Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Fairytale of New York

It's supposedly the UK's most played Christmas song each year. And, a subhead on an article reporting the passing of The Pogues' Shane MacGowan defends the song's dark, nasty lyrics as "an anthem of hope."

Apparently the result of a challenge by Elvis Costello that they couldn't write a Christmas hit, I'm pretty sure Elvis thought his bet was a safe one. He was clearly wrong.

The surreal moment this month was that the Kelce Brothers recorded the song for Jason's Christmas album, reworking it to the "Fairytale of Philadelphia." And, that video was reportedly the last thing Shane tweeted before his death.

On this Music Friday, this is the original "Fairytale of New York."

It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the Drunk Tank.
An old man said to me, "won't see another one."

Thankfully Christmas

On Music Friday, we often transition to songs of the Holiday Season on the day after Thanksgiving. But, despite scoring our tree yesterday, it just doesn't feel like Christmas quite yet.

Maybe it's all the shit going down in our world in an age that should be enlightened rather than ignorant. Maybe its just the vagaries of the calendar; so early Thanksgiving is this year (and again on a Thursday to boot, WTF?).

So, I'm splitting the difference...with a holiday song that has the word "thanks" in it.

This is Queen with "Thank God It's Christmas."

And here's hoping your holidays are grand!

Ron & Sam

50 years ago...can it really be that long ago?

It was the Fall of 1973 that session guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who had worked with Van Morrison, Edgar Winter and Herbie Hancock, got his shot and released the self-titled debut, "Montrose."

It landed with a thud, mostly because the label didn't want to cannibalize airplay from their other rock acts like Deep Purple. But the "Montrose" album rocked with more authority than Deep Purple ever did.

Eventually, the world came around, in part because of the lead singer...a guy listed in the credits as one Sam Hagar.

On this Music Friday we look back 50 years to one of the greatest albums of 1973:

The first track that made so many throw their head back and say WTF: Rock the Nation (from a tribute concert for Ronnie).

Then there was the hot, sweet and sticky Rock Candy, done here by Sammy and Daryl's House Band.

And then, a year later, there was Paper Money and I Got the Fire.

Ronnie was an amazing guitarist. Sammy is an icon.

And Sam has just announced dates for 2024.

That means Good Rockin' Tonight.

Bob Welch

Shuffle is a wonderful thing. Artists that have dropped from consciousness re-emerge to remind us of their amazing talent and gifts.

That happened this week when Bob Welch shuffled forward. Songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for Fleetwood Mac in the years before they exploded, he had a brief moment as a solo artist in the late '70s. Before the split, my favorite Welch-Mac track was "Hypnotized."

His first solo effort was an album called "French Kiss." The hit was "Sentimental Lady," followed by "Ebony Eyes." I always believed this was where Fleetwood Mac would have gone if not for the introduction of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham to the mix.

But, the tracks that always stop me in my tracks are the closing songs on both sides of the LP. On this Music Friday, I offer up "Lose My Heart" and "Lose Your Heart."

And...yeah. I did.

The $550 Tickets in the Front

Been hearing a lot of noise regarding the Eagles' upcoming tour regarding ticket pricing. One post suggested that a band that built its core on working class kids (and that has only one original member) should be ashamed that center section floor tickets start at $550. And yet, they'll get their price.

It reminds me of one of my favorite live album toss-offs between songs. It was the 1969 live album from Three Dog Night, playing the notoriously un-acoustic LA Forum. Early on in the concert, one of the Dogs was heard to say, "what's that back there? You say you can't hear back there?"

To which another Dog said, "See? You should have gotten the $5.50 tickets in the front."

What a long strange trip it's been...

On this Music Friday we offer up a few tracks from each. While never a hit, my all-time favorite Three Dog Night song was a cover of  Homer Banks', "Ain't That a Lot of Love."

And, from the Eagles, I gotta go with a rocker and a ballad: "Already Gone" and "Hole in the World."

$550 seats, indeed.

 

Dusty Street

Those of us that aspired to major market FM DJ status in the '70s and '80s often listened to "airchecks." These were recordings of the top DJs in the nation, holding court on seminal rock stations across the land. We aspired to be like them and, while not wanting to copy them, attempted to find our own style and place in the Rock Radio ecosystem by learning from the greats.

One of my favorites was Dusty Street. What an awesome air name, I thought, not knowing that was, indeed, her given name. But, beyond the name was the smokey voice...and beyond the voice was her encyclopedic knowledge of the music she shared.

SiriusXM listeners may know her as the voice of the Deep Tracks and Classic Vinyl channels. I saw her broadcasting through the glass at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on one of my several visits to mecca. It was a thrill.

And now, she's departed terra firma. The woman who turned so many fans onto so many artists.

On this Music Friday, we take a rare turn to honor a DJ.

Rest in Peace, Dusty Street.

If you click on the Airchecks link, Dusty starts around the 11:00 mark. And, thanks to our friend Amir Eylon for the catch.

In the Name of God

As the events in the Middle East evolve, our hearts go out to those in harm's way. The unfathomable loss of life and destruction of place makes us all cry out in anguish.

As I contemplated this Music Friday post, I was immediately drawn to a "supergroup" that never caught on. Living Loud was made up of veterans from Cold Chisel, Uriah Heep and Deep Purple and their debut went pretty much nowhere. But the song "In the Name of God" always stuck with me.

As I prepared this post, I saw that my friend Amir Elyon experienced one of those moments the other night with an artist that transcends the expected. And the song he shared with me is the perfect companion to my offering.

This is Matisvahu with "One Day."

No More War.

Rudolph Isley

They began as a Gospel / R&B Trio out of Cincinnati and became one of the most righteous musical forces in American music in the 70s and 80s.

The Isley Brothers. Funk, Soulful and Socially Present. Their 1975 "Fight the Power" was a masterful stake in the ground that transcended race...and is just as important a statement today as it was almost 50 years ago.

At the same time, as a young rock radio programmer in the 70s, they provided me multiple avenues. Beginning with the "Fight the Power" LP, The Isleys would funk out on side one and go sensually romantic on side two of the LP. So, as the 6-Midnight DJ, I'd play "Who's That Lady" before 10 and "For the Love of You" after 10. I had a lot of listeners in hot tubs and passion pits calling in requests for side two as we approached midnight.

Co-Founder and brother Rudolph Isley left us this week for that next adventure...and we recognize the coolness with which he blessed us.

On this sad Music Friday, we say thank you with "Shout."

Santana / Winwood

The truly great artists among us can wring sounds from their instruments (both physical and vocal) that are instantly recognizable amidst a sea of millions of other artists.

From the beginning, the sounds that came from the guitar of Carlos Santana were other wordly. His incendinary performance at Woodstock left no doubt that he was supremely different.

And Stevie Winwood? The teenage prodigy that powered the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin" in the '60s was just the beginning.

On this Music Friday, we share this rare collaboration between these two masters from Montreaux back in 2004 with "Why Can't We Live Together."

Sublime.

Serendipity

There are a number of songs that reference that day, 22 years ago, that the twin towers fell. If I had a playlist that included those songs, the Eagles "Hole in the World" and Yellowcard's "Believe" would be at the top of that list.

Last night, with iTunes on shuffle on the porch, Alan Jackson's evocative "Where Were You" filled the room. His reference to his not knowing the difference between Iraq and Iran instantly reminded me of another track that revealed a similar sentiment.

On this Music Friday, we go back to the '70s and Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry Bout a Thing."

Iraq. Iran...