51 years ago, I walked onto my deserted campus and experienced a musical hallucination. That terrible time when American soldiers killed American citizens.
Continue reading...Song Of the week
073: Erik Satie, ‘Gymnopédie No. 1’
Erik Satie hung out with Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Milhaud, Stravinsky, Cocteau, Duchamp, Picasso, Braque, Man Ray, Breton, Diaghilev and Rene Clair, but no one entered his apartment for the last 27 years of his life. After his death, 84 identical handkerchiefs were found in his wardrobe.
Continue reading...274: Tim Hardin, ‘Reason to Believe’
“The Perfect Song” and some indulgent navel-gazing. Do I choose the music, or has the music formed me? My personal existentiality as reflected a 2-minute paragon of restraint.
Continue reading...267: Boz Scaggs, ‘Lowdown’ (“Fade Into Light”)
What a singer. What a musician. What a cool guy.
Continue reading...265: Dion DiMucci, ‘Abraham, Martin and John’
Dion, from doo Wop to Dylanizer.
More swagger than Jagger.
263: Lovin’ Spoonful (John Sebastian), ‘Summer in the City’
In which John Sebastian confesses how The Spoonful’s urban heat hit was influenced by a pastoral Israeli folk song. I kid ye not. Back o’ my neck gettin’ dirt and gritty.
Continue reading...262: Bob Dylan, ‘Went to See the Gypsy’ (“Another Self-Portrait”)
In 1970, Dylan was so set on releasing a terrible album that he left out all the good stuff.
Here’s the good stuff.
Welcome to Dylanland.