Song of the Day Ap 3-9

April 3 2024

A little history of this song..... Everyday People      by Sly & the Family Stone

Let's start out Volume VIII with one of my favorite songs from the 60's... but with a little twist to it. Sly Stewart (aka Sly Stone of Sly & the Family Stone) wrote 'Everyday People' in the Summer of '68. He saw the racial and political strife that was happening all around the Country and thought to himself that in the end of it all we're all just people (butchers, bankers,drummers) and now matter who you are we're all people working everyday to feed our families and be happy. But in that era, that wasn't that easy to do. 'Everyday People' is a very simple song with with a profoundly deep meaning and no matter what you think or have heard about Sly... he was ahead of his time with this song. In the early 2020's, a group of musicians whose members call themselves "Playing for Change" have embodied this spirit and believe that through Music we ,as a people, can connect and inspire change in the world. The video below is Sly Stone's 'Everyday People' seen through their eyes. I know this will bring a smile to your face. I have also listed, in order of appearance in the video, who everyone is. Enjoy this... it's a great take on a very old song but dressed up for modern times.

Enjoy!!

Keb' Mo'- Grammy Award winning guitarist

Chad Smith- Red Hot Peppers Drummer

Jack Johnson- Singer, Guitarist

Paula Fugo- Hawaiian Singer Songwriter

 Forrest Whitaker- American Actor

 Tim Robbins- American Actor

 Jason Mraz- Singer Songwriter

 John Lloyd Young- Tony Award winning Actor/Singer for 'Jersey Boys'

 Josh Groban- Singer

 Jake Shimabukuro- Ukelele virtuoso

 Yo Yo Ma- American Cellist

 Citizen Cope- American singer songwriter & producer

 Bernie Williams- Baseball Player + virtuso guitarist

 Frank Gehry- World renown Architect

 Paula Abdul- Dancer

 Elizabeth Banks- Actress, Director, Game Show Host

 Doc Shaw- American Actor

 Alfre Woodard- American Actress

 Trombone Shorty- American musician

 Carla Dirlikov- American mezzo-soprano

 Misty Copeland- American ballet dancer

 Silk Road Ensemble- Musical performance group founded by Yo Yo Ma

April 5 2024

A little history of this song..... The Wild Ones      by Voltage

Today's Song of the Day is from Dutch Rockers Voltage. The song is entitled 'The Wild Ones', and was released in January 2024. The song has garnered so much attention overseas that Dutch Radio station NPO Radio 2 declared it the Top Song of the Month in January 2024! This single is on the upcoming fifth studio album, which will be released on April 12, 2024. 'The Wild Ones' is inspired by a close friendship of people with two completely different lives, yet many similarities that form a strong bond between them. The message being that you take care of your own happiness. It is a typical Voltage song with distinct electric guitar sounds and a 12-string acoustic guitar in the background. Both instruments have been staples of their distinctive sound since their inception. A grooving rhythm section and classic vocal harmonies that could come straight from the 70's, Voltage has a trademark sound that has been popular in the Netherlands in the 2020's. Voltage has been working hard since 2011 to create this authentic sound of theirs , by writing, relaesing and honing each album they put out. The result is that the band has become an indispensable part of the clubs and festivals in the Netherlands. A little different than I usually blog about, but I heard the song recently and really liked it especially the lead guitar .... I hope you do as well.

Enjoy!!

April 7 2024

A little history of this song..... What is and Should Never Be     by Led Zepplin

I covered Led Zepplin in Vol.IV, but their catalogue of songs is so great and deep that without question they are one of the greatest Rock bands in the history of music and deserve to be looked at again. Today's Song of the Day 'What is and Should Never Be' comes from their 1969 masterpiece Led Zepplin II. The story behind the song is a complex one dealing with family taboos that should really never be broken. This very dynamic song alternates between hushed verses and an explosive chorus as Robert Plant sings about whisking a fair maiden to castle where they will join together as one. But what the verse is actually referring to is according to the book Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga, Plant wrote the lyric reflecting on his affair with his wife's younger sister. The two sisters, Maurenn & Shirley actually each have children by Plant, however Plant justifies this by saying he was divorced from Maureen (3 kids) before he had a child with Shirley. Crazy shit if you ask me, but makes for a great Rock song, and hence the title 'What is and Should Never Be'. and the video below is from their live performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970.

Enjoy!!

April 9 2024

A little history of this song..... Wild     by Spoon

Spoon is a critically under-rated band from Austin, Texas that has been making rock music since 1993. The band’s hits, among others, include 'The Underdog', a 2007 release featured in several films, and 'Inside Out', a song popularized because of its sheer beauty. Spoon boasts a whopping nine albums in their discography, with another on the way. Today's Song of the Day 'Wild ' is off Spoon's 2022 album "Lucifer on the Sofa". 'Wild ' carries a tone of encouragement, with lyrics describing the world calling out to someone, bringing them out of the mundane. The guitar carries a hopeful melody and the keyboard compliments every note. The music video for this single is in black and white and presents lead singer and guitarist Britt Daniel as he walks down a desert road. The style of the song and the video are consistent with Spoon’s past releases but unique enough to grab the attention of long-time fans and newcomers alike. Give this a few spins, I guarantee the more you play it the more you'll like it.

Enjoy!!