From Al Jolson to Jimmy Paige, the world is a treasure trove of powerful and transformative music. Peter and Harry explore some of the most influential and relevant musical tunes ever created.
TSP112 – Transcendent Tunes: Harry Chapin’s shot to the heart. November 25, 2019 – Harry Chapin left us too soon, but he left us with compelling stories reflecting the era he lived in. Although not one of his most well known hits, Sniper, is perhaps his most eloquent, timeless comment on humankind’s fragile psyche.
TSP109 – Transcendent Tunes: Non, Je Ne Regret Rien – The little sparrow’s anthem. October 14, 2019 – No other singer has as powerfully embodied their music as did Edith Piaf. Rising from her hard scrabbled life, spanning two world wars, she sang her way to international stardom, until her untimely death at 47.
TSP103 – Transcendent Tunes: Woody and Arlo on the ‘rails’. July 22, 2019 – Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land Is Your Land’ and his son, Arlo Guthrie’s ‘City Of New Orleans’ (written by the under appreciated Steve Goodman) can be considered anthems of a nation. The first being a response to the status quo – ‘God Bless America’ and the second an homage to life on the rails.
TSP099 – Transcendent Tunes: Yesterday, it was scrambled eggs. June 3, 2019 – A Lennon/McCartney classic covered by more artists than any other song in music history. A simple sentiment turned musical treasure, cherished by young and old.
TSP095 – Transcendent Tunes: Cole Porter’s Begin The Beguine. May 6, 2019 – A signature of the big band era, Begin the Beguine, exemplifies the versatility of Swing music. The lyrics embody the joy of a sudden but temporary love, the melody of which was made famous by one of the greatest big band leaders, Artie Shaw.
TSP089 – Transcendent Tunes: Hey kids, It’s twinkle time. March 25, 2019 – For millennia, Lullabies have lulled children into slumberland. From ancient Egypt to modern day, tunes like Twinkle,Twinkle, Little Star and their relative importance often goes unnoticed or unappreciated.
TSP084 – Transcendent Tunes: Jolson Rocks. February 18, 2019 – Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody’, a transcendent tune from a transcendent performer. Russian born singer Al Jolson rocked the world with his African-American inspired jazz singing style. Spanning five decades of musical and audio evolution, as the “greatest entertainer” of his day, he left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment.
TSP080 – Transcendent Tunes: Led Zeppelins’s celestial climb. January 21, 2019 – One of the greatest rock bands of all time creating one of the most, some would say, earth shattering and lasting songs in music history. A timeless and evocative tune, shared and enjoyed by generation after generation.
TSP074 – Transcendent Tunes: Dylan’s Revolutionary Epiphany. December 10, 2018 – Like A Rolling Stone, Dylan’s six plus minutes masterpiece defied the expectations of folk music enthusiasts and the music industry itself, inspiring a new generation of balladeers.
TSP071 – Transcendent Tunes: Searing and soulful ‘Strange Fruit’. November 19, 2018 – Billie Holiday’s most iconic and recognized song, has been acknowledged as the harbinger of the civil rights movement in America. The song’s origin may surprise and enlighten even those of us who are familiar with this transcendent tune.
TSP067 – Transcendent Tunes: Feeling those ‘Good Vibrations’. October 22, 2018 – In the midst of the turmoil in the mid 60’s, five young Californians surfed the rising musical waves to pop music’s iconic stardom. The pinnacle moment birthed the release of the much loved ‘pocket symphony’, Good Vibrations.