Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 11-26-22

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Today’s playlist celebrates the November 26 birthdays of The Supremes’ Jean Terrell, Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie, Tina Turner, Garnet Mimms, DJ Khaled, Hashim, Rhythm Heritage’s Michael Omartian, The Fendermen’s Jim Sundquist, and Tom Archia; and the November 27 birthdays of Jimi Hendrix, The Streets’ Mike Skinner, Das EFX’s Skoob, 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady, Jam & Spoon’s Mark Spoon, Teri DeSario, Dozy, Eddie Rabbitt, and Ed O.G.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 8-4-22

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Today’s playlist celebrates the August 4 birthdays of Louis Armstrong, 808 State’s Graham Massey, Sepultura’s Max Cavalera, Frankie Ford, The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie, Helado Negro, Timi Yuro, Cliff Nobles, Durutti Column’s Vini Reilly, and Yo-Yo; and the August 5 birthdays of Dead or Alive’s Pete Burns, Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch (a/k/a MCA), Sammi Smith, The McCoys’ Rick Derringer, The Remains’ Barry Tashian, Samantha Sang, The Spiral Starecase’s Pat Upton, The Brady Bunch’s Maureen McCormick, and Funkmaster Flex.

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A Public Enemy Playlist

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In some ways Public Enemy’s Chuck D is the Eric Clapton of hip hop. Both are very talented guys who espoused bigoted points of view and spread hatred toward those of populations different than theirs. Eric Clapton said “Get the coons out. Keep Britain white.” Chuck D said about gay people “I think they’re a little confused” and supports the anti-Semitism espoused by his fellow Public Enemy member Professor Griff and Louis Farrakhan. (For more on the Clapton’s racism, check out http://www.tunesdujour.com/eric-clapton-england-is-for-white-people/. For more on Chuck D’s homophobia and anti-Semitism, check out http://www.tunesdujour.com/public-enemy-dont-tell-me-that-you-understand-until-you-hear-the-men/.) In his autobiography Clapton wrote that the lesson he learned after all the pushback he received on his comments was “Since then I have learned to keep my opinions to myself.” Two things about that: 1) I think there was a bigger lesson for him to learn, and 2) He made the news in 2021 by speaking out AGAINST measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. Chuck D went on to co-host a morning show on satellite radio alongside Rachel Maddow. I don’t know if that counts as a mea culpa. Though I have a low opinion of Chuck D (and anybody from an oppressed population that seeks to further oppress those from other oppressed populations), I do enjoy Public Enemy’s first four albums. Hear highlights of their career below. I completely understand if you don’t wish for someone who said such horrible things to make money from your music streaming. I rationalized this for myself by acknowledging that Spotify pays hardly anything per stream and my blog playlists don’t get much traffic.

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Throwback Thursday – 1997

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Randy Badazz Alpert received many requests to license “Rise,” a song he co-wrote that became a #1 hit for his uncle Herb in 1979, as a sample in hip hop tracks. He said no to Ice Cube, Vanilla Ice, Eazy-E, and the others who requested permission. However, when he received a cassette from the producer then known as Puff Daddy of a new song utilizing the sample, he consented. He loved the new tune and felt it could make his song go to #1 again.

He was right. The new recording was “Hypnotize” and it was performed by the Notorious B.I.G. “Hypnotize” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in May of 1997, less than two months after the rapper was killed in Los Angeles.

This week’s Throwback Thursday playlist spotlights the best of 1997, kicking off with The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize,” which uses a sample from a songwriter whose middle name really is Badazz.


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Ringo + Maniacs

Songs Of Great Social And Political Import (1980 – 2011)

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Ringo + Maniacs
Today is the birthday of Natalie Merchant, former lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs, whose 1987 album In My Tribe is one of my favorites. The album opens with “What’s the Matter Here,” a song that addresses child abuse. That inspired the theme of today’s playlist – songs about social or political issues.

While such recordings seemed more commonplace on the radio in the sixties and early seventies, there remain plenty of songs that speak to topical issues. I decided to make 1980 my starting point, with that year’s “Biko” by Peter Gabriel being the oldest song on the list. As the studio version is not on Spotify I used a live recording. The most recent recording included is Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” from 2011. Lots of great songs of different genres about a variety of topics populate the program. If you’re so inclined, let me know what favorites of yours I missed.

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