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08/22/2004 Archived Entry: "Songs I Heard Today"
Songs I Heard Today (No Part Indicated/Will I Ever Have the Desire to Make This List Again?):
"Cadillac Assembly Line" by Albert King. Originally written by Mack Rice, this song draws me in for its Detroit connection (Rice a native) and the name connection. My signature already ties me to this song. I also use it briefly in an article I'm writing called "Writing Detroit."
"Soothe Me" by Sam & Dave. I had this great idea today: why not make a Sam and Dave CD for when I'm traveling around and there's nothing on the radio. "Soothe Me" is one of my favorite Sam and Dave songs. Its romantic side is subtle; no bravado, just a simple request. It’s in the background of The Blues Brothers right before Elwood runs the red light early in the film and thus frames one of the movie’s best lines: SCMODS. I hear a bit of my signature in it as well: Same & Dave are the only real successful '60s soul band to come from Miami (my home town).
"Tangled Up in Blue" by Bob Dylan.
I thought you'd never say hello, she said.
You look like the silent type
Epic Dylan. The lead in guitar strumming. The long narrative of romance and loss. The "book of poems" written by "an Italian poet from the 13th century." I read a review of a new Dylan book today, and the writer noted that Blood on the Tracks was the last great album of the '70s. He was right. First heard this record in 7th grade. My god, what would junior high have been like without Dylan?
"Bowtie" by Outkast. I was turned on to this album very late in its popularity. This song (and "Roses" ) are two of the weirdest on the disc. A hip hop song mocking folks for wearing outlandish outfits? Then you get a look at these guys and wonder if they're not singing about themselves. Fashion and music cannot be separated; whether it’s Alice Cooper's dripping make-up or George Clinton parading around in a multi-colored boa. Sometimes I wish I was a rock star just so I could wear better clothes. The shirt I have on right now is almost ten years old.
"Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean. It was on the WDET Sunday radio show in honor of the weekend's "Dream Cruise." Take the curve, boys. Please.
"Manic Depression" by Seal with Jeff Beck. Also on the radio. How did these two get together? Do you remember Beck's stinging guitar on "Superstitious" with Rod Stewart? And now this? It sounds like Beck could care less. He's going through the Hendrix lick without any flair or emotion. Depression? Sounds like apathy. The other Beck has replaced this one time guitar hero. And who's idea was it to get Seal to sing the Hendrix lyrics? Now that we’ve all but forgotten Hendrix, this song gives us a moment to remember that underneath all that drug usage and slurred speech, he could sing. My favorite Hendrix moment is in some concert movie I saw on the old USA Network’s late night show Night Flight. Hendrix turns to the audience and says: “I gotta tune my guitar. You don’t want me to play if my guitar’s out of tune, do you?” No one cares, and Hendrix never gets it tuned right.
