizard of Oz, A Star Is Born (though via 2 versions, one with
Judy Garland, the other with Barbra Streisand, and I’d add a 3rd with
Lady Gaga – see below)

The following videos are some of my favorite movie song performances, with the actor/singer performing in the movie, typically a musical, not just a background song, such as “Unchained Melody” in Ghost, or “What a Feeling” in Flashdance, or “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” in Dirty Dancing. All are great songs and scenes, but I wanted to single out some of the most outstanding signing performances within the confines of movies that made me fall in love with the singer.

There are two exceptional performances that I feel were left out, too good to leave off a list such as this, and they are truly among my very favorites, one as a child, with the magical candy world that Gene Wilder conjures in “Pure Imagination” in Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and then more recently, following in the line of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand who are on the list for the same movie, with Lady Gaga’s “I’ll Never Love Again” in A Star Is Born. Watch the videos below and judge for yourself, and see what you think.

“Over The Rainbow,” Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz – I fell in love with Judy Garland as a kid watching this scene.

“As Time Goes By,” Dooley Wilson, Casablanca – perhaps my favorite movie of all time.

“Singin’ in the Rain,” Gene Kelly, Singin’ In The Rain – many a day did I sing this song dancing in summer rainstorms as a kid.

“Moon River,” Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – yes, her voice, and her beauty – breathtaking.

“White Christmas,” Bing Crosby, White Christmas – a classic.

“The Sound Of Music,” Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music – another favorite.

This scene and song I feel inspired the live movie version of Beauty & The Beast with Emma Watson singing “Bell (Reprise)” atop a similar hill.

“The Man That Got Away,” Judy Garland, A Star Is Born

“Evergreen,” Barbra Streisand, A Star Is Born

“I’ll Never Love Again,” Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born – I think each version provided yet a better diva song moment, this just exceptional. Not a dry eye in the audience. This truly made me a Gaga fan.

“I Could Have Danced All Night,” Audrey Hepburn/Marni Nixon, My Fair Lady – Marni Nixon getting her due on the next 4 songs. Just a beautiful voice.

“Shall We Dance,” Deborah Kerr/Marni Nixon, The King & I

“Somewhere,” Natalie Wood/Marni Nixon, West Side Story

“Tonight,” Natalie Wood/Marni Nixon, West Side Story

“Seems Like Old Times,” Diane Keaton, Annie Hall – while a crazy, neurotic movie, it’s another favorite with many memorable scenes.

“All That Jazz,” Catherine Zeta Jones, Chicago – such a spectacular film version of this show, with all start performances by Catherine Zeta Jones, Bebe Neuwirth, Queen Latifah, and Renee Zellweger. Check out Renee’s showstopping portrayal of Judy Garland in Judy.

“I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard – Dolly Parton says she never imagined her song could be sung like this – spectacular.

“Summer Nights,” Olivia Newton John, John Travolta, Grease – such a good movie, and fell in love with Olivia Newton John along with half of America seeing this movie at the drive-in as a teen.

“Thank Heaven For Little Girls,” Maurice Chevalier, Gigi – I fell in love with Maurice Chevalier’s voice and this song when seeing it on TV as a kid.

“On The Good Ship Lollipop,” Shirley Temple, Bright Eyes – I had a soft spot for Shirley Temple as a kid.

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” Julie Andrews, Mary Poppins – perhaps the most magical, entertaining performance on the list. I love this movie.

“Rainbow Connection,” Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Movie – such a good song, by no less than a frog. I love this along with Gonzo’s “I’m Going To Go Back There Someday.”

“Pure Imagination,” Gene Wilder, Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory – I just loved this magical candy room as a kid, wishing I could transport there (I actually played Charlie in our 5th grade play…)

And a few honorable mention songs in movies that didn’t make their list, that aren’t musical performances but such amazingly memorable scenes expertly paired with the movie scene that they are unforgettable:

“Banana Boat Song (Day-O),” Harry Belafonte, Beetlejuice – so hilarious – I remember seeing this in the theater – it was so much fun!

“Immigrant Song,” Led Zeppelin, Thor Ragnarok (x2) – one of the most amazing parings of a song with a scene:

And here’s the playlist, AFI’s top 100 movie songs over the past 100 years:

I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew.  Rediscover the passion of music in your life.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to the MUSIC!

Fingertips – Pop/Rock Songs Featuring Harmonica

June 22, 1963, little Stevie Wonder first entered the US singles chart. His song, also featuring a young Marvin Gaye on drums, was not only the first live non-studio musical recording to reach No.1 , it also made him the youngest solo performer to ever reach No.1, actually only 12 years old when the song was recorded.

His song provides the theme for today’s blog and playlist, songs that feature the harmonica. Harmonica, also known as the French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used prominently in folk music, jazz, country, classical music, and rock.  The most common type of harmonica is the diatonic, though the chromatic is used as well, made most famous by none other than Stevie Wonder.  The instrument is played using the mouth, lips, and tongue.  Frontiersmen Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid played the instrument.

Songs 1-6 Stevie, including the blog title song “Fingertips” which still holds the record for the youngest solo performer at the age of 13 to have a No. 1 single, 7-18 and 162-182 Stevie guest musician, collaborating with the likes of Chaka Khan, Eurythmics, Paula Abdul, Dion Warwick, Elton John, Sting, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Snoop Dogg, Jason Derulo, Johnny Mathis, Peter Frampton, John Denver, Carley Simon, Barbra Streisand, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Rod Stewart, Ella Fitzgerald, Gladys Knight, and Frank Sinatra.

Stevie Wonder “Isn’t She Lovely”

Dionne Warwick “That’s What Friends Are For”

Eurythmics “There Must Be An Angel”

Artists with several songs on the list include: The Beatles with “Love Me Do,” “From Me To You,” “Should Have Known Better,” and “Rocky Racoon;” Led Zeppelin with “When the Levee Breaks,” “Bring It On Home,” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine;” Bruce Springsteen with “Thunder Road,” “The River,” “The Promised Land,” “Spare Parts,” as well as the Yardbirds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, J. Geils Band, and Elton John with several songs on the list, and Billy Joel with “Ballad of Billy the Kid,” “Piano Man,” and “Leave a Tender Moment Alone.”

Billy leads us to another prolific artist well versed in the use of harmonica. Billy Joel was my very first concert as a teen. The second time I was him was at his Evening of Questions & Answers Tour in 1996. He referenced the first time he ever saw Bob Dylan perform live. Seeing Bob wearing his neck rack to hold his harmonica a young Billy thought “what’s wrong with his neck?” 😭

Billy has recorded a few of Bob’s songs, including “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Make You Feel My Love,” featuring a bit of harmonica as well.

Another landmark date in harmonica and music history is April 24, 1961, the day Bob Dylan participated in his first professional recording session, playing harmonica on the song “Midnight Special,” with folk singer Harry Belafonte. Bob obviously went on to record many folk and blues songs featuring the harmonica as well using the diatonic harp as his instrument of choice. More than a handful of his songs appear in the playlist, including perhaps my favorite Bob Dylan song “Baby Let Me Follow You Down.” Here is Bob playing “Hey Mr. Tambourine Man,” neck rack and all. It doesn’t look like there’s too much wrong with his neck. 🤣

Other notable popular songs featuring harmonica include Supertramp’s “Take The Long Way Home,” Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold,” The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” The Young Rascals’ “Groovin’,” The Carpenters’ “Rainy Days & Mondays,” U2’s “Trip Through Your Wires,” Romantics’ “What I Like About You,” Culture Club’s “Karma Cameleon,” Blues Traveler’s “Run Around,” The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Runnin’,” Sting’s “Shape of My Heart,” and Canned Heat’s “On The Road Again.” Grunge and alternative music bands Alice in Chains, Temple Of The Dog, Pearl Jam, Motorhead, Foo Fighters, and Dave Matthews Band as well as metal greats Guns ‘N Roses, Poison, Motley Crue, Great White, and Black Sabbath even made the list.

I can’t recall the recent TV show I was watching, but one of the lines in it was something along the line of “who listens to Supertramp these days?” Well I still do, lol 🤣. Here is a classic Supertramp great from their blockbuster 1979 release Breakfast in America with an unforgettable harmonic intro, “Take The Long Way Home”

Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road,” a classic harmonic intro, and perhaps one of my favorite Boss songs.

Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” is perhaps one of the more recognizable harmonic songs in pop music of the 70’s. His version is not available on Spotify, as her removed it during COVID as a form of boycott of the Joe Rogan misinformation podcasts.

I loved the Carpenters back in the 70’s. Here with yet another great harmonica intro from the 70’s, “Rainy Days and Mondays”

Flash forward to the 80s with the Pretenders “Middle of the Road”

Huey Lewis offers some Americana harmonica with “Heart of Rock & Roll”

Motley Crue entertains us with a little harmonica amist their metal with their cover of “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”

And what an interesting decade the 80’s were, check out INXS “Suicide Blonde”

Then moving to the 90’s perhaps no one epitomized harmonica in pop music at the end of the 20th Century as Blues Traveler, here with their classic “Run Around”

And perhaps one of the most beautiful songs with significant, haunting harmonica presence is Sting with “Shape of My Heart”

Also featured in the blog is the harmonica great Larry Adler, who started his career as a penniless urchin on Vaudeville, starting his professional career at 14.  Included is much of his exceptional Gershwin tribute album “The Glory of Gershwin,” featuring songs by Sting, Elton John, Cher, Kate Bush, Meat Loaf, and Peter Gabriel, among others. Selections from this album round out the playlist. Here the he accompanies Kate Bush on “The Man I Love.”

On to the playlist:

I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew.  Rediscover the passion of music in your life.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to the MUSIC!

GO Now – “Go” Songs

On June 2, 1984, Wham! Had their first UK No.1 with “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” George Michael received inspiration for the song from a scribbled note by his bandmate Andrew Ridgeley which read “wake me up before you you go.” Playing off the erroneous inclusion of “you” twice in the note, George included “go” twice in the lyrics. The song, a homage to the upbeat music of the 50’s and 60’s, made Wham! an overnight sensation.

George’s Go serves as springboard for today’s playlists “GO Now.” Artists often suggest where or how to go.  The Cars simply appealed “Lets Go,” Prince “Lets Go Crazy,” and the Raspberries “Lets Go All The Way.” Both the Del Vikings and Expose implored “Come Go With Me.” While The Moody Blues urged “Go Now” and Fleetwood Mac furthered “Go Your Own Way,” instead KC & The Sunshine Band begged “Please Don’t Go,” and Van Morrison in agreement pleaded “Baby Please Don’t Go.” And given I went to Rockville High School, I always laughed at the advice of REM “Don’t Go Back To Rockville” (and waste another year…) 🤣 Yet Eddie Money insisted “I Wanna Go Back.” But Chuck Berry felt he had “No Particular Place To Go” and Meat Loaf was “All Revved Up With No Place To Go,” And hearts and love often are in the crosshairs – Elton John “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” Bread with “Let Your Love Go,” The Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go,” Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On,” and Alan Jackson “I’ll Go On Loving You.”

In 1984, Purple Rain, one of the greatest musical films, with the album Prince’s first No.1 on the charts, spawning two No.1 hits “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy.” Interestingly the title track, “Purple Rain” stalled out at No.2 on the charts, kept off by none other than Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.”

What an interesting decade the 80’s was. Check out Rick Ocasek and the Cars with “Touch and Go.”

Super early REM’s their career, this relatively unplugged version of “Don’t Go Back To Rockville” is a gem. So different from their later highly polished pop work:

Early in her career, Mariah Carey with “Can’t Let Go.” Is it me, or does Mariah sound a lot like Whitney here?

And one of the most beautiful country songs ever recorded, Alan Jackson’s “I’ll Go On Loving You.”

If you’ve watched Live from Daryl’s House, give it a look. But beware, it can be a rabbit hole you don’t want to go down, as it can be a huge time suck, though so worth the time spent. Here Cee Lo Green performing the Hall & Oates classic “I Can’t Go For That”

While a mega hit for Paul Young in 1985, Daryl wrote and first recorded “Every Time You Go Away” in 1980 with his bandmate John Oates. Here he performs it live on his show:

And another flashback to the 80’s, Expose’s “Come Go With Me.” I saw them 30 years or so later at Mohegan Sun performing this along with their other hits “Point of No Return,” “Let Me Be The One,” and “Seasons Change.”

And how could I not include Whitesnake’s iconic video “Here I Go Again” with their vixen Tawny Kitaen, who also appears in their videos “Still of the Night” and “Is This Love?” as well as the movie “Bachelor Party.”

And one of the most fun feel good songs ever in a musical “We Go Together.” How young John and Olivia were!

So in terms of the playlist, in the words of *NYSNC and Bowling For Soup, “Here We GO”! – Enjoy!

I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew.  Rediscover the passion of music in your life.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to the MUSIC!

ROLL With It – “Roll” & “Rolling” Songs

On May 21, 2011 Adele scored her first No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Rolling In The Deep.” Topping the charts in over 20 countries, it became the best selling digital song over by a female artist in the US. It serves as a springboard for today’s music blog, songs containing “Roll” or “Rolling” in their title. “Rock & Roll” songs are excluded, as they are addressed in a forthcoming blog. Here is the sultry songstress after her extreme makeover.

“Rolling In The Deep” – Adele (London Palladium, November 6, 2021):

The title of the blog is a nod to Steve Winwood’s 80’s great of the same name, “Roll With It”:

Interestingly, perhaps to avoid the possibility of a lawsuit, as Ed Sheeran recently battled, Winwood’s publisher eventually credited Motown songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland with co-writing the song due to its resemblance to Junior Walker’s “(I’m A) Roadrunner.” You be the judge, but I suspect you’ll agree with the similarity.

“(I’m A) Roadrunner” – Junior Walker & The Allstars

That leads me to a little aside on song similarities. There are only so many chord combinations and progressions that can create great music. I would suggest that as long as entire songs and melodies aren’t lifted, some resemblance is almost inevitable from time to time. Perhaps, when realized, artists should just give a nod to the other songwriters and be done with it. Here are the Sheeran-Gaye songs for your consideration. I didn’t even hear the similarity initially, as the melodies are entirely different, but the exact same cord progression for several the measures are hard to argue with.

Recently deceased Gordon Lightfoot noticed in 1986 the similarity in several bars of his “If You Could Read My Mind” and Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love Of All.” Listen to his lines “And you won’t read that book again because the ending’s just too hard to take” and her lines “I decided long ago to never hide in anyone’s shadow.” Since listening to these 2 songs with that knowledge, if trying to sing one of the songs I can’t keep the other from blending in. Gordon dropped a plagiarism lawsuit when realizing how much it was weighing on Whitney.

And as I have discussed in a previous blog, the bass riff from Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4” is lifted from Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” a totally reimagined cover of Joan Baez’s awful original, unrecognizable as the same song (also addressed in my previous blog on covers, “Cover Me.” And while we’re on Led Zeppelin, did Robert Plant steal the opening guitar riff of “Stairway to Heaven” from Spirit’s “Taurus”?

And many songwriters do borrow, sample, and appropriate, usually giving credit to artists they have ripped off – think Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” steeling Queen’s “Under Pressure,” MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” borrowing from Rick James “Supe Freak,” or Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long” and it’s “Sweet Home Alabama” guitar riff, even nod to the song in the lyrics, as well as borrowing piano licks from Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves Of London.”

And even Robert Plant himself recorded the song “Tall Cool One” that sampled guitar riffs from “Black Dog,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “The Ocean,” “Custard Pie,” and lyrics from “Black Dog.” He even enlisted his former Zep bandmate Jimmy Page to play the riffs. I guess that way he didn’t have to worry about suing himself or the band suing him 🤣. 

One interesting a-ha (not the 80’s band of the same name, though they do appear in the Stolen and Sampled Songs playlist) moment I had in college was listening to Billy Joel’s “This Night” from his Innocent Man album. When listening, the melody of the chorus kept running around in my brain, when I finally realized it was directly lifted from Ludwig von Beethoven’s Second Movement of his Pathetique Sonata. I confirmed it by pulling out and listening to my Beethoven album (yes I had Beethoven albums in college, and remember this was pre-internet search capabilities). Then I frantically pulled out the vinyl album’s liner notes, incredulous that my beloved Billy would plagiarize. But there it was in black & white, something to the effect of “All music & lyrics by Billy Joel except chorus to ‘This Night’ by L.V. Beethoven.” Good job, Billy!

And speaking of Gordon and Billy, in the wake of Gordon’s death, Billy Joel posted a tribute and offered that he wrote his songs “You’re My Home” and “She’s Always A Women” trying to emulate the sound of Gordon Lightfoot. I can’t listen to these songs any longer without hearing Gordon’s voice singing them. I wish he would have covered them during his lifetime. It would have been cool.

Here’s Billy’s playing tribute to Gordon at a recent Madison Square Garden concert with Gord’s classic “Sundown.” He modulates his voice to sound a bit like the Canadian crooner:

Continuing to go down the rabbit hole, you again be the judge, does this Barbie song sound like Pink Floyd’s “The Trial”?

Barbie as the Princess & The Pauper with “How Can I Refuse”

Now for Floyd song:

And for that matter, does “The Trial” sound like Jesus Christ Superstar’s “Pilate and Christ,” also a trial?

Here is the bonus playlist of Stolen and Sampled Songs for your listening pleasure. You be the judge of song similarities of the first portion of the playlist, the songs I have referred to listed at the very beginning, and then enjoy sampled songs as well to complete the playlist:

Now back from our trip to Wonderland to the theme of the blog – Roll songs. Here are some notable songs and videos:

“Shake, Rattle & Roll” – Bill Haley & The Comets, with such a great glimpse into the 50’s:

“Roll On” – Kid Rock, with some cool locales in the Music City, the home of Motown, his hometown Detroit:

“Like A Rolling Stone” – Bob Dylan, back in the early days, a cool trip to the 60’s:

“Cover Of The Rolling Stone” – Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, while not my favorite Dr. Hook song, it was catchy and definitely got a fair amount of airplay in the 70’s, and you gotta love the attire:

“Rolling Stone” – Lainey Wilson. I can’t believe I saw her at the Beaufort Water Fest 2 years ago as the warm up to Rodney Atkins for like $20. Talk about a steal – both in price, and her stealing the show. Now she’s one of the hottest things in country:

So while Credence Clearwater Revival originated, and Tina Turner covered admirably, if not quintessentially, John Krasinski took “Proud Mary” to a new level.  If you haven’t seen John’s performance, this is a “must watch.”

So yet another rabbit hole. For those not familiar with John’s show “Lip Synch Battle,” here is one of the most outstanding performances from the show, Joseph Gordon Levitt with Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation”:

However, nothing can top Tom Holland’s performance, channeling Gene Kelly and Rihanna with “Singin’ In The Rain/Umbrella”:

So back to the playlist. There are some great “Roll” songs. I’m reserving “Rock & Roll” for a later blog, with several playlists of its own. Enjoy the music, roll on:

I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew.  Rediscover the passion of music in your life.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to the MUSIC!

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