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
Feb 27, 2010 1960s, 1970s, Rolling Stones, hard rock, heavy metal
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.
- – - – - -
- – - – - -
- – - – - -
- – - – - -
How’s that for a start?
:)
Happy Birthday George – A True Rock And Roll Legend
Feb 26, 2010 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, The Beatles, commentary, rock deaths, rock videos
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
Feb 24, 2010 1950s, Elvis, cover songs, early rock and roll, rock and roll trivia
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 blueWell you made me weep and moan‘Cause you ain’t lookin’ for a womanAll you’re lookin’ is for a home
The original…
And the remake…
Rock n roll with The Kinks
Feb 23, 2010 1970s
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 seeA big black cloud hanging over meI switched on the radio and nearly dropped deadThe news was so bad that I fell out of bed
Woodstock ’94 A Rock And Roll Experience
Feb 22, 2010 1990s, commentary, rock videos
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?
Feb 20, 2010 2010s, dance rock, new releases, rock videos
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
Feb 19, 2010 1980s, punk, rock videos
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
Feb 17, 2010 2010s, new releases
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
Feb 16, 2010 1960s, Rolling Stones, 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!
