Category Archives: Music

Friday random ten: Audrey’s favorites

And here are the ten songs that Audrey wanted to contribute: 1. Welcome To New York – Taylor Swift 2. Where Have You Been – Rihanna 3. Counting Stars – One Republic 4. Stronger – Kelly Clarkson 5. Lone Ranger … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: I Can’t Stop Loving You

Ready for a standard? Here’s the Chairman of the Board himself: I feel like that would have been an appropriately ironic background song for a whacking on The Sopranos. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20. Now here’s Ray Charles: Like all … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Olivia’s Spotify favorites

We’re going to do something a little different this week and next. I’ve got a couple of pinch hitters for me, Olivia this week and Audrey the next. They’re going to be sharing their favorite songs. Here are Olivia’s top … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

Reaching back to the 1920s and the legendary Duke Ellington: I love me some Glenn Miller, but of all the big band leaders of that era, I think Ellington had the best overall body of work. The movie The Cotton … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: The songs Rolling Stone forgot

Here’s their list. And here are ten songs I would have tried to include if I’d had a hand in making their list. 1. Sultans Of Swing – Dire Straits 2. Sunday, Bloody Sunday – U2 3. And When I … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: How High The Moon

Didn’t get my act together in time to post a video last week – sorry about that. This Saturday we get a little jazzy with the great Charlie Parker: If you’re a sax player, then Charlie Parker is one of … Continue reading

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Friday random eight: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 21

Here’s their list. 1. Maybelline – Simon and Garfunkel (#18, orig. Chuck Berry) 2. I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles (#16) 3. Blowin’ In The Wind (A Female Perspective) – The Chenille Sisters (#14, orig. Bob Dylan) … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 20

Here’s their list. 1. River Deep, Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner (#33) 2. Sympathy For The Devil – Blood, Sweat & Tears (orig. Rolling Stones, #32) 3. I Walk The Line – Lager Rhythms (orig. Johnny Cash, #30) … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Honey, Honey

Behold the majesty of ABBA at its peak: If they aren’t the greatest English-language band that didn’t actually speak English, I don’t know who is. They also gave us the musical/movie “Mamma Mia”, from which we get this version: My … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 19

Here’s their list. 1. Anarchy In The U.K. – The Sex Pistols (#56) 2. Long Tall Sally – The Beatles (orig. Little Richard, #55) 3. Louie, Louie – The MOB (orig. The Kingsmen, #54) 4. When Doves Cry – Kris … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Home

I have five songs called “Home” in my library. I could find videos for four of them. First up is Ingrid Michaelson, from her latest album: We got to see her on that tour at the House of Blues in … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 18

Here’s their list. 1. Califonia Girls – The Beach Boys (#72) 2. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag – James Brown (#71) 3. Walk On By – Dionne Warwick (#70) 4. Sunshine Of Your Love – Brian Tarquin (orig. Cream, … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Holiday

Let’s go back to the 80s, when Madonna was taking over the world, and listen to one of her early hits: I hope I live long enough to see what future historians – those who didn’t actually live through the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 17

Here’s their list. 1. California Dreamin’ – The Mamas and The Papas (#89) 2. My Girl – The Temptations (#88) 3. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen (#86) 4. Crazy – Patsy Cline (#85) 5. Every Breath You Take – The … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Hold On

How about a little Corey Hart for your Saturday afternoon? That was on the Beverly Hills Cop 2 soundtrack. I feel certain I saw that movie back in the day, but I have no memory of it. Moving on to … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 16

Here’s their list. 1. Not Fade Away – Trout Fishing In America (orig. Buddy Holly and The Crickets, #108) 2. The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkel (#106) 3. Hot Stuff – Donna Summer (#104) 4. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) – … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Hold Back The Night

Here’s The Trammps with a little soul for your soul: The Trammps were probably best known for the 70s classic “Disco Inferno”, for which I can’t recommend The Bobs’ a capella cover enough, though sadly it doesn’t exist on YouTube. … Continue reading

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Friday random ten guest post: Blockwalking

Note: The following is a guest post from Phil Owens, political consultant and fellow Rice Owl. He suggested the idea and I said sure. I’ve asked people for guest posts before, and I’ve had a few people pitch them to … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Hesitation Blues

From their very first album, the Asylum Street Spankers doing this traditional classic: From the late great Dave Van Ronk: And finally, a version that’s both more modern and even more old school, from Willie Nelson and Asleep at the … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 15

Here’s their list. 1. Shake, Rattle & Roll – Bill Haley and The comets (orig. Big Joe Turner, #127) 2. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? – Carole King (orig. The Shirelles, #126) 3. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac … Continue reading

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KTRU returns

On another frequency, with different call letters, and a less powerful signal. Other than that, it’s like it never left. After five years off the radio dial, Rice University’s popular college radio station KTRU Rice Radio will return to FM … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Here Comes The Flood

Here comes a very young Peter Gabriel, doing a very acoustic piano version of “Here Comes The Flood”: That was from a 1979 Kate Bush Christmas special. Who knew Kate Bush had a Christmas special? Who knew that was a … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 14

Here’s their list. 1. Foxey Lady – Jimi Hendrix (#153) 2. Me and Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson (featured cover by Janis Joplin, #148; also a cover by The Modern Barbershop Quartet) 3. Rock Lobster – The B-52’s 4. Purple … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Helter Skelter

The Beatles classic gets a funky a capella treatment from The Bobs: I missed an opportunity to see The Bobs at a small club here (the Mucky Duck) some years ago, and I’ve regretted it ever since. A group that … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 13

Here’s their list. 1. Papa Was A Rolling Stone – The Temptations (#169; also a cover by Andrew Rothman) 2. Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye (#168) 3. Fast Car – Tracy Chapman (#167) 4. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Heigh Ho

Two very different takes on a Disney classic. First up, Tom Waits: That’s from the great album Stay Awake. Sure puts another spin on the Dwarfs’ day, doesn’t it? I didn’t really like this version when I first heard it … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 12

Here’s their list. 1. Rehab – Amy Winehouse (#194) 2. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Warren Zevon (orig. Bob Dylan, #192) 3. Stayin’ Alive – Big Daddy (orig. Bee Gees, #191) 4. Who’ll Stop The Rain? – Creedence Clearwater Revival … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Hearts of Stone

A deep cut from Bruce Springsteen: That’s on his four-CD “Tracks” collection of B-sides and other unreleased or miscellaneous tunes. The man was a nonstop songwriting machine. Most of what’s on “Tracks” is stuff you probably don’t know unless you’re … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 11

Here’s their list. 1. Rockin’ In The Free World – Neil Young (#216) 2. Gloria – Van Morrison (#211; also covered by Patti Smith and Santa Esmerelda) 3. Reach Out, I’ll Be There – The Four Tops (#209) 4. Try … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Heart of Gold

Neil Young sings what was then his new song, once he finds the right harmonica. That was from 1971. I’m getting old, too. Now here’s Johnny Cash and his cover version: I so wish he were still around to do … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 10

Here’s their list. 1. Rocket Man – Kate Bush (orig. Elton John, #245) 2. Stand! – Sly and the Family Stone (#244) 3. I Fall To Pieces – Patsy Cline (#241) 4. I Got A Woman – Ray Charles (#239) … Continue reading

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91.7 FM will be sold again

The radio station formerly known as KTRU will have another new home soon. Houston Public Media, which operates the University of Houston’s broadcasting properties, says it will sell the frequency and transmitter for KUHA (91.7 FM) while retaining the station’s … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: Three cheers for the bus drivers

In honor of Metro’s new bus system, I’m taking a break from the cover song theme to run two bus-related videos. First, to represent the old system, here’s a very young Weird Al Yankovic and his classic, “Another One Rides … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 9

Here’s their list. 1. Sunday, Bloody Sunday – U2 (#272) 2. Tighten Up – Archie Bell and The Drells (#270) 3. Sail Away – Randy Newman (#268) 4. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley (#264, featured cover of Leonard Cohen) 5. I … Continue reading

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