3 December 2021 - Nirvana - You Know You're Right

Our third HoF inductee was Nirvana.  And this is probably the last Nirvana post we will ever make, because we did such a complete job covering them last year.   

You see, because they were a short-lived band, due to the untimely death of Kurt Cobain.... well, they aren't making any new music.  But this song was released in 2002, eight years after Cobain's death.  It was the last song the band ever recorded, in 1994.  You can hear the anguish in Kurt's voice throughout.

2 December 2021 - P!nk - Just L!ke F!re

Our 2nd HoF !nductee was P!nk.  And P!nk has been busy.

Th!s song, a 2016 Grammy nom!nee, is P!nk's most recent Top 10 h!t !n the US as of th!s wr!t!ng.  A t!e !n to the D!sney f!lm Al!ce Through The Look!ng Glass, the v!sual !s very Wonderland-y.  

Mus!cally, !t's P!nk.  C'mon now.  Sure, she has a b!t of a breakdown partway through, wh!ch !s atyp!cal for her mus!cally. Lyr!cally, !t's P!nk, wh!ch means you can count on a lot of empowerment throughout.  The song does not d!sappo!nt on that front, br!ng!ng a really pos!t!ve message.  

1 December 2021 - Katy Perry ft. Juicy J - Dark Horse

Last week, we inducted our fourth Hall of Fame artist - INXS.  For the rest of this week, I figured we could revisit the other three, because each of them had deeper catalogs than this little blog could tap into during just one week.

We start with the original, Katy Perry, who has also been the most active in releasing music.  This song came soon after her HoF induction, in 2013.  Co-written by Ms. Hudson, the song has elements of pop, but also trap and hip-hop.  Lyrically, it's full of clichés - cold, unfeeling, and still full of passion despite the clichés.  

The song ended up being one of her biggest hits - and gave Juicy J his first #1 in the US.   

30 November 2021 - The Cars - You Might Think

Did you know that "Thriller" did not win Best Video at the MTV Video Music Awards?

No, no.

That honor went to "You Might Think", a video that was one of the first to use computer graphics.  The song, written and sung by Ric Ocasek, is a straightforward love song - and the song was one of their biggest hits to date, so the sweet lyrics resonated with a worldwide audience.

29 November 2021 - The Velvet Underground - Ride Into The Sun

A lot of you are travelling home today from your Thanksgiving festivities.  Please travel safely.

I decided to provide you with a classic Velvet Underground song for your travelling pleasure.  In its best known version, it is a haunting instrumental classic, written by Lou Reed.  It gives the feeling of riding into the sun - not into the sun per se, but more into the sunSET to start anew, brighter.

In this rare vocal version, Lou Reed punctuates that feeling with words specific to New York City, which is what a lot of their music was about - but it can apply to any city.  Or even small town.

28 November 2021 - INXS - Beautiful Girl

...

"I was writing lyrics like 'Baby Don't Cry' and 'Beautiful Girl' and lyrics just about how wonderful it is to have something else in your life besides yourself to worry about and think about." - Andrew Farris

This, the fifth single from Welcome to Wherever You Are, was also penned by Andrew Farris, this about his infant daughter.  His quote says everything that needs to be said there. 

(by the way, if you're looking for the third and fourth singles, we posted them previously in 2012 and on Monday)

28 November 2021 - INXS - Baby Don't Cry

Surprise!

I promise, this is the last one (no it is not).

This song, the second single from Welcome To Wherever You Are, was wholly written by Andrew Farris as a sweet love song for his six year old daughter, who, not shockingly, he missed when he went on tour.  Backed by the Australian Concert Orchestra, the song is about choosing love, even when far away, in the face of adversity.  

In the words of Andrew Farris.........