10 August 2023 - Metallica - Master of Puppets

By popular request, I'm posting this song.

In 1986, a band that was growing in popularity (but not getting much airplay) released their third albun, Master of Puppets.  The only single they released from that album was the title song, and it was a goddamn masterpiece.  The song is about their frustration with the music business how drugs can control your life. 

It was also the last album and therefore the band's last single that featured original bassist Cliff Burton, who passed away later in 1986.  This was his favorite song on that album, and its mine as well. The band all co-wrote the song, which features long instrumental breaks, dramatic tempo changes, and even an homage to David Bowie.

Those of you who know television know where I'm going here.

That's right.  James Hetfield's appearance on American Dad, which features this song.

 

No, no, that's not what you were looking for.

Of course, it was The Simpsons, where the band appears and featured this song and a super diss on the bus driver.

 

Ohhhh, no.  You meant Billions, the Showtime series.   You know, its seventh season comes tomorrow to Paramount+ (with Showtime).

 

OK, fine, 

Stranger Things generated TWO Billboard Hot 100 hits last year.  "Running Up That Hill" was a huge hit, but "Master of Puppets" featured prominently in the season finale, and made this song a top 40 hit - with airplay finally coming ON POP RADIO -(although rock radio played them even more) - in the United States, nearly 40 years after its initial release.

According to my sister, Eddie played this song on his guitar in the Upside Down to destract the demobats away from Venca's house, so Steve, Robin and Nancy could sneak in to try and hurt/kill Vecna before he got Max.

This is Eddie.   It's he who played the song.

There's no way in hell I'm posting a picture of Vecna.  I Googled that so you don't have to. 

I understood none of that, so I hope you did.

 

I just wanted to remind you that this song is 37 years old and the band still performs live, and they ALWAYS, to my knowledge, include this song, which is one of their most popular amonsgt fans (including my sister).

In current concerts, they actually use some of the Stranger Things images on the screen. Which you can see in this video, taken when they played in Western New York in 2022.  August 11, Highmark Staduim (which used to be called Rich Stadium and that's what it will always be to me).  I know this because my sister, Dawn, actually recorded this video.

The song is also featured in my favorite TikTok post... of mine.

@argylederojo This is @McRoblox17 ♬ Master of Puppets - Metallica

9 August 2023 (Special Edition) - The Band - The Weight

Some songs, you just save for someone to pass away.  This is one of them.   

This song, quite likely the best known song by Canadian-American band The Band, was written by Robbie Robertson, who has passed away.  He was 80 and had been ill for quite some time.

He had a career as a backing musician for Bob Dylan, with the Band, and a solo career.  I personally loved his solo stuff.

Rick Danko and Levon Helm provide vocals on this song, of course, while Robertson plays guitar.  The song is a tale of a traveller passing through a town called Nazareth and finding some kind folks along the way.  I certainly hope he's met with kindness whereever he is now.

When he went solo, Robertson did play his best known song live.  It hit a little differently without The Band - a little more of a slow jam - but it still worked, and was full of just as much emotion and appreciation.

9 August 2023 - Billy Vera and the Beaters - At This Moment

In 1981, Billy Vera, along with his live band The Beaters, released a single called "I Can Take Care of Myself", which ended up being a top 40 hit - Billy Vera's second, but also his first since 1968.  His follow-up song was an over-the-top sad love song called "At This Moment."

It would peak at #79 on the Billboard Charts in 1981 - a minor hit, but nothing spectacular.  

 

Fast forward to 1985.  During the 1985-1986 season of the popular TV show Family Ties,  the character of Alex P. Keaton, played by Michael J. Fox, was given a love interest, Ellen Reed, played by Tracy Pollan (who would soon become Fox's wife (she still is)). It was a great on-screen relationship, probably because they had that real-life connection.

Anyway, this song was used by the show as their love theme - and it became a huge, HUGE hit on its second run.   It topped the charts in 1987, and also hit the country charts - such a crossover by a chart-topping pop song wouldn't happen again for another 13 years. 

It would be Vera's last Top 40 hit (to date).

Despite the song hanuting Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan for a few years, they, and all the cast, appreciated the song, and he the show.  In 2011, he performed the song at the TV Land Awards - and yes, the cast of Family Ties were there... and clearly enjoyed it.

I will take any excuse to take a screen grab of Michael Gross and Justine Bateman enjoying a Billy Vera jam (you weren't expecting Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, were you?)

Here is his performance from that night.  You can see all the main cast members from the show's run watching and enjoying. 

8 August 2023 - Joey Scarbury - Believe It Or Not

Sometimes, it isn't just a random song from an episode that hits just right.

Sometimes, it's the theme song.  

Take this song, from the 1981 series The Greatest American Hero. Starring William Katt and Connie Sellecca, and I guess William Culp, and created by the legendary Stephen Cannell, it would last for three seasons... and the theme song was inspiring.

  

Joey Scarbury's biggest hit peaked at #2 on the greatest American pop charts in 1981, being kept from the top spot by the juggernaut that was "Endless Love". Steven Geyer wrote the music, with producer Mike Post providing the music.  

Of course, the tune would be repopularized by George Constanza's answering machine on Seinfeld. 

7 August 2023 - Lily Kershaw - As It Seems

This week on Wicked Guilty Pleasures, we are going to dedicate our list to "What the hell is that song that I just heard on my favorite TV show?"

Today, we go to the end of Season 7, Episode 24 of Criminal Minds.  This song was played as JJ and Will got married, if you know the show.   If you don't know the show, that's a meaningless reference and this is just a really pretty song.

Lily Kershaw, of course, is a singer-songwriter best known for, well, this song.  Her mom is actress Whitney Kershaw, so she knows show business.  This song is from her 2013 debut album, Midnight in the Garden.  The episode this song was featured on, however, was from 2012 - and it, along with another appearance in a season 8 episode by another of her songs - led directly to her record deal.  

Anyway, it's an awfully pretty song and I hope you enjoy it.

Yes, she performs it live, and she performs it beautifully.

And, for those interested in the song in the context of the show.....

 

4 August 2023 - J. Geils Band - Centerfold

Seth Justman wrote and produced this song.  Not coincidentally for this keyboard-heavy song, Seth Justman was also the keyboard player for the J. Geils Band.  

He was not J. Geils, though.   

Neither was Peter Wolf, although a lot of casual fans of this song, the band's biggest hit (six weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982) sure thought he was.  He was the vocalist and most prominent publc face of the band.

No, no.  J. Geils was the guitarist for the band.  And their leader, I suppose.

This is Jay.  John Warren Geils, Jr.

 A little strangely, the video takes place in a high school classroom full of young women who end up being relatively scantily clad.  It makes sense to the plot of the song - the narrator has discovered his high school crush has appeared as a centerfold in an unspecified men's magazine that we can only assume is Playboy.  He's both titilated and, well, confused, I guess is the right word.  

I don't have any explanation for the milky drum, though.

The band did have some hiatuses - hiati? - but remained mostly intact until 2013, when J. Geils passed away.  They did tour through 2015 at least - as shown in this live performance from that year.

Contrast that with this performance from 2009, with J. Geils still on guitar.  I think it's a better performance, frankly.

3 August 2023 - Lyle Lovett - Church

Perhaps my favorite album title of all time is Lyle Lovett's 1992 album, Joshua Judges Ruth. For those Chritians out there, they are the 3 books immediately following the Torah (the first five books) in the Old Testament.

That is a pretty cool way to title your album. 

The former Mr. Julia Roberts has carved out a nice alternative country career that has recieved a lot of critical acclaim, and with good reason - he writes and performs good, unique country music.  Take this song, from the aforementioned album.  It would not be out of place at a Southern revival, or on country music radio.  It's a spirited song.

The beauty of Lovett's music is when it is performed live.  You can see just how much of this song is powered not by musical accompaniment - which is sparse but ever-present - but by the power of his voice and of his backing vocalists.  This song really and truly takes on a spiritual feeling - and you actually hear the lyrics.  It's really not a terribly spiritual song.