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Spirits in The Night Tracklist: Frank Zappa: “Theme from “Bonanza”” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band: “Spirits in the Night” Electric Light Orchestra: “Boy Blue” B.B. King: “How Blue Can You Get” Rickie Lee Jones: “Danny’s All-Star Joint” Richard Thompson: “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” Steve Winwood: “What’s Goin’ On” Paul Simon: “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (Live at the Beacon Theatre, NYC)” John Mayall’s Blues Breakers: “Room to Move” Alex Chilton: “Il Riebelle” The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire): “Dominique” The Delta Rhythm Boys: “Allouette” Paul Simon: “Surfer Girl” Brian Wilson: “Wanderlust” Paul and Linda McCartney: “The Back Seat of My Car” Led Zeppelin: “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” Juice Newton: “Queen of Hearts” Led Zeppelin: “Living Loving Maid” Please Leave a Comment!    Frank Zappa: “Theme from “Bonanza”” Play this track A bit of cultural comedy with a wink from Frank and the band. -John Stix And why not? -Rock Stamberg Manfred Mann’s Earth Band: “Spirits in the Night” Play this track I loved this take the first time I heard it back in the ‘70s. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band regularly commandeered decidedly non-rock songs and did their thing to ‘em, in this case by turning Bruce Springsteen’s early epic into a unique prog/rock/spacey jam with disparate elements abounding. Complicated, cool and fun. -RS An early supporter of Springsteen, Manfred Mann turned up the drama and cinematic elements, dipping this track into a blues guitar meets Meat Loaf flavor. -JS Electric Light Orchestra: “Boy Blue” Play this track Early ELO were serious about the “Orchestra’ part. Who else would marry a bona-fide classical intro to a rockin’ Chuck Berry-esque barn burner? And it rocks, alright. -RS Indicative of classic ELO, one bit classical, one bit pop, and two bits good old rock ‘n roll. -JS B.B. King: “How Blue Can You Get” Play this track The two Blues Brothers movies succeeded time and time again in presenting the originators of blues and soul in inspired settings to showcase their talents. This is just such a performance. I rate this the finest pass the mic performance on film. The guests in order of their performance/appearance include, Eric Clapton, Charlie Musselwhite, Erykah Badu, Jack DeJohnette, Travis Tritt, Jeff Baxter, Koko Taylor, Steve Winwood, Billy Preston, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr, Clarence Clemmons, Joshua Redman, Jon Faddis, EC, Bo Diddley, Dr. John, Jimmy Vaughan. You can forget about who is playing and revel in the totality of the performance. Hats off to Jake and Elwood for their gift to us. -JS Rickie Lee Jones: “Danny’s All-Star Joint” Play this track Swinging, swaying, finger-poppin’ good music and an all-out sassy lyric and vocal from one of my favorite debut albums. -JS Rickie Lee Jones’ eponymously titled debut album is a high-water mark of ‘70s L.A.-style record production and true artistic grit. There ain’t a weak song on it. -RS Richard Thompson: “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” Play this track This is really something. The story could break your heart. -RS Thompson was rated #69 in a Rolling Stone top 100 Guitarists poll. They picked this song to represent his style. But the song is so good that the guitar is just there to support it. It’s Thompson’s talent and class that makes the guitar playing so great, if you care to give it your attention (which it doesn’t ask for). -JS Steve Winwood: “What’s Goin’ On” Play this track I’ve put this on a zillion mixed discs because it comes from my “Use This” file. So good, so NHT. -JS Paul Simon: “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (Live at the Beacon Theatre, NYC)” Play this track This comes from my “Best Performance” file. One of my fav PS songs. So, ride the vibe and dig those Steve Gadd drums at the end. -JS John Mayall’s Blues Breakers: “Room to Move” Play this track From the Turning Point album with Jon Mark (acoustic guitar) Johnny Almond (sax, flute) and Steve Thompson (bass). Who would have guessed that Mayall’s most famous song would be live from the Fillmore East and acoustic to boot! Great harmonica/voice percussive moments. Totally unique and deserving of our favor. -JS Alex Chilton: “Il Riebelle” Play this track Oh man. This is Alex Chilton at his most fun and boisterous, practically spitting out the Italian lyrics while playing some red-hot hot rock ‘n roll at the same time. MY feeling is he must have spoken Italian because he sure seems to know the words! -RS Proof that music, in this case rock ‘n’ roll knows no language barrier. It communicates on a level we all understand. -JS The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire): “Dominique” Play this track Remember when this was a hit? I do. -JS The Delta Rhythm Boys: “Allouette” Play this track The song I learned in grammar school, but never this cool. -JS Paul Simon: “Surfer Girl” Play this track I have been trying to get this into NHT since the first podcast. I love how he turned it into a Paul Simon song without losing Brian Wilson’s DNA. -JS I was there for this recording and let me tell you, it sends chills it’s so good. -RS Brian Wilson: “Wanderlust” Play this track This version is every bit as good as Paul McCartney’s awesome original version from 1982’s Tug of War. -RS Brian doing to McCartney music what Simon just did to Wilson’s. Lovely. -JS Paul and Linda McCartney: “The Back Seat of My Car” Play this track This is a spectacular opus, and the big ending to Paul & Linda McCartney’s majestic RAM album. Vilified at the time of its (pre-Wings) release in 1971, RAM has gone on to be considered one of McCartney’s very best albums. And it is. Really. -RS A melodic pop suite that’s well worth the ride. -JS Led Zeppelin: “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” Play this track One of my top three favorite Led Zeppelin songs. I just love the off-the-wall counterpoint moves bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham play at several intervals … and Jimmy Page’s guitar parts? Whoa. -RS A real stomper that’s too long been neglected. -JS Juice Newton: “Queen of Hearts” Play this track Swinging country that just sounds right. -JS Led Zeppelin: “Living Loving Maid” Play this track I used to play this in my bands. One of my favorite riffs. It’s got a one two punch and it’s over. -JS Such a great riff. Another example of Led Zeppelin’s gift for different styles, this one’s so catchy it’s almost a pop song. I said “almost.” -RS

Slap and Tickle Tracklist: Dire Straits: “Once Upon a Time in the West” U2 & Bruce Springsteen: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” Blues Project: “I Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes” Bob Dylan: “Duncan and Brady” Squeeze: “Slap and Tickle (Live)” John Sebastian: “Red Eye Express” Harry Nilsson: “Turn on Your Radio” Rufus Wainwright: “April Fools” Loggins and Messina: “Nobody but You” Jethro Tull: “My Sunday Feeling” Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble: “Love Struck Baby” Ten Years After: “Me and My Baby” Buckingham/Nicks: “Races Are Run” Chicago: “Mississippi Delta City Blues” Black Crowes: “By Your Side” Joe Walsh: “Funk #49 (from Late Show with David Letterman)” The Everly Brothers: “The Price of Love” Nick Lowe: “All Men Are Liars” Steve Winwood: “Can’t Find My Way Home” Please Leave a Comment!    Dire Straits: “Once Upon a Time in the West” Play this track I’ve always had a soft spot for Dire Straits’ somewhat unheralded second album, 1979’s Communiqué. This tune kicks off the album and defines its vibe. —Rock Stamberg This tune is filled with Dire Straits DNA. Mark Knopfler told me that, more than anything else, he is trying to create a mood with his songs. The song itself is unhurried and the languid Stratocaster guitar lines flow with the ease of gravity. Nothing is forced or pushed. This song screams because it whispers. -John Stix U2 & Bruce Springsteen: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” Play this track This could have been just a great picture. And while it is, the music is equally as great. Love the dynamics of the opening verse and the punch they land as the band comes in for the second verse. Springsteen knows the song and commits to it. He plays their song with his voice. Two of the greats showing you how good it can be together. NHT material indeed. -JS Blues Project: “I Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes” Play this track The first album I wore out on my Garrard turntable was Blues Project Projections. It was rock, it was blues, it was the sound of 1966 FM radio. Al Kooper was my hero, and I followed the Blues Project around. If they were playing The Westchester County Center or the Palisades Amusement Park in Fort Lee, NJ, I was there. This is the opening track. I played it in my jam bands, sans Kooper’s Quarter Tone electronic keyboard (he called the Kooperphone). These are my roots in rock music. -JS Bob Dylan: “Duncan and Brady” Play this track Isn’t this a great Dylan track? This previously unreleased and jaunty rocker was recorded for a never completed record The Bard was recording with David Bromberg and his big band back in 1982. I wonder if there are any other long-lost recordings from those aborted sessions. Hmm … -RS Dylan rocks out with another great story song. I didn’t know this one and suspect you don’t either. But we both love it yes? -JS Squeeze: “Slap and Tickle (Live)” Play this track One of my favorite vocal sounds, the distinction of these two voices in harmony or unison sucks me in every time. Melody forever and lyrics that rival Rundgren over smart guitar parts that always invite, and surprise makes Squeeze among my all-time favorite pop bands. And this song is one reason why. -JS John Sebastian: “Red Eye Express” Play this track This is the opening track from his 1970 debut solo album (John B Sebastian), which by the way is as good as anything we love by the Lovin’ Spoonful. Even if you’ve never heard it, you think you already know it. And you do! -JS Harry Nilsson: “Turn on Your Radio” Play this track This track is yet another example of Harry Nilsson’s outstretched musicality in fine form. He made it all sound so easy. -RS When Rock played this for me the first time, I heard the opening guitar riff and said yes – this goes in. The rest of the song was just confirmation that he had picked a winner. -JS Rufus Wainwright: “April Fools” Play this track Rufus Wainwright caught my ear the first time I heard him in 1998. This was the song. He has developed into a master of far-flung musical genres in the years since, veering from pop and rock to classical to folk to opera to his penchant for covering Judy Garland albums in their entirety on stage. His first few records each remain stunning, however. -RS Another Rock pick. Rufus Wainwright has a unique voice, great vocal phrasing, and casts a melody with hooks big enough to catch a whale. As Nick Lowe might say this is pure pop for now people. -JS Loggins and Messina: “Nobody but You” Play this track I had this idea for a theme where we play the opening tracks from a given band’s debut album. These were the first tracks on debut albums that listeners would hear. They had to have have something special about them. Loggins and Messina had a great duet vocal sound and a rock band with horns and a spitting Fender Telecaster. They rocked, they rolled and ushered in one of the finest musical collaborations of the 1970s. -JS Jethro Tull: “My Sunday Feeling” Play this track Jethro Tull started as a blues band, and this is their blues. It’s a shuffle that swings (at times). Mick Abrahams, he of the British Blues guitar lineage, would leave after this album and start Blodwyn Pig. With this opening track, Ian Anderson added flute to the rock lexicon of sounds. This holds up very well. -JS Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble: “Love Struck Baby” Play this track This rockin’ shuffle ushered in the era of the most celebrated modern bluesman of the 1980s. Not as aggressive as the album’s major keeper, “Pride and Joy,” but SRV does a good job of channeling Chuck Berry in this LP’s short and sweet opener. -JS Ten Years After: “Me and My Baby” Play this track Thanks to my buddy Pat Sbarra for turning me onto this, what would become my favorite Ten Years After track. Too many swinging shuffles? I think not. Tasty keys, with Chick Churchill dueling with himself on acoustic piano and a classic Alvin Lee guitar solo, no vibrato, no string bends, just stuttering melodies that skip over the propulsive rhythm section. Sweet. -JS Buckingham/Nicks: “Races Are Run” Play this track From Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks’ debut album from 1973, this was among the tunes Fleetwood Mac drummer heard that prompted him to seek out the duo. What a great song, what a fantastic performance. -RS This (whole) recording was quite an audition and foreshadowing to the max. -JS Chicago: “Mississippi Delta City Blues” Play this track Chicago’s original guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, Terry Kath, was a monster talent. This almost out of control rave up features all his strengths in one place. This is a kick-ass rave up of the first degree. -RS Surprised? I was. Who knew Chicago the horn band was also a great funk band. We knew they could rock, play outside, and play pop, but funk. Now we know. -JS Black Crowes: “By Your Side” Play this track This is the title track to Black Crowes’ unfairly unsung 1999 album, which is a hotbed of songs that show off the band’s influences in short order. Every track is a winner. -RS I keep thinking it’s The Stones or The Faces but it’s the Black Crowes wearing their influences on their sleeves. Who cares when the song is this good? Rock on. -JS Joe Walsh: “Funk #49 (from Late Show with David Letterman)” Play this track This is a James Gang classic that has been played to death. Not quite. There is extra life in this version. Maybe it’s the horns, or the percussion or the acoustic piano. There’s an ease in execution I haven’t heard in other versions that puts this one in my “use this” folder. -JS What a surprise this take on the Joe Walsh barn burner turned out to be. Too good to be a toss-off, even if it was just a TV timewaster for the audience during and after a commercial break. Doesn’t matter – John Stix heard it and now you do, too. -RS The Everly Brothers: “The Price of Love” Play this track The first song the brothers performed live together after a decade-long estrangement; this hearty rocker showed they still had it. As if there had ever been any doubt about that. -RS They have a unique vocal blend that tells you immediately who’s singing. It’s the head-bobbing rhythm and chicken pickin’ guitar that brings it home for me. -JS Nick Lowe: “All Men Are Liars” Play this track Ah, Nick Lowe. The man never disappoints. Is this peppy (and pop-y) musing on the male species’ proclivity for fibbing tells it like it is. “And that’s the truth.” -RS Just like Squeeze, I love almost everything Nick Lowe does. Melody, hooks, and clever lyrics nail me every time. I offer this song to make my point. Are we in agreement? Yes. -JS Steve Winwood: “Can’t Find My Way Home” Play this track You know the saying “Nobody doesn’t like Sarah Lee” The same holds true for Steve Winwood. This is my favorite version of one of his favorite songs. Here is the classic with just a warm acoustic guitar and a voice deeply invested in the song. Dig the crackles coming from the fireplace. NHT indeed. -JS Whether performed by Blind Faith, latter-era Traffic, or Steve Winwood solo, this monumentally timeless track always delivers, which is a testament to its grandeur and thus its longevity. More proof a good song is always a good song, Winwood’s cozy take here – recorded with his fireplace’s crackles intact – defines timelessness. Great. -RS

A Tribute to Brian Wilson (1942-2025) Tracklist: Brian Wilson: “Meant For You” Brian Wilson: “God Only Knows” The Beach Boys: “Radio Jingle” The Beach Boys: “Early Live Medley” The Beach Boys: “Little Honda (Single Mix)” The Beach Boys: “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” Brian Wilson: “Child Is The Father Of The Man” Brian Wilson: “Surf’s Up” The Beach Boys: “’Til I Die (Long Version With Alternate lyrics)” Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks: “Rhapsody In Blue (Outtake)” The Beach Boys: “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) (remastered)” The Beach Boys: “Mama Says” The Beach Boys: “California Girls (Session)” The Beach Boys: “California Girls” The Beach Boys: “Break Away” The Beach Boys: “Darlin’” The Beach Boys: “Our Team” Brian Wilson: “Please Let Me Wonder” The Beach Boys: “It’s OK” Brian Wilson: “Your Imagination” The Beach Boys: “Sail On, Sailor” The Beach Boys: “Aren’t You Glad” The Beach Boys: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Acapella)” Beach Boys: “Beach Boys’ Medley (Single Verson)” Brian Wilson: “Love & Mercy (Live)” Please Leave a Comment!    Brian Wilson: “Meant For You” Play this track Brian Wilson: “God Only Knows” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Radio Jingle” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Early Live Medley” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Little Honda (Single Mix)” Play this track The Beach Boys: “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” Play this track Brian Wilson: “Child Is The Father Of The Man” Play this track Brian Wilson: “Surf’s Up” Play this track The Beach Boys: “’Til I Die (Long Version With Alternate lyrics” Play this track The Beach Boys and Van Dyke Parks: “Rhapsody In Blue (Outtake)” Play this track The Beach Boys: “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) (remastered)” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Mama Says” Play this track The Beach Boys: “California Girls (Session)” Play this track The Beach Boys: “California Girls” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Break Away” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Darlin’” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Our Team” Play this track Brian Wilson: “Please Let Me Wonder” Play this track The Beach Boys: “It’s OK” Play this track Brian Wilson: “Your Imagination” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Sail On, Sailor” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Aren’t You Glad” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Acapella)” Play this track The Beach Boys: “Beach Boys’ Medley (Single Verson)” Play this track Brian Wilson: “Love & Mercy (Live)” Play this track

How Much Fun Tracklist: Wings: “Got to Get You into My Life” Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen: “Too Much Fun” 10cc: “Good Morning Judge” Trey Anastasio (Big Band): “Mozambique” The Beatles: “I Saw Her Standing There (Take 6)” Joe Jackson: “Poor Thing” Lake Street Dive: “Godawful Things” Chicago: “Make Me Smile (bass, drums, vocals, guitar solo)” Harry Nilsson: “Daybreak” Van Morrison: “Jackie Wilson Said (live)” Bonnie Raitt: “You’ve Been in Love Too Long” Jerry Lee Lewis: “It’ll Be Me” Steely Dan: “Do It Again (live with Michael McDonald)” R.E.M.: “Stand” NRBQ: “RC Cola & A Moon Pie” Robert Palmer: “How Much Fun” Paul Carrack and Carlene Carter: “Oh How Happy You Have Made Me” Pete Townshend: “The Sea Refuses No River (live” Pete Townshend: “It’s a Boy” Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders: “Positively 4th Street” Please Leave a Comment!    Wings: “Got to Get You into My Life” Play this track This track is a good representation of Wings’ final, short-lived lineup performing live at The Concert for the People of Kampuchea benefit in 1979. This was right at the end of their only tour, so they were hot. As evidenced in this exciting version of Paul McCartney’s Beatles classic. -Rock Stamberg One of my favorites from the Fab Four and this is “THE” live version. The band nails all the elements that make this a great song and then the vibe is just supercharged. You’ll find this in my folder of “Best Performances.” -John Stix Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen: “Too Much Fun” Play this track This puppy is up-tempo and swinging right out of the box. Love that classic walking bass blues progression. The horns blare, the piano rocks the pedal steel sounds drunk. The lyric defines the whole song and Jerry Lee Lewis would be proud. -JS 10cc: “Good Morning Judge” Play this track I love 10cc, especially late-era 10cc when they were down to a duo. Anyway, great song, excellent playing by Eric Stewart (guitar) and bassist Graham Gouldman. -RS 10cc are among the most creative bands in rock music. It’s comprised of top-notch musicians who aim to surprise with their sophisticated songwriting and sense of humor. This is a band that is much more than its hits. -JS Trey Anastasio (Big Band): “Mozambique” Play this track A joyful noise indeed. Uplifting, and engaging at the same time. It’s the recipe for any successful uptempo instrumental (think Jessica by the ABB) and can be heard on this horn heavy rhythm centric tune. It’s party time! -JS Trey Anastasio’s big band is indeed a big band and this track, which he’s also performed with his main band, Phish, is an ever-evolving piece of music. This version really grabbed John … and *I’m* the Phish head around these parts. Go figure. -RS The Beatles: “I Saw Her Standing There (Take 6)” Play this track You hear this and realize just how good a band they were. I Love the mistakes and the talking that follows. -JS The Beatles in their natural habitat working on what became a great recording. Let’s drop in on them, whaddaya say? -RS Joe Jackson: “Poor Thing” Play this track Great unknown track by a super talent. -RS Joe Jackson is a serious melodicist who has something to say. And that’s what makes great music. Say it in a song that draws us in. And everyone loves a waltz. -JS Lake Street Dive: “Godawful Things” Play this track A distorted guitar with a cello. Can you think of a better way to start a pop song? LSD is one of the premier rock and pop bands in the country. They feature melodic hooks, smart lyrics, surprising arrangements, acoustic bass, and off the charts vocals. It’s all here for you to enjoy. -JS Chicago: “Make Me Smile (bass, drums, vocals, guitar solo)” Play this track This stripped mix of a major Chicago hit is illuminating in all the right ways. The rhythm section shines, the vocal rocks and the guitar rips. Terry Kath’s shredding guitar solo features Coltrane-like sheets of sound licks in a Billboard Top 10 record described as “soft rock.” So yes, this does shed a new light on an old classic. Very NHT wouldn’t you say? -JS Harry Nilsson: “Daybreak” Play this track From the little-known film, Son of Dracula, this was Harry Nilsson’s last hit. But boy, what a song. Catchy. -RS This song reminds me of the “Put the lime in the coconut” vibe. -JS Van Morrison: “Jackie Wilson Said (live)” Play this track One of my fav’s from VM. This time it’s a swinging big band version that I found in my “Redo” folder of bands that rearrange their classics. -JS Young(er) Van kickin’ up some dust. It helps that this song is one of his great ones. -RS Bonnie Raitt: “You’ve Been in Love Too Long” Play this track This is the opening track from Bonnie’s Takin’ My Time LP. There’s a heavy Little Feat sound overall and John Hall’s (Orleans) guitar solo is oh so tasty. The track is one of my favorite bump-in-the-night grooves, with all the puzzle pieces distinct unto themselves and perfectly in place. A great lesson in blues funk delivered with classic Bonnie Raitt swagger. -JS Jerry Lee Lewis: “It’ll Be Me” Play this track “It’ll be me, and I’ll be looking for you.” How great is that lyric? Timeless. -RS I love me that train is a comin’ rhythm. This is just killer rock ‘n roll. -JS Steely Dan: “Do It Again (live with Michael McDonald)” Play this track In 1974, Steely Dan hit the road for the last time in their early years. During that tour there was discussion and a vote to have of Michael McDonald take over as the lead vocalist. Much to his chagrin, and probably against his own vote, Donald won. We can only wonder what it would have been like if the vote had gone the other way. In 2008, McDonald guested with the band for a while and gave us a glimpse of what it wouldn’t have sounded like it the vote had turned out differently. Also dig the guitar solo by Jon Herrington and the drum solo by Keith Carlock. -JS I love it when John finds this stuff. Funky. -RS R.E.M.: “Stand” Play this track What a fantastically catchy song R.E.M. gifted us with. -RS A straightforward pop rock song from R.E.M. Who’d have thunk it? -JS NRBQ: “RC Cola & A Moon Pie” Play this track God knows I love me some NRBQ. This is an NRBQ classic from way back. They still perform it regularly to this day. Essential listening. -RS The style at the heart of the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. A 1950’s rocker reborn. -JS Robert Palmer: “How Much Fun” Play this track How much soul, how much funk? Lots and lots. A beauty. -RS This sounds like the son of Allen Toussaint had a party with Little Feat on the streets of London. How much fun? Lots! -JS Paul Carrack and Carlene Carter: “Oh How Happy You Have Made Me” Play this track A joyous cover (of a joyous song) of the 1966 top 12 hit by Shades of Blue. I can hear the smiles more in this cover, so I always go for this version. -JS Pete Townshend: “The Sea Refuses No River (live” Play this track For me, this is *the* version of a song I’ve always loved. Intense and striking. -RS This is one of Townshend’s finest and under acknowledged songs. Great lyric, raging vocals and one of PT’s best melodies. I’d love to hear Roger sing this one. As is, this goes into the “Best Performances” folder. -JS Pete Townshend: “It’s a Boy” Play this track A Townshend demo from Tommy. -JS Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders: “Positively 4th Street” Play this track This version of the Bob Dylan classic just may be definitive. It’s lopes along in a casually rockin’ way that belies the lyrics’ dark theme. Beautiful. -RS This rolls like a lazy river. The vocal, bitter in lyric, is relaxed in delivery. Jerry’s solo sounds like an exhale as does David Grisman’s on mandolin. This cover is worth the time it takes to unfold. -JS

They’re Red Hot Tracklist: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band featuring Sam Moore: “Hold On, I’m Coming > Soul Man” Billy Preston: “Nothing from Nothing” Doors: “The Crystal Ship (Isolated Vocal)” Sparks: “Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is” Van Morrison: “Coney Island” Van Morrison: “I’m Tired Joey Boy” Paul McCartney: “Calico Skies (Remastered 2020)” Three Fates Project: “The Endless Enigma Suite, Pt. 2” Faces: “Stay With Me” Leon Russell: “Roll Away the Stone” Todd Rundgren: “A Dream Goes on Forever” Ryan Adam’s: “New York, New York” Eric Clapton: “They’re Red Hot” Warren Zevon: “Werewolves of London” Three Dog Night: “Shambala (Single Version)” Simon & Garfunkel: “Mrs. Robinson (Demo)” Ennio Morricone: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” Ray Charles: “The ABC Song (edit)” Grateful Dead: “Loose Lucy” Keith Richard’s: “How I Wish” Ben Kweller: “Walk on Me” Elton John: “Take Me to The Pilot (Live)” Please Leave a Comment!    Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band featuring Sam Moore: “Hold On, I’m Coming > Soul Man” Play this track One of a few spectacular performances at the 25th Anniversary concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The band is on point and on fire. Bruce is successfully paying homage and letting it rip at the same time. Bravo! -John Stix Pretty rockin’, I’d say. A good version of “Soul Man” is always welcome. -Rock Stamberg Billy Preston: “Nothing from Nothing” Play this track Billy Preston during his mega-hit days in the early-to-mid ‘70s. Still sounds great, too. -RS Gospel rock at its best. Jerry Lee Lewis would be proud. This is a killer track. -JS Doors: “The Crystal Ship (Isolated Vocal)” Play this track All the mystery and danger are right here in the vocal. -JS Sparks: “Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is” Play this track Trust me, this song *is* as good as I say it is. It’s good too. -RS Up there with the best of a Zappa-like narrative for a song. The baby is born and almost immediately wants to return to the womb. It’s known that laughter is the best medicine. So, listen to the lyric and enjoy your medicine. -JS Van Morrison: “Coney Island” Play this track Van Morrison: “I’m Tired Joey Boy” Play this track These two songs are inexorably tied together. Found on Van Morrison’s sublime Avalon Sunset album from 1989, these tracks define what’s beautiful about beautiful music. A+ stuff. -RS Van the poet at his most commanding. It’s also the first appearance of the word “famished” on NHT. -JS Paul McCartney: “Calico Skies (Remastered 2020)” Play this track Melancholia made majestic. As good as any Beatles track. -RS I didn’t follow the individual Beatles after the breakup. So, I didn’t know this song, nor its reason for being. A love song for the ages. I do hope you have someone to share this with. -JS Three Fates Project: “The Endless Enigma Suite, Pt. 2” Play this track I had the ELP album Trilogy, I just didn’t listen to it much. This orchestral version, I could barely hear KE anywhere, has all the drama, flourish and fanfare that made up the best of ELP. I am drawn the chorus melody and am stopped in my tracks every time it comes around. -JS Faces: “Stay with Me” Play this track Now *this* is great rock ‘n roll. Listen to how guitarist Ronnie Wood was already ready for The Rolling Stones three years prior to joining ‘em. -RS The kind of raucous rock that rolls (because of that piano) that we heard in Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen, and become the backbone sound of Delaney and Bonnie, Derek and the Dominoes, and now The Tedeschi Trucks Band. It could be argued that The Faces achieved this sound more successfully than the Stones. -JS Leon Russell: “Roll Away the Stone” Play this track The opening part has hints of the Stones “Stupid Girl.” And there is a 50 second piano intro before the song comes in. That acoustic piano drives the song throughout, with a Blues-Rock/Gospel stew that both simmers and rocks. Need we any more proof that Leon Russell was a first-rate songwriter? -JS Todd Rundgren: “A Dream Goes on Forever” Play this track Armed with just his always insightful lyrics, an acoustic piano, and a Rock of Gibraltar melody, I am enthralled. What about you? -JS Ryan Adam’s: “New York, New York” Play this track This song just makes me feel good. I love the acoustic guitar/Hammond organ bed married to vocal harmonies delivering nothing but melodic hooks. Then there is almost chaotic sax part that resolves in the end. -JS Eric Clapton: “They’re Red Hot” Play this track Clapton sans guitar swinging with a smile. I looked up the Robert Johnson recording, and his version was just as up and happy. I didn’t know that. -JS Warren Zevon: “Werewolves of London” Play this track Did you know this reached #21 in The Billboard Hot 100? That makes Warren Zevon a one-hit wonder. Guitarist Waddy Wachtel came up with the famous “aaaoooo” howl based on the song title. Did you notice the piano riff that beds this song just goes around and around without changing? -JS Three Dog Night: “Shambala (Single Version)” Play this track Three Dog Night made some good records in the early ‘70s and this is a good example of their song-based, harmony driven style. -RS I never heard this song before Rock suggested it. But it feels good and the vocals, including another wolf howl, are a ray of sunshine. -JS Simon & Garfunkel: “Mrs. Robinson (Demo)” Play this track Here it is before it was. -JS Ennio Morricone: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” Play this track Everything you ever wanted in a song; flutes, trumpet, whistling, vocal grunts, tremolo guitar, tubular bells, a choir, military drums, scream singing and voices pretending to be a wah-wah effect. And it was a hit too! -JS Ray Charles: “The ABC Song (edit)” Play this track Some guys can sing anything. -JS Grateful Dead: “Loose Lucy” Play this track Taken from 1974’s Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel album – a personal favorite of mine – this track is sure evidence that the Dead were always a song-based band. Even when they were delving into their explorations onstage, each song always had a definite and crisp ending. This studio track is one of their best. -RS Keith Richard’s: “How I Wish” Play this track Another favorite of mine, this catchy rocker shows Keith Richard’s composing a song the way he and Mick Jagger used to do. No riff-based tune here. From Keith’s excellent debut solo album, Talk is Cheap, released in 1988. -RS Ben Kweller: “Walk on Me” Play this track I love Ben Kweller. What a songwriter. This rollicking track is from his Sha-Sha album from 2002. -RS Elton John: “Take Me to The Pilot (Live)” Play this track This acoustic piano trio and song, absolutely live, just rocks! -JS Early live Elton rocked. His original live trio was comprised of drummer Nigel Olsson and the late bassist Dee Murray, both of whom were also fantastic singers. Olsson remained in Elton’s live band right up until the end. -RS

Merry Christmas! Tracklist: Chuck Leavell: “Hey Santa” Ryan Culwell: “It’s Christmastime, I Know (Ho Ho Ho)” Ben Kweller: “Try to Love (Joy to the World)” The Beach Boys: “Christmas Time Is Here Again” Graham Gouldman: “A Christmas Affair (feat. Beth Nielsen Chapman)” Lindsey Buckingham: “Holiday Road” Chris Squire’s Swiss Choir: “Run with the Fox” Al Jardine: “Big Sur Christmas” Andy Partridge: “Cool Yule” Cheap Trick: “Please Come Home for Christmas” Keith Richards: “Run Rudolph Run” The Rolling Stones: “Winter” Emmylou Harris: “Light of the Stable” Wings: “Wonderful Christmastime (Live)” Yoko Ono & The Flaming Lips: “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Robin Gibb: “Noel” Rufus Wainwright: “Christmas Is for Kids” The Beatles: “1967 Christmas Record” Eagles: “Funky New Year (Live)” The Beach Boys: “Auld Lang Syne” Fleet Foxes: “White Winter Hymnal” Mariah Carey/Queen: “Don’t Stop Christmas Now (Mashup)” Liz Phair: “Winter Wonderland” Vince Guaraldi Trio featuring Josh Turner on Guitar: “Charlie Brown Christmas Medley” Please Leave a Comment!    Chuck Leavell: “Hey Santa” Play this track Chuck Leavell’s Christmas album, What’s in That Bag? is loaded with more funky good cheer. —Rock Stamberg Ryan Culwell: “It’s Christmastime, I Know (Ho Ho Ho)” Play this track I heard it, I liked it, and here it is. —RS Ben Kweller: “Try to Love (Joy to the World)” Play this track A cool song that incorporates a well-known holiday standard. —RS The Beach Boys: “Christmas Time Is Here Again” Play this track The backing track is actually the Beach Boys playing Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue,” albeit with their own Christmas lyrics. Listen, you’ll hear it. -RS Graham Gouldman: “A Christmas Affair (feat. Beth Nielsen Chapman)” Play this track 10cc’s Graham Goldman wrote this Christmas song and put it in the middle of his latest decidedly non-Christmas album, I Have Notes. —RS Lindsey Buckingham: “Holiday Road” Play this track An obvious choice, I know. But it’s a great song! —RS Chris Squire’s Swiss Choir: “Run with the Fox” Play this track The late, great Yes bassist added a choir to his 1981 Christmas single, beautifully enhancing the track. Voila! —RS Al Jardine: “Big Sur Christmas” Play this track A long lost online-only original Christmas song by The Beach Boys’ ageless Alan Jardine. —RS Andy Partridge: “Cool Yule” Play this track The XTC mastermind’s original Christmas song that was first performed by … wait for it … The Monkees. —RS Cheap Trick: “Please Come Home for Christmas” Play this track Cheap Trick’s hard rocking’ take on the venerable holiday blues classic. —RS Keith Richards: “Run Rudolph Run” Play this track Released as a single in 1978, this is also Keith Richards’ first solo record. —RS The Rolling Stones: “Winter” Play this track Though it’s not a holiday song, per se, it is a great seasonal track, nonetheless. —RS Emmylou Harris: “Light of the Stable” Play this track This has always been a favorite of mine. How come I didn’t use it in prior Christmas episode? —RS Wings: “Wonderful Christmastime (Live)” Play this track A live recording of the then new song performed at one of Wings’ final concerts in 1979. Better than the original? You decide. —RS Yoko Ono & The Flaming Lips: “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Play this track A very original take on John & Yoko’s holiday classic. And yes, that wonderful chorus is sung beautifully by Ms. Ono. Underrated. Listen! —RS Robin Gibb: “Noel” Play this track The late Bee Gees brother recorded a fantastic Christmas album shortly before his death. This is a good representation of what it’s all about. —RS Rufus Wainwright: “Christmas Is for Kids” Play this track A nice original song from the amazing Rufus Wainwright. —RS The Beatles: “1967 Christmas Record” Play this track Every year I add one of The Beatles’ Fan Club’s holiday offerings in chronological order. We’re up to 1967 now. Only two more Beatles Christmas records left to add to a NHT Christmas podcast. Then what’ll I do? —RS Eagles: “Funky New Year (Live)” Play this track A rare live version. —RS The Beach Boys: “Auld Lang Syne” Play this track How else to include a New Year’s song -RS Fleet Foxes: “White Winter Hymnal” Play this track It’s all about the sound of their voices. A winter choirs. It’s not from the Brian Wilson school, but it is in the classroom next door. —John Stix Mariah Carey/Queen: “Don’t Stop Christmas Now (Mashup)” Play this track When a mashup works, it just sounds like another song. This is just another Xmas song. —JS Liz Phair: “Winter Wonderland” Play this track The melody is sung straight. It’s the arrangement and instrumentation that makes it fresh. And in this case, that’s “organic and wooden.” —JS Vince Guaraldi Trio featuring Josh Turner on Guitar: “Charlie Brown Christmas Medley” Play this track Everyone’s favorite Xmas melodies presented in a jazz chord melody style, no improv, just great compositions. —JS

Listen To The Music Tracklist: Grateful Dead: “Let The Good Times Roll” Santana: “Everybody’s Everything” Kila: “An Tiománaí (Live)” Steely Dan: “Parkers Band” Tower Of Power: “What Is Hip?” Van Morrison: “You Make Me Feel So Free” Lake Street Dive with Lawerence: “Good Together (Live)” Jeff Lynne: “Blown Away” The Beach Boys: “You Still Believe In Me (Live)” The Doobie Brothers: “Listen to The Music (Farewell Tour Live)” U2: “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” Squeeze: “The Day I Get Home” The Monkees: “Daydream Believer” Aretha Franklin: “Coca-Cola Commercial” Larry Carlton: “Put It Where You Want It” The Clash: “London Calling” John Fogerty with The Roots: “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” Mountain: “Mississippi Queen” James Taylor: “Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Music Now” “Barney Miller Theme” Please Leave a Comment!    Grateful Dead: “Let The Good Times Roll” Play this track When they are on, one of the things the Grateful Dead do best is hit a rhythm that floats effortlessly like a river going downstream. I offer this song as my example. – John Stix I’m a Grateful Dead fan who’s not crazy about their later era, from which this performance is drawn. I’m happy to say this is a rare exception for me. And John chose it! -Rock Stamberg Santana: “Everybody’s Everything” Play this track Propulsive rhythms, strong Gregg Rollie vocals, a wailing guitar, plus Tower of Power horns, helped to put this song on Santana’s Greatest Hits. -JS Kila: “An Tiománaí (Live)” Play this track African rhythms and Celtic singing propel you forward. But it’s the invisible segue way prepared by our buddy Mike Connelly that makes this a killer one-two punch. -JS Steely Dan: “Parkers Band” Play this track One of my faves from Steely Dan’s Pretzel Logic album. This is from a superb recording of a Dan show in Chicago, which featured Larry Carlton guesting. The killer guitar solo up front is by Jon Herrington, who I suspect was inspired by Carlton sitting in. Also check out the extra horn parts that weren’t in the original. Has there ever been a finer tribute to Charlie Parker by a rock band? -JS Tower Of Power: “What Is Hip?” Play this track This, their signature song, was never a hit. If you like a superglued funk rhythm section, soul vocals and horn parts that jab like Ali, this is your song, and they should be your band. -JS Van Morrison: “You Make Me Feel So Free” Play this track One of my favorite Van Morrison tracks. Irresistible. -RS Wow, an up-tempo Van kicker that I had never heard until Rock said listen to this. I’m just paying it forward. -JS Lake Street Dive with Lawerence: “Good Together (Live)” Play this track People love Rachel Price’s voice, and I do too. But it’s the whole band that writes and plays together that generates that smile on your face. It’s “Pure Pop for Now people”, as Nick Lowe would say. This live performance has LSD joining with NYC’s finest band Lawrence. -JS Jeff Lynne: “Blown Away” Play this track Co-written with Tom Petty, this is, to me, a great song. Jeff Lynne’s wordless crooning during the song’s tag absolutely kills me every time. -RS  The Beach Boys: “You Still Believe In Me (Live)” Play this track Recorded during The Beach Boys’ 1973 tour, Alan Jardine takes on MIA Brian Wilson’s lead vocal from Pet Sounds. And he nails it. The harmonies ain’t bad, either. -RS The Doobie Brothers: “Listen to The Music (Farewell Tour Live)” Play this track This is a surprise from The Doobie Brothers’ Farewell Tour album from 1983. Of course, the farewell tour wasn’t so farewell-y after all. -RS A rare funk version with Michael McDonald on lead vocal. Totally classic and totally new. The track screams NHT. -JS U2: “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” Play this track I’m not a big U2 fan but what I like of theirs I *really* like. This is probably my favorite U2 recording. -RS Squeeze: “The Day I Get Home” Play this track Another unknown gem from Squeeze. Slinky. -RS Sounds to me a bit like the children’s song “This Old Man Came Rolling Home.” -JS The Monkees: “Daydream Believer” Play this track What can I say? A great song is always a great song. -RS  Aretha Franklin: “Coca-Cola Commercial” Play this track She almost got me off my Hires Root Beer! -JS Larry Carlton: “Put It Where You Want It” Play this track Pure class and all finesse. This tune, written by Joe Sample and originally played by The Crusaders, of which LC was a longtime member, gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. -JS The Clash: “ London Calling” Play this track Rock gave me an assignment to pick a Clash song for NHT. The question remains, is this cheating? -JS John Fogerty with The Roots: “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” Play this track When rock music was also pop music … and just great music. I’m smiling again. Are you? -JS Mountain: “Mississippi Queen” Play this track This comes from my folder of best performances. It’s the piano that makes it along with the roar of the vocal and the stringing melodies from the guitar. Rockin’ music at its best. -JS James Taylor: “Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Music Now” Play this track From JT’s underrated Walking Man album. -RS This is JT working with the cream of the NY session community. A few years later, Kiss’ Ace Frehley sang about being “back in the New York groove.” This is what he meant. -JS “Barney Miller Theme” Play this track I just had to put this after the James Taylor track. I had to. -RS

Ain’t Nice To Talk Like That Tracklist: The Allman Brothers Band: “Little Martha (Live at The Beacon Theatre, NYC)” Brian Setzer Orchestra: “The Jets Song” Laura Nyro: “Luckie” Chuck Berry & Tom Jones: “Memphis / Roll Over Beethoven” Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band: “Cutey and the Dragon” Joe Jackson: “Summer in The City” Paul Carrack: “From Now On” Todd Rundgren & Daryl Hall: “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” Skeeter Davis & NRBQ: “Ain’t Nice to Talk Like That” Billy Joel: “Only the Good Die Young (Alternate Version)” John Hiatt: “Cry Love” Steely Dan: “Time Out of Mind (Vocal-Keyboard-Guitar-Horn Mix)” The Allman Brothers Band: “Blue Sky” Paul McCartney And Eric Clapton: “Something” Starlight Mints: “Submarine #3” Elliot Smith: “Pretty (Ugly Before)” Little Feat: “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now (Alternate Version)” Emerson, Lake & Powell: “Touch and Go (2024 Remaster)” Jefferson Airplane: “She Has Funny Cars” Please Leave a Comment!    The Allman Brothers Band: “Little Martha (Live at The Beacon Theatre, NYC)” Play this track “Somewhere in a burst of glory, sound becomes a song.” – Paul Simon. That’s how this rendition of “Little Martha” arrives, courtesy of the Allman Brothers Band at The Beacon Theatre in New York. I was there. And now you are too. —John Stix I never would’ve thought of “Little Martha” as lending itself to an electric guitar-based, full band arrangement … but here it is. And it’s cool. —Rock Stamberg Brian Setzer Orchestra: “The Jets Song” Play this track Rock meets Broadway on equal terms. —JS I do? —RS Laura Nyro: “Luckie” Play this track The opening track from one of the greatest albums ever. As was once heard sang on Broadway, “Put on a happy face.” —JS Chuck Berry & Tom Jones: “Memphis / Roll Over Beethoven” Play this track TJ does it again. He can sing with anybody and bring out the best they’ve got. Here we are, on television, no less. Chuck is smiling and rockin’ and rollin’ and showing us why he is one of the pillars of music. And Tom Jones is right up there with him. —JS Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band: “Cutey and the Dragon” Play this track Here we have a Grammy-nominated piece composed by Raymond Scott that, previously, had never been recorded. And there’s a bit of jazz thrown in for good measure. There was no cartoon to go along with this music but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream one up yourself. —JS Joe Jackson: “Summer in The City” Play this track Joe Jackson always delivers. —RS Joe Jackson plays it straight and the song has never aged. —JS Paul Carrack: “From Now On” Play this track Another great song from Paul Carrack’s great Suburban Voodoo album. —RS Todd Rundgren & Daryl Hall: “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” Play this track Todd has performed this song for decades, but this version is THE ONE. —JS Skeeter Davis & NRBQ: “Ain’t Nice to Talk Like That” Play this track I just love that country trombone. —RS A living, breathing, singing smile! —JS Billy Joel: “Only the Good Die Young (Alternate Version)” Play this track Dramatic proof that sometimes the first idea is not the best idea. Fun to discover, fun to listen to, and a song made for NHT. —JS  John Hiatt: “Cry Love” Play this track As a songwriter, John Hiatt is a monster. Here’s one of his lesser-known songs as performed by Hiatt and his band. Simply amazing. —RS Steely Dan: “Time Out of Mind (Vocal-Keyboard-Guitar-Horn Mix)” Play this track A 5.1 mix using only certain tracks allows us to hear the subtle details in the track sans rhythm section. “Perfection and Grace” indeed. —JS The Allman Brothers Band: “Blue Sky” Play this track See the final sentence above. Here is Duane Allman earning his nickname “Skydog,” and Dickie Betts as the ultimate melodicist on a gem of a song he wrote for his then girlfriend, Blue Sky. —JS This song is near perfect. So melodic. —RS Paul McCartney And Eric Clapton: “Something” Play this track How often is a beloved song played as the masterpiece it is? This is one of those times. The band includes Ringo Starr, Albert Lee, Jeff Lynne, Billy Preston, and an orchestra. —JS What can I say? It’s beautiful and kinda haunting as well. —RS Starlight Mints: “Submarine #3” Play this track A quirky little song that’ll grab you before you know it. —RS Elliot Smith: “Pretty (Ugly Before)” Play this track Elliott Smith was sooo talented. A beautifully moody song here. —RS Little Feat: “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now (Alternate Version)” Play this track I love Little Feat. So does John. We also love hearing outtakes and alternate versions of great Feat tunes. This one’s slinky and sweet. —RS Emerson, Lake & Powell: “Touch and Go (2024 Remaster)” Play this track This song appeared on the self-titled album by a one-off version of ELP, this one with Cozy Powell, not Carl Palmer, as the “P.” I think “Touch and Go” is as good as anything the original ELP cooked up in their ‘70s heyday. Is “majestic” the word for this track? —RS Jefferson Airplane: “She Has Funny Cars” Play this track The opening track from one of my favorite albums. The drum intro grabs me immediately. What follows helped define the San Francisco sound and that of the band as well. —JS

So May We Start Tracklist: Sparks (featuring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, & Simon Helberg): “So May We Start” NRBQ: “Boozoo, That’s Who!” Traveling Wilburys: “Maxine” Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Levon Helm: “The Weight” Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Mark Farner: “Some Kind of Wonderful” The Kinks: “Life on The Road” The Monkees: “Listen to The Band” Neil Young: “All Along the Watchtower” The Rolling Stones & Stevie Wonder: “I Don’t Know Why” The Doors: “People Are Strange” Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Dave Edmunds: “I Hear You Knocking” Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Gary Wright: “Dream Weaver” Herbie Hancock, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks: “Space Captain” Crosby, Stills & Nash: “Taken at All” Roger McGuinn with Richard Thompson: “Wild Mountain Thyme” T. Rex: “20th Century Boy” Bob Dylan & Grateful Dead: “Man of Peace” Please Leave a Comment!    Sparks (featuring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, & Simon Helberg): “So May We Start” Play this track This is such an unusual song … but not for Sparks. It’s catchy despite itself. Recorded for the soundtrack to the film “Annette,” those are indeed some of the actors singing along with Ron Mael. A great video was made for this song; The YouTube link is on our Web page for this podcast. Check it out. —Rock Stamberg Unconventional song structure, minimal lyrics on a loop and Broadway vocals on top of pop hooks. What a treat. Reminds me of Todd Rundgren’s fascination with Gilbert and Sullivan. — John Stix NRBQ: “Boozoo, That’s Who!” Play this track Ahh, NRBQ. What can I say? Their self-described “Omnipop” is in fine fettle on this bouncy offering. —RS A cartoon song with lyrics right out of Cat in the Hat and Merrie Melodies like we heard as kids on Saturday morning television, all played with a wink and a smile. — JS Traveling Wilburys: “Maxine” Play this track This outtake was included on the two-disc Traveling Wilburys Collection a few years back and I think it’s every bit as great as the songs the released in the albums themselves. This is really good stuff. —RS A newly discovered George Harrison gem (at least for me). That 6/8 lilt gets me every time. — JS Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Levon Helm: “The Weight” Play this track This track comes right out of my “best versions” folder and puts a great coat of fresh paint on a shop-worn classic. — JS Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Mark Farner: “Some Kind of Wonderful” Play this track We talk about voice and guitar, and voice and piano being the true test of a great song. How about voice and bass? Now we’re thumpin’. John Entwistle and Mark Farner rock the joint without needing any help. — JS Here’s what’s funny: Grand Funk’s original studio version featured drummer Don Brewer on lead vocals, not Mark Farner. Shows what a great song and arrangement can do no matter who’s singing it. —RS The Kinks: “Life on The Road” Play this track Simply put, this is one of my all-time favorite Kinks songs and it’s absolutely perfect, in my opinion. Perfect. —RS The Monkees: “Listen to The Band” Play this track There are several different versions of this song that were released around the same time (1969-1970), but this is the one. Believe it or not, this is what I’d call the stripped-down version of the song. What a beautiful melody. Good on you, Michael Nesmith. —RS This sounds like it was pulled right from the ‘60s. Love that pop/rock country bounce. — JS Neil Young: “All Along the Watchtower” Play this track I was so inspired by this performance that when Neil toured with Booker T. & the MGs soon after the “BobFest” concerts I bought tickets. I also bought the bootleg recording! — JS The Rolling Stones & Stevie Wonder: “I Don’t Know Why” Play this track I did not know this Stevie Wonder composition but the juxtaposition of the bands in a call and response as the song goes along makes it NHT material of the first order. Who knew? Now you do. — JS I’ve always loved the Stones’ version but had never heard Stevie Wonder’s original version. What a great song. —RS The Doors: “People Are Strange” Play this track Jim Morrison gets so much attention it’s easy to forget that the music of the Doors was made by the other band members. In this music bed you almost hear all the vocal lines and musical accompaniment because they’re so ingrained in our memories. It’s hard not to sing along. Duh, that’s Karaoke dummy. Sorry, I should have known. — JS Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Dave Edmunds: “I Hear You Knocking” Play this track I asked Rock to pass on this version because I felt the recording was ragged, all guitars and voice, and parts of the solos are out of tune. It was not a fun listen for me in the car. I understand Rock’s almost out of control and out of tune take on guitar solos. To me it was just noisy. The song was a hit in England and deserved to be. — JS Let’s rock! —RS Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band featuring Gary Wright: “Dream Weaver” Play this track I’ve always had a real soft spot for this tune and the wonderful low, low bass tones Gary Wright achieved with the ARP keyboards he used. Ringo’s human touch makes this classic swing without losing any of its original mojo. —RS Herbie Hancock, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks: “Space Captain” Play this track Killer performance, and it was on TV to boot! Tedeschi/Trucks do versions of Mad Dogs, Delaney and Bonnie and Derek and the Dominoes better than anyone else around. That Herbie Hancock was smart enough to bring them into his orbit with this song, reinforces his genius. — JS Crosby, Stills & Nash: “Taken at All” Play this track Thanks for the recommendation, Graham! He said this deserved more attention than it got. This version from the CSN Box Set sounds like it would sit nicely among the tunes on their first album. What do I love about this band? Whatever you’re hearing right here. — JS Roger McGuinn with Richard Thompson: “Wild Mountain Thyme” Play this track What a find. I have always enjoyed The Byrds take on this tune. Now, this one goes into that “best versions” folder. For me, it’s the kind of tune that screams NHT. — JS This is a real surprise for me. Stunning. And I had no idea what a spellbinding supporting musician and singer Richard Thompson could be. —RS T. Rex: “20th Century Boy” Play this track Another perfect rock ‘n roll concoction. T. Rex rules. —RS Bob Dylan & Grateful Dead: “Man of Peace” Play this track According to the bard his-self, he walked out of rehearsals with the Grateful Dead and wasn’t going to go back because he felt he had lost it and was done. Like, done. It happens he had a change of heart after chancing upon a singer in a bar and the event transformed him, he has said. He went back to the rehearsal space where the members of the Grateful Dead routinely challenged him to play songs of his that were well off the beaten path … like this one, which was originally released in 1983’s Infidels album. —RS I had heard on good advice that Dylan toured with the Dead because he would get all the money going to his share of the take. Not a great reason to tour with another band. The show I saw didn’t hold my attention, so I was thrilled when I discovered this performance from the rehearsals. This is a real NHT treat. — JS

Boom Bapa Boom! Tracklist: Jimmie Vaughan: “Boom Bapa Boom” Jackson Browne: “Boulevard” Joan Armatrading: “Show Some Emotion” Tex Williams: “Smoke That Cigarette” Eric Clapton: “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” Jeff Lynne: “Telephone Line (Acoustic)” Randy Newman: “The Story of a Rock and Roll Band” Vulfmon (Featuring Jacob Jeffries): “How Much Do You Love Me?” Larkin Poe: “Sometimes” 10cc: “Rubber Bullets” Michael Jackson & Ted Nugent: “Hey Baby Am I Black or White” The Beatles: “If I Fell (a cappella)” Elton John: “Better Off Dead” U2: “Desire” Fleetwood Mac: “Black Magic Woman” The Black Crowes: “Diamond Ring” Badfinger: “Day After Day” Joni Mitchell: “Help Me (Demo)” Beautiful People (Jimi Hendrix): “If ‘60s Were ‘90s” Santana: “Song of The Wind (Quadrophonic Mix)” Please Leave a Comment!    Jimmie Vaughan: “Boom Bapa Boom” Play this track A cool groove and a cool song. Nonsense lyrics be damned! –Rock Stamberg As a fan of brother Stevie Ray’s roar and conviction on the guitar, I found Jimmy Vaughan’s playing too tame for my taste. But upon hearing his Nile Rogers-produced debut solo album, Strange Pleasure, I pronounce myself a changed man. The guitar playing hadn’t changed, but the rhythm and feel of songs like this one won me over. Let’s just say I like a lot of roll with my rock. –John Stix Jackson Browne: “Boulevard” Play this track I was late in digging Jackson Browne, but his Running on Empty album changed that. This rocker from his follow-up album, Hold Out, sealed the deal. —RS The guitar riff sounds like Keef to me. Jackson Browne wrote himself a cool Stones song. -JS Joan Armatrading: “Show Some Emotion” Play this track The music is slinky and moves like liquid over a flat surface. The vocal and overall performance are full of quirky hooks, making it destined to become one of her signature songs. -JS Tex Williams: “Smoke That Cigarette” Play this track Western Swing with a sense of humor. Novelty song, yes. But with Menthol. -JS Eric Clapton: “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” Play this track I love this version of the old gospel standard more than any other. The deep groove of Jamie Oldaker’s drums and the pseudo reggae patina just plain work together beautifully. —RS Rock turned me onto this Reggae Gospel tune. Oh boy, this feels good. It quickly became one of my most shared songs of the year. Relax, enjoy, and let EC and the band carry you home. -JS Jeff Lynne: “Telephone Line (Acoustic)” Play this track Further proof that a good song’s always good if it can be played acoustically and get you excited. Jeff Lynne’s stripped-down take on one of ELO’s most cleverly produced hit songs does just that. -RS As we’ve said many times before, a good song needs but a guitar (or a piano in this case) and a voice to make its point. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if you start with a song as good as this. -JS Randy Newman: “The Story of a Rock and Roll Band” Play this track Of course, Randy’s “history” of the Electric Light Orchestra as sung here is completely, absurdly fictional … but does that matter? Hell no. You can tell he really *does* “love that ELO.” – RS Storytelling as only RN can. I laugh out loud every time I hear this one. And when I’m not laughing, I’m smiling. I’d say Randy’s sense of humor is Todd-esque on this ditty. -JS Vulfmon (Featuring Jacob Jeffries): “How Much Do You Love Me?” Play this track This is my song of the year and lyric of the year. The second time you hear it, the reaction will likely be, oh, I know this song. I sent it to my buddy Pat. He called and immediately sang the chorus back to me. The piano part and the simulated sound of the Fender Rhoads have that “Minute by Minute” vibe. The lyrics are silly and the vocal delivery on the whiny side. At 2:23 Jeffries cracks himself up. I smiled throughout and then pressed play again. -JS Larkin Poe: “Sometimes” Play this track Piano and voice can be foundational. Guitar and voice as well. In this case it’s handclaps and voice. Repetition as a mantra is no longer exclusively the realm of Van Morrison. Larkin Poe (Rebecca and Megan Lovell) start with a simple frame and build to a hot drumline Trombone Shorty vibe. -JS 10cc: “Rubber Bullets” Play this track Jailhouse Rock with a sense of humor. I’m detecting a theme running through this part of NHT. It’s music that makes me smile. -JS Michael Jackson & Ted Nugent: “Hey Baby Am I Black or White” Play this track What we have here is a funky music bed by Ted Nugent and the vocals of Michael Jackson. Strange bedfellows making for some great music. -JS The Beatles: “If I Fell (a cappella)” Play this track Choral music of the first degree. -JS Elton John: “Better Off Dead” Play this track This is one of my all-time favorite Elton John songs from one of my favorite Elton John albums, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Everything about it makes me jubilant. My god … Those drums! -RS U2: “Desire” Play this track They channel the Sun Records vibe here. They recorded this at Sun Studio in Memphis. -RS Son of Bo Diddley. -JS Fleetwood Mac: “Black Magic Woman” Play this track Peter Green in his prime as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer. Say no more. -RS Here is a bit of a conversation John Stix had with Carlos Santana: JS: When was the first time you heard “Black Magic Woman?” CS: It was in Fresno, California, at a soundcheck. Gregg Rollie brought the cassette in and said, “You’ll really like this song.” He wanted to know if we could try it. I remember I liked the way he (Peter Green in Fleetwood Mac) did it, but I didn’t like it for us. He starts with a different kind of chord in the blues. Now when I listen to it, I like it. But back then I said, “Let’s do something different to it.” So, we started messing around with it and basically put more of a Calypso, African/Cuban thing on it. JS: But the instrumental melody in the beginning is the same. CS: The descending Wes Montgomery kind of (vocal) melody is just basically “All Your Love” by Otis Rush. If you take the line “Got a black magic woman” and put in the words “All your lovin’ is lovin’,” you can hear that he changed the chords and made it so it’s not ripping anybody off. It’s like taking a seed and making a different tree with it. The Black Crowes: “Diamond Ring” Play this track Badfinger: “Day After Day” Play this track Badfinger were an excellent ‘70s rock band who were protégées of The Beatles and were signed to that band’s Apple Records label. At one point or another each of The Beatles took a turn producing, writing for, and/or playing with the group. “Day After Day” was Badfinger’s 1971 hit single and was produced by George Harrison, who also handled the trademark slide guitar solo heard here. This was one of several hit records Badfinger produced between 1969 and 1974. -RS Joni Mitchell: “Help Me (Demo)” Play this track From the Joni Mitchell Archives 3 collection, which is filled with gems like this. -JS Beautiful People (Jimi Hendrix): “ If ’60s Were ’90s” Play this track Swampy and filled with voodoo, this total ”If 6 Were 9” remix is worthy of the Hendrix name. Santana used to use this song to announce the band coming to the stage. -JS Santana: “Song of The Wind (Quadrophonic Mix)” Play this track Santana has three indelible guitar instrumentals, “Samba Pa Ti,” “Europa” and “Song of the Wind.” They all demand to be played as they were recorded. To most of us, including me, this sounds like some mighty fine soaring Santana. The fact is Neal Schon starts the tune, Santana does the middle and Neal finishes. I can guess when they switch, but really who cares. This is taken from a quadrophonic surround-sound remix and emphasizes the percussion. The guitar is tucked in just a little bit so you must reach for it. It’s interesting to note that Santana rarely plays the tune live. Perhaps it’s because he wants Neal to be there. Regardless of his absence, this song still soars in the wind. -JS

Merry Christmas 2023! Tracklist: The Beatles: “1966” Ringo Starr: “Dear Santa” Augie Rios: “Donde Esta Santa Claus” Andy Partridge: “Let There Be Snow” Ed Sheeran & Elton John: “Merry Christmas” Nick Lowe: “Silent Night” Wizzard: “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” Debbie Dabney: “I Want to Spend Christmas With Elvis” Elvis Presley: “Blue Christmas” Phoenix: “Alone on Christmas Day (feat. Bill Murray)” Jethro Tull: “Another Christmas Song” The Four Seasons: “The Excelsis Deo Medley: Deck The Halls / Excelsis Deo / Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” Big Star: “Jesus Christ (Demo)” Bryan Adams: “Christmas Time (Classic Version)” The Everly Brothers: “The First Noel” Ry Cooder: “Christmas In Van Nuys” Joni Mitchell: “Face Lift” Stevie Wonder & Andra Day: “Someday at Christmas” Woody Goss Trio: “Wait for the Moment” Norah Jones: “Christmastime is Here” James Taylor: “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” José Feliciano & Van Halen: “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Feliz Navidad” Brian Slawson: “Concerto in D” Joscho Stephan Trio: “Jingle Bells” Warren Schatz: “Let it Snow” Steve Khan: “In A Silent Way” Justin Johnson: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” Rueben James: “A Festive Jam” Corey Henry: “Little Drummer Boy” Don Byron: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” Andy Timmons Band: “Ave Maria” Please Leave a Comment!    The Beatles: “1966” Play this track Ringo Starr: “Dear Santa” Play this track Augie Rios: “Donde Esta Santa Claus” Play this track Andy Partridge: “Let There Be Snow” Play this track Ed Sheeran & Elton John: “Merry Christmas” Play this track Nick Lowe: “Silent Night” Play this track Wizzard: “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” Play this track Debbie Dabney: “I Want to Spend Christmas With Elvis” Play this track Elvis Presley: “Blue Christmas” Play this track Phoenix: “Alone on Christmas Day (feat. Bill Murray)” Play this track Jethro Tull: “Another Christmas Song” Play this track The Four Seasons: “The Excelsis Deo Medley: Deck The Halls / Excelsis Deo / Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” Play this track Big Star: “Jesus Christ (Demo)” Play this track Bryan Adams: “Christmas Time (Classic Version)” Play this track The Everly Brothers: “The First Noel” Play this track Ry Cooder: “Christmas In Van Nuys” Play this track Joni Mitchell: “Face Lift” Play this track Stevie Wonder & Andra Day: “Someday at Christmas” Play this track Woody Goss Trio: “Wait for the Moment” Play this track Norah Jones: “Christmastime is Here” Play this track James Taylor: “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” Play this track José Feliciano & Van Halen: “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Feliz Navidad” Play this track Brian Slawson: “Concerto in D” Play this track Joscho Stephan Trio: “Jingle Bells” Play this track Warren Schatz: “Let it Snow” Play this track Steve Khan: “In A Silent Way” Play this track Justin Johnson: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” Play this track Rueben James: “A Festive Jam” Play this track Corey Henry: “Little Drummer Boy” Play this track Don Byron: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” Play this track Andy Timmons Band: “Ave Maria” Play this track

Let’s Get It On Tracklist: Fleetwood Mac: “Teen Beat (Outtake) [2016 Remaster] ” The Who: “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” Richard Thompson: “A Legal Matter” Bruce Springsteen: “Born To Run (Isolated Vocals)” Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee Students : “Berklee Frank Zappa Tribute – Waka/Jawaka, Inca Roads, Peaches en Regalia, Zomby Woof” Edgar Winter’s White Trash: “Let’s Get It On” The Black Crowes: “ Thick N’ Thin” Jerry Lee Lewis & Friends: “Rock And Roll (Feat. Jimmy Page)’” Bruce Hornsby: “The Way It Is (Live on The Howard Stern Show in 2006)” Fearless Flyers: “Simon F15” Rolling Stones: “Factory Girl (Outtake)” Little Richard: “In The Middle Of The Night” Van Morrison: “Wonderful Remark” Joe Jackson / Cream / Jeff Beck Group / The Animals / Mountain / Jimi Hendrix Experience / Jethro Tull / Edgar Winter: “Five Guys Named Moe / I Feel Free / Rice Pudding / Hey Gyp / Mississippi Queen / Purple Haze / Aqualung / Entrance MASH-UP” Bob Dylan: “Cold Irons Bound (New Version)” Duke Ellington: “Caravan” The Clash: “Rudie Can’t Fail” Nick Lowe: “14 Days (Live)” Paul McCartney: “Singalong Junk” Paul McCartney: “Junk” Christian Sands: “If You’re Happy and You Know it” Let us know by LEAVING A COMMENT!    Fleetwood Mac: “Teen Beat (Outtake) [2016 Remaster] ” Play this track This is an outtake from Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage album from 1982. Featuring a somewhat unhinged Lindsey Buckingham coaxing Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to follow and enhance his fun romp, this is a simply infectious jam (?) well worth enjoying. So, enjoy. -Rock Stamberg Sometimes music’s sole purpose is just the fun of playing it. To paraphrase The Beach Boys, “Catch a wave groove and you’re sitting on top of the world.” -John Stix The Who: “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” Play this track I heard this tune in the chord changes of “Teen Beat” and said of course this comes next. Same chords different song. -JS Richard Thompson: “A Legal Matter” Play this track Just phenomenal. This is the one. -RS I agree with Rock – this version, not The Who’s original, is the one. -JS Bruce Springsteen: ” Born To Run (Isolated Vocals)” Play this track Rock and I often say a great song can be stripped down to just one instrument and a voice. In this case it can be reduced to just a voice. Can you say commitment? -JS Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee Students: “Berklee Frank Zappa Tribute – Waka/Jawaka, Inca Roads, Peaches en Regalia, Zomby Woof” Play this track What a final exam performance. Bravo. I give them an A+ -JS Damn good. Zappa would’ve been proud, I think. -RS Edgar Winter’s White Trash: “Let’s Get It On” Play this track Ferocious playing, featuring distorted harmonica, distorted voice, thundering drums, and a message not to be denied. -JS Edgar Winter is a force to be reckoned with and always has been. -RS The Black Crowes: “Thick N’ Thin” Play this track This is rock & roll. Telecaster heaven, courtesy of Rich Robinson. Glorious. -RS Jerry Lee Lewis & Friends: “Rock And Roll (Feat. Jimmy Page)” Play this track THIS is rock & roll! Jerry Lee is in fine fettle and Jimmy Page is also in top form. Yes! -RS Great remake that takes a 70s radio classic and turns it into a 50s style hit .This is what a cover song can be and what a guest shot should be. -JS Bruce Hornsby: “The Way It Is (Live on The Howard Stern Show in 2006)” Play this track A great lyric matched with a great composition, matched with great playing. This music was almost too good to be a hit, and yet we made it one. Good for us. -JS “The Way It Is” is a great song. It always has been and will be. It is not lightweight by any means and this solo take proves its lasting power. Gorgeous. -RS Fearless Flyers: “Simon F15” Play this track What a groove, what a move. Guitar, bass, and a drum kit consisting of high hat, bass drum and snare. Everybody is playing lead; everybody is playing rhythm and there is no clutter. Wow! R&B soul jazz for the next generation. -JS Rolling Stones: “Factory Girl (Outtake)” Play this track A stripped-down Rolling Stones reminding us just how good they really were.-JS This is a great outtake from Beggars Banquet. By the way, they’re still a pretty good band, John. -RS Little Richard: “In The Middle Of The Night” Play this track This is a perfect song, performance, and recording. It truly gets to me every time I hear it. Manna from heaven. -RS Van Morrison: “Wonderful Remark” Play this track Well, this is something special, isn’t it? Written and produced by Robbie Robertson for Martin Scorcese’s audacious King of Comedy from 1983 (a great movie, btw), this is one of Van’s greatest. Really, it is. -RS My all-time favorite “song from a movie not on another disc.” It marries a Robbie Robertson tune with a Van Morrison vocal showcasing the best of what both had to offer. I got this one the first time I heard it and I still love it. -JS Joe Jackson / Cream / Jeff Beck Group / The Animals / Mountain / Jimi Hendrix Experience / Jethro Tull / Edgar Winter: “Five Guys Named Moe / I Feel Free / Rice Pudding / Hey Gyp / Mississippi Queen / Purple Haze / Aqualung / Entrance MASH-UP” Play this track Joe Jackson’s homage to the 1940’s jump blues swing era. It’s just fun. At the end I pulled out my Nakamichi cassette deck and added a bunch of classic rock riffs, finishing with the last section of “Fire and Ice” from Edgar Winter’s Entrance album. This was likely done in 1981. I mean what else are you going to do on a rainy day? -JS Bob Dylan: “Cold Irons Bound (New Version)” Play this track From Dylan’s soundtrack to his Masked & Anonymous film circa 2003, this hard-rocking update on an already special song is soulful and intense. I(t’s also just as forceful as the original but in a completely different way. -RS Never heard this one before Rock pulled it out, but it’s a keeper and truly an NHT song. -JS Duke Ellington: “Caravan” Play this track Who knew that Dylan would call out to Ellington (along with Max Roach on the drums and Charles Mingus on the bass) to follow him to the NHT stage? -JS The Clash: “Rudie Can’t Fail” Play this track From The Clash’s London Calling album, this funky number swings in a most unusual manner and I love it. -RS Nick Lowe: “14 Days (Live)” Play this track I’ve always loved the studio version, but this live take is absolutely killer. I can listen to it anytime and be amazed every time. Seriously great. -RS I heard this once and it slayed me. What a lyric. -JS Paul McCartney: “Singalong Junk” Play this track Paul McCartney: “Junk” Play this track I never followed the separate Beatles after they broke up. So, the first time I heard this instrumental was on the Almost Famous Soundtrack. I fell in love with the melody and the mood, think wow this is special. Rock educated me as to the song’s history and I feel in love with the vocal version as well. I think this is how the song should be listened to from now on. And it will be, at least on NHT. -JS We decided to join both takes and I think I did a pretty good job doing so! Oh yeah, great song, too. -RS Christian Sands: “If You’re Happy and You Know it” Play this track As I wrote for the opening song, sometimes music can just be fun. A children’s song can be both simplistic and sophisticated in the hands of the right player. Meet Christian Sands, the right player. -JS

Ooh! My Soul Tracklist: Little Richard: “Ooh! My Soul” Blues Saraceno: “Cat’s Squirrel” Andrew Gold: “Lonely Boy” Orleans: “Half Moon” James Hetfield & The News: “Hip To Be The Sandman” George Harrison: “Any Road” The Black Crowes: “Hard To Handle” Glenn Tilbrook: “Voodoo Child’” Little Feat: “High Roller (Outtake)” B.B. King: “B. B. King Talks Vibrato and Phrasing” B.B. King: “Whole Lotta Love (Live)” Johnny Gale: “I’m Tore Down” Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Factory of Faith” Dave Edmunds: “Sweet Little Lisa” The Rolling Stones: “Slipping Away” Steve Morse: “Picture This” Mark Knopfler: “Why Worry” Let us know by LEAVING A COMMENT!    Little Richard: “Ooh! My Soul” Play this track This Little Richard screamer is a killer and always will be. Can you imagine what teenagers’ parents must’ve thought if they heard their little ones grooving to this monstrous recording in the ‘50s? I’m so glad this record exists. —Rock Stamberg Blues Saraceno: “Cat’s Squirrel” Play this track When I was looking to sign my first artist at Guitar Recordings there was no check list at hand. But I knew when I heard the demo tape of 16-year-old Blues Saraceno, that he was the one. What he brought with him as a musician checked all the boxes. He is a master of phrasing, tone, dynamics, and melody. This song, recorded on Fresh Cream would be a harbinger of things to come, as the first “band” he ever played with included Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. Side note, at 1:37 I overdub four notes to climax the solo. These are the only four notes I have on a professional recording. I had asked Blues to play a Jeff Beck technique of slide guitar past the neck and over the pickups. He rolled tape and asked me to show him what I had in mind. A moment later he said, “You’re on the record.” —John Stix Andrew Gold: “Lonely Boy” Play this track Remember this? I didn’t, either, until I heard it again recently via a CD compilation celebrating the hit records Peter Asher has produced through the years. A notable hit in the spring of 1976, it remains a damn catchy tune that isn’t hampered by the record production techniques of its day. A pleasant surprise. —RS Orleans: “Half Moon” Play this track I would have bet the house that Orleans would become a major band. Masterful songwriting, wonderful singing, and tight funky rockin’ live performances should have done the trick. They had hits instead. They were big but I thought they would get bigger. John and Johanna Hall wrote this song for Janis Joplin. It’s on her Pearl album. It’s also one of my favorite rhythm guitar parts. I was lucky enough to have John Hall show me how to play it correctly. —JS James Hetfield & The News: “Hip To Be The Sandman” Play this track Who knew that James Hetfield and Huey Lewis would be such compatible songwriting partners? —JS This is insane. —RS George Harrison: “Any Road” Play this track What a fabulous song. And George’s guitar leads throughout are marvelous and crisp. —RS I never heard this tune before Rock suggested it for NHT. Now it’s one of my go-to songs for any mixed tape. —JS The Black Crowes: “Hard To Handle” Play this track Like The Stones, Faces, and Delaney & Bonnie before them, The Black Crowes channel that funky dirty rock ‘n roll / blues swagger to a tee. And their records hold up nicely. Like this one. —RS They nailed it. This is rock and soul at its best. —JS Glenn Tilbrook: “Voodoo Child’” Play this track First, I love Squeeze and most of Difford & Tilbrook’s respective solo records. But this isn’t on any of those rather, it’s from a live video from YouTube. There are several performances of this amazing musical feat available there, but this is the one, we believe. Jimi Hendrix done acoustically. Hardcore. And it works. —RS Little Feat: “High Roller (Outtake)” Play this track As much as I love Little Feat’s proper albums, I also love their outtakes and alternate recordings. Like this one. —RS So different and so right. I would have been happy if they released this on Time Loves a Hero, and I love the original. —JS B.B. King: “B. B. King Talks Vibrato and Phrasing” Play this track Yes, I’m a lucky sonofabitch because I got to talk shop with B. B. King. —JS B.B. King: “Whole Lotta Love (Live)” Play this track He was the master of blues vocals and guitar. But have you ever noticed he doesn’t play chords or rhythm parts? Everything that defines B. B. King is here, the conviction of the vocal and the simple clarity and dynamics of the guitar. Check out that solo cadenza. —JS Johnny Gale: “I’m Tore Down” Play this track Here’s another one from my Guitar Recordings label. Tore Down is a blues classic and Clapton got an A for his version on From the Cradle. Johnny Gale gets an A+ for this swinging take on the Gale Force album. JG’s playing reminds me of EC’s energy from the Beano era. No gadgets, just a pair of hands, a guitar (in this case a Stratocaster) and an amp. No question about it, this guy deserves wider recognition. —JS Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Factory Of Faith” Play this track What funk? I find this RHCP track to be irresistible. From 2010’s underrated I’m With You album.—RS Dave Edmunds: “Sweet Little Lisa” Play this track Rockpile? Why, yes. -RS Nobody rolls rock like Dave Edmunds. And nobody plays chicken pickin’ guitar like Albert Lee. This is among my top favorite guitar bits and solos. —JS The Rolling Stones: “Slipping Away” Play this track This is the kind of song Mick and Keith used to write. It’s a real tune with real sections, not a riff with words. What’s more, it’s Keith’s song … although the other Stones – especially Charlie Watts – supply the heart. And there’s a lot of heart here. From 1989’s Steel Wheels album. A real treat. -RS Steve Morse: “Picture This” Play this track Steve agreed to play classical guitar for a party I threw for Guitar for the Practicing Musician Magazine. This song floored me. When it became obvious he was not going to record it for one of his records, I asked him if I could include it on Guitar’s Practicing Musicians Vol 2. He graciously recorded it for me. It is one of my proudest moments running the label that I was at least partially responsible for you hearing this song. Look up the word “beautiful’ in Websters and this is what you see (hear). —JS Mark Knopfler: “Why Worry” Play this track How is it Mark Knopfler can take one of his most beautiful Dire Straits songs and make it even more alluring by stripping it down instrumentally? I dunno but he’s done it right here. Dreamlike. -RS In the land of focused calm and beauty following Picture This, I can think of no other song that should follow it and continue with this mood. —JS

Getting Better Tracklist: Beatles: “Getting Better – Vocals Only” Vulfpeck: “Lonely Town (Feat. Theo Katzman)” Vulfpeck: “Fugue State” The Doors & The Temptations: “Break on Through To The Funky Side” Mark Knopfler: “Romeo & Juliet” Raspberries: “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” Robben Ford: “Talk to Your Daughter” Traffic: “Gimme Some Lovin’” Phish: “Glide” Charles Bradley: “Changes (Black Sabbath cover)” Pete Townshend/ The Who: “Who Are You (Guitar Only)” Jeff Beck: “People Get Ready (Live)” Chuck Leavell: “Jessica (Solo Piano)” Dickey Betts & Great Southern: “Rave On” Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi: “Midnight in Harlem (Live)” Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood: “Glad” Grateful Dead: “Terrapin Part One” Let us know by LEAVING A COMMENT!    Beatles: “Getting Better – Vocals Only” Play this track No matter how you slice ‘em up and whittle ‘em down, every aspect of The Beatles’ strengths always shone through. Such a great lyric, by the way. —Rock Stamberg This track sounds so good, so full, so complete and so acapella. Some songs on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band get a lot of attention and others don’t. When this one comes up it’s always a treat and this version is a surprise treat. I’ve never heard the whistle (at 00:47) before. Mostly I’m reminded The Beatles were an extraordinary vocal pop group. Oh, those harmonies. Are you smiling yet? —John Stix Vulfpeck: “Lonely Town (Feat. Theo Katzman)” Play this track This song is oh so Nilsson. And it contains one of my favorite opening lyrics: “I’m the Mayor of Lonely Town, population one.” -JS Vulfpeck: “Fugue State” Play this track I can’t explain why I find this instrumental so evocative and alluring, I just do. Maybe it’s the descending keyboard riff. —RS A modern version of Stuff meets Bach. In other words, a melodic groove that’s easy to follow. —JS The Doors & The Temptations: “Break on Through To The Funky Side” Play this track A surprise mashup that makes absolute sense. Yes, that’s Angus Young doing the guitar solo. Don’t think about it, just enjoy. —JS Mark Knopfler: “Romeo & Juliet” Play this track One of Dire Straits’ finest stripped down to bare bones and still saying it all. -JS First, what a great song. Mark Knopfler’s bare-bones approach confirms it. A beauty. —RS Raspberries: “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” Play this track I bought the 45 upon hearing it on WNEW-FM back in 1974. Just a great record, from performance to production and on down. —RS Heretofore I successfully ignored The Raspberries. My bad. This is a pop confection to be savored. Like say, any good 10CC tune. Say thank you to Rock. “Thank you, Rock.” Oh, and dig the Brian Wilson-like fake fade out. -JS Robben Ford: “Talk to Your Daughter” Play this track This is the title track from Robben’s debut album on a major label. I love a swinging shuffle with impeccable blues guitar. It’s shirt tails in playing a la any Steely Dan guitar solo. Robben’s tone is round and smooth, like Miles Davis’ trumpet. The vocabulary is familiar, but the phrasing is filled with surprises. I’ve put this tune on tons of mixed tapes, discs and now NHT. It’s part of my go-to for grooving in the car. -JS Traffic: “Gimme Some Lovin’” Play this track I know it’s only Winwood and Capaldi, but this percussion-heavy live version is hot. An obvious closing song. But I keep asking myself when is Carlos stepping in? -JS Phish: “Glide” Play this track From their major record company debut, A PICTURE OF NECTAR, this catchy ditty caught my ear on first listen. I find Trey Anastasio’s acoustic guitar parts on this to be irresistible ear candy. —RS Charles Bradley: “Changes (Black Sabbath cover)” Play this track This Black Sabbath ballad, originally found on their Vol. 4 album, is imbued with all heart and all soul by late singer Charles Bradley. While the gospel roots were written into the original, Bradley brings it to another level. But let’s give Black Sabbath credit; the sentiment and soul of the song came from these masters of metal. -JS Pete Townshend/ The Who: “Who Are You (Guitar Only)” Play this track This settles it once and for all: Pete Townshend is as masterful a guitarist as he is a composer. His playing is literally kaleidoscopic in nature. Slashing, raw and rhythmic, this is guitar as a weapon, a melodic device and a composer’s tool. In the end it’s just breathtaking. -JS Wow. Isolating Pete Townshend’s guitar is kinda illuminating. The power here is palpable. —RS Jeff Beck: “People Get Ready (Live)” Play this track There are so many wonderful versions of Jeff playing this tune. I selected this one from a 2004 concert he performed in Italy. Jeff’s relaxed approach and the extra piano time – not often afforded – are notable. -JS Jeff Beck playing “People Get Ready” is always a beautiful experience. —RS Chuck Leavell: “Jessica (Solo Piano)” Play this track Chuck Leavell’s piano solo in Dickey Bett’s Allman Brothers Band composition “Jessica” is as indelible and as permanent as Chuck Berry’s opening to “Johnny B. Goode’ or say, the guitar solo in “Hotel California.” If you are going to play “Jessica” you must play that piano solo as it was recorded, as in note-for-note. Chuck went on to be indispensable to the Allmans and later the Rolling Stones. -JS Chuck Leavell has contributed to so many great songs. This was the first one most of us ever heard. —RS Dickey Betts & Great Southern: “Rave On” Play this track If you wondered what a Dickey Betts instrumental would sound like as a solo artist, wonder no more. -JS Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi: “Midnight in Harlem (Live)” Play this track Channeling the spirit of Delaney and Bonnie and Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the Tedeschi/Trucks Band presents soulful vocals, ragged harmonies, and the jamming spirit of the Allman Brothers Band. This ballad, cinematic in its tone, turns a stadium into a small club. Derek Trucks whips out one of his patented whispers to a scream slide solo that will leave you breathless. It is for good reason that this tune rarely leaves their set list. -JS Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood: “Glad” Play this track I bet you thought “Glad” didn’t need a guitar solo. It didn’t, until now. I heard this tune as a natural segue from “Midnight in Harlem.” The Clapton/Winwood concert album recorded at Madison Square Garden is one of the finest collaborative recordings we have. It’s the sound of Blind Faith that never materialized with the original band. There’s a respect for each other and a willingness to go to the edge to find out what’s there. -JS The entire Clapton/Winwood LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN album is excellent and worth seeking out. Just do it! —RS Grateful Dead: “Terrapin Part One” Play this track Now hear this. —RS I’m not an organic fan of the GD, but this epic is worth your 17 minutes, or we wouldn’t have put it on. Be like me, be surprised and enjoy. -JS

Naked in The Jungle Tracklist: Van Morrison: “Naked in the Jungle” Sting & Wynton Marsalis: “Roxanne” Leon & Mary Russell: “Say You Will” John Fogerty: “Bad Bad Boy” Chris Difford: “Battersea Boys” Little Feat: “Dixie Chicken” Nick Lowe: “Cruel to Be Kind (Acoustic)” Blood, Sweat & Tears: “Just One Smile” Wings: “Spin It On (2022 Remaster)” Johnny Winter: “I Hate Everybody” Steely Dan: “My Old School (Isolated Lead Vocal & Lead Guitar)” Edward Van Halen & Sammy Hagar: “Love Walks In” John Lennon: “Help! (Piano / Vocal) [Home Recording]” Paul McCartney: “Hey Hey We’re the Monkees” The Beatles / Shaggy: “Let It Be / It Wasn’t Me (Mashup)” Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir & Vince Welnick (of The Grateful Dead): “The Star-Spangled Banner” Elton John & Jack White: “Two Fingers of Whiskey” Alice Cooper: “Billion Dollar Babies” Genesis: “Behind the Lines” Let us know by LEAVING A COMMENT!      Van Morrison: “Naked in the Jungle” Play this track I like Van Morrison’s rarely heard raucous side as evidenced on this beauty. He left it in the can for twenty-something years until he released his The Philosopher’s Stone collection of outtakes in 1998. If you like this track, check out Van’s “John Henry” from the same collection. You can listen to that one on NHT’s A Little is Enough podcast from 2018. Just head over to nhtmusic.com and stream or download it gratis. If you like Wild Man Van’s wild side, do yourself a favor. —Rock Stamberg Van has soul. Van has swing. Van has uncovered the mystery of love and longing. But Van does not rock and roll. Oh yes, he does. Right here. As is often the case, it’s the acoustic piano that sets the tone of rock that swings. But it’s Van’s bark that bites on this tune that make it a great undiscovered gem that Rock unearthed. — John Stix Sting & Wynton Marsalis: “Roxanne” Play this track A sturdy standard but the twist is the soprano sax that answers, echoes and adds its own lead voice. A true duet. And one of the best. Short and oh so sweet. —JS Leon & Mary Russell: “Say You Will” Play this track I’m a longtime Leon Russell fan and the two records he recorded with his former wife in 1976-77 are real favorites of mine. This song is a great example of what grabbed me about both records. Nothing sounds like this ridiculously catchy song. —RS It’s got that island vibe with a huge smile attached. Once discovered this has got to be a first call vacation love song. Gentle waves and piña coladas for everybody. —JS John Fogerty: “Bad Bad Boy” Play this track This song grabbed my ear the first time I heard it. A perfect vehicle for John Fogerty to stretch out on guitar and boy, does he play beautifully. He’s an unsung guitarist and a devoted musician. —RS Swampy and slashing guitar parts highlight this heartbeat tempo tune. It’s Fogerty writing a Dire Straits tune and playing like Mark Knopfler. The song is slinky and the guitar playing inspired and immaculate. A gem of a find. —JS Chris Difford: “Battersea Boys” Play this track Chris Difford (lyrics) and Glenn Tilbrook (music) are, of course, the brilliant songwriting team who have fronted Squeeze for 40-something years. While Tilbrook handles most lead vocals there, Difford has sung a few in his distinctively low vocal register. Anyway, when he put out his first solo album I Didn’t Get Where I Am in 2002, I was pleasantly surprised at how his voice easily carried the entire record and what a good frontman he was. What’s more, he employed co-writers whose last name wasn’t Tilbrook, and the songs were stellar. This beauty is from his 2008 sophomore effort The Last Temptation of Chris. An amazing song with amazing lyrics amazingly sung. The album was dedicated to his brother Les, who I presume the song is about and who died shortly before the album was released. -RS Sounds like an autobiographical song about his own days growing up. Enchanting melody and lyrics in ¾ time. I was thinking of doing a segment on story songs. I’m still inclined to suggest it, but I’ll have to find another winner to play. —JS Little Feat: “Dixie Chicken” Play this track This alternate take shows just how strong Little Feat was in the studio sans overdubs. —RS Insiders will spot the differences, and newbies will be introduced to a minor classic that really should be considered a bedrock song. —JS Nick Lowe: “Cruel to Be Kind (Acoustic)” Play this track Mr. Melody sings it alone with an acoustic guitar. Again, we have a happy melody with dark lyrics. It’s one of my favorite musical ironies: smiling on a sinking ship. —JS Blood, Sweat & Tears: “Just One Smile” Play this track They weren’t on the Woodstock records. They weren’t in the movie. Who knew they were there? I did because I was there. David Clayton Thomas kills it on this Al Kooper tune from Child is Father to the Man. Another NHT gem. —JS Wings: “Spin It On (2022 Remaster)” Play this track Taken from Wings’ 1979 swan song Back to the Egg, “Spin it On” rocks as hard as McCartney ever has. Evidence the album didn’t deserve the dismissive reviews it received at the time. Hot stuff. —RS I’ve heard him do “Lucille” and other rockers and I enjoyed them. I love this barnburner. This original tune goes in my “Use This” folder. You want to rock, you got it. —JS Johnny Winter: “I Hate Everybody” Play this track You know I love a swinging shuffle. So, the first chance I got to include this one, I did. Dig those lyrics. And that’s brother Edgar on organ and sax. The best of the Winter Brothers. —JS Steely Dan: “My Old School (Isolated Lead Vocal & Lead Guitar)” Play this track Oh, how I love this one. It’s a totally fresh take on a classic you know all too well. These two elements stand alone and tell the story completely. In case you didn’t know it already, you are listening to the best Jeff Baxter’s guitar playing on record. His playing is just fabulous. —JS Edward Van Halen & Sammy Hagar: “Love Walks In” Play this track Okay, I like Van Halen but have never really thought about Sammy Hagar’s talents one way or another … until I heard this. A rare duo performance with Edward Van Halen on piano and backing vocal and Hagar singing lead is simply stunning. Amazing. John found this and now it’s one of my favorite recordings by anybody. A+. —RS Here are EVH and Sammy Hagar naked in the jungle. It’s a story well worth listening to. —JS John Lennon: “Help! (Piano / Vocal) [Home Recording]” Play this track It was after the Beatles had broken up and Lennon was revisiting “Help.” It’s just his voice and piano as he plays this classic from memory. We hear him struggle to remember how it went, but the sentiment and the tempo still clearly represent his original vision for the song. —JS Paul McCartney: “Hey Hey We’re the Monkees” Play this track A bit of fun warming up for an all-acoustic show at the Colosseum in Rome. —JS The Beatles / Shaggy: “Let It Be / It Wasn’t Me (Mashup)” Play this track Fun in the sun combining two massive hits that work together beautifully. —JS Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir & Vince Welnick (of The Grateful Dead): “The Star-Spangled Banner” Play this track I call this three-song segment “What are they doing here?” Yes, the Grateful Dead did this, and it worked. —JS Elton John & Jack White: “Two Fingers of Whiskey” Play this track The duo collaborates on an Elton John & Bernie Taupin-penned blues song for 2017’s The American Epic Sessions. A stripped-down piano/guitar/vocal performance that sounds like it was recorded in an empty room with one microphone (that’s a compliment). Elton John would do well to keep moving in this direction because he shines here, as does the always inimitable Jack White. —RS Alice Cooper: “Billion Dollar Babies” Play this track The original Alice Cooper Band rocked hard and wrote great, great songs. Like this one. —RS Genesis: “Behind the Lines” Play this track My first and still favorite Genesis album was Duke. “Behind the Lines” opens the record and is the most majestic, intricate, and tuneful prog rock songs I’ve ever heard. Of course, Duke signaled the start of the band’s transformation into a more commercially oriented affair, but still. The entirety of Duke is just as stellar. —RS I love the majesty and fanfare of the opening. There’s not been much prog on NHT, but it was a big part of my early music listening. I was a big Nice fan, then I got into ELP, Jethro Tull, Yes and King Crimson and they all got a lot of turntable time. Not so much early Genesis. But this tune belongs on anyone’s Best of Prog list. I’m also a big fan of Phil Collins’ solo version, which is more like a Motown take on this same song. —JS