In my humble opinion… Madonna.

But opinions are like, well, you know how the saying goes.  Music is so speculative anyhow, so who really comes up with all of the honorific titles is a mystery in itself, so I turned to the mighty Google to find an answer. I searched “Queen of Pop” and found no help there, just more confusion. Wikipedia has a list titled “Honorific nicknames in popular music”, so I thought I would use that as a starting point.  After sorting through the names and titles – some familiar, some realistic, and some just silly – I was able to sort out that according to that article, there are apparently seven ladies that have been crowned Queen; Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Christina Agiulera, Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue (huh???) and of course, Madonna.

You can’t believe everything you read on the internet, or so I’ve been told, so I decided to ask a few DJ friends of mine the simple question; “Who is the Queen of Pop?”  Most answered the same… Madonna, with a random Katy Perry thrown in there, but hardly a contender by any means.

As it turns out, Madonna will also be performing at the halftime show at Superbowl XLVI (2012), three decades after the release of her debut single ‘Everybody’.  Still relevant enough to rock the Superbowl after thirty years… Quite impressive.

As for the others Wiki mentioned, here are my irrelevant thoughts.  Love Britney, but not quite Queen material.  Janet, Christina and Mariah, ummm, not.  Gaga is too new, and Kylie – although talented – is really about as relevant as Debbie Gibson.  I was sort of surprised not to see either Diana Ross or Donna Summer on the Wiki list at all.  Summer would have been my choice for Queen of Disco at the very least, with far more hits than the named Gloria Gaynor, and Diana Ross simply reigns supreme – pun totally intended.

Looking at Madonna overall, taking into consideration her longevity, perpetual self-reinvention, and fifty plus Billboard Top 40 hits, her relevance – at least right now – looks fairly significant. One might even argue that Madonna’s cultural impact opened the door for female pop artists to follow.

So this DJ, Musicologist and music aficionado would crown Madonna as the reigning Queen of Pop.

Who would you choose?

-Craig

Pop Crown Illustration by Sean Gallo

Musicology

I just finished this book about about a week ago, and as far as a ‘review’ goes, there isn’t much I can say that hasn’t been said by other reviewers, particularly Adam Bradley, Author and Review Contributor for Barnes and Noble, which you can check out here on www.barnesandnoble.com.

One part in particular of Mr. Bradley’s review was this;

What distinguishes it [Belafonte's autobiography] — and elevates it to excellence — is the quality of experience that the book chronicles. Belafonte’s Brush with Death isn’t an overdose in a suite at the Chateau Marmont, it’s a high-speed escape with Sidney Poitier from the Ku Klux Klan to deliver a suitcase filled with tens of thousands of dollars to support civil rights activists in Mississippi. His Big Break isn’t a record label intern discovering his demo at the bottom of a box of unsolicited tapes, it’s walking onstage for his first gig to find that his backup band consists of jazz immortals Max Roach, Al Haig, Tommy Potter, and Charlie Parker. His Happily Ever After isn’t a series of Billboard and box office hits, famous paramours, and big paychecks (though he enjoys all of these in abundance), it’s a lifelong commitment to the cause of civil rights, both at home and abroad.

Although the rest of Bradley’s review is brilliant, on point and worth reading, I believe the above paragraph summed it all up quite well.  I typically devour biographies and autobiographies on music artists, particularly ones I enjoy, but with Belafonte’s book I was given an unexpected lesson in history, activism, and the civil rights movement.

Mr. Belafonte, if you’re reading this (pardon my delusions of grandeur), I thank you.  I thank you not just for this phenomenal autobiography that opened my eyes while making me think, but I thank you for everything you have done to stomp out oppression.  You are not just an icon, but a leader.  As a youth, I knew who you were, and I have known your music for a long time.  Although I never knew all of the great things you did, I am not surprised that you did them.  Even as a kid, I knew you were important somehow, just didn’t know why.

As a white kid growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, my earliest memory of a ‘black’ experience was asking my mother to go to a mall, and her responding “Are you crazy? It’s Black Friday!”  I may have been eight or nine years old at the time, but for years I believed that meant white people were not allowed to go shopping on Black Friday.  With that skewed perception of the world, I also believed Harry Belafonte was the black leader, King of all black people (I had no idea that he was a singer until years later, only that he seemed regal on television).

And then I grew up.

What I learned from this memoir, and this experience, is that Mr, Belafonte a leader and a king amongst all men. He held counsel with leaders like Bobby and John Kennedy and was their direct line to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with whom he was a close friend. He was there at the March on Washington and did all he could to abolish apartheid in South Africa. His message of non-violence, activism, looking at the world differently (what can be vs. what is) and making a difference is not lost on this reader, and I am grateful for all he has done.

In his memoir, Belafonte says, “I am not an entertainer that became an activist, I am an activist that became an entertainer”. Brilliant.

But let us not forget the talented, charismatic entertainer that he is/was.  Below is a clip from The Muppet Show, with Mr. Belafonte as guest, which gives a great glimpse into Harry Belafonte as both a singer, a performer, and a world class entertainer. It’s a funny and fun clip.

I do highly recommend this book, but like Adam Bradley’s review says, this is not your run-of-the-mill celebrity tell-all. It’s something much more significant, and the story of a life worth reading about.

-Craig

The phrase “The Sound of Philadelphia” encompasses a body of soulful music that, for the most part, originates in the city of Philadelphia.

The criteria to be classified as the Philadelphia sound (or Philly soul) gets a little foggy at points, but seems to encompass one or more of the following prerequisites;

1) It was written or produced by Thom Bell, or the team of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (Gamble and Huff), John Whitehead and Gene McFadden (McFadden and Whitehead), or a number of other talented songwriters considered to be part of the Philadelphia International label.

2) It was released on the Philadelphia International Records label,owned by Gamble and Huff.  Although Bell was not a business partner in the label, he was their partner in their Mighty Three Music publishing company.  Bell also guided the sound of the Delfonics for the Philly Groove label, the Stylistics for Avco and a string of hits for the Spinners on Atlantic, taking the Philly sound outside the confines of the Philadelphia International label.

3) It was recorded and/or engineered by Joseph Tarsia and Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.

Although not limited to these prerequisites, some of what is considered “Philly Soul” may meet some but not all of these criteria, while later records were lumped into this category either because of a similar “Philly” sound, or because the artist happened to hail from Philadelphia (Hall & Oates being the perfect example).  In the end, what is Philly soul is of course speculative, as any music classification is.

Gamble and Huff first approached Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic Records to distribute the Philadelphia International Records label, only to be turned down and then be picked up by Clive Davis, then at CBS Records.  Much of the actual recording was done at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and later, artists like David Bowie – seeking to create a more ‘soulful’ sound – would come to Philadelphia to record.  Philadelphia soul reached it’s peak in the early to mid 1970s, and is arguably (see T.S.O.P. below) the forerunner of Disco.

Here are a few tunes from the era of Sigma Sound Studios and The Sound of Philadelphia. Feel free to scroll down and hit play on the player to hear some of the great Philly sound.

“T.S.O.P.” by M.F.S.B. featuring The Three Degrees

M.F.S.B. (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) was basically the house band at Sigma Sound Studios.  A pool of over thirty talented musicians, they began recording as a named act in 1972, and in 1974, with The Three Degrees singing backup, they released the track T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia), written by Gamble and Huff to be the theme song for the television show Soul Train. T.S.O.P. rose to #1 on the Billboard chart, and some consider it to be the first Disco track to reach #1.

“Me and Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul

Reaching #1 on the Billboard charts in 1972, Me and Mrs. Jones was a steamy ballad about an extramarital affair, and was to be Billy Paul’s only #1 hit.  Written by Gamble and Huff, it was also Philadelphia International’s first #1 hit, and regardless of it’s taboo topicality, remains a classic (although I don’t recommend you have your DJ play it at your wedding).  Billy Paul was a Philadelphia native, born Paul Williams on December 1, 1934.

“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” by The Delfonics

The Grammy-winning Didn’t I is arguably one of the first notable Philly soul records.  Produced by Thom Bell on the Bell label and released in 1970, Didn’t I charted at #3 on the R&B charts, and #10 on the pop charts. Used in Quentin Tarentino’s Jackie Brown as an almost main (recurring) theme, and later re-recorded by the pop group New Kids on the Block, Didn’t I remains a soulful classic, and a shining example of the lasting impact of Philadelphia soul.

“You Are Everything” by The Stylistics

A personal favorite of mine, The Stylistics are the quintessential Philadelphia band.  Hailing from Philadelphia, The Stylistics had a string of hits written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, all produced by Bell.  Although You Are Everything peaked at #9 on the Billboard charts (You Make Me Feel Brand New charted at #2), it is part of a powerful and soulful body of work, similar to that of The Delfonics, yet somewhat more expansive and evolved.

“Back Stabbers” by The O’Jays

The O’Jays… Ahhh. Back Stabbers, written by Huff, McFadden and Whitehead, released on the Philadelphia International Records label and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios on the album of the same name meets every requirement to be considered the Philly sound.  The O’Jays had a slew of hits, and if a band were to be considered a Disco Pioneer, it would most certainly be The O’Jays.  Charting at #3 in 1972, Back Stabbers is quite representative of the sound that Philadelphia is famous for.

“I’ll Be Around” by The Spinners

Also known as The Detroit Spinners, The Spinners were originally signed to Motown Records where their contribution was somewhat unremarkable. Not until they left Motown, and not until they re-signed with Atlantic and recruited the talented Thom Bell to write and produce were they able to achieve the success of what now comprises their greatest hits. I’ll Be Around attained #1 on the R&B charts for five weeks, and #3 on the pop charts for ten.

“When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees

The Three Degrees were signed to the Philadelphia International label in 1973, and the rest is history… well, at least a short history.  In addition to the intermittent backup quips they added to T.S.O.P., they did have their own  #2 hit single in 1974, and it was When Will I See You Again.  Not quite a one-hit-wonder,  The Three Degrees did have a very forgettable #29 hit on their previous label in 1970… but I can’t remember it.  Guess I won’t see it again.  As irrelevant as they may seem beside these other big names, they still managed to be the only group/artist to make our list twice.

“Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes

Two words:  Teddy. Pendegrass.  If You Don’t Know Me By Now charted at #3 in 1972, The Love I Lost at #7 in 73, and Wake Up Everybody at #12 in 1975.  Don’t Leave Me This Way by Harold Melvin and his Blue Notes never charted with Teddy Pendegrass on lead vocal, but it did by Thelma Houston in 1977. The long version (eleven minutes and eight seconds), may possibly be one of the most soulfully powerful but undisputed disco-esque examples of the Philadelphia sound.  At :33 seconds, Teddy begins with a stirring hum, then, almost three full minutes later breaking into the lyric and kicking the song into a do-me-right-now-baby gear like only Teddy Pendegrass can… And all to a latin Disco beat.  Man, you gotta love the Seventies.  Oh yeah, listen to this one all the way to the end – it’s a jam.

Coming from a Philadelphian, what makes for the Philadelphia sound is really a lot of things.  My own dad was West Philadelphia born and raised just like Will Smith, and his hit, Summertime, is all about summers in Philadelphia.  Before American Bandstand was American Bandstand, it was Philadelphia Bandstand… And Dick Clark. Philadelphia.  Boys II Men are all Philly, Patti LaBelle, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Toni Basil (Oh Mickey!!!), The Bloodhound Gang, Tuff Crew, The Dead Milkmen, Jim Croce, Lou Rawls (also Philadelphia International Records artist), G-Love and Special Sauce. I already mentioned Will, but gotta give a shout out to DJ Jazzy Jeff. Can I keep going?  Sure can! Todd Rundgren, Eddie Fisher, Chubby Checker, Tammi Terell, Grover Washington, Hall and Oates and of course, The Roots (who totally rock).

Many great ‘sounds’ have come out of Philadelphia… Take it from a DJ who knows. But the mid-seventies “Sound of Philadelphia”  had the ears of America… and of the World.

Craig Sumsky
Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

The 2012 year has begun, and, if you’re reading this, so far so good – we’re all still here. As Christmas of 2011 concluded, and the barrage of holiday tunes dissipated, R.E.M.’s It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (and I feel fine) was the tune that took their place playing inside my head.  Whether it be Nostradamus, the ancient Mayans, or some nut jobs like Harold Camping or The Westboro Baptist Church, it seems that every couple of years someone else is predicting the “end of days”… Can you hear me yawning?

As someone suggested to me only days ago; “How do we know the Mayans didn’t just run out of stone to make more calendar?”

Besides being completely overrated, I think this whole “End of the World” thing should be a little more organized, not chaotic and haphazard like the lyrics of the R.E.M. song.  I don’t think it’s too unreasonable of me to ask some specifics, so that I might know when it would be acceptable to stop making mortgage payments.  The word mortgage itself – taken from the Latin meaning “engagement until death” – suggests that perhaps Fannie Mae might be behind the vagueness of it all. Essentially, Armageddon would mean no more bank bail-outs, and we all know ‘they’ can’t let that happen.

But I digress.

Apparently what is “great” is that it all starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes and an aeroplane, not to mention that Lenny Bruce is not afraid (giving much relevance to a comedian, and perhaps the irony of it all).  I mean, of course Lenny Bruce isn’t afraid, he’s been dead since 1966 for Pete’s sake. Being that I personally experienced my first earthquake in 2011, I can tell you there’s really nothing great about them.  As far as the birds, they must be the Alfred Hitchcock variety, and the snakes could be anything from the serpent in the Garden of Eden to the ones on that aeroplane, which wasn’t even invented til long after the decline of the Mayan culture, so really, what does it all mean?

“The future’s uncertain and the end is always near”.
-Jim Morrison, deceased.

It’s fairly clear that our society has some obsessive, if not romantic fascination with the end of the world, and regardless how it would come to pass, I’m afraid we would get no warnings like snakes or birds, it would just happen.  That being said, if this whole Mayan thing doesn’t work out, things will be business as usual.  Instead of concerning ourselves with endings, perhaps it’s best we embrace beginnings, and all that is good in the world.  The sun will still rise, children will still laugh and smile, life is good…

And I feel fine.

Happy 2012

-Craig

Elijah Wald has a knack for writing books that make one re-think what they think they know, and his book  Escaping The Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues does just that.  Admittedly, the reason I picked up the book in the first place was both a desire to learn more about Blues, and to read another book authored by Mr. Wald, my first being How The Beatles Destroyed Rock ‘n’ Roll.

For starters, Elijah Wald is brilliant, and as Steve Knopper said in The Chicago Tribune, that although Wald is somewhat of a ‘revisionist historian’, in Escaping The Delta, he isn’t so much being the revisionist, but instead looks back on both Robert Johnson – and the Blues in general – “with context and common sense”.  Something I couldn’t have said better myself.  Wald speaks ‘to’ as opposed to ‘at’ his reader with fresh perspective and somewhat of a swift kick or wake-up call, illuminating what we should already know and dispelling the white myth of black Blues.

Admittedly, upon first picking up Escaping The Delta, I believed Blues to be the musical genre I knew least about.  Upon its completion, not only did I discover that I knew much more then I thought I had, but that my thinking I knew little about the ‘genre’ was my first mistake.  Wald is no lover of musical classifications, and is quick to point out the grayed divisions between what we believe are classifications or genres of music and what is in fact truth are wholly different.  The “Invention of the Blues” part of the title is almost literal in that what we now know of Robert Johnson and many other blues “legends” has become somewhat skewed and romanticized, and all is not as it seems.

At the same time, I did learn quite a bit I didn’t know, and all the while as I read I listened to the music of Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King (among others) and was able to draw direct connections to Wald’s point, and well as every other music genre within which the Blues lives on today.

For anyone who thinks themselves a Musicologist of sorts, my advice is not just to read everything Elijah Wald ever wrote, but, should you ever meet him, to avoid engaging in any sort of musical debate with this man.  He knows his stuff better than most, and would likely school most challengers, although something tells me he would welcome such debate in the hopes to be challenged himself.  Escaping The Delta is a phenomenal book, by a brilliant and thought provoking author, and well worth the read for any music lover – genres notwithstanding.

-Craig

www.elijahwald.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Unlike Christmas songs, the popular music of the Halloween season isn’t necessarily tied to the season. Halloween is naturally the time when we think of the unnatural, and although not every Halloween costume is frightening or ghoulish, and can range from the absurd to the adorable, musically, we still gravitate to the scary and spooky (or the parody thereof).  Perhaps this is the fault of John Carpenter for introducing us to Michael Meyers in the Halloween series, or perhaps started long before with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, published in 1818.  Either way, Halloween remains synonymous with the macabre, and though the songs on this list might evoke fear on any day of any month – particularly late at night in a cabin in the woods, or precisely placed in a horror film’s soundtrack – they tie in quite nicely with the nefarious Hallows Eve.

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

As the title track off the biggest selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” combines a monologue by the iconically eerie Vincent Price with “killer, thriller” lyrics. A fourteen minute music video with everything from the broken down car on the deserted road to choreographed dancing zombies was released in 1983, in an age when Mtv actually played music videos (all music, all the time).  For those of us who remember its premier, Jackson’s epic music video changed everything.  Three decades later, Michael Jackson’s opus remains a standard scare, and a Halloween classic. It is interesting to note that “Thriller” borrows its opening crypt-squeaking sound effect from “The Monster Mash”, which preceded it by just over twenty years… As they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t oil it”.

“The Monster Mash” by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett

More of a novelty song than something truly frightening, “The Monster Mash” was released in 1962, and reached #1 on the Billboard charts in October of that year (no surprise there).  “The Monster Mash” gives a nod to the Monster film genre of the 1950′s and 1960′s, with Pickett singing in an impression of Boris Karloff, and giving “shout-outs” to the iconic monsters of the era like The Wolfman and Dracula, while dropping phrases like “get a jolt from my electrodes” and “it was a graveyard smash”.  Although “The Monster Mash” is the oldest song on this list, it continues to be a Halloween party standard while retaining a timeless and festive charm.

“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.

Who you gonna call?  Well, Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson of course.  More Sci-fi comedy then horror genre, Ghostbusters (the song and the movie) is a cult classic where the protagonists recruit the help of fictional character like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to real life icons like The Statue of Liberty in their ongoing battle to rid New York City of evil.  It comes as no surprise that the Ghostbuster uniform and Proto Packs remain a popular Halloween costume, and the movie franchise continues to thrill audiences decades later.

“Spooky” by The Classics IV

Originally an instrumental Saxophone number by Mike Sharpe, The Classics IV authored and added the lyrics in 1967.  It’s easily arguable that this song – of all the songs on this list – has little or nothing to do with Halloween other than perhaps the title, which itself is even a stretch because it’s in reference to a girl.  At closer listen, the song beckons it’s subject – a girl with apparently creepy mood swings – to change her ways so that he might propose… “On Halloween”.  Although calling the subject of ones affection “Spooky” may not be the most complimentary term of endearment, there could be worse.

“Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon

Complete with howls in the chorus, “Werewolves of London” hearkens back in a humorous tone to the Werewolf legend, it’s lyrics going from “Werewolves drinking Piña Colada’s” to referencing Lon Chaney Jr., the Icon of all Werewolf actors (although not the first).  While Werewolves have hailed from just about everywhere, it seems the London variety are the most common and familiar, popularized in cinema with the 1935 film Werewolf of London and later in 1981 with Dr. Pepper’s David Naughton (“I’m a Pepper, You’re a Pepper”) as An American Werewolf in London.   Zevon’s lyrics are chilling, fun and rocking at the same time, and this tune evokes a humorous yet macabre look at the lycanthrope.

“Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Of all the Moons, the bad one is the most ominous.  The boys in C.C.R. warn “Don’t go round tonight, cause it’s bound to take your life”, clearly suggesting an evil connotation to the “Bad Moon”.  Legend lends to the full moon an eerie and mysterious connection, and a direct connection to the Werewolf, and although the song never says full moon, the listener can imagine that to be its true meaning.  “Bad Moon Rising” has been used in a number of horror genre films like An American Werewolf In London, Twilight Zone, Blade and Shaun of the Dead, and remains a popular Halloween classic.

“Don’t Fear The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult

Cowbell jokes aside, The Grim Reaper – the personification of death in European folklore – is no laughing matter.  The lyrics suggest that we not fear The Reaper, but they evoke images of the macabre while romanticizing death itself with a literary reference to Romeo and Juliet.  “Don’t Fear The Reaper” was used in the opening sequence of the television adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand, the story of a post-apocalyptic struggle between the forces of good and evil.  The Reaper character remains a timeless Halloween character/costume, and the song eerily reminds us of the inevitability of death… and the need for more cowbell.

“Psycho Killer” by The Talking Heads

Written by David Byrne, lead singer of The Talking Heads, who had this to say about the tune “When I started writing this, I imagined Alice Cooper doing a Randy Newman-type ballad. Both The Joker and Hannibal Lecter were much more fascinating than the good guys. Everybody sort of roots for the bad guys in movies”.  Perhaps this sums up not only our fascination with slashers like Jason, Freddie Krueger and Michael Meyers, but with the whole horror genre and Halloween in general.   The “psycho killer”, or serial killer, is perhaps the scariest of all, because unlike the myth or legend of monsters and vampires and the like, it is real.

After compiling this list and authoring this blog post, I found myself wondering, “What is societies fascination with Halloween, and all the fright and horror that goes along with it?”.  I found my answer, or at least part of it, in an essay written by a master of the macabre, author Stephen King titled “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, in which he says:  “The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized… and it all happens, fittingly enough, in the dark.”

Happy Halloween!

I picked up my copy of George Harrison: Living in the Material World on the day of it’s release, and finished it in time for the HBO premier of the documentary of the same name. I’m a huge Harrison fan, and was particularly interested in the book because Olivia Harrison – George’s wife – had a hand in it. I’ve always found her to be animated, articulate and entertaining in interviews, and was really interested in hearing more of her perspective. As a George Harrison fan – both as part of The Beatles and independent of them – and having read extensively on both, I have mixed reviews, and think it best to separate one from the other, as I think they are remarkably different.


The Book, George Harrison: Living in the Material World was a phenomenal and fun read. It is a collection of photos and commentary of and about George Harrison from the beginning of his life to the very end, woven together in a way that both the die-hard fan and the casually interested reader can easily follow. The book is organized into seven chapters, brilliantly illustrating his meager beginnings, continuing in segments encompassing all aspects of his fascinating life. Although the segments, particularly the images, were not always chronological, they were placed where needed for the progression of the story while always making sense.

As I’m typing, I’m skimming through the pages and still feel the power and ‘wow’ factor of the images after having completed the book only days ago and it still being fresh in my mind.  The images are not limited to photographs, but include everything from doodlings taken from George’s composition books (when he should have been studying) all the way to notes jotted down hotel stationary and lyrics of hit songs – as he worked them out – scribbled on the backs of envelopes and scrap paper.  It covered Harrison as the musician, the spiritual person, the racing enthusiast, the filmmaker and the Gardner, and overall, the creative genius.

As I said earlier, this book is a keeper, one which I would highly recommend to both the avid Beatle fan and curious reader with little familiarity with The Beatles or George Harrison.  It tells a complete story in regard to Harrison, deviating only when necessary to the integrity of the tale.


The HBO Documentary, George Harrison: Living in the Material World was somewhat of a disappointment.  Directed by Martin Scorsese, it was presented in two parts, part one premiering on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 and part two on the following night.  After having read the book, I was astounded at the lack of continuity in the documentary. Although much of the material was the same, Scorsese’s documentary failed to connect dots in a way that would not only confuse a non-Beatle fan, it confused me.  It almost seemed as if he hadn’t read the book which he himself had written the foreword for.  At one point I even picked up the book to try and find where Scorsese’s documentary was missing it’s mark.  There was a great deal more commentary in the documentary than in the book, and it’s a shame that the director was so haphazard in his story-telling, as it left segments dangling in the oddest and least likely places.

Each chapter of the book opened with brief but precise explanation, whereas Scorsese gave little or none.  For example, Scorsese took the viewer to The Beatles Hamburg years – a significant stepping stone – with absolutely no explanation of why they were there or how they got there.  He placed interviews with people from Harrison’s life with little or no explanation of who they were or why they were significant to Harrison, and although I’m a consummate Beatles, I was left scratching my head as to why he took the audience on such a random and disconnected journey.

Part two gained a bit more momentum and continuity, but by that point he likely lost half his audience in a state of confusion.  There were a few redeeming moments – particularly the interviews with Olivia Harrison, his son Dhani Harrison, and some charming bits from Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, but as touching as these were, they were unable to save what could have been (and should have been) an epic masterpiece.  For these interviews and segments alone I would say it was worth the watch, but for those not yet familiar with the life of George Harrison, I’d recommend reading the book first so that you might sort out the unclear and indistinct segments of the documentary.

~Craig

For other thoughts and suggested reading on The Beatles, click here
The Beatles

For starters, the actual title of the book is ‘Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, C.S.N.Y. and the Lost Story of 1970′, and although it is a befitting title it is, the book encompasses so much more. Author David Browne ties together three major iconic music acts of the 1960s and a fourth emerging into the 1970s with an incredibly turbulent end to one era, and the beginning of another. The ’50s my not have ended in 1960, but Browne makes a valid argument that the ’60s ended, kaput, in 1970 – a concept I’ve embraced myself for a long time, which is why – for me – the words almost jumped off the pages as affirmation.

There is no question that art reflects life, and life reflects art, but likely never in such an amplified way than in  the late 1960s.  Music and culture were intertwined, and David Browne seamlessly weaves the implosions of The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and C.S.N.Y. with the implosion of the tumultuous anti-war protest and civil rights embattled ’60s, and how what was left when the smoke cleared was a completely different world – for better or for worse.

I think what I enjoyed most about Browne’s book was his storytelling style. His research was impeccable and his narrative was thoroughly entertaining. I learned a great deal about the era and the artists, in some cases too much, as the tales of C.S.N.Y. left an acrid aftertaste in my mouth (which I’m uncertain if this was the authors intention, as it’s clear he is a big fan). At certain points I almost thought this book might be alternately titled “Hippie Icons Behaving Badly”, as Browne dispelled many illusions and beliefs I once had had about the sincerity behind the beautiful and sometimes political music.

In the final chapter, aptly named ‘Coda’, Browne gives an insightful and interesting synopsis of the forty years following 1970, making sure to point out how these four acts (or their individual parts) danced in and out of each others spheres for another four decades.

Overall, this book is a win, and I’d suggest it to anyone interested in a strong argument for the “what the heck happened” theories between the ’60s and ’70s. I myself am caught between loving the music of both decades/eras, and found Fire and Rain to be a phenomenal read.  In conclusion, I’ve just got three words for David Browne… Write more books.

Craig
DJ and Musicologist

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Ian MacDonald’s Revolution in the Head may perhaps be the most poignant and significant book published regarding The Beatles.  Writing a biographical book in itself is a labor of love, but with Revolution in the Head, MacDonald – a true musicologist – goes above and beyond, combining fascinating research and his remarkably keen ear to create this chronological song-by-song analysis of The Beatles creative (and sometimes not so creative) recorded output over the span of their career as a band.

MacDonald’s introduction, an essay  titled Fabled Foursome, Disappearing Decade, was a meal in itself, was, in summary, a thought provoking look at The Beatles, the Sixties and the combined impact of the two on the Twentieth Century and beyond.  One interesting point of note was his observation of the differences between the English and American cultures, and how they affected each ones perception of The Beatles differently.

Once I got past the introduction, the body of the book, entitled ‘The Beatles Records’ is divided into four parts and chronologically listing each individual song The Beatles recorded.  Each song entry consists of a list of the musicians present on the recording of that song, the instruments they played, recording dates, the producers and engineers, as well as the dates of the UK and US releases. What follows for each entry is an essay (of varying length) based around the song being listed.

The remarkable achievement of this book is the extraordinary job MacDonald did putting together all of the available knowledge about how The Beatles recorded their music and presenting it as part of his account of their rise and fall, hence weaving a story out of what might initially seem like a reference book. Additionally, his assessments as to which of The Beatles songs are more inspired than others were – for the most part – on point.  MacDonald’s light and breezy writing style (at least in the body) also made this comprehensive tome enjoyable and entertaining to read, as it was difficult to put down.

Admittedly it took me the better part of three months to finish Revolution in the Head, because as I read, I listened to each song (yes, every one, in some cases several times) and, like the author, dissected each track (which made it a long read).  I was astounded by MacDonald’s acute ear, and – as a huge Beatles fan – fascinated by the details of the what, where, when, how and why behind each recording.

For sure,  MacDonald was extremely objective.  This reads less like it was written by a fan, although I have no question that he was, but more like it was written by a critic.  MacDonald pointed at least a dozen recording flaws in tunes I’d listened to hundreds of times, but reading along it was as if I were listening for the first time – or at least ‘really’ listening.

Even though I did not agree with the author on every song (I happen to love Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and Across The Universe, where MacDonald clearly did not think them worthy of The Beatles), I wholeheartedly agreed with his assessments of both Lennon and McCartney, particularly McCartney’s admirable yet futile continual efforts to hold the band together.  I also found his perspective on The Beatles divergence from pop to rock, a theory not too dissimilar to that of author Elijah Wald in his book How The Beatles Destroyed Rock ‘n’ Roll.  The Beatles truly changed everything, as MacDonald’s book does a masterful job of illustrating.  I also found it fascinating how MacDonald attributed much of The Beatles evolution to the drugs they were taking at each stage of their career, an observation which is likely right on point.

Revolution in the Head is truly epic, astoundingly comprehensive and more complete than I could have ever imagined.  I don’t know that I’d go so far as to call it cannon, but it’s the closest to it I’ve read so far.  Although the few dozen books I have read hardly amounts to everything that’s out there, I can already tell that MacDonald’s book will be the one I come back to time and time again.

For the hardcore Beatle fan, this is the book not to skip.

Craig Sumsky
DJ and Musicologist

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You can dream, be a dreamer, or even be dreamy while having good dreams or bad dreams.  Dreams are analogous with the things we want or wish for, but aren’t necessarily a wish in and of themselves, not to say they aren’t what we wish for – which sometimes they are – but put more simply and maybe even more universally understood, dreams are a non-reality.  You can be nothing but a dreamer, believing in your daydreams while weaving them together and building them with kisses, that’s all you really have to do because dreaming is free and the sweet ones are made of this.  Dreams are anything we want them to be… They’re our dreams, and the fun part is they often aren’t nearly as real as wishes.

“Daydream” by The Lovin’ Spoonful

Released in 1966, Daydream reflected the easy-breezy sentiment of the era. Written by the bands singer John Sebastian (the same guy who sang the theme to Welcome Back Kotter), Daydream made it to the #2 position in the Summer of 1966.

“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

In 1977, Fleetwood Mac released their album Rumors, and Dreams – written by Stevie Nicks – went all the way to #1 (Fleetwood Mac’s only song to reach #1).  Ironically, the song is almost as abstract as dreams themselves, although somehow seemingly tainted with a feeling of yearning and remorse.

“All I Have To Do Is Dream” by The Everly Brothers

On June 2, 1958, All I Have To Do Is Dream made history becoming the only single to reach #1 on all of the Billboard charts simultaneously.  Featuring the great Chet Atkins on guitar, All I Have To Do Is Dream evokes a specific sentiment, although the listener is left wondering if the subject (a girl) is real or imagined.

“Dreaming” by Blondie

This tune was co-written by Debbie Harry (ahhh… Debbie), and charted at #2 in the UK.  Probably a little too punk for the US charts, it didn’t do so well, but remains a Blondie classic.  Of all the poignant lyrics in this interesting song (and there are several), to me, the standout is that “dreaming is free”.

“Daydream Believer” by The Monkees

Gotta love The Monkees.  This recording has a funny little opening with dialogue between singer Davy Jones and the producers/band.  Another #1 Billboard hit, I’ve listened to this one a few dozen times before adding it to the list, and, admittedly, I still have no clue what it’s about.  All I know is that if The Monkees say so, it’s okay to believe in daydreams.

“A Kiss To Build A Dream On” by Louis Armstrong

Recorded by Armstrong in 1951, this tune reached popularity again decades later on the soundtrack of Sleepless In Seattle.  Satch’s performance on this tune is – as always – impeccable, and evokes not just the dream concept, but the suggestion of help from  imagination, makes the dream come true.

“Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright

With it’s ‘dreamy’ intro, Dream Weaver -written by Wright – was inspired by a book given to him by George Harrison, and also rumored to have been influenced by the John Lennon song God.  Possibly one of the most overused songs for dream sequences in movies and television, Dream Weaver is likely the most dream-associated tune on this list.

“Dreamer” by Supertramp

Definitely dream oriented (the title alone qualifies it), and a song I’ve always liked, but, here now compiling this list and attempting to dissect lyrics of each, this one seems the most perplexing.  Like the tune a lot, always have, but not a clue what it means (I could take a stab at it, but I’m not that insightful at deciphering hidden meanings).

“Dream On” by Aerosmith

Written by Steven Tyler, in his own words he describes the song being “about the hunger to be somebody”.  Dream On clearly epitomizes the dream as a concept – a yearning desire that is achievable – it’s lyrics being some of the most universally relatable of any song on this list – “Dream until your dreams come true”.

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” by The Eurithmics

Co-written by Annie Lennox and released in 1983, the strange and bizarre music video lends to the “dreaminess” of this tune, although, like many of the other songs on this list, the lyrics are abstract and unrelated – much like dreams themselves.

“I’ve Got a Pocketful of Dreams” by Bing Crosby

Perhaps the most poignant song on the list, this tune was a depression-era release, and likely spoke volumes to the masses out of work and/or in bread lines at the time.  Truly uplifting and inspiring, it’s one of Bing’s hidden gems, and a morsel of a time gone by.

“A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” by Cinderella

Okay, so here’s my sappy one, and the one I like most.  Using the word “dream” in the metaphorical sense of desires that can, as the lyric promises, “come true”, and hence tying the dream and the wish together.  No surprise really, as wishes and dreams are a recurring Disney theme, although innocent and child-like, still relevant to all ages.

It was the first song on this list that stuck in my head (The Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘Daydream‘), and it spiraled from there.  As always, I’m certain there are some good ones I missed, but these are a dozen really good ones (It was difficult to keep the list to just twelve).  For the record, I left off “California Dreamin” because it was too specific, and I see nothing “safe and warm” about L.A. I also left off John Lennon’s “Dream #9″ because, well, it’s just a bad song in my humble opinion – and that’s coming from a die-hard Beatles fan. If you ‘dream’ up any more, be sure to leave them in the comment section below.  In the meantime… Sweet dreams everyone!


~Craig