TIMELESS TUNES AND LIVE TRAJECTORIES

STRAWBERRY WINE by DEANA CARTER

A classic country tune with lyrical virtues to boast, this is about the evolution of our lives that we build around memories of love and hopes for finding kindred.

The best part is how it takes stock of our ages and the need to never let them dictate our pursuits and passions.

REDNECK WOMAN by GRETCHEN WILSON

Boisterous and laced with no misleading diplomacy, Ms. Wilson makes this 2004 country-rocker break through the barn and into the 21st century.

Having musical legacies and sisterhood become an integral part of its songwriting ethos makes its groovy and unshakeable spirit leap towards glory.

BOULDER TO BIRMINGHAM by EMMYLOU HARRIS

Grief, memory and that twinge of recognition that a beloved one is no more a part of our axis is at the heart of this beautiful song.

Pair this one by Emmylou Harris with the recent version sung memorably by Jessie Buckley(off her WILD ROSE soundtrack) and the poignancy will register in our souls.

TRAVELIN SOLDIER by THE CHICKS

By now, this country trio has made its immense presence felt and enduring on my playlist.

This poignant narrative that plays to the storytelling strengths of country music and eventually makes it universal to a tee is constructed like spoken-word poetry of the highest flair.

I love it for its view of our world where the price of memories comes with a heavy mortal cost. As also for its judicious use of fiddles.

HEADS CAROLINA, TAILS CALIFORNIA by JO DEE MESSINA

The joy and bliss of finding a certain definite direction in life is indeed bittersweet. But it can be the most precious for our immediate stations.

That’s the premise that powers this instantly catchy, memorably written and performed classic country-rock standard. You’ll be beaming once you make it part of your playlist.

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I’M THE ONLY ONE( LIVE AT TOPECA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY) by MELISSA ETHERIDGE

A hugely influential voice in rock, Melissa Etheridge gives her wizened edge to that legendary growl which makes this extended live performance of one of her most enduring hits unmissable.

The hard-rock guitar charge is an added bonus to the whole gritty package here.

BROKEN MAN( LIVE ON JIMMY KIMMEL) by ST. VINCENT

She may not be the most versatile vocalist around but Annie Clark knows how to put her impeccable style and rough edges to optimal use.

This live performance of her latest cut maintains its electric rock charge while she also reiterates some of the moves from her music video. Watch as she captures two spaces and then becomes enmeshed with the audience that clearly roots for her.

DON’T KNOW MUCH by LINDA RONSTADT & AARON NEVILLE

This beautifully crafted, swooningly romantic duet for all seasons recently made its music video debut on Linda Ronstadt’s official YouTube channel.

The video had appeared on the global platform and had existed for some time but now buoyed by a good screen definition, it’s even better with its simple and effective visual storytelling. It’s a song I listen to so often that having this gift becomes a little more special.

MAYBE IT’S TIME(LIVE) by BRADLEY COOPER & EDDIE VEDDER

This classic cut from A STAR IS BORN(itself one of the rarest of contemporary soundtracks to be qualitatively timeless from start to finish) finds durability in the sublime interaction between Bradley Cooper and Pearl Jam’s iconic Eddie Vedder.

The acoustic nature of the original track is replicated in this live version where these two gentlemen sing the words with great empathy and control. It’s beautiful to listen to and behold such fine harmonies between them provide credence to a quintessentially lilting tune.

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All clips are courtesy YouTube.

MUSICAL GIFTS FROM ACROSS THE DECADES

LET IT BE by THE BEATLES

This eternal classic will always find new ways to remind us of its glory. The recent, much celebrated release of the similarly titled documentary from back in the day, supervised by Peter Jackson’s visionary hands, again gives us visual proof of its sonic and lyrical virtues.

Those piano notes, the backstory of maternal loss and omnipresence as well as those vocals and harmonies stir our souls. This one’s always on our minds.

PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE THIS WAY by LEANN RIMES

How the world failed to accord more traction to this excellent LeAnn Rimes song is beyond me. The situational lyrics, the elegance with which LeAnn lends emotional stability to a breaking heart’s confessions and the mostly acoustic soundtrack lend its delineation of grief a rightful place in the canon.

The world doesn’t understand that unraveling and with an instantly poignant, committed performance by Rimes, we know why some songs transcend their immediate context to become universal. This one’s a beautiful heartbreaker and opens windows to the soul.

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WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME? by BON JOVI & JENNIFER NETTLES

TILL WE AIN’T STRANGERS ANYMORE by BON JOVI & LEANN RIMES

The wonderful new documentary THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT: THE BON JOVI STORY allowed me to delve into two songs that expand the sonic palette of this iconic rock outfit behind beloved classics like LIVIN ON A PRAYER, WANTED(DEAD OR ALIVE), YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME and BED OF ROSES et al.

The great Jennifer Nettles, whose astounding vocal turns on STAY and LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN have been staples I visit ever so often, is at her lucid and chirpy best on WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME?, with the country flavour being authentic and devoid of genre trappings.

Next is the reliably committed LeAnn Rimes offering warmth, sensuality and understanding to the missing links in a bond. TILL WE AIN’T STRANGERS ANYMORE is one of those ballads that have become almost vapourised in the current culture. It’s beautifully coordinated to showcase two of the best voices we have together and in singular moments of vulnerability. Just the texture of the composition, the drums, the guitars and the emotional value earns our appreciation.

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CLOSER TO FINE by BRANDI & CATHERINE CARLILE

The heartwarming combined prowess of Brandi and Catherine Carlile is a feat of sublimity on CLOSER TO FINE.

My research informed me that it’s a cover of an Indigo Girls cult classic. But these ladies have a fine knack of lending it a quieter shade of Americana/ country that stays firmly attuned to the unraveling of anyone in the throes of  personal challenges.

By being featured on the iconic Barbie OST, it has further made its way around the world, recognised for its harmonious whole and sweet as May melody.

BROKEN MAN by ST. VINCENT

Ms. Annie Clark. You sure know the magic of a slow burn. Those opening moments then lend mileage to crusty, sleek guitars and a rampaging slew of drums and vocals on BROKEN MAN.

It’s a layered production and is bound to excite every music afficianado.

The chorus itself is delivered with sass and sensual charm, reminiscent of another St. Vincent classic MASSEDUCTION. This one, though, is a different beast. Those guitars and drums are magnetic.

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All clips are courtesy YouTube.

LIVE ARCS AND CLASSIC MOMENTS

LANA DEL REY, BILLIE EILISH SINGING “VIDEO GAMES” & “OCEAN EYES” at COACHELLA, 2024.

Music lovers always have to anticipate and manifest a moment like this one. So that when it actually transpires, the results are monumental.

At Coachella 2024, two singing pioneers joined their collective talents on stage to honour their breakout cultural moments in the post 2010s era, cementing the power of musical legacies that stemmed from youth and authentic artistic standards.

It was also not lost on us how Lana’s individual benchmark eventually paved the way for Billie to run towards greater success with her sedate, patient body of work. That moment where the latter sang the second verse to “Video Games” with grace and restraint here gave us cultural iconography to remember.

GOING HOME(LIVE AT WEMBLEY, 1985) by DIRE STRAITS & HANK MARVIN

The “Theme from Local Hero” is a cultural benchmark for guitarists and connoisseurs of the classic rock pantheon. Just recently, Mark Knopfler resurrected its eternal musical imprint with a celebrated roster of “guitar heroes” like Buddy Guy, Joan Jett, Slash, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading etc.

So this live arc from Wembley in the mid-’80s with Hank Marvin and an ensemble of gifted musicians is further proof of its omnipotence in the canon. There’s obviously a valid sense of joy when the theme hits its stride and becomes infectious.

All those qualities are here, with the gradual build-up leading to euphoric moments.

LEANN RIMES COVERING MARTY ROBBINS’ “DON’T WORRY” AT JUST EIGHT YEARS OF AGE, 1991

Handling a country standard such as Marty Robbins’ “Don’t Worry” with utter confidence and vocal expertise at just eight years of age, LeAnn Rimes has done us a great service by sharing this clip in its original form from way back in 1991.

If there was further evidence of her status as a prodigy who created Grammys history at just twelve and a half and is still in a league of her own with that golden voice, this is as sweet as it gets.

ALAN JACKSON SINGING “HE STOPPED LOVING HER TODAY” AT GEORGE JONES’ FUNERAL, 2022.

A country legend honours not just the memory of one of its many torchbearers’ signatures of singing and songwriting but also a life’s story tinged with wistful hope, melancholy and a profuse sense of love.

Hence, this classic tune is given all the existential and narrative meaning the original made us privy to with poignancy.

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QUAKER OATS “YOU’VE GOT THIS” ADVERTISEMENT, 2024.

Directed by Charlotte Wells, the acclaimed director of the short TUESDAY (2015) and modern classic AFTERSUN(2022), this commercial for iconic brand Quaker Oats plays to her strengths of basing the content around fathers and children in one pithy capsule.

Full of empathy, the cycle of familial bonds affixed with the ritual of eating oats for breakfast covers lifetimes and generations, set to a rhythmic soundtrack.

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All the clips are courtesy YouTube.

BONAFIDE COUNTRY TUNES AND A LONE DOVE’S MUSINGS

MAMMAS, DON’T LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE COWBOYS by WILLIE NELSON

In just under three minutes, this classic songwriting feat gives us insights into the mind and heart of millions of cowboys who presently live and those who came before them. It’s akin to taking stock of generations of men.

Whether he’s singing it as a solo showcase or with his Highwaymen compatriots and Merle Haggard, Mr. Nelson’s words flank truth about the essence of independence and solitude that the country entails for its fabled inhabitants.

Putting them beyond the myths and legends, this is a sobering and utterly unforgettable portrait of individuality coexisting with social etiquettes. It’s bittersweet.

GRANDPA( TELL ME ‘BOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS) by THE JUDDS

This is gentle, practical songwriting evincing the affectionate permanence of our elders’ infuence on our lives.

Mother-daughter duo Wynonna and Naomi Judd gives this a meta touch as the union of generations helps both women to absorb the lyrics and the sublime melody to design expert harmonies. It is a quest for comfort and shelter pitted against the alienating forces of the modern world.

Every time I listen to it and am soothed by its guitar strums, I go back to my maternal grandma’s unconditional love. The sense of loss becomes all the more poignant. The power of this song is that it is universally resonant.

WIDE OPEN SPACES by THE CHICKS

Championing gender equality with trademark fiddles and guitars, The Chicks arrive at the most distinct symbol of country music- one where the storytelling itself is a means of breaking chains of conformity and seeking freedom through one’s vocation.

A coming of age narrative delivered with exquisite ease, this one is also about a sense of generational pining and then achieving freedom to live a life of dignity, especially germane to young women. The greatest gift here is how in the final verses, the baton is passed from the previous era to the next to make one’s dreams living realities.

PARIS, TEXAS & HOUSTON IN TWO SECONDS by RY COODER

This dual instrument suite by Ry Cooder illuminates the many-hued journeys that define human lifetimes.

After watching Wim Wenders’ iconic PARIS, TEXAS(1984) where both themes permeate the stark and yet supremely compassionate tale of familial rediscovery, it has become one of my favourites. Without the use of a single word, the guitar gnarls and sways to the rhythms of transient solitary lives searching for an anchor.

A SONG FOR YOU by THE LUMINEERS

Wesley Schultz and his ever-sincere band mates give us goosebumps by the way they pay tribute to Willie Nelson on his 90th birthday honours.

A SONG FOR YOU, delivered here with beautiful piano notes, soothes our senses as Schultz lives each and every word with empathy to spare.

Live performances have a way of transforming artists’ repertoire as I’ve said before. This here constitutes five minutes of vocal brilliance that do complete justice to the lyrical journey of decades defining a lifetime.

COWBOYS ARE FREQUENCY SECRETLY FOND OF EACH OTHER by ORVILLE PECK & WILLIE NELSON

First it was Shania Twain on LEGENDS NEVER DIE. Now it’s the evergreen cowboy, Willie Nelson, himself as a duet partner. Which is grounds to confirm that Mr. Peck is not only on a creative roll but has sanctified his country bona-fides with each passing year.

The greatest aspect of this bonafide country number is that its rhythms and energy are in the traditional mould with a simple melody. Yet the manner in which it candidly acknowledges intragender bonds and subverts binaries with a wink and a grin is commendable.

Never has the word “queer” been used in the country canon as a normalising matter of fact before. Mr. Nelson’s role as an elderly statesman opening the gates for greater discourses beyond the binary is a historic feat here. Along with Peck, a veritable queer icon and profound artist, it also becomes generational.

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ALL BY MYSELF by ERIC CARMEN

Chances are that like me, Celine Dion’s definitive interpretation of this song has already been a part of our lives for the longest time.

But going back to the long-form employment of empathetic vocals, piano notes and guitars on Eric Carmen’s original classic is a requisite for all listeners.

The “to be or not to be” dilemma here yields compelling results as the clash between being self-sufficient and sociability designs a tune for the ages.

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All clips are courtesy YouTube.

TIMELESS COUNTRY TUNES AND MORE

HE STOPPED LOVING HER TODAY by GEORGE JONES

For me, music has always remained a borderless entity. If it moves you in the way this eternally classic George Jones tune does then it springs forth from the lap of life’s melancholy-tinged center.

Yet to dismiss its distinctive country storytelling in the affirmative will be to neglect its affectionate melody and arresting, warm vocals, the passion and the poignancy kept at its restrained best with strings and backup harmonies.

Those particular traits make this universally heartwrenching as a lifetime of maintaining human relationships transcends just the markers of unity.

WHY NOT ME? by THE JUDDS

The iconic mother-daughter duo of Wynonna and Naomi Judd has given the world its surplus of beautiful harmonies and memorable tunes galore.

This one is the gateway to the country-rock sound that demolishes boundaries of genre and still fills us with the spirit that its musical conventions stand for. I love how the pre-chorus vocals toy with expectant tempers and then both voices fuse for its joyous refrain.

SEVEN YEAR ACHE by ROSANNE CASH

In recent years, I have warmed up to Ms. Cash’s singular body of work with her Particle and Wave era and her befittingly generous tribute to her parental legacy with the musical counterpart to father Johnny Cash’s poem THE WALKING WOUNDED.

So it makes complete sense that one of her biggest early hits employs formidable lyrics to show us a familiar mirror to the ways of the world especially those mind-games played among the sexes. Its traditional structure of country-rock with a drone-like effect used prominently is enlivened by Ms. Cash’s clear vocals. I also love how the title relays sustained melancholy against petty surroundings by being on the other side of a “seven year itch”

PASSIONATE KISSES by LUCINDA WILLIAMS

Lucinda Williams, who continues to make the power of her musical gifts stand out and topple genre restrictions, will always be best remembered for this pithy tune.

The rollicking sense of joy at having discovered the power of her individuality, playing its rhythms against a wave of doubt, makes this a perfect example of imposter syndrome. Yet the confidence in its rock charge and country ease gives Ms. Williams a statement of having the best of all that life has in store for her.

The other version by country royalty Mary Chapin Carpenter is a perfect companion piece too.

HOW BLUE by REBA MCENTIRE

Here she is, our beloved Reba staying true to her country roots on this underrated standard.

Her biggest hits like WHOEVER’S IN NEW ENGLAND and FANCY are well-known to us. This, here, is a celebration of the fiddles, banjos and guitars as well as a narrative of coming to terms with life’s tribulations that puts it at her top echelons. That twang and an effortless charm in her vocal performance never wane.

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ANDROMEDA by WEYES BLOOD

Weyes Blood aka Natalie Mering finally gives us a charming new music video for her beautiful, country-tinged tune that has further found newfound traction ever since her live set at Glastonbury last year.

It’s Ms. Mering in the wide expanse of the desert, against the endless trail of space and as an extra-terrestrial entity, giving credence to the song’s lyrics and melody.

It’s a perfect accompaniment to this modern classic that deserves even more listeners to recognise its lovely vocals and production values.

THE SHADOW OF A BLACK CROW(LIVE AT TOPECA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY) by MELISSA ETHERIDGE

That legendary growl and skill-set with the guitar can hardly be diminished. So it goes on this new track from Melissa Etheridge, in time for a new documentary series filmed at the Topeca Correctional Facility in Kansas, USA.

With this feat taking us back to Johnny Cash’s iconic live sets at Folsom Prison and San Quentin, we can only say that it’s a great addition to the canon. The chorus itself packs a punch with its unyielding courage amidst incarceration and societal dehumanisation, both literal and metaphorical.

BARRACUDA(LIVE) by HEART

Finally, there’s nothing in the world quite like listening to the Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, share their journey of decades, with vigour, with new generations as well as their steadfast fans.

This recent live performance of the always caustic and blisteringly spirited “Barracuda” on Jimmy Fallon is part of the canon that they now take to the world stage with a tour starting this year.

It’s a classic tune and the stomp of age has done nothing to rob it or  both siblings of their artistic merits.

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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.

TIMELESS MELODIES AND LIVE ARCS

ANNIE’S SONG by JOHN DENVER


The sheer beauty of this composition is like a portal, allowing us to  appreciate our human gifts of observation and perception.


The lyrics are dramatic and yet very joyous, the music is simple and yet holds transcendence in the way nature becomes humanity’s home. Transient emotions come and go and the temporary union of joy and bliss can only be likened to the sea, sun and moon. Mr. Denver sings about that effusive truth with a voice that’s like the flow of clear water.

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GOING HOME( THEME FROM “LOCAL HERO”) by MARK KNOPFLER


Anybody who truly loves Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler’s discography in general will reserve timeless awe for this instrumental track that is among his signatures.

Circa 2024, Mr. Knopfler has assembled a staggering number of his “Guitar Heroes” to recreate the song as a charity single. Pete Townshend, Joan Jett, Slash, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy et al are among the several distinctive names who have built productive lifetimes with their instrument of choice.

They all gift us ten minutes of an instrumental suite that is essential to unlock this year’s triumphant musical beginnings.

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PINK FLOYD’S THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON


The Dark Side of The Moon is an album that continues to rise in universal popularity with each era.

After the short snippets of animated videos and the Ningaloo Eclipse documentary’s visual triumph ushering in a timeline of global reckoning for multiple generations, team Pink Floyd has finally unveiled full animated videos for the album’s 50th anniversary landmark.


TIME, BREATHE( IN THE AIR), THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY, MONEY and US AND THEM receive creative arcs by some truly talented, young animators who uphold the band’s timelessness with their artistic stamps. Be it the full circle of mortality and the afterlife in THE GREAT GIG….., the numbing nature of today’s generation inured to technology in US AND THEM, the claymation dynamics put to judicious use in MONEY and the anxiety wrought by our time on earth as hollow mortals in TIME, it’s great to see that we have visual accompaniments to one of the greatest song suites of all times.

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VERTIGO( LIVE AT THE SPHERE) by U2


This song has an electric feel to its expert deployment of melody, rock guitars and vocals.

Now in its live iteration, it’s an experience that these eternal rockstars uphold with great control and skill.

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WATERLOO( LIVE AT EUROVISION, 1974) by ABBA


How lucky are we to receive the opportunity of watching these four legends take us back in time, to a stage where they won hearts and paved the way for a global juggernaut.


This is one of the greatest tunes to spread joy around the world. This live arc proves that the first showing itself was intended to make more than a great first impression. It was the beginning of a new era of harmonies that would rule the world.

Hence to relive this moment is special for all of us around this 50th anniversary landmark.

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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.

ETERNAL SONGBIRDS

IN THE END by ANOUSHKA SHANKAR

This new tune by Anoushka Shankar proves that crediting her as a maestro is worthy of her talents.

She makes the beautiful sitar notes graph a whole odyssey- like the eternal spring in nature’s bounties, the nostalgia of the times when fraternity and family meant innocence uncensured from hectic life-choices in the future. It’s like the memory we shared with our beloved grandparents, teachers and friends, when cynicism was out of the picture.

IN THE END is like a mortal journey reaching out to be held like the holy spirit .

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CALIFORNIA DREAMING by THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS

The melody and harmonies of this eternally sunny song has the ability to brighten any moment.

Very rarely has a group so congruently matched each word with the tune’s genial, charming properties. It’s here in CALIFORNIA DREAMING.



I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME(LIVE, 1997) by WHITNEY HOUSTON

Live performances have a propensity to touch something greater than what the studio cut promised to the world. It’s a joyous reminder that artists constantly evolve over the course of sometimes tackling a singular tune.

Whitney Houston’s original hit from THE PREACHER’S WIFE soundtrack is a supple composition in which her rhythm and blues phrasing evolved with her peak era of ’90s blockbusters flanking THE BODYGUARD and WAITING TO EXHALE. In this live iteration, some of her choices are dainty and dignified but a growl here and a high note there fit beautifully within these blissful minutes. As usual, her body language exudes a natural sophistication.

She is The Voice here.




SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW ( LIVE, 2024) by LEANN RIMES

One of my all-time favourite tunes gets carried to a supreme place of wonder and guilelessness by a singer whose voice hardly misses the mark.


LeAnn Rimes imbues this minute and a half with such clarity and upliftment that we leap in joy and appreciation.

The lady has a gift. She showcases it to full effect.



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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

IN MY LIFE by JUDY COLLINS

Ms. Collins has a voice blessed truly by the heavens. Such purity bordering on something close to divine charm and empathetic articulation deems IN MY LIFE worthy of a classic canon.

She expresses her thoughts on the passage of time, on love and loss becoming intersectional allies in the journey ahead. Each word is held as a soulful component of the same trajectory.

To watch her live arc performing it in 1966 and then in 2015, retaining that same sunshine in her voice, is then a revelation.

EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’ & WITHOUT YOU by HARRY NILSSON

For those who have seen the classic feature MIDNIGHT COWBOY(1969), EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’ is etched in the storytelling beats for its titular subject. It’s a country-folk tune with lilting melodies and lyrics meant to sculpt hope for better future prospects despite the abrasions of urban life.

Taken in singularity, it’s a heartwarming capsule for those drifters who have no real anchors in a sea of millions. Harry Nilsson has a knack for making those lonesome corners of the mind become soulfully triumphant where self-reliance somehow is the only way, if not the last resort, to survive. He is ably supported by nimble guitars and violins. I also love how smoothly his vocals create a serene atmosphere.

Wistfully attuned then to the processes of love and melancholy is the sombre and exquisitely sung WITHOUT YOU. Listening to it, one can hark back to the soundscapes of Roy Orbison and The Beatles. Yet this is Mr. Nilsson’s very own showcase and the sensitivity in his phrasing and inherent vocal performance is humbling to say the least.

HURT, QUEEN OF HEARTS & BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY by JUICE NEWTON

ANGEL OF THE MORNING is a bonafide standard in terms of both vocals and songwriting. Those crucial elements make three more classic tunes by Juice Newton worth cherishing.

There’s the giddy rhythmic energy invested in QUEEN OF HEARTS, an easy breezy listening experience that captures the vagaries of a bond that has reached the end of the road.

On those thematic counts, the wistful, longingly aching HURT and BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY touch an apex of Country and Western phrasing from her. Her voice is beautifully expressive, has a classic mould to the songwriting and ensures the soulful journey of loss reaches us.

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HOW WILL I KNOW(LIVE AT THE BRIT AWARDS, 1987) by WHITNEY HOUSTON

HOW WILL I KNOW is a seminal entry not only in the Hall of Fame of auspicious debuts but also in the sheer art of delivering an R&B/ Soul banger readymade for mass appeal.

That a voice as strong and committed to its guilelessness like that of Whitney Houston brings it to us is evident from this live performance at the Brit Awards in 1987.

She is a star on the stage. Those innocent moves and that simplicity in the lighting, costumes and look are something to greatly appreciate. It’s a pure, authentic public unveiling of a generational talent.

BEAUTIFUL DAY( LIVE AT THE SPHERE) by U2

The transcendental visual treatment and ambience at the dome-like structure of The Sphere in Las Vegas have given U2 fans an immersive experience in the truest sense.

As the band now shares snippets of those same components while performing one of its signature tunes, we sing along and celebrate a classic repertoire. It’s a breathtaking feat here.

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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.

MUSIC OF THE HEART

ANGEL OF THE MORNING by JUICE NEWTON

Confirming that an unforgettable melody and arresting lyrics are key elements in a country song, ANGEL IN THE MORNING is pure poetry set to tune.

It’s a song I had heard in my younger years because the melody and vocals are so recognisable. Now hearing it with a mature perspective, it ebbs with genuine emotions. Ms. Newton’s voice is pure gold. That chorus itself is worth multiple listens.

MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC by CASS ELLIOT

The official Barbie trailer features this intriguing little capsule of joy. I had wondered about it, mistaking it for an original soundtrack staple for the blockbuster.

Now finding that none other than the beloved Mama Cass( of The Mamas and The Papas fame, behind the sunny harmonies of “California Dreaming”) had made it an ode to individuality way back in the late ’60s, I am hooked to it. The strings in the instrumental ensemble add to its innocent glow and uplift, addressed to make the creatively inclined especially proud of their goals. It speaks to me personally.

ODE TO BILLIE JOE by BOBBIE GENTRY

Finally listening to the stark raconteur in Bobbie Gentry bringing credit to the “Southern Gothic” tradition is an experience that is equal parts haunting and heart-rending.

It’s just her voice here that has a certain bass quality to it, designing verses of quiet repression and witnessing the apathy of a world already drowning each day in a backwater. Another instance of a country songwriting feat that has pervaded as a standard, ODE TO BILLIE JOE employs an effective rhyming scheme to unearth diurnal doom that we casually observe all around us even as issues of suicide haunt our conscience.

ROADHOUSE BLUES by THE DOORS

It’s Jim Morrison and company to the rescue, delivering the titular blues with verve, a characteristic Morrison growl that can be divine and sensual at the same time and the drum break harking back to LOVE ME TWO TIMES.

OPEN ARMS by JOURNEY

If DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ reaches an aspirational zenith, OPEN ARMS is an inspired choice to make the people closest to us lean on us for assurance even as doubts loom large. It’s the ultimate when it comes to music being an instrument of empathy, a transmission of warmth and affection.

The vocals stay true to the band’s reputation. But it’s the sincerest ode to us,  the sentimental beings refusing to hold ourselves back when our sense of gratitude overwhelms us. This is balladry of  sublime pitch and uncynical beauty.

WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW? by CAROLE KING

Every physical union is a study in quiet desperation. The uncertainty is imminent. The hesitation is real. In all this, an emotional connection can be threatened by the sheer weight of expectations.

Carole King commits to the complexity of this delicate tightrope walk “sweetly”, “completely”, her legendary songwriting skills lending the piano notes a testimony that’s never on the run from real-life stakes.

STEAMY WINDOWS (LIVE FROM CALIFORNIA, 1993) by TINA TURNER

Ms. Turner makes a true spectacle with her entrance on a staircase. Then as she dances with euphoria and pure abandon and wields the mic with some killer moves on stage, her voice meets the passion of the words with full commitment.

This live performance is in tune with her best era captured in video form and now shared with the world. It’s classic fare. Never to be missed or forgotten. Just the strength of the tune and the vocals make it soar.

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NEW DAWN by ANOUSHKA SHANKAR

The sitar is a child of God in the hands of Anoushka Shankar. That quality of plumbing the depths of the soul and uncovering mortal beauty is again demonstrated with acuity on NEW DAWN.

It’s an eternal gift.

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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.

THE STRUMS AND THE TUNES/ THE MELODIES AND THE RIFFS

BRING ME SOME WATER, IF I WANTED TO, YOUR LITTLE SECRET, THIS MOMENT, REFUGEE by MELISSA ETHERIDGE

Melissa Etheridge is an eternal rockstar, a cultural entity- that is a fact. As I expand my engagement with her indelible discography, the above listed songs make a strong case for her being among the greatest voices in mainstream rock from the late twentieth century and then the millennium.

Take YOUR LITTLE SECRET alone- its hard rock riffs are beautifully offset by a bridge that sparkles with Ms. Etheridge’s trademark growl. The chorus then settles for a rough and tender cadence befitting the lyrics.

REFUGEE, another classic rock anthem from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers which this writer adores, is handled with panache by her. Her voice suits its mode of expression without doubt.

All said and done, her power with the guitar only adds to her unrivalled legacy.


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WALK ON BY by DIONNE WARWICK

A sweet, dulcet tune that crowns the classic retro epoch is actually a silken vocal showcase for the chameleonic metres that Dionne Warwick can adhere to so blissfully.

There’s something about this rhythm and blues tune, with its doo-wop bounce and strings, its backup vocals, that is special. Ms. Warwick’s originality and restraint give it an ethereal feel even as the wistful lyrics are lucid and like life’s many foibles predictable.

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YOU BELONG TO ME by PATSY CLINE

I don’t think anyone can imbue lines with pure poetry the way Patsy Cline does.

A showcase for her extraordinary grasp on human emotions that call out to a globetrotting significant other, YOU BELONG TO ME is sublime, delivered musically with the warm felicity and minimal backdrop that one expects in a song from Ms. Cline.

Her talents with phrasing and delivery are breathtaking here. As usual.

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THE PROMISE by TRACY CHAPMAN

Another warm, mostly acoustic take on the felicity of human relationships breaching markers of hesitation and societal expectations, THE PROMISE is a soulful ballad from the always enduring Tracy Chapman.

As her continuum of musical and cultural success wears new shades of somber hues, discovering this song  means the world to this avid admirer.

This is what the word “pure” means when executed with the humility synonymous with Ms. Chapman.

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CAN’T GET OUT OF THIS MOOD by SAMARA JOY

This contemporary jazz vocal performance by Samara Joy is a thing of wonder. A young songbird with a penchant for the improvisation and fluidity of the legendary form, Ms. Joy infuses it with more than a touch of the classic infections that make it unforgettable.

Also listen to her latest song TIGHT to marvel at the way she can make her voice bounce and breathlessly go from one octave to another with the flick of a finger. It’s all that jazz, with the instrumental alchemy and general musicality of a very high calibre.

72 SEASONS by METALLICA

Rancid, portentous and thrillingly addictive from the first guitar note, this heavy metal performance from the original rockstars is epic.

ENTER SANDMAN and MASTER OF PUPPETS has a worthy successor in the band’s canon, with its topical lyrics and verses built around humankind’s incendiary descent into hell, particularly potent to the toxic epoch that we live and breathe in.

DEAR INSECURITY by BRANDY CLARK, BRANDI CARLILE

Poignancy is hard to muster in a songwriting cycle where the predictability of our lives’ predilections can get cumbersome.

The familiar poignancy invested in DEAR INSECURITY is credited to two namesakes who bring the power of their collective voices and the emotional wallop occasioned by strings to it. It’s beautiful & understated.

I REMEMBER EVERYTHING by ZACH BRYAN, KACEY MUSGRAVES

Acoustic delights abound in this duet between two country singers who know how to turn the familiar, predictable rhythms of small-town life and universal experiences into comfort food for the soul.

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TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON by BILLY JOEL

Watching Mr. Joel perform his latest song at the 2024 Grammys made me instantly remind myself of the gentleman’s distinction with the piano and warm, fuzzy vocals.

He is after all the legend behind PIANO MAN, UPTOWN GIRL, NEW YORK STATE OF MIND.

Be mesmerised by resonant lyrics, beautiful vocals and a sense of effortless charm as you listen to the studio cut. It’s moving and heartwarming.

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SACRED THE THREAD( LIVE AT RCA STUDIO A) by GRETA VAN FLEET

A clear standout from the lads’ latest album, this live studio version is proof that pure musicianship that digs deep to unravel the whole fount of one’s talents finds as many takers as one can expect.

Even as the larger culture trims and evens out the field with rank drivel. Songs like these make us believe in the power of words. In the power of creativity done justice.

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NOTE: all clips are courtesy YouTube.