Tunes Du Jour Presents Tribute Songs

This playlist consists of tributes to some of the most influential figures in history and culture:

Candle In The Wind – Elton John: A heartfelt tribute to the iconic Marilyn Monroe, Elton John’s poignant melody captures the essence of her tragic life and enduring legacy.

Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile) – Van Morrison: Van Morrison’s soulful tribute to Jackie Wilson celebrates the enduring power of music to uplift and inspire, capturing the essence of Wilson’s legendary performances and infectious charisma.

Vincent – Don McLean: Don McLean’s haunting ballad pays homage to the tormented genius of Vincent Van Gogh, intertwining his artistry with the complexities of his inner struggles.

When Smokey Sings – ABC: ABC’s smooth tribute to Motown legend Smokey Robinson pays homage to his soulful melodies and timeless contributions to music, evoking the nostalgic allure of his classic hits.

Pride (In The Name Of Love) – U2: With soaring vocals and stirring lyrics, U2’s anthem commemorates the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., inspiring listeners to carry on his message of love and equality.

The Late Great Johnny Ace – Paul Simon: Paul Simon’s poignant tribute to rhythm and blues singer Johnny Ace reflects on the tragic circumstances of his untimely death, capturing the essence of his brief yet impactful career.

Nightshift – Commodores: A soulful tribute to the legendary soul singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, the Commodores’ “Nightshift” celebrates their contributions to music and honors their enduring impact.

King Tut – Steve Martin: Steve Martin’s irreverent tribute to the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun celebrates the enduring fascination with ancient history and the enduring legacy of one of its most iconic figures.

Man On The Moon – R.E.M.: R.E.M.’s enigmatic ode to the enigmatic Andy Kaufman captures the essence of his eccentricity and genius, inviting listeners to ponder the mysteries of his life and art.

Andy Warhol – David Bowie: David Bowie’s avant-garde homage to pop artist Andy Warhol captures the essence of his enigmatic persona and artistic vision, reflecting on his influence on contemporary culture and creativity.

Abraham Martin And John – Dion: Through Dion’s soulful rendition, “Abraham Martin And John” tenderly remembers the legacies of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy, reflecting on their enduring influence on American history.

Rock and Roll Heaven – The Righteous Brothers: The Righteous Brothers’ soul-stirring tribute to fallen rock ‘n’ roll stars celebrates their enduring legacy and contributions to music, offering a heartfelt homage to their memory.

All Those Years Ago – George Harrison: George Harrison’s heartfelt tribute to his late bandmate John Lennon not only reminisces about their time together in The Beatles but also serves as a poignant reflection on love, loss, and the passage of time.

Big Train (From Memphis) – John Fogerty: John Fogerty’s rollicking tribute to Elvis Presley captures the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion and pays homage to the enduring influence of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American music.

Biko – Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel’s powerful anthem honors the memory of South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, capturing the spirit of resistance and resilience that defined his legacy.

Tunic (Song For Karen) – Sonic Youth: Sonic Youth’s haunting tribute to Karen Carpenter reflects on the tragic circumstances of her life and untimely death, capturing the essence of her talent and the profound impact of her music.

Emmylou – First Aid Kit: First Aid Kit’s ethereal tribute to country music icon Emmylou Harris celebrates her timeless talent and profound influence on the genre, echoing the purity and grace of her musical stylings.

Brian Wilson – Barenaked Ladies: Barenaked Ladies’ whimsical tribute to Brian Wilson celebrates his innovative genius and enduring legacy as a founding member of The Beach Boys, capturing the spirit of his iconic melodies and harmonies.

Englishman in New York – Sting: Sting’s homage to the eccentric poet and playwright Quentin Crisp celebrates his unapologetic individuality and unwavering commitment to authenticity, embodying the spirit of self-expression and acceptance.

Velvet Underground – Jonathan Richman: Jonathan Richman’s heartfelt tribute to the Velvet Underground pays homage to their groundbreaking contributions to music and celebrates their enduring influence on alternative rock.

Alex Chilton – The Replacements: The Replacements’ infectious tribute to rock ‘n’ roll icon Alex Chilton pays homage to his rebellious spirit and enduring impact on music, capturing the essence of his legendary status.

She’s Madonna – Robbie Williams with Pet Shop Boys: Robbie Williams’ provocative tribute to Madonna celebrates her status as a pop culture icon, reflecting on her impact on music, fashion, and female empowerment.

Happy Birthday – Stevie Wonder: Stevie Wonder’s spirited anthem advocates for the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday, encapsulating the fervent spirit of the civil rights movement and celebrating the enduring legacy of King’s vision for equality and justice. With its infectious melody and uplifting lyrics, the song serves as both a tribute to King’s contributions to society and a call to action for continued progress and unity.

Elvis is Everywhere – Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper: Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper’s irreverent tribute to Elvis Presley humorously celebrates the enduring presence of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in popular culture, reflecting on his larger-than-life persona and lasting legacy.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way – Waylon Jennings: Waylon Jennings’ classic pays homage to the pioneering spirit of country music legend Hank Williams, reflecting on his influence and innovation within the genre.

Song To Woody – Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan’s heartfelt tribute to folk music legend Woody Guthrie pays homage to his influence on his own musical journey and celebrates the enduring power of Guthrie’s songs to inspire and provoke.

Sweet Gene Vincent – Ian Dury: Ian Dury’s rollicking tribute to rockabilly pioneer Gene Vincent captures the energy and excitement of his music, paying homage to his enduring impact on rock ‘n’ roll.

Bowie – Flight of the Conchords: Flight of the Conchords’ whimsical tribute to David Bowie celebrates his eclectic persona and musical genius, capturing the essence of his iconic status as a cultural icon.

Giorgio By Moroder – Daft Punk feat. Giorgio Moroder: Daft Punk’s electrifying tribute to legendary producer Giorgio Moroder not only celebrates his innovative contributions to electronic music but also reflects on the evolution of the genre and its impact on contemporary culture.

Martin Scorsese – King Missile: King Missile’s irreverent tribute to filmmaker Martin Scorsese playfully celebrates his contributions to cinema and pop culture, reflecting on his unique vision and enduring impact on the art of filmmaking.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-11-23

The first time Brenda Lee topped the Billboard Hot 100 was with “I’m Sorry” in 1960. The most recent time Brenda Lee topped the Billboard Hot 100 was a few days ago, when her 1958 single “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” finally ascended to the top of the chart. That makes Lee the oldest person to ever have a US number one single and marks the longest-ever climb to number one and the longest gap between number one singles for an artist. 

Brenda Lee was born on this in 1944. A couple of her hits are included on today’s playlist.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (4-29-20)

Inspired by the April 29 birthdays of Willie Nelson, The Coasters/Robins’ Carl Gardner, Tommy James, Tammi Terrell, The KLF’s Bill Drummond, The Brady Bunch’s Eve Plumb, Duke Ellington, Romeo Void’s Debora Iyall, Lonnie Donegan, Rod McKuen, Otis Rush and April Stevens; and the April 28 birthdays of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, Goodie Mob’s Big Gipp, Too $hort and Blossom Dearie.

Ringo + Harris 2014-08-15 12.17

It’s Friday And I Need To Dance!

As a songwriter, Jimmy Webb scored his first hit in 1967 at age twenty when The 5th Dimension took “Up, Up and Away” to the top ten. Later that year Glen Campbell had a hit with Webb’s composition “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”

Webb then wrote a 22-minute cantata. His friend Bones Howe, with whom Webb worked on The 5th Dimension’s Up, Up and Away album, invited Webb to play the new piece for The Association, who Howe was then producing. Their reaction was less than enthusiastic. Per Howe, one group member said “Any two guys in this group could write a better piece of music than that.”

Sometime after, Webb received a telegram from actor Richard Harris, who he met at a fundraiser in Los Angeles. Harris was nominated for an Academy Award in 1963 for This Sporting Life and again in 1990 for The Field. He later went on to play Professor Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter movies. The telegram read “Jimmy Webb, come to London and make a record. Love, Richard.”

Webb flew to London, bringing a satchel of songs he’d written. He played each for Harris, but nothing struck the actor. Webb recalled “I looked down with some dread because there was only one thing left.” That one thing was the last movement of the cantata he presented to The Association. He called it “MacArthur Park.”

Here are the lyrics to “MacArthur Park.” Raise your hand when they get confusing.

The opening lines are “Spring was never waiting for us, girl / it ran one step ahead, as we followed in the dance.”

I see some hands raised. The next line should help you understand: “Between the parted pages and were pressed in love’s hot fevered iron, like a striped pair of pants.” Now you got it! Harris, who is from the UK, where “pants” means underwear, uses an iron, a hot fevered iron, on his striped underwear. You may be asking: Does he iron his solid-colored underwear? Does he have solid-colored underwear? Boxers or briefs? Relax – there are still six and a half minutes left in the song, so maybe you’ll find out.

Moving on, we learn that MacArthur Park, which Harris calls MacArthur’s Park for the duration of the song, is melting. In the dark. Its icing is flowing down. Who hasn’t been there?

We now arrive at the classic lines about a cake left out in the rain, which appears to be causing Harris to have a breakdown. “I don’t think that I can take it ‘cause it took so long to bake it and I’ll never have that recipe again. Oh no!” Calm down. It’s just a cake. Bake another one. I know – this song was recorded in the pre-Internet age when finding a cake recipe required one to open a cook book, but come on! This cake can’t be that special if you chose to leave it out during inclement weather.

By the end of verse one we have learned several things: 1) Harris is singing to a girl; 2) Harris irons his striped underwear; 3) a park is melting; 4) if you bake a cake and wish to leave it outside, check The Weather Channel first; and 5) never write a song while you are on an acid trip.

As the song continues it gets more bizarre. The melody changes and Harris threatens us by singing “There will be another song for me, for I will sing it.” Luckily, this other song never became a hit. (And may I add, he is being rather presumptuous by calling his performance on this record “singing.”)

The song clocks in at nearly seven and a half minutes, and though it reached #2 on the US pop charts, most listeners had no idea why Harris was singing about a melting park, ironed underwear and a waterlogged dessert.

Songwriter Webb didn’t understand the confusion. He told Q Magazine that the song is “clearly about a love affair ending, and the person singing it is using the cake and the rain as a metaphor for that.” Clearly. Clear as mudcake.

The love affair was one from Webb’s own life. He and his girlfriend would meet for lunch at MacArthur Park, where there would sometimes be birthday parties, with cake. Their breakup devastated Webb, who wrote “Mac Arthur Park” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” based on their relationship. (Bonus trivia – the woman went on to marry Linda Ronstadt’s cousin.)

In 1993, humorist Dave Barry surveyed his readers to find the worst song. The clear winner for Worst Overall Song and Worst Lyrics was “Mac Arthur Park.” Culture critic Joe Queenan disagreed with the results “because ‘Ebony and Ivory’ exists, as do ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,’ ‘Baby, I’m-a Want You,’ ‘Feelings,’ ‘Benny and the Jets,’ ‘Witchy Woman’ and ‘Sussudio,’” adding “On a planet where somebody thought it would be a good idea to write ‘Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,’ the best ‘MacArthur Park’ is ever going to earn in the sucky-song sweepstakes is a tie.”

Good or bad, the song is a classic. A 1968 Grammy winner for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist, the song has been recorded by top artists in diverse genres, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, the Four Tops, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. Waylon Jennings’ 1969 version won a Grammy. In 1978, Donna Summer’s rendition became her first #1 pop record and stands as the only US #1 pop song for Jimmy Webb, who also wrote “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “Worst That Could Happen” and “All I Know.”

It has been rumored that Webb and Harris had a falling out due to the song’s success. Harris promised Webb his Rolls Royce if the song went top ten. When the record did, Harris offered Webb a different Rolls Royce. It is because of this that people named Richard are often called Dick. Allegedly, the pair stopped speaking.

Ringo + Harris 2014-08-15 12.17
Today Jimmy Webb turns 68 years old. Hopefully he’s somewhere celebrating with a nice piece of wet cake. We kick off our weekly dance party with Donna Summer’s version of “MacArthur Park,” which she, like Harris, insists on calling “MacArthur’s Park” for the duration of the song.

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