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December 19, 2022

Christmas playlist part three: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Album cover: A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio

A Charlie Brown Christmas, the animated TV special, has always existed. At least, that’s how it seemed to me as a kid. It’s how it seems now, really. I don’t remember watching it the first time, it just was a tradition that we observed as a family.

It was one of those “kids shows” that (not so) strangely, I never had to persuade my parents to watch. I can’t swear to this, but I don’t think we ever missed an annual airing of the special on CBS. Continue reading “Christmas playlist part three: A Charlie Brown Christmas”

October 8, 2016

“Help!” by The Beatles (No. 3)

"Help!" album cover (Parlophone version)

Here’s where it all began, my lifelong obsession with music. Technically, it was the movie Help! that helped turn me into a music junkie, but we’ll go with the album here.

Here’s how it all started. When I was seven, I came home from Sunday school (yes, really) and turned on the TV. There was usually a movie playing on the local non-network affliate channel around Noon on Sundays, and on one day I cranked the TV just in time to catch Help!.

If you’ve seen the movie, you know it starts with an attempted human sacrifice that fails because the victim isn’t wearing the sacrificial ring. Where’s the ring? Cut to a shot of Ringo Starr’s hand while he’s playing the drums as The Beatles play “Help!”

Continue reading ““Help!” by The Beatles (No. 3)”

October 3, 2016

“Rubber Soul” by The Beatles (No. 8)

Famed Rock critic Robert Christgau called Rubber Soul “when The Beatles began to go arty.” Reductive, perhaps, but also true.

Rubber Soul is not as adventurous as Sgt. Pepper or The Beatles, but it brings in elements that the band couldn’t reproduce on stage. And it also deals with some more mature themes than previous Beatles albums, albeit obliquely.

The album doesn’t jump right in to experimental tunes, though. “Drive My Car” is standard issue Beatle-y goodness that would have been right at home on Help! or Hard Day’s Night. It’s catchy, fun, and straight to the point. Continue reading ““Rubber Soul” by The Beatles (No. 8)”