#976. Lineage of Song: “Wild Wild West”

 

Stevie Wonder, “I Wish”

Will Smith

When Will Smith’s movie career exploded, initially he kept his rap career going steady right beside it, this time as a solo artist (he was originally the Fresh Prince alongside Jazzy Jeff). The success of Men in Black in particular led to Wild Wild West, a movie that proved there were limits to his appeal. But the song was still good!

#975. Lineage of Song: “People Are Strange”

 

The Doors

The Dead South

This one’s here strictly to showcase how awesome the Dead South is. Obviously the Doors. Both. It’s a great one-two punch.

#974. Lineage of Song: “You Are My Sunshine”

 

Pine Ridge Boys

Gene Autry

Bing Crosby 

Doris Day

Ray Charles

Johnny Cash

The Dead South

Here’s a little old school. 

#973. Lineage of Song: “Thunderstruck”

 

AC/DC

2Cellos

This one’s just one of the fun ones. Instrumental covers, especially ones outside of the box, will always be worth it.

#972. Lineage of Song: “Raspberry Beret”

 

Prince

Warren Zevon

Here’s another I can’t believe I didn’t include earlier. I became a hopelessly devoted fan of Warren Zevon very, very late in his career, when David Letterman invited him on in his last days. But I guess in my family I was the only one to listen to “Werewolves of London” as a kid and remember it fondly. It was a classic for me, no idea when or how I originally heard it. Still can’t believe the rest of the world hasn’t caught up with his genius.

#971. Lineage of Song: “Piece of My Heart”

 

Janis Joplin

Melissa Etheridge

Here’s another I hesitated to share in the early period of this thing, even though I love it. Again, I have no particular interest in Joplin, and I was genuinely confused that Etheridge didn’t emerge from her version a bigger star. In fact the opposite seemed to happen. But by that point a lot of cultural observers seemed intent to downplay anything that could compete, at the very least, with earlier memories. Which I don’t get. In the longterm you hurt all of it. Later generations (now) are robbed of the lineage. It’s kind of why we currently have a much less rich and celebrated music scene now. You can’t stand out if your predecessors were downplayed. You can’t build on a foundation somebody removed. I get that some of this is jealousy, that so many of the icons of yesteryear died young, that they never had a chance to take victory laps. And maybe in a lot of minds that actually somehow became preferable, since we now have the tendency to punish longevity. Doesn’t make it any less screwed up.

#970. Lineage of Song: “Landslide”

 

Fleetwood Mac

Dixie Chicks

Here’s another song I lost resisted including, even though it was a personal favorite. I didn’t grow up with much awareness of Fleetwood Mac, so I had no particular reason to have affection for the original version of “Landslide.” When the Chicks came out with theirs, I just knew I loved it. Then they had to go and sacrifice their popular career on the altar of political approval. Well.