Ropeadope

Feeling pretty sad today. looking at this broken world, the pieces of a life that doesn't make much sense anymore. What were those dreams, just illusions? Oil in the water, humans crying for revenge while sucking up energy with their big cars and little gadgets. I cue up this track - 'the birds they sing, at the break of day. Start again, I seem to hear them say'. And I pull …

"I know everyone would want me to say that I'm not afraid to be alone/ I'm gonna live I'm alright, I'm gonna die it's alright I'm okay".  Everyone keeps talking about this album and it is for good reason.  I hold a special place in my heart for these guys, growing up listening to them when I was 14 or 15, they grew up in the town down the …

When the 'Some Girls' Record came out, The Stones were under great pressure to perform. Sid and Johnny had proclaimed them dead - 'your Dad's rock & roll' was the derogatory term used. Well, Keith and Mick not only kicked ass and took names - they released an album of all singles. Seriously, almost every track on the record makes you think - 'this one is the hit!'. But this track …

From the first note you are hooked. The recording is perfect; space, contrast, a beat that won't quit. The vocals have the edge that pop music so desperately needed to sound legit. And the words, the words! The expression of confidence and rejection of love that defined The Stones for then and for ever. Every man wants to be singing this song. This is The Rolling Stones in 1967, as pure …

Well, not yet. but it's gonna be hot this weekend on the east coast USA and we are more than ready for it. It's been a beautiful spring, and we all need to know that in the cosmic timeline, it's summertime.

Greil Marcus claims that Bob Dylan and The Band brought 'Weird America' back from the forgotten annals of history. I believe him. This song sounds like no other in popular music of the time. Of course, there are countless bands since that have reconnected with the other, forgotten,  America - from Leon Russell to Nirvana to Devendra Banhart.No matter how many times the marketing squad tries to whitewash our country, music …

Nico delivers a brooding mood on this classic track, her smoky voice drifting above the guitar picking of one Jackson Browne. Browne wrote the song, and it just might be his best.

1970 something, when I was 14, I went to the high school dance.not at my high school, where they played YES (Roundabout) over and over, but at the nearby Catholic High School where they were spinning George Clinton and Sly Stone. It was odd to me then and it still is, but I suppose the Lord works in mysterious ways. This song - well we all knew that it was not …

Just let my itunes play on its own and it picked this wonderful version of Rebel Rebel from Life Aquatic, a song I'm glad I found.

A beautiful version of the Bob Dylan song. I was a serious Dylan fan in the seventies (still am) and got the chance to attend a couple of his shows during his Christian 'phase'. To me it was no stretch at all - Bob was always singing about religion really. Songs like 'Gates Of Eden' and 'A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall' - no one freaked out about those! Anyway, Bob …

OK, I am cheating here. I just love this track from the upcoming segment on ropeadope radio (The Kenmore Tapes). This cat is right on, and this track is proof...Great lyrics, rolling slow, strong message.

A perfect song for a rainy day, take me away to Cantelope Island. a classic played by a legend. Hugh Masekela's perfect rendition of the Herbie Hancock masterpiece.

Found this one in a box at the fake offices, and got this commentary from our fearless leader Andy - 'way back in the way back, the mockingbird foundation was doing a benefit and they asked logic to pick a phish tune to interpret. at the time logic was all into paige (long story) so he went with cars, trucks & buses. the band (casey benjamin on horns, mike weitman on …

Every song should be this good, this deep, this meaningful. 'What is love and what is hate? and why does it matter?' just listen, sit and chew on that thought for a minute and you'll be all the better for it. I'm serious, do what Wayne says, he is waaay ahead of us. and behind us at the same time. Buddha in your ears. with a drum kit.

More buddha, this time with piano and violin. can't really say anything about this song except the title is proven to be true upon listening. take that atheists.

I remember the first time I heard beck hansen. it was on an LA radio station, he did a song called 'mexico' that told the story of american youth like i know it. i bought stereopathetic soul manure and one foot in the grave right away. they were strange records, and you couldn't tell if he was 'good' or not. I just knew i liked it, because it was weird and …

Thank Louis for this blast from the past. I know that for as long as I ever hear Otis Redding I will remember sitting at the Ropeadope fake office learning how important Otis Redding was to the world. This may be my favorite of all his songs ( that I have found so far). The guitar part is wayyy before it's time, the horns make me wish I played saxophone more …

gotta play a silly love song for Valentine's Day.... This one from the Serge Gainesbourg revisited record. Cat Power crooning her best croon.