That Dandy Classic Track of the Day #24
He Was Really Saying Something by The Velvelettes (1964, Motown/V.I.P. single)
This inexplicably brilliant Motown track really has an energy and a verve to it that always spoke to me at a young age.
Dan and Randy have one qualification when it comes to music that they like. That it be good. Genre, band, year of release don’t limit what they are open to enjoying. Do to the intensive nature of making an hour-long podcast, however, there are certain bands, songs, etc. we may not have time to do a proper show on. We’d still like to have a forum to celebrate good music of quality in a briefer form. Enter our ‘That Dandy Classic Track of the Day’ where we’ll spotlight a song that we feel deserves mention and for other lovers of music to explore if they are looking to expand their sonic palates as it were. If you have any suggestions for upcoming tracks of the day please submit them. If we pick yours we’ll give you full credit and our enduring gratitude.
He Was Really Saying Something by The Velvelettes (1964, Motown/V.I.P. single)
This inexplicably brilliant Motown track really has an energy and a verve to it that always spoke to me at a young age.
“Once Around the Block” by Badly Drawn Boy (The Hour of Bewilderbeast, 2000)
This track, from a jaw-droppingly perfect debut album, has remained one of my all-time favorites.
“Merry Go Round” by The Replacements (All Shook Down, 1990)
This track is ballsy, straight-ahead-rock-form. In some alternate universe this gem is on classic rock stations everywhere.
1968’s Beggars Banquet was a return to bluesy-form for the Stones off the heels of their underwhelming “Satanic Majesty’s Request” and had some of their very best and well-known songs. While “Jig-Saw Puzzle” isn’t nearly as well-known or celebrated as most, it’s always been a personal favorite of mine.
On their 3rd LP “Check Your Head” the Beastie Boys incorporated live drumming and played their own instruments. “So What Cha Want” is a great example of what they were going for during the early 1992’s as they were establishing themselves as career artists and making a bid for long-term relevance.
“Speak For Me” was a highlight on Cat Power’s 2003 indie rock release “You Are Free” and featured Dave Grohl on the rhythm section. It has P.J. Harvey-ish tendencies but is a masterpiece in Randy W. Hall’s book.
The birth of what would come to be known as ‘psychedelic soul’ can be traced to this #8 pop track of Sly & the Family Stone, “Dance To the Music”. For me this 3 minute song exemplifies the best of one of the most eclectic and electric bands of all-time and is proto-funk. A true classic.
No one was sure what to expect when New Order came back in 2001 after an 8-year layoff. What we got was pure “Crystal” Bernard Sumner-sung goodness!
In 1986 Gregory Abbott took the Billboard charts by storm with his one-shot masterpiece “Shake You Down” and he had the world by the tail. His career didn’t work out the way he probably saw it going, but damn it, no one can take this awesome tune away from him.
CBGB and Max’s Kansas City were awesome places to be in 1976. The punk underground was beginning to peek out from obscurity and the Ramones were leading the pack for punk rock in America. From their debut album we’ve selected this little Dee Dee Ramone penned gem, 53rd & 3rd, as our track of the day.