"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" JIMI HENDRIX (1968)

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

As legendary as Bob Dylan is, I understand that he’s not for everyone. Some people just can’t listen past Dylan’s nasal-infused vocal delivery. Jimi Hendrix wasn’t exactly the most vocally gifted musician either. But whatever he lacked as a singer he more than made up for as a guitar player. The thing about his rendition of the Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower” is he lit every strand of folk and Americana roots from the song on fire, burned those elements to the ground and then made the fire rise even higher with an electric reboot.

Throughout my middle and high school years, I lived next door to a Jimi Hendrix fanatic. My brother introduced me to Jimi’s impressive catalog, which was incredibly prolific given his short life span. The thing that immediately drew me in to his music was a guitar playing style that almost sounded otherworldly. It wasn’t rock. It wasn’t blues. But it was this crazy blend of the two that seemed to be so effortless to Jimi but impossible for others to emulate. You can’t simply play the same notes that Jimi played and expect it sound the same. It was the way in which he navigated back and forth between those two genres so easily that makes “All Along the Watchtower” one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

“Business men, they drink my wine. Plowmen dig my earth.”

"SKY PILOT" ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS (1968)

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

A friend from high school introduced me to The Animals with an enthusiasm that even exceeded his love for the biggest. classic rock icons like Zeppelin, Cream and the Stones. I think there were many reasons for this, but it was largely the power, swagger and testosterone-fueled vocals of Eric Burdon. Most casual listeners are familiar with their big hits: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”. But my friend encouraged me to go a little deeper. The song that I looked forward to playing most on my Animals mixtape was a minor hit toward the end of their years called “Sky Pilot”.

The track was an anti-war song written during the time of the Vietnam War. But it wasn’t about an Air Force pilot, it was an ode to a military chaplain. “How high can you fly. You never, never, never reach the sky”. The track carries intrigue from both an instrumental and production perspective. “Sky Pilot” soars on a bed of reverb and flanging complete with guitar solo, a string arrangement, bagpipe interlude and a host of war-themed audio samples. Then, of course, there’s the underrated, masterful lead vocals from Burdon. The song is a feast for the ears. I loved “Sky Pilot” from the very first listen and that love has never died.

“He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile. The order is given, they move down the line.”

"STRANGE DAYS" THE DOORS (1967)

A great title track is par for the course when it comes to great albums. If the title track doesn’t cut it, what does that say about the album itself? This month, the Mental Jukebox will be playing some of my favorite title tracks – inspired by @NicolaB_73’s music Twitter challenge, #TopTitleTracks.

Even if it’s not your cup of tea, The Doors demand your respect. Few bands carved out a more compelling crossroads of blues, rock and psychedelia. The music – at times – seemed almost possessed. The instrumentation was truly distinct – as they were one of the first bands to prominently feature keyboards and organs. And their frontman – Jim Morrison – is one of the greatest of all time, inspiring everyone from INXS’ Michael Hutchence to Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCullough. My favorite Doors album is their second release Strange Days, which opens with the title track.

The famed key part on “Strange Days” actually isn’t Ray Manzarek. It’s Morrison himself, playing the moog synthesizer. “Strange Days” was one of the first recordings to feature this mainstay instrument, a case in point to the innovative side of The Doors. The moog synthesizer would become as integral to rock and pop as the electric guitar. Despite being overshadowed by the classic singles “People Are Strange” and “Love Me Two Times”, “Strange Days” is arguably more quintessential Doors in its ability to create a world for you to get lost in.

“Strange days have found us.”

"SKY PILOT" ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS (1968)

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: 1968

A friend from high school introduced me to The Animals with an enthusiasm that even exceeded his love for the biggest. classic rock icons like Zeppelin, Cream and the Stones. I think there were many reasons for this, but it was largely the power, swagger and testosterone-fueled vocals of Eric Burdon. Most casual listeners are familiar with their big hits: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”. But my friend encouraged me to go a little deeper. The song that I looked forward to playing most on my Animals mixtape was a minor hit toward the end of their years called “Sky Pilot”.

The track was an anti-war song written during the time of the Vietnam War. But it wasn’t about an Air Force pilot, it was an ode to a military chaplain. “How high can you fly. You never, never, never reach the sky”. The track carries intrigue from both an instrumental and production perspective. “Sky Pilot” soars on a bed of reverb and flanging complete with guitar solo, a string arrangement, bagpipe interlude and a host of war-themed audio samples. Then, of course, there’s the underrated, masterful lead vocals from Burdon. The song is a feast for the ears. I loved “Sky Pilot” from the very first listen and that love has never died.

“HE MUMBLES A PRAYER AND IT ENDS WITH A SMILE.”

"SUGAR MAGNOLIA" GRATEFUL DEAD (1970)

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.

American Beauty holds a special place in my album of music memories. It marks one of my “a ha” moments. What I mean by that is that I didn’t understand the Dead for quite a few years, but then one day it just clicked. I can’t really explain the shift. I’ve never seen them live. And for a band whose identity is so closely tied to the live performance and touring, that probably presents quite a gap in understanding and appreciation for their music. In eighth grade, Jimmy Karger tried to turn me on to the Dead and played me some of their songs. I just didn’t get into it, and preferred “heavier” rock like Rush, Zeppelin and Rush. But at some point, the gateway album American Beauty climbed its way into my consciousness and one of the standouts was “Sugar Magnolia”.

I first heard “Sugar Magnolia” on the compilation album, Skeletons From The Closet. Jerry Garcia plays a pedal steel guitar on this one, which gave the song an ethereal quality that balanced well with the more grounded Dead qualities anchored by the vocal harmonies and rhythm guitar. The song helped me to see what all the fuss is about. This is a band whose identity cannot be pinned down to one style or approach. They are an amalgamation of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, rock, and psychedlia.

“She can dance a Cajun rhythm. Jump like a Willys in four wheel drive.”

"INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS" STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK (1967)

This month, I’m looking back at movies and tv shows to rediscover songs that graced the screen. The scenes and the music are inseparable. They’re engrained in our heads and our hearts. And they’re proof that the best music we have doesn’t exist in isolation. It attaches itself to a moment or an experience. #SceneSongs

Movie: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

The 60’s sounded like a concoction of different genres – soul, doo-wop, garage rock, folk, proto-punk, straight-ahead rock and, of course, psychedelic rock. The latter is probably the genre that comes to mind first for many of us – and most likely involves images of Woodstock in our heads. This was the playground and realm for many big acts, including Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Dead and a lesser-known band by the catchy, peculiar name of Strawberry Alarm Clock. They had a few songs on the radio, none bigger and more popular than “Incense and Peppermints”, which plays at the Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swinger's Club as Austin and Mrs. Kensington arrive and dance inside.

The first time I heard the song was 30 years after it hit the radio waves. The movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a mocking celebration of the 60’s – its spirit, fashion, vernacular and music. “Incense and Peppermints” is one of the soundtrack highlights, maybe only trumped by Quincy Jones “Soul Bossa Nova”. There’s a YouTube video of Strawberry Alarm Clock performing the song where something off is noticeable right away. Mark Weitz’s organ riff might’ve been the musical highlight of the track, but the drummer stole the spotlight. The drum kit was situated at the front of the stage with the guitarists, bassist and organist in the background. A few bars into the song we hear drummer Randy Seol delivering the first verse. It’s not the only time we heard a drummer sing by any stretch – Phil Collins, Don Henley and Roger Taylor all shared this somewhat unusual claim. But Seol’s setup created an unforgettable inverted poise for the song and the era.

“Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind. Incense and peppermints, the color of time.”

"THE END" THE DOORS (1967)

You can get off to a fast start. You can sustain your opener with the main course, not filler. But can you end on a high note? Sometimes I wonder if recording a strong closer is the most difficult thing to pull off when it comes to album rock. When it comes to the cream of the crop in music, I can think of more strong openers than strong closers. Nonetheless, I still have my favorites which I’ll be featuring on Mental Jukebox all month.

The amalgamation of sound from The Doors was unique, irreplaceable and captivating for many music fans, including me. The compositions often felt truly epic. And, of course, the sound felt truly their own largely because of Manzarek’s keyboard contributions and Morrison’s presence, one of the greatest frontman to ever take the stage. The debut album is exceptional, packed with several classics and ending on a high with “The End”.

“The End” keeps going, and stretches for nearly 12 minutes. It’s a breakup song that has become far more than a breakup song. It’s pure poetry. Riding on a wave of rock, psychedelia, blues and even Middle Eastern and Native American musical explorations, the song doesn’t fit neatly into one category. This is probably the one characteristic that has made it such a celebrated and highly recognized song. If you’re going to make a powerful statement to end your album, you’d be hard pressed to make something as truly epic as “The End”.

“THIS IS THE END, BEAUTIFUL FRIEND. THIS IS THE END, MY ONLY FRIEND, THE END. OF OUR ELABORATE PLANS, THE END. OF EVERYTHING THAT STANDS, THE END. NO SAFETY OR SURPRISE, THE END. I'LL NEVER LOOK INTO YOUR EYES, AGAIN.”

"THE END" THE DOORS (1967)

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 30

There are few lyricists that were as prolific in a short period of time as Jim Morrison. Riding on a wave of rock, psychedelia, blues and even Middle Eastern and Native American musical explorations, the music from The Doors never fit neatly into one category. The compositions often felt truly epic. The sound felt truly their own largely because of Manzarek’s keyboard presence and, of course, Morrison, one of the greatest frontman to ever take the stage. “The End” is a breakup song that has become far more than a breakup song. It’s pure poetry.

“This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend, the end. Of our elaborate plans, the end. Of everything that stands, the end. No safety or surprise, the end. I'll never look into your eyes, again.”

"INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS" STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK (1967)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

The 60’s sounded like a concoction of different genres – soul, doo-wop, garage rock, folk, proto-punk, straight-ahead rock and, of course, psychedelic rock. The latter is probably the genre that comes to mind first for many of us. The style of music was almost secondary to the culture, which included mind-expanding drugs and movements like Woodstock. This was the playground and realm for many big acts, including Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Dead and a lesser-known band by the catchy, peculiar name of Strawberry Alarm Clock. They had a few songs on the radio, none bigger and more popular than “Incense and Peppermints”.

The first time I heard the song was 30 years after it hit the radio waves. The movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a mocking celebration of the 60’s – its spirit, fashion, vernacular and music. “Incense and Peppermints” is one of the soundtrack highlights, maybe only trumped by Quincy Jones “Soul Bossa Nova”. There’s a YouTube video of Strawberry Alarm Clock performing the song where something off is noticeable right away. Mark Weitz’s organ riff might’ve been the musical highlight of the track, but the drummer stole the spotlight. The drum kit was situated at the front of the stage with the guitarists, bassist and organist in the background. A few bars into the song we hear drummer Randy Seol delivering the first verse. It’s not the only time we heard a drummer sing by any stretch – Phil Collins, Don Henley and Roger Taylor all shared this somewhat unusual claim. But Seol’s setup created an unforgettable inverted poise for the song and the era.

“Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind. Incense and peppermints, the color of time.”

"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" JIMI HENDRIX (1968)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Forrest Gump

As legendary as Bob Dylan is, I understand that he’s not for everyone. Some people just can’t listen past Dylan’s nasal-infused vocal delivery. Jimi Hendrix wasn’t exactly the most vocally gifted musician either. But whatever he lacked as a singer he more than made up for as a guitar player. The thing about his rendition of the Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower” is he lit every strand of folk and Americana roots from the song on fire, burned those elements to the ground and then made the fire rise even higher with an electric reboot.

Throughout my middle and high school years, I lived next door to a Jimi Hendrix fanatic. My brother introduced me to Jimi’s impressive catalog, which was incredibly prolific given his short life span. The thing that immediately drew me in to his music was a guitar playing style that almost sounded otherworldly. It wasn’t rock. It wasn’t blues. But it was this crazy blend of the two that seemed to be so effortless to Jimi but impossible for others to emulate. You can’t simply play the same notes that Jimi played and expect it sound the same. It was the way in which he navigated back and forth between those two genres so easily that makes “All Along the Watchtower” one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

“No reason to get excited. The thief, he kindly spoke. There are many here among us. Who feel that life is but a joke.”

"WHITE RABBIT" JEFFERSON AIRPLANE (1967)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Platoon

Another case of a great scene made even greater because of the music. “White Rabbit” was a perfect choice for the movie scene. Guys getting high. Minds expanding. Charlie Sheen walks in to a room with very little clarity about what happens there. Tensions rising. Then falling almost instantly. All the while, Grace Slick’s phenomenal lyrics paint a picture of what might be happening inside their heads. There’s mystery in the story and in the melody, making it a wiser musical choice than some other stoner anthem, like a Pink Floyd song.

A reimagination of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “White Rabbit” is a trip. It brings the classic story to life in a psychedelic twist probably created with the aid of mind-expanding substances. It goes down a rabbit hole of Spanish-influenced rhythms and guitar playing. Grace Slick once said that the song was heavily influenced by Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain album, which you can hear most clearly in the instrumentation, but also in the melody as well. “White Rabbit” is a wild blend of cultures and mediums with an adult’s liberating interpretation of a childhood tale.

“And if you go chasing rabbits and you know you're going to fall. Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call. Call Alice when she was just small.”

"WHITE RABBIT" JEFFERSON AIRPLANE (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

My experience with music from the 60’s is complicated. Born in the decade that followed, my exposure to 60’s music didn’t really happen until I reached high school. It started where most teenagers get their classic rock kicks: Beatles, Zeppelin, Hendrix. I still love all of those artists, but now that I’m in my 40’s I find myself appreciating bands and musicians that I just didn’t have an attraction to back in my high school years. This includes Leonard Cohen, Nico, Nick Drake and Jefferson Airplane. Of the latter, my favorite song by far is “White Rabbit”.

A reimagination of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “White Rabbit” is a trip. It brings the classic story to life in a psychedelic twist probably created with the aid of mind-expanding substances. It goes down a rabbit hole of Spanish-influenced rhythms and guitar playing. Grace Slick once said that the song was heavily influenced by Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain album, which you can hear most clearly in the instrumentation, but also in the melody as well. “White Rabbit” is a wild blend of cultures and mediums with an adult’s liberating interpretation of a childhood tale.

“And if you go chasing rabbits and you know you're going to fall. Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call. Call Alice when she was just small.”

"MORNING DEW" THE GRATEFUL DEAD (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Today the Mental Jukebox is playing a song from a band that simply can’t be given justice in this format. Listening to the Dead’s albums on Spotify I feel utterly gypped, knowing that I’m getting a tiny fraction of the experience, the magic that happens at a Dead concert where set list formations flow like water and improvisations come on like a flood. Spotify can’t capture the aura of a band so largely defined by its live shows, but it has given me the chance to get reacquainted with legendary albums like Workingman’s Dead, American Beauty and the self-titled debut album that spawned “Morning Dew”.

Music critics have often praised how the Dead is in a category all their own. Garcia, Weir, Pigpen, Lesh and Kreutzmann all brought different influences with them, the most obvious ones being blues, folk and country. They took those genres and layered on an electric guitar rock sound that’s highly experimental and improvisational. That’s the beauty of “Morning Dew”. It’s a pretty standard melody masterfully sung by Garcia and taken for several twists and turns with a dual guitar jam fest from Weir and Garcia, and a melodic, meandering bass line from Lesh that jumps into the upper octaves. Still, the individual members never sound like they’re competing with each other. They move and groove in one flow. It’s the beautiful magic of the Dead.

“I'll walk you out in the morning dew my honey. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway.”

"INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS" STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

The 60’s sounded like a concoction of different genres – soul, doo-wop, garage rock, folk, proto-punk, straight-ahead rock and, of course, psychedelic rock. The latter is probably the genre that comes to mind first for many of us. The style of music was almost secondary to the culture, which included mind-expanding drugs and movements like Woodstock. This was the playground and realm for many big acts, including Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Dead and a lesser-known band by the catchy, peculiar name of Strawberry Alarm Clock. They had a few songs on the radio, none bigger and more popular than “Incense and Peppermints”.

The first time I heard the song was 30 years after it hit the radio waves. The movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a mocking celebration of the 60’s – its spirit, fashion, vernacular and music. “Incense and Peppermints” is one of the soundtrack highlights, maybe only trumped by Quincy Jones “Soul Bossa Nova”. There’s a YouTube video of Strawberry Alarm Clock performing the song where something off is noticeable right away. Mark Weitz’s organ riff might’ve been the musical highlight of the track, but the drummer stole the spotlight. The drum kit was situated at the front of the stage with the guitarists, bassist and organist in the background. A few bars into the song we hear drummer Randy Seol delivering the first verse. It’s not the only time we heard a drummer sing by any stretch – Phil Collins, Don Henley and Roger Taylor all shared this somewhat unusual claim. But Seol’s setup created an unforgettable inverted poise for the song and the era.

"SKY PILOT" ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS (1968)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

A friend from high school introduced me to The Animals with an enthusiasm that even exceeded his love for the biggest. classic rock icons like Zeppelin, Cream and the Stones. I think there were many reasons for this, but it was largely the power, swagger and testosterone-fueled vocals of Eric Burdon. Most casual listeners are familiar with their big hits: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”. But my friend encouraged me to go a little deeper. The song that I looked forward to playing most on my Animals mixtape was a minor hit toward the end of their years called “Sky Pilot”.

The track was an anti-war song written during the time of the Vietnam War. But it wasn’t about an Air Force pilot, it was an ode to a military chaplain. “How high can you fly. You never, never, never reach the sky”. The track carries intrigue from both an instrumental and production perspective. “Sky Pilot” soars on a bed of reverb and flanging complete with guitar solo, a string arrangement, bagpipe interlude and a host of war-themed audio samples. Then, of course, there’s the underrated, masterful lead vocals from Burdon. The song is a feast for the ears. I loved “Sky Pilot” from the very first listen and that love has never died.

“He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile. The order is given, they move down the line. But he's still behind and he'll meditate. But it won't stop the bleeding or ease the hate.”

"EVIL WAYS" SANTANA (1969)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

The strengths of jam bands are never fully realized in a recording studio. They only really happen in concert – from the Dead to Phish to Santana. However, while producer Bill Graham tried to lead the band to record in a more conventional way, the spirit of improvisation is still very much apparent on this self-titled debut album. To prove this point, there are a few instrumental tracks on the album, and there’s also the iconic cover “Evil Ways”, the most familiar track of the bunch.

It’s unmistakably a latin rock song with an infectious rhythm driven by congas and timbales instead of a traditional drum kit. It may be the flavor of the song. But the most distinct aspect of “Evil Ways” is the juxtaposition of two monster instrumental solos: Greg Rolle’s Hammond organ solo and Carlos Santana’s guitar solo. The two epic moments have a call-and-response feel to them, like a jazz arrangement. Santana may be the one musician most associated with the recording, but Rolie was the man in my opinion. After all, he was the one singing lead vocals on the track – and if I had to put my money on it, the Hammond organ beat the electric guitar by a landslide.

“You've got to change your evil ways, baby, before I stop loving you.”

"LITTLE WING" THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

While I was in high school, I had various introductions to classic rock. Friends introduced me to Zeppelin. A radio station introduced to bands like Cream, The Doors, among others. And my younger brother (I know, usually it’s the other way around). introduced me to an ultra-talented guitarist who was a mediocre singer, but had these amazing playing skills, lit his axe on fire and navigated his way around blues and rock nearly effortlessly. His more brash bangers were the songs I liked best initially, but it’s the quiet strength of “Little Wing” that has made it one of the most enduring Hendrix recordings for me personally.

There’s a recording of the song at the Monterey Pop Festival where Hendrix says: “I got the idea like, when we were in Monterey and I was just looking at everything around. So I figured that I take everything I see around and put it maybe in the form of a girl maybe, somethin' like that, you know, and call it 'Little Wing', and then it will just fly away.” This, to me, captures the creativity and essence of the psychedelic movement. The mood and atmosphere was so strong, they deserved to be personified through a gorgeous blues guitar riff, the unexpected glockenspiel and an incredible imagination.

“Take anything you want from me. Anything. Fly on little wing.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Songwriter. Performer. Artist. Cultural icon. Like his characters, David Bowie has taken on many different forms through his career. One of my deepest regrets is not seeing him live. I read somewhere that when his debut album bombed, he redid everything. Found a new manager and found new ways to create, promote and perform. One of the ways Bowie has distinguished himself from his rock & roll peers is by expanding beyond music and exploring different art forms, most notably fashion and film. A perfect example of this is “Space Oddity”, a song that I’m featuring for the second time on Mental Jukebox.

Bowie was always a master at creating characters – even embodying them at times – from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust. On “Space Oddity”, we met Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who launched into space with much promise, but ultimately faced his own demise by the end of the five minute song. “Space Oddity” was an imaginative story that pointed us to a universe where electric guitar rock can co-exist with a string symphony. It’s also a song that extended beyond sound wave through a promotional film, an unusual approach at the time. It was Bowie constantly innovating even as a relatively new artist.

“Ground Control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.”

"MOONLIGHT DRIVE" THE DOORS (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Hearing The Doors on New York’s K-ROCK, I heard enough to warrant splurging for my first CD purchase from the band: Strange Days. Morrison sang with a bluesy swagger I hadn’t heard from many frontmen before — a presence that seemed equally at home in a basement bar as an arena. Krieger’s guitar riffs sounded outlandish at times, but the true distinctive element of their instrumentation was Manzarek’s keys that felt like a rollicking church hymn on some songs and a haunted house overture on others. Strange Days is, at times, strange. And “Moonlight Drive” is a prime example.

The lyrics to the song were written by Morrison on a rooftop in LA, which he uttered to a friend of his, Ray Manzarek. Manzarek was immediately awestruck, and the two decided to form a band called The Doors. That makes “Moonlight Drive” one of the most important songs from The Doors canon. It starts off sounding like some misplaced Broadway show tune. Then Krieger reflects back Morrison’s vision of the song with these guitar hooks that resemble celestial blips, burps and blasts, as if we were riding to the moon on those crazy riffs. “Moonlight Drive” is a bluesy, soulful ride.

“Let's swim to the moon, uh huh. Let's climb through the tide.”

"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" JIMI HENDRIX (1968)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

As legendary as Bob Dylan is, I understand that he’s not for everyone. Some people just can’t listen past Dylan’s nasal-infused vocal delivery. Jimi Hendrix wasn’t exactly the most vocally gifted musician either. But whatever he lacked as a singer he more than made up for as a guitar player. The thing about his rendition of the Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower” is he lit every strand of folk and Americana roots from the song on fire, burned those elements to the ground and then made the fire rise even higher with an electric reboot.

Throughout my middle and high school years, I lived next door to a Jimi Hendrix fanatic. My brother introduced me to Jimi’s impressive catalog, which was incredibly prolific given his short life span. The thing that immediately drew me in to his music was a guitar playing style that almost sounded otherworldly. It wasn’t rock. It wasn’t blues. But it was this crazy blend of the two that seemed to be so effortless to Jimi but impossible to others. You can’t simply play the same notes that Jimi played and expect it sound the same. It was the way in which he navigated back and forth between those two genres so easily that makes “All Along the Watchtower” one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

“No reason to get excited. The thief, he kindly spoke. There are many here among us. Who feel that life is but a joke.”