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.

Go on, take a teenage trip. Listen to this song like a 17-year old burger-flipping cretin out on a Saturday night, overdosing on hormones, bopping down the boulevard, bouncing in the driver’s seat, pounding the steering wheel in time, shouting out “Take a goo-ood look at my face!” Nobody will know, and you’ll feel better than you have in a long time.

When young Billy Strayhorn played for him backstage, the legendary Duke Ellington was very impressed: “I’d love to have you in my organization. I’ll call you.” But no call came, so Billy, literally hungry, took the chance of showing up at the Duke’s door. Not wanting to go empty-handed, he took the note the Duke had written: “Take the ‘A’ train…”

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

In which we explore the Linda Ronstadt/J.D. Souther collaborations, and try to justify our unbridled jealousy of the latter.

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.

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

I will steal away out through your blinds, for soon you will be waking…
The only thing I’m taking is the scarf off of your clothesline…
As I say goodbye to Ruby’s arms.

What is the Beautiful?
(Hint: The best things in life are acquired tastes.)