I read one Phoebe Bridgers’ fan complaining that today’s song, ‘Sidelines,’ is too upbeat. I had to laugh once I listened to it.
Perhaps that fan was referring to the lyrics, which do find Bridgers in a more optimistic place than she usually occupies. But musically, this sounds right in line with the rest of her sadly gorgeous (or gorgeously sad) discography.
An artist as melancholy as Phoebe Bridgers is bound to have a penchant for Christmas music, the most melancholy holiday music of all. And sure enough, Bridgers has as annual tradition of releasing a new tune each Christmas, with proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
She might have been too busy in recent years because the tradition paused after the 2022 release of ‘So Much Wine,’ her sixth straight Christmas cover. This one was originated in 2000 by husband/wife alt-country duo The Handsome Family.
Phoebe Bridgers has a well-earned reputation for making any song sound like the saddest thing you’ve ever heard.
Case in point: this cover of The Cure’s 1992 jangle pop classic ‘Friday I’m in Love.’ Bridgers recorded this track as part of Spotify Singles, a series that has artists pair a reimagining of an original song with a cover.
Her love for the song traces back to hearing it on her childhood iPod Shuffle and writing the lyrics in a school notebook.
The week of July 26, 1966, found English rock band The Troggs atop the Billboard Hot 100 with their classic hit ‘Wild Thing.’ This was one of two top ten hits for the band in the U.S., with the following year’s ‘Love is All Around’ reaching #7.
‘Wild Thing’ was written by Chip Taylor for the American band The Wild Ones. Their version, released six months earlier, failed to make a splash. It’s not dissimilar from The Troggs’ recording, but lacks its swagger and immediacy.
Throwing back to the week of July 25, 1956, we find those stalwarts Pat Boone and Gogi Grant holding on to the top spots with ‘I Almost Lost My Mind‘ and ‘The Wayward Wind,’ respectively.
Hot on their heels was that young whippersnapper Elvis Presley, whose second single, ‘I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,’ tried to replicate the success of smash hit ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ It didn’t quite make it — peaking at #3 on this chart — but it did give Elvis his first #1 on the Country chart.
Meet Me In Montauk 