Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. Tatiana Okupnik’s big, bold vocal delivery and the twangy guitars recall Shirley Bassey’s great James Bond themes. Love the oh-so-Euro, polymorphously erotic video too — the way the facial expressions underscore the devastating lyrics. play Tatiana’s “Been a Fool” (2011) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. A lost album of the eighties, and Eurythmics’ most experimental to date. Their label, Virgin, commissioned the duo to produce a soundtrack for the Michael Radford film (titled Nineteen Eighty-Four), the second one based on Orwell’s novel. However, Dominic Muldowney, working with the director, had already completed a full orchestral score. Chaos ensued, and Eurythmics were caught in the middle. Depending on which version of the film you view, there may or may not be any of their music included — except for “Julia”, which plays over the credits. play Eurythmics’ “Julia” (1984) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. This album swings away from the group’s bossa-nova bag into the folk-rock domain, with some heavily counterculture-influenced lyrics. This song in particular: so evocative of the early seventies. Also worth checking out: this album’s excellent covers of “Chelsea Morning” and “For What It’s Worth”. play Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66’s “Righteous Life” (1970) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. Who is the “I” who doesn’t wish to fall? The brain, the heart, or the singer? play Audrey Lavergne’s “Put Me Down” (2007) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. Husband and wife duo Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist took as their name the section of Cincinnati they came from: Over-The-Rhine, “where the river bends.” This Rust Belt elegy can evoke in all of us the lost worlds where we grew up. play Over The Rhine’s “Ohio” (2003) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. For this beautiful, emotionally-charged ballad, drummer/singer/songwriter Malick Koly enlisted renowned bassist Ron Carter and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid. This is one of those songs you find yourself listening to over and over again… play Malick Koly’s “Heaven for Now” (2023) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. When did it become permissible to talk about having sex, in a song? I’m not talking about outliers like The Fugs, but in a song that could be played on the radio? Up until the 70s, writers had to use suggestion or metaphor to get the message across. Some Rhythm & Blues tracks crossed the line (“Sixty Minute Man” or “Work With Me Annie”) and got banned. Then there are songs that took a more nudge nudge wink wink approach, like this Gershwin number. I love Peggy Lee’s 1940s work with her husband, guitarist Dave Barbour, and her voice and attitude are perfect for this. You can just see her sly grin, singing the title line. play Peggy Lee’s “Aren’t You Kind Of Glad We Did?” (1946) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. The star of this 1966 Cameo-Parkway record — kind of a cross between doo-wop and early Philadelphia soul — is the incredible voice of Eddie Holman. The guy in the song can’t believe his lucky stars — pinch me, I’m dreaming — and the voice, intoxicated by love, breaks free of reality and soars above — way, way above. play Eddie Holman’s “This Can’t Be True” (1966) on YouTube

Here’s another post of mine from Larry Haley’s The Bop Shop. Was Free the greatest British blues band? Might seem an odd question, since after their first album they didn’t cover blues standards or even adhere much to regular blues forms. But a deep blues spirit pervades their music, especially in Paul Rodgers’ vocals and Paul Kossoff’s guitar. Call it Blues for Moderns. Kossoff’s slithering, fuzzed-out, behind-the-beat guitar playing in this song sounds (and feels) like he tore out his heart and gave it to you. play Free’s “Come Together in the Morning” (1973) on YouTube

My friend Larry Haley is running a music sharing project he calls “a virtual record haven” – The Bop Shop. Every day Larry or another contributor posts a link to a favorite song, along with a short appreciation. Here’s one I contributed: Taking Larry’s cue re: musical married couples — Judy Henske needs no introduction; husband Jerry Yester (they were married in 1963) is probably best-known for replacing Zal Yanovsky in the Lovin’ Spoonful after the infamous drug (pot) bust. Their 1969 album Farewell Aldebaran includes some of Judy’s finest vocal performances… but the lead singer on the title track is Jerry (boy, he can really hit those high notes). I think this is one of the earliest thoroughly “electronic” pop songs — others had used the Moog synth for ornamentation, but here it’s the backbone of the song, and even the vocals are processed throughout (to an extreme in … Read more