Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Your long-forgotten Irish song of the (St. Patrick’s) Day is “The Unicorn,” as recorded by The Irish Rovers. It tells the tale of that loveliest of all creatures who was too busy playing silly games to get on Noah’s ark before that big flood hit. Which is why “you’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese, some humpty-backed camels and some…
Your feminist anthem of the day is “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks. The song was released in spring of 1997 and rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video received a lot of airplay on what was left of MTV at the time. In its own way, “Bitch” is a spiritual successor to yesterday’s classic song of the day,…
Your ’60s girl singer song of the day is “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore. This little piece of pre-British invasion pop brilliance was released in late 1963 and hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 early the following year. It is a powerful song and an equally powerful performance. “You Don’t Own Me” was written by John Madara…
Your surf instrumental song of the day is “The Lonely Surfer” by Jack Nitzsche. This is a classic surf music instrumental, released on Nitzsche’s solo album of the same name. Released as a single in August of 1963, it peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. “The Lonely Surfer” moves us from the Carolina beach music sound of yesterday’s…
Your real honest-to-goodness mid-tempo shuffle Carolina beach music song of the day is “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” by the Tams. Unlike yesterday’s classic song of the day, Brenton Woods’ “The Oogum Boogum Song,” which fell into the beach music category despite its straight beat, “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” has that shuffle beat that defines the true…
Your nonsensical, possibly pornographic Carolina beach music song of the day is “The Oogum Boogum Song” by Brenton Wood. This track was released in April of 1967 and rose to #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #19 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart. “The Oogum Boogum Song” is about a guy who’s so obsessed with a certain young lady…
Your real song by a fake person in a real movie of the day is “It Only Hurts When I Cry” by Donna Loren. Ms. Loren, a singer and actress, sang it in character as “Donna” in the classic Frankie-and-Annette beach movie, 1965’s Beach Blanket Bingo. In this fashion, it’s like the fictional Wonders from yesterday’s classic song of the…
Your ’60s pop tune written for a fake band in a ’90s movie song of the day is “That Thing You Do!” by The Wonders. The Wonders, in case you were wondering, were a one-hit wonder band created for the 1996 movie That Thing You Do! That movie is the best representation of the music business and the joy of…
Your lonely long-distance dating song of the day is “I-95” by Fountains of Wayne. This track was on the group’s 2007 album, Traffic and Weather, and it means a special something to me and anybody else who has ever been involved in a long-distance relationship. When I was dating my wife Sherry, around the time this album was released, she…
Today’s long-lost ode to a young Jewish girl from Paramus, New Jersey song of the day is “Ariel,” by Dean Friedman. This little slice of history was released in April of 1977 and rose all the way to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. (And it ties into yesterday’s classic song of the day, “American City Suite,” in that “Ariel”…