Author: Joe Parker

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 125 – “The Rhythm Of The Heat”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 125: A song by your favorite male vocalist.*

“The Rhythm Of The Heat” – Peter Gabriel

The Rhythm Of The HeatI’ve talked before about Peter Gabriel’s penchant for spiritual experiences. A couple of times, in fact. So I guess it should be fitting that he provided me with one. Sort of. Not sort of fitting, but a “sort of” spiritual experience.

I’m not sure exactly what prompted me to try this, but I do remember what happened.

I put on Peter Gabriel. (The fourth one. The one they called Security in the US but was referred to as yet another album titled Peter Gabriel in the rest of the world.)

I turned out the lights.

And turned the volume way up. Way up. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 124 – “Wuthering Heights”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 124: A song by your favorite female vocalist.*

“Wuthering Heights” – Pat Benatar

CrimesOfPassionLots of women rockers have Pat Benatar to thank for their careers. She was one of the first female rockers to have any success and gain any respect in the music industry.

This was not without trial and tribulation, as a view of her “Behind The Music” will tell you. But, in the end, she did all right for herself.

Crimes Of Passion, her 1980 release, was among the first LPs I bought. This had nothing to do with “You Better Run” being the second video played on MTV. I bought the album after that happened, but before I knew that particular bit of trivia. Which is saying something, because I’m a music trivia nut. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 123 – “Photograph”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 123: A song by your favorite band/artist whose name begins with “D”.

“Photograph” – Def Leppard

PhotographI remember the summer that “Photograph” was huge. There are certain events that summer that really stand out.

This was the summer of 1983. And, it may be my favorite summer ever, music-wise. My family (extended family) rented a cottage at Salisbury Beach (back when there was still something there). This cottage was fairly close to the midway. Who knows how much money we wasted on Skee Ball, video games, black raspberry soft serve ice cream cones, and tickets to “The Himalaya.”

“The Himalaya” was one of those centrifugal force rides where you spin round and round as it simultaneously bounces you up and down while you try not to be thrown from the ride like a cat on a ceiling fan. It was our favorite ride there. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 122 – “Without Me”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 122: Your favorite song from a genre you don’t typically like.

“Without Me” – Eminem

Without MeTo date, there are a small number of hip-hop songs that I like.

To date, there are only a handful of songs (and that’s being generous) of songs by “hardcore rap” artists that I like.

To date, there is but one Eminem song that I like.

And the one I like is not even what I would call a “hardcore” rap song. It’s pretty much as “poppy” as he ever gets, in fact.

There’s not much about Eminem that I like in general. His persona; his lifestyle; his movie; his musical style. Just don’t like ’em. Read More

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 121 – “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 121: A song you like by a band whose name you don’t.

“Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”
Chicago Transit Authority

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?I may be cheating a little bit here, since you most likely know the band that recorded this song by a much shorter name: “Chicago.” But what a  lot of people don’t know is that wasn’t the band’s original name.

Originally they were known as The Chicago Transit Authority and their debut album, The Chicago Transit Authority, was at the time, actually an eponymous album.

It wasn’t until their second album (and a lawsuit from the real Chicago Transit Authority—yes, the bus and el people) that they decided to change it. Read More