WKMahler
The Fly
15 songs everyone should know.
Does this mean by popularity of airplay or personal favs?
I'll go with personal favs...
"Freedom" W. K. Mahler & Audrey Kelly. September 19, 2001. from "W. K. Mahler" Why "Freedom"? It was a rather somber night where smiles were put on faces by the people and it took a mighty effort. You know the week, the news. Despite any and all personal odds pro and or con between myself and the co-author then and or now, it was that week where personal differences didn't matter whatsoever. It was from the heart and soul, a place not often reached into enough. The song itself took origin stemming from 9/11/01 with just some lyrics and a guitar riff known only to Mrs. Kelly that day. Within 30 seconds of performance time, I finally read the lyrics and there was word of a "jam" that oughta be added in. New lyrics and instrumentation were added along the way. By the time the song was almost over, the 1-2-3-4 was yelled out and someone from the audience yelled "jam it!" so we did. You can still hear the people talking and the spirits of the small (now defunct) coffee house just lifted like a scream and shout that travelled up and down Cape Cod. Whether you are an artist or not, you can imagine those little acts of kindness that come back in the most unexpected ways. Smiles from firemen direct from New York in person on the streets of Hyannis I recall. The soldiers out at Otis Air Force base who came into Hyannis after hearing the one time performance of the song, recorded that night and still around. Bruce Springsteens "Devils & Dust" is fairly familar in some parts.
"It's Only Me" by Melissa Etheridge from "Skin". A co-worker didn't show up one day at work and the word got around she lost her boyfriend in a auto accident. The last time she was with him was at her home shortly before he left for his home. The phone call at work from her was nothing short of a scream of pain and wonder from her in my own ears. "It's Only Me" has this part where it sounds like a human scream cut short and Melissa sings "wherever you are tonight". It just grabbed me as a very intense song and I'll not forget getting word to Ms. Etheridge about that accident. I asked for closure for my co-worker. When Ms. Etheridge showed up at the Melody Tent in August 2003 she closed her set and as I stood out by the rope to the band area, she came out, looked me in the eye and pointed skywards. Her last song of the night, albiet a different song was indeed closure. "All The Way To Heaven".
Just writing about it brings a heaviness and somberness with a wetness of the eye, a tear subdued yet with a smile.
"You're Missing" by Bruce Springsteen from "The Rising". A not so simple ballad that just effects me to the core of it all in hindsight of 9/11. "Gods drifting ahead, devils in the mailbox, got dust on my shoes, nothing but tear drops."
"Leonda, I'm Coming Home" by W. K. Mahler, August 29, 2001 also known as "13 Days, the Prelude to 9/11". From "W. K. Mahler" It was just a adlib performance of songs that really didn't exist - yet. To this day, when people hear this otherwise unprepared performance, they agree it's as if as in the most cases with artists, there was something stirring of badness within the world. Who knew? All I can say for all I know to print is that I know I gave this performance along with the b-side "Got Me Worldwide" to a next door neighbor of Senator Edward Kennedy, (Senate Arms Committee member) as well as Mr. Christopher Morris & Mrs. Janet Morris both of whom then and now have close ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (proteges of former Deputy Director Ray S. Cline under the Kennedy Administration. He gave the president the very Cuban-Russian Missile silo aerial photos you'd find in school books.) The Morrises, relatives of myself, my wifes aunt and uncle via Leonda's mom. They have a home here on Cape Cod. Both Senator Kennedy & The Morrises were aware of the song(s) within 24 hours of the performance.
"A Sort Of Homecoming" by U2. from "The Unforgettable Fire" I first heard this when "Wide Awake In America" was released and could feel the energy of a song about coming home. It is highly spirited and is a romp in beat and tempo. "Tonight, we'll build a bridge across the sea and land."
"Black Diamond" by KISS from "Kiss" & "Alive!" I'm referring to the "Alive!" 1975 release. It spoke of everything that was hard rock at the time, complete with distorted guitars, near screaming vocals and the bombast explosives on stage. Always a favorite of a closer in the KISS sets back ten. I've tried combining the song into the mid section of "Heaven & Hell" by Black Sabbath and it works.
"Fight The Good Fight" by Triumph from "Stages" A classic romp of a three man band with a singer who could reach the higher octaves almost all the time. The song spoke of just trying to survive with the rights and wrongs of choice.
"People And Places" by Journey from "Departure". Before "Don't Stop Believin'", "Who's Crying Now", "When You Love A Woman" there was the songs that solidified this band other than their radio single selections. In other words, the songs that the LP was worth listening to over and over again. This was a three part vocals song that spoke volumes about what the mind can do when one really tries. It is the embodiement Journey of a time when the internet was known to a scarce few hundred people or more.
"Eagles Fly" by Sammy Hagar from "Sammy Hagar" & with Van Halen. I refer to the live version copied widely from anyone that has the VHS or better of Van Halen up north in Canada during the "Balance" tour. Hagar's vocals aren't exactly the highest or lowest in the register of vocals yet his combination of guitar work and ability for storytelling makes the song worthy of keeping around for it's vividry of imagination if you let it.
"Fires At Midnight" by Blackmores Night from "Past Times With Good Company". If you remember Ritchie Blackmore, great. You are probably familar with Deep Purple and Blackmores Night is Ritchies venture along with his vocalist and lyricist wife Candace Night. A song that moves a person is great, a song that effects a person dramatically live in concert is an entirely different experience for the person, the crowd and the persons in the band. This is one of those songs and in particularly the performance. The band never strays from the blues rock and roll roots yet forays deep into the Reniassance era.
"Heaven And Hell" by Black Sabbath from "Heaven And Hell". The first full release with new singer Ronnie James Dio. How many times my teenage buddy and a few musicians ran through this song is untold. "Sing me a song, you're a singer, do me no wrong, you're a bringer of evil. The devil is never the maker and the less that you give you're a taker."
"Father To Son" by Queen from "II" This is a song that speaks volumes about so called glam-rock. Despite the grandoise costumes of Queen back then, the entire "II" LP in my humble opinion was the reason for such success the band had later on worldwide. Complete with no synths, layered guitars, multi-part harmonies and a gift of melody, the "II" release is a keeper yet in particularly the song "Father To Son" is a dramatic entrance into the world of heavy rock back then. "Take this letter that I give you, take it Sonny and hold it high. You won't understand a word that's in it, but you'll write it all again before you die." When a house is built, most of the time, you only see the house above ground, the support, the cellar, the foundation is entirely why I choose "II" as the precursor to "A Night At The Opera" with "Bohemian Rhapsody".
"Best Of Both Worlds" by Van Halen from "5150" The revamped Van Halen with new singer Sammy Hagar. "You don't have to die and go to heaven, to come around and be born again. Just tune in to what this world has got to offer, we may never be here again".
"Take Me Home Country Roads" by John Denver from many a compilation releases. "Take me home, country roads, to a place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain Momma, take me home, country roads". I remember Mr. Denver at the Cape Cod Coliseum (now a warehouse) in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts as a kid under 10 years old at the time. The man stayed on stage for nearly three hours while his band took a 15 minute break. A full house that night and many a sing-a-long with my mom back when this song was first released. There was innocence to his songs, all of them, even when not everyone knew the story behind them.
"Mandy" by Barry Manilow from "II". Along comes this big nosed man from somewhere in California who just knew how to write a simple verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse chorus and chorus structure with a tremendous amount of melody into the AM airwaves. A corny song to some and very few artists have done justice to any Manilow song. Hootie & The Blowfish covered "Even Now" in concert once and I witnessed that on t. v. Manilow knew then how to tug heartstrings and somehow has managed to keep himself quite popular nowadays.
'Tis all I can think of for now.
Does this mean by popularity of airplay or personal favs?
I'll go with personal favs...
"Freedom" W. K. Mahler & Audrey Kelly. September 19, 2001. from "W. K. Mahler" Why "Freedom"? It was a rather somber night where smiles were put on faces by the people and it took a mighty effort. You know the week, the news. Despite any and all personal odds pro and or con between myself and the co-author then and or now, it was that week where personal differences didn't matter whatsoever. It was from the heart and soul, a place not often reached into enough. The song itself took origin stemming from 9/11/01 with just some lyrics and a guitar riff known only to Mrs. Kelly that day. Within 30 seconds of performance time, I finally read the lyrics and there was word of a "jam" that oughta be added in. New lyrics and instrumentation were added along the way. By the time the song was almost over, the 1-2-3-4 was yelled out and someone from the audience yelled "jam it!" so we did. You can still hear the people talking and the spirits of the small (now defunct) coffee house just lifted like a scream and shout that travelled up and down Cape Cod. Whether you are an artist or not, you can imagine those little acts of kindness that come back in the most unexpected ways. Smiles from firemen direct from New York in person on the streets of Hyannis I recall. The soldiers out at Otis Air Force base who came into Hyannis after hearing the one time performance of the song, recorded that night and still around. Bruce Springsteens "Devils & Dust" is fairly familar in some parts.
"It's Only Me" by Melissa Etheridge from "Skin". A co-worker didn't show up one day at work and the word got around she lost her boyfriend in a auto accident. The last time she was with him was at her home shortly before he left for his home. The phone call at work from her was nothing short of a scream of pain and wonder from her in my own ears. "It's Only Me" has this part where it sounds like a human scream cut short and Melissa sings "wherever you are tonight". It just grabbed me as a very intense song and I'll not forget getting word to Ms. Etheridge about that accident. I asked for closure for my co-worker. When Ms. Etheridge showed up at the Melody Tent in August 2003 she closed her set and as I stood out by the rope to the band area, she came out, looked me in the eye and pointed skywards. Her last song of the night, albiet a different song was indeed closure. "All The Way To Heaven".
Just writing about it brings a heaviness and somberness with a wetness of the eye, a tear subdued yet with a smile.
"You're Missing" by Bruce Springsteen from "The Rising". A not so simple ballad that just effects me to the core of it all in hindsight of 9/11. "Gods drifting ahead, devils in the mailbox, got dust on my shoes, nothing but tear drops."
"Leonda, I'm Coming Home" by W. K. Mahler, August 29, 2001 also known as "13 Days, the Prelude to 9/11". From "W. K. Mahler" It was just a adlib performance of songs that really didn't exist - yet. To this day, when people hear this otherwise unprepared performance, they agree it's as if as in the most cases with artists, there was something stirring of badness within the world. Who knew? All I can say for all I know to print is that I know I gave this performance along with the b-side "Got Me Worldwide" to a next door neighbor of Senator Edward Kennedy, (Senate Arms Committee member) as well as Mr. Christopher Morris & Mrs. Janet Morris both of whom then and now have close ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (proteges of former Deputy Director Ray S. Cline under the Kennedy Administration. He gave the president the very Cuban-Russian Missile silo aerial photos you'd find in school books.) The Morrises, relatives of myself, my wifes aunt and uncle via Leonda's mom. They have a home here on Cape Cod. Both Senator Kennedy & The Morrises were aware of the song(s) within 24 hours of the performance.
"A Sort Of Homecoming" by U2. from "The Unforgettable Fire" I first heard this when "Wide Awake In America" was released and could feel the energy of a song about coming home. It is highly spirited and is a romp in beat and tempo. "Tonight, we'll build a bridge across the sea and land."
"Black Diamond" by KISS from "Kiss" & "Alive!" I'm referring to the "Alive!" 1975 release. It spoke of everything that was hard rock at the time, complete with distorted guitars, near screaming vocals and the bombast explosives on stage. Always a favorite of a closer in the KISS sets back ten. I've tried combining the song into the mid section of "Heaven & Hell" by Black Sabbath and it works.
"Fight The Good Fight" by Triumph from "Stages" A classic romp of a three man band with a singer who could reach the higher octaves almost all the time. The song spoke of just trying to survive with the rights and wrongs of choice.
"People And Places" by Journey from "Departure". Before "Don't Stop Believin'", "Who's Crying Now", "When You Love A Woman" there was the songs that solidified this band other than their radio single selections. In other words, the songs that the LP was worth listening to over and over again. This was a three part vocals song that spoke volumes about what the mind can do when one really tries. It is the embodiement Journey of a time when the internet was known to a scarce few hundred people or more.
"Eagles Fly" by Sammy Hagar from "Sammy Hagar" & with Van Halen. I refer to the live version copied widely from anyone that has the VHS or better of Van Halen up north in Canada during the "Balance" tour. Hagar's vocals aren't exactly the highest or lowest in the register of vocals yet his combination of guitar work and ability for storytelling makes the song worthy of keeping around for it's vividry of imagination if you let it.
"Fires At Midnight" by Blackmores Night from "Past Times With Good Company". If you remember Ritchie Blackmore, great. You are probably familar with Deep Purple and Blackmores Night is Ritchies venture along with his vocalist and lyricist wife Candace Night. A song that moves a person is great, a song that effects a person dramatically live in concert is an entirely different experience for the person, the crowd and the persons in the band. This is one of those songs and in particularly the performance. The band never strays from the blues rock and roll roots yet forays deep into the Reniassance era.
"Heaven And Hell" by Black Sabbath from "Heaven And Hell". The first full release with new singer Ronnie James Dio. How many times my teenage buddy and a few musicians ran through this song is untold. "Sing me a song, you're a singer, do me no wrong, you're a bringer of evil. The devil is never the maker and the less that you give you're a taker."
"Father To Son" by Queen from "II" This is a song that speaks volumes about so called glam-rock. Despite the grandoise costumes of Queen back then, the entire "II" LP in my humble opinion was the reason for such success the band had later on worldwide. Complete with no synths, layered guitars, multi-part harmonies and a gift of melody, the "II" release is a keeper yet in particularly the song "Father To Son" is a dramatic entrance into the world of heavy rock back then. "Take this letter that I give you, take it Sonny and hold it high. You won't understand a word that's in it, but you'll write it all again before you die." When a house is built, most of the time, you only see the house above ground, the support, the cellar, the foundation is entirely why I choose "II" as the precursor to "A Night At The Opera" with "Bohemian Rhapsody".
"Best Of Both Worlds" by Van Halen from "5150" The revamped Van Halen with new singer Sammy Hagar. "You don't have to die and go to heaven, to come around and be born again. Just tune in to what this world has got to offer, we may never be here again".
"Take Me Home Country Roads" by John Denver from many a compilation releases. "Take me home, country roads, to a place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain Momma, take me home, country roads". I remember Mr. Denver at the Cape Cod Coliseum (now a warehouse) in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts as a kid under 10 years old at the time. The man stayed on stage for nearly three hours while his band took a 15 minute break. A full house that night and many a sing-a-long with my mom back when this song was first released. There was innocence to his songs, all of them, even when not everyone knew the story behind them.
"Mandy" by Barry Manilow from "II". Along comes this big nosed man from somewhere in California who just knew how to write a simple verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse chorus and chorus structure with a tremendous amount of melody into the AM airwaves. A corny song to some and very few artists have done justice to any Manilow song. Hootie & The Blowfish covered "Even Now" in concert once and I witnessed that on t. v. Manilow knew then how to tug heartstrings and somehow has managed to keep himself quite popular nowadays.
'Tis all I can think of for now.