March: Decades of Music

Image from the video of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean

We've got our monthly selection of music again, right under the wire. I always hate running late on this enjoyable feature. It seems stupid celebrating the sounds of one month in another.

Over the decades, the month of March has been full of good and interesting music. In fact, it was a bit hard winnowing my selections down to just nine songs. Some fun music was left to the side. So, we'll have to pass up on Snow's "Informer" from '93 and Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" from '98. Maybe we'll listen to them next time, in five years or so. ;-)

Another funny point about this month's post is that it would have been very easy to make it totally focused on Dance music. The whole reason why I changed the post titles, in January, from "Monthly Dance Party" was because it was too tough to put together a broadly enjoyable collection while just focusing on that genre. Well, it's all for the better; I can now honestly choose whatever sounds and videos catch my enthusiasm.

Interior art from Evanescence's album Fallen

Well, that's enough blather. Let's get to the music!!!

February: Decades of Music

Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" was one of the hits of February, 1998.

It's that time again, when we take a stroll back through the years and listen to various hits from over the decades. This month, our selection is eclectic, ranging from instrumental to hip hop, but it's predominantly mainstream. I didn't go looking for off-the-beaten-path songs. Diverse though they may be, these were all chart toppers.

For all the criticism that can be lobbed at popular musical tastes, it's kind of nice seeing how different styles and sounds gain prominence over the decades. Any list that includes such varied music as from the likes of the Bee Gees and Queens of the Stone Age, Toto and Alicia Keys, is a list that can be appreciated. These songs capture the quirkiness and trends of their day.

Alicia Keys' "Like You'll Never See Me Again" made its mark in 2008

Well, let's listen to some music.

Dance Party: August

Meg White as a Mexican prostitute in The White Stripes' video for "Icky Thump"


It's time for our monthly celebration of music. I know that many of my recent posts have been heavy on the tunes, but, whereas those other posts focus on a theme, the "Dance Party" is chronologically arranged. From 1967 to 2007, we've got some fine and fun songs to bring back memories from these bygone years.

It's a fine way to end a summer day, sharing music, like bringing gifts from far away. ;-)

And it's better than standing in line to see the show tonight. . .



Image from The Beatles' Yellow Submarine


Doesn't take much to make me happy. :-)

So, let's listen to some music.

Fountain in a Heat Wave

H. Clay Kellogg Memorial Fountain at the Rose Garden, South Coast Botanic

Ugh!!! It's brain-meltingly hot and humid today. Living down in the South Bay of Los Angeles, the marine layer from the Pacific Ocean is supposed to keep the temperature mellow. Well, that's true; it is significantly cooler than the rest of the city, but being less miserable than the poor folks out in the Valley is little consolation.

Looking at this fountain, I just want to plunge into the cool, clear water.

Splash!!! ;-)

Conveying Similarities of Sound

Public Telephone, with LJ reflected upon the mirrored surface

Recently, while talking with a friend, I came across a public telephone. My friend expressed her surprise at finding such a technological relic. I disagreed with her.

Public telephones are not as common as they once were, but it isn't that tough to come across one in the course of a normal day. The easiest places to find them are at government or civic institutions, such as libraries or museums.

Since that discussion, I've been very aware of payphones. It's almost become a "treasure hunt" activity. ;-)

And they bring back memories of my youth. . .

Dance Party: July

Detail from Ultra Nate's "Free" EP (1997)

Comin' in just under the wire. ;-)

Well, we've got a goofy mix of music this time around, but lots to enjoy, admire, and appreciate for beauty, playfulness, or originality. The nine songs in tonight's post are all certainly evocative of the era in which they came to prominence. Yeah, there's a bit o' cheesiness that can't be denied, but, over the years, popular trends go from cool to kooky, poised to playful. And a whole lot of loneliness. . .

From tear-jerkers to trance, big hair to big butts, disco to emo, tonight we'll play out the month with an eclectic mix.

Cover detail from Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" (1992)

Let's listen to some music!

Dance Party: March

Cover image from Vanessa Williams' "Save the Best for Last" (1992)

It's time for our monthly celebration!

This time around is a whiplash of styles, but I love them all, for different reasons both aesthetically and personally. Whether you want to be "There beneath the blue suburban skies" or "Feel the sun on your face and tell me what you're thinking" or feel that the "Night is young and the music's high. With a bit of rock music, everything is fine", there's something for all types tonight. ;-)

And we love variety!

Image from Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" concert film (2006)

So let's listen to some music!

Dance Party: February

Cover image for Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" (1992)


It's that time again.

This month's selection is filled with memorable songs, love 'em or hate 'em, tunes that set the sound for their era. From the Trammps' "Disco Inferno" to the Spice Girls' "Wannabe", these songs became pop culture icons.

To be honest, I wasn't fond of many of these songs back in the day, but time has given them the warm glow of nostalgia. ;-)

Image for the J. Geils Band's "Centerfold" single (1982)

Let's listen to some music!!!

Dance Party: January

Image from Incubus' video for "Anna Molly"

It's been a while since we last celebrated with a selection of songs from over the last four decades. Well, we're starting the year off strong with lots of fun music. ;-)

I've pushed back the start date of our tour of yesterday's songs to 1967. In terms of popular music, that's where my familiarity starts to kick in. Yeah, that's definitely before my time, but I know this music fairly well because it was where my parent's album collection more or less started.

For me, the music of the '70s have realtime memories associated with them, albeit distant and dim, but the music of the late '60s don't have a strong connection, in my mind, between song and society. Nevertheless, I figured it would be fun to expand the range of our monthly festivity.

Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" became a Disco classic.

Let's get this party started!!!

November Dance Party!!!

Cover image from Donna Summer's Four Seasons of Love (1976)


Once again, we enter the final stretch of the month with a celebration of popular music from over the past four decades. And there are a bunch of interesting songs that we could feature tonight. Sometimes, these monthly posts are tough to put together, because of the poor quality of the selection, but tonight it was tough because there was so much from which to choose.

And that's a good thing. Family obligations and poor health have kept me from maintaining a steady stream of posts over the past week. Nevertheless, I've been having a good time. :-)

Cover image from My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade (2006)


Let's listen to some music.