Song of the Day May 5-11

May 5 2024

A little history of this song..... I Will Dare       by The Replacements

The Replacements were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1979. Initially a punk band, they are one of the main pioneers of alternative rock. Led by frontman, creative director, and lead singer Paul Westerberg, The Replacements achieved critically acclaimed success from their origination in 1979 until they disbanded in 1991.Unlike many of their underground contemporaries, The Replacements played "heart-on-the-sleeve"rock songs that combined Westerberg's "raw-throated adolescent howl "with self-deprecating lyrics". Nowhere is that more apparent than on their 1984 album "Let it Be" and Today's Song of the Day 'I Will Dare'. Here's the bio to the song: Westerberg went to U2's first American tour stop in Minneapolis and heard Bono sing "I Will Follow" twice during the set. This irritated Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg so badly that he wrote two songs about it. The first was 'Kids Don't Follow,' the second was  'I Will Dare'. He appreciated the U2 sound but took umbrage with lyrics he interpreted as a statement about youth in general. 'I Will Dare' has a few layers of meaning. In addition to sniping at Bono, it's a statement about the  Replacements  themselves. In Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements, Westerberg says, "Part of it has to do with the band: we'll dare to flop, we'll dare to do anything."It was also a kind of love song," according to Westerberg. An unnamed confidant in Trouble Boys says they believe that Westerberg might have been messing around with some ladies that he shouldn't have at the time. The timing worked out well because 'I Will Dare' wound up being the opening track on "Let it Be", the band's 1984 breakthrough album. A great song by one of the best bands of the 80's.

Enjoy!!

May 7 2024

A little history of this song..... Trouble        by Cage the Elephant

Cage the Elephant is an Alternative Rock Band formed in Kentucky in 2006. The heart and soul of the band are the 2 brothers that formed CTE... Matt & Brad Schultz. Today's Song of the Day is entitled 'Trouble' and comes of their acclaimed 2015 album "Tell Me I'm Pretty" which earned them a Grammy. This song 'Trouble' was inspired by a conversation frontman Matt Shultz had with someone he's "really close to." He explained to ABC Radio: "We were both presenting ourselves as being very honest in the conversation. And I felt there were several places where I was holding back, or kind of curating the idea of what I wanted projected pretty heavily as inside the conversation. So I was curious at what level they were doing the same.""So the song's kinda just about honesty and adversity and struggle and stuff like that," Schultz added. It is likely that the love to which Matt is referring is his ex-wife and French actress, Juliette Buchs, which obviously didn't work out as they eventually divorced. But, a good song nonetheless.

Enjoy!!

May 9 2024

A little history of this song..... Shine Your Light       by The Mavericks

We're going to veer a little off the main highway today and blog about one of the most talented "Roots/Americana" bands in the country... The Mavericks. The Mavericks were founded in 1989 by Lead vocalist and guitarist Raul Malo. During the course of their careered with different line-up changes they have been awarded 1 Grammy, 2 CMA awards, and 3 Academy of Country Music awards. Their sound is defined by a wide variety of musical styles outside of "Americana", such as Tejano, Latin, Americana, and traditional pop music. And, there has always been particular emphasis on Malo's rich singing singing voice.Today's Song of the Day 'Shine Your Light' is from their Self -Titled 2003 album "The Mavericks". This particular album was the group's attempt to gain more popularity by tweaking their sound just a bit to 'pop-rock" and it worked. People began to take notice of Raul Malo and his incredible vocal range. 'Shine Your Light' portrays the pain of lost connections, the regret of one's own actions, and the understanding that sometimes, it is too late to mend what has been broken. A different type of song for this blog, but considering Raul Malo's voice and the impact The Mavericks have had on "Roots/Americana" music, they are artists you should be aware of.

Enjoy!!

May 11 2024

A little history of this song..... Crazy       by Widespread Panic

The "Jam Band" Widespread Panic has been together over three decades. Formed by vocalist/guitarist John Bell in Athens GA., they have broken attendance records across the country, including a staggering 60 consecutive sell-outs at legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre (in fact they'll be there Jun 22 & 23 2024). With its fusion of southern rock, jazz, and blues, Widespread Panic has earned renown as one of America's best live bands while selling over 2 million albums and 4 million downloads. Today's Song of the Day 'Crazy' is from a Live appearance on New Year's Eve 2009. The song is about a train journey from Paris to Amsterdam, delving into themes of madness, companionship, and the unpredictability of life. If you ike "Jam Bands", you'll love this classic from Widespread Panic.

Enjoy!!