325: Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’ (“At My Piano”) “I will overlook or disregard almost everything extraneous to a musician for the sake of the music. And the music will always be number one. However, as a musicologist, the panorama of the entirety of the experience does add or detract from my enjoyment. So, the Beach Boys will always carry a sad tune for me. I can’t help it. Drugs did it. God only knows.” John RadoszewskiJune 14, 2025 @ 6:51am
325: Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’ (“At My Piano”) “Yes, we still have this glorious gift of the music. As a young California girl growing up a hop skip and a jump from the Wilson clan, The Beach Boys have always been personal. Family. Their music was the soundtrack of our young lives. There is a lot being written and said about Brian’s genius and influence on popular music. I think your words here are the most insightful and loving. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings about this music.” MaggieJune 13, 2025 @ 2:23pm
325: Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows’ (“At My Piano”) “I’ve been seeing a lot of Carnie Wilson’s home videos in Reels on Facebook. I know you’re there. You might enjoy it. The two sisters and her daughter really seem to enjoy music. Along with China Phillips sometimes.” Recruiting AnimalJune 13, 2025 @ 1:33pm
249: Bobby Vee, ‘The Night Has a Thousand Eyes’ “I was a personal friend of “Bobby Vee”. I could write a book. For now, I attended his final performance at his church festival with 15,000 people in attendance. Unforgettable. He is dearly missed.” John RadoszewskiJune 9, 2025 @ 9:34pm
213: Tommy Tucker, ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’ “This may be the best article you ever published. It encapsulates the essence of R’n’R. It speaks to the joy of music and, especially, the tragedy seen over and over again. “Tommy Tucker” Higginbotham created and performed a jewel in the treasure trove of the music of our lives. He is the epitome of all those magical musicians living in rock and roll heaven. Nuff said.” John RadoszewskiJune 9, 2025 @ 9:15pm
213: Tommy Tucker, ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’ “I’m back for a second time on this one. I was convinced that High Heel Sneakers was played on the Beatles 1964 tour but it doesn’t seem so. Clarence Frogman Henry was the only black guy on the bill and I can’t find his set list. Did The Beatles play it? I watched the clip you linked to and the most interesting thing about it was seeing Mel Cooley from The Dick Van Dyke Show come out and talk to Paul.” Recruiting AnimalJune 6, 2025 @ 2:02pm
201: Bob Dylan, ‘All Along the Watchtower’ “” it’s not Dylan at his best. It wouldn’t be well-known if not for Jimi Hendrix who transformed it into something great.” – “Well known ” doesn’t equal “best. ” That said, the greatness of Hendrix’s cover has everything to do with the quality of the song. And for the record, Dylan’s performance has a rhythmic, melodic and lyrical tension which imho surpasses Hendrix’s version by a long shot.” Chris JolliffeJune 1, 2025 @ 2:04pm
201: Bob Dylan, ‘All Along the Watchtower’ “Good explanation of the song. I appreciated it. But it’s not Dylan at his best. It wouldn’t be well-known if not for Jimi Hendrix who transformed it into something great.” Recruiting AnimalMay 30, 2025 @ 1:12pm
125: Bee Gees, ‘Holiday’ “Thanks Jeff for reminding me of their beautiful songs!” Michal KirschnerMay 23, 2025 @ 3:35pm
125: Bee Gees, ‘Holiday’ “Surprised to see that I never heard World before. And I’m not sure about I Can’t See Nobody. I don’t know if those were hits here. I hated disco music but I liked Nights on Broadway and their songs from Saturday Night Fever were good and have had a lot of staying power (eg If I can’t have you). Also liked the Frankie Valli hit, Grease, but I don’t know if I knew it before last year.” Recruiting AnimalMay 23, 2025 @ 1:56pm
133: Spencer Davis Group (Stevie Winwood), ‘I’m A Man’ “Several years ago I went with friends to a show at the Greek Theatre here in LA. The headliner wasn’t a fave of mine but it was an opportunity to hear “surprise ” guest artists. When Stevie Winwood took the stage I realized why I had been summoned there. He commenced to mesmerize me just as he had so many years ago. One of the great voices of any age. Thank you for the repost. I may be changing my ring tone too.” MaggieMay 16, 2025 @ 2:37pm
198: Buffalo Springfield, ‘Rock and Roll Woman’ “I had the great fortune to see Buffalo Springfield play live with the original lineup in May of 1967 at my now somewhat famous suburban Chicago teen club The Cellar. Good god they looked cool, and tore the house down. Hearing them live just made me even sadder to listen to that first LP which they inexplicably let their managers “produce”, which sounded thin and awful, with crap-sounding bass and drums. Live they sounded powerful and downright Beatlesque, with a fat rhythm section, chiming 3- guitar interplay, passionate vocals and locked in harmonies. Right up there with the very best live show of the multitude I’ve seen. One of the real WHAT IF bands of all time. Even their wham bam thank you ma’am reunion a few years ago sounded pretty damn great. Oh, well.” John KeheMay 10, 2025 @ 6:26pm
198: Buffalo Springfield, ‘Rock and Roll Woman’ “As a music buff with some street cred, I’m constantly surprised by my reaction to the Springfield. Because I get/got an instant nostalgic buzz which began in the late 60s almost while they still existed. It’s a reaction that’s difficult to explain. And it continues to this day. A part of me feels they were better than any groups into which they evolved. Consequently, this “nostalgic” quirk continually magnified itself. Great article, Jeff.” John RadoszewskiMay 9, 2025 @ 5:13pm
198: Buffalo Springfield, ‘Rock and Roll Woman’ “SA sounds like a great guy. You reminded me that back in grade 13 (we had that here at the time) I exchanged albums with my Latin teacher who looked old and was in his 60s I assume and was a big band enthusiast but we didn’t meet to discuss the music like you did and I didn’t know anywhere near as much as you. I remember him telling me that – I think it was “When I’m Gone” by Phil Ochs was reminiscent of Catullus. I still like Phil but now that I know more find his publication of Mao’s poetry on the back of his album during the Cultural Revolution disgusting.” Recruiting AnimalMay 9, 2025 @ 4:28pm
109: Daniel Zamir, ‘Shir HaShomer’ “Dear Jeff! I must have missed your SotW before about this quintessential Israeli song and its interpretation by these wonderful musicians. But through another chance I had discovered it (and Daniel Zamir) after their participation in the North Sea Jazz Festival. I believe in the same grouping as in Eilat. Another look through the window to Israel, the small nation with the big spirit of both fighting for their right and performing artistic and musical importance.” Re HellerMay 2, 2025 @ 9:37pm
310: Yehuda Poliker, ‘Ashes and Dust’ “Thanks for the info, of course I am a Cinti boy(good job, geo politics) Already subscribed” J A SAULApril 29, 2025 @ 6:39am
107: The Association, ‘Everything That Touches You’ “This is a fantastic song even though I can’t pin down what makes it one of the greats. The harmony? The arrangement of the instruments? The uplifting melody? All of the above. It is a total earworm, I grant you, but what’s wrong with that? My husband asked me once if Crosby, Stills had the best harmony of that era. Nope. It was The Association. Not only did they all play (and play extremely well) they all sang. Sang gorgeously, sometimes in 7-part harmony — live. No other band did that. “Sunshine pop”? Well, maybe. Never heard that before. But it’s great music and should be celebrated.” Lynn WalkerApril 29, 2025 @ 12:42am
310: Yehuda Poliker, ‘Ashes and Dust’ “Am I mistaken that Poliker’s bazouki is related to his Salonoki roots? Wonderful, emotive song and message for the coming days.” Ze'ev SilvermanApril 27, 2025 @ 3:36pm
290: Becca Kristovsky, ‘Bye Bye Baby Blues’ “I had the privilege of growing up with Becca. My best friend, Norman was her king time boyfriend. She was a bright star in the universe to be sure, and I miss her very much.” David MillerApril 25, 2025 @ 10:07pm
043: The Left Banke, ‘Pretty Ballerina’ “also track down “Two by Two” if you can. It’s a PERFECT summation of early 70’s post-Beatles melodicism” jojoApril 24, 2025 @ 7:17am
196: Ray Charles, ‘You Don’t Know Me’ “Always poignant. Emotional. Visceral. History and nostalgia, a slice into American culture, musical history and Jeff…. thanks for including me.” AryehApril 20, 2025 @ 7:37pm
324: Bob Dylan, ‘Things We Said Today’ “I got a Hard days night in the UK with TWST on the B side. A great song & I once knew all the words. Listening to the Beatles, Rolling stones & Hendrix, I didn’t get into Dylan til the 1970s. I have seen him live, playing the Hendrix version of All along the watch tower.” Ron DayApril 19, 2025 @ 1:24am
324: Bob Dylan, ‘Things We Said Today’ “Huh. Sometimes you hear a recording, or see a painting, or whatever, and all you can think is, Why? Since Bob does the cover “straight” — no personal touches, no interpretive variations — I can’t help thinking he believes it’s enough that it’s simply him doing it, to justify it. I don’t buy it. His voice is gone, which is not his fault (presumably). He’s entitled to keep touring, singing his own songs in his new, old-man way, for his many fans who wouldn’t care if he used a Steven Hawking-style vocoder; but covering a Paul McCartney ballad? Might as well play Moonlight Serenade on a washboard and tea-chest bass.” Ian BoyleApril 18, 2025 @ 9:55pm
