Rock
The First Time
Mar 24, 2025
When I was about twelve or thirteen, somewhere in that sweet spot where life was still mostly about cheeseburgers, football, and hoping your voice wouldn’t crack in front of a girl, this song started playing on the radio. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack. It didn’t come in like most pop hits, no thumping beat or catchy hook. Just soft piano and subtle strings, like it tiptoed into the room and whispered something meant only for you.I didn’t stand up and declare it my favorite song, not out loud. I didn’t even really understand what was happening in my chest the first dozen times I heard it. But something inside me gradually recognized it over a period of years. This wasn’t just a love song; this was the love song. It wrapped around me in a way I couldn’t explain, and by the end of that summer, I knew, without knowing, that it had taken permanent residence in my heart.
This woman, this voice; she was singing to one man. Just one. And whoever he was, he must’ve been carved from something sacred, because the way she sang to him was nothing short of soul-bending. She wasn’t performing. She was offering something. Confessing something. Like she had stripped herself down to nothing but truth and melody and laid it at his feet. The music didn’t push or pull—it just hovered there, gentle as breath, holding space for her voice to carry the weight.
And something in me, some small, hungry piece, began to hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, someone could ever feel that way about me. Not for what I could do or how I looked or what I could offer—but for who I was, in that quiet place between breaths. Could a woman ever lie beside me, meet my eyes, and sing that song with her whole being? Could her voice brush across my skin and crack open the sky?
If she ever did… if a moment like that ever truly found me, this earth would light up in full color, like it had been waiting all along for love to turn the lights on.
And life… life would never be the same.
Signs of the Times
Nov 18, 2024
Have you ever seen a more memorable marquee than this one from the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, TX in 1978?SRV Quote
Aug 16, 2023
“I’d like to talk to you all for a second if I can, cause you know basically I got to start off thanking God that I'm alive and well enough to be with you today, and that all is as well as it is. You see, less than two years ago I found myself in a real bad situation; I found myself down on the ground, and I couldn't get up, and I mean I was trying, and I couldn't. All I'm telling you about is...you see I thought I could stay at the party forever. It don't work that way, 'cause that shit’ll kill you. That stuff will kill you. What I'm asking you to do is just stay away from them drugs and things, 'cause what they do is they eat you inside out, you know. They make you forget about those people that you really love, and they make you run from love, 'cause you can't stand how good it looks. I'm asking you to take care of yourselves, so you can be there for your brothers and sisters when they need you. Are you with me?”
Stevie Ray Vaughan 1987
One Slip
Apr 15, 2023
"One Slip" by Pink Floyd, from their 1987 album "A Momentary Lapse of Reason." It's a song that dives into the themes of chance encounters leading to unintended consequences, reflecting on how a single moment can alter the course of one's life, especially in the context of adulterous relationships.
Songwriters: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera
A restless eye across a weary room
A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The music played and played as we whirled without end
No hint, no word her honour to defend
I will, I will she sighed to my request
And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
I led the way to the funeral pyre
And without a thought of the consequence
I gave in to my decadence
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life to a life
The one regret, you will never forget
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
Songwriters: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera
A restless eye across a weary room
A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The music played and played as we whirled without end
No hint, no word her honour to defend
I will, I will she sighed to my request
And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
I led the way to the funeral pyre
And without a thought of the consequence
I gave in to my decadence
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life to a life
The one regret, you will never forget
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
RIP Leslie West
Dec 13, 2022
I never knew much about Leslie West. Never saw him on television or heard an interview, but I had been listening to him belt out the lyrics to "Mississippi Queen" since it was released in 1970. Leslie West 1945 - 2020.
Songwriters: Leslie West, Corky Laing, Felix Pappalardi, David Rea
Mississippi Queen is a classic hall of fame entry into the world of Rock and Roll. It seems to be the story of a young man in the south who finds an amazing lady, who just happened to be a dancer and spends all his money on her while she teaches him the way of the world. Addiction or just a boy hopelessly in love? There's a fine line, which makes this a classic piece of Rock and Roll.
I Can't Quit You Baby
Jun 24, 2022
There are a few different versions, the lyrics below from Led Zeppelin I, 1969.
"I Can't Quit You Baby" Lyrics by Willie Dixon.
I can't quit you babe
So I'm gonna put you down for awhile
I said I can't quit you baby
I guess I gotta put you down for awhile
Said you messed up my happy home
Made me mistreat my only child
Yes you did baby!
Said you know I love you baby
My love for you I could never hide
Oh, you know I love you baby
My love for you I could never hide
When I feel you near me little girl
I know you are my one desire
When you hear me moaning and groaning, baby,
You know it hurts me deep down inside
When you hear me moaning and groaning, baby,
You know it hurts me deep down inside
Oh, when you hear me, honey, baby,
You know you're my one desire
Yes, you are
The Long One
Apr 14, 2022
I'm going to pull out all the stops and get down to the very best of the very best that rock and roll has to offer. This is as close as I can narrow down my favorite Beatles song: The Side Two Medley of Abbey Road. The medley consists of eight, somewhat incomplete songs, arranged into a seemingly awkward arrangement that starts slow and melodic, and builds and builds and builds into a crashing halt aptly named “The End”. It would be impossible for me to walk through a room where the Medley was playing and not stay to hear the rest of it. This composition moves me as much of any piece of music and satisfies.
I’m sure that I’ve heard it at least a thousand times, and the words just roll off my tongue that is until a new arrangement was released in 2019 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the album. Was I ever surprised, (and grateful) to hear this new arrangement entitled, “The Long One”, slightly realigned to reflect the original intended order. I'm picturing that this was one of the original edits of the Abbey Road sessions which eventually the sound engineers nuanced into the final masterpiece we have been hearing for fifty years. The changes are very subtle in some places, and obviously missing whole instruments or vocals in others, and then in other places, some vocals and effects have been deleted. It's the same, but different. To me, it is very exciting to hear greatness realigned ever so slightly so that I can enjoy trying to hear the subtle variations.
Here are the most notable differences I have been able to hear:
You Never Give Me Your Money
Sun King
Mean Mr. Mustard (John, who wrote it, said it was a piece of crap. Maybe so, but it works)
Her Majesty
Polythene Pam
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End
If anything qualifies as genius, the Medley does.
I’m sure that I’ve heard it at least a thousand times, and the words just roll off my tongue that is until a new arrangement was released in 2019 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the album. Was I ever surprised, (and grateful) to hear this new arrangement entitled, “The Long One”, slightly realigned to reflect the original intended order. I'm picturing that this was one of the original edits of the Abbey Road sessions which eventually the sound engineers nuanced into the final masterpiece we have been hearing for fifty years. The changes are very subtle in some places, and obviously missing whole instruments or vocals in others, and then in other places, some vocals and effects have been deleted. It's the same, but different. To me, it is very exciting to hear greatness realigned ever so slightly so that I can enjoy trying to hear the subtle variations.
Here are the most notable differences I have been able to hear:
- Starts off with just a second of recording studio chatter.
- You never give me your money. There’s an extra “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…all good children go to heaven”, played one bar earlier during "I didn't get it nah ah ah ah ah ah". It starts over your right shoulder and will catch you off guard because you are not ready to sing along with it. In fact, I don't even hear the "one", I only hear " two, three, four…"
- Simultaneously as that first “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…all good children go to heaven” is being rattled off in the background, Paul sings his "I didn't get it nah ah ah ah ah ah" followed by a powerful Little Richard "Wooooooooo".
- The bridge between YNGMYM, leading into Sun King is a long electronic chord instead of the bell and crickets and is over before the guitar and bass of Sun King begins.
- Her Majesty is moved up from twenty seconds after “The End” and inserted between Mean Mr. Mustard and Polythene Pam bringing the total number of songs to nine. It seems strange (now) to hear it there, but the opening chord of Her Majesty now makes sense, however the rhythm of the version you're used to will really be thrown off.
- Polythene Pam. Listen for some random wisecracks from John in the background during the instrumental second half of the song. "Fab!…isn't that great…it's real good that…real good" just before She came in through the bathroom window and the "Oh listen to that now….hehehe…oh look out!" you are used to hearing.
- Golden Slumbers. This is very subtle, but I believe a different take of Pauls vocals is used. This is most apparent in the chorus when he sings "Golden slumbers fill your eyes, smiles awake you when you rise, sleep pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby" as you would expect but the timing is oh so slightly different and his voice just a tad bit shakier. You may have to listen a couple of times, sing along in your head, but not out loud so you can feel it. Then compare to the radio version. It also sounds more like "Awake" on The Long One, and "Await" on the radio. The second verse is even harder to distinguish from the radio version but listen hard on "Do not cry". If you hear all these things, you are a true Medley fan.
- Carry That Weight. It seems that the bass is a little more pronounced on this and maybe even earlier tracks. Listen for it during "Boy…You're gonna carry that weight…carry that weight…a long time" it's the same thing as the radio version, just can just hear the jazziness of it on The Long One where its a little muddier on the radio.
- The symphonic background is noticeably missing before we hear "I never give you my pillow". You can hear the piano more, and also THERE IS NO LEAD GUITAR!
- No horns during the short drum sequence right after "I break down". No symphony
- From here out it is more difficult to establish the differences. Generally, the symphony is missing and even some lead vocals.
- The opening of The End is minus the "Oh yeah…all right…are you gonna be in my dreams…tonight." (and because of that, it tricks you into thinking that there is an extra stanza). From 14:41, you get (what feels like) an extended 42 seconds of killer lead bass. No, it just sounds that way because it is usually backing three separate dueling lead guitars. Those George, John and Paul leads are not there yet and this just rocks with the bass leading over a background rhythm guitar and accompanying drums. If I were a guitar player, I could have a field day filling in my own lead(s) over this awesome baseline.
- 15:29 no symphony guitar fills and no "Love you…love you…love you…love you" and finally, no "And, in the end…the love you take…is equal to the love…you make" (is that really true?). No backing "Ahhhhhh…AHHHHH"
- No Her Majesty at this point because it was already played earlier.
- Now go listen to it!
You Never Give Me Your Money
Sun King
Mean Mr. Mustard (John, who wrote it, said it was a piece of crap. Maybe so, but it works)
Her Majesty
Polythene Pam
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End
If anything qualifies as genius, the Medley does.
The Confessor
Dec 11, 2020
Lyrics by Joe Walsh
At just over 7 minutes long, The Confessor meets my first requirement of an epic piece of rock and roll. It also strikes me as two compositions in one - the first half is gentle in a dreamlike state then stops and switches to hard and angry (kind of like the way Tina Turner introduced Proud Mary). Another observation of the music itself is that the song seems to have two different drum parts. Can you distinguish between the conventional drums and an electronic set? The electronic is played in the first half, but sort of muffled. Conventional drums take over the start of the second half and they are intermingled toward the end. The electronic is a little more echoey. If you know what to listen for, it's definitely there.
Something else I learned is about the cover artwork. It is a slight edit of a painting called "Zwei Männer in Betrachtung des Mondes" by Caspar David Friedrich, which translates to "Two men contemplating the moon". Perhaps what they are contemplating in this instance, is the real Joe Walsh. Walsh has been pretty open with his relationship with addiction and maybe this album is his confession, and a window into his true self.
The recounting starts off slow and melodic with building electronic keyboards and some very clear 12-string guitar. With an eye of wonder the singer begins reflecting on life and how reality may not be what it seems. Could he be painting a picture of the deception that leads a person down the road to addiction?
At mid point there is an interlude of silence, followed by a change of time signature, pace and realization as if it is twenty years later. The intensity picks up as the singer, having lived life, made horrible mistakes, reached a crossroads and now wants to tell us what the real world is like. The overall tone is "You better listen to what I'm saying - I'm telling you the truth". Over a driving, yet simple solo drumbeat, he goes on to describe how it feels (as the confessor) to admit the exact nature of our sins to God, ourselves and another human being. God knows you. You know you. You can't lie. You're completely naked and humiliated. This is rigorous honesty. Yes, it's brutal, but necessary to be The Confessor.
Then the Rock and Roll kicks in - which is why we put this record on. We are treated to a minute and a half jam session of guitar work and percussion of the previously mentioned two drum sounds. Be sure you have it turned up loud now as it builds to a crescendo of screaming guitar licks blaring an audio picture of how the addiction became overwhelming. The mood seems to calm for a second, but then the singer passionately scolds and reminds us with a whole list of repercussions that have a grip on us and keep us in bondage. He pleads for us to let go.
When it's over, it's over (the song, not the addiction). At some point, you have to make up your mind to give it up.
The Confessor
If you look at your reflection in the bottom of a well
What you see is only on the surface
If you try to see the meaning, hidden underneath
The measure of the depth can be deceiving
The bottom has a rocky reputation
You can feel it in the distance
The deeper down you stare
From up above it's hard to see
But you know it when you're there
On the bottom words are shallow
On the surface talk is cheap
You can only judge the distance by the company you keep
In the eyes of the confessor
In the eyes of the confessor
There's no place you can hide
You can't hide from the eyes (of the confessor)
Don't you even try
In the eyes of the confessor
You can't tell a lie
You cannot tell a lie (to the confessor)
Strip you down to size
Naked as the day that you were born
Naked as the day that you were born
Take all the trauma, drama, comments
The guilt and doubt and shame
The what if's and if only's
The shackles and the chains
The violence and aggression
The pettiness and scorn
The jealousy and hatred
The tempest and discord
And give it up!
Comments System WIDGET PACK
RIP Eddie Van Halen
Oct 06, 2020
The first time I heard Van Halen was in 1978 when "Runnin with the Devil" was played on Rock and Roll radio. I bought the first Van Halen album and the rest is history. I saw them perform only once - around 1984, I really don't remember. Eddie Van Halen was the coolest. If you look in the upper right corner, you can see my tribute and devotion to the world's greatest guitarist, my Eddie Van Halen mailbox. When my old mailbox was falling down, I fixed the mount, and re-painted it in the process. Rock in peace, Eddie.
Now, just for fun:
YouTube
Restless
Aug 02, 2020
Restless from the 1978 album You're Gonna Get It! by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Written by Tom Petty
Is this song about a sex addict? That's your call, but one thing's for sure, Restless by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rocks!
"Restless"
I don't need to belong to no one
I don't belong at all
Got my face in the corner
Got my back to the wall
And pretty baby I'm restless, restless
Restless through and through
I'm restless restless
You look restless too
I'm a hair trigger lover
And I can't face up to nothing
I'm impatient with the wind
But I'm waitin' here for somethin'
And pretty baby I'm restless, restless
Restless through and through
I'm restless restless
You look restless too
Restless sleep, twisted dreams
Moving targets, silent screams
Restless city, restless steets
Restless you, restless me
I'm a face out the window
I'm a black satin sheet
And I can't stay warm
I stay out in the street
And pretty baby I'm restless, restless
Restless through and through
I'm restless restless
You look restless too
Turn The Page
Jun 19, 2020
Turn The Page from the 1973 album Back in '72 and again on the 1976 Live Bullet by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Lyrics by Bob Seger
Turn the Page tells the story of an exhausted performer and his band driving all night, trying to make the next gig. He thinks about all the hazards of living on the road as he practices his craft of being the "Star". I believe it does have an element of sex addiction, albeit an element that is very common in all men: As he is riding the night out, his mind wanders.
"On a long and lonesome highway
East of Omaha
You can listen to the engine
Moanin' out his one note song
You can think about the woman
Or the girl you knew the night before…"
The night before, last week, 35 years ago. Those thoughts seem to be the default place our mind may turn to when we are not actively engaged.
Lyrics by Bob Seger
"On a long and lonesome highway
East of Omaha
You can listen to the engine
Moanin' out his one note song
You can think about the woman
Or the girl you knew the night before…"
The night before, last week, 35 years ago. Those thoughts seem to be the default place our mind may turn to when we are not actively engaged.
Carry On Wayward Son
Apr 24, 2020
Carry On Wayward Son from the 1976 album Leftoverture by Kansas.
Songwriter Kerry Livgren
I remember the first time I heard this in 1976, I thought it was just another fill in song on the radio, but the more I listened, the more special it became. Now, when I hear it, I am marveled at the opening instrumentation, who would have dared create something like this in 1976?
Songwriter Kerry Livgren
I remember the first time I heard this in 1976, I thought it was just another fill in song on the radio, but the more I listened, the more special it became. Now, when I hear it, I am marveled at the opening instrumentation, who would have dared create something like this in 1976?
The Golden Age
Apr 15, 2020
Just when was the Golden Age of Rock and Roll?
First, we have to start with the assumption that Rock and Roll is no longer being created. I say that it's dead, but it't not dead in the sense that we have no Rock and Roll to listen to, we have hundreds or thousands of great pieces of music archived all over the place to enjoy for the rest of our lives. My point is that at some point, it stopped being created. If you are under 50 years old, you may strongly disagree with what I am saying. Does Rock and Roll even exist anymore? Certainly, there are some talented musicians out there creating good rock and roll music and I commend them on their love for the music, however we will never hear it because the music distribution system does not work for us the way it used to. It's really Rock and Roll Radio that is dead, and because the channel of distribution doesn't function properly, I can't imagine that new artists are able to make any money to engage in their craft, therefore new rock and roll has apparently dried up. Anyone who takes a critical look at Rock and Roll will have an opinion on precisely when the Golden Age took place. Some have said Feb. 3, 1959 was the day the music died. That great philosopher, Gene Simmons has noted that between 1958 and 1988 there were hundreds of successful rock acts. Hundreds. And by successful, he means they made money and paid the bills…and I would say that they came up with some great music in the process. He challenges us to name two since 1988. I could probably name three, but his point is legit.
The successful rock acts now, are artists who started before 1988 and in some cases, well before then. The Rolling Stones are touring this year, 2020. Recently, I watched an archived interview of the Dick Cavett show from 1972 in which he interviewed Mick Jagger while the Stones were playing two shows at Madison Square Garden. Jagger, who was just shy of 30 years old was asked by Cavett, "Can you see yourself doing this when you're 60?". "Yes, definitely" was his answer. I was surprised to hear that contrasted with Bill Wyman's answer when asked if he thought he'd be doing this ten years from now was something along the lines of "I don't know what I'll be doing next week". That was a realistic outlook in the rock world. Jagger, by the way is 76 years old and doesn't seem to be slowing down. Rock was created back in the day, but there's no such thing as new rock. Correct me if I'm wrong.
So, when was the golden age? Ask a hundred people, get a hundred different answers. One day around 2005 when I was bored, I created a graph that illustrated the radio stations I was listening to and the general strength of rock and roll created and receiving airplay during that time. Yes, I believe the 50's were more important to Rock and Roll than the 00's. The 10's and 20's are flatlined. Here's another way of looking at the purple bars:
50's Hey this sounds pretty cool daddy-O
60's Explosion!
70's Refinement, maturity, peak
80's Hey, lets get technology to do all the work
90's Houston, we have a problem
00's RIP Rock and Roll
First, we have to start with the assumption that Rock and Roll is no longer being created. I say that it's dead, but it't not dead in the sense that we have no Rock and Roll to listen to, we have hundreds or thousands of great pieces of music archived all over the place to enjoy for the rest of our lives. My point is that at some point, it stopped being created. If you are under 50 years old, you may strongly disagree with what I am saying. Does Rock and Roll even exist anymore? Certainly, there are some talented musicians out there creating good rock and roll music and I commend them on their love for the music, however we will never hear it because the music distribution system does not work for us the way it used to. It's really Rock and Roll Radio that is dead, and because the channel of distribution doesn't function properly, I can't imagine that new artists are able to make any money to engage in their craft, therefore new rock and roll has apparently dried up. Anyone who takes a critical look at Rock and Roll will have an opinion on precisely when the Golden Age took place. Some have said Feb. 3, 1959 was the day the music died. That great philosopher, Gene Simmons has noted that between 1958 and 1988 there were hundreds of successful rock acts. Hundreds. And by successful, he means they made money and paid the bills…and I would say that they came up with some great music in the process. He challenges us to name two since 1988. I could probably name three, but his point is legit.
The successful rock acts now, are artists who started before 1988 and in some cases, well before then. The Rolling Stones are touring this year, 2020. Recently, I watched an archived interview of the Dick Cavett show from 1972 in which he interviewed Mick Jagger while the Stones were playing two shows at Madison Square Garden. Jagger, who was just shy of 30 years old was asked by Cavett, "Can you see yourself doing this when you're 60?". "Yes, definitely" was his answer. I was surprised to hear that contrasted with Bill Wyman's answer when asked if he thought he'd be doing this ten years from now was something along the lines of "I don't know what I'll be doing next week". That was a realistic outlook in the rock world. Jagger, by the way is 76 years old and doesn't seem to be slowing down. Rock was created back in the day, but there's no such thing as new rock. Correct me if I'm wrong.
So, when was the golden age? Ask a hundred people, get a hundred different answers. One day around 2005 when I was bored, I created a graph that illustrated the radio stations I was listening to and the general strength of rock and roll created and receiving airplay during that time. Yes, I believe the 50's were more important to Rock and Roll than the 00's. The 10's and 20's are flatlined. Here's another way of looking at the purple bars:
50's Hey this sounds pretty cool daddy-O
60's Explosion!
70's Refinement, maturity, peak
80's Hey, lets get technology to do all the work
90's Houston, we have a problem
00's RIP Rock and Roll
Let me explain. These are Dallas radio stations. Rock and Roll rose very quickly in the late 50's and exploded in the 1960's. You can see that it (in my opinion) peaked in the 1970's and died a slow agonizing death going down slower than it had risen, mostly due to the momentum it had gained in the 60's and 70's which we will cherish well into the future. Very little good rock and roll was created after the 80's (really not much in the 80's if you ask me), and the only rock and roll we have to listen to is old rock and roll. It will carry me through my lifetime and maybe a few decades beyond. I listened to KLIF 1190 AM in the 1960's when rock and roll radio flourished. FM wasn't even around then, that I can remember, but by the time I made the jump to KNUS 98.7 and soon after KVIL 103.7, little could I comprehend that rock and roll was peaking. KNUS and KVIL were top 40, bubblegum or pop stations. I didn't understand that at the time. KLIF had been a more serious rock and roll station but that could be because there wasn't as much music around then. The early to mid 70's stations were just a natural progression and we took what was given to us at the time.
I had heard about KZEW, The Zoo, 97.9 along about 8th grade, but it wasn't until my sophomore year, 1974 that I began to listen. This was a game changer in my rock and roll world. These people cared about the music and played deep into the albums. The exposure to great music was wider and this is when I became a connoisseur. Until now, I had eaten everything that was placed before me, but now I had a choice. I decided to rock. KTXQ 102.1 came along soon after and we had two stations to go back and forth with, buy records, and go to concerts. We enjoyed a good 15 years of rocking on down the highway. Then something dreadful happened in Dec. of 1989. On my way to work, I turned on the Zoo and what do I hear? Christmas music. I love Christmas music as much as the next guy, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I heard the bad news from someone. The Zoo was going to play Christmas music until the end of the year, then would be no more. It was gone. Dead. Formaldehyde City. Get over it. I didn't get over it, it was Feb. 3, 1959 all over again and would never be resurrected. Those great, album oriented stations who cared more about the music than anything else ended. It probably wasn't financially feasible, but it was nice while we had it. We still have KZPS 92.5 and all the silliness that seems to pay the bills. Yuck!
In addition to my graph I proudly present above, I did a critical analysis of this phenomenon we call Rock and Roll and pinpointed the exact peak to be the year 1971. Everything before then was on the way up and afterward on the way down. But it did rise back up in a way. The internet came along and brought to the front a lot of old music that I had never heard, or hadn't heard in a long time. I have more true rock and roll now than ever before, but the creation of it has long been dead. The end. ~JK
My City Was Gone
Apr 04, 2020
My City Was Gone from the 1984 album Learning To Crawl by The Pretenders.
Lyrics by Chrissie Hynde
One of the best bass-driven songs I've ever heard,
My City Was Gone keeps an even tempo with the baseline against the echoing drums throughout. It's a song that you can really get into late at night driving down a dark, lonely road. I don't like Chrissie Hyndes style of singing, but she does it so good. I don't think anyone else could convert story-telling into a song using this pretentious style of singing, but she invented it and listening to it for so long, it just works. I had always thought the groovy, fade out guitar picking was by original Pretenders guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott, but after a little research, I see he died a few months before the track was recorded using Bill Bremer on the guitar. Give it a critical listen, and see if you don't hear it like never before.~JK
Lyrics by Chrissie Hynde
Can't You Hear Me Knocking?
Mar 24, 2020
Lyrics by Jagger/Richards
Right out of the gate, Keith plays some crystal clear, down and dirty licks, and everything rocks from here on. This is a classic example of fuzzy guitar, genius rock and roll riffing, kept in line with Charlie Watts doing more than his usual time keeping minimum, throwing in some great rap-tapping and cymbalizing. I've been listening to this song for almost half a century, but only recently did I really hear it. Around the fourth stanza, I was drawn to the backup singing: "Hear me prowlin', I'm gonna take you down. Hear me growlin', Yeah, I've flatted feet now, now, now, now. Hear me howlin', And all, all around your street now. Hear me knockin', And all, all around your town". I played the whole thing over and it became brand new.
You don't see it coming, but at midpoint, the song very cleverly and quickly, shapeshifts into a jazzy jam session complete with bongos, a cool-cat saxophone solo by Bobby Keys that never really ends and an echoing guitar solo by Mick Taylor. The jamming goes on for a good 4 minutes and just like that, it's over with an exclamation point! Some of the older folks might remember that when you went into the record store and saw this cardboard album in 1971, right in the middle was a flap, when opened revealed a working metal zipper on a piece of cloth. I've never seen that repeated.
Might As Well Face It, You're Addicted
Mar 13, 2020
Our first Classic Song is from 1986, Robert Palmer's Addicted To Love. This song is pretty relevant if you read it and could qualify as a letter from Your Addiction. Fill in the blanks with your own addictive behavior.
Lyrics by Robert Palmer
Your lights are on, but you're not home
Your mind is not your own
Your heart sweats, your body shakes
Another _____ is what it takes
You can't sleep, you can't eat
There's no doubt, you're in deep
Your throat is tight, you can't breathe
Another _____ is all you need
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
You see the signs, but you can't read
You're running at a different speed
Your heart beats in double time
Another _____ and you'll be mine, a one track mind
You can't be saved
Oblivion is all you crave
If there's some left for you
You don't mind if you do
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
Might as well face it, you're addicted to _____ (x5)
Your lights are on, but you're not home
Your will is not your own
You're heart sweats and teeth grind
Another _____ and you'll be mine
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
Might as well face it, you're addicted to _____ (x7)
Lyrics by Robert Palmer
Your lights are on, but you're not home
Your mind is not your own
Your heart sweats, your body shakes
Another _____ is what it takes
You can't sleep, you can't eat
There's no doubt, you're in deep
Your throat is tight, you can't breathe
Another _____ is all you need
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
You see the signs, but you can't read
You're running at a different speed
Your heart beats in double time
Another _____ and you'll be mine, a one track mind
You can't be saved
Oblivion is all you crave
If there's some left for you
You don't mind if you do
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
Might as well face it, you're addicted to _____ (x5)
Your lights are on, but you're not home
Your will is not your own
You're heart sweats and teeth grind
Another _____ and you'll be mine
Whoa, you like to think that you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're gonna have to face it, you're addicted to _____.
Might as well face it, you're addicted to _____ (x7)