#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge June 5 - Song that mentions the word ‘planet’ or any specific planet… The Ocean Blue - ‘Mercury' (1991) From the Hershey, PA band's album, ‘Cerulean’. The song isn’t about the planet Mercury, but rather the heavy, silvery metal. 😐 m.youtube.com/watch?v=SOLv...

#AZSongsJune #MusicChallenge Day 5- ‘E’ Let's Active - ‘Every Word Means No’ (1983) From the 6-song debut EP ‘Afoot’. The Winston-Salem, NC band's 1st gig was opening for REM. Singer Mitch Easter had produced REM’s 1st record 'Chronic Town' at his Drive-In Studio. m.youtube.com/watch?v=Avue...

The Waves - Hey, War Pig! [UK, New Wave/Power Pop] (1982) https://redd.it/l7zd81 https://youtu.be/07HivaRWaeY

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 5- A song about leaving… Commodores - ‘Sail On’ (1979) From the album ‘Midnight Magic’, this reached #4 in the US. Despite its upbeat sound, "Sail On" tells the melancholic story of a man accepting the end of his marriage. m.youtube.com/watch?v=gxvJ...

#SweetBeats #MusicChallenge *Day 5* Omar Hakim Sting - ‘Shadows in the Rain’ (1985) From his solo debut, ‘The Dream of the Blue Turtles’. Sting assembled some of the best jazz players around, including Hakim, who had played with Weather Report, Miles & Bowie. m.youtube.com/watch?v=4QJp...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 5- A song with a chromatic melody… Lush - ‘De-Luxe’ (1990) From the ‘Mad Love’ EP & later compilation ‘Gala’. Incorporates chromatic melodies, particularly in their sweeping vocal harmonies and intricate guitar arrangements. m.youtube.com/watch?v=6hhI...

Ike Reiko - Vertigo [Japan, Lounge/J-Pop] (1971)---pseudo-spy movie music peppered with pornographic sounds https://redd.it/j6rzdp https://youtu.be/GgQhvgwTCcs

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge June 4 - Any song from a favorite album… The Dandy Warhols - ‘Boys Better’ (1997) From the Portland band's ‘...The Dandy Warhols Come Down’. One critic called it "the most exhilarating 60s-into-90s excursion by an American band". m.youtube.com/watch?v=BoJl...

#AZSongsJune #MusicChallenge *Day 4* ‘D’ The Welders - ‘Debutantes in Bondage’ (1979) Formed in St Louis in 1975, the band is considered by many to be Missouri’s first all-female punk band. This is their only single. m.youtube.com/watch?v=mPjr...

The Cosmopolitans - (How To Keep Your) Husband Happy [US, New Wave, Garage Rock] (1980) https://redd.it/1lyay63 https://youtu.be/qPpqZEfMwSk

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 4- A song with a guitar & voice only… Game Theory - ‘Girl W/ A Guitar' (1985) A bonus track on the album ‘Real Nighttime’, the jangly melody was co-written by Game Theory's Scott Miller & The Three O'Clock's Michael Quercio. m.youtube.com/watch?v=3iRo...

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 4* A song about good times… Martha & the Vandellas - ‘Dancing in the Streets’ (1964) From the group's third album, ‘Dance Party’. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann. m.youtube.com/watch?v=1PXz...

#SweetBeats #MusicChallenge *Day 4* Buddy Rich The Buddy Rich Orchestra - "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" on The Ed Sullivan Show (New Year's Eve, 1967) I saw Buddy and his Big Band in 1981. I've never seen or heard anything like it since. That swing! m.youtube.com/watch?v=toJ4...

Ovni 87 - Sueño Un Camino [Uruguay, Psychedelic/Surf] (1969) https://redd.it/61y0zb https://youtu.be/a3GvAd2C2M0

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge *June 3* A song with Me, My, Mine or Ego… White Plains - “My Baby Loves Lovin’’ (1970) The spin-off of the one-hit-wonder band The Flower Pot Men. This was the band's best-selling single, reaching #9 in the UK and #13 in the US. m.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ7H...

#AZSongsJune #MusicChallenge *Day 3* ‘C’ Todd Rundgren - ‘Couldn’t I Just Tell You’ (1972) Power-pop from the album ‘Something/Anything?’, a mostly piano-based record. Rundgren played all the instruments on the album which is the reason for so few rock numbers.. m.youtube.com/watch?v=utea...

The Psychedelic Aliens - Blofonyobi Wo Atale [Ghana, Rock/Funk/Psych] (1970) https://redd.it/13j403r https://youtu.be/LfBgpl4nZWI

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 3* A song about hard times… Run-DMC - ‘Hard Times’ (1984) From the self-titled debut, produced by Russell Simmons. Considered groundbreaking for its time, presenting a tougher, more hardcore form of rap. It peaked at #53. m.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPs...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 3* A song with a piano and voice only… Kate Bush - ‘Feel It' (1978) From her debut album, ‘The Kick Inside'. David Gilmour from Pink Floyd co-produced the record, which peaked at #3 in the UK. m.youtube.com/watch?v=_beK...

#SweetBeats #MusicChallenge Day 3- Sam Groveman Lipps Inc. - ‘Funkytown’ (Drum cover) A bit of fun today. I'm not a big ‘cover’ video fan, but I make an exception for Sam. A session drummer & instructor at the W.E. Music Academy in Atlanta, his chops are amazing. m.youtube.com/watch?v=f5V2...

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge June 2- A song about anything you might find in a rainforest… John Lee Hooker ‘Crawlin’ King Snake' (1975) Recorded live in Chicago. First recorded by Big Joe Williams in 1941. It's been done many times, most notably by the Doors. m.youtube.com/watch?v=WiQf...

#AZSongsJune #MusicChallenge *Day 2* ‘B’ Modernettes - ‘Barbra’ (1980) Formed in Vancouver in 1978, the Canadian trio were a mixture of the Velvets and the Ramones. They released one album (Get It Straight) and two EPs. m.youtube.com/watch?v=zTUR...

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 2* A song that makes you daydream… Simple Minds - ‘New Gold Dream 81/82/83/84’ (1982) From the album of the same name. Lead singer Jim Kerr called the record the band's ‘Holy Grail’. It makes me daydream nostalgic. m.youtube.com/watch?v=GWAC...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 2- A song with a full symphony orchestra Procol Harum - ‘Conquistador' (1972) (Starts at :40) From ‘Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’. The album reached #5 in the US. It's the band's best-selling album. m.youtube.com/watch?v=fOb9...

#SweetBeats #MusicChallenge *Day 2* Martin Chambers Pretenders - ‘Message of Love’ (1981) A former London driving instructor, Chambers was a founding member of the Pretenders. Hard-hitting and often complex, he left the group in 1986. He would rejoin in 1994. m.youtube.com/watch?v=RlOV...

The Hi-5 - Did you have to rub it in? [US, garagefolk, live for TV] (1966) https://redd.it/7wexk8 https://youtu.be/0iDgsGSO9OE

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge June 1- A song that begins with the letter J... Raydio - ‘Jack and Jill' (1978) From the Detroit group's self-titled debut. They were later known as Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio; Parker would take the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme to #1 in 1984. m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnmG...

#AZSongsJune #MusicChallenge *Day 1* ‘A’ The Sleepers - ‘Angel in a Raincoat’ (1980) Known as Sleepers UK in the US due to a San Francisco band with the same name at the time. They later became part of the UK’s ‘New Romantic’ scene by utilizing keyboards. m.youtube.com/watch?v=hGKv...

Sonny Dave Daye & The Muffins - Merry-Go-Round [US, R&B Soul Funk Great Track!] (1963) https://redd.it/5mqu53 https://youtu.be/6-xQAtHJ4GI

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 1* A song that reminds you of your ex… Belle and Sebastian - ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress' (2003) The title track from the band's 6th record. My ex-wife pretty much hated every band I ever played for her except this one. 🤔 m.youtube.com/watch?v=-m64...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 1- A song with a pre-chorus Aztec Camera - ‘The Boy Wonders’ (1983) From the debut ‘High Land, Hard Rain’. The only time the album title is mentioned is at the end of this song. Roddy Frame was just 19 when he recorded this. m.youtube.com/watch?v=gkaL...

#SweetBeats #MusicChallenge *Day 1* Steve Gadd Just 2:40 of Steve Gadd discussing & playing ‘50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’. I attended a clinic of his in the early 80’s and it was so wonderful to just watch & listen. I remember how incredible his kit sounded. m.youtube.com/watch?v=2R0o...

PLASTICS - TOP SECRET MAN [Japan, New Wave] (1980), basically same time different place Japanese version of B-52s https://redd.it/wqw9mz https://youtu.be/T40GL3uxaSI

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge *May 31* A song you discovered randomly… Soda Fraise - ‘Ça baigne dans l'huile’ (1980) This may be the French band's only release as details about them are murky. *Thank you @breakingkind.bsky.social for a fun month! 🌹 m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rvf...

Teddy & the Pandas - Look Back In Love, Not In Anger [Boston, Garage/Sunshine Pop] 1968 https://redd.it/1drutwj https://youtu.be/JvodrzvjbS4

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 31* A song with a string section… ABC - ‘The Look of Love’ (1982) Contains REAL strings and horns, as well as occasional harp plucks and xylophone. From their debut album ‘The Lexicon of Love’. Soared to #15 in the US. m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNEd...

#DavidsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 31- A song that has more than 6 words in the title Fun Boy Three - ‘It Ain't What You Do It's The Way That You Do It’ (1982) First recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Lunceford. Fun Boy Three recruited newcomers Bananarama for backup. m.youtube.com/watch?v=0_kj...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 31- A genre you've never heard before… Goblincore - Described as “a kind of folk music with an earthy appreciation for things that are beautiful precisely because they shouldn’t be.” 😐 Stealing Sheep - ‘Shut Eye’ (2012) m.youtube.com/watch?v=fv63...

Christel Ruby - Ruby [France, Garage/Pop] (1967) - Very cool girl pop with a wide range of influences (garage, doo wop, even funk). The whole (rare) album is a banger. https://redd.it/uy7d4y https://youtu.be/uw6ecPNPcks

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge *May 30* Closing track on an album… Ween - ‘Your Party' (2007) The last track on the band's 9th & final studio album, ‘La Cucaracha’. A proper 'yacht rock' send-off as the boys recruit David Sanborn to lay down the syrupy sax line. m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zxl...

Little Pattie - He's My Blonde-Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy [Australia, Pop/Novelty] (1963) https://redd.it/ski7ya https://youtu.be/iMItQoVXslc

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 30* A song about lies or deception… Neil Sedaka - ‘Bad Blood’ (1975) ‘The woman was born to lie Make promises she can't keep With the wink of an eye’ A #1 hit for Neil. Elton John (uncredited) on backing vocals. m.youtube.com/watch?v=zXpL...

#DavidsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge Day 30- Something obscure Devils Wielding Scimitars - ‘She's a Hemingway' (1990) Don't let the name fool you. Hook-laden pop melodies the band described as ‘psychedelic folk’. I had a huge crush on singer Suzy Callahan back then. m.youtube.com/watch?v=93km...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 30* A mashup combining at least two songs… Van Wonder - ‘Chained Uptight’ Van Wonder's only known recording on the Motown Records label. Reached #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Mashup Chart. m.youtube.com/watch?v=nYUb...

The Sweet Talks - Akumpaye [Ghana, Afrobeat, Funk] (1974) Great feel good song from one of the most popular Ghanaian 70s band https://redd.it/2v74kl https://youtu.be/xxZ7SSQvWoY

#BreakingKindSongs #MusicChallenge *May 29* A song that sounds better at night… Alicia Bridges - ‘I Love the Nightlife' (1978) A song best-served after dark. A #5 hit for the North Carolina native who had her own radio show at age 12 on WADA-AM in Shelby, NC. m.youtube.com/watch?v=aAGE...

#EcksteinsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 29* A song about a mistake…. Buzzcocks - ‘Oh Shit!’ (1979) ‘Oh shit, I wish I'd known before now…’ Pete Shelley realizes love ain't what it's cracked up to be. The B-side of the single ‘What Do I get?’. m.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7X...

Pierre Barouh - Roses [France, Samba/Chanson] (1966) https://redd.it/3e7z0v https://youtu.be/omGwEealSHQ

#DavidsMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 29* A song with a repeated word in the title... Crazy Elephant - “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’” (1969) A studio concoction promoted in Cash Box as allegedly being a group of Welsh coal miners. They took this to #12 in the US & UK. m.youtube.com/watch?v=Slla...

#IsmuasMonthOfMusic #MusicChallenge *Day 29* A song with unusual vocal techniques… Klaus Nomi - ‘Total Eclipse' (1981) Born Klaus Sperber, a German countertenor and baritone noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona. m.youtube.com/watch?v=HmLk...