J.P.'s Pandemic Playlist

​Music is vital to keeping us sane and connecting us all to something far greater. I wanted to dedicate this week’s post to celebrating some of the music and various artists that have meant so much to me over the decades. Buckle up as we are going to cover a lot of years, the choices diverse as the times when they were recorded. So, kick back and enjoy a snapshot of some of the artists and songs that bring back such great memories and inspire me during this little thing we call the great pandemic of 2020. 

​Photograph (Ringo Starr, written by George Harrison and Ringo Starr) 1973
 
An anthem for the true romantic and no one could bring it to life with more enthusiastic and joyous melancholy than none other than Ringo Starr. This song seems to bridge a transition in my life of no Fab Four to decades of great songwriting and performances from the remaining members.

​I remember to waking up to Birdland by Weather Report virtually every morning for the entire year of 1977. It seemed to be the song of choice for shaking off the cobwebs and getting your day started. The appeal also happened to be universal. Moving to CA and transitioning to a new relationship, the catchy tune became a kind of musical Groundhog Day. To this day I am not able to shake the band’s jazzy influence.

​September (Earth, Wind & Fire) 1978
 
There is a reason this tune is in every geriatric buddy comedy movie over the last decade. How can you not hear it and not remember a day when all you really cared about was the next great party? 
 

​All Over the World (Electric Light Orchestra) 1980
 
In the late seventies, I was introduced to a simple little band that happened to call itself The Electric Light Orchestra. The infusion of strings in rock and roll has always been there but in the case of Jeff Lynne, it was joyously blatant. I was gifted ELO along with a series of other albums and portable stereo by my girlfriend upon moving to Los Angeles. Being in a long-distance relationship, I tended to play the hell out of Telephone Line but the band’s influence in my life never 

​We Got the Beat (Go-Gos) 1980
 
I owned a Mercury Lynx, Seattle Seahawk Edition and purchased it new with absolutely no frills. My friend built me a cassette player that was made from a cardboard box and that sat in the passenger seat. In the rare time that I had a guest passenger, it was relegated to the back seat. That was okay as I never had to change the tape. Beauty and the Beat was on the extended playlist

Putting Out Fire (David Bowie) 1982
 
Well, something had to replace the Beauty and the Beat cassette for top play. This theme from “Cat People” is one of the best title tracks of all time. And nobody could perform something as hauntingly beautiful as this master of rock and roll.

​Neutron Dance (Pointer Sisters) 1983
 
Shelled out over 50 dollars to see the Pointer Sisters in the very early nineties. They blew through their headlining set in in just over 45 minutes, making the ghost of Elvis Presley green with envy. Geez. I miss cocaine.

​Raspberry Beret (Prince and the Revolution) 1985
 
Who knew that Raspberry was spelled with a p? Well, I just did. Anyway, we are now in the smack dab in the glorious. Prince had scored a mega-hit with the movie Purple Rain and was now free to make the top forty charts his bitch. Here was an artist at the top of his game and this song only solidifies this appeal. 

Sleepy Joe’s Café (Bruce Springsteen) 2019
 
I know we’ve jumped several decades but this artist seems to transcend time itself. I have listened to him for over 40 years. I have seen him live and there is not a concert like it. He’s a genius and Sleepy Joe’s Café is just one in hundreds of his songs that I listen to over and over and over. I can think of no better artist than to celebrate the end of my little list then with the troubadour for the common man. Thank you, Bruce!
 
And thank all of you for making this blog one of the highlights of my writing career. Stay safe and remember, we got this! 

COMING SOON: A review of the book that blew the Kennedy Assassination Conspiracy wide open. Don't miss a review of the book that Oliver Stone referred to as his bible while researching JFK .
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