Bluesville
- Hobo's Hop-Mary Flower (A fun uptempo melody for guitar and tuba.)
- Make Believe Stunt-Ernie Hawkins (Nice hints of Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" in this acoustic guitar piece.)
- Thinking Of You-Loggins & Messina (Loggins & Messina sing lyrics fit for a Valentine that's somehow bold yet cautious. That's a neat trick to pull off while sounding this upbeat and accessible. I'm puzzled that oldies stations don't play this regularly.)
- The Phoenix Love Theme (Senza Fine)-The Brass Ring (This 1966 instrumental was in tune with the lounge music zeitgeist of the time. I'm reminded of The Baja Marimba Band.)
- Something's Gotta Give-Beegie Adair (I used to play vocal renditions of this on WEW, but Adair shows that its melody translates well to the piano.)
- Merry Christmas Darling-The Carpenters (Ironically, the first Christmas tune I've heard a streaming service play this season has lyrics most appropriate for late Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. With lyrics and vocals this sincere, however, I'm fine with hearing it this early. It's not surprising that it has held up for decades as one of the radio's most-played Christmas tunes.)
- Danny Boy-Eva Cassidy (I hadn't expected to praise another version of this standard just one week later, but this cover deserves its due. Cassidy's voice pulls off the mixture of tenderness and soaring gravity the song requires. Also recommended: Cassidy's live version of "Autumn Leaves.")
- Inner City Blues-Marvin Gaye (Gaye's version is markedly different from Gil Scott-Heron's take. Gaye sounds mostly weary and frustrated about problems that aren't fixed easily. Scott-Heron, on the other hand, brings out the anger in the lyrics. Each version is effective in its own way, but the contrast is striking.)
