The Rules: I reset the play counters for all the songs currently on my iTunes. Then at the end of every week, I check to see what the top five most played songs are. Whatever happens to be in this top five are then presented in order here from most played to least. If I have posted a particular song in the past, then I will bypass that song and post the next in line. If one artist dominates the list, then I will write about that artist in lieu of a Top Five list.
Looking at this list, I guess it was a pretty upbeat week for Ol’ Swap. Nothing too depressing on this list… veeeeeddy interesting.
I first discovered Rage Against the Machine when I heard them cover Bruce Springsteen‘s song “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” I remember seeing the video of this cover and saying to myself, “Self, THAT is awesome!!!!!” Rage blends hard grooves, metal, rap, hip-hop, and massively political lyrics… most of which I don’t understand. In 1997, Rage opened for U2 and donated all their profits to support various social organizations.
Like I said, I have no idea what they’re saying in their lyrics, but with grooves and riffs THIS bad-ass, who cares????
Rage Against the Machine formed in Los Angeles, CA. In 1991. They had a very successful nine-year run and then disbanded in 2000. The lead singer, Zack de la Rocha, went on to a solo career and the rest of the band joined with Chris Cornell (formerly of Soundgarden) to form Audioslave.
In 2007, Rage reunited for a show at the Coachella Festival and have continued to perform together.
Their Evil Empire album contains some of the heaviest, head-bangin’ music that makes my mom scream out “AIYA!!!!! Why so loud? All this is bang bang and noise! Why you no listen to Air Supply anymore?”
Uhhh… yeah, I used to listen to Air Supply. Please don’t beat me up.
Anyhow, I guess I was in a head-bangin’ mood this week because their song “Bulls on Parade” is the most played song of the week. Incidentally, this is the 2007 Coachella performance. Nice.
If you’ve never experienced Rage music, make sure you turn the volume up to eleven and put your face as close to the speakers as possible.
Your Dig-It Download:
Download: Bulls on Parade (live @ Coachella, 2007)
Buy Rage Against the Machine on Amazon
Buy Rage Against The Machine on iTunes
Roland Orzabal, a co-founder of the hugely successful 80′s band Tears for Fears, released a solo record in 2001 called Tomcats Screaming Outside. This album had the unfortunate release date of September 11, 2001 which, as many of you know, was the date of the worst terrorist attack on US soil in the history of this great nation.
I’m sure most of you are familiar with Orzabal’s work with Tears For Fears. He was the main songwriter and vocalist, penning such classic 80′s songs as “Shout,” “Everybody Wants To Rule the World,” and “Mad World.” He has such a distinctive voice and the first word that comes to my mind when I think of his writing style is “HUGE.”
Take a listen to a track off his Tomcats album called “Dandelion.” It frikkin’ ROCKS and continues on with this head-bangin’ theme I’ve got going so far.
Orzabal has since reunited with the other half of Tears For Fears, Curt Smith, to record more Tears albums… in 2005 they released Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, reaching the top 50 on both sides of the Atlantic. For a short while, all was well with the world.
Your Dig-It Download:
Download: Dandelion
Buy Roland Orzabal on Amazon
Buy Roland Orzabal on iTunes
I remember the first time I heard John Hiatt‘s music. My dad had FINALLY installed cable TV for the house and was hooking it up… some music show came on and there sat Hiatt at a piano, playing one of his more popular songs, “Have A Little Faith In Me.” I sat there watching it, totally digging the music. When my dad changed the channel to test out the cable, I freaked out and told him to turn it back to the concert.
Well, he didn’t know what channel it was on and we spent the next fifteen minutes trying to find it… which we never did.
It wasn’t until years later that I found out just how amazing a songwriter he is. Hiatt’s songs have been covered by numerous artists including Bob Dylan, Jewel, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King and Linda Ronstadt. He’s been nominated for eleven Grammys. Wow.
His style is a blend of rock, blues, country and folk. He’s got some eighteen albums to his name. I highly recommend Bring the Family… that album contains the song I mentioned “Have A Little Faith In Me.” GREAT album.
I found a live acoustic version of his song “Cry Love” in my iTunes and couldn’t stop playing it for a while, thus landing it in the number 3 slot this week. “Cry Love” is the opening track to his 1995 release, Walk On. The mandolin hits me in all the right places every time I hear this upbeat song, and I hope you feel it, too.
The first few seconds of this performance are priceless. Once the opening chords are strummed, you can hear someone in the audience yell out in approval… then you hear Hiatt’s laughter returning the favor. It’s moments like these that make bootlegs so enjoyable.
Your Dig-It Download:
Download: Cry Love (live acoustic)
Buy John Hiatt on Amazon
Buy John Hiatt on iTunes
Indigo girls are awesome, and if you don’t know who they are, then you should.
They’ve been around since 1985 and continue to make wonderful records, their latest being Despite Our Differences. Insanely catchy songs, beautiful vocals, harmonies up the wazoo… they’ve been a huge influence on me as a songwriter and if I had the chance to, I would totally buy them a beer.
I came across this live performance of “Southland in the Springtime” and it reminded me just how much I love their music. This song is from their second major label release, Nomads, Indians, Saints.
I guess I miss the South because the play count for this song was up to fifteen.
Your Dig-It Download:
Download: Southland in the Springtime (live)
Buy Indigo girls on Amazon
Buy Indigo Girls on iTunes
There are times when I prefer Ryan Adams‘ live bootlegs to the album versions. I’m not sure why, because the whole theory behind an album release is that THOSE versions are the “definitive” of any particular song. I’m not 100% sure I agree with that, though, because bands tend to change the songs as time goes by.
Here’s a live performance of a song off his first offering with his band, The Cardinals. The double-album Cold Roses felt like a return back to form for Adams, but was diverse enough to allow him the liberty to develop a band sound, not just a “Ryan Adams” sound. “Let It Ride” is one of my favorite songs from that album… this was recorded in on the World Cafe program in 2007.
I played it just enough times for it to beat out “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode.
Your Dig-It Download:
Download: Let It Ride (live on the World Cafe, June 15, 2007)
Buy Ryan Adams on Amazon
Buy Ryan Adams on iTunes
Maybe next week will be more of a downer for me. Probably so, because finals are coming up. Crap.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Don’t you wish your Mama named you “Roland Orzabel”? I guess it would work you being a keyboard player and all but still sounds like a name where you’d get beat up alot!
Tears for Fears, good stuff!!
I do like that jangly groove/guitar on “Cry Love”, I use to get John Hiatt with John Waite (Baby’s, Damn Yankees). Yep, I’ll be listening to this one a few times!!
Can you write a freakin’ blog without mentioning Ryan Adams? :)
I love Dandelion!!! And guess what? I just checked, and it’s #11 on the Top 25 Most Played Songs From MY iTunes. Yep, I love love love that song.
I also gravitate towards live recordings, rather than studio versions of some artists. It doesn’t happen so much with shows/artists any more, but live recordings from the 70s are wonderful because bands like The Dead had a catalog of over 100 songs they pulled from for shows. So you never knew what gem might pop up that hadn’t been heard in a year or something….and no song was ever played the same, even performed back-to-back shows. *sigh*
That possibility of something great, something that was a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing happening was the reason to go to shows, nowadays, artists create a set list and play it at every show. They don’t even try and mix up the order of the songs a lot of times. It’s sad to think about…..
Oh, I know! I’ll go listen to Dandelion, that will pep me right up!! ;-)
Comment by CindyG
2008-12-05 06:27:50
Can you write a freakin’ blog without mentioning Ryan Adams? :)
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Pay no attenetion to that crazy woman! ;-) (Kidding Cindy!!)
I’m actually waiting for you to declare it Ryan Adams Day on The Frontloader and post blog entries about him in each of the areas on the same day. It would be the Best! Day! Ever!
I think I left a word out, it almost reads, “I use to get with John Hiatt and John Waite”, now that would be a story to tell!!
I think I meant to say, “John Hiatt confused with John Waite” why was up and typing on the WWW at 6:30 a.m. anyway?
I’m sure he’ll run right off with this idea, and it will probably turn into an annual event…… get as big as like Bonnaroo…. and it will be my fault cause I jabbed one to many times about Ryan Adam, geez……
And Ryan Adams will play the event….. and I’ll be there and I’ll yell, “Play Summer of ’69, and he’ll have me evicted!
Yes, that song is AMAZING. I honestly have not picked up the latest TFF album (TFF is SO close to BFF)… I wonder if it rocks as much as Dandelion!
LOL! Who’s Ryan Adams? ;-P
I just spit Butterfinger (what? I’m having an after-lunch snack, you gotta problem with that?) all over my desk reading that. “I’ll yell, “Play Summer of ‘69, and he’ll have me evicted!” *snort* I lvoe it!
Whatever! I’d type more but it’s rough with my eyes rolled to the back of my head!
ah, you speak of Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana? yep, that is his birth name. His dad is of Basque descent (the “…zabal” tipped me off). Actually his name was originally Raoul, but as they were living in Britain (English mom), at age 2 weeks it got changed to Roland.
The end.
I didn’t know Cliff Claven posted here! :P
I don’t even know where the hell Basque is…… I know, I’ve evil today!!
I like this week’s list :) Dandelion is awesome! So is Rage! And of course Ryan Adams. I’m gonna second the motion for a Ryan Adams Day on TheFrontloader. lol.
I’m another one who often prefers live recordings to album cuts. Live recordings are just more ‘real’ to me. No do-overs or 19 takes (poor Elvis) trying to get everything perfect. It is what it is. And I like that. I also LOVE to hear the crowd signing along with the songs…especially when the performer stops singing completely and just lets the crowd take over. SO COOL.
Basque Country. Pais Vasco. Euskal Herria. Think NNE region of Spain (except it’s not Spain according to the “euskalduntasuna” – Basque residents – they consider the region to be its own country).
And tell us ALL how you used to get with John and John. Now THAT’S interesting reading.
I love Bulls on Parade!!! I prefer the CD version. But I love this one too. My kids love this song too. WE play it on Guitar Hero all the time!!
So you’re a Guitar Hero master now? Sweet! I love how that game has spread music around…
LOL no ‘do overs.” I would love to see that happen in a concert… after a song, the singer says “Do over!” and they play it better than before. Would be cool.
Veddy interesting! I like Roland, actually.
YAY!! Do you know how hard it is to find anything written about Roland Orzabal (who, btw, is on my “Who I’d like to meet” list) and/or Tears For Fears anymore…both he and Curt Smith are brilliant, in my opinion. If I had to suggest an album for anyone who’s not familiar with TFF, it would be “The Hurting” followed by “Songs from the Big Chair” (which I think is one of the coolest album titles and do you know where the name came from??) if only for the song “Mother’s Talk”. The cool thing about them is how similar the quality of their voices are, too. Thanks for this song, it really DOES rock! (Roland, I’m so proud!!)
YAY #2!! For John Hiatt!! I have a friend who patiently accepted me sending her all kinds of John Hiatt songs one night when I was on a JH binge….another brilliant songwriter and one of the most entertaining concerts I’ve ever been to.
YAY #3!! For Indigo Girls!! Those chicks can write a song, man…and they have mastered the art of painting a picture with their music.
YAY #4!! For Ryan Adams!! I do believe hearing him live really captures him as an artist so much more than on record.
Rage…well, not a huge fan here, but I’m familiar with some of their stuff cuz my kids like them. But I do have an open mind, and NO, I’m not doing drugs.
This is an AWESOME top 5, I would give you an award if there was one.
I am a very big fan of AIR SUPPLY, thank you very much. Who can top their soaring ballads, soaked thru with such raw emotion? Swap, you know within yourself that you must return to these much-loved songs of your youth….even if it is done in secret…..
Had that kind of happen at a live studio session with Helmet. They opened with Unsung, ran through a 4 song set, and then did Unsung again….because “we’re warmed up now”
I thought the opening version was good….but man, they SMOKED it on the second time through!