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Song of the Day #5,388: ‘Fingertips’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 9: ‘Fingertips’

Yesterday’s song might not have seemed radio friendly but it’s ‘Uptown Funk’ compared to the free form poem set to music titled ‘Fingertips.’

The first time I heard this I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics, distracted by trying to work out the structure. Where is the chorus? Why does the melody shift from verse to verse, and in some cases echo melodies from songs on earlier albums? What the hell is this thing?

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Song of the Day #5,387: ‘Kintsugi’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 8: ‘Kintsugi’

A couple of weeks ago, I described Del Rey’s album Blue Bannisters as “the most gorgeous therapy session you’ll ever hear.” Well, the middle section of this new album responds with a hearty “hold my beer.”

Today’s track and tomorrow’s, which fall (not accidentally, I’m sure) at the dead center of Ocean Blvd, contain some of the most raw and personal lyrics of Del Rey’s career.

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Song of the Day #5,386: ‘Jon Batiste Interlude’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 7: ‘Jon Batiste Interlude’

Last week wrapped up with ‘Candy Necklace,’ a darkly mysterious song featuring Jon Batiste on piano and background vocals. That track segues neatly into this one, a short instrumental number that finds Batiste and Del Rey seemingly improvising in the studio.

The joy and exuberance in the room is palpable. Batiste has a natural charm and energy that really shine through on this track and bring out a playful side in Del Rey.

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Song of the Day #5,385: ‘Ticks’ – Brad Paisley

It looks like the Random iTunes Fairy wanted to get in on the April Fools’ Day fun because here she is serving up a song by another “Weekend” alumnus, Mr. Brad Paisley. Paisley Weekends followed Sexsmih Weekends back in 2011.

After suffering through the groans of my regular readers over those two choices, I followed them up with Simon Weekends, which chronicled the work of Paul Simon both as a solo artist and with Simon & Garfunkel. That went over considerably better.

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Song of the Day #5,384: ‘When Our Love Was New’ – Ron Sexsmith

A couple of weeks ago, I joked that I would put Random Weekends on hiatus and return to the controversial Ron Sexsmith Weekends of yesteryear.

But the more I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why weekends dedicated to a talented, thoughtful singer-songwriter should be a laugh-worthy concept. Sexsmith is an undeniably great songwriter, one held in high esteem by fellow artists even as he toils in relative obscurity commercially. He is exactly the sort of performer who deserves a wider platform.

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