I’m still running a music discussion for work, and this session we’ve been choosing songs based on themes. A week ago it was songs that contain “eyes” or other body parts.
I selected “Eye in the Sky” by Alan Parsons Project. This isn’t a song I listen to a lot, but I ended up really liking it. In listening to the song, I think it’s a good example of following the “Happy Birthday” pattern (which Pat Metheny referenced in an interview I posted). I have a urge to re-do the song for guitar, but somehow I don’t think it would sound good with guitar accompaniment.
The other thing about this song: I never realized this, but to me Alan Parsons Project sound like Pink Floyd with synths, instead of guitar.
Yeah their fandoms definitely overlap. I have a friend (an audio engineer) who says he can usually tell an Alan Parsons-produced song from the way it sounds.
Initially, while listening to the song again, I thought APP had an original sound, but then I could see a Pink Floyd similarity, which isn’t to say the former isn’t original.
That was the last class. We’re probably going to do themes in the fall. If you have any suggestions for themes, let me know.
Recent (in the last two years) songs by decades-long favorites: Paul McCartney, Madonna, Paul Simon, Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt
First solo singles from musicians previously known only as members of groups: Peter Cetera, Don Henley, Kelly Rowland, Diana Ross
Songs about starting fresh or starting anew: “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon, “Tomorrow” from Annie, “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
Songs about words or language: “Words” by Missing Persons, “No More Words” by Berlin, “Word Crimes” by Weird Al Yankovic.
Songs about themselves: “Hook” by Blues Traveler, “Your Song” by Elton John, “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon, “Leaves that are Green” by Simon and Garfunkel.
Songs about people named Johnny or John: “Johnny B Goode” by Chuck Berry, “Johnny Can’t Read” by the Hooters, “Shooting Star” by Bad Company, “The Ballad of John and Yoko” by the Beatles.
Songs about pleasuring yourself: “She Bop” by Cyndi Lauper, “Turning Japanese” by the Vapors, “Longview” by Green Day, “I Touch Myself” by DiVinyls, “My Ding-a-Ling” by Chuck Berry, “Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol.
Songs about the road: “The Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles, “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by the Band.
Songs about (pick any one city or state): “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss, “8 Mile” by Eminem, “Motown Music” by Rod Stewart.
Songs about aliens: “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley, “Rapture” by Blondie, “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by the Carpenters, “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls.
Songs about rocking: Any AC/DC song, “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by Scorpions, “Rock and Roll all Nite” by Kiss, “Rocking into the Night” by .38 Special.
Songs that were the first track on the artists’ debut album: “Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen, “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones, “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar, “Lucky Star” by Madonna.
Songs about books: “Diary” by Bread, “Book of Love” by the Monotones, “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles, “Thy Word” by Amy Grant, “The Book I’m Not Reading” by Patty Larkin.
Songs about baseball: “Right Field” by Peter, Paul & Mary, “Centerfield” by John Fogerty, “Talkin’ Baseball” by Terry Cashman, “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Carly Simon.
I’ve been listening to a lot more new pop than usual, partly because certain pop artists I like have released new music and partly because the new metal this year hasn’t been especially interesting to me.
My most anticipated pop album this year was by Bonnie McKee, whom I have been following on social media for more than ten years. She cowrote a bunch of huge songs (ten songs written or cowritten by her have been number one hits in the USA or the UK), like “Roar,” “California Girls,” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” by Katy Perry.
She dropped a single around then called “American Girl,” which I love partly because I can’t tell if it celebrates, mocks, or celebrates and mocks teens growing up in the 2010s.
That was supposed to appear on an album she recorded for Epic, but the label kept delaying its release and then it was never released at all, and since McKee didn’t own the recordings, they just sat there. She discovered online there was this rabid fanbase still yearning for the songs, so she did a Taylor Swift: she re-recorded all the songs herself and released it independently, ten years later.
It’s a good album. I like all the tracks, but “Hot City” and “Jenny’s Got a Boyfriend” are the early favorites.
Pretty good driving-around album, but I also just have it in this 2024 playlist and always enjoy the songs when they pop up in shuffle.
I’ve discovered that I really like pop music, at least when I think it’s done well. So I’m interested in checking out this album.
On another note, for my summer fun finale, we’re doing a 2010’s theme, using songs from that decade. I know very little of the popular songs during this time, so do you have any recommendations of songs that you think would be good for finale. In general, it should be a crowd pleaser, something that would make the audience smile, tap their field, cheer, etc.
I’m still running a music discussion for work, and this session we’ve been choosing songs based on themes. A week ago it was songs that contain “eyes” or other body parts.
I selected “Eye in the Sky” by Alan Parsons Project. This isn’t a song I listen to a lot, but I ended up really liking it. In listening to the song, I think it’s a good example of following the “Happy Birthday” pattern (which Pat Metheny referenced in an interview I posted). I have a urge to re-do the song for guitar, but somehow I don’t think it would sound good with guitar accompaniment.
The other thing about this song: I never realized this, but to me Alan Parsons Project sound like Pink Floyd with synths, instead of guitar.
Yeah their fandoms definitely overlap. I have a friend (an audio engineer) who says he can usually tell an Alan Parsons-produced song from the way it sounds.
What’s the next theme?
Initially, while listening to the song again, I thought APP had an original sound, but then I could see a Pink Floyd similarity, which isn’t to say the former isn’t original.
That was the last class. We’re probably going to do themes in the fall. If you have any suggestions for themes, let me know.
Theme ideas:
Recent (in the last two years) songs by decades-long favorites: Paul McCartney, Madonna, Paul Simon, Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt
First solo singles from musicians previously known only as members of groups: Peter Cetera, Don Henley, Kelly Rowland, Diana Ross
Songs about starting fresh or starting anew: “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon, “Tomorrow” from Annie, “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
Songs about words or language: “Words” by Missing Persons, “No More Words” by Berlin, “Word Crimes” by Weird Al Yankovic.
Songs about themselves: “Hook” by Blues Traveler, “Your Song” by Elton John, “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon, “Leaves that are Green” by Simon and Garfunkel.
Songs about people named Johnny or John: “Johnny B Goode” by Chuck Berry, “Johnny Can’t Read” by the Hooters, “Shooting Star” by Bad Company, “The Ballad of John and Yoko” by the Beatles.
Songs about pleasuring yourself: “She Bop” by Cyndi Lauper, “Turning Japanese” by the Vapors, “Longview” by Green Day, “I Touch Myself” by DiVinyls, “My Ding-a-Ling” by Chuck Berry, “Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol.
Songs about the road: “The Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles, “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by the Band.
Songs about (pick any one city or state): “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss, “8 Mile” by Eminem, “Motown Music” by Rod Stewart.
Songs about aliens: “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley, “Rapture” by Blondie, “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by the Carpenters, “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls.
Songs about rocking: Any AC/DC song, “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by Scorpions, “Rock and Roll all Nite” by Kiss, “Rocking into the Night” by .38 Special.
Songs that were the first track on the artists’ debut album: “Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen, “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones, “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar, “Lucky Star” by Madonna.
Songs about books: “Diary” by Bread, “Book of Love” by the Monotones, “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles, “Thy Word” by Amy Grant, “The Book I’m Not Reading” by Patty Larkin.
Songs about baseball: “Right Field” by Peter, Paul & Mary, “Centerfield” by John Fogerty, “Talkin’ Baseball” by Terry Cashman, “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Carly Simon.
Thanks, Mitchell. I like some of these. If the other participants don’t provide all the themes, I’m going to use some of these.
I’ve been listening to a lot more new pop than usual, partly because certain pop artists I like have released new music and partly because the new metal this year hasn’t been especially interesting to me.
My most anticipated pop album this year was by Bonnie McKee, whom I have been following on social media for more than ten years. She cowrote a bunch of huge songs (ten songs written or cowritten by her have been number one hits in the USA or the UK), like “Roar,” “California Girls,” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” by Katy Perry.
She dropped a single around then called “American Girl,” which I love partly because I can’t tell if it celebrates, mocks, or celebrates and mocks teens growing up in the 2010s.
That was supposed to appear on an album she recorded for Epic, but the label kept delaying its release and then it was never released at all, and since McKee didn’t own the recordings, they just sat there. She discovered online there was this rabid fanbase still yearning for the songs, so she did a Taylor Swift: she re-recorded all the songs herself and released it independently, ten years later.
It’s a good album. I like all the tracks, but “Hot City” and “Jenny’s Got a Boyfriend” are the early favorites.
Pretty good driving-around album, but I also just have it in this 2024 playlist and always enjoy the songs when they pop up in shuffle.
I’ve discovered that I really like pop music, at least when I think it’s done well. So I’m interested in checking out this album.
On another note, for my summer fun finale, we’re doing a 2010’s theme, using songs from that decade. I know very little of the popular songs during this time, so do you have any recommendations of songs that you think would be good for finale. In general, it should be a crowd pleaser, something that would make the audience smile, tap their field, cheer, etc.