Category Archives: Song of the Day

Song of the Day: All Time High, performed by Rita Coolidge

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to recording artist Rita Coolidge!

Rita Coolidge, who rose from being a backing singer to being a successful headliner in her own right, sung my favorite James Bond theme song, All Time High from Octopussy.

(Not surprisingly, this was a rare care of the Bond film’s title not being used in the theme song.)

I love this song and not just because it’s one of the few that I can actually sing.  As performed by Coolidge, this song captures the romance, mystery, and fun that epitomized the Bond franchise before Daniel Craig came along and turned James Bond into a sexless, weepy loser.

It only seems appropriate to make All Time High today’s song of the day!

All I wanted was a sweet distraction for an hour or twoHad no intention to do the things we’ve doneFunny how it always goes with love, when you don’t look, you findBut then we’re two of a kind, we move as one
We’re an all-time highWe’ll change all that’s gone beforeDoing so much more than falling in loveOn an all-time highWe’ll take on the world and winSo hold on tight, let the flight begin
I don’t want to waste a waking moment, I don’t want to sleepI’m in so strong and so deep, and so are youIn my time, I’ve said these words before, but now I realizeMy heart was telling me lies, for you, they’re true
We’re an all-time highWe’ll change all that’s gone beforeDoing so much more than falling in loveOn an all-time highWe’ll take on the world and winSo hold on tight, let the flight begin
So hold on tight, let the flight beginWe’re an all-time high
(Songwriters: Tim Rice and John Barry)

Song of the Day: Brain Damage/Eclipse by Pink Floyd

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I was torn about whether or not to listen to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon during the eclipse because — bleh! — Roger Waters. But then I remembered that the other members of the band hate Roger Waters as well and I was able to use that to justify things. I mean, seriously, some things are just made for eclipses and that’s certainly true of the somewhat silly and portentous but still effective Dark Side of the Moon.

(Silly, portentous, and effective is also a good description of Pink Floyd as a whole.)

So, with that in mind, here is today’s special Eclipse Day song of the day. Actually, I guess I should say that these are today’s songs of the day because technically, they are two separate songs. But they might as well be two.

Song of the Day: Baba O’Riley by The Who

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is the 80th birthday of Who vocalist Roger Daltrey so it seems only appropriate to pick one of The Who’s most recognized songs for today’s song of the day.  Enjoy Teenage Wasteland!

Okay, just kidding.  I know the name of the song is Baba O’Riley.  But seriously, there are thousands of people out there who think that this song is called Teenage Wasteland and, when I first wrote the first draft of my review of Summer of Sam, I may have actually been so exhausted that I actually referred to it as being Teenage Wasteland but, fortunately, if that did indeed happen, Jeff pointed out my mistake before I hit that publish button.  Pete Townshend, who wrote the song, later said that the reference to a “teenage wasteland” was inspired by the audience Woodstock and it was not meant to be complimentary.

This performance, featuring Daltrey’s amazing vocals, is taken from the 1979 concert film, The Kids Are Alright.

Song of the Day: Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I meant to share this yesterday for Johnny Cash’s birthday but I was pretty tired when we got home from the lake and I missed my chance to do so.  But the voice of Johnny Cash was so strong that it can justify a song of the day even after his birthday.

So, with a belated happy birthday to the spirit of Johnny Cash, here is today’s song of the day!

Song of the Day: Wand’rin Star, sung by Lee Marvin

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Continuing our tribute to Lee Marvin on what would have been his 100th birthday, our song of the day is a reminder that Lee Marvin was not just a tough guy actor.

He was also a singer who had a number one single in the UK and Ireland with this song from 1969’s Paint Your Wagon!  The same two weeks that Lee Marvin had the number one spot, The Beatles had the number two spot with Let It Be.

Song of the Day: The Fool On The Hill, performed by Joe Pesci

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to Joe Pesci!  A favorite of Scorsese’s, an fascinating interview subject, and the star of the short-lived series Half-Nelson, Joe Pesci has become a true American institution.

It’s often forgotten that, before he became an award-winning actor, Pesci pursued careers as both a stand-up comedian and a singer.  Here he is, performing a lounge version of The Beatles’ Fool On The Hill for his 1968 album, Little Joe Sure Can Sing!

Song of the Day: Lo and Behold, covered by Marjoe Gortner

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s Marjoe Gortner’s birthday!

Marjoe is a former child evangelist who, in 1972, appeared in the candid documentary, Marjoe.  The Oscar-winning film featured a look behind the scenes of the religious revival industry, with Marjoe as an amoral tour guide who discussed how he didn’t believe what he was preaching and who had basically been forced into the business by his parents.  Marjoe described how every word he preached was calculated to inspire people to donate more money to his ministry.  Marjoe described himself as being “bad but not evil.”

Marjoe Gortner would go on to have a long career as an actor in films, usually playing sinister characters.  His most-seen film was probably Earthquake.  My favorite Marjoe film is Starcrash.

In 1972, Marjoe recorded an album called, after his famous documentary quote, Bad But Not Evil.  Today’s song of the day is Marjoe Gortner covering Bob Dylan’s Lo and Behold on that album.

Happy birthday, Marjoe Gortner!

I pulled out for San Anton’I never felt so goodMy woman said she’d meet me thereAnd of course, I knew she would
The coachman, he hit me for my hookAnd he asked me my nameI give it to him right awayThen I hung my head in shame
Lo and behold! Lo and behold!Looking for my lo and beholdGet me outta here, my dear man
I come into PittsburghAt 6:30 flatI found myself a vacant seatAnd I put down my hat
“What’s the matter, Molly, dear?What’s the matter with your mound?”“What’s it to ya, Moby Dick?This is chicken town!”
Lo and behold! Lo and behold!Looking for my lo and beholdGet me outta here, my dear man
I bought myself a herd of mooseOne she could call her ownWell, she came out the very next dayTo see where they had flown
I’m going down to TennesseeGet me a truck or somethingGonna save my money and rip it up
Lo and behold! Lo and behold!Looking for my lo and beholdGet me outta here, my dear man
Now, I come in on a Ferris wheelAnd boys, I sure was slickI come in like a ton of bricksLaid a few tricks on them
Going back to PittsburghCount up to 30Round that horn and ride that herdGonna thread up
Lo and behold! Lo and behold!Looking for my lo and beholdGet me outta here, my dear man

Song of the Day: White Rabbit (performed by Jefferson Airplane)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since today is Grace Slick’s 85th birthday, today’s song of the day features her (and, to be fair, the rest of Jefferson Airplane) performing White Rabbit at the first Woodstock.

Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane not only performed at Woodstock but they were also among the bands who attempted to perform at the Altamont Free Concert a few months later.  Needless to say, the vibe at Altamont — which featured the Rolling Stones as headliners and the Hell’s Angels providing security — was far more aggressive and hostile than the vibe at Woodstock.  While the Stones were performing, a member of the audience got into a fight with the Hell’s Angels, raised a gun, and was stabbed to death.

As seen in the documentary Gimme Shelter, even before the murder that ended the 60s, the Angels were aggressive, even knocking out Jefferson Airplane’s other singer, Marty Balin, in the middle of the band’s performance.  Also seen in that documentary is Grace Slick doing her best to calm the crowd and, along with Paul Kanter, rather fearlessly talking back to a drunk Hell’s Angel who tried to take over the stage.

(It should be noted that Grace did all of that even though she had forgotten to put in her contact lenses that day.  Me, I can’t even walk from one end of a room to another if I forget to put in my contacts.)

White Rabbit

(Lyrics by Grace Slick)

One pill makes you largerAnd one pill makes you smallAnd the ones that mother gives youDon’t do anything at allGo ask AliceWhen she’s ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbitsAnd you know you’re going to fallTell ’em a hookah-smoking caterpillarHas given you the callCall AliceWhen she was just small
When the men on the chessboardGet up and tell you where to goAnd you’ve just had some kind of mushroomAnd your mind is moving lowGo ask AliceI think she’ll know
When logic and proportionHave fallen sloppy deadAnd the White Knight is talking backwardsAnd the Red Queen’s off with her headRemember what the dormouse saidFeed your headFeed your head

Song of the Day: If I Can’t Have You by Yvonne Elliman

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, we wish a happy birthday to singer, songwriter, and actress, Yvonne Elliman!

Along with playing Mary Magdalene in both the original stage and film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, Yvonne Elliman also performed the best version of my favorite song (and today’s song of the day), If I Can’t Have You!

This is one of the few songs that I can actually sing all the way through without losing the tune but Yvonne’s version is definitely superior to mine.

I don’t know why I’m surviving every lonely day
When there’s got to be no chance for me
My life would end, and it doesn’t matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time

If I turn away, am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah

Can’t let go, and it doesn’t matter how I try
I gave it all so easily to you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah (I’m in love with nobody)

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, no

(Lyrics by Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb)

Song of the Day: I Dreamed I Saw Jack Nance Last Night by Dumb Numbers

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Eraserhead (1977, dir by David Lynch)

Today would have been the 80th birthday of Jack Nance, the talented but troubled actor who was a favorite of David Lynch’s and who died under mysterious circumstances in 1996.  Born in Massachusetts but raised in Texas, Nance first won acclaim as a star of the stage show, Tom Paine.  The director of Tom Paine later received a fellowship to the American Film Institute where he met a young director named David Lynch and recommended that Lynch cast Nance as the lead character in his film, Eraserhead.  Lynch and Nance were kindred spirits, two all-American eccentrics with their own unique view of the world.  Lynch went to use Nance in almost every film that he made up until Nance’s death.  Nance would also appear in small roles in films from other directors, usually cast as quirky and obsessive characters.  Outside of his role in Eraserhead, Nance is probably best known for playing Pete Martell on Twin Peaks.  Pete’s discovery of Laura Palmer’s body launched the entire saga.

Twin Peaks 1.1 — The Pilot (dir by David Lynch)

Now, sadly, I can’t share any clips from Eraserhead on this site.  I wanted to share the scene where Jack Nance, as Henry, first has dinner with his future in-laws but I couldn’t find any uploads of that scene that were not age-restricted.  So, I’m just going to recommend that you see Eraserhead if you haven’t yet.

In my search for an Eraserhead scene, I did come across this song about Jack Nance and, in honor of Jack’s talent and legacy, I am making it today’s song of the day!