Tunes Du Jour Celebrates Famous Dates In Pop Music

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It was the third of September / That day I’ll always remember

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day

Early morning, April 4 / Shot rings out in the Memphis sky

Do you remember the twenty-first night of September?

The theme of today’s playlist is dates referenced in song lyrics.

A date can do a lot of heavy lifting in a song. It can anchor a memory, mark a turning point, or drop us directly into a moment in history. Sometimes it’s deeply personal—Jay-Z naming his birthday in “December 4th”—and sometimes it’s collective, as in U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love),” with its reference to April 4, 1968, the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Songwriters also use dates to heighten mystery. Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe” begins on June 3, but instead of telling us what happened at the Tallahatchie Bridge, the lyric circles around it, making the day itself loom larger than the unexplained event. Similarly, the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” ties the father’s death to September 3, a detail that sticks in the mind as much as the funk groove itself.

Not every date is somber. Earth, Wind & Fire turned September 21 into an annual celebration, and Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” keeps the Fourth of July grounded in a snapshot of music, sunshine, and family fun. Bruce Springsteen’s “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” is more bittersweet, capturing the mix of romance and restlessness that defined his early work.

Dates can also mark social upheaval. Sublime’s “April 29, 1992 (Miami)” references the Los Angeles riots, while the Neville Brothers’ “Sister Rosa” pays tribute to Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat on December 1, 1955. Songs like these remind us that a single day can ripple outward into history.

Taken together, this playlist shows the many ways a songwriter can spin meaning out of the calendar. A date can be the start of a story, a marker of joy or tragedy, or just a sly joke. What matters is how it sticks in your memory, long after the last chord fades.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents Power Pop

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If you’re looking for a genre of music that combines catchy melodies, energetic guitars, and irresistible hooks, look no further than power pop. Power pop is a style of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, influenced by the British Invasion, the Beatles, and the Beach Boys. Power pop songs are typically short, upbeat, and radio-friendly, with lyrics that often deal with love, romance, and youth.

In this playlist, I’ve compiled some of the best examples of power pop from different decades and countries, featuring both classic and modern bands. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or just curious, I hope you’ll enjoy these tunes as much as I do.

## The Pioneers

The oldest track on the playlist is “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles, one of the earliest and most influential power pop songs. The Beatles were a huge inspiration for many power pop bands, especially with their use of harmonies, guitar riffs, and catchy choruses. Other tracks from this era include “Go All the Way” by Raspberries, “Day After Day” by Badfinger, and “September Gurls” by Big Star, all of which showcase the power pop sound of the 1970s.

## The Revival

Also on the playlist are some of the bands that revived the power pop genre in the late 1970s and early 1980s, adding elements of new wave, punk, and glam rock. Some of the highlights are “My Sharona” by the Knack, “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick, “Turning Japanese” by the Vapors, and “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. These songs are full of energy, attitude, and fun, and they still sound fresh today.

## The Moderns

The last part of the playlist brings us closer to the present day, with some of the contemporary bands that have kept the power pop spirit alive. These include “Buddy Holly” by Weezer, “Bohemian Like You” by the Dandy Warhols, “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne, and “California” by Phantom Planet. These bands have added their own twists to the power pop formula, incorporating influences from alternative rock, indie pop, and grunge.

## The Conclusion

Power pop is a genre that has endured for over 50 years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. It’s a genre that celebrates the joy of music, the thrill of love, and the excitement of life. It’s a genre that makes you want to sing along, dance, and smile. It’s a genre that I love, and I hope you do too.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-31-23

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The year after I graduated from college I moved out of my parents’ house into my own apartment in Woodbridge, New Jersey, where I lived for two years before moving into Manhattan. Woodbridge was no great shakes, though there was one cool thing about it. Around the corner from me was an independent record store whose name I will never recall. Always on the hunt for new music, I would spend hours there flipping through the racks. It was on one of those occasions, in 1986 or ’87, that I chanced upon an album named Let It Be. I already had an album at home called Let It Be by a different band, and that one was pretty good, so I figured I’d take a chance on this Let It Be. It’s by a band named The Replacements, and while I had never heard their music, I did recall reading positive things about them in the music press. I splurged the $9 + tax on the still sealed vinyl LP, took that baby home, and have never looked back. I now own every album ever released by The Replacements in triplicate plus one (is that called quadruplicate?), not because I’m an obsessive, but because I worked for their record company. And because I’m an obsessive.

The Replacements’ Paul Westerberg was born on this date in 1959. A few of the band’s earlier recordings are included on today’s playlist.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 11-18-23

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In early 1980 newspaper The Village Voice published the results of its poll of 155 music critics. Voted the best album of 1979 was Graham Parker & The Rumour’s Squeezing Out Sparks. The rest of the top ten was:

Neil Young – Rust Never Sleeps

The Clash – The Clash

Talking Heads – Fear of Music

Elvis Costello – Armed Forces

Van Morrison – Into the Music

The B-52s – The B-52s

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Damn the Torpedoes

Pere Ubu – Dub Housing

Donna Summer – Bad Girls                                                                                                                                                                  Graham Parker was born on this date in 1950. A handful of his songs are included on today’s playlist.

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