Three from the Train: Petula Clark, Sheryl Crow, Yes

Every morning that I decide to drag myself to the city, I have a little over an hour to listen to music on the train. I put the iPhone music player on shuffle, and off I go. Calling my collection eclectic would be an understatement. It's often an interesting mix. There are songs though, that I really want the world to appreciate as much as I do. Songs that make me say, "Ooh, listen to THIS! Isn't it great?!"

Some mornings are tough to choose only three songs from, but I will not break my own rule - 3 songs. Period. I'll also try to not repeat the artist, too often. Here's what I heard this morning:

Petula Clark: "Don't Sleep in the Subway"
I love this song. It's pure and perfect pop. From 1967's These Are My Songs, this song went to number 5 on Billboard's Hot 100 and is written by Tony Hatch, the same guy who wrote "Downtown."



Sheryl Crow: "It Don't Hurt"
I may have this wrong, but I don't think Sheryl Crow gets the props she deserves as an artist or a songwriter. When I ask what people think, many say, "eh, she's o.k." Are you kidding me? She's one of the best song writers of the last 20 years. And she is so diverse. I love this track from 1998's The Globe Sessions. I love the humorous lyric and even the affectation she puts on her voice. The guitar jam on the end is great, too. (Very Mike Campbell-like.)



Yes: "Awaken"
OK, this is a long one. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, this track from 1977's Going for the One is considered by many to be Yes's best work, ever. This is classic Yes with amazing guitar work by Steve Howe (he co-wrote the piece with Anderson), some of Rick Wakeman's best keyboard work, and incredible bass parts by the unparalleled Chris Squire. Jon Anderson provides the usual weird, yet colorful lyrics and, of course, Alan White;s drumming is impressive. If you're not too familiar with Yes, but want to know what they're all about, give 15 minutes to listen to this track and you'll hear all you need to understand Yes.



Until next time...

Three from the Train, Friday: John Lennon, ELO, and King's X

Every morning that I decide to drag myself to the city, I have a little over an hour to listen to music on the train. I put the iPhone music player on shuffle, and off I go. Calling my collection eclectic would be an understatement. So it's often an interesting mix.

I didn't take the train today, but, working from home, here's what I heard today:

John Lennon: "Instant Kharma"
I'm not a huge fan of Lennon's catalog once he went solo. There. I've said it. In my own humble opinion, McCartney was the better, more-prolific song writer who had a much better feel for accessible music. That said, Lennon sure had his moments. Walls and Bridges is my favorite Lennon solo album, but this is my favorite song. From The Plastic Ono Band, released as a single in 1970 with Phil Spector's signature production. My favorite bit on this track is Alan White's drumming (White would eventually replace Bill Bruford in Yes).

Oh, and Yoko was a freak. If you doubt that, check out the video.



Electric Light Orchestra: "Sweet is the Night"
From 1977's Out of the Blue. I love this album. It features so many great songs, including "Turn to Stone," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and "Mr. Blue Skies." This one is great too. Jeff Lynne is another one of those amazing song writers that I rank in my top few favorites, along with McCartney, Bacharach, and Rundgren. If you've never heard this album all the way through, do yourself a favor and do so. It's listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.



King's X: "Far, Far Away"
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: King's X played on my iPhone. When you have 17 albums worth of material from one artist, sooner or later they're gonna show up in the rotation. This track is from their debut album Out of the Silent Planet. Doug Pinnick's vocal on this is a prime example of why I love this band. Not to mention the progressive metal nature of the music, the harmonies, the lyrics, the musical proficiency etc. King's X is incredible. Can you say Phrygian?



Until Next Time...