With the recent losses of Brian Wilson and Mick Ralphs, this Tune Tag happily and gratefully honors the musical legacies of these influential artists, as well as the others who share this space today!
Thanks a bunch, Brad; that was really fun. The thing that really makes me happy this week is that you picked songs that I never would have thought of, but the whole episode feels like it reflects some of the elements that I most enjoy in music. I mention the "palpable pleasure in making music" which I hear in so many of the tracks and also the balance between music being personal and public. There are a lot of people this week who, in one way or another, and wearing their heart on their sleeve in their music.
I appreciate Brad leaving in my wall-of-text in the middle. I hope that doesn't scare people off, but I thought it was and interesting topic to explore.
Brad, you are correct that there's a thematic connection between "lonely boy" and "rocket man" around loneliness but I'm curious to get a ruling from the judges about whether matching the age of the two of them counts as a more specific connection.
Speaking of tags, I forgot to mention that Brad's final selection tags *three* of my songs. I realized after sending the notes that "Tramp" and "Good Vibrations" were both released in 1967.
I feel like Brad deserves a standing ovation for that one.
Thank you, Nick....glad you enjoyed, and it was fun on this end, too! You picked up something that has "followed me" for years....in college in the mid-'80s (at age 30), I made a "Brad's fave music"-type cassette and played it for my roommate. Sure enough, his first reflection: "All those songs all sound so happy!" The sound that was recorded has to reflect the feelings of the artist when written, as well as when sung and played (ideally, and if they're doing it right)!
So many tags are inadvertent and/or "accidental"--the beauty, yes, of Tune Tag, but, the serendipity of the record biz writ large from back in the day, as well as the relationships of the musicians, producers, and writers all come into play, as well, I think. Just as I didn't know about the Carla Thomas child-performer fact, I also never thought about the 1967 connection between the "Tramp" song and "Good Vibrations"!
If we charged a player to find ALL the possible links extant from one song to the next, oy vey....but, it's become such an unexpected gas to have readers FIND this or that link or tag, when only one was found...and, when one is only ever needed to begin with!
That's the interpersonal and interactive bonus for readers that is such a fun part of Tune Tag!
It would be a terrible idea to try to find ALL of the links; I think part of the beauty of Tune Tag is that it celebrates the various possible connections without becoming a trivia contest.
My comment about the Brian Wilson selection -- "what a gift" was a response to how well it fit emotionally. A lovely note to end on which nicely caught the threads running through the Tune Tag and offered a sense of completion.
It was only after having that emotional response that I was pleased to discover all the other connections.
Well said! And, it should be noted at some point, that we played this (and wrote our notes) before Brian passed away. Another note of irony is that my Brian connection (matching the same venue as Elton's in that "Rocket Man" live perf) was the most innocuous and "impersonal" link for someone (Brian) who was/is such a massive life-hero for me!
I mean, of all things, I'm picking "Good Vibrations" (live or studio) simply due to venue! That, to me, is a scream, as well as pinpointing the magic of The Tag!🎵👍
And, of course, matching the venue isn't purely impersonal. It provides the opportunity to think about what each of those artists have at stake as they prepare to debut their projects.
Elton John at the height of his powers ascending to superstardom (it is impressive that he can sing and play piano like that live -- comments on the YT video say that he didn't often try to hit those high notes in live performances) compared to an older Brian Wilson reconnecting to his music.
What a great Tune Tag! I loved how much you listened and were receptive to each other throughout. I liked all of the tracks, particularly Nick's first song (what a great opening!), Brad's reply (All the Way to Memphis, if memory serves), and the Otis Redding / Carla Thomas duet. I also really enjoyed the audition clip -- what a fantastic performance! So raw, so real, so moving. Very interesting how Brad let Nick take the lead with the evolution of the different vibes and themes, and how Brad responded with very astute moves that helped add twists and turns at every corner. Guys, terrific job throughout. Thanks for this!
Thanks so much for reading and listening! I'm really glad you liked the opening; I think it's amazing and i wasn't sure if it might get lost in some of the twists.
I also felt like this episode was one where we were both receptive to what the other was doing. I do wonder if the reason why it feels like I was taking the lead is simply that I wrote so much. In Brad's first choice was great and a very different mood from the opener. My second and third songs also really felt like introducing new ideas to the progression and then Brad found such a satisfying conclusion.
It was a great opening indeed! By taking the lead I meant you were keen on exploring new avenues which kept us readers interested. You both did the perfect job at "dancing the dance" and tagging the tunes!
Thanks, Andy.......it's like a dance, innit? I love how you described how I "let Nick take the lead"...and, there have been Tags where I might seem to be "leaning into" a lane or two, and the guest sways with that move, too! And, the thing I'm always fascinated by....I come up with what I think is a legit tag....and, there are two are three others the guest reveals that I missed completely! Those are jaw-dropping! Like that Carla Thomas childhood tidbit Nick mentioned!
All those '70s years scouring the dozens of Melody Makers, NMEs, and Sounds tabs! You know me and words...especially if they evoke another country, state ("Cowabunga, hodad!" for California, f'rinstance!), or era.
Y'know what I learned they called the clunky shoes the UK teddy boy/punkers (and their fans) in the late-'70s wore? Brothel stompers!
I just looked 'em up, and all that seems to be really mentioned are the similar-looking "brothel creepers," or just "creepers," but, there's nothing but "stompers" in my ole memory bank regarding those zapatos!!!😊
I'm just contrary enough to name a band The Brothel Creepers, and insist they take the stage wearing flip-flops!😂
Absolutely, and you two are fantastic dancers! The multiple tags, or tags within the tag, are indeed fascinating. It goes to show that Tune Tag has, in may ways, a life of its own, so to speak. Amazing stuff!
Stellar TT, you guys! I watched and listened to almost everything and that was quite a musical journey.
First thank you for including three wonderful women artists - Janis Ian, Carla Thomas, and Rickie Lee Jones. I adored Janis' duet with Willie, such a beautiful song, and Carla's duet with Otis was so much fun. (Never heard that one before.) Rickie is always a favorite.
"Lonely Boy" has some very poignant memories for me from that mid-70s time period and I've always wondered what it meant, so it was great to hear from both Andrew and his daughter. I knew it was special, but I didn't know it had that musical complexity. Fascinating.
Bernie explaining where the lyrics for "Rocket Man' came from and Elton exclaiming that he never knew was priceless.
That Chorus Line audition made me tear up too! Whereas Mott the Hoople made me laugh. Finishing with Brian Wilson, what an emotional journey!
Thank you for reading and listening! It is quite a journey but, as I've said in comments, I felt like ending with the Elton John & Brian Wilson performances was a deeply emotionally satisfying place to end up. I don't know if that comes through, but it's why I was excited to have this one out in the world.
Rickie Lee Jones does have an impressive ability to cover a song in a way that's faithful to the original and still feels distinctive to her style. I really like her version of "Show Biz Kids" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFl7pGVRfg4 ) and have said, "there aren't many people who can do a good Steely Dan cover and perform with Lyle Lovett ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxgmskQgb9U ) and she can clearly do a good David Bowie cover as well.
There's a funny bit in the Wikipedia entry for "Rocket Man" --- The first stanza of "Rocket Man" was thought of by Bernie Taupin while he was on the motorway heading to his parents' home; he had to "repeat it to himself for two hours," which was "unfortunate" but in later interviews he said that since it gave him a hit, it was all worthwhile.
The Chorus Line audition is amazing, I'm glad you liked it, and Mott the Hoople made me laugh too -- that's such a great performance.
I was aware that in my prior tune tags 2 of my 4 selections were by women artists, and in this case the two songs including women were both duets. There were a couple of other songs by women that I considered but, even with my natural tendency to overthink things, I think it worked out well enough that I'm not second-guessing those choices.
Thanks so much, Ellen! I appreciate your specificity in your likes! I always dig Nick's deep-digging, and his desire and ability to find a song's meaning! As for Elton and Bernie, I always found it fascinating, if not confounding, that Bernie actually wrote lyrics first, THEN handed them over to Elton, who then composed music around them!
Many (most?) composers who team with a lyricist, seem to have music ready, and the lyricist will then match mood, meter, tempo, etc with a set of lyrics that will "fit"! In other words (for example), I believe Bacharach composed music first, followed by David "suiting" the lyrics to his tune. That I don't know, but I HAVE read about the John/Taupin "formula"!
So, unless Elton is extremely inquisitive (and, to hear Bernie tell it....and, given Elton's reaction, he wasn't), he may just have been given a sheet of lyrics, and it doesn't occur to him what may have motivated/inspired Bernie, other than he may have just been "telling a story"!
Oh, yeah, that Chorus Line audition was brutal! Thank you, Nick, for that find! For those of us who've endured auditions 🙋♂️, they're pressure-packed to the nth degree, and we all hope, wish'n'pray for outcomes like Tam's! Easy to tell how I did, for the most part: Of the dozen or so movies I've appeared in, they were all only as background extras! But, my agent gave me my share of sides to learn for one thing or another, all to no avail!
As for Brian, forever a life hero for me, I believe Nick and I played this one mere days before Brian's passing, so my choosing ANY Brian/BBs song was just the normal direction my musical radar would go. In composing the episode within this past week, though, I wanted to find photos that would serve as suitable tributes, and luckily found a couple! He was so special.
"Once the band got going, we shared a house. Chris would leave lyrics for me on a silver breakfast tray, and I’d go off and put tunes to all this wonderful stuff. Up the Junction was groundbreaking in many ways. Chris had been writing narrative lyrics since we’d met, but this was the first time they’d made it to a record. "
Good call, Nick! I think I vaguely remember their writing dynamic, too. Everytime I hear "Up the Junction," it always sounds like it's dragging! I was into Squeeze since their debut, but had not at all memorized or "overplayed" their albums....just enough to be vaguely into them.
Then, I got the single that had "Squabs on Forty Fab" on the flip! It was their stab at parodying the "Stars on 45" scare in the early-'80s! I got totally hooked on Squeeze's "Squabs"...couldn't stop playing it. After that, whenever I heard any of the 6 or 8 songs they jammed together on it, I wanted each song to continue....AND, then, when I heard the "real" songs depicted on "Squabs," they sounded so different....like "Junction" sounding at half-speed! Hear for yourself:
A beautiful opener. I’d only ever been aware of Janis Ian from “At Seventeen”. Not necessity a huge fan of either singer, but this was beautiful.
A Shaun Cassidy sighting! Outside of the Teen Beat posters of Cassidy on my sister’s bedroom wall and seeing him on The Hardy Boys, I never heard him sing. I never would’ve expected him to do “Rebel, Rebel” though.
And omigod, early Barenaked Ladies! Fantastic. They played in my freshman year at Saint Mary’s in Halifax, September 89, and I was all over the “Yellow Tape” cassette release when it came out. Gordon was a fantastic full-length follow up and both those albums still get heavy airplay today.
I’ve always interpreted the hairshirt line that he’s singing about himself (“this name” could be him or the girlfriend) and his guilt and remorse (“is the hairshirt”) from wronging—presumably cheating on (I see “afraid of staying the same when temptation calls” as representing the moment of, and perhaps the justification for, his infidelity) his girlfriend (she of the “brown hair”). A hairshirt was typically worn to “express remorse for sins, demonstrate humility or resist temptation”. When he was unable to “tell you I was wrong” he “sat down and wrote down this song”, which is now “the cross that I bear”. Anyway. Take that with a grain of salt as it’s (obviously) my own interpretation.
And love the follow up from Brad! “Lonely Boy” is right up there among my favorite yacht rock songs (I prefer the “soft rock” or “AM Gold” moniker, but that’s a discussion for another day).
And the final two songs?!? Chef’s Kiss 🧑🍳 😘 absolute PERFECTION!! Also love the unintended tag back to one of my favorite Barenaked Ladies songs.
Thank you, I'm touched, that's a very nice response.
I appreciate your interpretation of "What A Good Boy" and I'll need to think about that. I hadn't considered that it was a song about infidelity, which would make sense and explain some things about the song but was not how I had heard it.
I still think of it as a song about trying to figure out life. I heard the line about "Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same" as echoing the earlier lines:
"I go to school, I write exams / If I pass, if I fail, if I drop out, does anyone give a damn? / And if they do, they'll soon forget / 'Cause it won't take much for me to show my life ain't over yet"
Someone who feels stuck and knows they could be doing more with their life but isn't sure what to do instead.
But it's true that the song is also about about him having treated his girlfriend badly ("I couldn't tell you that I was wrong / Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I wrote this song"). I hadn't been sure how to understand that, but trying to explain an infidelity would make sense.
I wrestle with it a bit because that undermines some of the sympathy I hear the song expressing -- the sense that he knows that it's hard for her too feels less meaningful if he's just saying that to try to get past his own bad behavior.
I actually do think he feels badly about it and isn’t saying it just to get out of it. More broadly I see the song as talking about our own human frailty and fallibility and the pressures from others and ourselves. It’s a lovely and thought provoking song.
A lot of people I know almost see Barenaked Ladies as a novelty band but they really do have some deep and meaningful songs of you listen to them (I realize I’m probably preaching to the choir here).
You're making me think more about a song which meant one thing to me as a teenager, but which might mean something different on closer look.
I'm still resisting a little bit, but that may be me just holding onto my emotional memory, but let me think about it.
There are a few different elements of the song and the relationship between them isn't entirely clear (which is why I asked for help originally).
I still think one thread is the, "I'm feeling a little lost and like I'm screwing up a little bit, but I'm working on it, and finding a path will mean figuring it out on my own terms rather than just following social expectations."
There's also the person (presumably girlfriend) who's addressed in the chorus, "Be with me tonight / I know that it isn't right / Be with me tonight"
Emotionally I feel like the "be with me tonight" isn't just imagining sex, but also that time between the two of them will feel free of judgement. There isn't particularly tied to the words but the mood I get from "be with me tonight" (and also that he's asking the person to help him bear his cross (the weight of wrestling with expectations).
There's also the reference to someone he's hurt or disappointed
"I couldn't tell you that I was wrong / Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I wrote this song / I couldn't tell you that you were right / So instead I looked in the mirror and I watched TV, laid awake all night"
One one hand, that's probably addressed to the girlfriend, because there isn't anybody else specifically mentioned. On the other hand, it seems a little strange to ask someone whom you've hurt to spend time (non-judgementally, as I read it) and help you bear the weight of some problem.
One possibility is that the injury is, ultimately small and young relationship drama and so it's not unreasonable to say, "let's just spend time together and try to put this aside." But if he cheated on her that seems like a somewhat unfair request.
I remember seeing someone on reddit suggest that the song could describe someone experiencing gender dysphoria and that "this name is the cross that I bear" references a feeling of, "this isn't who I am." I don't think that's likely to be the intended meaning of the song, but it is an interpretation which would explain his feeling like he's disappointed and hurt people around him without having necessarily treated his girlfriend badly.
I don't know that any of that suggests a meaning that is more likely than your theory, but I am still inclined to think that the pressures and regret that he's feeling are about something less clear-cut than infidelity.
Shaun was a glitter kid in the early-'70s, Mark! He'd appear, underage, quite frequently at Hollywood bars, like Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco, to see punk and glam bands! He was friends with The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, and all manner of groupies! He was even lead singer of a teeny-boy-band, all long before his Warner Bros. Records' 1977 signing (and "Da Doo Ron Ron" hit), while still in high school! So, doing any Bowie, to that point, and especially the glam'n'glittery "Rebel Rebel" were SO to type, and right in his stylistic wheelhouse!
Here's my recent deep dive into Shaun and his Todd-produced "Wasp" album. It's behind a paywall, but, as a paid subscriber (thanks for renewing your annual!!), you've got the key!
I met Shaun in the early-'80s, running into him at a San Fernando Valley restaurant. He and his new wife, Ann Pennington (Rod Stewart's former wife), were doing what I was doing....waiting for a table (guess who got seated first!!!).
As has been documented, FR&B, Mark, I remembered his half-bro, David, as being fairly slight in stature from our '75 interview. When meeting Shaun, several years past his teenbop heyday (he was about 24 when we met), he seemed slightly "huskier" than his late-'70s satin, hip-hugger-wearing days! But, like David, infinitely sweet and very kind and personable!
One more scoop for you (and only you, Mark!): Stephen Michael Schwartz recorded "Da Doo Ron Ron" for his '74 RCA Records album (about which we've written a lot, as you know), BUT, his producer, David Kershenbaum, nixed its inclusion in the final track listing for the album! Stephen's is a bitchin' cover, and I would argue, even "better" than Shaun's which became a hit 3 years after Stephen's recording. Had Stephen's been included on the album, and released by RCA as a single....maybe Stephen has the hit Shaun ended up with!
Excellent Tune Tag, thanks gents! The Janis Ian-Willie Nelson duet was sublime, and the live Elton also fantastic. Everything in between the usual head-spin. Why do I never get tired of this stuff (i.e. music & lore)?
Yeah, I forget how good "Memphis" is, until I listen to it again. "Sublime" is a good word for it. It's absorbing.
I'm glad you liked the Elton John performance; it got me to appreciate both him and the song more. He's clearly a great singer and piano player and that performance feels like he's just giving a little extra -- not to show off but just to present the song to the audience as well as he can -- even if sometimes the only visible sign is him slightly furrowing his brow in concentration behind his sunglasses :)
Thanks so much, Hugh! As usual, you're singin' my song!
I never knew Janis and Willie ever recorded together....in any decade! Of course, for decades, they shared a home at Columbia! That always helps! When you think about it, it's a duet that's more than natural, and it doesn't matter that "she's not country".....they're both fascinatingly idiosyncratic, thoroughly originals, and peas in a pod, as well as being complementary to the other, however unexpectedly! Mega-points for Nick for this one!
I just started next Tuesday's (#100!), and not even half-way through, I'm finding stuff....oh, I'm finding stuff (our guest is an actual veteran singer/musician/recording artist who has his own Discogs page)! Or, as I say in the Tag, "he has his own Discogs page, and you don't (presumably)!"
Yeah, that Elton song.....even Elton discovered something new about one of his hits!!!😂
Thanks a bunch, Brad; that was really fun. The thing that really makes me happy this week is that you picked songs that I never would have thought of, but the whole episode feels like it reflects some of the elements that I most enjoy in music. I mention the "palpable pleasure in making music" which I hear in so many of the tracks and also the balance between music being personal and public. There are a lot of people this week who, in one way or another, and wearing their heart on their sleeve in their music.
I appreciate Brad leaving in my wall-of-text in the middle. I hope that doesn't scare people off, but I thought it was and interesting topic to explore.
Brad, you are correct that there's a thematic connection between "lonely boy" and "rocket man" around loneliness but I'm curious to get a ruling from the judges about whether matching the age of the two of them counts as a more specific connection.
Speaking of tags, I forgot to mention that Brad's final selection tags *three* of my songs. I realized after sending the notes that "Tramp" and "Good Vibrations" were both released in 1967.
I feel like Brad deserves a standing ovation for that one.
RIP Brian Willson and Mick Ralphs.
Thank you, Nick....glad you enjoyed, and it was fun on this end, too! You picked up something that has "followed me" for years....in college in the mid-'80s (at age 30), I made a "Brad's fave music"-type cassette and played it for my roommate. Sure enough, his first reflection: "All those songs all sound so happy!" The sound that was recorded has to reflect the feelings of the artist when written, as well as when sung and played (ideally, and if they're doing it right)!
So many tags are inadvertent and/or "accidental"--the beauty, yes, of Tune Tag, but, the serendipity of the record biz writ large from back in the day, as well as the relationships of the musicians, producers, and writers all come into play, as well, I think. Just as I didn't know about the Carla Thomas child-performer fact, I also never thought about the 1967 connection between the "Tramp" song and "Good Vibrations"!
If we charged a player to find ALL the possible links extant from one song to the next, oy vey....but, it's become such an unexpected gas to have readers FIND this or that link or tag, when only one was found...and, when one is only ever needed to begin with!
That's the interpersonal and interactive bonus for readers that is such a fun part of Tune Tag!
It would be a terrible idea to try to find ALL of the links; I think part of the beauty of Tune Tag is that it celebrates the various possible connections without becoming a trivia contest.
My comment about the Brian Wilson selection -- "what a gift" was a response to how well it fit emotionally. A lovely note to end on which nicely caught the threads running through the Tune Tag and offered a sense of completion.
It was only after having that emotional response that I was pleased to discover all the other connections.
Well said! And, it should be noted at some point, that we played this (and wrote our notes) before Brian passed away. Another note of irony is that my Brian connection (matching the same venue as Elton's in that "Rocket Man" live perf) was the most innocuous and "impersonal" link for someone (Brian) who was/is such a massive life-hero for me!
I mean, of all things, I'm picking "Good Vibrations" (live or studio) simply due to venue! That, to me, is a scream, as well as pinpointing the magic of The Tag!🎵👍
And, of course, matching the venue isn't purely impersonal. It provides the opportunity to think about what each of those artists have at stake as they prepare to debut their projects.
Elton John at the height of his powers ascending to superstardom (it is impressive that he can sing and play piano like that live -- comments on the YT video say that he didn't often try to hit those high notes in live performances) compared to an older Brian Wilson reconnecting to his music.
One other note, this post about Brian Wilson by Mark Blankenship fits really well with this Tune Tag; in that he writes well about how Brian Wilson addresses some of the themes of aging, adulthood, and responsibility which show up in some of the other songs: https://lostsongs.substack.com/p/when-i-grow-up-the-beach-boys-1964-review-brian-wilson
Thanks for this, Nick....Mark did a fine job with it. "When I Grow Up" is one of my favorites of their "early period"!
What a great Tune Tag! I loved how much you listened and were receptive to each other throughout. I liked all of the tracks, particularly Nick's first song (what a great opening!), Brad's reply (All the Way to Memphis, if memory serves), and the Otis Redding / Carla Thomas duet. I also really enjoyed the audition clip -- what a fantastic performance! So raw, so real, so moving. Very interesting how Brad let Nick take the lead with the evolution of the different vibes and themes, and how Brad responded with very astute moves that helped add twists and turns at every corner. Guys, terrific job throughout. Thanks for this!
Thanks so much for reading and listening! I'm really glad you liked the opening; I think it's amazing and i wasn't sure if it might get lost in some of the twists.
I also felt like this episode was one where we were both receptive to what the other was doing. I do wonder if the reason why it feels like I was taking the lead is simply that I wrote so much. In Brad's first choice was great and a very different mood from the opener. My second and third songs also really felt like introducing new ideas to the progression and then Brad found such a satisfying conclusion.
It was a great opening indeed! By taking the lead I meant you were keen on exploring new avenues which kept us readers interested. You both did the perfect job at "dancing the dance" and tagging the tunes!
Thanks. That's how I felt playing, and I was hoping you would like it.
Thanks, Andy.......it's like a dance, innit? I love how you described how I "let Nick take the lead"...and, there have been Tags where I might seem to be "leaning into" a lane or two, and the guest sways with that move, too! And, the thing I'm always fascinated by....I come up with what I think is a legit tag....and, there are two are three others the guest reveals that I missed completely! Those are jaw-dropping! Like that Carla Thomas childhood tidbit Nick mentioned!
Almost forgot: you're the first American I've seen use the contraction "innit" 😅
All those '70s years scouring the dozens of Melody Makers, NMEs, and Sounds tabs! You know me and words...especially if they evoke another country, state ("Cowabunga, hodad!" for California, f'rinstance!), or era.
Y'know what I learned they called the clunky shoes the UK teddy boy/punkers (and their fans) in the late-'70s wore? Brothel stompers!
You and your lingo stories are always fascinating. You crack me up every single time 😂
Brothel stompers!! 🤣🤣 I'm screaming! Perfect name for a band, me thinks!
I just looked 'em up, and all that seems to be really mentioned are the similar-looking "brothel creepers," or just "creepers," but, there's nothing but "stompers" in my ole memory bank regarding those zapatos!!!😊
I'm just contrary enough to name a band The Brothel Creepers, and insist they take the stage wearing flip-flops!😂
LOL 😅😅😂😂
Absolutely, and you two are fantastic dancers! The multiple tags, or tags within the tag, are indeed fascinating. It goes to show that Tune Tag has, in may ways, a life of its own, so to speak. Amazing stuff!
Stellar TT, you guys! I watched and listened to almost everything and that was quite a musical journey.
First thank you for including three wonderful women artists - Janis Ian, Carla Thomas, and Rickie Lee Jones. I adored Janis' duet with Willie, such a beautiful song, and Carla's duet with Otis was so much fun. (Never heard that one before.) Rickie is always a favorite.
"Lonely Boy" has some very poignant memories for me from that mid-70s time period and I've always wondered what it meant, so it was great to hear from both Andrew and his daughter. I knew it was special, but I didn't know it had that musical complexity. Fascinating.
Bernie explaining where the lyrics for "Rocket Man' came from and Elton exclaiming that he never knew was priceless.
That Chorus Line audition made me tear up too! Whereas Mott the Hoople made me laugh. Finishing with Brian Wilson, what an emotional journey!
Thank you for reading and listening! It is quite a journey but, as I've said in comments, I felt like ending with the Elton John & Brian Wilson performances was a deeply emotionally satisfying place to end up. I don't know if that comes through, but it's why I was excited to have this one out in the world.
Rickie Lee Jones does have an impressive ability to cover a song in a way that's faithful to the original and still feels distinctive to her style. I really like her version of "Show Biz Kids" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFl7pGVRfg4 ) and have said, "there aren't many people who can do a good Steely Dan cover and perform with Lyle Lovett ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxgmskQgb9U ) and she can clearly do a good David Bowie cover as well.
There's a funny bit in the Wikipedia entry for "Rocket Man" --- The first stanza of "Rocket Man" was thought of by Bernie Taupin while he was on the motorway heading to his parents' home; he had to "repeat it to himself for two hours," which was "unfortunate" but in later interviews he said that since it gave him a hit, it was all worthwhile.
The Chorus Line audition is amazing, I'm glad you liked it, and Mott the Hoople made me laugh too -- that's such a great performance.
I was aware that in my prior tune tags 2 of my 4 selections were by women artists, and in this case the two songs including women were both duets. There were a couple of other songs by women that I considered but, even with my natural tendency to overthink things, I think it worked out well enough that I'm not second-guessing those choices.
No need to second-guess, duets for some reason are appealing to you at the moment. You're here to share and it's all good and fun for the rest of us!
Thanks so much, Ellen! I appreciate your specificity in your likes! I always dig Nick's deep-digging, and his desire and ability to find a song's meaning! As for Elton and Bernie, I always found it fascinating, if not confounding, that Bernie actually wrote lyrics first, THEN handed them over to Elton, who then composed music around them!
Many (most?) composers who team with a lyricist, seem to have music ready, and the lyricist will then match mood, meter, tempo, etc with a set of lyrics that will "fit"! In other words (for example), I believe Bacharach composed music first, followed by David "suiting" the lyrics to his tune. That I don't know, but I HAVE read about the John/Taupin "formula"!
So, unless Elton is extremely inquisitive (and, to hear Bernie tell it....and, given Elton's reaction, he wasn't), he may just have been given a sheet of lyrics, and it doesn't occur to him what may have motivated/inspired Bernie, other than he may have just been "telling a story"!
Oh, yeah, that Chorus Line audition was brutal! Thank you, Nick, for that find! For those of us who've endured auditions 🙋♂️, they're pressure-packed to the nth degree, and we all hope, wish'n'pray for outcomes like Tam's! Easy to tell how I did, for the most part: Of the dozen or so movies I've appeared in, they were all only as background extras! But, my agent gave me my share of sides to learn for one thing or another, all to no avail!
As for Brian, forever a life hero for me, I believe Nick and I played this one mere days before Brian's passing, so my choosing ANY Brian/BBs song was just the normal direction my musical radar would go. In composing the episode within this past week, though, I wanted to find photos that would serve as suitable tributes, and luckily found a couple! He was so special.
Thank you for the kind words and I'm so glad you chose that Brian Wilson song.
The other duo in which I think the words were generally written first was Squeeze. I love the image here -- https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/05/how-we-made-up-the-junction-squeeze
"Once the band got going, we shared a house. Chris would leave lyrics for me on a silver breakfast tray, and I’d go off and put tunes to all this wonderful stuff. Up the Junction was groundbreaking in many ways. Chris had been writing narrative lyrics since we’d met, but this was the first time they’d made it to a record. "
Good call, Nick! I think I vaguely remember their writing dynamic, too. Everytime I hear "Up the Junction," it always sounds like it's dragging! I was into Squeeze since their debut, but had not at all memorized or "overplayed" their albums....just enough to be vaguely into them.
Then, I got the single that had "Squabs on Forty Fab" on the flip! It was their stab at parodying the "Stars on 45" scare in the early-'80s! I got totally hooked on Squeeze's "Squabs"...couldn't stop playing it. After that, whenever I heard any of the 6 or 8 songs they jammed together on it, I wanted each song to continue....AND, then, when I heard the "real" songs depicted on "Squabs," they sounded so different....like "Junction" sounding at half-speed! Hear for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaZmGWo87-I
The lyrics on a silver breakfast tray is a great image and story.
That's amazing that you chose the Brian Wilson song before his passing. The universe works in amazing ways.
A beautiful opener. I’d only ever been aware of Janis Ian from “At Seventeen”. Not necessity a huge fan of either singer, but this was beautiful.
A Shaun Cassidy sighting! Outside of the Teen Beat posters of Cassidy on my sister’s bedroom wall and seeing him on The Hardy Boys, I never heard him sing. I never would’ve expected him to do “Rebel, Rebel” though.
And omigod, early Barenaked Ladies! Fantastic. They played in my freshman year at Saint Mary’s in Halifax, September 89, and I was all over the “Yellow Tape” cassette release when it came out. Gordon was a fantastic full-length follow up and both those albums still get heavy airplay today.
I’ve always interpreted the hairshirt line that he’s singing about himself (“this name” could be him or the girlfriend) and his guilt and remorse (“is the hairshirt”) from wronging—presumably cheating on (I see “afraid of staying the same when temptation calls” as representing the moment of, and perhaps the justification for, his infidelity) his girlfriend (she of the “brown hair”). A hairshirt was typically worn to “express remorse for sins, demonstrate humility or resist temptation”. When he was unable to “tell you I was wrong” he “sat down and wrote down this song”, which is now “the cross that I bear”. Anyway. Take that with a grain of salt as it’s (obviously) my own interpretation.
And love the follow up from Brad! “Lonely Boy” is right up there among my favorite yacht rock songs (I prefer the “soft rock” or “AM Gold” moniker, but that’s a discussion for another day).
And the final two songs?!? Chef’s Kiss 🧑🍳 😘 absolute PERFECTION!! Also love the unintended tag back to one of my favorite Barenaked Ladies songs.
Thanks guys, this was fantastic!!
Thank you, I'm touched, that's a very nice response.
I appreciate your interpretation of "What A Good Boy" and I'll need to think about that. I hadn't considered that it was a song about infidelity, which would make sense and explain some things about the song but was not how I had heard it.
I still think of it as a song about trying to figure out life. I heard the line about "Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same" as echoing the earlier lines:
"I go to school, I write exams / If I pass, if I fail, if I drop out, does anyone give a damn? / And if they do, they'll soon forget / 'Cause it won't take much for me to show my life ain't over yet"
Someone who feels stuck and knows they could be doing more with their life but isn't sure what to do instead.
But it's true that the song is also about about him having treated his girlfriend badly ("I couldn't tell you that I was wrong / Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I wrote this song"). I hadn't been sure how to understand that, but trying to explain an infidelity would make sense.
I wrestle with it a bit because that undermines some of the sympathy I hear the song expressing -- the sense that he knows that it's hard for her too feels less meaningful if he's just saying that to try to get past his own bad behavior.
I actually do think he feels badly about it and isn’t saying it just to get out of it. More broadly I see the song as talking about our own human frailty and fallibility and the pressures from others and ourselves. It’s a lovely and thought provoking song.
A lot of people I know almost see Barenaked Ladies as a novelty band but they really do have some deep and meaningful songs of you listen to them (I realize I’m probably preaching to the choir here).
You're making me think more about a song which meant one thing to me as a teenager, but which might mean something different on closer look.
I'm still resisting a little bit, but that may be me just holding onto my emotional memory, but let me think about it.
There are a few different elements of the song and the relationship between them isn't entirely clear (which is why I asked for help originally).
I still think one thread is the, "I'm feeling a little lost and like I'm screwing up a little bit, but I'm working on it, and finding a path will mean figuring it out on my own terms rather than just following social expectations."
There's also the person (presumably girlfriend) who's addressed in the chorus, "Be with me tonight / I know that it isn't right / Be with me tonight"
Emotionally I feel like the "be with me tonight" isn't just imagining sex, but also that time between the two of them will feel free of judgement. There isn't particularly tied to the words but the mood I get from "be with me tonight" (and also that he's asking the person to help him bear his cross (the weight of wrestling with expectations).
There's also the reference to someone he's hurt or disappointed
"I couldn't tell you that I was wrong / Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I wrote this song / I couldn't tell you that you were right / So instead I looked in the mirror and I watched TV, laid awake all night"
One one hand, that's probably addressed to the girlfriend, because there isn't anybody else specifically mentioned. On the other hand, it seems a little strange to ask someone whom you've hurt to spend time (non-judgementally, as I read it) and help you bear the weight of some problem.
One possibility is that the injury is, ultimately small and young relationship drama and so it's not unreasonable to say, "let's just spend time together and try to put this aside." But if he cheated on her that seems like a somewhat unfair request.
I remember seeing someone on reddit suggest that the song could describe someone experiencing gender dysphoria and that "this name is the cross that I bear" references a feeling of, "this isn't who I am." I don't think that's likely to be the intended meaning of the song, but it is an interpretation which would explain his feeling like he's disappointed and hurt people around him without having necessarily treated his girlfriend badly.
I don't know that any of that suggests a meaning that is more likely than your theory, but I am still inclined to think that the pressures and regret that he's feeling are about something less clear-cut than infidelity.
Interesting puzzle, thanks.
Shaun was a glitter kid in the early-'70s, Mark! He'd appear, underage, quite frequently at Hollywood bars, like Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco, to see punk and glam bands! He was friends with The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, and all manner of groupies! He was even lead singer of a teeny-boy-band, all long before his Warner Bros. Records' 1977 signing (and "Da Doo Ron Ron" hit), while still in high school! So, doing any Bowie, to that point, and especially the glam'n'glittery "Rebel Rebel" were SO to type, and right in his stylistic wheelhouse!
Here's my recent deep dive into Shaun and his Todd-produced "Wasp" album. It's behind a paywall, but, as a paid subscriber (thanks for renewing your annual!!), you've got the key!
https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audio-autopsy-1980-new-wave-waspthe?utm_source=publication-search
I met Shaun in the early-'80s, running into him at a San Fernando Valley restaurant. He and his new wife, Ann Pennington (Rod Stewart's former wife), were doing what I was doing....waiting for a table (guess who got seated first!!!).
As has been documented, FR&B, Mark, I remembered his half-bro, David, as being fairly slight in stature from our '75 interview. When meeting Shaun, several years past his teenbop heyday (he was about 24 when we met), he seemed slightly "huskier" than his late-'70s satin, hip-hugger-wearing days! But, like David, infinitely sweet and very kind and personable!
One more scoop for you (and only you, Mark!): Stephen Michael Schwartz recorded "Da Doo Ron Ron" for his '74 RCA Records album (about which we've written a lot, as you know), BUT, his producer, David Kershenbaum, nixed its inclusion in the final track listing for the album! Stephen's is a bitchin' cover, and I would argue, even "better" than Shaun's which became a hit 3 years after Stephen's recording. Had Stephen's been included on the album, and released by RCA as a single....maybe Stephen has the hit Shaun ended up with!
Here's the story of Stephen's debut, which includes the rare and unreleased, fully-produced track of his "Da Doo Ron Ron" cover! Enjoy! https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audio-autopsy-1974-stephen-michael?utm_source=publication-search
And, thanks again!
Excellent Tune Tag, thanks gents! The Janis Ian-Willie Nelson duet was sublime, and the live Elton also fantastic. Everything in between the usual head-spin. Why do I never get tired of this stuff (i.e. music & lore)?
Thanks!
Yeah, I forget how good "Memphis" is, until I listen to it again. "Sublime" is a good word for it. It's absorbing.
I'm glad you liked the Elton John performance; it got me to appreciate both him and the song more. He's clearly a great singer and piano player and that performance feels like he's just giving a little extra -- not to show off but just to present the song to the audience as well as he can -- even if sometimes the only visible sign is him slightly furrowing his brow in concentration behind his sunglasses :)
Thanks so much, Hugh! As usual, you're singin' my song!
I never knew Janis and Willie ever recorded together....in any decade! Of course, for decades, they shared a home at Columbia! That always helps! When you think about it, it's a duet that's more than natural, and it doesn't matter that "she's not country".....they're both fascinatingly idiosyncratic, thoroughly originals, and peas in a pod, as well as being complementary to the other, however unexpectedly! Mega-points for Nick for this one!
I just started next Tuesday's (#100!), and not even half-way through, I'm finding stuff....oh, I'm finding stuff (our guest is an actual veteran singer/musician/recording artist who has his own Discogs page)! Or, as I say in the Tag, "he has his own Discogs page, and you don't (presumably)!"
Yeah, that Elton song.....even Elton discovered something new about one of his hits!!!😂
Excellent songs this week. My wheelhouse all the way! Good weaving guys.
https://handwovenmagazine.com/history-hairshirts/
Thanks!
Thanks, Paul! It was a fun one, and that was a cool hairshirt feature, fur sure!