Dancing Lady - Teddy and the Rough Riders

Dancing Lady - Teddy and the Rough Riders

2:56

single, 2020

Written by Teddy and the Rough Riders

Teddy and the Rough Riders is a Nashville-based country rock duo.  Sounding like a cross between the Flying Burrito Brothers and Ween at their most earnest circa 12 Golden Country Greats, this song, with some solid steel guitar work, offers a deadpan but slyly weird neo-country ballad.  The narrator isn't doing well but his infatuation with the titular dancing lady makes up for his troubles.  "This house is up for rent / Payment's overdue / Honey, I'm heaven sent / I wanna give it all over to you."

Something Big - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Something Big - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

4:44

Hard Promises, 1981

Written by Tom Petty

According to tour manager Richard Fernandez, Bob Dylan said this was one of the best songs Tom Petty ever wrote.  I don't agree, personally, but I can see the appeal to someone who's lived the touring life, and to Dylan's sense of story.  The song centers on a restless guy named Speedball living on the road, sleeping in cheap motels and looking for a drink, maybe trying to get the next tour together.  It hints at long nights, nameless partners, and seedy plans.  "And he was not looking for romance, just someone he could trust."   This could be about a traveling musician.  Or, it could be about some illegal caper being put together in a motel lobby in the wee hours of the night.  The strength of the song is in that lack of specificity, so it's easy for the listener to identify with.  The song lives in that in-between space, where everything feels on the precipice of importance, but nothing has quite taken shape yet.

Shadows - Tony Rice

Shadows - Tony Rice

3:44

Native American, 1988

Written by Gordon Lightfoot, 1982

If you closed your eyes, you'd think this was Gordon Lightfoot singing, and yes, he wrote the song.  It's a love ballad, in which the narrator is astounded at the mystery of love and the natural world.  "Won't you lie down by me baby / Run your fingers through my hands / I've been all around the town / And still I do not understand."  That's a perfect image, clear-eyed yet still stumped by the dearth of language.  If a poet like Lightfoot can't express the mystery, what chance do we mortals have?  Rice's beautiful acoustic guitar is a perfect accompaniment to this gorgeous sentiment; it sits with the words, quietly and simply.

Slow Train Coming [live] - Bob Dylan

Slow Train Coming [live] - Bob Dylan
4:51
The Bootleg Series Vol. 13: Trouble No More 1979–1981, 2017 (recorded 1981)
Written by Bob Dylan

There are no less than six versions of this song on this Bootleg set; this one was recorded live at Earls Court, London, June 27, 1981.  This rendition, while riveting, with some excellent backing vocals, is not quite as blistering and fiery as I might like it, but as the song is one of Dylan's best tracks from his so-called gospel albums, I'll take it anyway.  And to be fair, there is a great guitar solo before the last verse.

Something You Got - Them

Something You Got - Them

2:34

Them Again, 1966

Written by Chris Kenner, 1961

The writer of this song, Chris Kenner, also wrote "I Like It Like That," a hit for the Dave Clark Five; "Land of 1000 Dances," a top ten hit for Wilson Pickett; and "Sick And Tired," a hit for Fats Domino.  He never made it very big on his own name, probably due to the usual racist attitudes of the time, but certainly not helped by his alcoholism and a statutory rape charge.  Oh yeah, this song, Them's version.  It's a fine R&B blues shuffle, with young Van's yowling, soul-inspired vocal hitting the spot and a buzzy sax that gives it a real punch.

Supernatural Superserious - R.E.M.

Supernatural Superserious - R.E.M.

3:24

Accelerate, 2008

Written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe

This is an energetic, forceful song with big crunchy guitar, rare for late-period R.E.M.  Apparently, the lyrics are inspired by a humiliating experience that Stipe remembered from his time working as summer camp counselor: "At the summer camp where you volunteered / No one saw your face, no one saw your fear."  The details are of course only hinted at: "From the seance where you first betrayed / An open heart on a darkened stage."  Of course, the song isn't just about one bad memory, but can be interpreted as encouraging people to cast off old selves and enjoying who they were meant to be.

Sticks And Stones - Ray Charles

Sticks And Stones - Ray Charles

2:11

single, 1960

Written by Titus Turner

Backed by the Raelettes, Charles delivers this as a quasi-Latin boogie stomp not unsimilar to "Hit the Road, Jack."  The piano is bouncing, with an electric solo.  Charles growls, struts, and then, as the track races toward the fade, unleashes a raucous scream that would make Little Richard grin. It's tough, playful, and swaggering, the sound of Charles reminding everyone that he knew just what spin to put on a particular number.

What the Hell I Got - Michel Pagliaro

What the Hell I Got - Michel Pagliaro

3:20
single, 1975
Written by Michel Pagliaro and Allen Workman

Listed wrongly on Spotify as "What the Hell I've Got," this catchy pop anthem is from the point of view of a man who is leaving his love, for reasons even he cannot fully articulate: "Don′t know what the hell I got / Whatever it is, it′s an awful lot / Hey, I'm gonna lose control / From my liver to my very soul."  There's an interesting line that indicates he's not fully in control of the situation.  "Never ever wanna answer the phone / Time and time again I've tried / But someone answers and I know he lies."  He's probably not talking about the "baby" he addresses in the song; it seems as if he's referring to himself, watching himself unable to stop destroying his relationship with lies.  So he must leave.  Recorded in 1975, it's musically ahead of its time, with a real '90s alt-rock sound to it.  

Gonna Dance All Night – Hardrock Gunter

Gonna Dance All Night – Hardrock Gunter

2:40

single, 1954

Written by Hardrock Gunter

This very early rockabilly — more an uptempo honkytonk swing — is one of the first records to feature the actual words "rock 'n' roll."  Over a bouncing barroom piano and an occasional clattering percussion that sounds like someone stomping on a table, Gunter lays out a dancehall event.  Sounding like a cheery member of the Soggy Mountain Boys, he drawls our half-spoken, obvious instructions: "First you listen to the rhythm / And then you shuffle your feet."  It's a joyful, primitive blueprint for what rock 'n' roll was about to become.

Go West - Geraint Watkins

Go West - Geraint Watkins

2:55

Dial 'W' For Watkins, 2004

Written by Geraint Watkins

This song is a western-tinged swing jazz in a throwback style, a winking music-hall song with a half-spoken intro that sets the tone: "When it's cold and damp in New York City / And all the girls don't look so pretty / And you can't find a job / And you're looking like a slob...." There's a little slide guitar, and Watkins' voice is smooth like a British, old-timey singing cowboy's.  It's a fun song, with lightweight lyrics and a toe-tapping blend of styles.