big yellow taxi - joni mitchell in concert 1970

Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone

Hip to be Square

“Big Yellow Taxi”, Joni Mitchell (1970)

I remember listening to “Both Sides Now” coming from the funky little yellow radio my Dad had in the kitchen that he snapped on every morning – which seemed like he had been doing every morning since the dawn of time. I heard a lot of songs on that radio. I had my toast with peanut butter at the arborite table, wondering if I would be on the Green team or the Red team for ‘Sports’ day. Listening to Joni, I made special note to look at the clouds when I sat on the schoolyard waiting my turn for long jump or high jump or whatever else they made us do.  It seemed to me I had never really looked at clouds at all.

Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes

She got Greta Garbo stand off sighs, She’s got Bette Davis eyes

Quick Hit

“Bette Davis Eyes”, Kim Carnes  (1980)

When I first heard her on the radio I thought “Jeez cut down on the cigarettes just a bit girl”.

Some people call Kim Carnes the female Rod Stewart, but understand that this is strictly due to her raspy voice and is in no way a comparison to Rod’s talent or longevity.

The Cars ☮ Just What I Needed (Highest Quality)

I don't mind you coming here wasting all my time

70's Pick of the Week

“Just What I Needed”, The Cars (1978)

From the minute the needle hit the record on the Cars first album, aptly titled “The Cars” I was awestruck by this band.  It starts with ”Good Times Roll”, followed by “My Best Friends’ Girl” and then “Just What I Needed”. The 1-2-3 punch, man I was down - it was intoxicating.

The sort of lumbering funkiness and rhythmic charge was unique and refreshing. The use of synthesizer did not seem to be the focal point but rather embellishment, which was a contrast to many of the new wave bands who indulged in synthesizer gluttony.  The Cars were a sort of garage rockabilly but they dropped in some new weird pop secret ingredient The vocals by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr were sung in a sort of low-brow, robo- style. The lyrics spun yarns and visual imagery with a rock and roll flavour, mostly about their relationships with various girls/woman.

the kinks- you really got me

Yeah you really got me now, you got me so I don't know what I'm doin', now...

Pick of the Week

“You Really Got Me”, The Kinks (1964)

If you think about what else was playing on the radio in August of 1964, at the time, when the Kinks came out with “You Really Got Me”, it must have seemed very radical. It is like Michael J. Fox playing electric guitar in ‘Back to the Future” at the grad – he starts playing like Hendrix and Van Halen and the band and audience are wondering what the hell is going on.  The heaviest pop songs out in 1964 were “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”.

Sunday Afternoon...relax!

The Dream Academy

The Buena Vista Social Club

Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees

T - Rex - Get It On (Yes, that is Elton John sitting in on piano)

Well, you're dirty and sweet clad in black, don't look back, and I love you

Songs Everyone Should Know

“Get It On (Bang-a-Gong)”, T-Rex, (1972) 

There are certain artists that died early that leave us wondering what they might have done and evolved into, had they only lived. Marc Bolan is one of them.

Bolan was killed in a car accident in 1977 after taking his glam-rock band ‘T-Rex’ to commercial success.  Although his fame was waning at the point he died, he is considered the father of glam rock by many.