In my previous post, I wrote about the evolution of The National. In this one, I look at an even more dramatic change in a band’s musical demeanor. Yes went from prog rock to album oriented rock to something resembling new wave and pop on the album 90125. Those of us who grew up on MTV will never forget “Owner of a Lonely Heart”. It was still musically ambitious, but it was equally musically accessible with its spastic synth blurbs and killer bass line in the bridge.
“Move yourself. You always live your life never thinking of the future. Prove yourself. You are the move you make.”
A couple of months before the pandemic, I saw The National at NYC’s legendary Beacon Theater. They showed excerpts from a short film directed by Mike Mills, featuring songs from I Am Easy To Find—and ended with just a small handful of the fan favs. That night, I saw an evolution of the band that I’ve loved for many years. It’s not that they lost their edge, but they were older, wiser and more contemplative now—and “Light Years” was their beautiful banner statement for this new era.
“I was always ten feet behind you from the start.”
Listening to Tapestry, I can’t help but marvel at the depth of this classic album from top to bottom. Without exaggeration, it is like the great American songbook, with every song carrying its own weight and contributing to musical history. One of my favorites has always been the sincere, heart-filled “You’ve Got a Friend”. Simple. Raw. Honest. Beautiful. All of these qualities make her original superior to the popularized JT cover.
“If the sky above you grows dark and full of clouds and that old north wind begins to blow, keep your head together and call my name out loud. Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door.”
One of the most distinctive voices of any genre. Billie Holiday’s voice is permanently engrained in musical history and in our hearts. When you don’t judge music technically, but emotionally, you realize that no one comes close to her style and the effect she has had on audiences and musicians alike. Here’s the thing about “Blue Moon”. It was sung by dozens of performers before her. But Billie, using her signature flair for improvisation, took a few liberties with the melody to make it her own and truly memorable.
“Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for. You heard me saying a prayer for someone I really could care for.”
One of the catalysts for my love of live music was an Indigo Girls show that I caught back in high school. The songwriting and the harmonies were unlike anything else that was playing on the radio at the time. A few years later, Swamp Ophelia came out—and it was probably the Indigo Girls at their height. Memories of beach trips to the Mass north shore and “Least Complicated” blasting out of my friend’s car speakers are permanently entwined in my head.
“I sit two stories above the street. It's awful quiet here since love fell asleep.”
At the end of the music video for “E-Pro”, Beck is seen hopping from one celestial musical note to another. It’s quite an accurate portrayal of what he was doing experimentally in this song. As the opening song to Guero, it was a refreshing departure from the beautiful doldrums of Sea Change. But what made “E-Pro” hugely addictive during a time when post-punk was running rampant was its electro-charged guitar jumpstart.
“The good in us is all we know. There's too much left to taste that's bitter.”
I don’t think I could ever summarize the impact that “Ziggy Stardust” has had on rock & roll in a single paragraph. But I’ll say this. When I was in high school, a half-decent set of musicians played it at Battle of the Bands and the thing was powerful. They weren’t exceptional. They weren’t in sync. But they unlocked Bowie’s emotion, ingenuity and attitude. That’s the power of Ziggy. In many ways, the song, like the main character, helped save rock & roll.
“Making love with his ego, Ziggy sucked up into his mind. Like a leper messiah, when the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band.”
Whether you think it’s about Bono’s wife or an eastern Europe political movement, “New Year’s Day” is a song of renewal musically and a song of reflection lyrically. The Edge shined on both the piano and the guitar with his distinctive riffs. Bono belted furiously and emotionally. Larry Mullen Jr. held his own. And this is probably my favorite U2 song from a bass perspective. Adam Clayton was locked in rhythmically with attitude and bravado.
“And so we're told this is the golden age and gold is the reason for the wars we wage. Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day, nothing changes on New Year's Day.”
If you haven’t celebrated with this one or heard this one yet, you should. Over a five year period, Future of Forestry put together the Advent Christmas EP series. Out of that came a catalog of highly reflective, meditative Christmas songs. “O Come All Ye Faithful” is my favorite. It kept the reason for the season central. But it blew my mind at the 2:34 mark with an unexpected, forceful guitar conclusion.
“Sing, choirs of angels. Sing in exultation. Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above. Glory to God. All glory in the highest. O come, let us adore Him.”
In a frenzied, often frantic holiday season, “Snowed In With You” is a slow-brewing musical masterpiece. Warm. Inviting. And hopelessly romantic. It’s more of a winter seasonal song than a Christmas tune. The musical components that I like best: The violin. The upright bass. And Karin Bergquist’s vocal delivery. The song—and the entire Snow Angels album—put an infectious Americana spin on the time of year.
“When you come home and all the world's asleep, I'll close my eyes and breathe with sweet relief.”
One of the most original Christmas compositions ever recorded, “Wonderful Christmastime” was the song that paved the way for synth-based holiday tracks and the chillwave genre. It has become such a Christmas classic that it’s easy to forget how ahead of the times it was. There was an irony to the monotonous, soulless vocal delivery of the festive lyrics that somehow seems to get lost in the holiday shuffle whenever it’s played.
“The moon is right. The spirits up. We're here tonight. And that's enough.”
This is the Christmas song that doubles as a portal back to the 50’s. An era filled with Chevy convertibles, drive-ins theaters, malt shops and jukeboxes. The rockabilly vibes of the guitar and vocals captured the times. Today, no one sings like Brenda Lee, but “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” continues to get strong airplay and appearances on playlists decade after decade, riding on a wave of nostalgia.
“You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear voices singing, ‘Let's be jolly. Deck the halls with boughs of holly.’”
It may not be the first Christmas song you think of. It may not be the kind you hear all that often either. But it’s the type of Christmas song that stays with you long after you hear it. By stripping out all the instrumentation, the Westminster Choir recorded maybe the most powerful version of “Carol of the Bells” ever. The ensemble of voices. The high ceiling acoustics. And the electric crescendo. The Christmas track that lingers well past the season ends.
“Hark how the bells. Sweet silver bells. All seem to say. Throw cares away.”
You think you’re just listening to another Christmas carol cover. Then you get to the 1:42 mark, and Chris Tomlin rocks your world with a new interpretation, inserting his own unforgettable words: Unspeakable joy. Tomlin found new life from an old carol. And in doing so, he seemed to stumble upon the real joy as if it appeared before his eyes. It’s a feeling I sense from the performer, and a feeling I experience as the listener.
“Joy, unspeakable joy. An overflowing well no tongue can tell. Joy, unspeakable joy. Rises in my soul, never lets me go.”
Sufjan Stevens’ extensive multi-disc Christmas album is headlined by “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel”. It represents both a modern interpretation of a traditional Christmas carol as well as a personal reflection of Sufjan’s Christian faith. It’s not all ho-ho-ho’s, but it’s not all ho-hum either. It captures the quiet, reflective mood of the artist’s musicality and the quiet mystery and wonderment of the season.
“O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer. Our spirits by Thine advent here. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadows put to flight.”
One of the most famous Christmas songs of all time was an anti-famine fundraising effort for Ethiopia, written and spearheaded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. There have been subsequent remakes, but the original is still the one for me. Sting. Bono. Simon Le Bon. George Michael. Paul Young. Phil Collins. Boy George. Siobhan Fahey. The list goes on. This was the Christmas song with a social conscience and spirit.
“It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid. At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade.”
So many artists have covered this classic since Robert Wells and Mel Torme wrote the original. Sinatra. John Legend. Buble. Perry Como. But for me, Nat King Cole’s version has always been the best. It was always the warmest. It’s the version that conjures up the holiday spirit with images of hickory wood fireplaces, city streets with holiday lights and snow-covered hills. It’s a musical backdrop for Christmas that has stood the test of time.
“And so I'm offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two. Although it's been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you.”
It’s impossible to make it through the holidays without hearing Wham!’s “Last Christmas” at least a half dozen times. It’s a nostalgic Christmas song that has somewhat miraculously extended well beyond its years. It’s lyrically sad and musically upbeat. I like Jimmy Eat World’s cover. They sing it a little differently. They play it with a little more dynamism. And they find a less expected holiday sound with Jimmy-style guitar and synth.
“Last Christmas I gave you my heart. But the very next day you gave it away.”
New wave took it to Christmas with jangly piano treble keys, bells and an unjoyous Christmas story. But the best part of “Christmas Wrapping” is the blaring sax and Tracy Wormworth’s killer bass line which captures the chaotic and frenzied pace of the holidays. It’s the story of a holiday gone wrong, but one that ends with redemption and a last-minute hunt for cranberry sauce. With that, The Waitresses have helped capture the holiday spirit yet again.
“A&P has provided me with the world’s smallest turkey. Already in the oven, nice and hot Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?”
There are Christmas songs that we abhor, and then there are Christmas songs that we adore. For me, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” is one of the latter. From my favorite Christmas album from beginning to end, Vine Guaraldi’s “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” captures both the quiet reflection and the joyful celebration of the season in under two minutes. Few Christmas songs reveal both sides of the holiday equation so endearingly.
“Joyful, all ye nations, rise. Join the triumph of the skies. With th’angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
