Song of the Day: “I’m Henry VIII, I Am” by Herman’s Hermits

Novelty, parody, and sketch songs have never been a major interest of mine. And most of my reviews would sound the same. So this week, instead of writing about the song, I’m going to pick one of its intriguing quirks or a related topic to spotlight. Quirk: “Second verse, same as the first!” Back in 2014, Colton, Brian, and I ranked…

Song of the Day: “The Boys of Summer” by The Ataris

This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. I’ve long believed that someone’s preferred version of a song will almost always be the first one they hear. It’s not a matter of which one truly came first, just which one came first to that listener. Such it is with “The Boys…

Song of the Day: “I Can Be Your Friend” by The O.C. Supertones

This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. My wife and I often talk about cultural institutions from our childhood and how they define our generation. The obvious one is Harry Potter, but it’s far from the only one. Disney‘s Renaissance; news coverage of 9/11; Max Martin‘s Britney/Backstreet Boys breakthrough. While not at…

Song of the Day: “Mad World” by Gary Jules

This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. Gary Jules is not the first person to discover that stripping down a song’s production can give it new interpretive layers. But his rendition of Tears For Fears’ “Mad World” stands out as a particularly excellent example of the practice. The original, though a…

Song of the Day: “The Loco-Motion” by Grand Funk Railroad

This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. “Locomotion” is one of only a handful of songs to reach #1 Billboard by two different artists, and, to my knowledge, the only one to hit the top 5 by three different artists across three different decades (’60s, ’70s, ’80s). It’s especially peculiar that…

Song of the Day: “Game of Thrones Theme” by Swamp Donkeys

This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. Game of Thrones has become such a massive sensation that you can name-drop “Daenerys” or “Tyrion” or “Jon Snow” in casual conversation and assume people will know what you’re talking about. It’s one of this generation’s great zeitgeists. The show’s fantastic theme song…

Song of the Day: “Time” by Pink Floyd

Today marks 45 years since Dark Side of the Moon debuted. Nearly half a century later, it remains one of rock’s touchstones. Though its structure is fluid, its best moment is a distinct song: “Time.” It’s one of the only Pink Floyd songs I love without reservation; a masterpiece with a stunningly crafted soundscape. The accompanying words are depressing…