King Of the World - First Aid Kit

King Of the World - First Aid Kit

3:38

The Lion's Roar, 2012

Written by Klara Söderberg, Johanna Söderberg, and Conor Oberst

It's pure Americana folk and I could swear there's a Texas twang, but First Aid Kit is a duo of Swedish sisters.  On this song, they're accompanied by co-writer Conor Oberst, who provides a verse; his cutting, tremulous voice is a terrific complement to their confident, pure harmonies.  With hand percussion, a Latin-infused horn section, and lilting keyboards, it's a catchy, rollicking ride.  The rather abstruse lyrics hint at a narrator wanting to find meaning of an often overwhelming world filled with people, all of whom are finding their own way: "Tell me something real / Tell me something true / I just want to feel there's something left that I can do."

Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison

Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison

2:30

single, 1959

written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, 1952

This song, of course, has been covered by everyone, but I am somewhat surprised to find that it's a Leiber and Stoller number, written by two white guys and not a traditional or from the guitar of some old bluesman.   Harrison's version is an unhurried shuffle with a sparse guitar solo in the center.  His voice is unprepossessing and charming; he means what he says, but he isn't going wild about it.  Harrison pioneered the line "They got some crazy little women there, and I'm gonna get me one," which wasn't in the original.

Key To the Highway - Big Bill Broonzy

Key To the Highway - Big Bill Broonzy

2:35

single, 1941

Attributed to Charlie Segar and Big Bill Broonzy

The authorship of this song is disputed, but Broonzy's arrangement has become standard.  It's a languid eight-bar blues about an itinerant bluesman who leaves his lover to get on the road.  Now, here is the problem, and it's reminiscent of my issue with "Last Night" by Little Walter.  Spotify has two versions of this song by Big Bill.  One is 3:03, has a lot of vinyl crackle, and features a deeper vocal, washboard and harmonica.  This seems like it might be the 1941 session.  The other one, the shorter version that I'm featuring on this post, is accompanied mostly by guitar, the singer draws out the "yeeesss" at the start of several lines, and has different lyrics.  Is this song even Broonzy?  It sounds too clean to be from 1941. If it is him, it's got to be a later recording.  Am I listening to a lie??  Oh well, I prefer it.

Know Your Onion! - The Shins

Know Your Onion! - The Shins

2:29

Oh, Inverted World, 2001

Written by James Mercer

A indie pop song with a bright, open sound and a Kinks-like melody, if Ray Davies had flooded his songs with keyboards and harmonium.  The lyrics sketch a shy introvert keeping his head down amid a world of loud, aggressive people. "The songs that I heard / The occasional book / Were the only fun I ever took," Mercer sings, his high yelp half-submerged in the mix, which maybe fits with the theme of the song.   The song's optimism outlook despite the odds ("But when they're parking their cars on your chest / You've still got a view of the summer sky") keeps it from being an emo pity party, and rather a small anthem for anyone who ever survived adolescence through music and imagination alone.

Kiss With a Fist - Florence + the Machine

Kiss With a Fist - Florence + the Machine

2:03

Lungs, 2009

Written by Florence Welch and Matt Alchin

With its rattling garage-rock tempo and the confrontational chorus "You hit me once / I hit you back / You gave a kick / I gave a slap / You smashed a plate over my head / Then I set fire to our bed," one would be forgiven for immediately assuming this song is a depiction of mutual domestic violence.  However, Florence Welch herself clarified that the song is "about two people pushing each other to psychological extremes because they are fighting but they still love each other."  The over-the-top blows, in other words, are purely metaphorical.  The line "a kiss with a fist is better than none" seems to express an endorsement, not of violence, but of an animal passion that may not be healthy, but has an undeniable allure.

Tell Me Why - Brian Wilson

Tell Me Why - Brian Wilson

3:40

No Pier Pressure, 2015

Written by Brian Wilson and Joe Thomas

This ends, for now, this blog's tribute to Brian Wilson, RIP.  This song is not the Beatles song, also covered by the Beach Boys.  A conclusion I've to from this perforce hasty and superficial tour of Wilson's solo work is that generally the quality isn't as high as in the Beach Boys days (but isn't that true of nearly every aging performer), and that as he gets older he eschews those uptempo overlapping harmonies that I love for measured, orchestral ballads.  On this song, accompanied by Al Jardine on the choruses, Wilson sings of something lost.  It could be lover or a friend, or maybe, if you squint a bit, the halcyon days of a band.  "I think about that ocean view / And all the dreams I shared with you / I guess they won't be coming true / At least for you and me / But now you're gone and I've gotta get on with my life."

My Hobo Heart - Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks

My Hobo Heart - Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks

3:16

Orange Crate Art, 1995

Written by Van Dyke Parks

The narrator of this song had a girl in every town, like a sailor but for land.  Like Dion's Wanderer, he found new ladies wherever he went.  But!  He met someone who changed all that.  "And now my travelin' days are through / And ridin' horses in the sand / Or walkin' with you hand in hand will do."  The song doesn't extol the praises of the girl in question or say why he changed; it's not exactly an introspective song.  Parks' and Wilson's harmonies are nice, if a bit sleepy.

Too Much Sugar - Brian Wilson

Too Much Sugar - Brian Wilson

2:38

Brian Wilson, 1988 [2000 expanded version]

Written by Brian Wilson

This is one of Wilson's silly-yet-earnest songs about daily life or health, like "Vega-Tables."  Moving between a deep register to those soaring falsettos, Wilson lectures us about sugar and its effects.  "Stuff you eat can poison you / Make you feel real lazy too," he advises, telling the listener to avoid not just sugar but fats, and to get exercise "just like Jane Fonda."  Everyone can appreciate cutting back on sweets when it's wrapped in those honeyed harmonies!

Let It Shine - Brian Wilson

Let It Shine - Brian Wilson

3:58

Brian Wilson, 1988

Written by Brian Wilson and Jeff Lynne

Brian Wilson died yesterday, and thus one of the brightest lights in pop is dimmed.  There have been other taskmasters and perfectionists, but probably none so maniacal, fastidious, and endearingly oddball as Wilson.  This song, case in point, is sort of like a love song, but the lyrics could also be taken as an epiphany, or moving from one field of consciousness to another — maybe fitting for this occasion.  "The stars all send / Their silver light to me / Forever shine / On me eternally."  Yes, this song's production is all ice and synth percussion, but the gospel chorus and positive vibes give it enough warmth.

Just Rocking - Big Bill Broonzy

Just Rocking - Big Bill Broonzy

2:40

single, 1949

Written by Big Bill Broonzy

This is a fine example of postwar bawdy blues, in which "rocking" is a clear euphemism for, well, let's let Big Bill tell it with his genial good humor: "Me and my baby, we knows what's it all about / We start in in the hall / We don't wait until we get in the house / We love to rock at night / And we feel the same way every day."  Accompanied by a bopping saxophone, piano, and drums, the song chugs along, perhaps restrained compared to similarly-themed rockabilly of a decade later, but the spirit is the same—grinning, rhythmic, and built to make you move.