A Lifetime-Plus of Music

    Today we have the second studio release from Lynyrd Skynyrd, aptly named “Second Helping”.  As you may recall, I absolutely loved their debut album, and while this album has a couple of songs I’m not crazy about, it also has my two all-time favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd songs plus a healthy collection of other great classics.

     The album opens with their biggest hit single, “Sweet Home Alabama”, written in response to “Southern Man” and “Alabama” by Neil Young.  I love the calling out of Young in this song, and I appreciate the steadfast pride in their culture.  I would hope and think, based on many factors, that Ronnie Van Zant in particular, was a smart enough man to see the pros and cons of his southern culture, and I think he does a good job paying homage to black southern America later in the album on “The Ballad of Curtis Loew”.  “Sweet Home Alabama” is an instantly recognizable rock classic, and truly representative of the vibe and feel of southern rock and roll. 

     Later on side one we have “Don’t Ask Me No Questions”.  If “Sweet Home Alabama” encapsulates southern rock, I truly believe “Don’t Ask Me No Question” encapsulates Ronnie Van Zant.  Strong-willed, stubborn, independent and defiant, if you don’t know Ronnie Van Zant, you will after this song, and it absolutely rocks as well.  Side one ends with “Workin’ for MCA”, Van Zant’s cynical take on life as a contracted servant to the record company.

     Side two opens with the beautiful and previously mentioned “The Ballad of Curtis Loew”, and I would like to think that this song, just as the Allman Brothers had with their racially diverse lineup, helped to break down old stereotypes and to help others learn to love and appreciate all people for who they are, not what they look like or where they come from.  I don’t necessarily love “Swamp Music” or “The Needle and the Spoon”, but side two closes with my absolute favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd song, “Call Me the Breeze”.  The mix of guitar, horns, bass, piano and Van Zant’s vocals kick this song into high gear, and if you don’t feel like moving when this song comes on, I’m pretty sure your musical tastes are much different than mine.

     Overall, a very impressive follow-up performance, and with these two albums in play, the foundation was clearly laid for Lynyrd Skynyrd to reign supreme then, and now, as the kings of southern rock.

    On to album three from the Eagles, today’s album is “On The Border”.  For this record, the band began to make changes in their lineup, their sound, and even their production.  The primary goal of these changes was to evolve their sound to a harder edged, rock and roll album after the western-based, country sound of “Desperado”.  To do so, they added guitarist Don Felder for some of the tracks, and ultimately as a full-time member of the band, and removed Glyn Johns as their producer.  Glenn Frey and Don Henley continued to cement their leadership role in the band, both on vocals as well as for songwriting.

     Overall, I would rate the results of this evolution as positive.  The album opens with “Already Gone”, a Frey-led rocker that is definitely one of my all-time favorite Eagles hits.  From that high point, we hit the lowest point on the album with a Henley snoozer, “You Never Cry Like a Lover”.  In addition to being a dull, uninteresting song, the name is painful as well.  As my son said yesterday about the word “lover”, “I hate that word more than most racial slurs”.  It makes for a great Saturday Night Live Skit, but terrible rock and roll.  Next comes a banjo-laden song featuring Randy Meisner, “Midnight Flyer”, and I can still say that after three albums, I’m still not really into any of the band’s songs that feature him or Bernie Leadon.  Side one ends with the title track, which is a much better effort from Henley and the band.

     Side two opens with another Glenn Frey rocker, “James Dean”, which also features the distinctive Eagles harmonies that find their way to most of the songs.  I think my favorite find on the album is “Ol’ 55”, a song I don’t recall hearing before.  One, it is just a really good song that once again has those lush harmony backing vocals, but what I also really like about this track is that it features at separate moments, alternating lead vocals by Henley and Frey.  I think bands with multiple lead vocalists should do this more often, dating back to songs like “A Day in the Life” by Lennon and McCartney, or “Pinball Wizard” or “Baba O’Riley” featuring Daltrey and Townshend. 

     The duo sings together, in more of a joint harmony on “Good Day in Hell”, which I like a lot, and the album ends with a classic Henley ballad, “Best of My Love”.  Overall, I rate the changes and growth in the band positively, and I enjoyed this album more than their first two releases.

    It’s hard to explain sometimes why I like Steely Dan so much.  They are a funky band filled by guys who aren’t funky at all, playing with a bunch of groove, even though they aren’t groovy at all.  They have hints of jazz in their sound, but they aren’t jazz musicians… they are just… Steely Dan.  On their third album, “Pretzel Logic”, I remain thoroughly impressed by the quality of the playing and production.  The sound quality and musical structure is just remarkable and ahead of many of their peers at the time.

     This record opens with their biggest hit of the album, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”, which is a song I like but don’t love.  Even with that, it is a comfortable and warm beginning to another strong Steely Dan performance.  The rest of side one is equally strong, with “Night by Night”, “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” (which is a song I did previously know and really like), “Barrytown”, and an unusual Duke Ellington jazz cover, “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo”.

      Side two brings us back to a more familiar Steely Dan sound on the up-tempo “Parker’s Band”, and the title track on side two is just a perfect capture of their groove, harmonies, and beat.  This album is not their most famous or recognized, but if you enjoy the Steely Dan sound, I’m quite confident you will enjoy this entire album.

    Next, we have legendary Beatle Paul McCartney and his band Wings, with one of their best and most well-known albums, “Band On The Run”.  Because it is Paul McCartney and not John Lennon, of course it is not included in Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, but it really is a solid record.

     On this record, almost all of the instruments were played by Paul, including some impressive guitar parts as bass, piano, and drums.  He was assisted by his wife Linda, and musical partner Denny Laine, but Paul did all of the heavy lifting on this album.  Interestingly enough, legendary drummer Ginger Baker from Cream played on “Picasso’s Last Words”. 

     The album opens with the title track, a great mini-medley of songs, and possibly my favorite overall Paul McCartney solo song.  Each of the mini-clips are great and work well together, not unlike the medley on “Abbey Road”.  Next, we have another big hit, the rocker “Jet”, which helps to give this album the edginess any McCartney project needs to keep from drifting too far into soft, slow and sappy.  I also really like the next song, “Bluebird”, which I wondered if it was going to be similar to “Blackbird”.  It was not, but I do think it is one of the better songs on the album.

     Not quite as well-known, but always a standard when Paul plays live, is the bluesy rocker “Let Me Roll It”.  The echo-treated, passionate and powerful vocals are outstanding, and in an imaginary world where the Beatles reunited somewhere way down the road, I would have enjoyed hearing the band together take on this song.  Two more favorites are “No Words” and the fairly well-known and “Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five”, which strikes me as a template for Paul’s successful solo sound in the early 1970s.

     It’s no secret that I’m a big Beatles fan, and certainly that extends to the unparalleled success and talent of Paul McCartney.  He is truly the highest-ranking living member of rock music royalty, and it warmed my sad heart today to see Paul be one of the first to take to the internet in a recorded video, not just a written statement, expressing his sadness at the death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts.  As I alluded to, for all of his accomplishments, I don’t always think Paul is always fully appreciated by the critics of the music world, and I could list many reasons why that is probably the case.  All of that said, I firmly believe Paul McCartney remains as a true living legend and in general, a really good guy who does his best to support and encourage the world of musicians who try their best to follow in his massive footsteps.

    Today represents one of the most unexpected and enjoyable moments of this entire journey, from an album that wasn’t even supposed to be on my list.  Yesterday, I saw a social media post highlighting the song “Ramblin’ Man” by the Allman Brothers Band, noting that it was released in 1973, the year we are currently surveying.  I knew this album was not on my list, and was frankly a bit surprised.  I was also surprised to realize that this song, as well as “Jessica”, on the album “Brothers and Sisters”, were both recorded after the death of band founder and legend Duane Allman.

     Looking closely at the album, I realized I had to add this one to the list, even as a casual Allman Brothers fan, given the significance of those two songs.  Somewhere I will take another album off the list, reduce my 2021 albums by one, or just go one day longer.  No matter the approach, I dug into “Brothers and Sisters”, and what an absolutely phenomenal album this turned out to be.

      Following the death of Duane Allman, guitarist and singer Dickey Betts took on a much more influential leadership role in the band, and was the driving force behind “Ramblin’ Man”, including assuming lead vocal duties.  While I do appreciate “Ramblin’ Man” and love the instrumental track “Jessica”, it is the rest of this album, seven songs in total, that really blew me away.  I can honestly say I loved all seven songs and will be adding each to my master playlist, a rare event for sure.

     The album opens with the bluesy “Wasted Words”, a great combination of Gregg Allman’s vocals and Betts on guitar, and new bass player Lamar Williams also really shines on all of this record.  The real treat begins with a three-song sequence of “Come and Go Blues”, “Jelly Jelly”, and “Southbound”.  All three also feature Gregg on lead vocals, and each mixes a blend of funk, blues, and country rock in a really infectious manner that just jumps out the very first time you listen to these songs.  Following “Jessica”, the album ends with one more song with Betts on lead vocals, “Pony Boy”, that closes the album with a really authentic southern blues closer.

     While I’m mildly surprised that I missed this album in my original list, I’m beyond grateful I discovered this gem, one of my favorite finds through all of this music.  It just inspires me to never stop searching, you just don’t know where that next great song or album is coming from next.  I also have to give credit to the Allman Brothers Band, particularly Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman, on the heels of the double-tragedy of the passing of Duane Allman and original bassist Berry Oakley.  This record is a symbol of resilience, talent, and southern celebration.

    We move from one New York/New Jersey singer songwriter to another with Billy Joel’s second album, “Piano Man”.  Not surprisingly, this album is dominated by the autobiographical title track, which was the only notable hit on the record, but there are some other interesting songs to contemplate here.

     I am a big fan of Billy Joel, and like Elton John, who he often performs with, he is a fantastic piano player to compliment his skills as a singer and songwriter.  Let’s start with the infamous title track.  By now, we have probably all heard this song a few too many times, but today I was able to step back and appreciate it for what it represents, at least to me.  First off, the melody and chord sequence of this song, accompanied by harmonica and accordion, are brilliantly constructed.  Beyond that, the story is one that most any of us can connect with, even if we are not performers.  How many nights over my relatively long life have I found myself in a bar or club listening to some anonymous performer playing songs that aren’t so anonymous?  For that brief moment, the bond we feel with that musician is special and meaningful, even though in most cases, we will never see them again as long as we live.  Sometimes with a friend or perfect companion, many others by myself, those memories are rich and impactful, and I think we all know the characters in the song, once again, those anonymous patrons who become our dear friends, if only for that brief moment.

    The rest of the album is an eclectic mix of songs that are very consistent with what I expect from early Billy Joel, big piano tracks with extended musical backing, telling stories familiar and unheard.  Among the ones that stand out are “Travelin’ Prayer”, “Ain’t No Crime”, “Worse Comes to Worst” and “Captain Jack”.  One other interesting track is “The Ballad of Billy the Kid”.  The song starts as expected, with the mock horse steps and western harmonica, and then the song suddenly bursts into a major orchestrated piece, complete with strings, as if the song should be played in Carnegie Hall with a full orchestra.  In reality, the song isn’t that close to the real history of western outlaw Billy the Kid, but the colorful fictionalization of his legend makes for an interesting story, even if it sounds completely out of place within the song in which it was paired.

     An easy album to listen to with one iconic track that will live on forever, not a bad day’s work for an up-and-coming songwriter from Long Island.

“And the waitress is practicing politics, As the businessmen slowly get stoned”

“Yes, they’re sharing a drink called loneliness, but it’s better than drinking alone.”

“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man…”

    With his second release in 1973, we return to New Jersey for “The Wild, the Innocent & The E Street Shuffle” from Bruce Springsteen.  Initially, this album was not a major commercial success either for Bruce, but it did continue to build on his growing legend in the Mid-Atlantic region of America.  Ultimately, it has become a more appreciated and successful component of his catalog, and is rated #345 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

     I look at this album through a similar lens as his first album, in that there are some tracks I really love and many more that don’t capture my interest as closely.  The opener, “The E Street Shuffle” is a favorite, it feels like a great set opener and the sound of the band kicking into high gear really starts off this album strong.  The rest of side one has three more tracks, many of which continue his local affection for his home in New Jersey, and with most Springsteen songs, are good storytelling songs.  This album only has seven songs, so there are several tracks in the seven-to-eight-minute range, including “Kitty’s Back”, which I like once it gets going.

     Side two is centered around the biggest hit on the album, the live performance smash “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”, which is a great song that has often served as the set closer for Bruce and his band.  It’s a high-energy celebration of his growing affection for Rosalita, in parallel with his emerging success as a recording artist.  Clarence Clemons on saxophone is a force on this song, as he always was, and this song really stands out as the best song on the album by quite a bit.  Two other odes to New York serve as the book-ends on side two, “Incident on 57^th Street” and “New York City Serenade”.  Like much of the album, these songs are good tracks, but for me lack the really strong hooks I would hope for as I listen to new music.

     Overall, a solid performance once again from “The Boss”, and I do love the way his music emotes and translates to the live stage.  Seeing one of those early shows on the Jersey Shore, in a packed and steamy nightclub, must have been an incredible experience and it was this energy that lifted Bruce Springsteen to his legendary level as songwriter and performer.

    Many people look at “Tommy” as the most significant milestone ever reached by Pete Townshend and The Who.  While it was certainly groundbreaking as a concept, I look at their next “rock opera”, the magnificent piece “Quadrophenia” as a much more powerful and more impressive musical creation performance, by all of the band.  A double album just like “Tommy”, “Quadrophenia” is structured as a full story performance, complete with overture and recurring themes in music and story.

     Set by the sea and opening with the instrumental piece “I Am The Sea”, the album explodes with “The Real Me”.  This song is absolutely spectacular, and if I had to play one song by The Who to demonstrate how good they were musically, this would be it.  John Entwistle’s bass line is from another world, and he is matched by the frenetic and insane drum pace of Keith Moon.   With Roger Daltrey’s powerful vocals and Townshend’s omni-present power chords, this song just rocks.  It flows right into the title track and overture for the album, and the story of Jimmy, the confused and struggling mod trying to find his way through life.

     I really love the high caliber and musical excellence of this entire record, but even with all of these great songs, there are a few that stand out.  One of the most compelling songs is “I’m One”, featuring Townshend on lead vocals.  A simple and beautiful acoustic lead-in gives way to another explosive Who classic.  Another highlight on the first half of the two-record album is “Is It In My Head?”

     Side three, which I consider the beginning of the “second act”, is another of the band’s very best tracks, “5:15”, an ode to an evening train from London to Brighton.  The horns on this song really take it to a higher level, and all of the band continue to shine at their very best.  The advancements in production from “Tommy” are notable.  “Sea and Sand”, “Drowned”, and “Doctor Jimmy” are all of the same high quality, and I just never lose interest or momentum with this album, even as a double record.

     The album continues to build towards another powerful climax with “The Rock”, which feeds into a dramatic, emotional and very moving closing song, “Love Reign O’er Me”.  This may be Roger Daltrey’s high point as a vocalist for The Who, and the orchestration and middle bridge of this song always moves me tremendously. In classic Who fashion, the song crashes to the ground in fierce fury with Keith Moon’s raging drums and one last power-chord from Townshend as the song fades to close.  I have seen the band several times in concert, and my last memory of seeing them live was watching Pete and Roger perform this song with their supporting band, in the driving rain.  It was an emotional reflection of a lifetime of seeing The Who in concert, dating back to my first show with them in 1982.  They really are a very important and significant act in my life as a rock music fan, and I consider this album to be perhaps their finest overall moment, even over “Tommy” or “Who’s Next”.  If you take those three albums and add in “Live at Leeds”, you have 90% of what you would ever really need to know or understand about The Who.

     So yes, even though it isn’t as highly acclaimed on some of these “lists”, I highly recommend “Quadrophenia” as a complete piece.  If that’s too much, at least listen to “The Real Me”, on a high-quality sound system to embrace the sheer power this band brings to the stage and the studio.

    Somewhere around 1991, when I owned a small pickup truck, I was helping a coworker move and was listening to some Bob Marley when “I Shot the Sheriff” came on the radio.  She looked at me with a quizzical face and said, “That’s a terrible cover of the Eric Clapton song.”  As you can imagine, I was a bit mortified by her miscue, although I was polite about it.  To be fair, back in the infancy of my classic rock days in the early 1980s, I probably could have made the same mistake.  I left Florida to the same music I entered it last night, listening to the album “Burnin’” by The Wailers.  This album is #10 on rateyourmusic.com’s Top 10 Reggae Albums of all time, although I will say right now, I prefer it to “Catch a Fire”, also by Bob Marley and the Wailers, which was rated #5 a few days ago, and was released earlier in 1973.

     This record opens up with the militant anthem “Get Up, Stand Up”, and my favorite part in this song is the vocal contrast Peter Tosh adds late in the song.  I really love his voice a lot, and this song has always been a favorite of mine.  After the slower “Hallelujah Time”, we have the ORIGINAL version of “I Shot the Sheriff”, another Bob Marley classic.   “Burnin’ and Lootin’” is another excellent track on the first side of the album.

     My favorite track on side two is “One Foundation”, this might be my second favorite song on the album.  It has a great vibe and feel, and as written and sung by Peter Tosh, I just love the depth and tone of his smoky reggae voice.  Overall, this an excellent album, and a great further dive into the extended catalog of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and The Wailers.

    As we near the end of the 1973 albums, we have the album today that became the #1 selling album in 1974.  “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, created by Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin, along with the core of what was now fully operational as John’s touring band, is an outstanding collection of work.  It’s hard to imagine any other Elton John record topping this one, but I will keep an open mind.  Rated #112 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Greatest Album of All Time, this double LP contains seventeen songs, seven of which I instantly recognized.

     Side one is a complete blockbuster.  Opening with the theatrical and powerful “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”, this remarkable composition fully exercises the musical and creative talent of Elton John.  After that eleven minute blockbuster, we have the sincere and authentic tribute to Marilyn Monroe, “Candle In the Wind”, and side one ends with the faux live performance of “Bennie and the Jets”.  John’s falsetto vocals on this song are pristine and mix so well with his soulful piano playing.

     The hits continue with Side two, opening with the title track, yet another massive hit for Elton John.  The album then begins to drift a bit more inconsistently after that, with some hits and some interesting choices.  “Grey Seal” is another recognizable song on side two that I like, and we have the unfortunately titled “Jamaica Jerk-Off”, which is a pretty clever reggae take other than the horrific song title.

     Side three is pretty uneventful, with the most notable track being “Dirty Little Girl”.  It is a bit more caustic and aggressive lyrically than I would normally expect from John and Taupin; somebody must have really crossed them prior to creating this song.  “All the Girls Love Alice” is the other recognizable track on side three.

     Side four’s non-hit tracks don’t really get my attention despite several listens, but “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” is probably the single best and most rocking up-tempo song for Elton, and the album closes with the fully appropriate closer track, “Harmony”.

     I listened to this album late at night in a very peaceful setting last evening, and I gave it another two spins in the car today.  I’m grateful for all of the exposure and performances I have witnessed from Elton, and I really love hearing this album, even the songs I didn’t know or love, to see just how diverse, capable and gifted he was as a performer.  That he found such a great songwriting partner and loyal backing bandmates was just a huge bonus.