From the Songs you won’t hear on the radio files:

I first ran across Tom Lehrer in 1975 while scouring through some old guy’s record collection looking for big band music for a production of The Glass Menagerie. Lehrer is not about the music, he’s about the clever lyrics.

The Masochism Tango
Poisoning Pigeons In The Park

Lehrer could be a bit of a snob. OK, a lot of a snob. But some of my favorites were done for The Electric Company. Like The LY Song, and Silent E.

First up from the “Songs you won’t hear on the radio” files:
The Maker by Daniel Lanois

Lanois has a moody, atmospheric sound. I find this song very moving with its themes of alienation, knowing and being known and allusions to the fall. He’s produced Grammy winning albums for U2, Dylan, and Emmylou.

The original
Willie/Emmylou/Daniel cover
Dave Matthews cover

Note on the Emmylou cover: About 25 years ago I jammed with the guitar player, Buddy Miller. Somewhere I have a tape of me and The Woman, Buddy and his wife, Julie, trading songs in his living room. With Daniel (Whittington, not Lanois) talking over one of my songs. He was 3, I think.

Because I apparently don’t have enough to do already, I’m going to post the occasional music-related review of songs that have stood out for me over the years.Here’s a little appetizer: A shockingly young Tom Waits singing The Piano Has Been Drinking live on Fernwood Tonight.