Year 6: Week 18 - A Lesson On David Bowie

This week I taught my kids about David Bowie.  Here's the lecture I have my 8th graders.  If you are interested on my thoughts on "Space Oddity" check out this post.

I want you to think about these facts:

In America:
24% of teachers are men
8.4% of marriages interracial
5.6% of people are Asian-American
2% of teachers are Asian-American

And 1.6% of men on earth are 5”4’

In almost every aspect of who I am, I am not in the majority. The things that make me an individual, the things about myself that I’m most proud of, set me apart from most other people in our country. It has taken me most of my life to embrace the things that make me an individual.

What make you special, what makes you an individual will often set you apart from other people.  In this way, being yourself can be a very lonely but it's one of the most important things you do in your life.

When people think of David Bowie, they think of his music, his acting and his art but most of all people think of a person who was brave enough to be different, to be the person he wanted to be regardless of what other people said.

Even though interracial marriage was legal for decades, when David Bowie married Iman, it was still a big deal to have a public figure be involved in an interracial marriage. As a young boy seeing pictures of them together, it opened up my mind to the possibility that marriage could be between people of difference races. No one told me that I couldn’t marry someone outside of my race but this didn’t really seem like a possibility until I saw the beautiful images of David Bowie and Iman as a couple.



Bowie’s music was imaginative, ground-breaking and beautiful. He use of harmony and his chord progressions were fascinating and challenging. Bowie’s lyrics were haunting, profound, and insightful. He never settled as an artist, and worlds he created with his music are unique and unforgettable.

I look around this room and I see guys wearing clothing with bright colors, shoes with neon accents. There are girls with interesting trim on their glasses and some really cool designs on some shirts. Once upon a time, men didn’t have as many options with the color clothing they wore. Girls were limited as well in their fashion choices. When people like David Bowie were brave enough to push those barriers, dress in crazy ways that sometimes made people question whether he was a man or a woman, it set our culture down a path that allowed the rest of us to be a little weird and embrace the expression of individuality as beauty.

Being an individual can be lonely and when someone has the bravery to an individual in front of the entire world, it makes the loneliness not feel so bad. David Bowie did that for millions of people and he did that for me.

This is “Space Oddity,” his most famous song. He’s tells a great story and it’s a got a beautiful chord progression and melody.  The instruments and Bowie's voice create an amazing journey that and matter how many times I experience this song, it always makes me feel less alone in the world.

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love

The categories of Christmas music includes almost all genres of music. There are incredibly beautiful songs like “Silent Night,” that fill this category of music with musicality and beauty and then there are atrocious and annoying songs like “Holly Jolly Christmas.” Talk show host David Letterman feels the same way about Christmas music except for one exception, Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

This was a special year for this song. After performing this song for almost thirty years on The David Letterman Show, she sang it for the last time earlier in December.



Also, this was the first year, I brought this song into my music classroom and helped my 5th graders perform this song at their Holiday assembly.

I was reminded of how great this song was when I watched 20 Feet From Stardom last summer (I wrote about this film in more detail in this post).  One of the most powerful stories in this film is about Darlene Love. She was working as a maid after giving up on her singing career. She heard “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on the radio and decided that she recommit herself to music.

This was the story I told my 5th graders when I introduced this song to them. I also told them about how Darlene Love was not given credit for some of the greatest songs in pop music like “He’s A Rebel,” and how only recently she got her due for being one of the greatest singers in the history of popular music.

I taught them how to sing the back up part and the lead vocals. We explored the form and learned how to play the chord progressions on xylophones. At first some of the students who weren’t Christians were no comfortable singing this song. However after discussions on how other classes were going to sing music from different cultures.  Also, the fact that this song was more about the universal value of togetherness and family more than Jesus Christ, my 5th graders really bought into this song.

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is one of the greatest Christmas songs and probably the greatest Christmas pop song because it embraces and reflects its genre authentically and beautifully. Like Phil Specter’s other masterpieces like “Unchained Melody” (which I discuss in this previous post), “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), features and unbelievable production featuring and incredible, groove, depth of sound and most importantly, soul.

Darlene leans into the melody with a mixture of Gospel, teenage heartache and emotional depth. Throughout all of this there is joy at the thought of being together with the one that she wishes would come home. It is this mixture of feelings, which reflects not what Christmas used to be about, but what Christmas and holidays in general have become for so many people in our culture.

There’s nothing saccharine, cheesy or campy about “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."  It’s spirited in expression, and its rocks.  What else could want in a Holiday song?

Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel

“Mrs. Robinson” isn’t really about Mrs. Robinson.

The Graduate is one of the greatest films of all time. This film about a recent college graduate’s struggle to figure out his life reflects a shared experience and feeling that twenty-something's across generations experience.

Then of course there is Mrs. Robinson who seduces, the recent college graduate, Benjamin while he is going out with her daughter. The whole cross-generational affair is enough to cause controversy and interest in viewers, but it’s really not the point of the film. The point is . . . well. . . it’s complex and multilayered and you’re just going to have to watch it to figure it out for yourself.

Mike Nichols’ the director of The Graduate became obsessed with Simon & Garfunkel, and asked for three songs to be written for this film. Paul Simon came up with the shell of one about Mrs. Roosevelt, Joe DiMaggio and times past. After some lyric changes, a stripped down version without verse appeared in the film.

Later Simon & Garfunkel completed this song and released it on their 1968 album, Bookends. Along with “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” (which I discussed in this earlier post), “Mrs. Robinson” became one of Simon & Garfunkel’s signature songs and one of the most popular songs of the decade.



Now when I said that this song isn’t about Mrs. Robinson, it’s because, she’s really not a respected or heroic figure in the film. The lyrics of this song really don’t hold the depth that later Paul Simon songs do. He admitted that the Joe DiMaggio reference had more to do with syllables then meaning and also there’s the fact that it was originally Mrs. Roosevelt that he was singing about.

What we are left is really about gratitude, trying to convince someone how important and meaningful they are to the people around them. It’s a beautiful sentiment and every time the chorus rises, you feel a sense of warmth and love.

If you take this song as being separate from the film, it takes on a whole other level of meaning. It’s not about the loss and confusion of The Graduate, rather it’s a reassuring anthem to a person who doesn’t realize how special she is to the people in her life.

Watch The Graduate and sing along with “Mrs. Robinson.” Try not to get them mixed up with each other. Sometimes we find meaning when we put things together but other times we find even more meaning when we look at things separately.

I Started A Joke by The Bee Gees

Before they were the kings of disco, the Bee Gees were a creative and introspective rock group. And before they were the Bee Gees, they were simply three brothers: Barry and his twin brothers Maurice and Robin. There are other groups in pop music history that are made up of brothers like The Beach Boys and The Kinks. However the fact that there were only ever three members of the Bee Gees made this family affair seem different.

When I watched the three of them interact during performances it felt like the way that my brother and I would be if we were on stage. There was some slight ribbing but more than that, there was humor, support and genuine brotherly love in the way they created music together.

In 2003, Maurice died of a sudden heart attack and a couple weeks ago Robin passed away due to complications due to pneumonia at the age of 61. Now Barry stands alone. There’s not only a feeling of sadness because this group will never perform or record music but there’s also the family part of it that’s really touching.

Barry went through a great loss with Maurice and Robin in 1988, when the fourth Gibb brother, Andy died of a suspected drug overdose at the age of 30. Andy was a pop star in his own right and it was just as triumphant to see his rise and ultimately tragic to loose him and hearing his brothers talk about him is simply heartbreaking.



When I think of all this loss that this family has endured, Robin’s voice comes into my head with one of the Bee Gees’ most powerful songs “I Started A Joke.”



People have speculated that this song is about religion, talking about the struggles of Jesus Christ dealing with a world that acted contrary to his actions. Other people interpret this song with a more literal meaning. I’ve never quite known how to take this song, but there’s something innately powerful about it. It’s not the fact the lyrics hold a profound meaning in of themselves but because combined with the melody and Robin’s voice the emotional expression is this song is undeniable.

There’s tragedy, sadness, regret but also hope in this song. Even though the lyrics of the song cycle to death, it also leads to the happiness of other people in the world. At first this seems spiteful but when you hear the words in context, there’s a feeling of sunlight shining, a level of hope and optimism. It’s the same kind of mix of darkness and light that U2 has in their lyrics like in the song “One.” It is precisely this ambiguity that makes this song so beautiful.

Robin’s voice seems so exposed making this song feel almost painfully intimate. While there is some insecurity in his voice there’s also bravery, and courage in putting these feelings out there for all us to witness.

It’s weird, you’d think the more times in my life that musicians who have meant something to me pass way, the easier it would get.

It doesn’t.

Maybe it’s because the older I get, the more I appreciate them or maybe it's because of something different that I will never truly understand.

Top 5 Girl Groups

I discussed Boy Bands last week, so it's only fair to show the ladies some love.  Here's some of my favorite Girl Groups songs

5.  "Whatta Man" by Salt-n-Pepa featuring En Vogue

This is what was great about music in the 1990s.  An incredible rap girl group with one of the greatest female vocal groups of the time.  This song exudes confidence, fun and attitude and features an irresistible beat and an unforgettable hook.



4.  "Goodbye" by The Spice Girls


After Ginger Spice left, The Spice Girls recorded this heartfelt song about the transitions in life.  The Spice Girls invigorated pop music in the 1990s.  Recent tours have proved that they weren't just a flash in the pan and that their message of Girl Power truly had meaning (this earlier post discussed "Wannabe."


3.  "Celebrity Skin" by Hole


This movie trailer about the drummer from Hole reminds us the importance of this band. 


This was a great band and while "Celebrity Skin" may be one of their more mainstream songs, it's a delightful but dark confession by Courtney Love that was part of her come back after the death of her husband and rock legend Kurt Cobain.


2.  "Wide Open Spaces" by The Dixie Chicks


One of the comments people often say about the Dixie Chicks is about how well they can play.  I wrote this earlier post about their powerful song "Not Ready To Be Nice," about their controversial statements about President Bush (as well as this post about "Easy Silence").  My first exposure to this ladies was "Wide Open Spaces" a beautiful tribute to nature.  The most amazing thing about this song is musically it sounds so beautiful and open you can almost feel the sunshine.

1.  "There's No Stopping Us Now" by The Supremes


Most people know The Supremes from "You Can't Hurry Love" (which I discussed in this earlier post).  "There's No Stopping Us Now" shows Diana Ross opening up with the elegant Supremes providing Heavenly back-up.

Top 5 Boy Bands Songs

Before I take some time to consider the new boy band One Direction, let's take a look at my personal 5 favorite boy bands songs:


5.  "Shape Of My Heart" by The Backstreet Boys


The Backstreet Boys ushered in a new era in Boy Bands in the early 1990s.  While they didn't dance as well as some other groups they had charisma and were able to turn standard pop fair into enormous hits.  Oh, and they could actually sing which is demonstrated in the performance above.  "Shape Of My Heart" is a later hit that is "I Want It That Way" with lyrics that make a little bit more sense and an amazing bridge.   

4.  "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men


This was the lead single off of their first album.  Before they scored hits with slow songs and  expressions of how they would make love to you (check out this post), these boyz could really rock.  


3.  "Tearing Up My Heart" by 'N Sync


A beautifully crafted song, this song starts out with a solo calling out an awesome hook.  We all knew there was something special about the break-down of this song, little did we know that it was Justin Timberlake and the artist he would become.

2.  "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by The Jackson 5


This song was an album cut.  AN ALBUM cut!  This means they recorded this song and didn't think it was very good so they didn't release it as a single.  Seriously.  Any boy band that has album cuts this strong is truly amazing. 

1.  "Twist And Shout" by The Beatles


The Beatles were important for many reasons and one of them was because they were the first boy band in pop music.  Yes, the Beatles became so much more than a boy band but watching this performance it becomes clear what every boy band tries to capture.  Like so many other things in pop music The Beatles did it first and they did it best. 

634-5789 Vs. 867-5309

Best songs featuring a phone #?

Wilson Picket's "634-5789"


or Tommy Tutone's "867-5309"?



Wow, this one is tough.   Picket is one of the greatest soul singers ever, but Tommy Tutone's name using alteration.  I'll leave this one for the ages.

Northern Soul = Happiness

Long day at work, lots of stuff to do, huge headache. . . bleh. . . the solution a little lesser known but taooly awesome Northern Soul:



oh that's the stuff. . .and forget "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)," here's the Four Seasons REALLY rockin'.



Oh and then there's Smokey



Seriously, it doesn't get much better than this.

The Beatles are tired and so am I. . .

While most the Beatles' catalog are songs about love, they understood music's ability to express the spectrum of the human experience.

Including being tire:



And sleeping . . .



Now I'm not someone who whines about being tired or obsesses about sleep, but man, I could use a nap.    Like all great music, the Beatles remind us that we aren't the only ones who sometimes feel tired.  This doesn't make me feel any less tired, but hey at least I know someone out there understands.

Foolish Games by Jewel

Yeah, it's been weeks and I'm still listening to Adele's "Someone Like You" and it still sound fresh. Today as I listened to this song for the fifth time in the row, Jewel's "Foolish Games" came to mind.



Is this as good as Adele?  Maybe, all I know is that when she sings "breaking my heart" towards the end it touches a similar place that Adele reaches. This folky feeling of Jewel someone reminds me of Roy Orbison's "Crying."



ah man. . . this is getting brutal. I need something happier. How about the theme song to my favorite new TV show this fall?



 . . . though I could really go for some Adele right about now . . .

I Feel Fine by The Beatles

I’m so glad that she’s my little girl,
She’s so glad she’s telling all the world.

Reading a book in an internet café in Lauterbrunnen Switzerland I started singing the bridge to “I Feel Fine” as the song played in the background. As I sang I noticed that someone else was singing along and as I looked up from my book and made eye contact with a German lady who was also singing along.



Instead of being embarrassed, we shared an approving nod and just continued to sing along through one of the most joyous Beatles songs.

Released in 1964, “I Feel Fine” is most often talked about because its use of feedback. You know that annoying high-pitched screeching sound you hear when people use microphones incorrectly? Yeah, John Lennon decided to make that sound on purpose at the very beginning of the song. Recording feedback became something that band like The Who and artist like Jimi Hendrix. However Lennon’s use of it in a recording is cited as the first instance of deliberate use of feedback in a pop song.

While this is an interesting technical note and an important part of the evolution of recording, those couple seconds in the beginning of the song aren’t the reason that people love this song so much.

“I Feel Fine” displayed the Beatles evolving musicianship. Ringo got away from doing a straight rock beat and added more of a calypso-flavored beat based in the toms and the cymbals. This is a riff-based song which means that John created a pattern on the guitar that the song was written around. Other song the Beatles did were built songs around a melody like “Yesterday.” This riff-based composition builds from blues and soul music and evolved into other great riff-based songs like the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.”

What is truly astounding about this song is the contrast between the verses and the bridge. The melody goes from being jumpy and rhythmic to being smooth and sustained. The two sections could not feel more different but they somehow work seamlessly together.

When the bridge happens it’s like the sun has come out. The harmony opens up and there’s the sweet doo-wop back-up singing. When you sing along with these lines you can’t help but smile and feel the joy the Beatles are expressing.

There’s something special about two people who live across the world from each other loving the same song and singing it together. If you want evidence of how great the Beatles are, it’s right there.

Round 14: Elvis Presley Vs. Sam Kinison

Though "Are You Lonesome Tonight" was originally composed and recorder in 1926, it was Elvis' cover in 1960 that made it one of the most famous ballads in the history popular music.



This song features Elvis' incredible baritone and an intimate and touching spoken bridge. The message of bridge is that even though Elvis has been lied to he can't go on living without his love.

Vs.

Comedian Sam Kinison performed "Are You Lonesome Tonight" on Johnny Carson show in the 1980s with a slightly different spoken bridge.



The Winner:

I don't know about you, but somehow Sam's version seems a little big more genuine than Elvis'. Yes, Elvis has that unearthly voice but Sam has that scream . . . and um. . . for some reason I can relate to Sam's anger better than Elvis simply resigning to his own feelings of loneliness.

. . . and even Elvis couldn't take this song seriously . . .

Round 10: Ben E. King Vs. John Lennon

Ben E. King recorded one of the most unforgettable songs in popular music "Stand By Me" in 1961. 



Powerful, soulful and beautifully recorded it's no wonder that John Lennon knew this song by heart, like so many of us who have experienced this song.

Vs.



Lennon recorded "Stand By Me" in 1975 for his album Rock 'n' Roll.  With a different driving beat and a vocal styles uniquely Lennon's, this song stands as one of Lennon's most popular solo works.


The Winner:
This is a tough one.  Both songs are touching and unique in very different ways.  While I like the rawness of Lennon's recording, the cleanness and clarity of Ben E. King's recorded showcases his amazing vocals which express the profound meaning of longing and hope in this song. 

Round 9: Jefferson Airplane Vs. Jefferson Starship

Jefferson Airplane defined the 1960s psychedelic rock genre.  Formed in 1965, they performed in the most important cultural events of their generation including Woodstock.  They are most known for their 1967 hit "Somebody To Love," an intense and passionate remake of the folk classic by Great Society.



Versus:

Many of the original members of Jefferson Airplane joined back together after breaking up as Jefferson Starship in 1974.  This band later evolved to Starship (whoes only member who was originally in Jefferson Airplane was lead singer Grace Slick) and scored their biggest hit with "We Built This City."  This song reached number 1 on the charts when it was released.  Seriously I'm not joking. 



The Winner: 
Wow, this one isn't even close.  It is mind-boggling that the same person sang lead on both of theses songs.  I mean "Somebody To Love" is one the greatest rock songs EVER and "We Built This City" is a joke of a song that often appears on lists of the worst rocks song.  The only reason I haven't devoted an entire week of posts on how "We Built This City" is one of the worst songs ever is because I promised myself that this would be a positive blog. . . but sometimes it's really tempting. . . 

Round 6: Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terell Vs. Amy Winehouse

In 1967, Motown released one of the most beloved duets in popular music, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."



Marvin Gaye's and Tammi Terrell's voices blended beautifully as two lovers committing their deep love for each other.  The Funk Brothers, Motown's session band created a mysteriously haunting opening that blossomed beautifully into the celebratory chorus.  

Versus:

Amy Winehouse featured "Tears Dry On Their Own" on her breakout album Back to Back.  This song flawlessly rerecorded the insturmental backgrouds of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and added new lyrics and a new melody.



It's like a dream to hear the backgrounds recorded with such reverence and soul.  It's a reminder of the power of live musicians and how great the Funk Brothers original arrangements were.  Winehouse adds a flowing melody and through her unique almost Tom Waits-like singing tells a passionate and bluesy story.

The Winner:

I love Winehouse but she's no Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell.  The way that they duet is pure joy.  You could listen to just the insturmental background of both "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Tears Dry On Their Own" and be floored by the power of that music, heck you would feel it with the just bass line.  And listening to just the vocal teack of Marvin and Tammi is a relevation.  However Winehouses performance on this song is just not on the same level.

Next Week: Coolio Vs. Stevie Wonder

Round 4: Tommy James & The Shondells Vs. Billy Idol

Inspired by the Mutual Of New York building (M.O.N.Y. . . . Mony, get it?), Tommy James & The Shondells scored their biggest hit in 1968 with "Mony, Mony."  An true rock anthem, this song has endured as statement of freedom, fun and everything that is great about rock.



With a simple but infectious keyboard riff and a one of the coolest break-downs in the middle of the song you will ever hear, it's nigh-impossible to listen to this song and not rock out.

Versus:

Spike, I mean Billy Idol covered this song in 1981, which became of his biggest hits.  The only major change to this song was updating the insturments to more 1980s sensibilities.



Invigorating this song for the new generation, Idol's version featured synthesizers and thicker guitar parts.

 The Winner:

What makes this song so great is it's garage band-like energy.  There is something so much more organic and genuine feeling about Tommy James & The Shondells' version.  It's more raw, not as polished and not as commercial.  While Idol brings great energy to this song the Tommy James version captures a moment in rock history and an exuberance that Billy Idol imitates but doesn't fully replicate. 

Springsteen on the other hand gets pretty close.



Next Week: Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers Vs. Pras, Mya & Ol' Dirty Bastard

Round 2: Bob Dylan Vs. Jimi Hedrix

Bob Dylan recorded "All Along The Watchtower" in 1967. It has become one of his most famous and most frequently covered songs. With intriguing lyrics and a structure that some critics claim to be circular (some say the last verse is the beginning of the narrative), Dylan created a unique vision of reality.



Versus:

Jimi Hendrix.

In 1968, Hendrix took Dylan's song, and doubled it's length, painting the emotions and story of the with his unforgettable guitar playing. Jimi's singing is fearful and other-worldly as  thick cloud of distortion permeates the song.   




The Winner:
Dylan after hearing Hendix's version said, "It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day."  Yes, Dylan's original is interesting and intimate.  However, Hendrix takes all of the emotions that Dylan implies and expresses them opening and forcefully.  You only need to hear the first 10 seconds of Hendix's version to know what this song is all bout.     

Next week: Madonna Vs. Don McLean

It’s My Party by Leslie Gore/Quincy Jones & Amy Whinehouse

As Diana danced around the room with Buffy in her arms singing “It’s My Party,” changing the lyrics to “It’s My Buffy,” I smiled at this cute display of affection not really thinking much about the song.



“It’s My Party” by Leslie Gore is one of those 1960s pop songs that everyone knows. It’s so deeply embedded into our pop culture that we don’t really think about it. Like a single tree in a forest, what makes this song unique and special gets lost in the larger view.

Then I read in Rolling Stone that Amy Whinehouse teamed up with Mark Ronson to record this song on a tribute album to Quincy Jones. Now I absolutely love Ronson’s work with Whinehouse. Ronson’s signature as a producer is to record 1960s style background instrumentals with live instruments mixed with an dark modern sensibility. With songs like “Rehab” he created grooves that were so undeniably infectious that you can’t help but take notice.

I immediately downloaded this song from iTunes and listened to it in awe.



I personally love Amy Whinehouse’s voice. It’s a beautiful soulful disaster and I understand why her voice sounds to some as incomprehensible warbling, but it works for me. Regardless of how you feel about the vocals you got to give credit to Ronson’s brilliant production. It’s groovy, dark and mysterious.

Now you may be wondering as I was, what “It’s My Party” has to do with Quincy Jones. Well, Jones who has produced some of the most important music in popular culture (everything from Count Basie to Michael Jackson’s Thriller) started his career with “It’s My Party” as the first single he produced.

If you take a listen to Leslie Gore’s version carefully with fresh ear you realize how astounding this song is.



Quincy Jones' instrumental arrangements are impossibly intricate and tight (check out the brass hits right before Gore starts singing). The bass and drums lock in like a drum machine but groove like only live musicians can.

In front of all of this is Leslie Gore’s vocals.  Somehow  Jones pushes her voice into the foreground in the recording so her voice is right in your face. It’s impossible to ignore her voice in a texture of instruments that she could have easily gotten drowned out if not for Jones production.

Then there’s the odd but brilliantly powerfully lyrics about a girl who’s heart is being broken at her own party but exclaims that since it’s her party she can do whatever she wants, even cry.  This is a powerful embrace of emotion and through this statement, there is independence and a whole lot of soul. When she sings “you would cry to, if it happen to you” you realize she’s right.

Sometimes we take for granted for things that are always around and when you take a look a closer look at something with a fresh perspective you never know what you can find.

Daydream Believer by The Monkees

Hanging out with a couple friends last week the topic of Taylor Swift came up. One of my friends said that she didn’t like her because she was a corporate constructed pop singer. While this isn’t true at as Taylor is an independent artist from Big Machine Records a label that her family created before her because everyone else rejected her, the criticism of pop artists because they are created, molded and marketed is a common complaint.

I understand that some people are turned off from the business side of music. The idea of certain songs only being popular because of marketing can be frustrating and often the artists that certain companies construct are mediocre and can be quit annoying. I totally understand but that doesn’t mean all commercially created music lacks artistry, heart and soul.

Don’t forget The Beatles looked like a biker gang before Brian Epstein became their manager, made them get hair cuts to polish them into a more marketable look. Berry Gordy modeled Motown records after the assembly line that he used to work at to mold artists. Then there were the Monkees, a pop group created in response to the Beatles for a television show.

Inspired by The Beatles film, A Hard Day’s Night, The Monkees television show followed the life of a rock ‘n’ roll group (ala The Jonas Brothers). Originally only allowed to provide vocals the Monkees eventually gained creative control of their music and while never reached the creative heights of The Beatles or The Beach Boys, they  influenced musicians with their pop music style and cultural impact.

I love the Monkees. I watched this show when it used to be re-run on Nickelodeon. A Monkees greatest hits CDs was one of the first albums my family owned and one of my favorite songs continues to be “Daydream Believer.”



To this day, I have no clue what this song is really about. I mean the first verse is simply about waking up in the morning and then there’s a chorus about depressed homecoming queen. The second verse is doesn’t really connect with the rest of the song but it works all the same.

If you turn off your cynicism or skepticism and let yourself enjoy this song, you find that even though the creation of the Monkees doesn’t line up with any romanticized idea of the way music should be created, it’s still great. The song builds through the each chorus with glee and warmth. “Daydream Believer” sound like a reassuring smile and that’s a beautiful thing.

Music is great or mediocre, sometimes because and sometimes despite the circumstances of its creation. If you don’t like a song that’s fine, there’s no apologizing for taste. But turning off your ears to an artist because it’s an independent artists or a corporate created pop star is like stereotyping people by their race. And when you make assumptions about a song or person based on their circumstances as opposed to their content you are the one who is missing out.

Hey Jude by The Beatles

Imagine you are going to visit a 5 year old whoes parents are getting a divorce. Now imagine that the child’s father is one of the most famous people in the world that has been absent for most of this child’s life and cheated on his wife.

This is what Paul McCartney faced in as he went to visit Julian Lennon, John Lennon’s son with his first wife Cynthia. In 1968, John met Yoko Ono and had an affair with her that resulted in a divorce leaving young Julian at the center of it all. Paul sat down to write down his thoughts to Julian and what these comforting words became was one of Beatles most enduring classics “Hey Jude.”



This song shattered pop music’s song forms as one of the longest songs ever to be a number 1 hit but what makes this song uniquely meaningful is what this song is at its heart: a song of comfort and reassurance.

Amidst love songs, protest music and psychedelic rock, Paul is singing to comfort us all balancing an ambiguous subject with emotional clarity, the Beatles created a universal song of comfort and reassurance that has stood the test of time.

The song begins giving advice about how to approach a girl.

Hey Jude, don’t be afraid,
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.

In the refrains where Paul digs deeper the situation with Julian helping him understand that the divorce is not his fault, “don’t carry the world your shoulder.” Then there is the most touching line in the song in the last refrain when Paul reassures Julian that he is worth something and that all he needs is within himself.

So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
You’re waiting for is one to perform with.
And don’t you know that it’s just you, hey Jude, you’ll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.

Paul wraps up all of these thoughts and feelings in an extended ending sections, a sing-a-long of sorts with a chorus of na’s repeated for the last half of this seven minute song. What is going on here? It’s repetitive, lyrically non-sense and up until this point in pop music was something that was never heard before.  Even though this sections seems illogical something about it works.

The ending of “Hey Jude” provides space to reflect on the song. It frames all of the emotions and give focuses us on one of the main points of the song, making one’s life better.  It is not the words that we speak that we comfort each other in times of need.  The words are merely an expression of being there with someone in a time of need that makes them meaningful.

Hearing a chorus of people singing inviting us as an audience to sing along creates the ultimate feeling of comfort as a chorus of voice beyond is saying that things will be okay. It is not just one person’s belief that things will improve, it’s our shared humanity, our shared hope that this ending expresses which is what gets us through the darkest moments in our lives.