Playlist for 6/24

Mavis Staples & Levon Helm - Carry Me Home

Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia

Trombone Shorty - Lifted

Wilco - Cruel Country

Arcade Fire - We

Like A Rolling Stone: Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres (2022 Documentary)

George Carlin's American Dream (2022 Documentary)

Comedy Stars As Classic Rock Stars.

 With an excellent HBO documentary on George Carlin, George Carlin's American Dream, out now, I thought it would be a good idea to look back at a paragraph I wrote the day after George Carlin died which was 6/22/08.  I haven't changed a word of this write-up.  Comedy stars as Classic Rock stars.

  They were Rock stars and are now our version of Classic Rock. Those 70's comedians that not only sold out concerts but sold records. They went Top 20, they went Gold, they even had hit singles. This was the era of Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Cheech & Chong and George Carlin. Carlin's heart finally gave out at age 71, but the boundaries he pushed in his early 70's material was like a band or singer pushing the boundaries that we now revel in. There was a time when comedy records occupied a place on the upper reaches of the album chart. You don't get that anymore. The comedy albums made now barely make a blip sales wise, if they are even released at all. But that was our Classic Rock era-the 70's. And George Carlin was one of our favorite Classic Rock artists.

Best Father's Day Songs

Great Father's Day Songs:
Alan Jackson - Drive (For Daddy Gene)
Beyonce - Daddy Lessons
Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be
Bruce Springsteen - Independence Day
Bruce Springsteen - My Father's House
Cat Stevens - Father and Son
Conway Twitty - That's My Job
Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band
Dolly Parton - Daddy's Working Boots
Drive-By Truckers - Outfit
Elton John - Last Song
Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy
Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
Everclear - Father of Mine

George Strait - Best Day

George Strait - So Much Like My Dad

Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle

Holly Dunn - Daddy's Hands

James Brown - Papa Don't Take No Mess

Jimmie Rodgers - Daddy and Home
John Lennon - Beautiful Boy
John Prine - Paradise
Johnny Cash - Boy Named Sue
Keith Urban - Song For Dad
Loudon Wainwright III - Father and A Song
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Madonna - Oh Father
Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird
Mike & The Mechanics - Living Years
Nas - Daughters
Paul McCartney - Put It There
Paul Simon - Father and Daughter
Queen - Father To Son
Reba McEntire - Greatest Man I Never Knew

Rod Stewart - Touchline
Simon & Garfunkel - Silver Haired Daddy of Mine
Steve Goodman - My Old Man
Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
Tori Amos - Winter

Waylon Jennings - Between Fathers and Sons
Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us
Winstons -Color Him Father
Zac Brown Band - My Old Man

My Dad's Record Collection

 There were two things my Dad passed down to me: his love of sports (New York Jets, Soccer) and a small, but eclectic record collection  Those would be vinyl and a few 8-tracks. I absorbed all of it, because it was usually the only physical music I laid my hands on as a youngster. 

Later, as my own collection grew, my Dad often looked in awe at the burgeoning shelves of CD's or vinyl that populated my music room.  One regret I have is not telling him how much his records played a part in my own eclectic musical tastes.

In the late 90's/early 00's my parents made several trips to my Mom's birthplace in Munich, Germany.  They stayed at the same hotel, and my Dad would bring homemade CD's for the bartenders to play. I would supply the CD's for him to make copies of many of his favorite Pop singers like Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, etc. 

Below is a list, as I remember it, of his record collection.  Lots of Country and Pop vocalists.  When I was a toddler, and he was stationed in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, my Dad would take the family to many Country music concerts that came through town.  A lot of the Country names below were the ones we saw (have to admit I was so young, I barely remember going to those shows). Most of these titles are from the early 70's.

(Vinyl Albums/CD's)

Bobby Bare - Real Thing
Charley Pride - 10th Album
Charley Pride - Sings Heart Songs
Charlie Rich - Tomorrow Night
Charlie Rich - Very Special Love Songs
Chuck Berry - San Francisco Dues
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn - Louisiana Woman/Mississippi Man
Dave Dudley - Keep On Truckin'
Don Gibson - Snap Your Fingers
Elvis Presley - Aloha From Hawaii
Elvis Presley - Elvis (1973)
Elvis Presley - Legendary Performer Vol. 2
Elvis Presley - Raised On Rock
Elvis Presley - Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas
Engelbert Humperdinck - After The Lovin'
Engelbert Humperdinck - Christmas Tyme
Fabulous 50's (1954-59) - Various
Fifth Dimension -Age of Aquarius
Frank Sinatra - Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back
George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Let's Build A World Together
Hank Williams Jr. - After You/Pride's Not Hard To Swallow
Jerry Lee Lewis - Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough
Jerry Reed - Lord Mr. Ford
Jim Ed Brown - Morning
John Denver - Rocky Mountain High
Johnny Cash - Ragged Old Flag
Johnny Mathis - I'm Coming Home
Johnny Rodriguez - All I Ever Meant To Do Was Sing
Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge - Full Moon
Loretta Lynn - Entertainer of the Year
Louis Armstrong - Golden Greats
Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden
Merle Haggard - His 30th Album
Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December
Merle Haggard - Okie From Muskogee
Neil Diamond - Tap Root Manuscript
Sammy Davis Jr. - Now
Shirley Bassey - Never, Never, Never
Tom Jones - Body and Soul of
Tom Jones - Greatest Hits (bought at his concert which my parents attended in late 70's)
Tom T. Hall - In Search Of A Song
Tommy Overstreet - Heaven Is My Woman's Love
Waylon Jennings - Lonesome, On'ry and Mean

(8 tracks)
Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell  - s/t
Elvis Presley - Love Letters From
Rod McKuen - New Ballads
San Sebastian Strings - The Sea

Songs:  Often my Dad would walk around the house singing a few lines from a random song.  But it was always the same songs.  There are four listed below that he would always sing.  And his favorite lines from each of them.

"Funny How Time Slips Away" - Elvis Presley 

"Well hello there"

"Ain't it funny how time slips away"

"I gotta go now"

"The Party's Over" - Willie Nelson

"Turn off the lights, the party's over" 

"Old Man From The Mountain" - Merle Haggard

"The old man from the mountain's coming home, home, home"

"Get rid of Joe, the grinder, you better be there alone"

"Swinging Doors" - Merle Haggard

"And I've got swinging doors, a jukebox and a bar stool"

Playlist for 6/17

Miranda Lambert- Palomino

Charley Crockett - Jukebox Charley

Ry Cooder/Taj Mahal - Get On Board

Neko Case - Wild Creatures

Lavender Country - s/t

Lavender Country - Blackberry Rose

Hank Thompson - Songs for Rounders

Hank Thompson - At The Golden Nugget

Brook Benton - Today

Pistol (2022 TV mini-series)

2022 Tony Awards

Music List A Month (June): Top 50 Albums By Women

 In July 2017,  NPR published the NPR Top 150 Albums by Women.   A strong list.  A year later they asked listeners to vote on their Top 10 Albums by Women, since 1964.  This is what I came up with in 2018. In my original post I listed my Top 10, plus 20 more albums.  For this updated list, I picked 20 more albums which gives me a chance to correct some of the women I overlooked.  I also got rid of the only albums after 1964 stipulation from the original poll. 

Original List (2018)
1.  Carole King - Tapestry
2.  Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark
3.  Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
4.  Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors
5.  Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
6.  Pretenders - s/t
7.  Madonna - Like A Prayer
8.  Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
9.  Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
10. Janet Jackson - Control
11. Joni Mitchell - Blue
12. Lucinda Williams - s/t
13. Donna Summer - Bad Girls
14. Whitney Houston - s/t
15. Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel
16. Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
17. Tina Turner - Private Dancer
18. Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go
19. Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter
20. Adele - 21
21. Bangles - All Over The Place
22. Heart - Dreamboat Annie
23. Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw
24. Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - s/t
25. Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man
26. Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
27. Iris DeMent - Infamous Angel
28. Janis Joplin - Pearl
29. Shania Twain - Come On Over
30. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella In Berlin

Updated Post List: 31-50 (2022)

31. Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul

32. Kate & Anna McGarrigle - s/t

33. Blondie - Parallel Lines

34. Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

35. Billie Holiday & Lester Young - A Musical Romance

36. Mandy Barnett - I've Got A Right To Cry

37. Tina Turner - Private Dancer

38. Lauryn Hill - Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

39. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

40. Dixie Chicks - Fly

41. Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer Different Park

42. Diana Ross - s/t

43. Richard & Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the LIghts

44. Carpenters - Song For You

45. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

46. Tracy Chapman - s/t

47. Ashford & Simpson - Is It Still Good To Ya

48. B-52's - s/t

49. Etta James - At Last

50. Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat

Bonus compilation

Girl Group Greats - Various (Rhino)

RIP Joel Whitburn

 Every music fan should own at least one Joel Whitburn chart book.  The first one I bought was in the early 80's, Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Which listed all the Top 40 hits from 1955 to that current year. As an American Top 40 fan, that book proved invaluable.  Quite simply, one of my most read books I've ever had.  From there I was hooked.  In subsequent years, I picked up a bunch of Whitburn's Record Research titles.   His once or twice a year update on his new releases was one of the best things I would receive in the mail. 

 These chart books were more than just a run down of titles that appeared on the Billboard charts.  These books are an invaluable resource of music history and facts told through chart stats. They told the stories of music history.  Whitburn also included artist rankings and other stats that made these books an addiction to chart music nerds like me.  In recent years, his company began publishing books on Record World and Cash Box charts.

  Back in 2019 I did a post called Music Critics & The Rock Hall in which I made my case for a Joel Whitburn induction as a non-performer:

Joel Whitburn - He's not a music critic, just the #1 record collector of chart records in the world.  But it's his Billboard chart books that every music critic and chart fan has to have on their shelf.  Before the Internet these books were a must have for radio stations, DJ's, Industry people and chart nuts like me. Actually, even in this Internet era, they still are a must have. 

  I liken Whitburn's contribution to Rock history in much the same manner as Ed & Steve Sabol.  That father & son duo founded NFL Films, which like Whitburn's books, changed the way we watched NFL games.  Their films also played a part in elevating many NFL players, coaches, owners to legendary status. Both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Whitburn should be in the Rock Hall.  A legend. RIP

Also, check out the video below, which was taped in 2005.  A tour of Whitburn's incredible record collection. 

Joel Whitburn Video

  

Playlist for 6/9

Sheryl (2022 Sheryl Crow Documentary)

Stro Elliot - Black & Loud: James Brown Reimagined

Amyl & the Sniffers - Comfort To Me

Kurt Vile - Watch My Moves

Sault - Air

Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time

Joe Sun - Old Flame

Linda Hargrove - Blue Jean Country Queen

Marshall Chapman - Me, I'm Feelin' Free

Freddie Mercury: The Final Act (2022 Documentary)

Favorite Summer Songs

Consider this a never-ending list of my favorite Summer songs.  I've also included songs that may not be about Summer, but have the feel of the season.

All Summer - Little Big Town

All Summer Long - Beach Boys
All Summer Long - Kid Rock

Beach Baby - First Class
Beautiful Morning - Rascals

Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy 
Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
California Girls - Beach Boys
California Sun - Rivieras

Constructive Summer - Hold Steady

Cool For The Summer - Demi Lovato
Cruel Summer - Bananarama

Cruise - Florida Georgia Line
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Dancing In The Street - Martha and the Vandellas
Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful
Everybody Loves The Sunshine - Roy Ayers
Fourth of July - Dave Alvin
Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys
Good Times - Chic
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
Grazing In The Grass - Friends of Distinction
Groovin' - Rascals

Heat Wave - Martha & the Vandellas

Heat Waves - Glass Animals 
Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly & The Family Stone

Hot In Herre - Nelly
I Live For The Sun - Sunrays
In The Summertime - Mungo & Jerry
Island In The Sun - Harry Belafonte
It's A Great Day To Be Alive - Travis Tritt
Lazy Day - Spanky and Our Gang
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

Melting In The Sun - ELO
Miserlou - Dick Dale

Mr. Blue Sky - ELO

Night Moves - Bob Seger

No, Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems - Kenny Chesney

One Summer Dream - ELO

Other Side of Summer - Elvis Costello
Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon

Pontoon - Little Big Town

Rock Lobster - B-52's
Rockaway Beach - Ramones
Saturday In The Park - Chicago
Sealed With A Kiss - Brian Hyland
See You In September - Happenings
School's Out - Alice Cooper
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart
Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny

Smooth - Santana & Rob Thomas
Soak Up The Sun - Sheryl Crow
Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
Steal My Sunshine - Len
Stoned Soul Picnic - Fifth Dimension

Suddenly Last Summer - Motels

Summer and Lightning - ELO
Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

Summer - Bobby Goldsboro
Summer - War
Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers
Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts

Summer Looks Good On You - Cheap Trick
Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful
Summer Madness - Kool & The Gang

Summer Means Fun - Bruce & Terry
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summertime - Billy Stewart

Summer's Comin' - Clint Black
Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran

Summertime Girls - Y&T
Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey
Summertime Summertime - Jamies
Sunny Afternoon - Kinks

Sunroof - Nicky Youre & Dazy

Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver
Surf City - Jan & Dean
Surfin' U.S.A. - Beach Boys

That Summer Feeling - Jonathan Richman

Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith

Theme From "Summer of '42" - Peter Nero
Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer - Nat King Cole
Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson

Toes - Zac Brown Band

Under The Boardwalk - Drifters
Vacation - Go-Go's
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

Wipe Out - Surfaris 

Playlist for 6/1

Father John Misty - Chloe & the Next 20th Century

Calexico - El Mirador

Wet Leg - s/t

Syd - Broken Hearts Club

Camil Cabello - Familia

Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

Son House - Forever On My Mind

Harry Chaplin: When In Doubt, Do Something