Tom Lane's Music Blog

Ranking: Songs from Randy Travis - Storms of Life

2026-07-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Released in 1986, Storms of Life was a major release that helped usher in the New Traditionalist movement of the 1980's. Randy Travis came from the Merle Haggard/Lefty Frizzell world of Country music. There was very little Pop crossover moments in his music. He made other strong albums, but none with the impact that his had on Nashville in 1986. Three number one Country singles came from this album.

1, On The Other Hand

2. Diggin' Up Bones

3. Reasons I Cheat

4. 1982

5. No Place Like Home

6. Send My Body

7. There'll Always Be A Honky Tonk Somewhere

8. Storms of Life

9. My Heart Cracked

10. Messin' With My Mind

Playlist for 7/16

2026-07-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Earth, Wind & Fire - To Be Celestial (2026 Documentary)

War and Treaty - Story of Michael & Tanya

Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues

Paul McCartney - The Boys of Dungeon Lane

Taj Mahal - Time

Willie Nile - s/t

Old No. 1 Revisited - Various

Dr. Hook - Sloppy Seconds

Dr. Hook - Bankrupt

Earth, Wind & Fire (2026 Documentary)

Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie (2024 Documentary)

Tom's Top Albums of 1976

2026-07-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

Abba - Arrival

AC/DC - Dirty Dees Done Dirt Cheap

AC/DC - High Voltage

Aerosmith - Rocks

Al Green - Full of Fire

Al Green - Have A Good Time

Al Stewart - Year of the Cat

Aretha Franklin - Sparkle

Arlo Guthrie - Amigo

Average White Band - Soul Searching

Bad Company - Run With the Pack

Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson - A Star Is Born Soundtrack

Barry White - Let the Music Play

Bee Gees - Children of the World

Billy Joel - Turnstiles

Billy Swan - s/t

Blondie - s/t

Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune

Bob Dylan - Desire

Bob Marley - Live

Bob Marley - Rastaman Vibration

Bob Seger - Live Bullet

Bob Seger - Night Moves

Bootsy’s Rubber Band - Stretchin’ Out In

Boston - s/t

Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees

Brothers Johnson - Look Out for #1

Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey

Car Wash - Soundtrack

Chicago - X

Commodores - Hot on the Tracks

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Bigger Than the Both of Us

David Bowie - Station to Station

Deniece Williams - This Is Niecy

Diana Ross - s/t

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - s/t

Don Williams - Harmony

Donna Summer - A Love Trilogy

Doobie Brothers - Takin' It To The Streets

Dwight Twilley Band - Sincerely

Eagles - Hotel California

Earth, Wind & Fire - Spirit

Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Record

Elton John - Blue Moves

Elvis Presley - From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis Tennessee

Elvis Presley - Sun Sessions

Emmylou Harris - Luxury Liner

Emotions - Flowers

Flamin’ Groovies - Shake Some Action

Freddy Fender - Rock 'N' Country

Funkadelic - Hardcore Jollies

Gary Stewart - Steppin’ Out

Genesis - Trick of the Tail

George Harrison - Thirty Three and 1/3

George Jones - Alone Again

George Jones - The Battle

George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Golden Ring

Graham Parker - Heat Treatment

Guy Clark - Texas Cookin’

Heatwave - Too Hot to Handle

Ian Hunter - All American Alien Boy

Isley Brothers - Harvest for the World

Jackie Wilson - Nobody But You

Jackson Browne - The Pretender

Jacksons - s/t

Jaco Pastorius - s/t

James Taylor - In The Pocket

Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene

Jeff Beck - Wired

Jefferson Starship - Spitfire

Joan Armatrading - s/t

Johnnie Taylor - Eargasm

Johnny Cash - One Piece At A Time

Johnny "Guitar" Watson" - Ain't That A Bitch

Joni MItchell - Hejira

Kansas - Leftoverture

Kate & Anna McGarrrigle - s/t

KC & the Sunshine Band - Part 3

Kiss - Destroyer

Kiss - Rock and Roll Over

Kool & The Gang - Open Sesame

Led Zeppelin - Presence

Linda Ronstadt - Hasten Down the Wind

Lou Rawls - All Things In Time

Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby

L.T.D. - Love to the World

Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From The Road

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Back My Bullets

Manhattans - s/t

Marvin Gaye - I Want You

Merle Haggard - Roots of My Raising

Merle Haggard - It'a All In The Movies

Michael Hurley/Unholy Modal Rounders - Have Moicy

Michael Franks - Art of Tea

Mighty Diamonds - Right Time

Miles Davis - Agharta

Modern Lovers - s/t

Natalie Cole - Natalie

Norman Connors - You Are My Starship

Ohio Players - Contradiction

O’Jays - Message in the Music

Olivia Newton-John - Come On Over

Parliament - Clones of Dr. Funkenstein

Pat Metheny - Bright Sized Life

Patti Smith - Radio Utopia

Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Tosh - Legalize It

Queen - A Day at the Races

Rainbow - Rising

Ramones - s/t

Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior

Rod Stewart - A Night on the Town

Rolling Stones - Black and Blue

Rory Gallagher - Calling Card

Roy Ayers - Everybody Loves the Sunshine

Runaways - s/t

Rush - 2112

Ry Cooder - Chicken Skin Music

Spinners - Happiness is Being With the Spinners

Stanley Clarke - School Days

Steely Dan - The Royal Scam

Steve Miller - Fly Like An Eagle

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life

Stills/Young Band - Long May You Run

Sylvers - Something Special

Tavares - Sky High

Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak

Tom T. Hall - Faster Horses

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - s/t

Tom Waits - Small Change

Trammps - Disco Inferno

Warren Zevon - s/t

Waylon Jennings - Are You Ready For The Country

Wild Cherry - s/t

Wild Tchoupitoulas

Willie Nelson - Sound In Your Mind

Willie Nelson - Troublemaker

Waylon Jennings,/Willie Nelson/Jessi Colter//Tompall Glaser - Wanted! The Outlaws

Weather Report - Black Market

Wings - At the Speed of Sound

ZZ Top - Tejas

Songs About Cities, Streets and Towns (Mixtape)

2026-07-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

I was 12 years old in 1976, the 200th anniversary birthday of America. I remember the hype seemed more intense than for the 250th. Still, the weeks leading up to the 200th were spent with TV specials and local town events. Much like the 250th.

In the early 2000's I made a CD mixtape of songs about towns and cities. Remember mixtapes? Before streaming I used to make cassettes and CD's for family and friends. This was one of them. It wasn't a July 4th themed mixtape, but some 20 years later I realize that it was. Towns, streets, cities make up the heart of America. Another reason this could be a July 4th theme? All the artists are Americans.

So hear are 20 songs that I came up with some 20 years ago for this mixtape theme.

1. Simon & Garfunkel - My Little Town

2. Brooks & Dunn - Only In America

3. Bob Seger - Mainstreet

4. George Benson - On Broadway

5. John Mellencamp - Small Town

6. Miranda Lambert - Famous In A Small Town

7. Billy Joel - Allentown

8. Hal Ketchum - Small Town Saturday Night

9. Bruce Springsteen - My Hometown

10. Merle Haggard - Big City

11. John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads

12. Pretenders - My City Was Gone

13. Montgomery Gentry - My Town

14. Iris DeMent - Our Town

15. Bobby Bare - Detroit City

16. Eagles - In The City

17. Michael Stanley Band - My Town

18. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

19. Arlo Guthrie - City of New Orleans

20. Stevie Wonder - Living for the City

Poll: June 1965 Songs

2026-06-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

June 1965, Beatlemania! Although only one song by them is listed here. This is the biggest of these polls I've voted in: 50 songs. June 1965. I'm a year old. Don't think my musical memories have completely started yet. But I do know my six year old sister liked the Beatles.

popradiogold.com

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", Rolling Stones : 1
"Ticket To Ride", Beatles : 2
"It's Not Unusual", Tom Jones : 3
"Sitting In The Park", Billy Stewart : 4
"I Can't Help Myself", Four Tops : 5
"Help Me, Rhonda", Beach Boys : 6
"For Your Love", Yardbirds : 7
"What The World Needs Now Is Love", Jackie DeShannon : 8
"I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)", Otis Redding : 9
"Mr.Tambourine Man", Byrds : 10
"Land Of 1000 Dances", Cannibal & the Headhunters : 11
"Yes, I'm Ready", Barbara Mason : 12
"Back In My Arms Again", Supremes : 13
"Wooly Bully", Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs : 14
"Crying In The Chapel", Elvis Presley : 15
"She's About A Mover", Sir Douglas Quintet : 16
"Seventh Son", Johnny Rivers : 17
"Just Once In My Life", Righteous Brothers : 18
"(I Cry) Just A Little ('Cause I Love You So)", Beau Brummels : 19
"What's New Pussycat?", Tom Jones : 20
"I Do", Marvelows : 21
"Nothing Can Stop Me", Gene Chandler : 22
"Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter", Herman's Hermits : 23
"I'll Never Find Another You", Seekers : 24
"Count Me In", Gary Lewis & the Playboys : 25
"Engine Engine #9", Roger Miller : 26
"Concrete And Clay", Unit Four Plus Two : 27
"Cast Your Fate To The Wind", Sounds Orchestral : 28
"L-O-N-E-L-Y", Bobby Vinton : 29
"Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind But Me)", Chiffons : 30
"I'm A Happy Man", Jive Five : 31
"Cara - Mia", Jay & the Americans : 32
"Concrete And Clay", Eddie Rambeau : 33
"A Walk In The Black Forest", Horst Jankowski : 34
"Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte", Patti Page : 35
"Baby The Rain Must Fall", Glen Yarbrough : 36
"Last Chance To Turn Around (Last Exit To Brooklyn)", Gene Pitney : 37
"Before And After", Chad & Jeremy : 38
"Darling Take Me Back", Lenny Welch : 39
"I'm Henry VIII, I Am", Herman's Hermits : 40
"Theme From "A Summer Place"", Lettermen : 41
"Marie", Bachelors : 42
"Laurie (Strange Things Happen)", Dickey Lee : 43
"You Were Made For Me", Freddie & the Dreamers : 44
"You Turn Me On (Turn On Song)", Ian Whitcomb & Bluesville : 45
"True Love Ways", Peter & Gordon : 46
"Wonderful World", Herman's Hermits : 47
"Queen Of The House", Jody Miller : 48
"Silhouettes", Herman's Hermits : 49
"Do The Freddie", Freddie & the Dreamers : 50

Playlist for 6/25

2026-06-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

Dale Watson - Unwanted

Social Distortion - Born to Kill

Margaret Glaspy - Golden Heart Protector

Keith Urban - Flow State

Charley Crockett - Clovis

Olivia Rodrigo - You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl In Love

Neil Diamond - Wild at Heart

Ricky Nelson - Sings For You

RIP Clive Davis

2026-06-22T09:15:05.829-07:00

I often thought of Clive Davis as the "Last Record Man". But there were others that could claim that title like Berry Gordy. He certainly represented an era of music moguls that no longer exists. While head of Columbia or Arista he wasn't against signing artists that didn't have top of the chart potential, he's mostly remembered for his "golden ears". Clive knew a hit when he heard it. But there's no doubting his legend. The names he had at his labels reads like a who's who of Hall of Famers. Joplin, Santana, Whitney, Manilow, Aretha, Springsteen, etc.

Clive also signed acts that weren’t big sellers but were critically acclaimed: Gil Scott-Heron, Laura Nero and Patti Smith. All three are in the Rock Hall. He revived the sagging chart fortunes of the Kinks, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Santana. Not everything sold and many releases stiffed. But that’s how it is with every record executive.

I first knew about him when I was a teenager just getting to know the music business. Those were the 70’s, when he first started running Arista Records. What stood out until his last years was his devotion to the music industry and how many people loved working for him.

Great Father’s Day Songs

2026-06-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

Great Father's Day Songs:

Alan Jackson - Drive (For Daddy Gene)
Beyonce & Chicks - Daddy Lessons
Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be

Bread - Everything I Own

Bruce Springsteen - Independence Day

Bruce Springsteen - My Father's House
Cat Stevens - Father and Son

Conway Twitty - That's My Job

Dallas Burrow - My Father's Son

Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band
Dolly Parton - Daddy's Working Boots
Drive-By Truckers - Outfit
Elton John - Last Song
Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy
Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
Everclear - Father of Mine

George Strait - Best Day

George Strait - So Much Like My Dad

Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle

Holly Dunn - Daddy's Hands

Jack Ingram - Measure Of A Man

James Blunt - Monsters

James Brown - Papa Don't Take No Mess

Jerry Jeff Walker - My Old Man

Jimmie Rodgers - Daddy and Home
John Lennon - Beautiful Boy
John Prine - Paradise
Johnny Cash - Boy Named Sue
Keith Urban - Song For Dad
Loudon Wainwright III - Father and A Song

Luke Combs - My Old Man Was Right
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Madonna - Oh Father
Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird
Mike & The Mechanics - Living Years
Nas - Daughters

Paul McCartney - Put It There

Paul Overstreet - Seein' My Father In Me

Paul Simon - Father and Daughter

Queen - Father To Son
Reba McEntire - Greatest Man I Never Knew

Rod Stewart - Touchline
Simon & Garfunkel - Silver Haired Daddy of Mine

Slaid Cleaves - Welding Burns

Steve Goodman - My Old Man
Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
Tori Amos - Winter

Waylon Jennings - Between Fathers and Sons
Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us
Winstons -Color Him Father

Zac Brown Band - My Old Man

Ranking: Songs from Fleetwood Mac & Rumours

2026-06-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

This month two albums. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joining Fleetwood Mac in 1975. And putting them on the Top 40 singles chart for the first time ever. Rumours was an even bigger classic. It's the greatest breakup album ever? It's up there for sure. These are my 2 favorite Buckingham/Nicks era albums.

Fleetwood Mac

1. Rhiannon

2. Landslide

3. Over My Head

4. Say You Love Me

5. Monday Morning

6. World Turning

7. I'm So Afraid

8. Crystal

9. Warm Ways

10. Sugar Daddy

11. Blue Letter

Rumours

1. Go Your Own Way

2. Dreams

3. The Chain

4. Don't Stop

5. Gold Dust Woman

6. You Make Loving Fun

7. Never Going Back Again

8. Songbird

9. Second Hand News

10. I Dont' Want To Know

11. Oh Daddy

Playlist for 6/10

2026-06-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ashley McBryde - Wild

Ella Langley - Dandelion

Carter Faith - Cherry Valley

Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues

U2 - Easter Lily

Paul Clifford Weekly Mixcloud Shows

Paul Collins Weekly Mixcloud Show

Mickey Bo's Rock 'n' Roll Revue Weekly Show

Tracks Of My Life Spotify Playlist

2026-06-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

Eleven years ago I started a crazy playlist project on Spotify called "Tracks of My Life". The playlist would consist of every song that I liked or meant something to me or I just somewhat remember liking once hearing it somewhere somehow. You know memories. Because that's what's always been great about music listening. The memories, good or bad, that they bring up. So, here I am eleven years later with a Spotify playlist that is 6465 songs, over 401 hours long (as of this posting date). Just when I think no more songs will be added I'll hear something that I haven't added.

Here's a link to my playlist. Search for your favorite song or artist. Chances are I've liked a song by them at some point in my 62 years of life.

Tracks of My Life Playlist

Favorite Summer Songs

2026-06-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Consider this a never-ending list of my favorite Summer songs. I've also included songs that may not be about Summer, but have the feel of the season.

All Summer - Little Big Town

All Summer Long - Beach Boys
All Summer Long - Kid Rock

Beach Baby - First Class
Beautiful Morning - Rascals

Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
California Girls - Beach Boys
California Sun - Rivieras

Constructive Summer - Hold Steady

Cool For The Summer - Demi Lovato
Cruel Summer - Bananarama

Cruel Summer - Taylor Swift

Cruise - Florida Georgia Line
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Dancing In The Street - Martha and the Vandellas
Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful

Doin' Time - Lana Del Rey
Everybody Loves The Sunshine - Roy Ayers
Fourth of July - Dave Alvin
Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys
Good Times - Chic
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
Grazing In The Grass - Friends of Distinction
Groovin' - Rascals

Heat Wave - Martha & the Vandellas

Heat Waves - Glass Animals
Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly & The Family Stone

Hot In Herre - Nelly
I Live For The Sun - Sunrays
In The Summertime - Mungo & Jerry
Island In The Sun - Harry Belafonte
It's A Great Day To Be Alive - Travis Tritt
Lazy Day - Spanky and Our Gang
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

Melting In The Sun - ELO
Miserlou - Dick Dale

Mr. Blue Sky - ELO

Night Moves - Bob Seger

No, Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems - Kenny Chesney

One Summer Dream - ELO

Other Side of Summer - Elvis Costello
Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon

Pontoon - Little Big Town

Rock Lobster - B-52's
Rockaway Beach - Ramones

Saints - Breeders
Saturday In The Park - Chicago
Sealed With A Kiss - Brian Hyland
See You In September - Happenings
School's Out - Alice Cooper
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart

Sleep All Summer - Neko Case & Eric Bachmann
Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny

Smooth - Santana & Rob Thomas
Soak Up The Sun - Sheryl Crow
Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
Steal My Sunshine - Len
Stoned Soul Picnic - Fifth Dimension

Suddenly Last Summer - Motels

Summer and Lightning - ELO
Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

Summer - Bobby Goldsboro
Summer - War
Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers
Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts

Summer Looks Good On You - Cheap Trick
Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful
Summer Madness - Kool & The Gang

Summer Means Fun - Bruce & Terry
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summertime - Billy Stewart

Summer's Comin' - Clint Black
Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran

Summertime Girls - Y&T
Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey
Summertime Summertime - Jamies
Sunny Afternoon - Kinks

Sunroof - Nicky Youre & Dazy

Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver
Surf City - Jan & Dean
Surfin' U.S.A. - Beach Boys

That Summer Feeling - Jonathan Richman

Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith

Theme From "Summer of '42" - Peter Nero
Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer - Nat King Cole
Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson

Toes - Zac Brown Band

Under The Boardwalk - Drifters

Vacation - Connie Francis
Vacation - Go-Go's

Ventura Highway - America
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

Wipe Out - Surfaris

Playlist for 5/31

2026-05-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Willie Nelson - Dream Chaser

Black Keys - Peaches

BTS - Arirang

Robyn - Sexistential

Ashley Monroe - Dear Nashville

Charley Crockett - Age of the Ram

Arlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire

Billy Idol Should Be Dead (Documentary)

Smokey Robinson Songbook - Various (Ace)

Poll: May 1982 Songs

2026-05-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

May 1982. One month away from graduating. Not the strongest list I've voted on. But brought back memories of my last months in High School.

popradiogold.com

"Don't You Want Me", Human League : 1

"Get Down On It", Kool & the Gang : 2
"Rosanna", Toto : 3
"I Love Rock 'N Roll", Joan Jett & the Blackhearts : 4
"The Other Woman", Ray Parker, Jr. : 5
"We Got The Beat", Go-Go's : 6
"Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go", Soft Cell : 7
"Edge Of Seventeen (Just Like The White Winged Dove)", Stevie Nicks : 8
"Don't Talk To Strangers", Rick Springfield : 9
"'65 Love Affair", Paul Davis : 10
"Open Arms", Journey : 11
"Heat Of The Moment", Asia : 12
"It's Gonna Take A Miracle", Deniece Williams : 13
"Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me", Juice Newton : 14
"If It Ain't One Thing...It's Another", Richard "Dimples" Fields : 15
"One Hundred Ways", Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram : 16
"Do You Believe In Love", Huey Lewis & the News : 17
"Always On My Mind", Willie Nelson : 18
"Chariots of Fire (Titles)", Vangelis : 19
"867-5309/Jenny", Tommy Tutone : 20
"Did It In A Minute", Daryl Hall & John Oates : 21
"Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", Elton John : 22
"Freeze-Frame", J. Geils Band : 23
"Make A Move On Me", Olivia Newton-John : 24
"Circles", Atlantic Starr : 25
"That Girl", Stevie Wonder : 26
"Man On Your Mind", Little River Band : 27
"Run For The Roses", Dan Fogelberg : 28
"Key Largo", Bertie Higgins : 29
"Ebony And Ivory", Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder : 30
"Hang Fire", Rolling Stones : 31
"Pac-Man Fever", Buckner & Garcia : 32
"Should I Do It", Pointer Sisters : 33
"You're My Everything", Santa Esmeralda : 34
"Crimson And Clover", Joan Jett & the Blackhearts : 35
"Making Love", Roberta Flack : 36
"Goin' Down", Greg Guidry : 37
"Friends In Love", Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis : 38
"Body Language", Queen : 39
"(Oh) Pretty Woman", Van Halen : 40
"The Beatles' Movie Medley", Beatles : 41

"I've Never Been To Me", Charlene : 42

Bob Dylan 85 Years Old

2026-05-24T08:59:34.337-07:00

Back in 2014, I participated in an online poll ranking Bob Dylan's songs/albums/cover versions by other artists. Now on his 85th birthday I'm gonna repost my rankings. I've decided to keep the rankings as they were originally published. Maybe on his 90th birthday, I'll update it.

Songs

1. Like A Rolling Stone

2. Positively 4th Street

3. Tangled Up In Blue

4. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

5. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright

6. Lay Lady Lay

7. Masters of War

8. Subterranean Homesick Blues

9. Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

10. It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding

11. Highway 61 Revisited

12. Shelter From The Storm

13. I Want You

14. Ballad of A Thin Man

15. It Ain't Me Babe

16. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

17. Mr. Tambourine Man

18. Blowin' In The Wind

19. Maggie's Farm

20. Just Like A Woman

21. I Shall Be Released

22. All I Really Want To Do

23. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

24. If Not For You

25. All Along The Watchtower

26. Visions of Johanna

27. Stuck Inside of Memphis

28. Love Minus Zero/No Limit

29. My Back Pages

30. Tombstone Blues

31. Simple Twist of Fate

32. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

33. Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll

34. She Belongs To Me

35. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome

36. Chimes of Freedom

37. Desolation Row

38. Blind Willie McTell

39. To Ramona

40. Gotta Serve Somebody

41. Brownsville Girl

42. Times They Are A-Changin'

43. Tight Connection To My Heart

44. Dirty World

45. Things Have Changed

46. Hurricane

47. Forever Young

48. Tweeter and the Monkey Man

49. Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35

50. Isis

Top 20 Albums

1. Highway 61 Revisited

2. Blonde On Blonde

3. Blood on the Tracks

4. Another Side of Bob Dylan

5. Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

6. John Wesley Harding

7. Basement Tapes

8. Bringing It All Back Home

9. Love and Theft

10. Nashville Skyline

11. Desire

12. New Morning

13. Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Live 1966)

14. Times They Are A-Changin'

15. Slow Train Coming

16. Time Out Of Mind

17. Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3

18. Modern Times

19. Before The Flood

20. Bob Dylan s/t (1962)

Covers by Other Artists

1. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

2. Mr. Tambourine Man - Byrds

3. Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Elvis Presley

4. I Shall Be Released - Band

5. You Ain't Going Nowhere - Byrds

6. If Not For You - George Harrison

7. It Ain't Me Babe - Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash

8. Blowin' In The Wind - Stevie Wonder

9. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Them

10. Mighty Quinn - Manfred Mann

11. Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Rod Stewart

12. She Belongs To Me - Ricky Nelson

13. Emotionally Yours - O'Jays

14. Make You Feel My Love - Adele

15. Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Warren Zevon

16. Highway 61 Revisited (Live 30th Anniversary) - Johnny Winter

17. Absolutely Sweet Marie - Jason & The Scorchers

18. All I Really Want To Do - Byrds

19. Tears of Rage - Band

20. Masters of War (Live 30th Anniversary) - Eddie Vedder

Playlist for 5/15

2026-05-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Kacey Musgraves - Middle of Nowhere

Ringo Starr - Long Long Road

Band of Heathens - Country Sides

Black Crowes - A Pound of Feathers

Lemon Twigs - Look For Your Mind

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Future Soul

Luke Combs - The Way I Am

New Pornographers - Former Site of

Ranking: Songs from Billy Joel - The Stranger

2026-05-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

It took Billy Joel 3 albums on Columbia before number four broke him in a big way. Today The Stranger is a diamond selling album. Its fate when first released in 1977 was far away from those sales projections. But the lead single, "Just the Way You Are" peaked at #3 and the album had three more top 40 singles. The momentum carried over in to 1978 when 52nd Street became his first number one album. Never a critics favorite, Joel's music was often dismissed by critic during his peak as slight. But listeners, including me, disagreed. The Stranger remains my favorite Billy Joel album.

1. Only The Good Die Young

2. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

3. Just The Way You Are

4. Vienna

5. Songs From An Italian Restaurant

6. She's Always A Woman

7. The Stranger

8. Get It Right the First Time

9. Everybody Has A Dream

Best Mother's Day Songs

2026-05-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

Updated for 2026

When most people think of Mother's Day songs, sentimentality usually wins out. I've got a few of those listed below, but also some that avoid the teardrops.

Anais Mitchell - Little Big Girl

Anthony Hamilton - Mama Knew Love

Beatles - Julia
Bill Anderson - Mama Sang A Song

Boyz II Men - Song For Mama

Brandi Carlile - The Mother

Bruce Springsteen - Wish
Carrie Underwood - Mama's Song
Dolly Parton - Coat Of Many Colors
Electric Light Orchestra - Mama
Elvis Presley - Mama Liked The Roses
Gerry Rafferty - Mary Skeffington
Gregory Porter - Mother's Song
Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama
Jamie O'Neal - Somebody's Hero
Judds - Mama He's Crazy

John Lennon - Mother

Joni Mitchell - Little Green

Junior - Mama Used To Say

Kacey Musgraves - Mother

Lefty Frizzell - Mom and Dad's Waltz

Lenny Kravitz - Thinking Of You

Linda Ronstadt - Sweetest Gift
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man
Merle Haggard - Mama Tried
Miracles - Shop Around
Miranda Lambert - Mama's Broken Heart
Outkast - She's Alive
Paul Simon - Loves Me Like A Rock
Pink Floyd - Mother

Randy Travis - Angels

Romy - Enjoy Your Life

Ruth Brown - Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean
Shirelles - Mama Said
Sizzla - Thank U Mamma
2Pac - Dear Mama
Spinners - Sadie
Sufjan Stevens - Fourth Of July
Taylor Swift - Best Day

Playlist for 4/30

2026-04-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

Black America sings Stevie Wonder - Various

Wednesday Morning 6AM-Radio Hits from the Small Hours 70-83 - Various

Mitski - Nothing's About to Happen to Me

Iron & Wine - Hen's Teeth

Delines - The Set Up

Johnny Blue Skies/Sturgill Simpson - Mutiny After Midnight

Harry Styles - Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally

Poll: April 1968 Songs

2026-04-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

April 1968. I'm a month away from turning four years old. I don't think I remember these songs from that month. But artists? The Beatles, Monkees for sure.

Pop Radio Gold

"(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay", Otis Redding : 1
"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell : 2
"La-La Means I Love You", Delfonics : 3
"Tighten Up", Archie Bell & the Drells : 4
"Mrs. Robinson", Simon & Garfunkel : 5
"Dance To The Music", Sly & the Family Stone : 6
"The Good, The Bad & The Ugly", Hugo Montenegro & His Orchestra : 7
"Cry Like A Baby", Box Tops : 8
"Lady Madonna", Beatles : 9
"I Thank You", Sam & Dave : 10
"A Beautiful Morning", Rascals : 11
"Scarborough Fair / (Canticle)", Simon & Garfunkel : 12
"Love Is Blue", Paul Mauriat : 13
"Valleri", Monkees : 14
"Cowboys To Girls", Intruders : 15
"Do You Know The Way To San Jose", Dionne Warwick : 16
"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition...)", First Edition (Kenny Rogers) : 17
"Jennifer Juniper", Donovan : 18
"Love Is All Around", Troggs : 19
"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone", Aretha Franklin : 20
"Take Time To Know Her", Percy Sledge : 21
"Summertime Blues", Blue Cheer : 22
"MacArthur Park", Richard Harris : 23
"If You Can Want", Smokey Robinson & the Miracles : 24
"Sweet Inspiration", Sweet Inspirations : 25
"The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)", Manfred Mann : 26
"Simon Says", 1910 Fruitgum Co. : 27
"Honey", Bobby Goldsboro : 28
"Forever Came Today", Diana Ross & the Supremes : 29
"Soul Serenade", Willie Mitchell : 30
"I Got The Feelin'", James Brown & the Famous Flames : 31
"The Unicorn", Irish Rovers : 32
"(Theme From) Valley Of The Dolls", Dionne Warwick : 33
"Kiss Me Goodbye", Petula Clark : 34
"Playboy", Gene & Debbe : 35
"Young Girl", Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett : 36
"The Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde", Georgie Fame : 37

RIP Prince 10th Anniversary

2026-04-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

I wrote this piece two days after Prince died on April 21, 2016.

Prince's albums up until the mid-90's are uniformly strong. As the 2000's were ushered in, Prince's records all had a few good cuts, but were lacking the originality we came to expect from his classic years.

So, my own list is top heavy with the classic stuff.

Essential
Dirty Mind
1999
Purple Rain
Parade
Sign O' The Times

Every music fan should have the above 5 in their collection. These are Prince's best albums and show his depth better than anything: Funk, Rock, Pop, Soul, Gospel and any other genre he was inventing.

Very Good
Controversy
Around The World In A Day
Lovesexy
Diamonds and Pearls
Love Symbol Album
Gold Experience
Emancipation
Black Album

Controversy followed Dirty Mind in 1981 and was seen as being less daring than that album, but still has some great moments. Same fate for Around The World In A Day which followed Purple Rain. But today it stands as a neat stylistic departure. Lovesexy from 1988, had a great, overlooked hit "Alphabet Street". Diamonds and Pearls (1991) was sort of a comeback album chartwise, as it was released after the terrible movie Graffiti Bridge. It has Prince's last #1 single, "Cream". The Love Symbol Album followed and was one of his funkiest albums. Gold Experience contains Prince's last big Top 40 hit, the #3 "Most Beautiful Girl In The World". Both it and Emancipation released in the mid-90's and kind of forgotten today. Finally, the Black Album, recorded in 1987 but not released until 1994 was to be the followup to Sign O' The Times but shelved at the last minute. It became a big bootleg album for years. It's a good album, not a classic, but full of odd songs.

Good
Batman
Graffiti Bridge
Prince (1979)
Crystal Ball
Chaos and Disorder
Musicology
3121
Art Official Age

If some of the titles don't seem obscure to you, then you are as much a die-hard as me. For most, a lot of these were completely forgotten by even curious Prince fans. The latest album on this list is 2014's Art Official Age. I'm kind of fond of the Batman album. All have their moments, and again I hope someone compiles a latter day Prince compilation.

Greatest Hits Sets
Hits/B-Sides (1993)
Very Best Of (2001)
Ultimate (2006)
4Ever (2016)

4Ever was released after Prince died and is the best of the bunch, even though it stops at 1993. None of the others contain anything post-1993. Very Best Of is a single disc, Hits/B-Sides a triple and Ultimate/4Ever are double discs. Ultimate has a few 12" mixes for collectors.

KPIG-FM Memories

2026-04-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

It wasn't until 1990 that I started listening more intently to Americana music. Most of my listening habits until then were taken up by many other genres. Country music was one of them, but mainstream Country. So, when co-workers started listening to KPIG-FM radio out of Freedom, California (near Santa Cruz), in the early 90's, I decided to tag along. KPIG began in 1987. But its origins date back to 1975 and the birth of Progressive Country pioneer, KFAT, based in Gilroy, California. For eight year, KFAT played a heady mix of Progressive Country, but also other genres like Blues, Rock, Bluegrass and anything else offbeat. Once KFAT went under, in 1983, it begat KHIP. But KHIP didn't have the big signal KFAT did. Finally in 1987, KPIG began. Like KFAT it plays an eclectic mix. It specializes in Americana but I hear other genres in their playlist. You’re likely to hear the Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Emmylou Harris, and whatever newcomer comes along, in any given hour.

It's not like I didn't know about Americana artists. I read enough music magazines that I knew what names were getting rave reviews. John Morthland's essential 1984 book, Country Music, opened my ears to a lot of Country music outside the Country charts. This is all similar to my experiences with Alt-Rock. It wasn't until I started reading Spin or Option magazine that I started to explore that genre. I skipped most of the important bands in the 80's.

Listening to KPIG in the early 90's, the album that really turned me on to the Americana genre was John Prine's 1991 comeback, The Missing Years. His first studio album in six years. Once I fell in love with it, and hearing other Prine cuts, I began to explore other names in the genre thanks to KPIG.

Some 35 years later the Americana genre is more popular than ever. I wasn't there at the beginning when it was just a newly named format. KPIG is still going strong. And I love the fact that they play Elvis Presley songs!

Here's a Spotify playlist of my early KPIG music memories:

KPIG Memories

My Latest Podcast Appearance (Rock in Retrospect Podcast)

2026-04-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

I joined host Nick Bambach and 3 others to talk about the 2026 Rock Hall inductees.

Rock in Retrospect

Ranking: Songs from Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston

2026-04-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw Whitney Houston was in 1983 on the Merv Griffin show. She sang "Home" from The Wiz. It was a great performance. A star seemed to be in the making. But who knows how these things will turn out. The first time I heard her on record was in 1984 when she did a duet with Teddy Pendergrass for his post-accident comeback album. "Hold Me" would peak at #5 on the R&B charts and #46 on the Hot 100.

A year later her self-titled debut album came out. This was a new voice in the Pop world. The album had all the markings of label head Clive Davis' touch. There's a little bit for everything. R&B, Pop, carefully constructed duets. But what held it all together were the songs and Houston's powerful voice.

1. How Will I Know

2. Saving All My Love For You

3. You Give Good Love

4. Thinking About You

5. Greatest Love Of All

6. All At Once

7. Hold Me (w/Teddy Pendergrass)

8. Nobody Loves Me Like You Do (w/Jermaine Jackson)

9. Someone For Me

10. Take Good Care of My Heart (w/Jermaine Jackson)

Playlist for 4/10

2026-04-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Megan Moroney - Cloud 9

Charli xcx - Wuthering Heights

Paranoid Style - Known Associates

Clover County - Finer Things

Lone Bellow - What A Time To Be Alive

Mon Rovia - Bloodline

Elvis Presley - EPIC Soundtrack

EPIC: Elvis Presley In Concert (Film)

Beach Boys - We Gotta Groove-The Brother Studio Years (Box Set)