Song of the Day, May 26: No Blue Skies by Lloyd Cole

Today’s song is a throwaway moment that resulted in a gem. After three solid albums with the Commotions, Lloyd Cole broke up the band and moved to New York. After settling in to his new environs and meeting a number of sympathetic musicians — including guitarist Robert Quine — he recorded his first solo album. His label, Polydor, insisted that the disc as delivered lacked a single, so he quickly put together one last song.

Cole says that he wrote the song in “about fifteen minutes” and that Quine came up with a distinctive guitar line as soon as he heard the song. Even the vocal came quickly; the final version of the song features the first vocal Cole laid down, intended as a scratch vocal. He had planned to write a third verse, but his collaborators convinced him that he’d nailed the vocal and the song was perfect as is. They were right.

In many ways a classic Cole track, it features his wry wit, leavening his somewhat dark stories. “You want to leave me, baby, be my guest. All I’m gonna do is cry.” opens the song. It has a slightly country feel, expanding his musical palette and fitting well with the theme of abandonment. Then he skewers his former love in a perfect Cole chorus.

Baby you’re too well read
Baby you’re too well spoken
Baby you’re too pristine
When I cry, do you feel anything?

While the quick effort may not have given Polydor the chart smash they were hoping for, it did result in one of Cole’s most aching, memorable songs.

Enjoy this beautiful song today.

Song of the Day, May 5: Love Resurrection by Alison Moyet

Today’s song launched a brilliant solo career from the ashes of a pioneering duo. After two albums of top-notch synth-pop as Yazoo, Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke went their separate ways. Moyet signed to CBS, who hooked her up with hot production team Jolley and Swain. The three got on well, writing several songs together for the singer’s solo debut, Alf. They worked fast: the producers had agreed to fit her into their hectic schedule.

One of their collaborations became Alf‘s first single and a UK Top Ten hit. Love Resurrection is a big, bold song of romance. After her potent but more restrained work in the duo, Moyet enjoyed the chance to belt out a tune with a full band. Lusty and celebratory, the song evokes the healing power of love. It’s a fine moment that stands out in a strong career.

Enjoy this fun song today.

Song of the Day, May 1: Amelia by Joni Mitchell

Today’s song is a remarkable journey. Joni Mitchell’s 1976 album Hejira is a high point in her catalog and one of her most personal recordings. The songs were mostly written during a car trip from Maine to Los Angeles, reflecting the physical and emotional journeys of the time. The standout — and one of her finest moments — is Amelia.

The song, like the album, has at least two origins: a drive through the desert and Mitchell’s breakup with drummer John Guerin. Pondering her personal travels caused Mitchell to think of aviator Amelia Earhart. She wound up “addressing it from one solo pilot to another… sort of reflecting on the cost of being a woman and having something you must do.”

The result is spectacular, featuring some of her finest imagery. Spare and lean, it relies on her acoustic guitar, a wonderful electric lead guitar from Larry Carlton, and subtle vibes from Victor Feldman. The lyrics loop like the long journey, with each section ending “Amelia, it was just a false alarm.” Mitchell even works in some sly references to her own work — including the songs Woodstock, Cactus Tree, and Both Sides Now — another wonderful reference to her own journeys.

Enjoy this enchanting song today.

BONUS: Amelia is one of Mitchell’s personal favorites and featured in many of her live shows. This wonderful performance shows of its spare power nicely.

Song of the Day, April 28: Hurts by Emeli Sandé

Today’s song is a remarkable acknowledgment of pain. Emeli Sandé’s second album, Long Live the Angels, is a triumph of musical diversity and passion. The songs are informed by her struggles with sudden fame and the impact it had on her personal and romantic life.

Hurts is one of the most straightforward songs, a gospel-inspired tour-de-force that proclaims itself from the opening line. “You know my heart’s not made of stone, it hurts,” Sandé declares. That bare honesty carries through the whirlwind of song. Urgent handclaps and soaring strings make the aching track one of the most danceable on the album. The result is heartfelt and cathartic.

Enjoy this amazing performance today.

Song of the Day, April 24: One Day Like This by Elbow

Today’s song is the epic peak of a magnificent album. Elbow showed off all their musical styles and influences on their fourth disc, The Seldom Seen Kid. A tight, versatile band with smart lyrics, they explore their prog/art roots, love of solid pop, emphasis on dynamic range and variety, and clever sequencing.

One Day Like This finds singer Guy Garvey startled to find himself waxing optimistic. Life may be challenging, but somehow love has given him hope and strength.

What made me behave that way?
Using words I never say
I can only think it must be love
Oh, anyway, it’s looking like a beautiful day.

Gorgeous strings, aching keyboards, and a barely restrained rhythm section propel Garvey along through his pleasantly gobsmacked wonderings. Then he intones “Throw those curtains wide!”, letting in the sun and making the most of this startling feeling. That section repeats for a long fade with a powerful choir and a fun guitar figure that would be right at home on a Queen epic. It’s a delightful package.

Enjoy this amazing song today.

Song of the Day, April 21: You Can Close Your Eyes by Linda Ronstadt

Today’s song is a multifaceted musical collaboration. James Taylor wrote You Can Close Your Eyes in 1970. He calls it a “secular hymn”, a touching meditation on loss and separation. The track appeared on his 1971 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon and as the b-side of his #1 hit You’ve Got A Friend (written by Carole King). He has acknowledged that he wrote the song about his short, tumultuous affair with Joni Mitchell. The references to singing and sight are natural and poignant.

Linda Ronstadt included a cover of the song as the closing track of her finest album, Heart Like A Wheel. It’s a smart choice, and she makes the track her own. With a bittersweet delivery, she offers a sad farewell as she wraps up the disc. It’s a fine recording, nicely produced by Peter Asher and Andrew Gold, and a standout in her substantial catalog.

Enjoy this lovely song today.

BONUS: Enjoy this stirring version recorded by Taylor and Mitchell for the BBC.

Song of the Day, April 17: Congratulations by Jeffrey Osborne

Today’s song is a powerful song of resignation. Jeffrey Osborne’s eponymous solo debut is a smart mix of tracks. Producer George Duke understood the array of talents the singer had to offer and assembled a mix of ballads, uptempo story songs, and funky tunes. Osborne co-wrote a number of the tracks, including the album closer, Congratulations. Written with Jeffrey Kerr, it’s one of his best songs.

Duke makes the most of stellar talent he collected, crafting a lush backdrop for the song. Osborne sings to a former lover, a woman whom he has just learned is about to be married. It’s a simple conceit, and the song could be trite or overblown in less capable hands. Instead, the production is just restrained enough, and Osborne’s delivery is aching and heartfelt. When he intones “life goes on I guess,” the emotion is real and palpable.

Enjoy this sad song today.

Album of the Week, April 16: Voyeur by Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes took her time building her star status. The daughter of an attorney and a hospital administrator, she is that rare pop musician who grew up in a non-musical household. She always knew she wanted to be a singer and songwriter, however, and found other connections, like her childhood neighbor and lifelong friend, multi-instrumentalist David Lindley. In her early 20s she spent some time in the New Christy Minstrels where she met her husband, Dave Ellingson, and another musical pal, Kenny Rogers. After a stint writing for others and recording demos, she started recording her own albums. Her breakthrough came in 1980, when Rogers had Carnes and Ellingson write the songs for his concept album Gideon — including the #4 pop hit Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer, a Rogers/Carnes duet. She followed that with a Top 10 remake of Smokey Robinson’s More Love from her fifth album, a more dance-oriented track than her previous folky pop. As she assembled the material for her next disc, Mistaken Identity, she decided to cover a couple of songs written by Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss. One of those, Bette Davis Eyes, became a monster hit, spending nine weeks at #1 in a long chart run and becoming the second-biggest song of the 80s. Putting together the follow-up was a daunting task, but Carnes, Ellingson, and producer Val Garay managed to craft the finest album of her long career.

Title	Voyeur
Act	Kim Carnes
Label	EMI	Release Date	September 1982
Producer	Val Garay
U.S. Chart	#49	U.K. Chart	n/c
Tracks [U.S. Hot 100]	Voyeur [#29] Looker Say You Don’t Know Me Does It Make You Remember? [#36] Breaking Away From Sanity Undertow Merc Man The Arrangement Thrill of the Grill Take It On the Chin

The 10 songs on Voyeur look at obsession and disappointment from a variety of angles, tied together with a smart, dark pop-dance style. The title track should have been a worthy chart successor to Bette Davis Eyes. Brooding and energetic at once, it alternates descriptions of the viewer and the viewee in a complicated relationship with no real contact. It’s a wonderful look at alienation and desire — and you can dance to it. Looker picks up the theme of beauty as an end in itself as well as the price that comes with it. The tracks make a smart pair and a strong start.

Say You Don’t Know Me is a creepy song of isolation and separation, a noirish tale with grim musical effects. Carnes smartly pivots to a different kind of separation with Does It Make You Remember?, an exploration of nostalgia and sorrow. It shows off her ability to deliver a heartfelt ballad while retaining the musical flavor of the album. Breaking Away From Sanity wraps up side one nicely, wistfully exploring the themes of the disc with fragile fatalism.

Undertow opens side two with swirling menace and a sinuous groove. Carnes and company then take a humorous turn with the swaggering tale of the Merc Man, an ordinary fellow given confidence by his powerful car. Things get darker again with The Arrangement, the story of a marriage whose foundations have long crumbled but whose habits linger on. It’s a smart bit of sequencing, the jarring nature of which is well suited to the album. Thrill of the Grill is another fun moment, an almost throwaway song about grabbing happiness — however fleeting — where you can find it. Carnes closes the album with one of its strongest moments, the sly kiss-off of Take It On the Chin. With its teasing vocal and light instrumentation, it almost sounds inviting, until it’s clear that the singer is quite done with her paramour.

Mistaken Identity was a hard commercial act to follow, with four weeks at #1 (largely thanks to the monster single), and Voyeur didn’t come close to that level, despite a couple of solid Top 40 hits. It’s a more satisfying listen, however, and benefits from more original compositions, solid sequencing, and a clear musical and thematic tone. In her long, quirky career, Kim Carnes has offered up many musical delights. This album is the highlight.

FURTHER LISTENING: Carnes’ first four albums are all decent folky pop with a few standout songs. Romance Dance — featuring More Love — is far more interesting but much less consistent. The same could be said of Mistaken Identity, which benefits from one magnificent song but is otherwise spotty. After Voyeur, Carnes released two solid albums — Café Racers and Barking At Airplanes — that rival her best disc for consistency but lack similar strongest moments. Since then she’s recorded sporadically, continuing to turn out interesting discs. The compilation Gypsy Honeymoon includes most of her hits but largely overlooks Voyeur, making the pair a solid way to enjoy her career.

Song of the Day, April 14: Detox Mansion by Warren Zevon

Today’s song finds a master storyteller making the most of his own life experience. Warren Zevon recorded only sporadically for much of his career, frequently derailed by substance abuse and stretches in rehab. After 1982’s solid offering, The Envoy, he disappeared for five years. When he returned, he did so with a vengeance. He hooked up with 3/4 of R.E.M. — guitarist Peter Buck, drummer Bill Berry, and bassist Mike Mills — and put together one of his best albums. Sentimental Hygiene is full of wonderful moments, but the best may be a jab at the artist himself.

Detox Mansion is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the 80s frenzy of stars in rehab. Zevon opens with the wonderful, “Well I’m gone to Detox Mansion, way down on Last Breath Farm. I’ve been rakin’ leaves with Liza; me and Liz clean up the yard.” The R.E.M. boys join in the fun, providing a surging energy for Zevon’s dark but funny observations. It’s a great package, and a highlight of a long career. Bonus points to long-time Zevon collaborator (and maxi-instrumentalist) David Lindley, whose lap steel work is stunning.

Zevon has touched on his troubles on other tracks as well. On The Envoy, he sang about the compelling need to feel anything. Ain’t That Pretty At All finds him pondering throwing himself against the wall — literally — because “I’d rather feel bad than not feel anything at all.” Grim but witty, it’s a darker take on similar themes.

Enjoy the exploration of Detox Mansion and a look at things that Ain’t That Pretty At All today.

Song of the Day, April 10: All I Know by Art Garfunkel

Today’s song is a majestic tribute to love. When Simon and Garfunkel went their separate ways, Art Garfunkel took a little time to craft his solo debut. Angel Clare, produced by Garfunkel with long-time S&G partner Roy Halee, is a smart collection of songs that shows off the singer’s strong, flexible voice.

The highlight is the Jimmy Webb song All I Know, also Garfunkel’s first (and most successful) solo single. Soaring and anthemic, it looks at the transitory nature of life and relationships. In the face of this, the singer asserts, simply, “I love you, and that’s all I know.” It’s a smart construction, moving in its structure and delivery. After a full build with strings and horns, it drops so a simple piano line, emphasizing the need to focus on the basic truths in our lives. It’s a masterpiece of writing, singing, and production.

Enjoy this beautiful song today.