9 October 2023 - Becky G x Karol G - MAMIII

Both Becky G and Karol G were at risk of becoming one-hit wonders in the US, with each of them individually managing a single top 40 hit - Karol with El Chombo and "Dame tu Cosita", and Becky with the out-of-character "Shower".

Surprisingly, this collaboration became the biggest hit to date for BOTH of them - Karol G would go on to have even bigger ones - but this song was a top 20 hit in the US, peaking at #15, and that's on English-language radio, so it's quite the achievement.  Additionally, the song was also one of the biggest hits of 2022 on Latin radio in the US and a huge worldwide hit, especially in the Spanish-speaking world.

The two artists co-wrote the song with Venezuelan artist Elena Rose. It is considered one of the greatest reggaton songs of all time.  That's not me saying that.  That's Rolling Stone.

The two artists have performed the song several times together live, the first time at the Coachella music festival in 2022.  I'd love to tell you it was groundbreaking, but it was pretty much as recorded, which speaks to the vocal strength of both women.

Becky G performed the song solo at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in 2023.  It hits a little differently as a solo song, but she's got a huge voice and can carry it.

6 October 2023 - Olivia Rodrigo - bad idea right?

Posting about Olivia Rodrigo again?

It's a bad idea, right?

Fuck it, it's fine.

I've been posting a lot of Olivia Rodrigo lately.  I mean, a lot a lot!  I'm even considering pushing this post back as I write it.

But this song is just SO good.  It brings a strong 90's pop/rock vibe that still sounds fresh.  Written by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, this instant classic keeps you involved to the end - and Petra Collins made a great video.

The whole Guts album is really solid and a strong contender for my favorite of 2023.  Literally every song on the album has been a US top 40 hit ALREADY, with this one making it into the top 10.   

5 October 2023 - The Narcissist Cookbook - Courtney

I was in the car one day with my significant other and, well, her name happens to be Courtney.  We were browsing Spotify looking for songs with our names.  Of course, we found "Tony's Theme" but when we got to her name... we found this gem.

Matt Johnston is the folksinger who goes by the name The Narcissist Cookbook.   He writes some really sarcastic stuff.  After listening to this song and the spoken word diatribe after, I think he is convinced that Courtney Love killed Kurt Cobain, but I cannot be sure.  

I am not convinced of that.  

I am convinced that this song is hilarious and will make you think.

Matt Johnston is also clearly a fan of In Utero. He also does a more stripped-down version of this song. 

4 October 2023 - Phantogram - You Don’t Get Me High Anymore

It's been a while since we posted anything by Phantogram.  It's not because we aren't listening to them.  It's because we don't want to bore you with them.  

And yes, we know it hasn't been that long.  But we've posted Lights songs like three times since then.

Anyway, this was the lead single from their 2016 album, Three.  It was a minor radio hit - crossing over to mainstream charts and getting airplay in my hometown Rochester NY - on classic rock radio.  It was a more straight-ahead rock than their prior offerings, which were keyboard heavy.

You know, I don't remember Rochester radio ever mentioning that they were from Saratoga Springs....

Written by a team including Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel of Phantogram, the song is one to remember and is about relationships that get a little stale, as opposed to relationships tainted by getting high on one's own supply.  It's accompanied by a Grant Singer-directed video that's just great and leans heavily into the S&M imagery.  

As you all know, I saw Phantogram live when they toured in support of Three.  They are easily the second best band I've ever seen live.  (Elastica to answer the inevitable question).

I'd absolutely see them again, and they do actively tour.  Here they are in August 2023, performing this song... and following it with "When I'm Small" seamlessly.

3 October 2023 - Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You

This is Minnie Riperton.  She was taken from us way too soon, dying of breast cancer in her early 30's.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976, less than a year after this single was released.  She was given only months to live.  

Despite that diagnosis, she continued to tour and record music, up until her death in 1979.  She did not tell the public she was terminally ill.  

But let's talk about this absolute masterpiece of a song.  Written by Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph,  The range she exhibits here is incredible, hanging out significantly in the whistle register.  It's a classic song that is remembered well, nearly 50 years after its release.  

It would be Riperton's biggest hit, reaching the top of the charts worldwide, and it remains in the culture to this day.

Also, she sings her kid's names in her songs.  In this one, she ends with the name of her daughter, Maya - who is pretty well known in her own right.   This song's melody was actually written to distract a baby Maya Rudolph, and that was a mom singing to her daughter to get her to settle down.   

This is the last known performance of this song, in 1979, just weeks before her death.  Her voice certainly didn't suffer.  Her right arm was paralyzed from complications to the cancer, but you won't notice that.  You'll just notice that exquisite voice.  And the addition of her son's name at the end.  

2 October 2023 - The Muffs - Oh Nina

Four years ago today, the music world lost Kim Shattuck to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  What were we doing that day?

Nothing.  We didn't publish a goddamn thing in October 2019.  Partially because of Shattuck's death (seriously), I started posting on this blog more regularly.  I should have done an earlier tribute to her and her greatest achievement - not her couple of months with The Pixies, not The Pandoras - The Muffs.

The Muffs were a 4- or 3-piece band - depending on time period, but at the time of the recording of this song and their 2nd album, Blonder and Blonder, a 3-piece.  This recording here is not from the 1995 album, but 9 years later - but it sounds exactly the same.  Seriously.  Kim's voice was timeless.

I chose this song not because it was a big hit - it wasn't.  I chose this song because it was bombastic, and showcased Kim's raspy growl like few Muffs songs did.  

The Muffs toured until 2017, presumably stopping because of Kim's health.

She still had not lost a beat.

This is from the 2nd to last show the Muffs ever did. It sounds just as great as the first time they recorded it.

If you'd like to donate to the ALS Association, here's where to do that.  

29 September 2023 - Bobbie Gentry - Fancy

I grew up on country music.  My parents were big fans.   So, in the 1970s, I spent a lot of time hearing that music.   

Bobbie Gentry was one artist that came up over and over.   This was one of her biggest hits, reaching the top 40 on the pop charts - the second time she had done that - and the top 30 on the country charts - well, she did that a lot.

Bobbie Gentry was also a feminist.  This song was about turning to prostitution to escape poverty - but also, more than that.  It was about a woman gaining financial independence.  The song was released in 1969, so it was a little racy for its time.  

Bobbie Gentry is still around, but she disappeared from the music business in the 1980s.  If you want the other half of that story, you'll want to head over to Totally Covered.