AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Madonna

Artist:Madonna

Song:Crazy for You

Album:Celebration

Madonna topped the charts with the 1985 single Crazy for You. It is from the 1985 high school wrestling film Vision Quest. It appears on the soundtrack album but not on a Madonna album. So it is another discography orphan. This was released in the wake of the album and single Like a Virgin. No wonder it topped the charts. Crazy for You was written by John Bettis and Jon Lind. Bettis was Richard Carpenter's songwriting partner. Lind had worked with Earth, Wind & Fire among others. Vision Quest was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber for Warner Bros. It was clearly a film aimed at the youth market. So it's not surprising that they would want a new Madonna song on the soundtrack. Warner Bros. Pictures music VP Joel Sill brought in veteran producer Phil Ramone to put the soundtrack together. Ramone asked Bettis and Lind for a song for the film and they wrote Crazy for You after reading the script. The plan was to use the song in a scene where the main characters played by Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino danced for the first time. Ramone knew Madonna and this was to be her first song for a movie. Their big mistake was bringing in John "Jellybean" Benitez to produce as dance pop was his forte. He had worked previously with Madonna. When that wasn't working out, studio musician Rob Mounsey was brought in and his version was acceptable to everyone. Crazy for You was not on Madona's Like a Virgin album which was hot at the time. So Warners wasn't going to release it as a single. But Peters drove them nuts and they agreed to release it. Of course it topped the charts and it was even nominated for a Grammy. Mounsey was the key figure as no one liked Benitez' version and he brought Mounsey in. All the other songs on Vision Quest were previously released. So the success of Crazy for You drove the film's box office success and soundtrack sales. Though it never appeared on a Madonna album, Crazy for You appears on three Madonna comps. I recommend the 2009 2CD comp Celebration. Much to my surprise, Crazy for You does not appear on the 2022 3CD comp of number one hits Finally Enough Love. This was Madonna's first song for a film and the success got her more work in films. Here's the video for Crazy for You by Madonna.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Adam Sandler

Artist:Adam Sandler

Song:The Chanukah Song

Album:What the Hell Happened to Me?

When I was a kid, I loved comedy albums by guys like Bob Newhart. And as a Jewish kid, I especially loved comedy albums by Jews like Allan Sherman and Myron Floren. My parents loved Floren and Mickey Katz. And back then, comedy albums sold well too. That hasn't been true for decades though Comedy Central still releases albums. The exception to this was when Adam Sandler performed The Chanukah Song on Saturday Night Live (SNL) and the 1996 album What the Hell Happened to Me? was certified 2XPlatinum. I'm not a fan of Sandler's films but The Chanukah Song is pretty funny. He was born Sept. 9, 1966 in New York City and he grew up in Manchester, NH. Sandler has a bachelor's degree in acting from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. After a few bit parts, Sandler started performing in comedy clubs and was spotted by SNL's Dennis Miller and he recommended Sandler to SNL producer Lorne Michaels. He performed The Thanksgiving Song on Weekend Update and that got him a record deal with Warner Bros. They had Jeff Foxworthy under contract. Most labels weren't signing comedians. His 1993 album They're All Gonna Laugh at You was certified 2XPlatinum. Then he performed The Chanukah Song and NBC fired Sandler and Chris Farley in 1995. Sandler was already doing films like Coneheads (1993) and Airheads (1994). Then he had his first box office success with the 1995 film Billy Madison followed by Happy Gilmore (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998) and The Waterboy (1998). Meanwhile, The Chanukah Song was on the 1996 album What the Hell Happened to Me?. The single charted and the album was certified 2XPlatinum. The album is available on CD. Sandler hasn't recorded much in recent years because he's busy making films. But as I said, comedy albums don't sell these days. So I don't know if recording more frequently would make any difference. Most of Sandler's success has been in comedy films. He currently has an exclusive deal with Netflix and the film Happy Madison 2 is in post production and will be released later this year. He also releases standup comedy shows through Netflix. Here's Adam Sandler performing The Chanukah Song on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update 1993.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Stuart Duncan

Artist:Stuart Duncan

Song:Lee Highway Blues

Album:A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming Vol. 1

Bluegrass musician Stuart Duncan plays guitar, banjo and mandolin. But mostly he is known for playing the fiddle on hundreds of recordings. He has recorded only one solo album. He was born Apr. 14, 1964 in Quantico, VA. His father was a Marine at Camp Pendleton in California. His parents played folk music. Duncan started playing fiddle at age seven and played in a local group with other children. They won a radio contest and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in 1974. After studying at Plains College in Texas, Duncan moved to Nashville and joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band in 1985. While performing and recording with them, Duncan became a very successful session musician. He has played on hundreds of records. Duncan recorded the traditional song Lee Highway Blues on the 1992 album Stuart Duncan on Rounder. Bela Fleck produced the album. Other than Jerry Douglas on dobro, all the musicians are from the Nashville Bluegrass Band. This album is available as a digital download. This Bill Gaither album A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming is available as a budget CD. Marty Stuart is the musical director and he gets Duncan to play Lee Highway on this show. Unlike most Gaither albums, this is mostly bluegrass with acts like Rhonda Vincent, Ralph Stanley and others. It was released on DVD but I think it's out of print. The Nashville Bluegrass Band went on hiatus in 1998. With the success of the 2001 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they reformed and released an album in 2004. They split up after that. Duncan won a Grammy for the 2011 album The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile. He recently recorded with Ringo Starr, Tim McGraw and Mary Chapin Carpenter. He's still playing plenty of sessions. Here's Stuart Duncan performing Lee Highway Blues from A Gospel Bluegrass Homecoming 2003. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink

Artist:Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink

Song:Lady Marmalde

Album:Moulin Rouge: Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film

You probably all remember this inescapable chart topper from 2001. The popularity of this record was fueled by MTV's constant airing of the music video. It worked because the soundtrack album and the film were successful. I didn't like it but I'm not the audience for this. Moulin Rouge is a two hour music video. And there were so many songs in the film that Interscope released two soundtracks plus an album of Craig Armstrong's score. It took Baz Luhrmann over two years to get the rights to all the songs. And then he had to convince all the artists and their record companies to allow it. This cover of LaBelle's Lady Marmalade was the big hit from the album mostly because of the music video. The record topped the charts and the soundtrack was certified 2XPlatinum. This version is not in the film. It's part of a medley. So the version featuring Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink was recorded for the soundtrack album. Luhrmann produced most of the soundtrack music. But for Lady Marmalade, he brought in Missy Elliott to produce along with Interscope's Ron Fair to work with the singers. Fair has a lot of experience working with female singers. Other than Lil' Kim's rap, this was a straight cover of LaBelle's version. Christina was the biggest star of the four and she says she really enjoyed doing the music video with the others. Usually the vocals are recorded separately and the four would have met to make the video. It got mixed reviews from critics but MTV and their viewers loved it. It's also a discography orphan. The soundtrack album is available featuring all kinds of singers. But it does not appear on a Christina Aguilera or Pink comp. On the 2008 Christina Aguilera comp Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits, Lady Marmalade only appears on the international edition and that's not available in North America. Lady Marmalade also appears on plenty of various artists comps. But I recommend the soundtrack album. Here's the video for Lady Marmalade, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bryson Tiller

Artist:Bryson Tiller

Song:Exchange

Album:T R A P S O U L

Bryson Tiller performs a style of music known as Trap. It's half singing and half rapping. He sometimes does both within the same song. He's had his greatest success with a couple of singles including Exchange from his 2015 debut album T R A P S O U L. He hasn't been as successful since then. He was born Jan. 2, 1993 in Louisville, KY. His mother died when he was four years old so he was raised by his grandmother. He started rapping and singing when he was in high school. After recording a 2011 mixtape, Tiller took a break from music to work during the day and support his daughter. He released the 2014 single Don't to his Soundcloud account. It reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Timbaland and Drake both offered Tiller record deals. But he decided to sign with RCA. His debut album T R A P S O U L was released followed by the single Exchange. It reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 on the R&B Singles chart. The album was certified 3XPlatinum and it appeared on several year end best of lists. As is typical of hip hop, Tiller wrote and produced with various producers. A couple of guys like Timbaland and Joshua "Syk Sense" Scruggs worked on multiple tracks. Scruggs had worked previously with Tiller. Exchange was written and produced by Michael "Foreign Teck" Hernandez who normally is one half of the production duo The Mekanics with Richard Duran. They also worked on multiple tracks. The main sample used repetitively is the 1998 single Swing My Way by K.P & Envy. The girl in the video was played by You Tube personality Symphani Soto. Tiller toured and he appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The BET Awards. Tiller also appeared on the 2017 #1 hit single Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled and also featuring Rihanna. That was performed on The Grammy Awards. Tiller has since released three albums, most recently in 2024. Sales have decreased with each release. He doesn't do interviews so I don't know if this concerns him. But it should. Who knows if he can turn it around. Here's the video for Exchange by Bryson Tiller. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Juicy J

Artist:Juicy J f/Wale, Trey Songz

Song:Bounce It

Album:Stay Trippy

Rapper Jordan "Juicy J" Houston was a founding member of the popular 90s hip hop group Three 6 Mafia. After they went on hiatus in 2012, Houston has recorded solo and also spreads himself around as a producer and guest artist. Houston records so much music that I wish he was more selective as it could have a greater impact. The 2013 album Stay Trippy is his biggest seller to date and Bounce It was one of three chart singles from the album. He was born Apr. 5, 1975 in Memphis. Houston wanted to be in the music business. Well, rapping is one way to be in the music business without having to be a musician. And that's what he did as one of the founders of Three 6 Mafia. Probably the high point of Three 6 Mafia's run was when they won a Best Original Song Oscar for It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp from the 2005 film Hustle & Flow. Houston started recording solo in 2009. He was working a lot with Wiz Khalifa. So when Three 6 Mafia went on hiatus, Houston signed with Khalifa's Taylor Gang label and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe label with Columbia distribution. The 2013 album Stay Trippy was the first album of this new deal. It is to date Houston's biggest selling album. It reached #4 on the Billboard 200. Bounce It was one of three chart singles from the album. As is typical of rap albums, all kinds of guest artists appear on the album. And Houston writes and produces with various producers. On Bounce It, the guests are Wale and Trey Songz. They write and produce with Dr. Luke, Henry "Cirkut" Walter and Ethan "Baby E" Lowery. Houston produced several songs with recording engineer Crazy Mike Foster who he worked with at Three 6 Mafia. This album is available as a budget CD. The 2016 album Rubber Band Business was a spinoff of his mixtape series. When it didn't sell, Houston left Columbia and started his own label Trippy Music. He has released three albums none of which sold well. He continues to produce other artists too. It's like I said. Maybe Houston needs to take a break. He's still producing lots of music but nobody's buying it. Here's the video for Bounce It by Juicy J featuring Wale and Trey Songz.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Marina Lima

Artist:Marina Lima

Song:Fullgas

Album:Pessoa

Marina Lima is a Brazilian singer songwriter who is considered to be a pioneer in rock in Brazil. The 1984 single Fullgas is her biggest hit. She was born Sept. 17, 1955 in Brazil. As a child, she lived in the US where her father worked. Marina usually writes songs with her brother Antonio Cicero. When Gal Costa recorded one of their songs, it got Marina a record deal. She had success when she signed with Philips Records for the 1984 album Fullgas. At the time she went by Marina. But she started using her full name when she switched to EMI in the 90s. Fullgas was a big enough hit that it paved the way for success through the mid 90s. At that point, she suffered from depression and had problems with her voice. So she wasn't as active until she made a big return on the 2003 TV show Acoustico MTV (MTV Unplugged). She recorded more regularly after that. She released her latest album in 2015. Marina still performs but she was really popular back in the 80s. You can get all her hits on this budget comp. Here's the video for Fullgas by Marina Lima.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Steely Dan

Artist:Steely Dan

Song:Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Album:The Definitive Steely Dan

Steely Dan was very successful as an album band in the 70s. The 1974 single Rikki Don't Lose That Number was their highest charting single. But they didn't need hit singles and their music holds up well today. They stopped touring in 1974 so they didn't even need to play live. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen both attended Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. Fagen sang and played keyboards and Becker played guitar. They started working together and were in Jay and the Americans' touring band. Gary Katz produced a 1970 album by Linda Hoover that was never released. But Becker, Fagan and guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter played on that album. After Katz moved to Los Angeles to be an ABC Records house producer, he hired Becker and Fagen as staff songwriters. Realizing that their songs were too complex for most artists, Katz suggested they form Steely Dan with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder and singer David Palmer. Steely Dan is a reference to the William S. Burroughs novel Naked Lunch. Palmer was hired because ABC didn't think Fagen's voice was good enough and he suffered from stage fright. Katz produced the 1972 album Can't Buy a Thrill and the debut single Do It Again reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Platinum. When Steely Dan played live, Palmer sang the vocals because of Fagen's stage fright. After the tour, Katz and Becker told Fagen that his vocals are better. So Palmer left. Though it sold well, Becker and Fagen were unhappy with the 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy because it was recorded hastily while they toured. So they spent a lot more time recording the 1974 album Pretzel Logic and that would lead to Steely Dan becoming a studio band. Rikki Don't Lose That Number reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Platinum. For years it was rumored that Rikki Don't Lose That Number was about weed. But Fagen claims that the song is about a girl he lusted after in college. For this album, the major change was that session drummer Jim Gordon played on most of the album. When Becker and Fagen decided to quit touring, the others simply left. Dias was the only one to stay. So they mostly used session musicians like drummer Jeff Porcaro, keyboardist David Paich, bassists Chuck Rainey and Wilton Felder and Michael McDonald on background vocals. This continued until Becker and Fagen decided to end Steely Dan after the 1980 album Gaucho. This comp has all their hits. Fagen recorded a very successful solo album The Nightfly in 1982. Both guys worked as producers. Steely Dan reformed in 1993 and continued to tour and record until Becker's 2017 death. Fagen continues to lead a version of Steely Dan. They are currently on tour with Eagles. Here's the video for Rikki Don't Lose That Number by Steely Dan.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-P.P. Arnold

Artist:P.P. Arnold

Song:The First Cut Is the Deepest

Album:The First Cut

P.P. Arnold is a former Ikette who moved to England and scored a top 20 hit with this cover of the Cat Stevens classic The First Cut Is the Deepest in 1967. She had a second hit with Angel of the Morning in 1968. This has turned into a fifty year career but she is unknown in the US. She was born Patricia Ann Cole Oct. 3, 1946 in Los Angeles to a gospel music family. She started soloing when she was four years old. In 1965, Maxine Smith and Gloria Scott asked her to audition with them to replace the original Ikettes in The Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Patricia wasn't sure she wanted the job. But she took it after her husband hit her. She went on tour and recorded with The Ikettes. In 1966, Ike & Tina were touring England with The Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger convinced her to remain in England and he got her a record deal with Immediate Records. That label was owned by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham with EMI distribution. The First Cut Is the Deepest is from the 1968 album The First Lady of Immediate. It reached #17 on the British Singles chart. Though Mick Jagger produced a few songs on the album, most of the album including The First Cut Is the Deepest was produced by Brian Hurst. He was in The Springfields and discovered Cat Stevens after turning to production. P.P. only recorded two albums for Immediate. This budget comp covers them. She was supposed to record an album with Barry Gibb but it never happened. P.P. continues to perform live and she has done a lot of session work. She has also performed on the London stage in musicals like Starlight Express. P.P. released an album in 2019 produced by Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller guitarist Steve Cradock. She released a live album Oct. 2024 and toured to support it. So she's still going strong for someone who had a hit single in 1967. Here's P.P. Arnold performing The First Cut Is the Deepest on the TV show Beat Club. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Strunz & Farah

Artist:Strunz & Farah

Song:Bola

Album:The Best of Strunz & Farah

Here's another one for guitar freaks. Strunz & Farah is a mix of different musical styles. Flamenco is the first thing that should come to mind. Jorge Strunz is from Costa Rica and Ardeshir Farah is from Iran. Strunz was a member of the jazz fusion band Caldera. After recording four unsuccessful albums for Capitol, they decided to disband. And that's when Strunz met Farah. After recording a 1982 album for a label owned by Indian musician L. Subramanium, Strunz & Farah signed with the jazz label Milestone Records. Milestone had a long history in jazz. But by this time, they had been taken over by Fantasy Records and later Fantasy was sold to Concord. And though there are jazz elements in Strunz & Farah's music, the dominant elements are Flamenco and Middle Eastern. After two albums, they left Milestone and signed with Mesa/Blue Moon. It was a better label for them as Mesa had more experience with world music. Bola is from the 1990 album Primal Magic which was their first album on Mesa. They toured to support the album and that's how they built their fanbase. The difference was Strunz & Farah brought their own musical styles to the front while the Milestone albums were jazz fusion. Strunz wrote most of the songs and both guys produced. Other musicians were Charlie Bisharat of Shadowfax on violin, Guillermo Guzman on bass, Joe Heredia and Paul Tchounga on drums and Juanito "Long John" Oliva on percussion. After two albums on Mesa, Strunz & Farah started their own label. This budget comp is a good intro to their music. They released their latest album in 2023. They are not on tour at the moment. They are releasing some of their old albums in remastered editions right now. Guitar freaks will dig Strunz & Farah. Here's Strunz & Farah with Charlie Bisharat on violin performing Bola.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Toni Tennille

Artist:Toni Tennille

Song:Let's Do It

Album:Do It Again

Most music fans probably remember Toni Tennille when she performed with her husband Daryl Dragon as The Captain & Tennille in the 70s. They were very successful until they faded in the early 80s. Toni launched a solo career mostly performing standards like Cole Porter's Let's Do It. She was born May 8, 1940 in Montgomery, AL. Her father was a singer with Bob Crosby's Bob-Cats and then he owned a furniture store. Her mom hosted a local TV talk show. After her dad's furniture store closed, the family moved to the Newport Beach area of California. Toni worked a day job while appearing with South Coast Repertory. She wrote songs for a musical called Mother Earth. That's when she met Dragon and he got her a job with The Beach Boys playing piano on their 1972 tour. That's when they started performing and signed with A&M Records. After Captain & Tennille faded, Toni returned to session singing. Then influenced by Linda Ronstadt, Toni decided to launch a singing career singing pop standards. She signed with Atlantic's Mirage label and released the 1994 album More Than You Know. There's nothing wrong with standards but she writes songs so I don't know why she didn't mix some originals in. Arranging and conducting was Count Basie arranger Sammy Nestico. This 1988 album is a mix of two of her albums. Toni released eight albums, most recently in 2001. I think Toni is now retired. Daryl Dragon died in 2019. Here's Toni Tennille performing Let's Do It on The Merv Griffin Show 1984.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Rolling Stones

Artist:The Rolling Stones

Song:Paint It Black

Album:The Very Best of the Rolling Stones 1964-1971

As I did with The Beatles, I am taking a second look at The Rolling Stones. And I may do that with other bands. AccuRadio plays just about anything at random so I never know until I decide to do it. Some days I think they are running out of new stuff to play. Of course The Rolling Stones were the number two British Invasion band. They tended to have a grittier sound than The Beatles. The 1966 single Paint It Black is their fifth biggest hit and was named #174 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs. So it was a significant song at a time when the band was looking to experiment. And the most notable element of this was the use of the sitar played by Brian Jones. There's also the use of the Hammond organ played by Bill Wyman and the castanets played by Charlie Watts. So though Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote the song as usual, it was probably more collaborative than most of their songs. It was also an indication that The Rolling Stones were getting into psychedelia in a big way. Paint It Black was released only as a single in England. But Decca in the US released it on the 1966 album Aftermath. Either way, Paint It Black topped the charts worldwide. Aftermath was certified Platinum. The best place to get Paint It Black is on this reasonably priced comp of the band's Decca singles. I think it's one of their best songs. Here's the video for Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs Julia Avila

Here's the fight video of Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs Julia Avila from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Bantamweight. Jacqueline was born in Brazil but lives in Portugal. For this fight, she trained with John Wood at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. She's 3-0 in the UFC. She is mainly a striker. Julia is 36 years old. She's from Los Angeles but she owns her own gym in Oklahoma City. She's 3-2 in the UFC. She's had two knee surgeries. So I think she has slowed down from what she was like when I first saw her a few years ago. I was thinking before this fight that this could be her swan song. And she fought that way too. Julia never got close enough to generate any offense. She may have been concerned that if she got too close, Jacqueline would knock her out. So Jacqueline won easily 30-27 but I think she wanted a finish. Afterwards, Julia announced her retirement. I figured she would get released anyway. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Angela Hill vs Ketlen Souza

Here's the match video of Angela Hill vs Ketlen Souza from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Strawweight. Angela is 40 years old. She trains at Alliance in San Diego. Her UFC record is 12-14. She's a kickboxer. Her problem is she doesn't do enough to win fights and tends to lose close decisions. Ketlen is 29 years old from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. She trains at Team Felipe Rego. Her UFC record is 2-1. She's on a two fight winning streak. Ketlen looked terrible in round one. Her coach yelled at her between rounds and she looked a lot better in round two. So it's even going into round three. The round was very close. I scored it 10-9 for Ketlen. Two of the three judges scored it 10-9 for Angela. So for a change, Angela won by split decision. Round three could have gone either way. But if Ketlen hadn't sleepwalked through round one, she would have won the fight. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Beatles

Artist:The Beatles

Song:Yellow Submarine

Album:1

I think most music fans remember Yellow Submarine as a 1968 animated feature film. But the song had a history. It wasn't written for the film. The song first appeared on the 1966 album Revolver. Of course most Beatles songs were written and sung by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and George Harrison wrote and sang as well. They usually saved one vocal for Ringo Starr. That's what Yellow Submarine was on Revolver. Lennon and McCartney wrote Yellow Submarine as a children's song and as Starr's vocal on the album. It was released on the B side of Eleanor Rigby and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. King Features Syndicate producer Al Brodax approached McCartney about turning Yellow Submarine into an animated film. Brodax executive produced those early 60s Popeye cartoons and the Beatles animated TV series that aired on ABC in 1965. McCartney liked the idea because United Artists was bugging them about making a third feature film. And by making an animated film, The Beatles wouldn't have to appear in the film or write any new songs. They did provide voices and made a brief appearance at the end of the film. The film was directed by Canadian animator George Dunning. He started out at the National Film Board of Canada, worked on Gerald McBoing-Boing cartoons at UPA and produced the Beatles TV series. Most of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album was the musical score composed by George Martin. Most of the songs including Yellow Submarine had been previously released. So for the casual listener, I do not recommend the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album. You can get Yellow submarine on this comp. Considering that the film was mostly a contractual obligation, Yellow Submarine turned out well. It made money and was critically acclaimed. Here's the video for Yellow Submarine by The Beatles.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Angela Bofill

Artist:Angela Bofill

Song:Tonight I Give In

Album:I Try: Anthology 1978-1993

Angela Bofill started out as a jazz singer in the late 70s. But she had her greatest success on the R&B charts in the early 80s with hits like Tonight I Give In. She was born May 2, 1954 in Brooklyn, NY but she was raised in The Bronx. Her father was Cuban and her mother was Puerto Rican. So she grew up listening to Latin music and soul. She sang in the All City Chorus which was made up of the best singers from New York City high schools. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music in 1976. Angela was friends with jazz flautist Dave Valentin and he took her to his record label GRP Records owned by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen. They produced the 1978 album Angie featuring the single This Time I'll Be Sweeter. At this point she was presented as a jazz singer. GRP was distributed by Arista Records. And Arista owner Clive Davis thought Angela could be a big R&B star. So she was moved to Arista and Narada Michael Walden was brought in to produce the 1981 album Something About You. Walden is a jazz drummer turned R&B producer. He had just had great success producing teen R&B singer Stacy Lattisaw. Angela recorded three albums with Walden and all three were very successful on the R&B charts. Tonight I Give In is from the 1983 album Too Tough. This was probably Angela's most successful album. Tonight I Give In reached #12 on the R&B Singles chart and Too Tough reached #5. Though Angela frequently wrote her own songs, Tonight I Give In was written by Lana Bogan and Lonnie Shelton. Shelton is a session guitarist. Lana wrote songs for and toured with Seals & Crofts. Among the musicians on the album were Jerry Hey and Wayne Wallace arranging the horns, Nat Adderley Jr. on keyboards, Randy Jackson on bass, Walden on drums and Sheila E. on percussion. Angela faded after she split with Walden. She left Arista in 1985. You can get all of her hits on this 2CD comp. Angela also recorded for Capitol and Jive but she didn't have the same success. Angela suffered a stroke in 2006 and then a second stroke in 2007. That ended her career and she died on June 23, 2024 at age 70. Here's Angela Bofil performing Tonight I Give In on Soul Train 1983.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Grupo Niche

Artist:Grupo Niche

Song:Etnia

Album:Una Aventura...La Historia

The Colombian Salsa band Grupo Niche has been around since the late 70s. They probably had their greatest success when they recorded for Sony Latin in the 90s. The leader of Grupo Niche was Jairo Varela. He was born Dec. 9, 1949 in Quibdo, Colombia. He was the producer singer and main songwriter. The band was formed in 1978. They moved to Cali in 1982 and had success with the 1984 album No Hay Quinto Malo and the single Cali Pachanguero. This was on the Colombian label Codiscos. They were one of the most popular Salsa bands in Colombia. Etnia is from the 1995 album Etnia. Etnia means ethnicity. Varela wrote all the songs on the album and produced. The rest of the band was Alvaro Granobles, Javier Vasquez and Willy Garcia on vocals, Carlos Vivas on piano, Daniel Silva on bass and Carlos Guerrero, Bobby Allende, Douglas Guevera and Luisito Quintero on percussion. Grupo Niche had more success after they signed with Sony Latin and moved to Miami. This comp CD is a good intro to their music. Though Varela died in 2012, Grupo Niche is still around. They record for miami's PPM Records And their latest album Niche Sinfonico won a 2023 Latin Grammy for Best Salsa album. Here's Grupo Niche performing Etnia 2006. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Julie Brown

Artist:Julie Brown

Song:Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun

Album:Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection: The Greatest Novelty Records of All Time

This 1984 novelty record did not chart but the video was very popular on MTV. Julie Brown started out as a comedian with a valley girl character. And that's how she got into recording novelty songs. She should not be confused with the MTV VJ Downtown Julie Brown. Julie was born Aug. 31, 1958 in Van Nuys, CA. Her parents worked at NBC and her great grandfather was character actor Frank O'Connor. She was princess of the Homecoming court at Van Nuys High School. After going to acting school, Julie started performing in comedy clubs like The Improv. Her big break came when Lily Tomlin caught her act and cast her in the 1981 film The Incredible Shrinking Woman. And that got her regular work on TV. Along with her actor husband Terrence McNally, she got the idea of recording with the valley girl character that used in clubs. He wrote Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun. They sold it to Rhino Records and released the EP Goddess in Progress in 1984. The video directed by Tom Daley went into heavy rotation. Then Dr. Demento played it on his radio show. The song never charted but it was a hit. In those days, radio stations would not play songs that were popular on MTV. Julie eventually released an album on Rhino. You can get Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun on this 2CD Dr. Demento comp. Then Julie and McNally wrote and appeared in the 1988 film Earth Girls Are Easy. She also appeared in the 1995 film Clueless and the spinoff TV series. Since then she has appeared in various movies and TV shows with varying degrees of success. She also does a lot of voiceovers for animated films. And writing for TV like the Disney Channel series Camp Rock. She did record an album in 2010. But I think she is still fondly remembered for Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun. Here's the video for Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun by Julie Brown.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Acoustic Alchemy

Artist:Acoustic Alchemy

Song:Fire of the Heart

Album:Back on the Case

Acoustic Alchemy had success in the 90s in the Smooth Jazz market. They were a mix of acoustic guitars and electronic keyboards. They aren't typical Smooth Jazz but they were on a major label and need to be categorized for marketing purposes. The leader of Acoustic Alchemy was Nick Webb. He was born Mar. 14, 1954 in Manchester, England. His main influence was British acoustic jazz guitarist John Martyn. Webb formed Acoustic Alchemy in 1981 with guitarist Simon James. They were backed up by bass, percussion and a string quartet. They self released an album and then James moved to Spain to study flamenco. Webb found guitarist Greg Carmichael playing in a London pub band. They worked as an in flight band for Virgin Atlantic. After sending out demos, they got a record deal with MCA Records. MCA purchased the jazz label GRP in 1990 so Acoustic Alchemy was moved to GRP. Fire of the Heart is from the 1991 album Back on the Case. They did well on the jazz charts. Webb and Carmichael wrote and produced everything. Other musicians are Terry Disley on keyboards, Patrick Bettison on bass, Dan Tomlinson on drums and Mario Argandona on percussion. Trumpeter Randy Brecker appears on a couple of songs. Acoustic Alchemy continued to have success until Webb was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died on Feb. 5, 1998 at age 43. Acoustic Alchemy should have ended. But Carmichael brought in guitarist Miles Gilderdale and kept the Acoustic Alchemy name and signed a new record deal with Higher Octave. They have also recorded for Narada and Heads Up and they currently record for their own label. Acoustic Alchemy last released an album in 2018 They aren't on tour right now so they could be recording a new album. Here's Acoustic Alchemy performing Fire of the Heart on British TV 1992. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-IYO SKY and Dakota Kai vs Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan

 Here's the match video of IYO SKY and Dakota Kai vs Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan from last night's episode of RAW. This match was made after last week's boneheaded decision to disqualify IYO after Rhea Ripley interfered in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match that IYO was having with Liv. The ref should have sent Raquel and Rhea to the back and let the match continue. But the WWE didn't want either of them to lose. They didn't think it through. So for this match, they had IYO do most of the work and get the pin. Their recent booking of her has been terrible. She's an elite wrestler and that's how she should be booked. So last night's match should remind fans what IYO can really do. Why not do a rematch or even a redo of last week? As a heel, Liv would never agree to it. You'll notice that Liv was bleeding all over the place. This was after a blockbuster opened a cut over Liv's right eye probably caused by IYO's knee wrap. It's just one of those accidents that happens sometimes. Soon after, IYO hit her moonsault and won the match. Then for costing her last week's match, Rhea offered IYO a title shot on the RAW the night after Elimination Chamber. I don't expect IYO to win. But one never knows. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers

 Artist:Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers

Song:Roadrunner

Album:Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection

Today, Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers are considered to be pioneers of punk music. But when they recorded Roadrunner in 1972, Warner Bros. didn't know what to do with them. So they cancelled the album and their contract. When the small Beserkley label released the album in 1976, it caused a big commotion that led to the popularity of punk music. Richman was born May 16, 1951 in Boston. Not surprisingly, his big musical influence was the legendary 60s band The Velvet Underground. He moved to New York and formed The Modern Lovers in 1970. Drummer David Robinson was an original member of the band. He would later be in The Cars. Richman returned to Boston and added Jerry Harrison on keyboards and Ernie Brooks on bass. Harrison would go on to join Talking Heads. This is the band that recorded the 1972 album The Modern Lovers. They went to Los Angeles to record demos with John Cale of Velvet Underground. This got them a record deal with Warner Bros. They were a very popular live band. But they couldn't seem to record an album that Warners thought was good enough to release. The band split up. Richman moved to Los Angeles and started working with Beserkley Records owner Matthew King who had been with A&M when the demos were recorded. Richman formed a new Modern Lovers. Robinson was the only original member. While Richman recorded a new album for Beserkley, King got Richman to allow him to release the demos. And that's when Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers became a big sensation. You can get their Beserkley recordings on this 2CD comp from the British label Sanctuary. They turned out to be very influential on the late 70s punk movement. The Sex Pistols covered Roadrunner. Richman has continued to record sometimes with a band and sometimes solo. But mostly he is revered as the father of Punk Rock. Here's the video for Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Joseph Habedank

Artist:Joseph Habedank

Song:Shame on Me

Album:Deeper Oceans

Joseph Habedank was the lead singer of the Southern Gospel group The Perrys. Since leaving that group, he has had success with the 2018 album Deeper Oceans and singles like Shame on Me. He was born Sept 16, 1985 in Painesville, OH. He first surfaced as a member of The Greenes. Then he joined The Perrys in 2008. They had been around since the 80s. So it was a good training ground for him. Habedank developed an ulcer in his throat and he started taking pain medication which became an addiction. After marrying his wife in 2010, the addiction got worse. The low point was when he was fired from The Perrys in 2013. Habedank called a counsellor and he sent him to MusiCares which is run by the Grammys and they help music industry folks and they paid for his treatment. Upon his recovery, Habedank signed with Daywind Records and released the 2018 album Deeper Oceans. The album did very well and so did the single Shame on Me. Habedank was nominated for a Grammy and several Dove awards. Habedank wrote all the songs with co-writers including producer Wayne Haun. After three albums for Daywind, Habedank was moved to their New Day label for his 2024 album Autobiography. The bottom line is he got his career back and things are going well. Here's the video for Shame on Me by Joseph Habedank.

 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Wang Cong vs Bruna Brasil

Here's the fight video of Wang Cong vs Bruna Brasil from last night's UFC show in Australia. This fight is at Flyweight. Wang is 32 years old from China. She came through Road to the UFC. She's 1-1 in the UFC. She made a mistake and lost her last fight. So I think she was going to be more careful in this fight. Bruna is 31 years old from Brazil. She's a former PRVT fighter now training at Fighting Nerds in Sao Paulo. She's 2-2 in the UFC. The problem with her in this fight is she does nothing for three rounds. And instead of being more aggressive and going for a finish, Wang decides to go with the flow and win an easy decision. It was a terrible fight. Don't be surprised if Bruna gets released. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Zhang Weili vs Tatiana Suarez

Here's the fight video of Zhang Weili defending her UFC Strawweight Championship against Tatiana Suarez from last night's UFC show in Australia. Zhang is 35 years old from China. She travels with her team Black Tiger to various camps. For this fight they went to the Hickman Brothers in Thailand. Her UFC record is 9-2 and she has now been champ since 2022. Tatiana is 34 years old. She trains at Millennia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Her UFC record is 7-0. Tatiana's specialty is wrestling. She hasn't fought much in recent years due to injuries. But I knew she would get this title shot if she was healthy. I saw two problems for Tatiana. One was inactivity. She last fought in Aug. 2023. The other is she has never fought a five round fight. She's a proven finisher but what happens if she can't get a finish. So I don't know why Tatiana was the betting favorite. I thought the fight was a tossup. Tatiana did get a takedown in round one. But she didn't try to advance her position. So she won the round but I was surprised she didn't try to finish. I thought an early finish was Tatiana's best shot to win. Zhang swept the other four rounds. Tatiana couldn't take her down and then she pooped out and Zhang clobbered her to win the fight 49-46. Two judges scored it the same. The third scored the fifth round 10-8 so 49-45. The UFC is now talking about Zhang challenging Valentina Shevchenko for the Flyweight title. Apparently this was discussed last year. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio

Artist:Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio

Song:Return of the Lost Tribe

Album:Live at the River East Art Center

Drummer Kahil El'Zabar has been a member of the Chicago jazz collective the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) since he was a teen. The members of AACM tend to be on the adventurous side of the jazz spectrum. He was born Clifton Blackburn Nov. 11, 1953 in Chicago. His father was a drummer and El'Zabar started playing drums at an early age. As a teen he played with the Art Ensemble of Chicago. He joined AACM while attending Lake Forest College and became AACM's chairman in 1975. He changed his name after studying African culture in Ghana. Upon his return, El'Zabar formed the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and they released an album in 1980. His other major band is The Ritual Trio. Like many of the AACM members, El'Zabar records a lot and it can be hard to keep track of him. Return of the Lost Tribe is from the 2005 album Live at the River East Art Center in Chicago. The album is on Delmark Records who have been releasing this kind of music since the late 50s. The band is Ari Brown on tenor sax, Yosef Ben Israel on bass and El'Zabar on drums. Violinist Billy Bang is the special guest. El'Zabar currently records for the British label Spiritmuse and his latest album America the Beautiful was released in 2020. This was baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett's final album before his death. El'Zabar's music is recommended to fans of free jazz. Here's Kahil El'Zabar with Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Alex Harding on baritone sax, James Sanders on violin and Ishmael Ali on cello performing Return of the Lost Tribe July 2023. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb

Artist:Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb

Song:A-Tisket A-Tasket

Album:Swingsation

Today jazz drummer Chick Webb is mostly forgotten. But in the 30s, he was a big factor in the development of jazz and drummers in particular. Plus he brought us the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald and her signature song A-Tisket A-Tasket. Webb was born Feb. 10, 1905 in Baltimore. As an infant, Webb fell down stairs and crushed several vertebrae which required surgery. Webb never regained full mobility. This progressed to tuberculosis of the spine and left him looking like a very short hunchback. His doctor suggested playing a musical instrument and Webb started playing drums at age 11. He moved to New York and by 1931, he was the leader of the house band at New York's Savoy Ballroom. In those days, live shows were more important than recording. Webb used to host Battle of the Bands contests at the Savoy against guys like Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Webb was the first drummer and bandleader. And his playing style was very influential on guys like Buddy Rich. Meanwhile, Ella Fitzgerald was performing at Amateur Nights at the Apollo. After Bardu Ali spotted her performing with Tiny Bradshaw, he introduced Ella to Webb and she started singing with his band at the Savoy. They recorded for Decca and had some success. But they really hit the jackpot with Ella's 1938 arrangement of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket A-Tasket which she wrote with Van Alexander. It was soon after that Webb's health declined due to tuberculosis and he died on June 16, 1939 at age 34. Ella continued to lead the band until she left to go solo in 1942. You can get all of Ella's hits with Webb on this budget comp. Though Webb is forgotten today, he was very influential on the sound of jazz and drummers like Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson in particular. And you can stream the 2012 documentary The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music That Changed America on YouTube. Here's Ella Fitzgerald performing A-Tisket A-Tasket in the 1942 film Buck Privates. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Mercy

Artist:Mercy

Song:Love (Can Make You Happy)

Album:Pop Memories of the 60s

Love (Can Make You Happy) was a top five hit in 1969. It's generally perceived as a one hit wonder but Mercy had one other chart single so technically it is not a one hit wonder. The leader of Mercy was Tampa, FL native Jack Sigler Jr. He formed a band while in high school but he was the lead singer and he wrote all the songs. So the band members were disposable. Sigler's dad knew a film producer named George Roberts who was coming to Tampa to make a movie called Fireball Jungle and he asked Roberts to check out the band. Fireball Jungle was about a stock car racer tracking down murderers and thugs. The stars were John Russell (Rio Bravo) and Lon Chaney Jr. The movie was Z grade crapola but Mercy and the song Love (Can Make You Happy) was in the movie. Sigler was approached by Gil Cabot to release Love on his Sundi label. Sigler's dad paid for the recording session. Then Sigler was drafted into the US Navy and Mercy split up. But Love was getting regional airplay. So Cabot got Jamie/Guyden Records to distribute the record nationally and it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. Get Back by The Beatles was #1. Cabot wanted an album. But Sigler was in the Navy and Mercy had split up. So he formed a different act called The Mercy. The single Love was on the album. But the rest was covers by anonymous musicians. When Sigler came home on leave and found out about this, he sued Cabot and the album was pulled. Sigler reformed Mercy and signed to record an album for Warner Bros. But Cabot owned the original single. So that wasn't on the album. Ultimately the album flopped and Warners dropped Mercy. Love (Can Make You Happy) is on this 6CD Time Life various artists box set available at a reasonable price. Sigler still plays local clubs in Tampa. Here's a video for Love (Can Make You Happy) by Mercy. Thanks to the Alabama Record Collectors Association for the story. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Gloria Jones

Artist:Gloria Jones

Song:Tainted Love

Album:101 Anthems

Soul singer Gloria Jones never had a hit single. But she became famous when Soft Cell scored a top ten hit with their 1982 cover of Tainted Love. She was already a Northern Soul favorite in England which is where the Soft Cell guys heard the song. Gloria has had a long career as a background singer and songwriter. She appears in the 2013 documentary Twenty Feet from Stardom. I reviewed that film on the blog. She was born Oct. 19, 1945 in Cincinnati. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was seven. As a teen, she recorded an album with the gospel group The COGIC Singers. Billy Preston was also in that group. Then she signed with producer Ed Cobb and he signed a distribution deal with Capitol Records. Cobb was a member of the vocal group The Four Preps. As a producer, he is best known for The Standells classic Dirty Water. When Gloria was unable to score a hit single, She appeared in the 1968 musical Catch My Soul. Then she got into studio work first as a background singer, then as a songwriter and producer for Motown after they moved to Los Angeles. She co-wrote the 1971 Gladys Knight & the Pips classic If I Were Your Woman. Gloria first met T. Rex leader Marc Bolan while she was in the Los Angeles cast of Hair in 1969. She met him again in London in 1972. She moved to London, joined T. Rex and they had a son. Gloria also worked with the British funk band Gonzalez. On Sept. 16, 1977, Gloria was driving the car that struck a tree and killed Bolan. Gloria survived because she was wearing a seat belt. She was supposed to face charges of being unfit to drive. But she moved back to Los Angeles. And that's when Soft Cell recorded Tainted Love. They heard the song in London clubs. It revitalized Gloria's career especially in England. She toured as a nostalgia act mostly in Europe. You can get Gloria's recording of Tainted Love on this 5CD various artists budget comp from EMI. She seems to be retired now. She hasn't posted on Facebook since 2015. Here's Gloria Jones performing Tainted Love on German TV. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rosalia

Artist:Rosalia

Song:Di Mi Nombre

Album:El Mal Querer

Rosalia is a Spanish singer who mad a big splash at home and then moved to Los Angeles. It makes me think she wants to sing in English but she hasn't done that yet. The 2018 album El Mal Querer got a lt of critical acclaim. She was born Rosalia Vila Tobella Sept. 25, 1992 in Sant Cugat des Valles, Catalonia, Spain. It's near Barcelona. Her family is in the metalworks business. Her older sister is her stylist. Rosalia was interested in performing as a child. She was a big fan of flamenco singer Camaron de la Isla. She attended Taller de Musics followed by the Superior School of Music of Catalonia. And she was a singer for hire. After undergoing vocal cord surgery, Rosalia joined the flamenco group Kajaleo in 2012 and they released a 2013 album. In 2016, she was spotted by producer Raul Refree while performing in Barcelona. He got her a record deal with Universal and she released the 2016 album Los Angeles. And she moved to Los Angeles. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin Grammy Awards. For the 2018 album El Mal Querer, Rosalia signed with Columbia. This time she worked with producer Pablo "El Guincho" Diaz-Rexha. It was a romantic concept album. The album was highly acclaimed and very successful. Rosalia wrote most of the songs. She continues to have success with her 2022 album Motomami. So at this point, Rosalia is a star in Spanish speaking countries. The question is what else does she want to do? Here's the video for Di Mi Nombre by Rosalia.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-David Lee Roth

Artist:David Lee Roth

Song:Living in Paradise

Album:The Best

Of course David Lee Roth is best known as the bombastic lead singer of the popular band Van Halen. After he left in 1985, he scored two top ten solo hits. But the success didn't last and he ultimately returned to Van Halen. He was born Oct. 10, 1954 in Bloomington, IN. His family moved to Pasadena, CA when he was a teen. He was treated by a psychiatrist for hyperactivity. Then he met Eddie and Alex Van Halen while attending Pasadena City College. Roth sang with the band Red Ball Jets. The Van Halens were in the band Mammoth but they needed a lead singer. That's when Roth joined and the band Van Halen was born. After playing in Los Angeles clubs, Van Halen signed with Warner Bros. and producer Ted Templeman in 1976. Though they had great success, Eddie Van Halen didn't get along with Roth. Van Halen was more serious about music while Roth was a party guy. While still a member of Van Halen, Roth released the 1984 EP Crazy from the Heat. The single California Girls reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. And that's when Roth left Van Halen. He hired guitarist Steve Vai from Frank Zappa's band. Vai brought with him bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Roth's solo debut album Eat 'Em and Smile was released in 1986. Templeman produced the album. It was certified Platinum but there were no hit singles. Roth wrote most of the songs. For the 1988 album Skyscraper, Roth and Vai took over production and songwriting. Brett Tuggle was brought in to play keyboards. He wrote Just Like Paradise with Roth and it reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Platinum. Then things started to fall apart. First Sheehan left followed by Vai. Roth recorded two more albums for Warners. They didn't sell And then he briefly rejoined Van Halen in 1996 and Warner Bros. released this comp. He returned again to Van Halen in 2001. Roth released his final album in 2003. He did some TV and radio and returned to Van Halen permanently in 2007 after they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They continued to tour until Eddie Van Halen died in 2020. Roth announced he would retire from performing in 2022. He still releases occasional singles. I guess he's just trying to keep busy. Here's the video for Just Like Paradise by David Lee Roth. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Teada

Artist:Teada

Song:The League Reel/Peter Horan's/The Flannel Jacket

Album:Give Us a Penny and Let Us Be Gone

Teada became popular when they appeared on Irish TV in the early 00s. Though they are unknown outside Ireland, Irish folk fans should be familiar with some of the members. Teada's leader seems to be fiddler Oisin Mac Diamada. After winning the 1999 All Ireland Fiddle Championships, he formed Teada with guitarist Sean Mc Elwain and Tristan Rosenstock on bodhran and John Blake on flute. They released their 2003 debut album Teada and became popular after appearing on Irish TV. If you are a fan of traditional folk music, this is for you. The League Reel/Peter Horan's The Flannel Jacket is from the 2004 album Give Us a Penny and Let Us Be Gone. This was their second album. By this accordionist Paul Finn was added to the band. This album is available on CD. Flutist Damien Stenson replaced Blake for the 2006 album Yesterday Tomorrow. And Seamus Begley replaced accordionist Finn for the 2013 In Spite of the Storm. After a long hiatus, Teada released a new album in 2022 produced by Mac Diarmada's record company And they still perform regularly. As I said, Irish folk fans will dig the music as it is really energetic. Here's Teada performing The League Reel/Peter Horan's/The Flannel Jacket on Irish TV. 

 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva

Here's the fight video of Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Mayra Bueno Silva from yesterday's UFC show in Saudi Arabia. This fight is at Flyweight. Jasmine is 35 years old. She trains at Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines, ON with coach Chris Prickett. Her UFC record is 6-2. She's on a three fight winning streak. Mayra is 33 years old from Brazil. She trains at The Fighting Nerds in Sao Paulo with coach Flavio Alvaro. Her UFC record is 5-4-1-1. She's on a three fight losing streak. Mayra is a good fighter but she makes too many mistakes. The idea was to see if Jasmine can beat a ranked fighter. The problem is that Mayra is ranked at Bantamweight and probably shouldn't fight at Flyweight. You could see at the weighins that she was having trouble. So when something is a bad idea to start with, the results won't be good. So I was not surprised when Mayra looked terrible and Jasmine won easily by 30-27. So the fight did not accomplish what the UFC intended. Jasmine still hasn't beaten a highly ranked Flyweight. Back to the drawing board. Enjoy the video!  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Niko Moon

Artist:Niko Moon

Song:Good Time

Album:Good Time

Singer songwriter Niko Moon topped the country charts with the 2020 single Good Time. He was set with a major label but decided to leave and record for his own label. Why did he leave? He gave a reason but most artists would have stayed. I will explain. He was born Nicholas Cowan Sept. 20, 1982 in Tyler, TX. His family moved to Douglasville, GA. His father was a drummer who quit touring to drive a truck and raise his family. Moon used online instructional videos to learn to play guitar. He ran cross country in high school and earned a scholarship at Sanford University in Alabama. But he was more interested in music and dropped out of school and moved to Atlanta. He worked during the day and played music at night. He became friends with Zac Brown and they started writing songs together. Several of their songs were recorded by the Zac Brown Band. At the time Moon was credited as Nic Cowan. He released an EP as Nic Cowan in 2001. He was also in the band Sir Rosevelt with Brown and they released a 2017 album. Then he changed his name to Niko Moon and signed with RCA Nashville. He released a 2020 EP followed by the single Good Time which topped the Country Singles chart and reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was followed by the album Good Time. So he had pop crossover potential. Moon wrote and produced the album with Josh Murty who played guitar for Maren Morris. After a subsequent singles didn't chart, Moon released the 2022 EP Coastin' and then he announced his departure from RCA. Based on the reason he gave, it looks like RCA was bugging him for new music and Moon wants to take his time. If that bugs you that much, I guess that's fine. But most artists would put up with it and stay with the label because they are a big part of the Nashville promotional machine. Moon still tours and released an album on his own label in 2024. He won't have the same success without that machine. Maybe he should stick to songwriting. Here's the video for Good Time by Niko Moon. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-James Moody

Artist:James Moody

Song:Moody's Mood for Love

Album:Four Classic Albums

Jazz saxophonist James Moody started out in the late 40s and was active until his 2010 death. He was a bebop stalwart. Probably his best known song is this vocalese version of the standard I'm in the Mood for Love titled Moody's Mood for Love. It's like when Clark Terry did Mumbles. Moody was a great musician but he's best known for a novelty song. He was born Mar. 26, 1925 in Savannah, GA. His father played trumpet in Tiny Bradshaw's band. Moody was raised by his mom in Newark, NJ. After listening to guys like Lester Young and Buddy Tate, Moody's uncle bought him an alto sax for his 16th birthday. Moody was self taught. He learned to play by listening to records. Moody joined the US Army in 1943. When they found out that he had a sax, he was put in the Army's "negro band". After WWII, Moody joined Dizzy Gillespie's band for two years. He moved to Europe and first recorded I'm in the Mood for Love in Sweden in 1949. That song was written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields and Frances Langford sang it in the 1935 film Every Night at Eight. It became her signature song. When jazz singer Eddie Jefferson heard Moody's solo, he added an improvised vocal on a 1952 recording. This version is usually sung as a duet. This led to the rise of vocalese when King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie recorded it. Jimmy McHugh sued but Moody worked out a split royalty deal with him. Moody version was now called Moody's Mood for Love. He took Jefferson on the Road and they recorded Moody's Mood for Love on the 1957 album Moody's Mood for Love. This was Moody's second album for the Chess owned jazz label Argo. Moody mostly plays flute on the album. Jefferson sings on two songs including Moody's Mood for Love. Other musicians are Johnny Coles on trumpet, Donald Cole on trombone, Tate Houston on baritone sax, Jimmy Boyd on piano, John Latham on bass and Clarence Johnston on drums. This and three other albums are on this budget CD from Avid. The other three albums are Hi-Fi Party (1955) with Moody playing sax instead of flute, Wail, Moody, Wail (1956) and Flute 'n the Blues (1956). The band is the same on all four albums. Moody also recorded for Blue Note, Prestige, Scepter, Milestone, Perception, Muse, Paula, Vanguard, Novus, Warner Bros., and Savoy. Moody retired after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he died on Dec. 9, 2010 at age 85. Here's James Moody with Patti Austin performing Moody's Mood for Love at Quincy Jones' 75th Birthday Party at the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival.