In case you don’t know, or don’t remember, Frank Sinatra sang a song called “My Way.” That song starts with this line: “And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain.” I’ll bet, when Frank sang those lyrics, he wasn’t actually seriously considering the end of his own life. Because, from what I’ve been able to see in his life, … The rest of the story…
Tag Archives: music history
On February 17, 2000 there was an auction for John Lennon’s Steinway piano. But it wasn’t just a Steinway. It was also the one he used to compose his song, “Imagine.” That vacuous, ridiculous, and delusional dive into nothingness. I think even the Steinway piano had more intelligence. “Gee whiz, Tony. Why don’t you say what you really think?” OK. John Lennon was a stupid, … The rest of the story…
I love a samba beat with soft nylon-stringed guitar and congas and smooth bass lines. And I deeply appreciate when a singer/songwriter focuses more intently on vocal performance and recording than just about anything else. So, I certainly tuned into a song that came out, back in 1975, that met all that criteria. From a young woman who sang about getting no valentines when … The rest of the story…
Lay Lady Lay? Are you kidding me? Bob Dylan is one of those people who was very fortunate to have been born in America. (psst…I am, too. But for much different reasons) Because with that voice, and some of those songs, he might have been imprisoned for crimes against the state in other countries. Mr. Dylan recorded Lay Lady Lay on this date back … The rest of the story…
I’m not sure I would have left my love for the drums if he hadn’t existed. Because, I’ve always really loved playing the drums. But then I heard some catchy hit songs on the radio. And then my brother gave me an album as a high school graduation gift. And suddenly my musical desires marched to a different drum. And that different drum was … The rest of the story…
If you’ve followed my articles and/or listened to my podcast episodes for a while, you might be surprised at some of the songs you’d find on my like list. And a great example of this would be “Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo. Here’s an excerpt of the lyrics… “I was struck by lighting, walkin’ down the street.I was hit by somethin’ last night … The rest of the story…
As I write this, today’s date is February 4, 2022. So, that means it has been exactly 39 years since Karen Carpenter died. And that might not mean anything to younger readers and listeners. But she was considered one of the best female vocalists around, in her day. The news reports said Karen Carpenter died of a heart attack. They also called it “cardiac … The rest of the story…
When I lived in Pasadena, Texas, there was a levee my friends and I would drive to and throw frisbees and listen to music. And one of the songs we listened to was about how Buddy Holly died and music did, too. And Buddy Holly died after a concert on this date in 1959. On February 2, 1959 Buddy, and Richie Valens, and The … The rest of the story…
He said he learned to sing “in church, because of my mother. God bless my mom.” And I read another quote from him that was in response to being called Mr. Evans. He replied, “Don’t call me Mr. Evans; only my minister can call me that.” And American music chart history shows how he had the only record, ever, to reach number 1 at … The rest of the story…
It might still be possible. But my guess is, it’s rare. And I mean it’s rare for a person to have a lyricist career anymore. Especially since actual lyrics, with solid meter and rhyme. But something I shared yesterday led me to look a little more closely at the life of Johnson Oatman Jr. Ironically, Mr. Oatman didn’t really have a lyricist career. And … The rest of the story…