Stephen Sondheim, one of the giants of the American musical theater, died three days ago at the age of 91. Sondheim’s Wiki entry describes him this way: Sondheim was praised for having “reinvented the American musical” with shows that tackled … Continue reading →
There are countless songs about broken hearts. It’s a natural subject, because the phenomenon of hearbreak is so common, and people undergoing the pain of the experience often turn to music to release their emotions, universalize them, and even for … Continue reading →
One of the things I’ve discovered through my recent delving into popular (and unpopular) music has been how many musicians have quirky, interesting life stories. In particular, so many came from a musical parent or parents, and so many were … Continue reading →
[nOTE: Part I can be found here.] Singing while doing much dancing is rare for several reasons. The first is that unless the dance is very simple and slow, the dancer gets out of breath (that also can be a … Continue reading →
In Wednesday’s open thread this week I alluded to the fact that I don’t like jazz. I’ve tried; I’ve really tried, but it just doesn’t work for me. To my ear and brain it sounds like formless chaos, music dissolving … Continue reading →
I can. Hey – I can even walk and listen to music at the same time, and I often do. So what? But Roger Taylor. Ah, Taylor could sing up a storm and drum up a storm at the same … Continue reading →
Commenter John Tyler writes: Speaking of the meaning of songs, consider John Lennon’s “Imagine,” which came out in 1971. If one did not know any better, you would think the lyrics were written by Karl Marx or Lenin. This song … Continue reading →
[Hat tip: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.] A new US Maritime Administrator has been appointed: …[D]uring the worst shipping crisis of the century, the US Department of Transportation, has appointed someone to the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) who is not a … Continue reading →
Here’s an overview of four-plus decades of the Bee Gees’ careers. I wouldn’t have made exactly the same choices. There are two Beatles covers and a Carol King cover that I’d eliminate, as well as some obscure and some not … Continue reading →
And a few other things. The segment I’ve cued up is only six minutes long, but if you want to hear just the tax part it’s from 7:02 to 9:14. This interview took place in 1978, when Barry was 31 … Continue reading →
“Out of Time” was a Rolling Stones song from 1966, and not an especially big hit for them. I had the record it appeared on, “Aftermath,” and I don’t even remember the song. But I came across this cover version … Continue reading →
[NOTE: There isn’t a previous post called “Emotion in popular songs: Part I.” But I realize that this one was actually Part I on the subject, and now I’m posting a Part II.] Commenter “Brio” wrote the following on a … Continue reading →