"STATE TROOPER" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

In today’s cess pool of slick, over-produced albums, Nebraska stands as a beacon of all that’s good. The purity of the songwriting. The rawness of the performance. That’s it. I can appreciate a good synth flourish or extra guitar part like the next guy. But sometimes I just want to hear a great song, unencumbered and untangled. That’s the entire Nebraska album, including the brooding “State Trooper”.

Recorded in his house on a 4-track, “State Trooper” has the sound of genius emanating on the fly. Springsteen’s gift of songwriting lies in his ability to step inside someone else’s shoes and tell their story. Tell their story is what he does on “State Trooper”. It feels authentic and just the right amount of tension and anxiety to make you believe every word. It’s just his words and two chords on his guitar.

“Hey, somebody out there, listen to my last prayer. Hi ho silver-o, deliver me from nowhere.”

"THE BOXER" SIMON & GARFUNKEL (1970)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is the final studio album from Simon & Garfunkel, an album so good it prompts the listener to greedily beg for more. Simon carried the songwriting duties, but the harmonies are just as much a part of those songs as the melodies. The album spawned iconic songs that have made an indelible impact on the musical landscape: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which features Art Garfunkel on lead vocals, “Cecilia” which has a persona driven mostly by its memorable percussion elements, and then there’s my favorite of the bunch: “The Boxer”.

The song is autobiographical, a rare treat inside the mind of the songwriter. The theme of being misunderstood and only remembered for what people want to remember are prevalent in the song. “The Boxer” is a masterpiece from a lyrical perspective. It bends words like poetry (“Such are promises. All lies and jest. Still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest”). It paints images like prose (“Asking only workman's wages I come looking for a job. But I get no offers. Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue.”). And it goes beyond coherent words using syllables as expressions with the iconic refrain “Lie-la-lie”. There are simply few songwriters as gifted as Paul Simon.

“Asking only workman's wages I come looking for a job. But I get no offers. Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue.”

"AIR OF DECEMBER" EDIE BRICKELL & NEW BOHEMIANS (1988)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars is another example of an album that started with an unflinching fascination with a single song (“What I Am”) and grew to a fondness for the entire record. Words that come to mind when I think of it: earnest, whimsical, innocent. Given these descriptions, there really wasn’t much out there with a similar demeanor. Songs like “Air Of December” did more to achieve this than even the hit single “What I Am”.

On “Air Of December”, Edie seems sultry and playful in her delivery as she conveys the effect of the protagonist on her. And the bass line feeds off it, flirting with the lower octaves. It’s the change-up in the album’s first half, opting for a slow, prodding tempo and melody that lingers like the December air. It’s heard best not in isolation, but right after the funky “What I Am” and jangly “Little Miss S.” Just like a true deep cut.

“The breeze moved the curtains And lifted my perfume into the air.”

"MY FATHER'S HOUSE" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

One of the most powerful things about being a songwriter is you get to tell your story. They’re not just your words. They’re your memories and experiences. These types of songs always feel much fulfilling because they don’t just rely on technical skill and expertise. They come from the heart. Springsteen has written about his relationships, his home, his life. And here in “My Father’s House”, he writes about his dad.

The stark simplicity of “My Father’s House” is reflective of the minimalist production approach on Nebraska. It’s just Springsteen singing, playing harmonica and strumming his guitar. There’s an air of Johnny Cash happening here, but these lyrics are Springsteen’s story of his strained relationship with his dad. It’s pure Springsteen through and through – proving that the most profound aspect of his musicality is the ability to tell a gripping, personal story.

“Last night I dreamed that I was a child out where the pines grow wild and tall. I was trying to make it home through the forest before the darkness falls.”

"GYPSY" SUZANNE VEGA (1987)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Solitude Standing will always hold a special place in my heart. Suzanne was the first music artist that I met in person. She signed both my Solitude Standing and 99.9 F CDs at Tower Records in Greenwich Village back in the early 90’s. About 25 years later, I saw her perform literally 10 feet left of center from me at Joe’s Pub. Unsurprisingly, only “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” from Solitude Standing made it on the setlist. It was an incredible night of wit and music. But I was disappointed she didn’t play “Gypsy”.

In 1987, my music tastes mainly leaned in two directions: a classic hard rock direction including the likes of Rush, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, and an alternative rock direction including R.E.M., U2, Depeche Mode and the like. “Gypsy” with its folk-inspired elements, was clearly neither of these. It’s a song that helped me to appreciate the strength of great songwriting and storytelling, not just a killer guitar riff or synth hook. “Gypsy” is beautifully written, showcasing Vega’s unique ability to merge poetry with prose.

“You come from far away With pictures in your eyes.”

"PINK MOON" NICK DRAKE (1972)

The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.

Year: 1972

Word has been out for several decades now, but for a time Nick Drake was one of music’s best kept secrets. Artists like Robert Smith drew upon Drake’s inspiration early on, but many fans didn’t even know who Nick Drake was or heard anything from his relatively short, but profound catalog until years after his death. With a return to cleaner acoustic-driven, folk-inspired, singer-songwriter records after the grunge era, Nick’s music resonated with fans, including the title track to the last album before his death: “Pink Moon”.

In between verses, Nick sings “Pink, pink, pink, pink”, going lower with each repetition, demonstrating the deep richness of his oak-barreled baritone voice. It’s a marvel to behold that a voice so deep can be so delicate and even serene – a stark contrast to the raw edge found in singers like Johnny Cash, Ian Curtis and Tom Waits. Nick’s voice – not just his vocals, but his message – has no peers. Even still today.

“I saw it written and I saw it say, A pink moon is on its way.”

"KODACHROME" PAUL SIMON (1972)

This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.

Thanks to countless yearbook write-ups, one of the most quoted songs of all time belongs to Paul Simon. “Kodachrome” took a friendly, lighthearted approach to rebellion. And musically, Simon was also his same rebellious self on this track. Daring to cross genres. Daring to even defy them. With every percussive beat. With every uplifting note. Sounds a lot like the Simon & Garfunkel canon – like a continuation of those musical and lyrical themes, standing in stark contrast to his world music-influenced solo work that would manifest in the eighties with Graceland.

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, It's a wonder I can think at all. And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”

"KODACHROME" PAUL SIMON (1972)

This month on Twitter, @sotachetan hosts #BrandedInSongs – which is a head-on collision of my personal world of music and my professional world of branding and advertising. The challenge is to simply pick a song with a brand name in its lyrics or title. I added one more criteria to my picks, which is this: the songs themselves must be as iconic as the brands they mention. No filler here.

Thanks to countless yearbook write-ups, one of the most quoted songs of all time belongs to Paul Simon. “Kodachrome” took a friendly, lighthearted approach to rebellion. And musically, Simon was also his same rebellious self on this track. Daring to cross genres. Daring to even defy them. With every percussive beat. With every uplifting note. Sounds a lot like the Simon & Garfunkel canon – like a continuation of those musical and lyrical themes, standing in stark contrast to his world music-influenced solo work that would manifest in the eighties with Graceland.

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, It's a wonder I can think at all. And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”

"THE GREAT SALT LAKE" BAND OF HORSES (2006)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 25: Salt Lake City, UT

The closest I ever got to Salt Lake City was Park City. But I feel strangely close to it after hearing this track again. While the song is known to actually be about incidents that have occurred in both Lake Murray, SC and Salt Lake City, UT, the power of the song is that it transports the listener to a different time and place. It feels like we’re there. Band of Horses wrote a song that recounts memories and people like a page ripped out of someone’s journal.

With its unforgettable opening guitar riff and Ben Bridwell’s sky-high tenor vocals, “The Great Salt Lake” has the add significance of being the song that helped put Band of Horses on the map. An earlier recording of the song appeared on the band’s first EP, which caught the attention of Sam Beam (Iron & Wine). Band of Horses ended up becoming the opening act for Iron & Wine’s upcoming tour, and the rest is history.

“Well, if you find yourself falling apart, Well, I am sure I could steer The great salt lake.”

"TRUCKIN'" GRATEFUL DEAD (1970)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 18: New Orleans, LA

One of the most iconic of Dead songs, it’s easy to dismiss this song because it’s perhaps a little too on the nose. But I’m fascinated by the facts. “Truckin’” was recognized by the United States Library of Congress as a national treasure. At least that’s what Wikipedia says. It’s also the 8th most-performed Dead song. The band played it 520 times, which is mind boggling on a few levels. First, that’s a lot of performances. Second, it’s even more when you consider how often the Dead changed up their set lists.

These facts say something undeniably true about “Truckin’”: you can’t ignore its ubiquity. And that’s saying something for a band that has more cult status than mainstream appeal. “What a long, strange trip it’s been” is one of the most recognized song lyrics from any genre. And then there’s the story line. The song focuses on a a drug raid on the band’s hotel room in New Orleans, but name-checks a variety of cities, alluding to the band’s non-stop touring schedule. One of the quintessential American road trip songs.

“Busted - Down On Bourbon Street. Set Up - Like A Bowling Pin Knocked.”

"ATLANTIC CITY" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 6: Atlantic City, NJ
There may not be an artist more associated with their home state than Bruce Springsteen. His passion, pride, and music are intimately tied to his love for New Jersey. It’s undoubtedly part of the charm with his music. What we get from the lyrics and music often feels like a slice of life from his old haunts. It feels local, not like the global sensation that an artist of his stature deserves. That said, “Atlantic City”, to me, is his crowning achievement and, in many ways, the quintessential Springsteen track.

The storytelling form of song lyrics doesn’t get much better than Springsteen’s Nebraska album. Music and production was stripped down to their minimalist form, putting the lyrics and vocal performance at the forefront. “Atlantic City” is one of the more memorable tracks from the record. On it, Springsteen. sang of love, escape, risk and organized crime. As we listen to the story of this couple driving to Atlantic City, I can’t help but root for them, hoping they find a better outcome than the Chicken Man.

“Everything dies baby, that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back. Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.”

"SLIM SLOW SLIDER" VAN MORRISON (1968)

I started Mental Jukebox nearly three years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. During this time, I’ve discovered new music, rediscovered old favorites and I’ve met passionate music fans around the world. And when things opened up, I kept on blogging. This month, the jukebox goes deeper. The term “deep cut” has multiple meanings. It can refer to lesser known album tracks from well-known artists. It can also refer to tracks from lesser known artists. This month, I’ll be featuring both types. #DeepCutsFeb

Astral Weeks is a once-in-a-lifetime album praised by fans, critics and peers alike. Considered one of the most important records of any era, it has influenced everyone from Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen. It’s experimental. It’s daring. It’s, at times, outlandish. There are many moments when I asked myself, “Did I just hear that?” And maybe the best part of it is, it truly has earned the respect of the music community without the commercial success. There’s a crazy blend of rock, folk, jazz and blues running through veins of the album. By the final track “Slim Slow Slider”, it’s still pumping strong.

“Slim Slow Slider” is a serious song about a serious subject. So Van Morrison made every musical element – especially his vocals – a highly visceral affair. Every pluck of the double bass feels like it’s inside us. The dual musings of a flute and a soprano saxophone are the most signature aspects of the song. They are beautiful, but undeniably haunting. But the most arresting moment is in the last ten seconds of the song, when things sputter out of control like life slipping away.

“I know you're dying And I know you know it, too.”

"CARRY ON" CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (1970)

Great album openers get the listeners to keep on listening. They can do this in any number of ways. Some openers set the tone by easing us in. Others jump right in and blow our minds from the very beginning. A great album opener isn’t an easy thing to create. More than a great song, it’s all about the sequence. Track 1 has to be the perfect starter. This month, I’m highlighting my favorites. #AlbumOpeningSongs

CSN&Y did many things exceptionally well. Chief among them was the harmony singing – sonic in their 3-part and 4-part varieties. This strength is on full display throughout the Deja Vu album, but I think the greatest harmony execution happens on “Carry On”, a song that almost wasn’t part of the album. Thankfully, Graham Nash told Stephen Stills that they still didn’t have an album opener as they neared the end of the recording sessions. Shortly after, “Carry On” was born.

With “Carry On”, you get two songs in one. because it’s the love child of two unfinished tracks that Stephen Stills fused together as CSN&Y searched for the right opening song to Deja Vu. The 2:10 mark comes at you out of nowhere, but has a live, jam band feel. it sounds more like a part 2 than a transition. Whether you agree with their strategy or not, you can’t deny “carry on” made for quite a potent entrance on an album known more for slow tempo classics. And the classic CSN&Y harmonies are epic on this one.

“The sky is clearing and the night has gone out. The sun, he come, the world is all full of love. Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on.”

"UPWARD OVER THE MOUNTAIN" IRON & WINE (2002)

For the month of October, I’m taking the #OctAtoZBandChallenge challenge. The premise is simple. Pick a band starting with the day’s assigned alphabet letter and then choose a song from that band.

Day 9

Production – or a lack of it – sometimes can be the defining statement of an album. Some of my favorite albums of well-known established artists are the ones that take a minimalist approach. Beck’s Sea Change. Sufjan Stevens’ Seven Swans. And, of course, Springsteen’s Nebraska. Iron & Wine’s debut album follows a similar path, recorded initially as a demo on a 4-track, and stayed that way all the way through the album release. If you ever need to be convinced that less is more, the song “Upward Over the Mountain” is all the proof you need.

The song is all Sam Beam. The melody and whispery vocals highly reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens. The rhythm acoustic guitar that seems like it was made for fireside singalongs. And the distinctive slide solo that appears midway through the song, injecting a bright, optimistic disposition over the song. “Upward Over the Mountain” is two parts assurance, one part wallow, somehow capturing just the right balance.

“So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten. Sons are like birds flying always over the mountain.”

"HALLELUJAH" LEONARD COHEN (1984)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 30

I’ve really enjoyed looking back at some of my favorite song lyrics this month. They’re reinforced for me the whole reason why I started this blog to begin with. For my last pick, it feels appropriate to go big with an epic song. And not just an epic song, but one with lyrics that are on a whole other level. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” fits the bill. Written like a beautiful amalgamation of prose, poetry and satire, the lyrics trigger all kinds of thoughts and emotions. No one ever said it quite like Cohen, but what he had to say resonated deeply with countless fans, critics and musicians alike.

“Now, I've heard there was a secret chord that David played, and it pleased the Lord. But you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift. The baffled king composing Hallelujah.”

"I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE" CAROLE KING (1971)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 20

Tapestry is the great American songbook – and “I Feel The Earth Move” leads the way. Carole King’s songs have the distinction of helping us to feel what she’s feeling and to facilitate the transference of those feelings in us. “I Feel the Earth Move” is one of my favorites on the album. There’s an edge coupled with a rare set of emotions. Aggression with soul. You can hear the pounding of those piano keys as if you were lucky enough to have King sing and play it in your own living room.

“I feel the earth move under my feet. I feel the sky tumbling down. I feel my heart start to trembling whenever you're around.”

"CACTUS TREE" JONI MITCHELL (1968)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 9

“Cactus Tree” is like a book with five chapters. It paints the portraits of four characters with exceptional musicality. The sailor. The climber. The writer. The woman who’s being pursued by all three men. And then there’s the fifth chapter that introduces many more men still – from the jester to the dreamer. What made Mitchell a great storyteller is that she did far more than just introduce a few characters and a plot. She made us empathize with her characters even with just a single verse dedicated to each. That’s some powerful songwriting.

“She has brought them to her senses. They have laughed inside her laughter. Now she rallies her defenses. For she fears that one will ask her for eternity.”

"SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES" CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 4

The harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash are some of the most earthly exhilarations I’ve ever experienced as music fan. I discovered Deja Vu first – and then made my way to the debut album much later. The “doo doo doo doo doo” refrain toward the end of the song is one of the most iconic elements in classic rock. But it’s the sprawling verses that have always grabbed me the hardest. They seem almost too personal for me to hear, as if I just interrupted a lovers’ quarrel.

“Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now. I am not dreaming. I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are. You make it hard.”

"ATLANTIC CITY" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 1

The storytelling form of song lyrics doesn’t get much better than Springsteen’s Nebraska album. Music and production was stripped down to their minimalist form, putting the lyrics and vocal performance at the forefront. “Atlantic City” is one of the more memorable tracks from the record. On it, Springsteen. sang of love, escape, risk and organized crime. As we listen to the story of this couple driving to Atlantic City, I can’t help but root for them, hoping they find a better outcome than the Chicken Man.

“Everything dies baby, that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back. Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.”

"TIME HAS TOLD ME" NICK DRAKE (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 7

For me, at least, the late blooming career of Nick Drake feels more like discovering hidden treasure on a long voyage than wondering and regretting while we didn’t reach shore earlier. His three-album catalog is a gift full of minor key melodies and wise-beyond-his-years lyrics – delivered in his rich, oaky baritone. “Time Has Told Me” is written like it came from an older, reflective man, but Nick was in his twenties when he penned it. They are words that remind us to never stop being content in the right relationship.

“Your tears they tell me there's really no way of ending your troubles with things you can say.

And time will tell you to stay by my side to keep on trying 'til there's no more to hide.”