Rock Blues Songs (Part One)

A song often of lamentation characterized by usually 12-bar phrases, 3-line stanzas in which the words of the second line usually repeat those of the first, and continual occurrence of blue notes in melody and harmony. – Merriam-Webster

Rock musicians have long been influenced by blues artists recording from the 20s through the 60s. In these posts, I’ll investigate some of my favorite tunes. They were famously covered, the licks got borrowed, or they schooled the rockers in style and attitude. Many of the most influential blues songs reverberate to this day.

Continue reading “Rock Blues Songs (Part One)”

Great Rock Song Intros (Part One)

Now you’re messin’ with a ….

Great rock song intros have an extraordinary ability to immediately draw listeners in, creating a powerful first impression that sets the tone for the entire track. These intros often feature distinctive guitar riffs, commanding drum beats, or evocative melodies that can evoke a wide range of emotions from anticipation to exhilaration. The use of innovative instrumentation and dynamic rhythms helps to establish the song’s identity right from the start, often becoming iconic elements that are instantly recognizable.

Continue reading “Great Rock Song Intros (Part One)”

Song Meanings: White Room

Pete Brown’s first attempt at a lyric was something about a “doomed hippie girl” – the song was called “Cinderella’s Last Goodnight.”

I first heard this single at my friend, Ross Stephens, house in Alpahretta, Georgia. It was the first Cream song I had ever heard. “White Room” is a song by the British rock band Cream, released as a single in 1968. It appears on their double album “Wheels of Fire.” The song is renowned for its distinctive guitar riff, haunting lyrics,

Continue reading “Song Meanings: White Room”

Stacks of 45’s – Midnight At The Oasis/Any Old Time

“Midnight at the Oasis” is a song performed by Maria Muldaur, released in 1973.

When I was young before I had cassettes, the only good way of making a playlist of songs was to stack 45s on the turntable. I would arrange them to play my favorite songs in my favorite order. These posts are about records I had in my stacks.

Continue reading “Stacks of 45’s – Midnight At The Oasis/Any Old Time”

Song Meanings: Anyone For Tennis

“Anyone for Tennis” is a song by the British rock band Cream. The song was written by Eric Clapton and Martin Sharp and was released as a single in 1968. The song was written for the movie The Savage Seven and was Clapton’s second collaaboration with Sharp.

Continue reading “Song Meanings: Anyone For Tennis”

Stacks of 45’s – Border Song/Bad Side of the Moon

Holy Moses I have been deceived

When I was young before I had cassettes, the only good way of making a playlist of songs was to stack 45s on the turntable. I would arrange for them to play my favorite songs in my favorite order. These posts are about records I had in my stacks.

Continue reading “Stacks of 45’s – Border Song/Bad Side of the Moon”

Robbie Robertson Dies

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me, If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don’t have to speak, she defends me, A drunkard’s dream if I ever did see one

Jaime Robert Klegerman, known professionally as Robbie Robertson, was born on July 5, 1943, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was raised in a mixed-race household; his father was of Jewish descent, and his mother had Mohawk[1] and Cayuga First Nations[2] ancestry.

Continue reading “Robbie Robertson Dies”

Jimi Hendrix – Doyle’s Space: Music Hall of Fame

And so castles made of sand slips into the sea, eventually

My lucky 13th inductee, 1st for 2023, is one of the greatest guitar players ever. James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) was born at 10:15 a.m. on November 27, 1942, at Seattle’s King County Hospital.

Continue reading “Jimi Hendrix – Doyle’s Space: Music Hall of Fame”

Jeff Beck Dies

One of the three greatest guitarists of all time that played with the Yardbirds!

Geoffrey Arnold Beck (Jeff Beck) was born June 24, 1944, to Arnold and Ethel Beck at 206 Demesne Road, Wallington, South London. As a boy, he sang in the choir and cited Les Paul as the first guitarist that impressed him.

Continue reading “Jeff Beck Dies”

Jethro Tull – Doyle’s Space: Music Hall of Fame

And the long grass blows in the evening cool
And August’s rare delight may be April’s fool
But think not of that, my love
I’m tight against the seam
And I’m growing up to meet you down on velvet green

Jethro Tull is a British rock band formed in Blackpool, England, in 1967. Initially playing blues rock and jazz fusion, the group’s bandleader, founder, primary composer, and only constant member is Ian Anderson, a multi-instrumentalist who mainly plays flute and acoustic guitar, and is also the lead vocalist.

Continue reading “Jethro Tull – Doyle’s Space: Music Hall of Fame”