Context? CCLXV

A talk radio personality said recently that if he had his way, the weather would feel like October and early November every day.

I agree completely.  No scorching hot or frigid temperatures for me, please.  Cool without being cold is the ideal temperature range for me--and probably many others, as well.

Online radio sampler highlights CCXVI

Five ear-catching selections heard today:

KCSN-HD2 (Los Angeles, CA)

• Feels Like Home-Grace Kelly featuring Elliott Skinner (Countless songs convey similar sentiments, but their lyrics and vocals aren't necessarily as moving as these.  Kelly and Skinner blend well vocally, and this tune fits equally well into soft rock and smooth jazz playlists.)

KSDB (Manhattan, KS)

• Cherry Blossom-Rubblebucket (If this 2022 track had existed 30 years earlier, I would have played it more than once on KCOU.  This is a fun sing-along melody, augmented well with horns.  Flasher's "Eastern Ave" would sound right to me after it.)

KWAX (Eugene, OR)

• Thomas Linley: Violin Concerto in F major (The Parley Of Instruments/Peter Holman, conductor; Elizabeth Wallfisch, violin) (If you're a violinist who can pick your own audition piece, this is a smart choice.  By the end of the last movement, an audition committee would have a strong grasp of your precision, dexterity, and range of expression.  Also, this concerto isn't an obvious choice, so that might intrigue your judges before you even start playing.)

WGRE (Greencastle, IN)

• Pink Light-Muna (A frank lyrical admission that when you're not on the same page with someone, it's best to cut your losses.)

WJZP (Portland, ME)

• We Got The Funk-Positive Force (All lyrics don't have to be lectures on the evils of war, excessive taxation, or ecological neglect.  Sometimes, it's enough for a tune to simply have a well-sustained groove.)
  

Solid plan--but no follow-through

On the first day of class, our eighth grade chorus teacher, Mr. B., announced that he'd be tracking our participation each day and that he was starting each of us off with 50 participation points.

That was the last we heard of the participation points for the semester.  Apparently, as on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," the points didn't matter. 

Persistent earworm alert CCCVI

Despite not having heard it in decades, a song I first heard in 1982 has lodged itself in my mind.  The Time's "OneDayI'mGonnaBeSomebody" makes no bones about someone's desire to be rich and famous.  Outside of Calloway's "I Wanna Be Rich" and Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy," I haven't heard many other songs that express ambition and a desire for the good life so directly.  If success starts with a person's determination, Morris Day and company have the right attitude. 

That said, most of us have to accept achieving one or neither of those objectives, and that's OK.  If you're content with who you are and those who matter most to you respect you, you're rich in the ways that matter most.  Besides, at a certain stage, your life is what it is--and will probably stay within that ballpark.

The power of suggestion II

Earlier this month, I wore an R.E.M. t-shirt to my botox-for-dysphonia appointment.  The doctor's face brightened.

"That takes me back to my residency days," Dr. E. said.  Turning to the nurse, he asked, "Amy, do you know this band?"

"Yes," she replied, mentioning the song, "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine.)"

"You're cool, Amy," Dr. E. said approvingly.

At my latest appointment, Dr. E. elaborated on his R.E.M. fandom.  

"You'll be happy to know that two Fridays ago, (for a half hour after the close of the business day), I (listened to) R.E.M," he told me.  He specifically cited "Shiny Happy People" as a song he played.  He then thanked me for making that Friday better by jogging his memory about R.E.M.

I was glad to be reminded that a t-shirt promoting a band can have such positive ripples.

Context? CCLXIV

A radio commercial from a technology company seeking workers impressed me Friday.  The incentive of "award-winning benefits, even including pets" stood out.

I'm content with the job I have, so I won't apply to that company.  I suspect, however, that those who do apply will be part of a work force with caring leadership.

Context? CCLXIII

I was surprised to hear someone on an NPR program say to her interviewer yesterday, "I'm excited to talk with you about ticks."

At first, I was amused.  I thought, "Who's that eager to talk with someone about an animal who bites you?"

Then, I remembered, "Oh, right.  I am."

Retro FM dial scan highlights V: 8/24/87

In the late '80s, soft rock tunes were plentiful on the St. Louis airwaves. Here's what I heard on this day 36 years ago:

KSD 93.7 FM

• Every Little Kiss-Bruce Hornsby & The Range (To my ears, the vocals, lyrics, and piano accompaniment in this 1987 hit have held up well.  The tune's structure is somewhat unusual for a pop hit, to its credit.  The Ralph Butler Band covers this effectively in concert.)

KRJY 96.3 FM

• You Got It All-The Jets (Elizabeth Wolfgramm's vocals really sold this Rupert Holmes-penned ballad.  In early '87, this had constant radio airplay.  Also recommended: "Rocket 2 U."  When was the last time you heard the band's more energetic 1988 hit on the radio?)
• I'd Really Love To See You Tonight-England Dan & John Ford Coley (To this day, I let this oldie play out whenever I hear it.  The vocals are breezy and welcoming, and lyrically, this is a pleasant way of saying, "I'm not looking for a lifetime commitment, but if you'd like to meet and get caught up, let's do that soon.")

KLTH 97.1 FM

• Calypso-John Denver (This is yacht rock at its finest.  This is one of Denver's best songs, thanks to the carefree spirit and gusto with which he sings it.)

WMRY 101.1 FM

• Real Love-The Doobie Brothers (If you've heard even a little of Michael McDonald's output with the group, you know how slick and well-produced his songs are.  Not many singers can match the power of McDonald's vocal range, so the glossy production values resulted in smoothly structured hits that have never worn out their welcome.)
  

KHTR 103.3 FM

• When I Think Of You-Janet Jackson (Rhythmically and vocally, this is one of Jackson's best hits, and it received considerable airplay in 1986.)
• Higher Love-Steve Winwood (In retrospect, I'm not surprised that this was one of Winwood's biggest hits.  The percussive opening catches the ear, priming the listener for the vocals, and the song's hook isn't forgotten easily.)

The allure of shuffle mode XXXVII

Usually, when I hear one highly energetic tune, I like to segue it with a tune that's similarly upbeat.  iTunes shuffle mode accomplished this yesterday, pairing two unexpected tunes in my library.  Acoustic Alchemy's instrumental, "Wish You Were Near," establishes a jazzy dance vibe similar to "Shuckatoom," the "American Top 40" theme song of the late '70s and early '80s.  Hearing it flow into an unusually vigorous Suzanne Vega tune, "Unbound," was refreshing--and a transition I hadn't considered.

Persistent earworm alert CCCV

Since yesterday morning, Pink Floyd's "Breathe" has been on my mind.  Although I like the tune, the trigger for it was unfortunate.  One forecast yesterday predicted poor air quality, which I wasn't used to reading.  Seeking a more optimistic second opinion, I consulted weather.com.  That site predicted moderate air quality.  Knowing that the average of those estimates was approximately a C- made me not want to "breathe, breathe in the air," as the song advises.

Knowing one's limitations II

Recently, I grinned when unearthing a tape whose label includes the words, "top 40 mock shift."  The tape is of me doing a mock on-air shift for a fictitious top 40 station during broadcasting school.  Although I'm a little curious to hear how my air check from nearly 30 years ago sounded, I don't plan to listen to it anytime soon.

I like knowing that I have the tape, but as I've written previously, my natural on-air delivery is better suited for subtler formats.  I'm sure I didn't scream and shout my way through my song intros on that tape, but I just know that I wasn't really myself on it...

...except, perhaps, during my intro to Us3's "Cantaloop."  With such a solid, respected jazz riff as my backdrop, I'm sure I rose to the occasion there.

Context? CCLXII

A few months ago, I read an old review of an album I've heard.  The reviewer didn't think that having alt rock and AAA-format artists record familiar Christmas tunes worked as a concept.

I exclaimed to the nearby furniture, "But it did work!!!"

Upon realizing how momentarily vitriolic my reaction was, I said jokingly, "Take that, you '90s reviewer whose reaction in print from decades ago is static and can be taken or left at the reader's discretion.  Why, you...um, listener who's entitled to have musical tastes that differ from mine!"

Rebuttals in the privacy of one's own home aren't always entirely satisfying, but sometimes, they make you realize the intensity of your musical fandom--and fanaticism.

Context? CCLXI

Heard in 1996: A DJ read a sponsor's reminder that "back to school time is upon us, and that means all drivers should be watchful of any children in their neighborhood. Remember, lower speed limits go into effect in school zones.  So, please, watch out for the little ones."

We live in divisive times, but hopefully, we all agree that drivers shouldn't run over kids--or anyone else.

The allure of shuffle mode XXXVI

I've listened to two songs about isolation individually, but it took iTunes pairing them to make me realize how compatible they are.  On Monday, shuffle mode segued Sarah Jarosz's "Long Journey" with Neil Finn's "Alone."  Both songs are about people being apart from someone important to them.  "Long Journey," however, offers the possibility of finding one's way back to someone, while "Alone" implies a permanent parting.

While it isn't the most comfortable pairing of sentiments, it's too poignant of a segue not to respect.

Online radio sampler highlights CCXV

Thursday highlights:

KHFM (Santa Fe, NM)

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio Overture, Op. 72c (The Hanover Band/Roy Goodman, conductor) (Precisely the right amount of drama and power in the strings and brass.  The forceful crescendos made me sit up and pay just as much attention as I did when playing this piece on the bass decades ago.)

WASU (Boone, NC)

• No Roots-Alice Merton (This rhythmically appealing tune's lyrics convey some of the sentiments in Crowded House's "Weather With You" in a punchier fashion.)

WDEA (Ellsworth, ME)

• I'll Be Around-The Spinners (An honest way of saying, "I know I'm not your beloved, but if you ever need my friendship, I'm here for you."  This group recorded a lot of excellent hits in the '70s and early '80s, and this is one of their best.)
• Sweet Seasons-Carole King (Sometimes, life goes your way.  Other times, it doesn't.  Overall, it's still a pretty great life.  "Sweet Seasons" and "Been To Canaan" deserve more airplay than they usually get these days.  WDEA deserves credit, as well, for playing such a tasteful mix of soft rock oldies.  Too often, adult contemporary doesn't mean what it used to mean; on this station, however, it does.)

WESM (Princess Anne, MD)

• Braziliana-Lynne Arriale (Cookin', percolating piano, bass, and drums.  In this case, a rhythm section is all you need.  Seek out a live version of this to appreciate all the energy the trio expends.)
• The Good Life-Orrin Evans (Steady, piano-anchored instrumentals with this type of walking bass line get my attention frequently.  This June release maintains its vibe commendably for over nine minutes.)
  

Context? CCLX

I'm curious about the context in which a radio talk show host said, "I don't speak Bear," this afternoon.  Was she implying that a bear's language has more nuance than people realize and creates an unbridgeable gap with humans?

Presumably, it's reductionist to think it's all about growling or expressing a desire to hibernate for long stretches.  Yogi Bear, for example, enjoyed a good picnic.  Fozzie Bear persisted in his goal to be appreciated as a comedian.  Most surprising to me, however, was the unexpected blend of Italian dialect and Fats Domino vocal stylings that an animatronic Smokey Bear displayed during grade school fire safety assemblies.  Decades later, I still remember him saying, "I'm a-gonna sing the same song I sang last year," before warbling, "Don't you play with matches or you'll catch on fire."

At a minimum, then, there's succulent meal-craving bear speech, hammy comic bear speech, and palatable admonition bear speech.  That's quite a range of expression.  I don't speak Bear either, then, so I admire the host's honesty.

On second thought, she might have just been quoting someone.

Family entertainment?

Earlier this Summer, I took in a brief bit of a band's outdoor concert.  The show was free and open to the public.  I walked by as the band performed that catchy, fun-for-all-ages tune called...

...um, "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads.  

While the song isn't meant to be taken literally, I hadn't expected to hear it at a concert for every age group.

Opting for kindness

A fifth grade memory: I asked two friends if they'd heard the new Olivia Newton-John hit, "Make A Move On Me."  Immediately, they both started doing their own impromptu dances on the playground while one of them sang what he thought was the tune.  I didn't have the heart to tell them that they'd confused Newton-John's song with George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around" and were singing her lyrics to Benson's melody.

Both titles have five syllables, though, so at least there was a sliver of logic in mistaking one chorus for another.

Context? CCLIX

One recent morning, a radio announcer said that according to a study, the average American has less of an attention span than a goldfish.

I was going to change stations, but I felt defiant.  Even though I was alone in the car, that finding made me listen to the whole segment.

I'm not sure I'd want to know the results of a study showing how easily manipulated Americans are.

Context? CCLVIII

During a recent live commercial read, a radio talk show host touted an appliance store's customer service.  He said the business wasn't "the kind of place where you have to circle the store 14 times, only to find (a clerk) in (the) lumber (department.)"

Not having to make 14 attempts to track down a clerk should be the norm.  That's not the default mode everywhere today, though, you might as well mention it when a store's superior service sets it apart.

FM dial scan highlights CCXXII

Five standout tunes heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Some Days Are Honey-Lori McKenna (The attitude in the lyrics reminds me of John Denver's "Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone.)"  It's an honest acknowledgment that being with someone is sometimes great but also challenging.)
• Born To Be Lonely-The Lemon Twigs (Lyrically, this strikes me as a more passive version of Simon & Garfunkel's "I Am A Rock.")

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Only A Fool Would Say That-Steely Dan (This is one of the more overlooked tracks on the "Can't Buy A Thrill" album.  It's a direct way of saying, "Stop being so idealistic," set to a compelling rhythm.)
• Naima-Feyza Eren (Yet another example of Eren's strong vocals.  Also recommended: Eren's impressive cover of the Miles Davis classic, "All Blues.")

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Turn Back The Hands Of Time-Tyrone Davis (I usually let this 1970 oldie play out when I hear it on the radio, as its universal lyrics about regrets are appropriate in any era.)
  

In memory of Robbie Robertson

In memory of The Band's chief songwriter, Robbie Robertson, these, in my view, are four of the group's best Robertson-penned songs:

• King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (The protagonist's pro-union outlook, a subtle, unusual chorus, and one of the coolest gurgling keyboard undercurrents I've ever heard comprise this motley album rock track that somehow works.  The unusual collaboration of disparate voices works to the tune's advantage.)
• Stage Fright (I appreciated WXPN playing my request for this once, as it isn't the most obvious choice for airplay.  This is a lyrically honest way of admitting that you can enjoy and be appreciated for your work but still dread performing in public.)
• Up On Cripple Creek (I have no strong feelings about the tune's lyrics.  However, I've always thought that the song's steady airplay on album rock stations is deserved.  With a rhythm that romps compellingly and a piano part I'd like to play, "Up On Cripple Creek" has endured through the decades.)
• The Weight (The ear-catching intro, "I pulled into Nazareth...," perks me up whenever I hear it.  This well-structured tune with a memorable hook is the Robertson-written song I've heard radio stations play most often.  I recommend Shannon Curfman's strong cover of it, as well.)
  

The allure of shuffle mode XXXV

How do you follow up one of rock's best guitar-based instrumentals?  iTunes shuffle mode picked a fiddle number that rocks as a coda to the song before it.  Thus, "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers Band segued into "Jefferson" by Sara Watkins.

That's one of the best transitions between two songs in my library I've heard.  Keep up the sharp ears, shuffle mode.

Online radio sampler highlights CCXIV

Standout selections heard today:

KEDM (Monroe, LA)

• Claudio S. Grafulla: Nightingale Waltz (Eastman Wind Ensemble/Frederick Fennell, conductor) (Stately and anthemic.  Before the tune segued into a true waltz, I was almost compelled to stand at attention.)

KQAL (Winona, MN)

• Now Or Never Now-Metric (A blunt reminder of procrastination's pitfalls.)

KRCB (Santa Rosa, CA)

• Home-Karla Bonoff (Bonoff's self-titled 1977 album is consistently strong, and "Home," about the reassuring familiarity of being in one's comfort zone, is a key reason why.  The Boxcar Lilies recorded a well-harmonized cover of it.)
• Luxury Liner-Emmylou Harris (Credit to Gram Parsons for solid lyrics about feeling forlorn.  I'd argue, though, that by ratcheting up the tempo, Harris and company recorded a version that's even more compelling than the original.)

WAER-HD2 (Syracuse, NY) 

•  I Concentrate On You-Laura Klein & Ted Wolff (This pleasant, well-blended piano-and-vibraphone cover of the Cole Porter standard holds up for all seven minutes.)

WEMU (Ypsilanti, MI)

• This Bitter Earth-Veronica Swift (Grandiose orchestral instrumentation and vocals.  I'd be curious to hear Mary Fahl sing this.)
• Creepin'-Don Braden (I always looked forward to playing Stevie Wonder's original version of this on KNJZ, and I'm pleased to hear how well the melody translates to the flute.)

WRPI (Troy, NY)

• Twilight-ELO (Say what you will about the dated spoken prologue, but the ingredients that typically make ELO hits hold up over decades--a memorable chorus, spacey backing vocals, and not particularly subtle orchestral scoring--are all here.)

The allure of shuffle mode XXXIV

What dovetails well with a screeching guitar feedback outro?  A dominant electric guitar intro.  So said iTunes shuffle mode Saturday.  After one of my favorite songs, David Poe's "Echo Box," faded out, "Long Road To Ruin" by Foo Fighters came crashing in.

It always impresses me when a random pairing makes me appreciate two songs I own all the more.

Pausing the foot-biting default option II

Following up on Thursday's post, I'm pleased that my cat, Collette, has chosen the proper tune for sashaying to and fro.  She settled on Les Brown's "Begin The Beguine"--and not just any version of it.  She could have chosen one of the statelier, more predictable renditions.  Instead, she went with the bossa nova arrangement of it, which, in my opinion, presents the song in its best light.

One day, your cat is a spry two-year-old tabby, knocking things over and scratching your book and album covers.  Then, a few years later, she's--well, a still spry five-year-old tabby, still knocking things over and scratching your book and album covers.

Sighhhhhhhh...They grow up so fast.

Rock on, Collette.  On second thought, samba on, Collette.

Context? CCLVII

Heard in August 1995: An FM Classical music announcer said before a piece by Mikhail Glinka, "It looks like it's going to be...hazy, hot, and humid and...a typical Summer day in St. Louis.  But we've got rousing, fun music for you to distract you from that kind of thought and that kind of thinking..."

At the time, that amused me.  I thought, "Yes, let's not gripe about the weather when we could listen to something whimsical instead.  A Glinka piece won't remove the sweat from one's brow, but maybe we'll fixate on it a tad less..."

...That's about the most one can reasonably expect from music on a hot, humid day.

"Stop enjoying yourselves!"

Earlier this year, I watched part of a concert on YouTube.  A local artist was performing tracks from her new album, including one particularly strong one.  Her new album hadn't been released yet, so this was the only publicly available footage of the new song.  I liked what I could hear of it.  Unfortunately, the loud behavior from the bar crowd drowned out much of the tune.  Still, I could tell the song was well-structured, well-played, and well-sung.  I wanted to shout at most of the audience, "Stop drowning out the music!  I know people eat and drink at this venue, and this might be background music to many of you, but show some respect for the artist and her band!  The people who are sitting at their tables quietly and applauding appreciatively at the end of each song get it.  The people dancing in and out of camera range understand that, too.  The rest of you, though, are missing out on some pleasant singing, skillful guitar playing, and thoughtful lyrics.  Presumably, you stopped by to have a good time, but how about incorporating the music into that?"

Alas, retroactive ire isn't known to change anyone's behavior.

Pausing the foot-biting default option

Despite what I wrote in yesterday's post, my cat, Collette, didn't bite my feet, after all.  That made sense, considering she'd just had dental surgery.  Not long ago, she sat in the hallway staring at me.  I know she'll eventually act like herself again and will gallivant about and sashay to and fro.  

That leads me to ponder, though...What's the best musical accompaniment for sashaying to and fro?  It's a question I haven't considered before.  I think I'll let Collette decide.

The foot-biting default option XXVI

My cat, Collette, is having her teeth cleaned and a tooth extracted as I write this.  She deserves to be commended for her endurance when she gets home, so for once, I'll encourage her to bite my feet.  Ordinarily, I wouldn't sing or even think about "We Are Santa's Elves," but I think my lyrics, sung to that melody, will be appropriate: 

"Will you bite my feet?  Would you bite my feet?  You're my brave cat.  I know you'd like that.  Come on, bite my feet."

I trust Collette will accept this as a hero's welcome.

Context? CCLVI

Yesterday, a radio talk show host tapped into one of my pet peeves.  He mentioned going to various stores, and when he couldn't find certain items, clerks at each store responded, "Have you checked online?"  Understandably, he fought the urge to tell each clerk that he'd bothered to get in the car and drive to the store, so he hoped he could find the items he wanted there.

"Stop trying to get me to leave," he wanted to tell them.

On a related note...

...Several years ago, as a grocery store clerk started ringing up my items, she said, "You know, if you're in a hurry, you can use our self checkout."

I thought but didn't say, "Have I said I was in a hurry or acted impatient?  Is ringing up groceries a service you still offer?  Yes?  That's what I'm choosing during this visit, then."