cooltunes

Back in its heyday, KSFO’s night guy was Bobby Dale. When he was depressed, which was often the case, he would put on some Mickey Newbury. Especially if it was raining, because Mickey had those rain songs. Even now, I can’t think of Bobby without remembering Mickey.

For a short time, I worked at the station, and while I met the other DJs, I never saw Bobby since he only came in when most of the staff had gone home.

Back then, I didn’t know Bobby’s DJ history, nor was I aware of Mickey’s prolific songwriting abilities. Kris Kristofferson said that he could never have written Bobbie McGee had it not been for Newbury’s influence.

You won’t find Mickey Newbury at iTunes, but he’s at Amazon.

Here is An American Trilogy, which Newbury didn’t write, but arranged. He put three diverse, classic, Southern-flavored songs together in a stunning whole. Elvis and Tom Jones both had hits with their versions, but it’s this one I like the most:

A friend has undergone a traumatic rift in her family, and is shakily getting to her feet again. In her company from time to time is someone just learning how to walk, having recently celebrated her first birthday. As one is tentatively finding her balance again, and the other is determinedly upright, wanting to move fast, I’m giving them some music to dance to when the time comes to throw caution to the winds.

And the Kylie Minogue has that ‘. . . la la la la la la la la’ refrain, perfect for someone anxious to talk and sing, but not quite able to grasp the finer points of human speech just yet.

I Just Want to Dance With You - George Strait
Fly Like a Bird - Boz Scaggs
Feeling Good - Michael Buble
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston
Graceland - Paul Simon
What’s New Pussycat - Tom Jones
Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Calling Elvis - Dire Straits
Can’t Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue
Red Staggerwing - Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris
Venus - Frankie Avalon

A Washington Post review of the recently released album.

My kids were only 18 months apart, and there was a long stretch when both were in diapers. Naptime became a high priority if I was to make it through the day. If they were still restless after being read to, I would put on some records and let music ease them to sleep.

One choice was a collection of train songs by Johnny Cash. Some of the tracks were slow. So, if they get curiously sleepy nowadays upon hearing ‘I hear the train a-comin’, it’s comin’ round the bend’, there’s a good reason why. Hah.

Dreams - The Cranberries
Dream Scream - Death Cab for Cutie
Dreaming of You - Selena
In Dreams - Roy Orbison
Dream Lover - Mariah Carey
Dream a Little Dream of Me - Michael Buble
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
All I Have to Do is Dream - Everly Brothers
Dream - Dinah Washinton
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Diana Krall
Dream Baby - Roy Orbison
Dreamland - Art Garfunkel

Especially if the man is Billy Ray Cyrus, who is still looking for his second hit.

Or is it music in the food? Whatever. If music be the food of love, etc.

Graceland, Paul Simon
This Ain’t Tennessee, Garth Brooks
Rainy Night in Georgia, Brook Benton
Walking in Memphis, Marc Cohn
Black Velvet, Alannah Myles
Georgia On My Mind, Ray Charles
Shenandoah, Keith Jarrett
Jackson, Johnny Cash
Tennessee Waltz, Norah Jones
Tall Trees in Georgia, Eva Cassidy

 Late at night when it’s hard to rest, I hold your picture to my chest, and I feel fine.