Song of the Day: Main Title Theme From Dirty Harry by Lalo Schifrin

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s song of the day comes from 1971’s Dirty Harry. Composer Lalo Schifrin’s moody score remains one of the best cop film scores of all time. It’s efficient, relentless, and deceptively low-key, just like “Dirty Harry” Callahan himself.

Song of the Day: Scuttle Buttin’ (by Stevie Ray Vaughan)

Posted on April 28, 2026 by Arleigh

If you’re diving into Stevie Ray Vaughan, you’ve gotta start with “Texas Flood“—that’s his absolute magnum opus, where his insane technique clashes head-on with raw, improvisational creativity in the most soul-shaking way. It’s like he’s channeling every ounce of Texas blues heartache through those bends and sustains, turning a cover into something timeless and volcanic.

“Scuttle Buttin’“, though? That’s SRV straight-up flexing for the shredders of his era, proving he could hang with the fastest gunslingers on the block while keeping it filthy and fun. It’s less about deep emotional pours and more about cocky, machine-gun precision that still drips with blues swagger—no fancy effects, just pure Stratocaster fury.

The real fireworks hit in the guitar solo, which begins around the :35 second mark, where he unleashes a torrent of rapid-fire picking, hammer-ons, and pulls that’d make any ’80s metal dude sweat. It’s not just speed for speed’s sake; every phrase snaps back to that gritty SRV attitude, like he’s daring you to keep up while grinning the whole time.

Trust me, crank this one up if you want to hear why Vaughan wasn’t just a blues guy—he was a monster who could out-shred anyone on their own turf. Jimi Hendrix had “Little Wing” to showcase his guitar solo mastery, but for SRV, “Scuttle Buttin’” was that track, proving why, of all the guitar players since Hendrix, only SRV truly picked up the mantle of the blues musician who straddled both blues and rock genres, making them bend to his will and talent. That’s why SRV is only surpassed in my mind by Hendrix as the greatest rock guitarist of all-time and top 5 guitarist regardless of music style.

Great Guitar Solos Series

Song of the Day: Aqualung (by Jethro Tull)

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Arleigh

Are you ready to go on a trip that’s grimy, gritty, and a little psychedelic all at the same time? If you’ve never heard “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, this is exactly the kind of ride it throws you into. Right from the start, it grabs you with one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock—gritty, bluesy, and instantly memorable. It sets the tone perfectly, especially as Ian Anderson starts painting this vivid picture of a rough, almost mythic street character. It’s not just a song you listen to—it’s one you sort of step into, like you’re walking past Aqualung yourself and catching fragments of his story.

What really hooks me is how the song shifts gears without ever feeling disjointed. One minute it’s raw and cynical, the next it softens into this oddly reflective, almost sympathetic tone. That contrast is what makes it stick. It’s gritty but thoughtful, like it’s judging the world while also quietly questioning it. And Anderson’s vocal delivery just sells all of it—half sneer, half storytelling.

But let’s talk about the moment—the guitar solo around the 3:30 mark. Martin Barre absolutely lights the track on fire there. It’s not flashy in a show-off way, but it’s got this sharp, biting tone that cuts right through everything. The phrasing feels deliberate, almost like he’s speaking through the guitar, adding another emotional layer to the song. It’s the kind of solo that doesn’t just decorate the track—it elevates it, giving the whole thing a surge of intensity right when you need it.

By the time the song wraps up, it leaves this weird mix of grit, empathy, and lingering tension. That’s why it sticks with you. “Aqualung” isn’t just a classic because it’s old—it’s because it still feels alive, unpredictable, and a little uncomfortable in the best way. Between that iconic opening riff and the punch of Barre’s solo, it hits you from both ends. If you’re even slightly into rock with personality, this is one you’ve gotta sit with, preferably loud enough to really feel that solo hit.

Aqualung

Sitting on a park bench
Eyeing little girls with bad intent
Snot running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes
Hey, Aqualung
Drying in the cold sun
Watching as the frilly panties run
Hey, Aqualung
Feeling like a dead duck
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck
Whoa, Aqualung

Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
Taking time the only way he knows
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog-end
He goes down to the bog and warms his feet
Feeling alone, the army’s up the road
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Aqualung my friend, don’t you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see, it’s only me

Do you still remember
December’s foggy freeze?
When the ice that
Clings on to your beard was
Screaming agony (Hey!)
And you snatch your rattling last breaths
With deep-sea-diver sounds
And the flowers bloom like
Madness in the spring

Sun streaking cold, an old man wandering lonely
Taking time the only way he knows
Leg hurting bad as he bends to pick a dog-end
He goes down to the bog and warms his feet
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Feeling alone, the army’s up the road
Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
Aqualung my friend, don’t you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see, it’s only me
Me-me-me-me-me
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

(Guitar Solo @3:30)

[Bridge]
Dee-dee-dee-dee
Dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee
Dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee
Dee-dee-dee-dee
Aqualung, my friend, don’t you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see, it’s only me

(Outro)
Whoa, Aqualung

Great Guitar Solos Series

Song of the Day: Irena’s Theme by Giorgio Moroder

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Happy birthday to musician and composer Giorgio Moroder. Today’s song of the day comes from his score for 1982’s Cat People. Here is Irena’s Theme!

Song of the Day: Main Title Theme From Scarface by Giorgio Moroder

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Why not? It is Al Pacino’s birthday, after all!

Song of the Day: Black Hole Sun (by Soundgarden)

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Arleigh

“Black Hole Sun” is one of those songs where Chris Cornell’s voice feels like the main character of its own little surreal movie. The way he drags out phrases, bends notes, and shifts between soft intimacy and howling power makes the whole thing feel heavy and hazy at the same time. You can almost feel the song stretching out like a long, strange afternoon in a half‑real town, and for a lot of people it became the entry point that pulled them headfirst into the Soundgarden rabbit hole with the Superunknown album.

Kim Thayil’s guitar work is what keeps that dream from ever feeling safe. His riffs throughout the track are already weird and slightly off‑kilter, but when the solo hits at 2:56, things get properly discordant. Instead of a neat, singable melody, the lead line feels jagged and uneasy, like the song is momentarily glitching out and refusing to sit in one place. That solo gives the song its signature discordant sound, almost like light and matter being pulled down into the black hole the title hints at.

The solo only lasts a little over 20 seconds, but it’s perfectly placed: it erupts right when the song’s tension peaks, then fades just quickly enough to let Cornell’s voice regain control and pull you into the next verse. The contrast between Thayil’s warped, dissonant lead and Cornell’s smooth, almost crooning delivery is what makes the track feel both beautiful and unsettling at the same time.

If you’re trying to get into Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun” is a great entry point not just because it’s catchy, but because it shows how perfectly Cornell and Thayil balance each other. Cornell gives the song its soul and mystery, while Thayil’s discordant guitar solo reminds you that there’s something quietly wrong under the surface — and for countless fans, it was the hook that dragged them deep into the rest of Superunknown and the band’s wider catalog.

Black Hole Sun

In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguises no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
And the sun in my disgrace
Boiling heat
Summer stench
Neath the black, the sky looks dead
Call my name
Through the cream
And I’ll hear you scream again

Black hole sun
Won’t you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won’t you come
Won’t you come
Won’t you come

Stuttering
Cold and damp
Steal the warm wind, tired friend
Times are gone
For honest men
Sometimes, far too long for snakes
In my shoes
Walking sleep
In my youth, I pray to keep
Heaven send
Hell away
No one sings like you anymore

Black hole sun
Won’t you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won’t you come
Won’t you come

(guitar solo @2:56)

Hang my head
Drown my fear
Till you all just disappear

Black hole sun
Won’t you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won’t you come
Won’t you come

Black hole sun
Won’t you come
And wash away the rain?
Black hole sun
Won’t you come
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won’t you come
Won’t you come

Great Guitar Solos Series

Song of the Day: The Adventures of Robin Hood Suite, composed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, performed by the John Wilson Orchestra

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

How about a little adventure?

Today’s song of the day, from 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood:

Song of the Day: Main Title Theme From The Shining, composed by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Shining (1980, dir by Stanley Kubrick, DP: John Alcott)

For today’s song of the day, we have the title tune to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. The Shining is a classic horror film and features one of Jack Nicholson’s most iconic performances.

Enjoy the greatest road trip music ever recorded.

Song of the Day: Maria, performed by the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Texas Flag, by Erin Nicole

Since today is San Jacinto Day, it seems appropriate that today’s song of the day should come from Texas!

Here is the University of North Texas’s One O’Clock Lab band performing Maria at the Addison Jazz Festival.

Song of the Day: Sharp Dressed Man (by ZZ Top)

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Arleigh

When I first heard Sharp Dressed Man and saw the video, I knew there was real wisdom in not looking like a slob. ZZ Top basically lays it out in the coolest way possible: looking sharp isn’t about vanity, it’s about presence. That opening riff alone feels like a wake-up call—like, hey, maybe ditch the wrinkled shirt and step into something that actually fits. It’s not preachy, it’s just smooth persuasion backed by undeniable groove.

The whole track just struts with confidence. Billy Gibbons’ guitar tone is razor-clean, every note hitting like it’s been polished before being sent out into the world. Then the solo kicks in around 1:30, and that’s where everything locks into place. Instead of going for the harder, heavier rock sound that dominated the ’70s and ’80s, Gibbons leans into the song’s bluesy DNA, keeping it tight, expressive, and full of swagger. It’s not some over-the-top shred fest—it’s controlled, stylish, and full of attitude, exactly like the kind of guy the song is talking about.

What makes the song stick is how simple the message is. You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul—you just need to care a little. Clean shoes, a pressed shirt, maybe a jacket that actually fits. ZZ Top turns basic effort into a full-on identity upgrade. Suddenly, getting dressed isn’t a chore, it’s a move. And once you feel that shift, it’s hard to go back.

That’s why Sharp Dressed Man feels timeless. It’s more than just a blues-rock hit—it’s like a three-minute style intervention for guys who didn’t know they needed one. It may have helped men of all ages figure out how to dress well, but don’t go calling it “becoming metrosexual”—this is ZZ Top, not a spa day. And sure, being sharp dressed gets you most of the way there, but rolling up in a customized candy-apple red ’33 Ford three-window coupe doesn’t exactly hurt the overall look either. Style matters, but style with attitude—and maybe a little horsepower—is what really seals it.

And if you’re gonna get pulled over because Deep Purple’s Highway Star made you push the speedometer a little too far, you might as well be sharp dressed when you get your speeding ticket—I say that from experience, having been pulled over not in a ’33 Ford coupe but in a maroon 1991 Mitsubishi Galant while sporting a rented long-tail tuxedo… but hey, close enough.

Sharp Dressed Man

Ah
Yeah
Ow

Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don’t know where I am goin’ to
Silk suit, black tie (black tie)
I don’t need a reason why

They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
‘Cause every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man

Gold watch, diamond ring
I ain’t missin’ not a single thing
Cufflinks, stick pin
When I step out, I’m gonna do you in
They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
‘Cause every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man (uh huh)

Uh huh

(guitar solo @1:30)

Top coat, top hat
But I don’t worry ’cause my wallet’s fat
Black shades, white gloves
Lookin’ sharp, lookin’ for love

They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
‘Cause every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man
(Oh-huh, you can’t lose with the dress I use)
(That’s right, real fine)

Great Guitar Solos Series