Song of the Day Nov 2- 8

November 2 2024

A little history of this song..... Temporary One     by Fleetwood Mac

In my opinion, I think that Christine McVie is the most underated songstress and lyricist of her time. If you listen to her Fleetwood Mac LP's prior to the addition of Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham ( Mystery To Me, Bare Trees, Future Games) nowhere is this opinion more prevalent than on these albums and subsequently confirmed on Rumours and a host of albums afterwards ..... but this is just one man's opinion. On Today's Song of the Day... 'Temporary One' many people initially confused what the song is about: Most critics adhered to the theory that the song McVie wrote was about the reconciliation of th band prior to the album"The Dance" in 1997, but further analysis suggests that McVie was writing about something entirely different. In actuality the song appears to be about the sad separation between McVie and her husband Eddy Quintela that took place because of Fleetwood Mac's frequent overseas tours, of which "The Dance" was one. Ironically enough, the lyrics maintain the sense of longing: 

“What are you doin’, goin’ down to Soho as I get my rest tonight? 

What are you doin’, are you busy with your world? 

Well I wish you were busy with mine.” 

Here Christine McVie sings about her loneliness as she goes to bed thinking about how her husband is hanging out with friends in Soho in London while she is on tour.  The loneliness of the separation wears on her as she wishes they were together. What does it mean? She longed for the love and intimacy of her husband and not for the stress and strain of a dysfunctional band family that she had been a part of for 30 years. The fame and glory of being part of a band like Fleetwood Mac wasn’t necessarily worth the loneliness of years spent apart from one’s husband or the pressures of dealing with such a famously dysfunctional group of people. Truly an under-rated classic!

November 4 2024

A little history of this song..... Shattered   by O.A.R.

As many of you know, my favorite band of the lat 20 years or so has been O.A.R. Today's Song of the Day 'Shattered (Turn the Car Around)' has been the band's biggest hit with mainstream radio listeners. Lead Singer Marc Roberge describes how the song came to life: "'Shattered' always had something about it that we really liked. I wrote it with Gregg Wattenberg, who's a friend of mine. We just like to write songs. I have a lot of buddies like that, who I just like to sit around and write songs with. He came up with this piano-driven song that sounded like the finished product is now, but not very close. So I took it with me, we went on the road, we started writing songs for the record. And then I kept listening to this thing that we'd written, and I came up with this melody, this one line, 'How many times can I break 'til I shatter.' And that was all I had for a couple of weeks. But I just kept coming back to it. And by the time we were ready to press 'record' on the album, this was the absolute last demo that was approved by the band. Not because it wasn't good. It just wasn't finished yet. So they said, 'Let's give it a shot,' and we recorded it. And I was always positive – I always knew this was gonna be a good song. Because it flowed, and it felt really good. So when the lyrics came in, we said, 'Oh, this is definitely the one…' The same day, we knew that this was gonna be the first single." In O.A.R. frontman and founder Marc Roberge's Songfacts interview, he explained: "What this song's really about is these people in my life – or in anyone's life – you have all these people coming up to you saying "what if?" Whatever it is, everyone's always got these complaints they're blaming on everyone around them. And they're constantly saying, 'Man, I was the sh*t without you. I could do whatever I wanted.' You know, all these things. And the main line at the end where it says, 'I've gotta turn this thing around,' it's basically just saying it's not about all these other people. It's not about the people holding you back. It's really about you. So the 'I'm good without you' part is this guy is trying to convince himself, 'All right, I'm in the car, I'm outta here. I'm gonna go be a rebel, I'm gonna be a kid, I'm gonna have tons of girls,' all this stuff. And he always comes back because he realizes, 'That's not her problem, it's my problem. I need to fix what I've got here.'"

Enjoy!!

November 6 2024

A little history of this song..... Bittersweet    by Big Head Todd & the Monsters

The song 'Bittersweet' by Big Head Todd and the Monsters is a poignant reflection on the complexities of life and love. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Todd Parkin, the song's lyrics weave together themes of nostalgia, longing, and bittersweet reminiscence. At its core, 'Bittersweet' is a song about the pain of looking back on past relationships or experiences with a mix of sadness and fondness. The lyrics describe a sense of wistfulness, as if the speaker is savoring the memories of what's been lost while simultaneously acknowledging the inevitability of moving forward. Musically, 'Bittersweet' features  Big Head Todd and the Monsters signature blend of blues-rock and roots music, with Parkin's soulful vocals taking center stage. Despite its melancholic tone, 'Bittersweet' ultimately offers a message of hope and resilience. By embracing the bittersweet nature of life – where joy and sorrow are inextricably linked – the song suggests that it's possible to find closure and move forward even in the face of heartache. As Parkin sings, "I'll take the good with the bad / The sweet with the bitter" – a testament to the human capacity for growth and transformation.

In the end, 'Bittersweet' is a song about embracing life's complexities – its beauty and its pain – with an open heart and mind. It's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope for renewal and growth.

Enjoy!!

November 8 2024

A little history of this song..... Hey Jealousy    by Gin Blossoms

Today's Song of the Day 'Hey Jealousy ' is probably the best written pop/rock song from the early 90's, although it is somewhat tragic as the writer of the song, former band member Doug Hopkins, suffered from alcohol dependency and was fired by the band before the release of the song. Early on in their career, Gin Blossoms prided themselves on their heavy drinking - the band name is a reference to red, blossom-like markings that can show up on the skin of longtime drinkers when their capillaries burst (as seen on the comedian W.C. Fields). The line "you can trust me not to think" was originally written as "you can trust me not to drink," but vocalist Robin Wilson, who was tired of singing about drinking, asked him to change it.The song itself has to do with alcoholism and its associated delusions more than anything else. The character within the song, intoxicated, makes grand plans to resurrect the good old days, but this is completely unrealistic, and he may or may not be actually talking to anyone at all. The second verse is a killer, with the character realizing the standard he has set for himself. Pay close attention to the lyrics when you listen to it and you'll understand better. A depressing song, but very well written that went on to become a major radio and MTV hit.

Enjoy!!