Rolling Stones "Salt Of The Earth"

If you check out the main page of mvyradio, every day you see a different "Lyric Of The Day."

Usually, I'm the one who put it there. It's been my semi-official job for years now. Other folks do it, when inspired, but most days, I'm searching for a great line to post on our page.

Often, the lyric relates to something else we have going on---a line from the Monday Free CD or Album Of The Week or from an artist who's coming into the studio that day.

And sometimes I try to find a line that's appropriate for the particular day.

In the past, on Memorial Day, I've posted lyrics from "memory" songs like "Memories Can't Wait" and "I Will Remember You."

But it was nice to be reminded this week of "Salt Of The Earth" (via a Bettye Lavette cover, that I'll save for another post), and to be reminded of how appropriate this song can be, for this holiday.

I love it when Keith Richards sings. Or tries to sing. He may be straining, but I've always found his efforts charming. I love that Keith, despite being one of the biggest rock stars of all-time, comes off as salt of the Earth, himself, and how that plays off Mick Jagger's more removed perspective.

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth

When Mick sings this line, he smartly puts himself not as another "Salt," but as someone of a different class, who wants to make sure that the "lowly of birth" are recognized, honored, remembered.

So if you ARE a "common footsoldier" you can feel celebrated. And if you are, like so many of the rest of us, safe and warm and content, thanks to the folks who toil in the trenches, you are invited to sing along and celebrate.

This weekend, I hope think about who you are, and celebrate accordingly.

Patty Griffin "Up To The Mountain"

Well, you've can relax now, and stop pretending for 7 more months. American Idol is over and you don't have to act like you don't watch and don't care.

Yeah, people with refined taste in music will turn their nose up at the Idol machine as it grinds out disposable stars like sausages. But, even if you are a music snob, there are reasons to love Idol.

Patty Griffin's longevity, for one.

Okay, I'll pretend that you don't know anything about American Idol (even though I know you do), and fill you in on the fact that one of the final competitors, Crystal Bowersox, sang Patty Griffin's song "Up To The Mountain" during the finale. And this song will be Bowersox's first single.

Millions of folks who have no idea who Patty Griffin is, will rush to iTunes and buy this song. And no, it probably won't turn them into music connoisseurs.

But because Patty is the songwriter, she gets a cut of every song that is sold. And she gets a cut based on how many times the Idol version gets played on the radio.

Tremedous artists like Patty Griffin may never get the same level of attention as a paint salesman from Chicago who wins Idol. But having her song recorded by an Idol, gets her a big paycheck, and that insures that Patty Griffin can afford to be the creative, non-mainstream artist that those with refined tastes can enjoy.

So hate on Idol if you want, but, for Patty Griffin, love it, too. I won't tell.







Solomon Burke, who recorded it for "Nashville" sings with Patty


And OMG! Susan Boyle did it too. So I guess Patty didn't need Idol, necessarily, because this is one of the best selling albums of the decade!

The Obligations “Family Saint”

This is for anyone out there whose Rock N Roll dreams got sidetracked by life’s obligations. Read through and support one of your brethren . . .

My brother-in-law James played in various bands, around New York and Boston in the early 90s. You might have seen Johnny One Note at Toad in Porter Square or some such other indie music venue around town. They even got a mention in Rolling Stone, as one of the best unsigned bands in the country.

But like so many people who want to make a living in the arts, reality crept in and cast its shadow. Marriage and mortgage and kids and commuting from the ‘burbs followed, for James, and for his musical compatriots Hugh and Rob.

And, for most folks, that would be that. The dream may never completely go away, but the means usually do.

A few years back, the guys started talking about making music together. And though they were separated by hundreds of miles---Rob now lives in Phoenix---modern technology gave them the means to do it.

For months, they traded CDs and files and lyrics and ideas and demos, between their 3 cities, their 3 computers. Rob brought in new friend Paula, to play bass. And they coordinated a couple of vacation weeks, to get together in the same room and play live.

They named themselves The Obligations, booked a few days studio time, and made a CD, which came out last summer.

No real expectations, just the joy of playing, and the satisfaction of accomplishment. The creative spirit is still alive.

They received some nice reviews, some podcast and radio specialty show play, and after a few months, thoughts turned to what they might do next.

Then two weeks ago, from out of the blue, something quite curious happened.

Rob started receiving messages from tour promoters, asking if they were looking for representation for a UK tour.

This was particularly improbable, as the band hadn’t played ANY live gigs. Their jobs and their geography kept that from being an option.

After a bit of digging, here’s what happened. Their song, “Family Saint” is climbing the charts of the “UK Top 40 Unsigned Bands.”

If they are voted into the Top Ten, a panel of judges will select a grand prize winner, who will get a free music video made for the song.

Maybe you wanted to write a novel, or train dolphins, or travel the world, or study to be a chef in Paris . . . or play in a Rock N Roll band. But obligations got in the way.

Live vicariously. Listen to the MP3, and if you like it, vote for The Obligations.

Robert Randolph "If I Had My Way"

I cast a critical eye on the new Robert Randolph record.

I had seen him open for Susan Tedeschi many years back, and was completely blown away by his abilities on the sacred steel. His incendiary live performance had but one weak spot that night---some pretty sketchy vocals by the band.

Studio recordings have a way of making a forgivable live weakness, a real obstacle toward success.

Their first major label record was a modest accomplishment. It certainly didn't fully capture what this band could do, but it did ring of promise. I had high hopes for the second record.

Maybe they were too high. Or maybe the record was exactly what I thought it was--a shattershot attempt to try to gloss over the weakness, with a gaggle of ringer talent brought on board to co-write songs, commercialize the production and draw attention with celebrity guest shots.

It may have had some commercial success, but I thought it was a complete mess.

So where were they gonna go from here?

Well, good thought to hire T Bone Burnett as a producer. I can't think of a man out there who can bring more authentic earth and roots to a commercially viable album.

But the first single arrived and I thought . . . a cover tune huh? Of an old gospel song? Okay, so no attempts to write songs that they could sing and be convincing on?

A friend of mine pointed out what a great idea it was to pull out this song as a cover in 2010---It was a great idea Patty Griffin did it this winter on her album "Downtown Church."

I listened to it and I liked it but I had all these negative, critical things to say about it.

And then I stopped being a critic. I stopped thinking about what it should be and what I wanted it to be and what it could someday be. And I enjoyed it.

Sometimes you've got to let the critic take a break, because otherwise, he sucks the fun out of listening to music.

Aerosmith “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”

What are they waiting for?

For weeks, oil has been gushing into the Gulf Of Mexico, from an underwater well, with no signs of stopping, wreaking untold havoc on the environment.

What are they waiting for?

Blame is passed between the corporations. The government seems lackadaisical in its response.

What are they waiting for?

It’s as if no one knows what to do, to stop this. As if there is no precedent for a crisis like this.

Doesn’t anyone remember 1998, when that asteroid was hurtling toward Earth, threatening to destroy us? America didn’t waste time on finger pointing or hand wringing.

No dammit, we sent Oil Rig workers into space with nuclear weapons.

Are you now telling me that we can’t change the space suits for scuba gear, and send some Roughnecks underwater, to nuke this damn thing?

Somebody take charge here. And, Hey, Aerosmith, would it kill you to write another anthem to Oil Rig Workers?

The Beatles "I'm So Tired"

Week Six.

The boy, despite being as good as you could ask a newborn to be, is taking his toll on the SS Finn Family.

The nights are cruel. We have barely slept an hour before he is awake and ready to eat.

Feed, change, rock, sleep.

And like a record hiccuping over a scratch, we are shaken out of the groove of sleep and back into feed, change, rock, sleep until the sun comes up.

That's why I always liked this song. It captures the boozy, woozy feel of wandering the darkened halls of the house at an hour you can't quite pinpoint.

And I find that my low functioning brain keeps retaining lyrics, endlessly repeating a single phrase stuck in there. Last week it was Ellis Paul's "Annalee." Two weeks ago it was "I Wanna Be Like You" from Jungle Book.

No surprise that, with the accumulating debt I owe my sleep bank, this Beatles track should be on the brain, endlessly repeating, like a warped, skipping record.

Tom Petty "I Should Have Known It"

Call it the "We're not old" single.

Have you noticed, that some of our favorite heritage artists, seem to want to prove that they can still kick ass?

Tom Petty has been making rock records for quite a long time, and he's got nothing to prove. But I suppose, if his new album led with a song with the tempo of "Free Fallin'" or "Wildflowers," some stupid reviewer would call him a middle-age folky.

To make sure that doesn't happen, the first single off his new record "Mojo" is the riff-heavy "I Should Have Known It," which sounds more Zeppelin than "Mary Jane's Last Dance."

Is the whole record going to be this heavy? Unlikely. Petty records tend to vary tempo and texture, so I'm betting this song is on the hard end of the spectrum.

Have you noticed this trend? Established, older, familiar artists, releasing the rockingest track on their new record, as a way to say "Don't call me soft."

Think "Supernatural Superserious," the first single off R.E.M.'s "Accelerate."

Think "Radio Nowhere," the first single off Bruce Springsteen's "Magic."

Think "Get On Your Boots," the first single off U2's "No Line On The Horizon."

None of these tracks are representative of the album they appear on. And none of them proved to be particularly durable---they didn't last on the charts as long as some of the later, better singles off those albums.

But they made a strong statement. Don't call it a comeback, indeed.

Jimmy Buffett "Fins To The Left"

You know, being thoughtful and creative isn't only for naming your band.

You can really screw yourself by being creative, but not fully thoughtful, when coming up with your email address.

When my girlfriend had become my fiancee about to be my wife, we started combining things, like bank accounts and bills and such. And just as we had our own shower curtains and knife blocks and copies of Jeff Buckley's "Grace," we had our own email addresses.

But while the extra copies of that other stuff could be sold in a yard sale, we decided to start fresh on the email front, and create a combined address.

We ran through various permutations of our combined names, but either it was already taken, or it was too weird or too hard to remember.

Then we struck on the idea of a play on my last name, "Finn." And we both like Jimmy Buffett, so, hey!

"Fins To The Left"!

Fun Buffett song, terrible email address.

It only took a couple of weeks to figure out that it's a pretty long email address to have to type and re-type.

And not much longer than that to figure out that a sentence, as an email address, is really hard to explain over the phone, to say, a customer service person. Particularly if they don't know the song. Or that MY Finn has to N's.

And it only took a little longer to realize that we were kind of stuck with the silly name, unless we wanted to change our online bank account, cable account, mortgage account, phone bill, and any number of multiple mailing lists we're on.

We are, and for the foreseeable future will be, Finns To The Left.

I know how The Goo Goo Dolls must feel.

Rolling Stones “Plundered My Soul”

It must be kinda like finding your almost-finished-but-not-quite-done book report from high school on “Catcher In The Rye,” and deciding to complete it. And then handing it in for the teacher to review.

“Exile On Main Street” is nearly 40 years old at this point. And I can understand the impulse to remaster and release it. The album has a famously murky sound, so, while you don’t want to change the sound of mix, at least you can get it up to speed with today’s technology.

But beyond that, The Stones had some leftover songs from the “Exile” sessions, that they thought would make good bonus material for the reissue. But they decided to add polish to the unreleased track “Plundered My Soul” by having Mick Jagger re-record his vocals, and bringing back Mick Taylor, who played on the original sessions, but has not been in the band for 35-plus years, to re-record his vocal and guitar parts.

Also on the track, from the original 1970s sessions, Bill Wyman, who hasn’t been in the band since the 1980s, and piano player Nicky Hopkins, who died 15 years ago.

Imagine being Mick, who wrote this “done wrong” song when he was in his late twenties, now singing the song from the perspective of someone who’s pushing 70! There’s got to be a world of difference, in his voice, in his intent, in his experience, with 40 years between version.

Still, it sounds like classic Stones.

The album is out today.




Jimmy Fallon had bands his show last week, covering "Exile" tracks.

Green Day “Rip This Joint”


Keith Urban “Tumbling Dice”


Phish “Lovin’ Cup”

LL Cool J “Mama Said Knock You Out”

While writing about the Bob Dylan cover version of this song, I was reminded of an LL Cool J version---not the original.

Sure, I liked the original. It had the right mix of LL punch and swagger.

But the version that really stands out to me as a seminal musical moment, is from an MTV Unplugged episode.

Rap music is so much a part of the culture now, it’s hard to imagine a time when it didn’t have wide main stream acceptance, or even the acceptance as a legitimate musical form from the musical establishment. But yeah, even in the late 80s/early 90s Rap was having to defend its credibility.

Among the not-entirely-baseless claims was that Rap was a studio confection, that could not be reproduced in a live setting.

At the time, if you saw a Rap act in concert, you probably saw the MC onstage, maybe a DJ in the background, and the music was provided by a backing track. Flat and flaccid.

MTV was having a pretty successful run with its Unplugged format, and while there was no one Rap performer who could carry a full episode, they at least insured a curiosity factor, filling an episode with a couple songs each by De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, MC Lyte and LL Cool J, backed by a live instrument House Band.

The thing about concerts on TV is that they can only do so much to transcend the medium. With rare exception, the power of being in the room with a live act, is completely squeezed out when wrung through a TV’s tiny speakers and screen.

With rare exception.

I don’t know that the YouTube clip is going to do it justice either, but I remember watching on my TV as LL took the stage on this episode (which had the unfortunate title “Yo! Unplugged Rap”). The camera shows enough of the audience to really get the sense that the power of his performance was winning the crowd over, second by second, until the song’s frenzied conclusion, in the same manner it was winning me over at home.

It was an impressive performance, and I think it went a long way to legitimize the form for non-believers, as well as pave the way for the acceptance of live instrumentation in Rap, from bands like The Roots and The Beastie Boys, among others.