Tunes Du Jour Presents Tom Petty

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Tom Petty’s impact on rock music is undeniable, as evidenced by this impressive playlist of his work. Petty crafted a sound that resonated with millions of fans across generations.

The playlist showcases Petty’s versatility as an artist. Songs like “Free Fallin'” and “I Won’t Back Down” highlight his ability to write catchy, radio-friendly hits that still maintain depth and authenticity. Meanwhile, tracks such as “Refugee” and “American Girl” demonstrate the raw energy and guitar-driven rock that defined much of his work with the Heartbreakers.

Petty’s collaborations were also a significant part of his career. His duet with Stevie Nicks on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” became an instant classic, blending their distinctive voices to create something truly special. His work with the Traveling Wilburys, featuring tracks like “Last Night,” showed his ability to mesh with other legendary musicians seamlessly.

Throughout his career, Petty addressed various themes in his music. Songs like “The Waiting” and “Learning to Fly” speak to universal experiences of hope and perseverance, while “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “Into the Great Wide Open” showcase his knack for storytelling and creating vivid characters within his lyrics.

As we look back on Tom Petty’s discography, it’s clear that his music has stood the test of time. From early tracks like “Breakdown” to later works such as “The Last DJ,” Petty’s commitment to authentic, heartfelt rock and roll never wavered. His legacy continues to influence new generations of musicians and music lovers alike, cementing his place as one of rock’s true icons.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents Bob Dylan

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While his voice may be atypical of other popular singers, there’s no denying that Bob Dylan is one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 20th century. With a career spanning over 60 years, Dylan has left an indelible mark on popular music and culture.

Dylan first burst onto the folk revival scene in the early 1960s with socially conscious anthems like “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” These songs resonated with the burgeoning civil rights and anti-war movements, establishing Dylan as the voice of a generation of young people seeking change. His poetic, imagistic lyrics set him apart from his contemporaries.

As the decade progressed, Dylan’s sound evolved dramatically with genre-blending masterpieces like “Like a Rolling Stone” and the epic “Desolation Row.” Albums like Highway 61 Revisited melded rock, blues, and even avant-garde influences into a daring new sonic landscape. Dylan’s ability to reinvent himself while maintaining his unmistakable sardonic perspective cemented his status as a creative force. 

Despite a fallow period in the late 70s and 80s, Dylan enjoyed an artistic renaissance in his later years. Time Out of Mind won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1998, and his 2020 release Rough and Rowdy Ways showed he was still capable of fresh poetic eloquence on songs like “Murder Most Foul.” He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

Alongside his considerable musical achievements, Dylan has devoted himself to philanthropic causes like the charity Feeding America. He’s also been an earthy, humble presence beloved by fans and peers alike, whether touring endlessly or collaborating with icons like George Harrison in the Traveling Wilburys. Bob Dylan’s vast, diverse body of work has inspired countless other artists across folk, rock, and beyond. From musical trailblazer to poetic philosopher, he’ll be forever revered as one of the most singular talents in American music. It’s inherently foolish to try and reduce his vast, diverse recorded output to a mere 30-song playlist, but being a fool, I’ve done so anyway.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents George Harrison

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George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the legendary band The Beatles, left an indelible mark on the world of music and philanthropy. Born on February 25, 1943, in Liverpool, England, Harrison’s creative genius extended far beyond his iconic slide guitar playing. Let’s delve into his remarkable contributions and the profound impact he had on both the music industry and humanitarian causes.

While John Lennon and Paul McCartney often took center stage, George Harrison’s quiet brilliance elevated The Beatles’ sound. His compositions, such as “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Here Comes the Sun,” showcased his ability to blend intricate melodies with soulful lyrics. Harrison’s solo debut album, All Things Must Pass, remains a timeless masterpiece, earning its place on many lists of the 100 best albums ever recorded.

George Harrison’s commitment to making the world a better place was unwavering. In 1971, he organized the groundbreaking Concert for Bangladesh, a multi-artist benefit event that raised funds for refugees displaced by war and famine. The concert featured luminaries like Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Ravi Shankar, emphasizing music’s power to effect change.

Harrison’s philanthropic efforts extended beyond charity concerts. He established the Material World Charitable Foundation in 1973, supporting diverse artistic expressions and alternative life views. His passion for peace and social justice resonated through his music and actions. As the first Western musician to explore Eastern spirituality, he bridged cultural gaps and introduced Indian sounds to the world.

Harrison’s fascination with Indian culture blossomed during the filming of Help! (1965), a quirky movie that playfully parodied cultural norms. Amidst the irreverence, he discovered India through a sitar played by one of the film’s Indian musicians. This encounter ignited his lifelong love affair with Indian music and philosophy. The sitar-infused tracks like “Within You Without You” and “The Inner Light” stand as testament to his cross-cultural exploration.

George Harrison’s legacy extends far beyond his guitar strings. His commitment to spiritual harmony continues to inspire generations. As we listen to his timeless tunes, let’s remember the man who not only shaped musical history but also championed a better world—one note at a time. 🎵🌍

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 5-28-23

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I tend to think there are three age groups – children, the elderly, and folks around my age. Children bang on about things I’ve never heard of. The elderly tell stories of how when they were kids nobody in the neighborhood owned a television set so the family would take the trolley downtown to Sears and watch The Lawrence Welk Show through the store window. Folks in my age group all share the same cultural references.

This morning when walking my dogs, Ringo and Winston, I was made aware that there are those who are older than children yet younger than I. We saw Jeffrey, who lives across the street, walking his dog Molly and another dog. We said hello (well, I said hello. Ringo and Winston didn’t say anything. They’re not morning dogs.) and I asked “And who is this?,” referring to the other dog. Jeffrey replied “This is Luka,” to which I said “Does he live on the second floor?” I know the three or four of you reading this were thinking the same thing. Jeffrey had a puzzled look on his face. “What?” “His name is Luka. Does he live on the second floor?” Jeffrey, still confused, said “No. He lives next door to me.”

I hadn’t thought about it, but now I know Jeffrey is a lot younger than I. Unlike me, I’m sure when filling out a form that asks in which age group he falls, he never has to color in the circle by the group that ends with “and over.”

Everyone should know Suzanne Vega’s song “Luka.” And everyone should absolutely know Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” If you aren’t familiar with it, put down your phone, then pick it back up because I just remembered that’s how young people listen to music nowadays, play the song (which kicks off the playlist below), and do this every day. Memorize the words. Scream along with it. It’s a great way to release your pent-up rage at The Man. Take my word for it. I’ve been doing so for <and over> years.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty turns 78 today. I’ve never heard him mention The Lawrence Welk Show, though a show called Fortunate Son – A Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival is now playing at the Welk Resort Theater on Lawrence Welk Drive in Escondido, California.

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A Bob Dylan Playlist

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“I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes / You’d know what a drag it is to see you”

Me-OW, Bob. Me-OW.

Bob Dylan turns 80 years old today. Lots of blogs are making Dylan’s 80 Best Songs playlists. Not Tunes du Jour. An 80 song playlist is a challenge, but distilling Bob Dylan’s career into 30 songs? That’s more challenging! I’m not saying the 30 songs below are his best. This list is a good place to start, though. I threw in a couple of covers of Dylan songs for good measure.

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Throwback Thursday: 1988

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Nineteen eighty eight was, on the US pop music chart, one of those in-between years. The “New Wave” British invasion had greatly subsided and England wasn’t as much of a presence on the charts as it was a few years earlier. Rap was increasing in popularity and hitting the top 40 more frequently, though it was still a far cry from the dominant position it holds today. Of the hip hop song’s on today’s playlist, only two made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 – LL Cool J’s “Goin’ Back to Cali,” which peaked at #31, despite selling a million copies, and Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two,” which peaked at #36, despite selling two million copies. Alternative music lived up to its genre name as an alternative to the music on the pop chart, so if you wanted to hear Sonic Youth or The Dead Milkmen or The Primitives, you had to tune into college radio or the stations on the left side of your FM dial. Those artists, alongside U2, R.E.M. and INXS, could be found on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart, which premiered in September of 1988. New Jack Swing tracks from artists such as Keith Sweat remained popular on Black radio and crossed over, while Black artists such as Tracy Chapman and Living Colour failed to make much of an impression on Black radio. So-called Hair Metal was a presence on the pop chart; grunge would help fix that in a few years. Configuration-wise, CDs outsold vinyl LPs for the first time in 1988, though cassettes outsold both.

Here are thirty of 1988’s finest:

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