Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Jonathan Cain

During my early career in Rock Radio, I discovered Jonathan Cain. Our suburban Chicago FM Rocker often staged Illinois-centric weekends, full of REO, Styx, Fogelberg, Chicago, Survivor and Head East...but also start-up bands like Off Broadway, the Boyzz and Starcastle along with 60's standouts like the Buckinghams and the Cryin Shames.

As we worked to build a weekend of homegrown music, we stumbled upon the Jonathan Cain Band...a generally forgotten album from the guy who would ultimately become a primary songwriter, vocalist and keyboard guy for The Babys, Bad English and Journey.

I'm reading his autobiography (Don't Stop Believing) and had to laugh at a remembrance in the book. The song we always played was one that called out our station's hometown, a distant southside suburb of Chicago ("reminds me of a girl I left back in Kankakee").

But, the story is deeper. In his autobiography, Jonathan talks of playing a Kankakee bowling alley in his early days and being threatened with a gun by the boyfriend of a girl who had taken a shine to him. He says..."I never played Kankakee again."

So, on this Music Friday, we offer two Jonathan Cain tracks: The one where I first met this talent, talking about my hometown. And, the one for which he's probably best known.

So funny to be reading a book and have the name of your hometown be called out of the blue. 

Steve Miller

Presence. That's what Steve Miller said makes a great performer in a fascinating interview from the Sweetwater studios.

And, I just smiled...as when I describe seeing his long overdue return to Madison a few years ago, I always share how comfortable he was in his skin. I mean, he just effortlessly leaned back and luxuriated as he played his hits in the town in which he spent his college years. Beyond the hits, it was his presence that won us all over.

In another conversation with Dan Rather, he said a song has to hook you in the first 4 seconds. And, other than the album version of "Fly Like a Eagle," the vast majority of his hits follow that rule.

Speaking of, there is an amazing track that features a conversation between a young Steve and his godfather Les Paul that sets up what became a sensational career.

On this Music Friday, it's one of the earliest live videos of the kid who didn't think he had a voice.

Paul Simon

My friend George Tzougros (CEO of the Wisconsin Arts Board and an early guest on DMOU) sends me (and thousands of others) a daily e-mail with inspirational quotes, great musical finds and news of the Arts. Earlier this week, he shared this quote from Paul Simon:

“I write from instinct, from inexplicable sparkle. I don't know why I'm writing what I'm writing. Usually, I sit and I let my hands wander on my guitar. And I sing anything. I play anything. And I wait till I come across a pleasing accident."

There have been so many pleasing accidents in the over 60 years he's been making magic that it's impossible to pick just one. So, on this Music Friday, I'll go with three (and still miss a pile of his genius).

One of my first loves was "America," here exquisitely performed when Paul and Art Garfunkel rejoined for a concert in Central Park.

Then there's the title track to his pivot album entitled "Graceland," one of his most haunting lyrical explorations and backed by a South African band.

And then there is this. The song that always stops me in my tracks and conjures up the memories of time cherished with my daughters. This is "Father and Daughter."

Pleasing accidents, indeed.

Happy 80th, Paul.

I Love You Desperately

Sitting on the back porch the other evening, enjoying a fire and the last few sensational evenings of the season, Terri had loaded up a classic rock internet station while I tended steaks and scallops on the Egg. And a song shuffled forward that made me laugh out loud.

Decades before we met, I played softball four times a week. My girlfriend played twice a week...so yeah, it was a softball love affair. A member of her team was sweet on a guy and shared a mix tape with him to express her feelings.

Except the song she thought said "I love you desperately" actually was "Our love's in jeopardy." When I corrected her in a bar after a game, she was mortified. Decades later, I can't remember if they ever got together...but I remember how hard we laughed that night.

On this Music Friday, this is Greg Kihn and "Jeopardy."

David Johnson

You may not know the name...but you know his work. And, you may not know his ties to Destination Marketing...but they were deep.

David Johnson was the owner of Broadway Sound Studio in Sheffield AL and one of the early progenitors of the Muscle Shoals Sound. He produced such artists as Percy Sledge, Clarence Carter and Lynyrd Skynyrd. But, his tourism roots were just as deep. He was a graduate of the Southeast Tourism Society's Marketing College, a founding member of the Muscle Shoals Music Association, Executive Director of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and a member of the Advisory Board for Alabama Tourism.

We lost this rare soul last week to cancer at the age of 71. And, on this Music Friday, we honor his memory with a song that has become an immortal classic...and one on which he produced the very first studio take.

Like David...this is "Free Bird."

Playing for Change

Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. Their primary focus is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos they call "Songs Around The World."

None other than Keith Richards has said, "that's the way music was meant to be," and I couldn't agree more.

With over 100 videos in the library, it's hard to choose which to feature on this Music Friday...but we're going with Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," featuring Aloe Blacc, Sheila E., Shemekia Copeland, Bela Fleck and a score of international musicians.

Keith's right. Turn it up.

Imagine

50 years. Wow.

John Lennon released his breakthrough solo album this week in 1971. How is that even possible?'

We all know the original track.

But on this Music Friday, we're going to share some covers:

I know it's cheesy...but there is this version from the TV show "Glee."

But, among all the covers...nothing resonates like this Coldplay version with Emmanual Kelly.

Yeah.

 

 

The Close of Summer

Knowing what day it was? That was a comical challenge in the COVID year of 2020, as they all seemed to flow together during lockdown. But knowing what month it was? Terri and I looked at each other in disbelief the other day as September rolled around. How did that happen so fast?

As kids return to school, another Summer is in the books and, on this Music Friday, we contemplate end of Summer songs.

The one that instantly comes to mind is Jimmy Buffett's "The Coast is Clear," which he smartly adapted when he played a benefit concert during the Gulf oil disaster (I still can't call an event of that magnitude a "spill").

There's Don Henley's "Boys of Summer," which was smartly covered by the Ataris.

And then there's this. A song by a group called Still Quarters that I swore was another cover of Don's song upon hearing the first few bars...but wasn't. It's not an end of Summer song but, with those three repeating notes, sounds like one. This is "White Sands"

Bring on the colors of Fall.

Charlie Watts

Doesn't take a Harvard grad to know where we would take Music Friday today. While we've lost icons like John Lennon, George Harrison, Keith Moon, Prince, Tom Petty, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury...this one feels different as we bid farewell to Charlie Watts.

Maybe because he was, as Stuart Berman wrote in The Pitchfork: "the least rock’n’roll member of the World’s Greatest Rock’n’Roll Band—which automatically made him the coolest one."

Of all the tributes to the drummer that defied Rock stereotypes, I like the Pitch's Top 8 Charlie Watts moments best.

But, this moment in Martin Scorsese's epic film "Shine a Light," when the boys are out front making the crowd nuts on "Jumpin' Jack Flash," is possibly my favorite...because the song is shot from the drum kit.

Heaven just welcomed an extraordinary addition to the House Band.

The Stones will never be the same.

Nanci Griffith

We lost a storyteller of the first degree when Nanci Griffith departed terra firma last week.

You can search YouTube to dive into her rich tapestry of songs...but for us, we  became entranced with her 1989 appearance on Austin City Limits.

If you have only a few minutes, it's "Love at the 5 and Dime."

And, yeah...you'll then dive deeper.

Farewell Nanci...you were a rare gift to us all.