Song of the Day: Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) by Phil Collins

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

As I mentioned earlier, today is Phil Collins’s birthday so today’s song of the day is one of my favorites. From the film of the same name, here is Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now).

How can I just let you walk away, just let you leave without a trace
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh
You’re the only one who really knew me at all

How can you just walk away from me,
when all I can do is watch you leave
Cos we’ve shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears
You’re the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now, oh there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothing left here to remind me,
just the memory of your face
Ooh take a look at me now, well there’s just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against all odds and that’s what I’ve got to face

I wish I could just make you turn around,
turn around and see me cry
There’s so much I need to say to you,
so many reasons why
You’re the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now, well there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face
Now take a look at me now, cos there’s just an empty space

But to wait for you, is all I can do and that’s what I’ve got to face
Take a good look at me now, cos I’ll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It’s the chance I’ve gotta take

Take a look at me now

lyrics by Phil Collins

Song of the Day: Love On A Real Train by Tangerine Dream

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This is from the soundtrack of 1983’s Risky Business. That film, of course, is not a dystopian noir. But the soundtrack certainly has the feel of being from one.

I just love sound of this.

Song of the Day: I Believe by Lou Reed & John Cale

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In today’s song of the day, Lou Reed sings about Andy Warhol and discusses his personal feelings toward Valerie Solanas, the woman who shot and nearly killed him.

Judging from the lyrics, this song was written after Warhol’s death in 1987 but before Solanas’s death in 1988. Needless to say, Reed did not have much use or sympathy for those who attempted to turn Solanas into a revolutionary icon or who claimed that her action could be explained by her mental illness. Reed demanded retribution and, with this brilliantly angry song, he got a little.

This song comes from Songs For Drella, a 15-song cycle about the life and art of Andy Warhol.

Valerie Solanas took the elevator
got off at the 4th floor
Valerie Solanas took the elevator
got off at the 4th floor
She pointed the gun at Andy saying
you cannot control me anymore

I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe an eye for an eye is elemental
I believe that something’s wrong if she’s alive right now

Valerie Solanas took three steps
pointing at the floor
Valerie Solanas waved her gun
pointing at the floor
From inside her idiot madness spoke and bang
Andy fell onto the floor

I believe life’s serious enough for retribution
I believe being sick is no excuse and –
I believe I would’ve pulled the switch on her myself

When they got him to the hospital
his pulse was gone they thought that he was dead
His guts were pouring from his wounds
onto the floor they thought that he was dead
Not until years later would
the hospital do to him what she could not
what she could not

Where were you, you didn’t come to see me
Andy said, I think I died, why didn’t you come to see me
Andy said, It hurt so much, they took blood from my hand

I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe there’s got to be some retribution
I believe we are all the poorer for it now

Visit me, visit me
Visit me, visit me
Visit me, why didn’t you visit me
visit me, why didn’t you visit me
Visit me, visit me
visit me, why didn’t you visit me

Songwriters: John Cale/Lou Reed

Song of the Day: The Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major (composed by W.A. Mozart)

Posted on January 27, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s Mozart’s birthday today. He was born, on this date, 269 years ago. It seems only appropriate to turn to his work for today’s song of the day.

Song of the Day: Mean Street by Van Halen

Posted on January 26, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I was trying to figure out what song to pick for song of the day when I happened to see that today would have been Eddie Van Halen’s birthday. I nearly picked Panama for our song but then I saw this video for a song called Mean Street on YouTube and I felt the video showed off Van Halen’s guitar playing a bit more than the video for Panama.

And that’s how Mean Street become today’s song of the day!

(Plus, I want to save Panama for whenever we get around to officially annexing it.)

At night I walk this stinkin’ street past the crazys on my block and I see the same old faces and I hear that same old talk and I’m searching for the latest thing, a break in this routine, I’m talkin’ some new kicks, ones like you ain’t never seen

This is home, well, this is Mean Street, it’s our home, the only one I know

And we don’t worry ’bout tomorrow ’cause we’re sick of these four walls
Now what you think is nothin’ might be somethin’ after all
Now you know this ain’t no through street, the end is dead ahead
The poor folks play for keeps down here, they’re the living dead

Come on down, huh, down to Mean Street
They’re dancin’ now, Lord, out on Mean Street
Dance, baby

It’s always here and now, my friend, it ain’t once upon a time, it’s all over, but the shouting, I come, I take what’s mine
We’re searching for the latest thing, a break in this routine, talkin’ some new kicks ones like you ain’t never seen

This is home, mmm, this is Mean Street, it’s our home, only one I know

See, a gun is real easy in this desperate part of town, turns you from hunted into hunter (yeah), you go an’ hunt somebody down, wait a minute, ah, somebody said fair warning, Lord, Lord, strike that poor boy down

Songwriters: Edward Van Halen / Alex Van Halen / Michael Anthony / David Lee Roth

Song of the Day: Things To Come, performed by the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band

Posted on January 25, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The courtyard at UNT’s Bruce Hall, the former home of this writer!

Since today is Tobe Hooper’s birthday and I’ve already shared a scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it seems appropriate that today’s song of the day should come from Texas as well!

Here is the University of North Texas’s One O’Clock Lab band performing Dizzy Gillespie’s Things To Come!

Song of the Day: Animal House by Stephen Bishop

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since today is John Belushi’s birthday and I already shared a scene from Animal House, it only feels appropriate that today’s song of the day should come from the film as well. From Stephen Bishop, here is …. ANIMAL HOUSE!

Let me t-t-tell you ’bout some friends I know
They’re kinda crazy but you’ll dig the show
They can party ’till the break of dawn
at Delta Chi you can’t go wrong

Otter, he’s the ladies man
Every girl falls into his hands
Boon and Katy playing “Cat and Mouse”
and Mrs. Wormer, she’s the queen of the

ANIMAL HOUSE

That Pinto he’s a real swell guy
Clorette was jailbait but he gave her a try
Chip, Doug, and Greg, they’re second to none
They studied under Attila the Hun

Mr. Jennings has got his wig on tight
Flounder’s left shoe’s always on his right
Babs and Mandy are having a pillow fight
With D-Day, Hoover, Otis Day and the Knights

DO THE BLUTO

Come on baby, dance with me
Maybe if we do the Bluto
We will get an “A” in lobotomy

DO THE BLUTO
DO THE BLUTO

Aw, come on!
Let me tell ya
Dean Wormer tried to shut us down
But he fell and he broke his crown
He didn’t know about the Delta spunk
He came in handy when we were short a skunk

At the

ANIMAL HOUSE

Songwriters: Stephen Bishop

Song of the Day: Ramblin’ Man (The Allman Brothers Band)

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Arleigh

The Allman Brothers Band, as accomplished and acclaimed as they were, seem to not have the garnered the same attention with the younger generations like their contemporaries such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, Creedence Clearwater Revival, etc. It’s a shame really since they were probably the greatest band to come out of the southern rock scene.

Led by frontman Gregg Allman with the mythical Duane Allman and Dickey Betts bookending him as duo lead guitarists, The Allman Brothers Band came onto the scene with their mixture of blues-inspired rock and that southern flavor (almost a touch of the bluegrass and country) that left such a huge with rock listeners during the late 60’s and throughout the 1970’s. Their signature song will always be the ever-present “Whipping Post” where anyone wanting to take up the guitar will hear the genius slide-guitar playing of Duane Allman (dying at the age of 24 and cementing his spot in rock legend lore).

Yet, Dickey Betts also had his time to shine as Duane’s partner-in-crime and this is more than evident on his work in the band’s track “Ramblin’ Man” released in 1973 which in itself inspired by the Hank Williams song of the same name. “Ramblin’ Man” is one of the band’s more country-sounding song, but it’s blues rock foundation comes to the forefront with Dickey Betts performing the outro guitar solo to finish off the song.

While Duane Allman’s death in 1971 could’ve been the death knell to this rising band, it powered through this tragedy and more than a little help from Duane’s guitar-mate Dickey Betts.

Ramblin’ Man

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man,
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can.
And when it’s time for leavin’,
I hope you’ll understand,
That I was born a ramblin’ man.

My father was a gambler down in Georgia,
And he wound up on the wrong end of a gun.
And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rollin’ down highway 41.

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man,
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can.
And when it’s time for leavin’,
I hope you’ll understand,
That I was born a ramblin’ man.

[Interlude]

I’m on my way to New Orleans this mornin’,
Leaving out of Nashville, Tennessee,
They’re always having a good time down on the bayou, Lord
Them Delta women think the world of me.

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man,
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can.
And when it’s time for leavin’,
I hope you’ll understand,
That I was born a ramblin’ man.

[Repeat and Fade]
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man…

[Guitar Solo]

Great Guitar Solos Series

Song of the Day: Next Big Thing by California Dreams

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Oh, why not?

The Oscar nominations are due to be announced tomorrow and right now, I think everyone’s waiting to see who will be the next big thing. In honor of the occasion, here is Tony Wickes and the California Dreams with today’s song of the day.

All together now …. he’s so funky!

Song of the Day: Super Snooper by The Oceans

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I watched the classic Terence Hill film Super Fuzz last night. As anyone who has seen the movie can tell you, the movie features a theme song that just won’t quit. It’s been stuck in my head since last night. And now, it can be stuck in yours!