Tune Tag #130 with Karol of Diggin' it: Johnny Cash, Spandau Ballet, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, Enrique Bunbury, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Live
He's Polish and loves Johnny Cash. 'Nuff said. I'm a fan already, and I know you'll dig this Nashville cat, too! Let's dig in to the music of the man behind "Diggin' it"!🤠
🎣For this Tune Tag, we’re promised songs with hooks galore! Here comes one, now!😸
As if on cue, from Peter Pan, here comes Cat-tain Hook!
Welcome to Tune Tag, Karol of Diggin' it! We’re glad you’re hear!👂🎶
“I called my Substack Diggin’ it as I’m writing about music that I love, and want to capture the emotion of flipping through records (crate digging) and finding something special! I can only hope that some of the music I recommend can give someone the same feeling!”—Karol
My name is Karol and I’m originally from Poland, but I’ve been living in Barcelona for almost 7 years now. I’ve also spent 1.5 years in the U.S., lived in Atlanta for a year, and spent one summer working in Yellowstone, where my love for country and bluegrass started.
I’ve travelled to more than 20 states and visited Nashville, where I went to the Johnny Cash Museum, who’s my absolute favorite!
I work in Tech, but music was always my passion. I love travelling for shows, exploring record stores, and last year started to learn drums!
Karol, showing us his love for the core elements of literature: Character, setting, plot, conflict, theme…and, of course, cymbalism.🥁
Looks like it’s time for Tune Tag #130…and, not a minute too soon!👇
Karol’s song #1 sent to Brad: Johnny Cash, “Heart of Gold,” 2003
Karol’s rationale: I wanted to start with Johnny Cash’s version of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” It’s one of my favorite covers (and songs) ever, released on Unearthed two months after Cash passed away (produced by Rick Rubin).
I’m a huge fan of the American Recordings albums Johnny did with Rick Rubin, and I was able to collect I-VI throughout the years in original pressings. I’d love to have Unearthed, as well, some day! It’s part of a big box set that’s pretty hard to find and goes for over $400, so a bit out of my reach for now.
Brad’s song #1 sent to Karol: Spandau Ballet, “Gold,” 2010 (live)
Karol’s response: Interesting! I never heard about Spandau Ballet. I love Tony Hadley’s voice! In this particular performance, I’m a bit puzzled about his outfit, but I kinda dig it. He looks like a lawyer who came out from the court for a quick sing-along….maybe for this song:
The man with the suit and the face
You knew that he was there on the case
Now he’s in love with you, he’s in love with you
In terms of a connection, the obvious one is the title itself, but I do see some lyrical parallel as well. In “Heart of Gold,” the protagonist is searching for one true love, but the years are passing and he cannot find it. Spandau Ballet’s track almost seems like a sequel where he did find the Heart of Gold, but they’re going through a rough patch. Apart from that, I also see a bridge between these two verses:
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Karol’s song #2: Enrique Bunbury, “Como Un Millón de Dólares,” 2020
