Roll Up The Windows, Don't Let Them Hear: Queen, MC Hammer, Air Supply, Rehab with Hank Williams Jr.

"TURN THIS MUTHA OUT"   MC HAMMER

When I first moved to Florida, I went to a concert at the Thunderdome, as it was known at the time, now it's Tropicana Field, home of the Rays.   SWV, Oaktown 357, Boyz II Men, and the headliner, MC Hammer.   If you're into old school rap, you've got to love this 1990 jam.   "Hammer, You ain't hitting in New York, So what you gonna do about that, Hammer??" ---- "I'm gonna turn this mutha out!!!"     A total entertainer, the man with the best moves of the decade (well up there with Michael Jackson), and a rapper for the fans.    It may not be cool anymore but I always crank this one up!

"SOMEBODY TO LOVE"    QUEEN

When you pull up next to a guy's car, you can learn a lot  from the music blasting from his stereo.   Queen is one of those bands that probably every guy loves a bunch of their songs but  doesn't go around telling anyone.   "Somebody To Love" opens with a Freddie Mercury falsetto, an operatic choir, and a twinkling of piano keys.   But you have to crank up one of the best rock songs of the 70's!

"BARTENDER SONG"   REHAB

You've got to smile at how this band got their name.  Three musicians with drug and alcohol issues met in rehab, decided to form a band, and guess what they chose!   In 2008, they re-wrote an earlier song of theirs called "Sittin In A Bar", remixed it with Hank Williams Jr. and scored a top 40 hit.   It's a little twangy and corny but it's so much fun!

 

"SWEET DREAMS"    AIR SUPPLY

On Saturday Night Live, they loved to make fun of the effeminate guys in Air Supply.  But give this song a listen and there is so much going on!  Great musical textures, layering of vocals with keyboards, mixed with timeless lyrics, "Sweet Dreams" is 80's gold.  Plus the vintage video set in their native Australia perfectly captured the time period.  The band is still alive and well, although their audience is older.  I even caught them selling CDs on Home Shopping Network or QVC one time.

 

Father's Day, 5 Favorites Of My Dad: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Waylon And Willie, Hank Williams Jr.

I lost my father in the late 90's in a dramatic, violent manner.   But he wasn't part of my life for many years before then.   Yet, as many children of broken homes, I always loved my father dearly and wanted him to find the happiness he was often lacking in his life.   To a son's eyes, you look past the faults, to me often times he was a hero.   Athletic, intelligent, attractive, charismatic, strong, creative, many of the traits I hope to emulate.  He lived a hard life, often times brought on by bad choices, but he has had a profound effect on who I am today and I'm thankful for the memories.   R.I.P.  Ron Pease (dad)

"SUSPICIOUS MINDS"   ELVIS PRESLEY

Elvis in the black leather jumpsuit at the '69 Comeback Special is my favorite incarnation of the King.   Powerful vocals, that stage presence, he looks so comfortable telling stories and playing some of the greatest songs that defined his generation.    "Suspicious Minds" was Elvis's last #1 hit while alive.  The lyrics of a dysfunctional relationship and the hope of making things work are still relevant today.   #91 on Rolling Stone Magazine's all-time greatest songs.   This version is from a 2010 Elvis Remix CD, it's a harder rock version but such an incredible video!

"COCAINE BLUES"   JOHNNY CASH

First off, Johnny Cash's look and style reminds me of my dad.  His songs about prison, rebellion, and redemption only furthers the comparison in my mind.    Johnny Cash at San Quentin Prison is one of the rawest, intense, live performances ever.   Songs like "Folsum Prison Blues" about shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die and "Cocaine Blues" appealed to the public in general but I can only imagine how the prisoners loved seeing the "Man In Black" come to them and give such a special performance.  Profanities were edited out of the record, but it wasn't all "outlaw" themed, Johnny was a devout Christian and included some spiritual hopeful songs to his set.

"JUST TO SATISFY YOU"   WAYLON & WILLIE

I can remember seeing the Waylon & Willie album in our house AND on 8-track in our family car.   Outlaw country artists always appealed to me, they took something traditional like country music and roughed it up.   Songs about guns, whiskey, partying, and rowdy friends were the equivalent of today's gangsta rap music.   The kings of outlaw country music were Waylon and Willie and when they teamed up for their CD's, it was a highlight for both of their illustrious careers.  This song was originally recorded by Waylon Jennings but his duet with Willie sounds better.

"THAT'S LIFE"    FRANK SINATRA

Growing up in an Italian family, there's no way you can't love Sinatra!   "The Voice", "Ol' Blue Eyes", rumors of his Mafia connections, "the Pride of Hoboken New Jersey", his life-long battle with depression, his Oscar nominated movies, the tilt of his iconic hat, he was a rock star before rock n' roll was even around!   Sinatra was as the cliche' goes, "often imitated but never duplicated".    "That's Life" is ballsy, vintage N.Y. attitude, and emphasizes that inner strength that even if you're knocked down in life, you're going to pick yourself up!

"THE BLUES MAN"     HANK WILLIAMS JR.

Another cassette from my dad's collection that was worn out from many late night drives.   "The Blues Man" is sad yet hopeful.   Alan Jackson did a great cover of this song but Hank Williams' version feels more personal and rings true to his life.  I can't hear this song and not think about my dad.   He even went for Hank's beard look in his later years.  "You wasted so much of your life running through the dark night, let me shine some love light on this blues man".  

          

Ninjas, Bocephus, and A New Band To Discover: Rihanna and Coldplay, Dead Sara, Hank Williams Jr.

"PRINCESS OF CHINA"    COLDPLAY and RIHANNA

Rihanna describes her look in this video as "gangsta goth geisha".  This blending of styles and my combination of bands in today's blog show that music is universal and mixing genres sparks unlimited creativity.    Chris Martin of Coldplay calls this collaboration with Rihanna as his favorite track on Mylo Xyloto.   When I first saw the pairing, I was curious about how they would blend.   It's a song that will grow on you during repeated listens.  The video is epic.   Ninjas, Chinese imagery, costumes, and the incredible screen presence of Rihanna is visually stunning.

"SORRY FOR IT ALL"    DEAD SARA

Here's a new band I just discovered with such intense vocals that I want to learn more about them.  Emily Anderson is their lead singer and they've recently released their first full CD.   Dead Sara just made their network TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel this week.   Their lead single, "Weatherman" is powerful and striving for airplay but this post-hardcore ballad has me mesmerized.  

"THAT AIN'T GOOD"    HANK WILLIAMS JR.

Bocephus is back!  "Old School, New Rules" is his latest CD due out in the next few weeks.   Like the CD title, this is the classic Hank Williams Jr sound with a little update.   Rockin' guitars, defiant, tongue-in-cheek lyrics of Southern Pride, and Hank's attitude of speaking his genuine, don't give a damn mind(often times politically-incorrect but we love it!).    He also has a duet with Brad Paisley that will likely put him back on the top of the charts as the follow-up single.