In order to help me survive Trump’s “Liberation Day” I decided to soothe my jangled nerves with some soft rock music and some familiar songs from 1968 (a great year for me!). “One On One” is one of Hall and Oates’s most mellow songs. The same goes for The Moody Blues’s “Nights in White Satin.”
AM Gold 1968 includes The Temptations’s “I Wish It Would Rain” and Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell’s classic “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing”–two of my favorite soul songs. Speaking of Marvin Gaye and soul songs, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is near the top of the Best list with Otis Reddings’ “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”.
Music helps me get through difficult days. What are you listening to during these troubled times? GRADE: B+ (for both)
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Hall & Oates*– | One On One Written-By – D. Hall |
| 2 | James Taylor (2)– | Sweet Baby James Written-By – J. Taylor* |
| 3 | Rod Stewart– | Mandolin Wind Written-By – R. Stewart |
| 4 | Cat Stevens– | Peace Train Written-By – C. Stevens |
| 5 | The Moody Blues– | Nights In White Satin Written-By – J. Hayward |
| 6 | Steve Winwood– | Higher Love Written-By – S. Winwood*, W. Jennings |
| 7 | Atlanta Rhythm Section– | So Into You Written-By – Buie*, Daughtry*, Nix |
| 8 | Player (4)– | Baby Come Back Written-By – J.C. Crowley, P. Beckett |
| 9 | ABBA– | Fernando Written-By – B. Andersson*, B. Ulvaeus*, S. Anderson |
| 10 | Procol Harum– | A Salty Dog Written-By – G. Brooker*, K. Reid |
| 11 | Pablo Cruise– | Love Will Find A Way Written-By – C. Lerios*, D. Jenkins |
| 12 | Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes– | Up Where We Belong Written-By – B. Sainte-Marie*, J. Nitzsche*, W. Jennings |
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | The Rascals– | A Beautiful Morning Written-By – Eddie Brigati Jr.*, Felix Cavaliere | 2:34 |
| 2 | Classics IV*– | Spooky Written-By – Buddy Buie, Harry Middlebrooks, James Cobb*, Mike Shapiro | 2:51 |
| 3 | José Feliciano– | Light My Fire Written-By – Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Raymond Manzarek*, Robert Krieger | 3:31 |
| 4 | Sergio Mendes And Brasil ’66*– | The Look Of Love Lyrics By – Hal David Music By – Burt Bacharach | 2:42 |
| 5 | Spanky And Our Gang*– | Like To Get To Know You Written-By – Stuart Scharf | 3:12 |
| 6 | Mason Williams– | Classical Gas Written-By – Mason Williams | 3:05 |
| 7 | Merrilee Rush And The Turnabouts*– | Angel Of The Morning Written-By – Chip Taylor | 3:12 |
| 8 | The Temptations– | I Wish It Would Rain Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield, Roger Penzabene | 2:48 |
| 9 | Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell– | Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing Written-By – Nicholas Ashford And Valerie Simpson | 2:16 |
| 10 | Dionne Warwick– | Do You Know The Way To San Jose Lyrics By – Hal David Music By – Burt Bacharach | 2:55 |
| 11 | Bobby Goldsboro– | Honey Written-By – Robert L. Russell* | 4:00 |
| 12 | B.J. Thomas– | Hooked On A Feeling Written-By – Mark James | 2:48 |
| 13 | The 5th Dimension*– | Stoned Soul Picnic Written-By – Laura Nyro | 3:26 |
| 14 | The Lettermen– | Goin’ Out Of My Head / Can’t Take My Eyes Off You Written-By – Bow Crewe, Bob Gaudino*, Bobby Weinstein, Teddy Randazzo | 3:06 |
| 15 | Hugh Masekela– | Grazing In The Grass Written-By – Philemon Hou | 2:37 |
| 16 | The Vogues– | Turn Around, Look At Me Written-By – Jerry Capehart | 2:46 |
| 17 | Glen Campbell– | Wichita Lineman Written-By – Jim Webb | 3:02 |
| 18 | Dionne Warwick– | (Theme From) Valley Of The Dolls Lyrics By – Dory Previn Music By – André Previn | 3:34 |
| 19 | Mama Cass*– | Dream A Little Dream Of Me Written-By – Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt | 3:14 |
| 20 | Dion (3)– | Abraham, Martin And John Written-By – Dick Holler | 3:19 |
| 21 | Marvin Gaye– | I Heard It Through The Grapevine Written-By – Norman Whitfield And Barrett Strong | 3:16 |
| 22 | Otis Redding– | (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay Written-By – Otis Redding, Steve Cropper | 2:40 |
I’m listening to my usual mix of 1970s disco, 1980s alternative, and contemporary EDM (the perfect synthesis & evolution of my two favorite musical eras). However, yesterday on the drive to work, I had the 70s station on Sirius, and I sang along (every word) to Don MacLean’s “American Pie”, and by the time I got to work (I have a short commute, so “American Pie” covered almost all of it), I realized I was crying (some combination of nostalgia, mood, and existential dread, I suppose): these times are tough on all of us.
Deb, there are going to be a lot of tears because of Trump’s tariffs…not only here but all across the world. All the foreign stock exchanges are down. Our stock markets will be down today. So much unnecessary havoc! And, last night on MSNBC, I learned Trump’s 10,000 cuts of CDC, NIH, and other medicinal agencies included Trump’s firing of the doctor that saved his life when he was dying of Covid-19.
Gratitude from this piss-ant twerp? This pile of barely ambulatory excrement?
60s Gold, 50s Gold, 70s Gold, Margaritaville (yesterday we heard an entire Jimmy Buffett concert from the Saturday before Labor Day 2008 from Virginia), plus The Mavericks (we have a concert next week).
Jeff, that’s a lot of great music! We have an upcoming event where Joan Osborne shows up in Buffalo to see Bob Dylan songs!
Also The Bridge, described as “Mellow Classic Rock,” which is relevant to your question . The Eagles, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, etc.
Jeff, Diane loves The Bridge on Sirius/XM Radio. I’m a Watercolor guy.
Alas, the song going thorough my head on “Liberation Day” is Napoleon XIV’s “They’re Coming to Take Me Away.”
Very appropriate, Jerry.
Jeff, Jerry always has a good sense of where we are…
Jerry, I think Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” is creeping up on all of us now that Trump has pissed off China and alienated our allies.
I know. I’ve heard it a few times on Sirius and other than a couple of things, it is just as relevant today as the day it came out in 1965.
“Hate your next door neighbor but don’t forget to say grace” speaks to the hypocrisy even more prevalent now.
The first one doesn’t shake my tree, but the second one, yeah baby! 1968 was my transition year from high school to college. Cream and The Doors were as likely to chart as Bobby Goldsboro and Glen Campbell.
Fred, like you I was transitioning in 1968. I hated High School (I had to run for my Life in gym class as sadistic athletes targeted me and the other nerds in deadly Dodgeball). College was a whole different world! I never wanted to leave! And, technically, I never did. After graduating, I taught for a while and then worked on my PhD. and went to the other side of the lecture podium, becoming a College Professor for almost 40 years. Bill Crider and I used to talk about our luck at having the Best Job in the world. But today’s Colleges and Universities face disaster with Trump and DOGE cuts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZlMF3JPxVE
Lots of great stuff here, George.
I especially like Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman. He and Jimmy Webb made a great team.
I even like Webb’s MacArthur Park, which regularly tops lists of stupidest song ever.
Beth, I confess to being fond of “MACARTHUR PARK” too!
Have to agree with all of you! So many fantastic songs, wouldn’t know which to choose as best.
After 1980 I slowly lost interest in the new stuff in “Rock&Roll”, disco etc.
Who is missing:
Eric Clapton who turned 80 a few days ago (not much younger than me …).
When in 2007 I met this nice woman in Hungary (just two years younger …) I didn’t expect that she likes SF, Fantasy, Jazz and Rock – so we are still together and we still listen to the old stuff.
Wolf, Eric Clapton was one of my favorites back in the days of CREAM and BLIND FAITH.
Last time I listened to a lot of music was on 20 March. Too much tooth-grinding since.
Jawbox: Grip
and, Motorist (inspired
by J. G. Ballard’s CRASH)
Bad Religion: Operation Rescue
King Crimson: Man with an Open Heart
The Zombies: Beechwood Park
(not terribly deep,
but evocative)
The Kinks: Village Green
Janelle Monae and Estelle: It’s My Thing
All the links cheerfully erased above…hmm. Let’s try:
Jawbox:
Grip
Motorist (inspired by Ballard’s CRASH)
Bad Religion:
Operation Rescue
King Crimson:
Man with an Open Heart
The Zombies:
Beechwood Park (not terribly deep, but evocative)
The Kinks:
Village Green
Janelle Monae and Estelle:
It’s My Thing
Again…
Jawbox:
Grip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tDQGZBD4_Y
Motorist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEmP4lzt1rA (inspired by Ballard’s CRASH)
Bad Religion:
Operation Rescue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phMqxGm27F8
King Crimson:
Man with an Open Heart
The Zombies:
Beechwood Park https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia2-Bu-2LMA (not terribly deep, but evocative)
The Kinks:
Village Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=320yV68ab5c
Janelle Monae and Estelle:
It’s My Thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDVMnQGqIXU
The King Crimson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojDaQMbKiJs
(Multiple links puts the previous mail in moderation…forgot about that.)