🎵Tune Tag: The Origin Story🎶Annotated!
How a simple game of song connection called "Baton" turned into the popular search'n'memory game that has guests clamoring to play! Even "Monopoly" had to start somewhere!
Sometimes a song will smack you upside your fuzzy little head…..like a well-placed paw right outta the cupboard!
The original set of rules that accompanied the debut Tune Tag on August 19, 2023:
Recently, I was asked by Valerie Dee of DJ Val’s Track du Jour to engage with her on her “creative tune-ery” game of Baton, a fun and creative song tag! Like All-You-Can-Eat-Shrimp, I couldn’t resist!
She began by sending Track #1 with some commentary. All of her tracks were ones I’d never heard before, so after a first-listen, I’d choose a track to send her (usually her first time hearing, too), with commentary, as well.
Ideally, each track we’d send the other would have some tie-in with the one we were sent! Whether thematically or musically, the challenge would be to pick a common piece for a song to send to the other. In some cases, I chose related musicians who had a connection to the song Val sent.
It’s fun, and a game you can play with your friends! Play along: Which song would you choose to follow each one?
Spotify and YouTube Playlists of all ten songs used in our Baton Game can be found at the end of the article, with each song also featured as we present them, in order:
Val, with her song #1: interstellar love by the avalanches w/leon bridges
Val’s rationale: i volleyed this track over to brad as the first song for several reasons:
besides the fact that it’s a long-time favorite and i think everyone should hear it at least once, it starts off with a sturdy, emotional rise. its eclectic sound then pushes forward with both force and delicacy until it ends on a clean & tidy outro. a good starter and a great song.
most importantly: like a platter of hors d’oeuvres, it had multiple themes for brad to pull from. sonically, lyrically, atmospherically – i wanted to see what sort of association he would pluck out of the track.
Brad’s song #1 sent to Val: "On My Way," Chris Rainbow, 1975
I noticed Val's first song (which I'd never heard before) had a sample from a song with which I was well familiar: “Eye in the Sky” by The Alan Parsons Project from 1982 (from the album of the same name). According to Discogs, Eye in the Sky is the first of three albums the Project recorded on analogue equipment and mixed directly to the digital master tape!
It would’ve been too easy to follow “Interstellar Love” with one of Parsons’ songs, and while I wasn’t motivated to follow with a thematically-matching song, I chose related personnel!
As it happens, Chris Rainbow (whose 1975 UK-import album...I’m stateside...Home of the Brave, I used to own, and love; it had no American release) provided backing vocals on Parsons’ 1982 “Eye in the Sky” song sampled by The Avalanches! Hence, Rainbow’s own “On My Way,” here. Parsons and his recording partner, Eric Woolfson, used to call Rainbow (who passed away in 2015), “The One-Man Beach Boys.”
val’s track #2 to Brad: “toast” by pond
seems we’re running with the “ascension” theme! on my way and toast both give me a strong image of someone reflecting and accepting their immediate demise while also having a bit of a “well... cheers! ” moment before they go. Pond is from Perth, Western Australia.
Brad’s Track #2: "Everywhere You Go," Taxiride, 1999
As Valerie served me an Australian band, I decided to choose one from clear on the other side of that continent (Melbourne, Victoria), Taxiride, and their 1999 track, “Everywhere You Go,” from their debut album, Imaginate. I wrote about that album here:
Guitarist/singer, Jason Singh (above), wrote me a note after reading my “Audio Autopsy” article: “Thanks, Brad...you made me remember how good we used to be!”
val’s track #3: come running (to tie your shoe) by brian eno
“life’s too short to be away from you” themes from toast -> “i’ll come running (to you)” themes from everywhere you go -> “i’ll come running to tie your shoe”
a wonderful flow between shared themes and common words!
Brad’s track #3: "Silent Running" by Mike + The Mechanics
Here, I went thematic, using Eno’s “I'll Come Running” to pair with Genesis guitarist, Mike Rutherford’s “side band,” Mike + The Mechanics’ “Silent Running,” from 1985, with the great Paul Carrack (Ace, Squeeze, Roger Waters, et al) on lead vocal.
val’s track #4: sons & daughters by the decemberists
silent running: teach the children quietly / for some day sons and daughters / will rise up and fight while we stood still
sons & daughters: take up your arm / sons and daughters / we will arise from the bunkers / by land, by sea, by dirigible / we’ll leave our tracks untraceable now
aside from “sons and daughters” being the common link, i liked the idea of following up a song about an older generation preparing children for war with a song about a new generation’s optimism.
Brad’s track #4: "More Ways Than One" by Peter Frampton
To follow The Decemberists’ “Sons & Daughters,” I again went with a “related” artist, Peter Frampton, and one of my favorite solo albums by him, 1989’s When All the Pieces Fit (on Atlantic Records), and his “More Ways Than One” song, co-written by Frampton and former Rembrandts member, Danny Wilde (who also sings backing vocals on the track), one of my favorite unheralded vocalists.
Fellow Substack music writer, Keith R. Higgons of
, interviewed Wilde and longtime bandmate, Phil Solem: Access it by clicking here.
Why Frampton, and how on earth is he related to The Decemberists? According to Dave Maher of Pitchfork: “In November 2006, the band encouraged fans to create a music video for the band’s single, “O Valencia!” using footage of the band in front of a green screen.
On his Comedy Central program, Stephen Colbert started a mock feud with the band [“Stephen Colbert vs. The Decemberists”], claiming his “green screen challenge” came first; the band disagreed, claiming theirs was first. The “feud” culminated in a December 20 guitar solo competition on Colbert's show, with lead guitarist Chris Funk representing the band.
“After Colbert feigned a hand injury, Peter Frampton took over for Colbert and won an audience vote.”
val’s track #5: i look to you by miami horror, kimbra
i read the line “i believe there are more ways than one” as the thesis behind silent running /sons & daughters; the war still happened, but the future generation broke the cycle and carved a new path. i wanted something that emphasized the future, so i went digging and stumbled back onto this track i hadn’t heard in awhile. a perfect fit!
i look to you / future, we’ve found / to stay here / on higher ground / i look to you / i want to change / the future as i look into your eyes
Brad’s Track #5: "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel
Following Miami Horror’s “I Look to You” was easy (and I decided to FINALLY attempt a thematic connection!): As the Miami Horror song focused on eyes, I chose one of my favorite “eye” songs to counter, with former Genesis lead singer, Peter Gabriel and his “In Your Eyes” from 1986.
Related:
val’s final thoughts:
brad’s use of in your eyes as the final track made for a cherry-on-top conclusion of this playlist’s running theme – the power of love in many forms and with its many nuances - and it was a smooth segue back into interstellar love! a perfect loop!
For this complete, ten-song Baton Playlist on YouTube, click here.
After the positive reactions and comments from readers, I began thinking that, especially with a more descriptive name change that focuses on alliteration, we might have something that “has legs,” as they say!
Several courageous, thoughtful, and musically astute guests joined us right off the bat (thanks to them, and to all of our Tune Tag fraternity!), and something of a phenomenon was born! We will continue to sally forth, and earnestly invite your eager participation as a future Tune Tag participant!
If you’re a subscriber (Paid, free, or comped), feel free to DM me via Substack’s Notes, or simply e-mail me! And, thanks! 👇 👇 👇
I remember the very first episode, and if I'm not mistaken, I think our first game was quite early on (second or third maybe?). Rereading how it all began has been awesome. I love the universality of this game, the simplicity of the rules, and how exciting it is to play (and watch). It's become one of my favourite "staples" of FR&B, the Musicstack, and the entire net!
Watching the creative twists and turns each of these takes is one of the best parts of #Musicstack!