Of all the songs in my music collection, the oldest may well be ‘Froggie Went A Courtin’,’ an English folk song dating back to the 16th century.
I own two versions of the song, one by Bob Dylan on his 1992 album of folk covers Good As I Been To You, and this one by Bruce Springsteen, which appeared on his 2006 album We Shall Overcome: The Pete Seeger Sessions.
The ska punk genre hit its peak in the mid to late 90s, a mercifully brief period that did manage to produce some quality music.
No Doubt is the best known of those bands, with Gwen Stefani remaining a household name to these days thanks to her move into dance pop and her stint on The Voice. Other bands riding the ska punk wave were Sublime, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Rancid and Reel Big Fish.
Often the Random iTunes Fairy surfaces a song that’s a real mystery to me. Something from an obscure soundtrack or a bargain bin purchase I’d long forgotten.
Today’s selection might be the most mysterious yet. I can’t even begin to recreate in my mind the events that led me to have an EP by British blues-rock band Scoundrels in my music collection. Never heard of them, can’t find a reference to them online that helps me connect the dots. I got nothing.
Here’s a ballad from Rob Thomas’ 2005 album …Something To Be, his first solo work after three successful albums with Matchbox 20.
Thomas released two more solo albums, including one in 2015, while Matchbox 20 went on a decade-long hiatus. The band released an album in 2012, suffered the departure of lead guitarist Kyle Cook, then reunited this year to tour with Counting Crows.
I had forgotten that Lyle Lovett’s song ‘Promises,’ in addition to appearing on The Road to Ensenada, showed up on the soundtrack of Tim Robbins’ film Dead Man Walking.
The film came out about six months before the album, but I’m not sure if the song was written for the movie. The lyrics are certainly appropriate for a film about the redemption of a death row inmate but the feelings described could apply as easily to a relationship as a crime.
Meet Me In Montauk 