I'm really late getting one out today because of Spotify Wrapped. Wow, that's a lot of fun and I'm happy to say that 4 of the top 5 songs were featured in this blog this year.
I don't want you think I'm going to shut down anytime soon, so let's keep the music going with one of the few Rihanna songs I find bearable.
This link on this should have been www.creedthoughts.gov.www\creedthoughts
It was addressed during the TV show The Office, but Creed Bratton was playing a fictionalized version of himself on the show. You see, he used to be in a band called the Grass Roots, and is a legitimate musician. The SAG Award-winning actor also has albums, both solo and with The Grass Roots.
There's a podcast, called Office Ladies, which is hosted by Jenna Fischer (Pam) and Angela Kinsey (Angela), who are also best friends in real life (and wrote a book together). The theme song, if you listen to the end of each episode, is a song called "Rubber Tree" by Creed Bratton. I always figured it was because they were supporting their good friend - and Creed has been a guest on their podcast.
But it's more than that. You see, Creed performed this song with The Scrantones - who are best known for their big hit "The Theme Song to the Office (U.S.)" and their appearance on the episode titled "Booze Cruise" - at the wrap party for The Office. Here is that performance.
Here is Creed performing the song live with special guest Ed Helms (Andy Bernard) on the banjo. It's a sweet little song.
We're back with a lesser-known song by singer-songwriter Daniel Moore. Released in 1973, there;s a reason why I call this huge hit song "lesser-known." You seen the song went to #3 on the pop charts in 1973, and everyone was singing about this mythical place, supposedly in Peru.
This was not the version that made it to #3. It's still a pretty good version, though. The version that DID was covered very quickly after this release by Three Dog Night.
If you know the Three Dog Night version (and you should - it's on Totally Covered today) you can hear a slight difference. This version rhymes the title with "Ham Bala", and not "Prom Bala", as the Three Dog Night version does.
Still, it's good. Here is Moore with JJ Cale live in 1993.
This song, Evanescence's third top ten hit in the US (and three years after their 2nd), was co-written by Amy Lee and Terry Balsamo - who started off working on very different songs musically. They played what they were working on and decided to merge the songs.
What emerged was arguably their most heartfelt single, with both the heavy sound that was the band's hallmark and very emotional lyrics. The lyrics were clearly written by Lee, and were very clearly about her ex-boyfriend, Shaun Morgan of the band Seether - who didn't really appreciate a song that painted him under the influence of an addiction as a bad guy.
I have to be honest - I was not a fan of Evanescence's 2003 debut, despite recognizing Amy Lee's huge voice. Their 2006 album changed things for me. It was simply better, more mature.
This live performance form 2007, which starts with a quiet Lee on piano and ends with her whippin' her hair back and forth mid-stage, really showcases the power of the entire band - the ability to do the quiet and the loud, and that''s probably one of the things I like te most about this song.
Fast forward to 2021 - the band is still rocking hard, although Amy Lee is whipping her hair less. The performance is largely identical, fifteen years after the initial single release.
This song is a noteworthy exception. Written by Pete Townsend, it was originally meant to be part of a rock opera follow up to Tommy. It's a beautiful song, and it was a top 40 hit in the US in 1971. Was it their biggest hit? No. It is, however, one of their best known songs today.
The Who are, believe it or not, still together, and still perform one of their fans' favorites. Here they are from 2022.
One day, David Bowie decided he didn't want to play alone anymore, so he put together a band. It was a supergroup, too - with Reeves Gabrels, Tony and Hunt Sales - these were guys with illustrious resumes.
This was their first single, from their 1989 eponymous debut, and their biggest hit. They would stay together for two albums and a live set, before disbanding for good in the early 1990s.
The music they made was noisy, and fuzzy, and energetic, the sound bordering on punk with obvious post-punk influence.
Bowie, who wrote the song, is pretty clear in this live version what his song is about - racism. I wonder if he'd think his song still applies today (hint: yes)?
This one is stuck in my head, and it was one of my favorite AiC songs when it was released, so I thought, hey, why not write a post that's all about it?
The song is kind of a slow burn of anger. Written entirely by Layne Staley, the song is about a guy who is angry and has been for a while.... and has come to accept it. It's brilliant, and showcases Staley's talents beautifully.
