Let's Rock With The Cars

The Cars released their self-titled debut album in the summer of 1978. Hit songs from it included "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Good Times Roll".

Each was a classic in its own right and they are still in rotation on many classic rock radio stations.

However, I like one of the slightly odder tracks from The Cars. "I'm In Touch With Your World" has lines like, "Get the funk after death/Get the wisenheimer brainstorm" and "I'm a psilocybin pony/You're a flick fandango phoney" which really trip my trigger. Hopefully yours will be tripped, too!

Greatest Rock And Roll Riffs - Part I

Rock and roll is quite often a riff-driven syle of music. We will look at some of the best rock riffs from time to time. As usual it will be done with the same "anything goes" attitude that we fans are so fond of.

The riffs are not presented in any particular order. But they're all cool! Are you ready to rock?

I figured as this is a new feature, we might as well start it off with some of the better known riffs.


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How's that for a start?

:)

Happy Birthday George - A True Rock And Roll Legend

Even though he was the youngest of The Beatles, today (February 25th) would have been George Harrison's 67th birthday. While he was regarded as "the quiet Beatle", George had a wonderful sense of humor and contributed greatly to the best rock and roll band of all time.

It would be difficult to imagine the Beatles' canon without songs like "Here Comes The Sun", "Taxman", or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Here is an acoustic rendition that George recorded right around this time in 1968. It has a somewhat haunting quality that is reminiscent of Elvis' version of "Blue Moon". Be sure to listen for the extra verse.



George recorded solo music before the Beatles disbanded. However, he didn't have his first big hit until "My Sweet Lord" was released at the end of 1970.

He had a few more hits, but as the years passed his popularity (with a few exceptions) waned. Then, in 1987 he collaborated with Jeff Lynne of ELO and released the album Cloud Nine. "Got My Mind Set On You" went to #1 in the US. It was played in heavy rotation on MTV along with "When We Was Fab". A nice retrospective that captured the feel of the Fab Four days.



The following year saw Harrison team up with other rock and roll legends Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison as The Traveling Wilburys. The album was well-received by fans and critics alike.

In his later years, George was quite reclusive. This was due in large part to the heinous murder of John Lennon. As it turned out, his fear was not completely unwarranted. In December of 1999 an intruder stabbed Harrison seven times. Luckily, his wife was able to fend off the attack and George survived.

He died of cancer on November 29, 2001 His final album, Brainwashed, was released in November of 2002; just shy of the one year anniversary of his death. "Stuck Inside A Cloud" was from that album.



We still miss you, George. Perhaps you gave us the best perspective with another one of your songs from all those years ago...

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #4

Aaahrrroooo! Man alive cats and chicks, do we got a classic rock and roll remake going out to all corners of the globe tonight!

It's Wednesday here at Rock and Roll Decades and that means a cover song. But today we are going to do it in reverse. We will play the original first, then the remake.

What blast from the past are talking about? None other than Big Mama Thornton's 1952 version of "Hound Dog" which was covered by some guy named Elvis Presley in 1956. The song was written by Leiber and Stoller and the original lyrics are a bit more racy than the watered down remake.

You made me feel so blue

Well you made me weep and moan

'Cause you ain't lookin' for a woman

All you're lookin' is for a home

The original...



And the remake...

Rock n roll with The Kinks

The year was 1979 and the world was experiencing its fair share of problems. It was also the same year that The Kinks released their album Low Budget.

Leave it to The Kinks to stay true to their rock and roll commentary, but with a touch of humor that disguises the seriousness of the subject matter.

"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" is a perfect example of how they were able to flawlessly combine the fun and the serious into such a memorable tune.

In the first verse we see that the singer isn't happy with the state of his own affairs, which leads us into the chorus where he wishes he could leave it all behind by being able to fly like Superman. Aha! But it's the second verse where the ills of England, circa 1979, come into play...

Woke up this morning, what did I see

A big black cloud hanging over me

I switched on the radio and nearly dropped dead

The news was so bad that I fell out of bed

Woodstock '94 A Rock And Roll Experience

I'll be the first to admit that nothing can compare to the original Woodstock festival held in 1969. However, I wasn't able to drive out to that historic rock and roll festival because the state of Wisconsin doesn't issue driver's licenses to 10-month-old babies.

So, I was thrilled at the chance to go to the 25th anniversary concert. I was not thrilled at the cost of tickets ($144 each) but it was worth it.

It was an awesome experience that I will mention from time to time.

We pitched our tent closer to the smaller South Stage which tended to host the less popular (for the time) acts. One of the performances we saw was The Cranberries. They have a nice mellow edge to their rock and roll, yet their tunes tend to linger long after you hear them.

If you look closely you can actually see me in the crowd in this video for "Dreams".

Chromeo! Chromeo! Wherefore art thou, Chromeo?

Hey! How about a new retro sounding slab of funkified rock and roll from the coolest club duo in the Great White North?

If you have never heard Chromeo, you will be surprised at just how well they capture a funky, danceable, 80s pop, 70s disco (yes, I used the D-word) vibe. And they make it work.

So, it's Saturday night, and if you're reading this that means you're not on a dance floor, but don't let that stop you.

Rock on!

(For best viewing, click the full-screen icon in the lower right of the video pane.)

No Stooges, But It's Still Rock And Roll

The first time I saw Iggy Pop's video for "Five Foot One" was when I was in 6th grade. I snuck out of bed after everyone else was asleep because I knew there was a videos show on.

I sat about three inches from the screen because the volume had to be kept low to avoid waking anybody up. This was before MTV, so you had to take what you could get.

The funny thing is, while I am sure the program featured hit songs of the day, and that I enjoyed watching them; none of them stuck in my brain like Iggy Pop.

I had no idea who he was. But for an 11 year old fan of rock and roll, I knew I liked it. Thank goodness for YouTube!

Without any further ado, here it is boys and girls!

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #3

This week's remake was an easy call.

Critics of rock often make fun of those who think rock and roll can make a difference in the world.

Please do what you can and prove the critics wrong.

The Stones Go Psychedelic

Their Satanic Majesties Request is almost always compared to another album of 1967, but I'm going to be different and not even mention what it was.

The Rolling Stones may not have set out to record a psychedelic album so much as a record of the times in which they were living. And man, do they deliver! "She's A Rainbow" was accessible to enough listeners to be a Top 30 hit on the U.S. charts.

However, there are songs that are more challenging for causal listeners. Perhaps the best example of the Stones stretching their collective rock and roll imaginations is the eight-and-a-half minute "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)"

It is mostly instrumental, so the title may be more of a suggestion for fans to relax and take in the whole song. A way to spur on the suspense of a potential pay off. But it really isn't necessary because the song starts paying off right away, as long as you are in the right frame of mind. And if you're not in the right frame of mind, you will be. So go ahead...put your headphones on and...see what happens!

"And it feels like this!"

The Count Five are easily classified as a rock and roll one hit wonder, yet they were not lost to the realms of obscurity.

"Psychotic Reaction" was their only hit. It's pure garage rock with a punk ethos and, fittingly, strains of the psychedelic sound that was on the verger of breaking big.

Perhaps that's why they weren't forgotten like so many of their contemporaries.

Listen to the Yardbirds inspired riffing, as well as the changes of tempo (written to mimic the effects of a real psychotic reaction).

An Early Rock And Roll Hit with the B-Side

"Sha na na na, sha na na na na", kicks off "Get A Job" by The Silhouettes.

The song is about a woman who nags the singer to keep looking for work. Even though the lyrics aren't completely clear, the way the lyric is delivered makes the listener wonder if our antihero really wants a job.

And when I go back to the house

Hear that woman's mouth

Preaching and a-cryin'

Tell me that I'm lyin' about a job....

That I never could find

According to Richard Lewis, the lyrics were inspired by his mother telling him to get a job after he returned from a stint in the armed forces.

As upbeat, fun and rock and roll as the hit A-Side is, the B-Side shows the slower, more introspective side of doo-wop. You can almost picture the young couples dancing in the school gym with this song playing in the background.

Click here to listen to "I Am Lonely" now.

"Crowd get your, bass down low..."

"Destroy The Popollution" by Binärpilot has been in heavy rotation on my personal rock and roll play list. It has a very strong dance groove to it, but it also rocks!

Listen to it twice and you may find the song seeping into your head for the rest of the day.

Enjoy!



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Heavy Metal Crackers - Huh?

Does anyone else find it odd that the song "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by the Scorpions is now being used in a television commercial for Nabisco Premium Saltines crackers?

I mean I understand the juxtaposition of using it compared to "Mr. Lonely" by Bobby Vinton, but it just strikes me as strange to use a classic heavy metal song to promote something like a cracker.

Oh well, rock and roll really is here to stay!

Rock and Roll Remakes Wednesday #2

It's another Wednesday here at Rock and Roll Decades and that means you get to hear a cover version of a rock song. It may be odd, in a different genre, or very close to the original. The only rule is that they have to be remakes. So, open your ears and open your mind, you never know what you'll discover here.

We got a nice slab of hard rock today, boys and girls! A remake of Chris Isaak's haunting 1989 hit "Wicked Game". It is done by the Finnish band HIM. This is their earlier version from 1998(?) and is a bit heavier than the US release.



For the sake of comparison, here is the original.

Who Was Jimi Hendrix' Favorite Guitarist?

Though he left us almost 40 years ago, Jimi Hendrix is still regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time. His ability to get sounds out of the quintessential rock and roll instrument is legendary.

Yet, the question of who his favorite guitarist was is an interesting one. A few logical guesses would include B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Bob Dylan, or maybe Eric Clapton; all great in their own right.

But it turns out that Jimi's favorite guitarist was a member of The Moving Sidewalks. They opened for Hendrix during a leg of his 1968 tour. The musician in question became part of a rock trio that formed in 1969 and still plays with the same line-up today.

And that guitarist is none other than Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top!

Here they are covering the Hendrix classic rock and roll song, "Foxey Lady".

Way to go New Orleans Saints!

The Saints just won Super Bowl XLIV. It was an awesome game!

If there's one song that's associated with New Orleans, it has to be When The Saints Go Marching In. Here is an early rock and roll song by Bill Haley that is based on it.

The Soft Pack Album Review

The Soft Pack formed in 2008 under a different name. They have a few recordings under their rock and roll belts, but The Soft Pack is their official full-length debut album.

Elements of 80s alternative and punk combine with surf guitars and garage rock. An upbeat sound permeates the tracks on the record. You may find it hard to sit still as the music starts to take control of your extremities.

The CD could just as easily fit into a college dorm as it could a party for fans of power pop or post-disco rock and roll.

"Answer To Yourself" is as good of an introduction to the band as any. You get the impression these are normal guys who know how to have fun. It picks up a bit of steam as it goes along with a nice punkish payoff towards the end. Enjoy the music, and go ahead and let yourself go as you listen.

Two Rock and Roll Songs With a Twist

Rock and roll has its fair share of songs that are funny, it also has plenty of songs about heartbreak. However, there are two very similar songs that combine the two.

"Silhouettes" - The Rays (1957): The narrator walks past his sweetheart's house only to see the shadow of her and another man in a loving embrace. He's distraught and finally admits that he...

Lost control and rang your bell (I was sore)

Let me in or else I'll beat (down your door)

When two strangers who had been two silhouettes on the shade

Said to my shock "you're on the wrong blo-ock

"Fool In The Rain" - Led Zeppelin (1979): Skipping ahead 22 years, we find the hapless narrator waiting patiently for his loved one to meet him. He stands in the rain, lamenting the fact that she has stood him up, until he realizes...

I'm just a fool waiting on the wrong block.

It's interesting that both rock and roll songs have the singer getting upset about his girlfriend not doing what he thinks she should, only to find out by the end of the song that he was wrong. The pay off for the listener is that the guy may be an idiot, but at least his girl still loves him.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I have been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, and each time it's a thrill! What I like most about it is that it covers the entire history of rock and roll.

As you walk in through the front you are in a wide open glass pyramid designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. The large area has had cars from U2's Zoo TV concert tour suspended from the ceiling and inflatable props from The Wall. And, as one would expect, there is rock music from all eras constantly playing in the background.

There are interactive displays, movies, and special exhibits. The Jon Lennon exhibit was incredible, and heart-wrenching. Seeing the cracked, blood-stained glasses he wore when he was murdered caused me to break down right in the middle of it all.

Downstairs, in the museum, is where you will see most of the items related to different artists. Instruments, automobiles, personal effects, stage props and outfits from the legends of rock and roll are all there to be seen. On a personal note, I found it humbling to see just how skinny some of these rock stars were in their prime.

The actual Hall of Fame has small video screens embedded in the wall in a quiet room. Each rotates a few different inductees. It is done tastefully and lends some weight to the importance of being inducted.

Now, for my least favorite part. The nominating committee is now out of touch with what rock and roll is all about. They have made it more about bringing in revenue, instead of keeping the flame of rock and roll alive. I like all kinds of music, but why hasn't Alice Cooper (just one example) been inducted. He's been recording since the mid-1960s and is still going strong today. He was also a trendsetter and an influence on many artists that followed.

In the words of Ian Hunter, "Cleveland Rocks!", but if they keep going down their current path they will continue to lose out to those who understand the true spirit of rock and roll.

Rock and Roll Remakes Wednesday

Each Wednesday you will get to hear a cover version of a rock and roll song. Some of these may be odd, a different genre, or very close to the original. The only rule is that they have to be remakes. So, open your ears and open your mind, you never know what you'll discover here.

This week's remake is former Velvet Underground member John Cale's version of "Heartbreak Hotel". It was the first #1 song for Elvis Presley. John Cale puts more of a dark, plodding spin on the more upbeat Presley version. But, considering the context of the song, one could argue that while Cale's take on the song may not be better, it is emotionally accurate.

Rock on!

My Dumbest Music Prediction, So Far

In the summer of 1987 I was looking forward to becoming a first-time father. And even though my oldest is now a college sophomore, the following scene is still crystal clear in my mind.

At that time Saturday night meant one thing: Headbangers Ball on MTV. I was relaxing on the couch, getting ready for a brand new video by some band I had never heard of. After watching the video, and allowing for some time to mentally process what I just saw, I shared my prediction with everyone in the room.

"This band isn't going anywhere", I said deliberately.

Oh, by the way, the video was none other than "Welcome To The Jungle" by Guns N' Roses; a song that has gone on to become a part of popular culture. Its parent album, Appetite For Destruction, went on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and holds the record for fastest selling debut album in the history of rock and roll.

Almost 25 years have passed since that summer's night, and I still haven't made a prediction as dumb as that one.

The Day The Music Died?

Buddy Holly's influence has been well-documented. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys and Bob Dylan are only a few of the big names in the rock and roll pantheon that owe him a debt of gratitude, and there are scores of others.

For example, note the background singing at about 1:06 into Oh Boy! and how the Beach Boys incorporated it into their sound.

The Beatles covered Holly's Words Of Love on their late 1964 release Beatles For Sale. Here, the influence isn't just the song itself, but the double tracking used on the lead vocal. John Lennon employed this technique numerous times throughout his career.

Plus, pay attention to the depth of the rhythm track. It's buried a bit in the mix, but there's more going on than initially meets the ear. Again, another recording trick that has been utilized on countless rock and roll songs.

Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper (JP Richardson) and Richie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. That tragic date in the history of rock and roll is often referred to as "the day the music died". In reality, their music, especially Holly's, lives on in the artists who put on their shoes and followed in their footsteps.