Saturday, February 13, 2010

Valentine's Eve

Is it still a cliché if it is seriously one of the drop dead, sexiest songs of all time? Enjoy for tonight, tune back in tomorrow for number one.


Song #73: Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On

Friday, February 12, 2010

Songs to Love to

Seeing as how we are on the verge of Valentine's Day, I will be serving up some of the more romantic tunes I have come across. I will do a sort of truncated Top 3, culminating in something Valentastic. Today's song is a completely underrated romantic ditty by a group I have procrastinated in putting on because I felt I have not yet been able to write a piece that would do them justice. One of the most beautiful songs written about love by the greatest band ever to grace the Earth, The Beatles...


Song #72 - The Beatles - Two Of Us

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Doppleganger Alert!

I was on the train today and I saw this exact doppleganger...


No?

Song #71: Aretha Franklin - Never Loved A Man

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Snowpocalypse!

I almost died in this car

The snow in here on the east coast is really coming down. Even banks were closed. I mean, what's that about? Get home safe, and if you don't have to leave, then stay here and listen to the archives.

Song #70: The Rolling Stones - Monkey Man

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Blue Notes

Realizing that I have only provided at best, "Blues-Adjacent" songs thus far, I am beginning another parallel series, Blue Notes. This series will highlight some of the best to ever slang the "Blue Devils." I will let the legendary Howlin' Wolf do any further explaining. You KNOW you have the blues if your name has an apostrophe at the end of it. And also if it's Wolf.


You may have noticed a change in link color to make them a bit more prominent, appropriately to blue.


Song #69: Howlin' Wolf - How Many More Years

Monday, February 8, 2010

The Godfather of Rocksteady


click to enlarge

Alton Ellis, widely considered the Godfather of Rocksteady,  may have the finest voice I have ever heard. He has such a natural blueness to his voice, in the sense that The Blues, came from the use of a "Blue Note" which, musically speaking, is nothing more than a flatted 3rd, 5th, or 7th. Basically its that extra drop in key that carries the whole emotion that separates the Blues from any other genre. It also allows the concept and feeling of the blues to penetrate any other genre, or even non musical situation (I'm sure you would agree, its easy to have and sing the blues without being a musician). Back to Alton, his voice dances around the flats and minors, dripping emotion on every note, but then in an instant, he can jump a full octave and hit a high note with sheer perfection. His career spanned decades and he is one of the most respected voices in the history of Jamaica (Trenchtown, Kingston to be specific). I have a feeling I'm going to be sharing quite a bunch more Alton Ellis, or his remarkably talented sister Hortense Ellis (or their work together) before the year is up. Here he is with one of his early outfits, Alton Ellis and the Flames.

Song #68: Alton Ellis - How Can I