my careless contagion

I remember sitting in a dentist chair in the late 80s with this song  (which came out in '84)  playing on the radio. It seemed strange that he was singing of a time that was so long ago (it was only 20 years prior) and wondered if he was even alive in 1969 (he was 10). Our concept of time is sometimes faulty, and, well, I wasn't the brightest kid, either. Anyway, Bryan Adams started rocking in a band at the age of 15, and it's entirely possible he had a heckuva summer in the summer of '69. This guy continues to rock, and he's in his mid-60s now. We will forgive his being from Canada. He has an impressive string of hits, and even performed this song with Taylor Swift in her recent tour. Still relevant. Still rockin'. I won't even delve into his politics because it's sure to be a disappointing misadventure.  Little did I know when I sat in that dentist chair this seemingly wholesome and nostalgic hit song was actually about sex. Yes, Bryan said just that i...

Haha, oh man. This one is loaded. I'm pregnant with thoughts as I sit here. This one is from the vault. B.J. Thomas' Hooked On A Feeling came out in 1968, but it lingered on radio for decades. It is another simple song that has a lot going on. This is a song from my childhood that still echoes in my mind. It's a good one, and let's look at why.  Let's get this out of the way. The television treatment of this song is laughable. You could put up a blue background, some lighted Os and a ladder as props and background, and then overlay the video shots ... and ta da! It was probably high tech back then, but now it makes us cringe. And B.J. looks incredibly polished. His image after this is decidedly hippyish. He died in 2021, sadly. Another great song from B.J. is Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, which we won't discuss today because today we're doing a happy song. He's got some really good songs, which he shared with all of us.  What struck me about the...

Once upon a time, I used to listen to quite a bit of urban music like rap. I was young once and my music was bumpin. 2Pac was one of those artists. I was quite upset when I heard he was murdered and even more upset by the average man's explanation of thug life, thug death. Man, how cold are you? Anyway, this song speaks about a life I don't really recognize, though we all have struggles. I can't say how much of it is art and how much is biographical. Only the artist knows.  I agree with the sentiment that something needs to change. Comparing this song to where we are now and when it came out, I'd say we went in the wrong direction. We've let those in charge of the world divide us even further. It's a shame. And why do we insist on calling those with differing melanin levels a different race? We're all one race. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Watch the words they make us use. Yes, there are cultural differences, I realize. But, the same God create...

Save Your Tears by The Weeknd was a popular pop song a few years ago. Can't say I know much about the artist, other than he probably sold his soul to the devil, but, hey, that's how you do business in show business. Digressing far too early. It's the weekend. So let's listen to The Weeknd!  This song is a typical "love" song where love isn't involved at all, obscuring true love and substituting a vile replacement. It's a heartbreak song. It's a lost-something song. Maybe it was love but probably not. Anyway, it's gone. I just like the music. The lyrics are bleak. That's one thing about popular music. The music and lyrics don't agree, carrying two different experiences. Maybe that's why I often make up my own damn lyrics. Y'all be putting poison in your songs.  This video is preferred to the official because it isn't grotesque. It's just some cars doing some choreography while the the singer sings his hit song. Straightfo...

Disconnected, from Face to Face's 1992 album Don't Turn Away (which is, in my opinion, a perfect punk rock album) is a simply-worded song. The lyrics aren't complicated. The singing is straightforward and predictably angsty and overwrought in typical punk-rock fashion. I saw Face to Face perform a few times. Keep in mind this is a three-piece band. These sounds are coming from three people each playing an instrument. The bass alone is perfect. As a whole, it's profound and simple at the same time and paints a perfect picture of what many people feel at some point in their lives, which is a disconnect from those around them (and maybe even themselves).  Before I go off on a tangent, here are the lyrics.  You don't know a thing about me Is there something that you should know? I can tell you what you want to hear Let your inhibitions just go No you don't know what you will give up You don't know what you want It may take you years to find out You don't kno...