Music
This Week’s Heavy Rotation #32
I dropped by to pick up a reason
Note: Each week I take a look back at my playlists and share songs that were either played the most, got stuck in my head, or just stood out. Many are new to me, but there are old faves mixed in as well.
Below is my Top 5 of the last 7 days:
Last week my family was at the beach, and you may recall last week’s list being heavily influenced by the sounds I heard in our hotel. We capped that trip off by deciding to drive home.
Last week’s list:
There’s a certain irony in an airline employee choosing to instead hit the road. But our kids wanted to check some new states off their lists — and really, when were we going to be coming back? My wife and I thought it was important for them to see that there is a whole ‘nother universe of people out there as well.
Talking about getting out of one’s comfort zone is easy to do. Actually doing it? Not so much. It’s the same story with popping one’s filter bubble.
So when the opportunity knocks, you take it. Doing it in a brand new rental car doesn't hurt, either. Turns out driving a car with things like working A/C is really nice. Who knew?
XTC-Grass
This popped into my head while driving through Ohio, where there is… a lot of grass. That’s obviously not what this song is about, but my brain is wired that way. The lazy mix of violin and guitar and lilting vocals were a perfect fit as the landscape slowly rolled out in front of us. This wouldn’t be out of place on a Camper Van Beethoven record.
Note: The B-side to this single was “Dear God,” which was a fairly big hit for the band.
Laying on the grass my heart it flares like fire The way you slap my face just fills me with desire You play hard to get ’Cause you’re teacher’s pet But when the boats have gone We’ll take a tumble excuse for a fumble Shocked me too the things we used to do on grass If you fancy we can buy an ice-cream cone Your mate has gone She didn’t want to be alone I will pounce on you Just us and the cuckoos You are helpless now Over and over we flatten the clover Shocked me too the things we used to do on grass It would shock you too the things we used to do on grass Grass, grass. Things we did on grass
Morgan Wallen-More Than My Hometown
Between not being allowed to perform on Saturday Night Live after breaking COVID protocols, to a well-publicized racial outburst, Wallen’s had quite a year. Through it all, he’s managed to stay as popular as ever. This came on the radio as we were winding through Appalachia. Two surprising things happened: First, my older son not only knew the song but knew most of the words. The same son who not too long ago only consumed hip hop and “trap.” Second — and more importantly — it sparked a good discussion on cancel culture, the sway of social media, and how words matter.
Sometimes I forget that my kids are their own people capable of distilling the world around them into coherent thoughts/opinions. This was a great revelation (and not a terrible song either, to be honest).
John Mellencamp-Small Town
Our trip took us through Indiana, and avoiding construction took us onto some Blue Highways and through several small towns. It was inevitable that I’d play this at some point.
I’m a city kid through and through, but there is something romantic about the enduring small town — especially in the Rust Belt. This trip saw towns at every point on the spectrum- from disintegrating to long gone and back to rebounding. Lots of flags. No L.A. dolls. No matter.
Mavis Staples-Slippery People (Live)
On our trip, there were long stretches where only we only had a choice between 1–2 stations. Not so once we hit the Windy City. This was one of the first tracks we were able to pick up. We’d been on the road 14+ hours at the point, and I’d been desperately looking for a place to get coffee. After hearing this, I didn't need it.
Buffalo Springfield- Mr. Soul
I spent my last day of vacation doing a whole lot of nothing. Some reading, some laundry, and finally getting around to watching Echo In The Canyon on NetFlix. Narrated by Jakob Dylan, it’s a fantastic look back at the artists that called the Laurel Canyon home, and the “sound” they created. Brian Wilson, Steven Stills, David Crosby, and more all make appearances, as do modern artists like Beck and Norah Jones. Definitely worth a watch.
At any rate, this is my favorite clip from the movie. I know Young recorded it later for his Trans album, but I like this 1967 version. Maybe it's Stills’ moves that get me.
What are you listening to this week? Let me know in the comments! As always, thank you to everyone here. We’re building something fantastic (We’re at 1000 members!!), and it’s only getting better. As always, all credit goes to each of you.
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