“Ball and
Chain” is a story about a fellow with bad luck. The bloke is in a major rut.
The song appears on the band’s self-titled 1990 release. It is an example of the “punk blues” genre.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Nirvana: Lithium (1992)
Nirvana
began recording "Lithium" in 1990. Front man Kurt Cobain disliked
drummer Chad Channing's effort on the record, which helped lead to Dave Grohl's
entry into the band. The song is about a man that turns to religion to cope
with his girlfriend's death. "Lithium" was inspired by Karl Marx's
comments about religion being an opiate for the masses.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
The Foo Fighters: Learning to Fly (1999)
The Foos
released this great song in 1999. The video is amusing as it stars Jack Black
and Kyle Gass from Tenacious D as a couple of drug runners disguised as airline
mechanics. The passengers all get stoned leaving the band to land the plane.
The video pays homage to airline disaster films of the 70s.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Chuck Berry: Rock n Roll Music (1957)
“Rock n
Roll Music” is one of the all-time great songs written by one of
the greats. It hit #6 on the Billboard’s R&B chart and #8 on the Hot 100 in
1957. It has been covered by a number of artists, most notably the Beatles.
Chuck Berry:
Beatles:
Monday, August 19, 2013
Queen: I Want It All (1989)
“I Want It
All” is classic 80s. It can be interpreted as a rebel song or as an anthem for
someone that wants everything out of life. It served as an anti-apartheid theme
in South Africa, but could also represent a Wall Street broker. The band did not play it live until April 20,
1992 at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. Mercury died of AIDS the previous
November giving the song yet another possible meaning. Roger Daltrey and Tony
Iommi joined Queen on stage for the performance.
Studio:
Tribute Concert:
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Top 10 Alice Cooper songs
Here are my favorite Alice Cooper tunes.
I’m
Eighteen
Under My
Wheels
School’s
Out
Elected
No More Mr.
Nice Guy
Welcome to
my Nightmare
Poison
Only Women
Bleed
Hey Stoopid
Teenage
Lament 1974
Saturday, August 17, 2013
1952 in Music
1952 is an
important year for rock n roll. Sun Records opened shop under Sam Phillips
stewardship and teenagers rioted in Cleveland at Alan Freed’s Moondog
Coronation Ball. The genre would break out four years later. Bill Haley led the
charge in 1956. In 1952, he changed his band name from Bill Haley and His
Saddlemen to Bill Haley and His Comets. Despite the important rock moments,
traditional pop music continued to dominate, which might explain the teenage
frenzy at a show focused on them and not elevator music.
Other hits:
Monday, August 12, 2013
Pearl Jam: Why Go? (1991)
Jeff Ament
wrote this little ditty. It was never released as a single, but I always loved
the song’s grit. Here’s a live version from 1992. Where they really that young?
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Metallica w/Marianne Faithful: The Memory Remains (1997)
Marianne
Faithful, rock’s former "It Girl", joins Metallica for an exposition into the
darker side of fame. What happens to people as they get older and become
forgotten? The fortune and fame can subside, but the memory remains…
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Van Halen: The Seventh Seal (1995)
Chanting
monks, Satanic bells, and Eddie’s guitar! The band tackles the apocalypse in
awesome fashion. It is perhaps the darkest song in the VH catalogue.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Genesis: No Son of Mine (1991)
Genesis
tackles child abuse in this song. A young boy runs away from an abusive home.
The victim returns home to be harangued by his father, who may or may not be
the abuser. Genesis left the perpetrator ambiguous. The black and white video
has a creepy feel that is amplified by the tick tock of the drums and Tony
Banks’ keyboards.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Foo Fighters: Monkey Wrench (1997)
Monkey
Wrench is about Dave Grohl’s marriage to Jennifer Youngblood. The song is up
tempo while the lyrics do not pull any punches. Apparently, she was not very nice. I do love the elevator music at
the beginning of the video.
Monday, August 5, 2013
David Bowie: Valentine's Day (2013)
David
Bowie’s latest. Notice his eyes. I have never noticed that before…
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Benny Benjamin: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2003
Benny
Benjamin was the drummer for Motown’s Funk Brothers.
His work:
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Elvis Costello: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2003
Costello
emerged from the London pub scene to help pioneer the New Wave movement of the
late 70s/early 80s. He has one of the most diverse catalogues in music.
He got
banned from Saturday Night Live for
playing Radio Radio instead of Less Than Zero.
The
Attractions split in 1986. They would reunite at times through the years.
Tribute to
Joe Strummer w/Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and Dave Grohl (2003): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1QldW82xzQ
Sesame
Street (2011): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxardpBReQc
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