“The Hellion/Electric Eye” by Judas Priest (1982)

It was pointed out to me, correctly, that I don’t have enough hard rock on my blog.

Heavy Metal. Hard rock. “Cock” rock. Speed metal. Norwegian death metal. How the hell do I recommend this shite to my daughter?

Let’s start by acknowledging how much this music meant to me. Yeah, it’s aggressive, and masculine, and oriented almost entirely toward the Y chromosome. Yeah, it might work up some frat boys into a scary lather (and watch out for that!).

But it shook things up, turned things upside down, got your heart racing. And it pissed off your parents!

“The Hellion/Electric Eye” is the opening track to Judas Priest’s album, “Screaming for Vengeance.” It was released (and bought by your old man as a high school junior) in 1982. That cassette was never far from the the stereo in my VW Bug. It was my travellin’ music, a tonic, in a sense. And a part of who I am now.

Okay, follow me on this: I don’t trust the government to do the right thing with its power. Not without serious input and oversight from its citizens.

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Thomas Jefferson said that. But he meant citizens’ vigilance. Not the government’s.

In a rock and roll way, this Priest track really prepared me to recognize this danger.

“You think you’ve private lives
Think nothing of the kind
There is no true escape
I’m watching all the time”

“Beautiful Day” by U2 (2000)

It’s been about a month since my last post. I’ve been busy with a major career change, a pretty spectacular (but stressful) tremor, but I’m so sorry I’ve stopped talking to you here for so long. I’m hoping this new job will add years to my life, so maybe it’s a net gain overall.

I couldn’t possibly tell you how awesome I think U2 is in one day, let alone one brief internet fart. Maybe over time, as you grow older, I can share their music with you, and you can make up your own mind.

But in case that doesn’t happen, just know that I think U2 rocks. And they speak the truth. And I believe that they will be the first band to “win” the Nobel Peace Prize.

I’ve decided I’m going to focus on the positive for a while. For a change.

So here we go: I love the joy and the power of this track. The magnificent hope of a bright future for all of us. ALL OF US. This is an ideal that many of us (including your daddy) are willing to fight for.

It’s absolutely irresistible.

(Thanks to LazloLozlaenQro for the upload. Damn U2’s corporate suits for making their music so fucking difficult to share with the people!)

And don’t swear in public!

“I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash (1972)

If I were forced—say, at gunpoint—to name my top ten favorite songs of all time, this might be one of them. I absolutely adore the sound, the nimble reggae beat, and the Atlantic Records-esque soul vibe. But most of all, I dig the pure, unadulterated joy of this track. If this song doesn’t make you happy—at least for a moment—it’s time to see a professional.

Every once in a while you have some good fortune. Maybe it comes after a long period of drudgery, or regret, or poor health. Sometimes you get some great news that turns everything around. Or maybe it’s more subtle: one morning, you wake up and you feel a little bit better. And you want to celebrate.

It’s time for this track by Mr. Nash.

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright, bright
Sunshiny day!

(Thanks MicroNik95 for the YouTube upload with the great pics)

“Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers (1971)

Bill Withers was working in a factory when he wrote this song, and it catapulted him into a new and illustrious career in music. Lucky for us.

I remember hearing this song at a very young age. It’s one of those songs that just invades you and stays with you. Which is good, because you can use it to help you when you’re missing someone, something which, unfortunately, happens much too often in life.

Some people have comfort foods. I have comfort music. And this is savory stuff.

“Orinoco Flow” by Enya (1988)

They say music soothes the savage breast (and it is “breast,” not “beast”). And I agree, that’s one of my few convictions. And I walk that talk. I use music to soothe my savage breast all the time.

There is a LOT of music out there to help you get centered. For a brief but intense time, Enya’s music really helped me out. During the “first” Gulf “War,” Enya’s music gave me some respite. Surrounded by patriotic anthems and pounding rock/country/metal incitements to violence and mindless jingoism, I could retreat to my little compact disc player, and spin some Enya.

Enya’s Celtic and classical pop is truly beautiful. Layers and layers of vocals and strings surround terrific melodies.

If you ever need to soothe something savage, check out Enya.

“I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers (1972)

I’m not particularly religious. We’ll have that discussion later. But there’s nothing like a fantastic gospel act, like The Staple Singers. You can’t beat the energy, the power, and the promise of hope and glory that explodes forth from really good gospel music.

This track takes gospel and frames it with a terrific soul/funk/R&B vibe. Everything else is still there. Along with some sharp social commentary, if you can hear it (investigate “smilin’ faces” and “lying to the races,” for a start).

Whatever your religious inclinations, you can still benefit from the wonderful, positive beauty and groove of gospel music.

“Over the Rainbow” performed by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (1993)

There’s just something about Hawai’i that’s magical. And I’m not just talking about the stunning landscape and pristine beaches. I’m talking about the lifestyle, the laid-back refusal to take part in the rat race. There is a reverence and respect for the land, and a great appreciation of music and expression.

Mr. Kamakawiwo’ole has a beautiful, gentle voice that floats over the strumming of his ukulele, reducing songs to an almost primal state of purity. Sadly, he passed away, but not without touching millions of people with his music, especially this track, which gained some well-deserved notoriety.

“Over the Rainbow” was Judy Garland’s signature tune from “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s a powerful song about hope and better days ahead. Not surprisingly, this song became something of an anthem for soldiers fighting overseas in World War II, a little piece of sanity for them to hold onto inside the madness of war. It’s an important song. Mr. Kamakawiwo’ole also adds a bit of “What a Wonderful World,” another important song which I’ll probably post for you very soon.

(Thanks to xTacoBellxx for the nice upload of this track to YouTube)

“Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” by Eels (2000)

Mark Everett is the man behind the band Eels, and he’s also recorded under the name E. Regardless of what name he’s recording under, Mr. Everett makes fantastic music. It’s dense, a little dark, a little sarcastic, and very funky in an understated way. But on top of all that, his songs have beautiful melodies that stick in your head forever.

This is the kind of music I wish I could make.

“Goddamn right, it’s a beautiful day! Uh-huh!”

“The Real Me” by The Who (1973)

This track is from the album “Quadrophenia,” which is one of my all-time favorite records. If I could only pick 10 albums to carry me through the rest of my life, “Quadrophenia” would be one of them.

To me, this represents The Who at their finest, and this is a band that has made more than a few superb albums. The songs are great, the musicianship is terrific, Roger Daltrey’s vocals are as powerful and engaging as ever, and Pete Townshend rips on guitar, while also creating sonic magic in the studio. This album captivated me when I first heard it at the age of 14, and it’s never lost its power or appeal.

On top of the great music, “Quadrophenia” explores issues of social identity and expectations. The story is set in England around a group of “mods,” but it could be about anyone who doesn’t quite fit into the mainstream. Or maybe it’s about questioning whether one WANTS to fit in. Or maybe just trying to find out who you are and where you fit inside the social machine. It was all of that to me, and it came to me at a time when those issues were important. And now that I’m an old man, the issues are still there.

I love every song on “Quadrophenia,” so if you ever want to know a little bit more about some of the stuff that hangs in your Daddy’s head, listen to the album. They even made a pretty good movie out of it in 1979, which I highly recommend.

“I ended up with the preacher
Full of lies and hate
I seemed to scare him a little
So he showed me to the golden gate”

“Evangeline” by Los Lobos (1984)

Sometimes narrowly defined as a “Chicano rock” band, Los Lobos was amazingly diverse, merging many different styles of music into their own wonderful sound. I hope you get to hear their records in their entirety, including the record from which this track comes, “Will the Wolf Survive?” These gents are fine musicians, and obviously very passionate about their music.

We’re lucky in California to have so many vibrant cultures, and to have people who are so receptive to other ways of life and of expression. It’s a shame that some people close their minds to so-called “ethnic” things, whether it’s music or food or languages or whatever seems different.

As far as I’m concerned, Los Lobos is one kick-ass American band.

With “Evangeline” you can hear how Los Lobos can rock with the best of ‘em. Now check out how well they play traditional instruments and folk tunes from Mexico, courtesy of an appearance on Sesame Street: