John Lennon was murdered 39 years ago today. Paul Simon wrote a song around that event. Even today, my mind gets teary when it lights on John Lennon’s death. He appears in Paul Simon’s song only obliquely, because the song isn’t about John Lennon, and it’s not about Johnny Ace. It’s about Paul Simon, and about you, and about me.

An obscure legend: the beautiful Bryan MacLean demo, of the indelible opening cut of Love’s “Forever Changes”, a gift that justifies all the mothers of the world cleaning out their garages and discovering their little boys’ lost treasures.

Arik Einstein died six years ago this week. More than a singer, he was a national icon, a symbol of our brand-new little old-fashioned country with its oh-so-long history, its pain, its optimism and its cynicism, its utter belief in itself and its vehement denial of that belief.

When seventeen-year old Carole King found herself pregnant, she wrote ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ for The Shirelles. Girls (and now also guys) have been singing it ever since.

If you’re embarrassed to cry in public, be careful where you listen to this.

Why did J.D. get the eye-conic cover girl and not me? Why, oh why?

Fellas – if you’ve ever taken my advice about anything, watch this clip. If it doesn’t make your blood boil, you’re probably dead.

What’s the difference between a lovely little song and a precious gem?
David Crosby’s harmony on Jackson Browne’s ‘Something Fine’.