"Snowbound" by Donald Fagen

     Hello friends! Come celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Radio Dial blog with a wintery tune by a pioneer of rock/jazz fusion, which just so happens to feature a really cool (pun intended) music video. Get yourself a nice cup of hot chocolate and maybe a cinnamon churro to go along with it, wrap up in your favorite blanket, and listen to Steely Dan founder Donald Fagen, and his track "Snowbound"!

"At nervous time, we roll downtown… we’ve got scenes to crash…
We’re gonna trick and trash… we’re gonna find some fun."

"Snowbound" is an album cut from the 1993 LP Kamakiriad, a concept album that follows Fagen’s narrator as he goes cruising in a futuristic car, all the while commenting on his experiences as a middle aged gentleman. The album is considered to be the central installment of a larger trilogy beginning with the 1982 LP The Nightfly (containing fantasies from Fagen’s youth), continuing through the middle age observations of Kamakiriad, and followed by 2006’s Morph the Cat, Donald’s reflections of old age.

The song itself is about enjoying the nightlife of the city despite a blizzard hitting the town. At least that’s what it appears to be about on the surface. I suspect it actually exists as a metaphor for enjoying what little youth remains as one enters the "blizzard" of middle age. I’ll reach out to Donald and see what message he was trying to convey with his lyrics. Hopefully he’ll check back with me soon.

It was not issued as a single, so it had no chance to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but given the dance pop, hip hop, and alt rock heavy musical landscape of the time, I suspect it wouldn’t have reached the top 40 at all, even though it truly deserved to. It was probably way too mellow (and cerebral) to achieve full pop chart success. In fact, the only charting single from the Kamakiriad LP was "Tomorrow’s Girls", which peaked at US #32 AC, and US #20 Mainstream Rock Charts, but again, no Hot 100 appearance.

"Let’s stop off at the Metroplex, that little dancer’s got some style…
Yes she’s the one I’ll be waiting for… at the stage door."

Despite all his "street cred" from his prolific hit making days as a member of Steely Dan, Fagen as a solo artist has only achieved one top 40 single, the brilliant "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)", a look back on the optimism of the late 1950s, which peaked at US #26 pop, and US #8 AC in 1982.

And speaking of Steely Dan, "Snowbound" was produced, co-written, and featured bass and guitar by the late, great Walter Becker, (I wish you much peace in the next life, Walter), making this tune essentially a Steely Dan reunion track. Fagen and Becker even toured as Steely Dan in support of the LP, which Becker produced for his former bandmate.

"We sail our icecats on the frozen river… some loser fires off a flare, amen.
For seven seconds, it’s like Christmas Day… and then it’s dark again."

Now let’s discuss that awesome stop motion music video, shall we?

Despite the obscurity of the tune, a rather memorable video was produced featuring "auto people" that resemble sentient versions of bobble head dolls crossed with Fisher-Price "Little People" cars. These little characters are seen going about their lives in the wintery city, waking up, driving, reporting to work in a factory, and visiting a club, where they watch a video of a dancing cowgirl, who pops up periodically throughout the clip.

Donald Fagen himself also appears as an auto-person living in a control tower, and appearing on TV screens as a "Big Brother" type figure. He doesn’t care for it much if you sleep on the job! But keep watching through the end, as the tables are turned on his overlord like persona.

Directed by French film director Michel Gondry (Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers of the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Gondry has also directed memorable videos for Bjork’s "Human Behavior" (teddy bear!), White Stripes’ "Fell In Love with A Girl" (LEGOs!), Foo Fighters’ "Everlong" (The Evil Dead!), and Daft Punk's "Around the World" (Androids! Skeletons! Weirdness!)

So check it out, and don’t be surprised if Fagen’s tune inspires you to sleep-in the next time you see the chilly white stuff falling from the sky!

"Snowbound! Let’s sleep in today… Wake me up… when the wolves come out to play"

The Dial is taking January off, but I’m already working on articles for 2018, including a quirky new wave entry from Thomas Dolby, a romantic soul ballad from DeBarge, and a hip hop classic by The D.O.C., produced by none other than Dr. Dre! The Dial will return triumphantly in February!

And from the entire Radio Dial family, we wish you Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and any other positive holiday related greeting that may apply to you and your life! (And above all, have an awesome Festivus for the rest of us!)

I’d also like to extend my sincerest thanks for your interest and support over the past six years as I sort through my music collection, and deliver my musing and ramblings on the songs that I find worthwhile. This blog and my readers mean a lot to me, and your comments and views are quite appreciated!

Keep checking in with the Dial into the New Year, and be sure to tell your friends to check us out!

Kyle's Radio Dial... The more you listen, the more you REMEMBER!

   



A RADIO DIAL EXTRA: "Let's Start" by Haley Reinhart

   Hey friends, in an unusual turn of events, the Dial’s receiver has tuned in a current song which has caught our fancy. When this happens, we bring it to you by way of what we call a Radio Dial Extra! Let’s start this review with a look see (and a listen to) of “Let’s Start” by Miss Haley Reinhart!

“I feel so lost until you’re near me… you take me places that I never knew existed…”

If when listening, you get the feeling that you may have heard this tune in the distant past, then Haley has achieved her intended result. You see, “Let’s Start” is the third single pulled from her 2017 What’s that Sound LP, a loving tribute to the pop styles and sounds of the 1960s. Mainly consisting of Haley’s renditions of classics like Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”, The Turtles’ “You Showed Me” and “Baby It’s You” (drawing mainly from the hard rock/blues version by Smith, not the girl group original by The Shirelles), the album also contain three original tunes co-written by Haley in a 1960s style, “Let’s Start” being one of those three.

A deliciously upbeat pop confection, “Let’s Start” melds sunshine pop and psychedelic bubblegum influences, sounding much like a lost track by Spanky & Our Gang or The Association crossed with The Lemon Pipers or Strawberry Alarm Clock.

In addition, that incredibly catchy sing along chorus of “Bah-bah-bah-BAH-bah” reminds me a lot of the opening to The Partridge Family’s “I Think I Love You”, even though the Partridges’ hit came a couple of years after Haley’s inspirations chronologically.

And that authentic 1960’s sound? That’s no accident… the entire What’s That Sound LP was recorded to tape using vintage instruments and analog recording to give it a period authentic sound for that “Summer of Love” vibe.

Also known for her incredible work with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox musician collective, Haley specializes in sultry jazz renditions of alternative rock classics - check out her amazing versions of Radiohead’s “Creep”, Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and the White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” for some of her best vocal work. Check them out on YouTube or http://postmodernjukebox.com/.

Final thought… Haley finished third in American Idol season 10 – how did she NOT win? She could sing proofs from a calculus textbook and still have my heart…

“Carry me swiftly… up to the mountain baby… to see us at our peak… just don’t forget to breathe… ahhhhh”

 



"Piece of My Heart" by Faith Hill

    Hi everyone, thanks for checking out the Radio Dial today, the first day of December! The featured track that we are cueing up on our CD Walkman right now is a mid ‘90s country rendition of a classic blues rock tune, which served as one of the first hits for a future superstar of her genre. It’s time to put on your cowboy boots and leather fringe jackets for Faith Hill and “Piece of my Heart”!

“Didn’t I make you feel… like you were the only man…”

Most famously associated with Janis Joplin and her band Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joplin’s screaming blues version from 1968 hit US #12 on the pop charts and has gone on to be recognized as a highly influential classic. What many folks don’t realize though, is how many times the song has charted in the US by different artists of disparate genres.

The original was recorded by soul singer Erma Franklin (Aretha’s sister) and predated Joplin’s hit by one year in 1967, peaking at #62 pop and #10 R&B.

Then as the years rolled on, additional artists followed Erma and Janis attempting to strike gold with the track. This included Etta James’ 1978 soulful take, followed by Sammy “The Red Rocker” Hagar in 1982 (whom hit #73 on the hot 100 with his hard rock interpretation), “mall reggae” artist Shaggy’s 1997 version, and the most recent version, a live medley coupled with Joplin’s “Cry Baby”, as recorded by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone, a US #32 in 2005.

“Each time I tell myself I think I’ve had enough… well I’m gonna show you baby that a woman can be tough.”

But the most successful modern version following Janis came courtesy of Miss Faith Hill! Taken from her 1993 debut Take Me as I Am, the album introduced us to the sweet angelic nature of this “Mississippi Girl” (see what I did there?), and the future Mrs. Tim McGraw. Faith scored four top 40 country hits from this debut LP, including “Piece”, and “Wild One”, both of which topped the country singles charts, though neither track crossed over to pop. Faith would experience her much deserved pop breakthrough with 1998’s “This Kiss”, a US Pop #7, US Country #1, and even a UK #13, a rare feat for an American country artist to chart that highly in the UK.

I had always wished that “Piece...” would've been pushed to top 40 radio, provided that it received more of a pop radio remix, of course. Country crossover was really starting to come back into vogue then (Shania was on the verge of hitting it big), and maybe if done right, “Piece…” could have been the song to kickstart Faith’s pop music career.

“You’re out on the street lookin’ good… baby deep down in your heart you know that it ain’t right.”

The music video shows Faith catching her boyfriend flirting with another girl, causing her and her friends to leave angrily, only to frequently cross paths at various locals with the boyfriend and his douchey pals. Especially that jerk with the baseball cap. What a dillweed. You'll see what I mean. You’ll hate him too.

Eventually this leads to a confrontation where Faith stands up to the guy, seemingly asserting her frustration to him, although at this point in the song, she is actually telling him to break another little piece of her heart, because in the words of the song… “you know you got it, if it makes you feel good.”

Seems like mixed signals to me. Is she mad, and fed up with his behavior, finally giving him an ultimatum that his loyalties better stay with her, or else? Or is she resigned to her fate of staying with this jerk, but is dealing with it light-heartedly as best she can? Perhaps she isn’t sure herself… Faith… why are you so conflicted????

Now, it’s a little unfair to compare her sunny version of the tune to the legendary earlier versions. Faith’s rendition doesn't have Erma's pained soulful delivery, or Janis' bluesy gut wrenching grit... but it is a worthwhile cover that interprets a more playful lean into the lyrics (with just a hint of bubblegum pop), which fits quite nicely with Faith's style.

“Each time I tell myself that I can’t stand the pain… you hold me in your arms and I start singin’ once again”

So click on the video below and settle in for a very different take on an old classic. We have Faith (yeah, I know…) that you’ll be bopping along by the time the second verse begins. But…it’s okay if you want to smack "baseball cap guy". I understand.

“So come on… come on… come on and take it.

Take another little piece of my heart now baby.”