Stormy Songs

As we New Yorkers prepare for the worst, I was thinking of weather appropriate songs.
I like Windy by the Association and Stormy Weather.  My friend Lucia echoed Stormy Weather, but added Lena Horne's version.  Can't argue with that.

Hurricane by Bob Dylan only works because of it's title. Hurricane Carter has nothing to do with this storm.  It's a long one. 

Classic line:  I want to love you but I'm getting blown away of course comes from Neil Young's Like A Hurricane.

There there is the dreadful Stormy by Classic IV. That song was on the radio all the time in 1968.  I did not know they were from Jacksonville, Fl.

For those on the coast, Head Above Water by Hall and Oates might be appropriate.  

There are hundreds of rain songs and I seem to like all of them.

If you're in the path of the storm, stay safe.

Idol-The Simon Show

American Idol is on as I write this. The show brought me back to high school. It opened with a thinning white haired Barry Gibb and his brother Robin (when did he become the good looking one?) singing How Deep Is Your Love? The nostalgia continued with a portly Michael MacDonald singing Taking It To The Streets. Hall & Oates performed You Make My Dreams Come True. I was convinced it was minutes away from Eric Carmen's All By Myself or American performing Sister Golden Hair. I will admit that hearing either one of those would have been the highlight of the show.

As the show progressed it turned into a Simon Cowell tribute. A lovely looking Paula Abdul returned as well as a black and white clad cast of past contestants.

On the heels of all of this, Ellen DeGeneres announces she's starting a record label. Is she aware that it might never be the right time to start a record label. Couldn't find out if she's fronting it herself.

They haven't announced a winner yet, but either way, both Crystal or Lee have the talent to be successful.

T Bone Wolk

I'm sure he was always confused with T Bone Burnett. T-Bone Wolk, who I just read about in the Huffington Post died of a heart attack the beginning of the month. He was the long time musical director for Hall & Oates. I saw him perform with them on many occasions. He was also a big part of Daryl's web show Live From Daryl's House. Daryl said "T-Bone was my musical brother and losing him is like losing my right hand."

Wolk impressed me as a musician with a vast knowledge of music and it's history. He seemed to fit in with all musicians which must have been a testament to his patience and his talent. He always looked like he was having a great time and loved his "job". His passing is a piece missing from music.

80's Music in Today's Music

Bruises by Brooklyn's own Chairlift is the music behind the recent iPod Nano commercial. I would have guessed them to be a British band as their music is 80's derivative. There is the underlying beat ala Phil Collin's version of You Can't Hurry Love. Thompson Twins and Berlin come to mind. I heard a piece on All Songs Considered which stated that the 80's were the worst time for music. They picked apart songs like Let's Hear It For The Boy, which of course is a very obvious target. Then they proceeded to gang up on Hall & Oates, which is so misguided. The problem in the 80's was not with the music, but with the production. Electric keyboard, drum machine heavy production masked the actual beauty of the songwriting. Say what you will about Rick Springfield, but early on he wrote great pop songs. They will never be timeless because of the production. You can say the same about Madonna. If the 80's were so bad, why are so many young musicians deriving their music from the records of that time?