Song of the Day #450: ‘You’re Going To Lose That Girl’ – The Beatles

helpLast week I suggested that Revolver is a “Paul album” ‐ that is, the balance of the great songs on it were written by Paul McCartney. This week it’s John Lennon’s turn, and the “John album” I’m highlighting is The Beatles’ fifth record, Help!.

Help! was the band’s second soundtrack album, following A Hard Day’s Night, and while it isn’t the equal of that classic it doesn’t fall too short. I consider it probably the most underrated album in The Beatles’ discography. Not that it’s bashed, really, but you just never hear it come up in discussions of the band’s best work… it’s lost in a sea of Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road.

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Song of the Day #449: ‘Laugh I Could Learn to Love’ – Gus

gusGus is another in that Josh Joplin category of artists who found their way into my CD player mysteriously and managed to earn a spot in my collection through solid songwriting and fine performance.

I really had no idea who this guy is or where he came from. Just now I looked him up and learned he’s based in Los Angeles and has released five albums, two as Gus and three under his full name, Gus Black. The most recent came out just last year. The album I own, Word of Mouth Parade, was released in 1999 and while it’s not something I listen to very often, every time I do I’m struck by how damn good it is.

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Song of the Day #448: ‘How Far You’ve Come’ – The Wallflowers

rebelsweetheartI recently watched an episode of Elvis Costello’s Sundance show Spectacle featuring a wonderful mix of guests — the first half was split between She & Him and Jenny Lewis and the second half featured Jakob Dylan, with everybody joining together at the end for a final song.

Everybody impressed but I was particularly drawn in by the Dylan interview. Jakob has grown even more into his father’s looks and his mannerisms and his inflections are similar too. It’s very strange to watch him talk. But his music just keeps getting better and better.

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Song of the Day #447: ‘Dutch Wonderland’ – Josh Joplin Group

joshjoplinHere’s another one of those weird albums that found their way into my CD collection through mysterious circumstances I no longer recall.

I can’t remember ever reading any reviews of the Josh Joplin Group or hearing them recommended by friends. I assume I picked the album up on the cheap either used or at my office’s semi-annual auction, because I never pay full price for a blind item.

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Song of the Day #446: ‘Thought It Would Be Easier’ – Shelby Lynne

shelbylynneI’m becoming a lot more aware of my age in recent months. It’s not that I’m approaching a milestone (I’m 36) or having a mid-life crisis… nothing like that. I’m just experiencing for the first time what I’ve always heard people say, that the years fly by faster the older you get.

It happens when I realize some people I work with were born in the mid or late 80s. Or when it occurs to me that there are just three months left in the 2000s, when I remember attending the millennium New Year’s Eve party at my sister’s place as if it were last week. The 90s seemed to last forever… the 2000s were over in a blink.

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