Category: My Sunday Song

My Sunday Song – “Hard to Laugh” by The Pursuit of Happiness

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For My Sunday Song #374, we are on to Deke’s fourth choice which is another Toronto band and this one is called The Pursuit of Happiness. The song is “Hard to Laugh” which is the opening track of their debut album from 1988 called ‘Love Junk’ and it was a single. The album was produced by none other than Todd Rundgren so you know there is some massive talent here as Todd doesn’t just produce anyone.

The song was written by Moe Berg who is the guitarist & vocalist in the band. We also have Kris Abbott who also does guitar and vocals along with Dave Gilby on drums, Johnny Sinclair on bass and Leslie Stanwyck on vocals. The song is about the girlfriend of the guy in this story and she is so gorgeous with a killer body and everyone is wondering why he isn’t smiling from ear to ear all the time. Well, that is easy because she has been cheating on him and he finds it hard to laugh but he is torn up and destroyed.

The song is a great upbeat, power pop song. The song seems almost happy while the subject matter is far from it. There is a lot of humor in the lyrics too and his phrasing is great. Musically, it is simple yet effective as there is a power to it, a great drum beat and rhythm section, I like the guitar tone and it is an all around great tune. Moe’s vocals have a punk feel to it as there is some angst to it which I think adds to the subject matter of the song. He feels it.

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My Sunday Song – “Winter Freeze” by Santers

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For My Sunday Song #373, we are on to the third pick from Deke over at The Distortion Den. This time he picked “Winter Freeze” by the band Santers. Now, Santers never broke here in the States, but in Canada they did well as well as the UK. The band hails from Toronto Canada, but I don’t think they sound Canadian, if that is a thing…we will get to that. The band is a trio with Santers brothers Rick(Guitar and Vocals) and Mark (Drums) as well as their trusty sidekick Rick Lazaroff (Bass).

The song “Winter Freeze” is off their 1982 sophomore release ‘Racing Time’. The song seems to be about a woman that Rick is wanting but she keeps freezing him out…thus “winter freeze”. She is giving him the cold shoulder, the freeze out and any other cold saying you want to throw in there. She is apparently American and she probably doesn’t want to date a Canadian because it is too cold in the Great White North.

The song is a great melodic rock song. The band was listed as metal, but they are far from it. This song and this album are firmly planted in the 80’s hard rock category. The song is actually killer with some great guitar work and a great rhythm section with some great drumming by Mark. The sound is a little raw in the production, but I like that feeling…it isn’t overproduced. Rick’s vocals are great as well and he does have an 80’s sound, but such a great tone and nice high register. Really a kick ass song and I hate that it never did anything down here. Maybe the whole country gave them the “Winter Freeze”.

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My Sunday Song – “Shag Shack” by Teenage Head

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For My Sunday Song #372, we are on to Deke’s 2nd choice and this time it is from the punk band Teenage Head and their song “Shag Shack”. This was never a single, but was off their third album ‘Some Kind of Fun’ which was released in 1982. This Ontario band scored a gold album reaching #18 on the Canadian charts and are considered by some to be Canada’s answer to the Ramones. The band consists of Gordon Lewis, Steve Mahon, Nick Stipanitz, Frankie “Venom” Kerr and they all had a hand in writing this song (or they agreed to split things four ways and they each got credit).

There is no great mystery to what the song is about. It is about a place around 200 miles up the tracks from where ever they are that is meant for all sorts of fun. Based on the title, I think you know what kind of fun that pertains. The person is completely wasted as he says in the song and he might be laying a “deuce” which is way too much information to share. Really, Not Necessary!! LOL!!

The music is pretty much party rock with a punk edge to it. A drum barrage of snare hits kicks things off with simple riffs and a groove. It isn’t as fast as I would’ve expected, but is upbeat enough to party to. If you are looking for some mindless fun, then this is right up your alley. Nothing thought provoking, just punk…plain and simple. This isn’t punk railing against the establishment, not at all. It is simply sex, drugs and rock & roll and maybe taking a deuce to top things off.

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My Sunday Song – “Shake” by Saints & Sinners

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For My Sunday Song #371, we are starting a new 10 song set and this time the songs were chosen by good pal Deke over at The Distortion Den and SuperDekes. You must check them both out as you’ll get great reviews and a great show he does called The Retro Showdown on Youtube. Deke wanted to challenge me on these songs as he picked All Songs by Canadian Artists (thus the artwork above). Most of these bands I hadn’t heard of so he definitely is making me work for it.

First up is “Shake” by Saints & Sinners. A band formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Sword lead singer Rick Hughes along with Stephane Dufur on guitar, Jesse Bradman on keyboards, Martin Buldoc on bass and Jeff Salem on drums. They only had one album, which was self-titled, and there biggest problem was that they had the 80’s Glam rock sound and this was 1992 which was the death rattle of that genre thanks to grunge.

The album was produced by one of my favorite singers, a Mr. Aldo Nova and Aldo captures the band’s sound perfectly as this an album I would’ve loved back in the day. “Shake” was not released as a single, but it is the lead off song on the album and packs quite a punch. It has that Sleaze rock sound with electrifying guitars, heavy drums and the singer has a grit to him as he screams out those lyrics with a burning intensity. The chorus is huge, almost anthemic in style and a really strong opener as it lights a fire under you and really draws you in. It is a simple song in that it is about going to their show and letting them rock you and make you shake. Love it! I think this is an album that is right up my alley and I think I need to hear the whole thing.

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My Sunday Song – “Something In The Orange” by Zach Bryan

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For My Sunday Song #370, we are on the final of 10 songs from my daughter Morgan and this choice is my favorite which is why I saved it for last. The song is “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan and it is off his 2022 album ‘American Heartbreak’. This is a country song, but was a massive crossover hit as it went to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Country charts as well as the Rock & Alternative Songs chart as well. And there is a reason for it as it is quite stunning and beautiful. The song was written by only Zach and in the world of Country music that is rare thing for an artist.

The song is about the end of a relationship. He knows she is gone and won’t miss him as much as he misses her. The “orange” is a sunset and is a metaphor for many things throughout the song. At first he sees hope that she will come back, but later it is an ending as he realizes she is never coming hope and that sun becomes awareness. But most of all the sunset is nostalgia as he remembers the relationship fondly. The song was inspired by a breakup, but mostly it was inspired by a sunset he was watching at a cabin in Wisconsin. That orange color he thought would make a great story and he’s write.

The song is acoustic with Zach sing his heart out and there is so much heartbreak in that voice. A slight grit, but still a smoothness to it that connects to the listener and draws them in to the lyrics and to the music. You get an acoustic guitar, a haunting piano and harmonica that touches your soul. It all feels so simple, but is so so effective and he proves that less is more on this one.

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My Sunday Song – “TV” by Billie Eilish

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For My Sunday Song #369, we get Morgan’s 9th Choice and this time we have Billie Eilish’s song “TV” from her 2022 E.P. called ‘Guitar Songs’. The E.P. only has two songs and they thought about including them on her 3rd album, but instead she felt they needed to be heard immediately so they released them. The song “TV” was written by her and her brother, Finneas O’Connell who also produced the song.

The song is about depression and it talks about a lot of issues including abandonment which makes her want to curl up on the couch and watch TV. She wants to watch Survivor so she can see other people suffer. There is a strong desire to numb the pain and get away from all that plagues the world. There also seems to be worry about her celebrity and the effect that has on her relationships. There is a lot of loneliness coming from this song. And be the end, she blames all of her issues on herself and watching TV and all the problems flashed on that tiny little screen. Celebrities suing each other, the downfall of Roe v Wade and so many more world events playing out on TV.

The song is an acoustic performance and damn, it is sad and depressing just like the lyrics. There is a darkness to it and a loneliness. It opens with a soft, lonely acoustic guitar and Billie’s haunting vocals. The bass, keyboards and drums come in later (all played by Finneas) and it picks things up, but the drone of the music still has that melancholy feel which never goes away in the song, but during the last lines of the song “Maybe, I’m the problem”, there is a cheering crowd that brightens things up a little, only a little. The crowd sound was sampled from the the crowd noise from her debut performance at Manchester.

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My Sunday Song – “Die For You” by The Weeknd

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For My Sunday Song #368, we are on Morgan’s 8th Choice and this time around it is The Weeknd’s song “Die For You” off his 2016 album ‘Starboy’. The song was a single and did fairly well, but in 2022 there was a resurgence on the popularity of this song thanks again to the wonderful social media tool, TikTok (that “wonderful” is very sarcastic btw). The song went all the way to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 six years after its original release. And the Weeknd is not stupid and took advantage of that popularity by releasing an new mix of the song with Ariana Grande. The version we will discuss is not that one. The song was written by an army of writers. Yes, because a good song needs 7 writers and they are the Weeknd,  Doc McKinney,  Cirkut, Prince 85, Cashmere Cat, Dylan Wiggins, and Billy Walsh.

The song was actually the last song written for the album and was apparently hard to finish and that might explain why there are so many writers…and yes, that does bother me. The song is apparently about a former girlfriend (rumored to be Bella Hadid) and their breakup. Although their relationship has ended, he still lovers her and would do anything for her, even die for her. It was hard for him to get over her and there was a lot of frustration and pain over the break up. I think it is a great little love letter for her to let her know he still cares and although they aren’t meant to be together, they are connected as he will always care for her.

The song is a ballad and there is a lot of pain and heartbreak in it and The Weeknd really comes across vocally with that emotion. The music is all electronic, the bass, the drums and the keys, but there is a really nice groove to hit and it gets my head bobbing back and forth. The chorus has a big payoff and is really catchy. The music is amped up, a little heavier and it s really a great beat. He sings at such a high register, it almost feels a lot like Michael Jackson and that is saying something. The song sticks with me long after I have listened to it.

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My Sunday Song – “Escapism” by Raye (Feat. 070 Shake)

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For My Sunday Song #367, we are now on the 7th selection in the Morgan’s Choice Series. This time around we are talking about the song “Escapism” by British singer Raye which features 070 Shake. The song started off as a huge TikTok sensation and became the third single off her 2022 album, ‘My 21st Century Blues’. The song hit #23 on the Billboard Top 40 and it charted in dozens and dozens of countries. It was written by Raye along with 070 Shakes and Mike Sabath who also handled production.

The song is about escaping from reality after a bad break-up. That escaping deals with unhealthy coping mechanisms including drugs, alcohol and even hooking up with a lot of people. In the lyrics she is hitting the clubs and sitting in the back of a cab doing coke. Within 24 hours after the breakup she is with another man doing God knows what. It is not healthy at all and not a great way to deal with the breakup, but she made a hit song so who can argue with the results.

The song has a strong electronic beat that carries a certain cock swagger. The drums and the bass are turned up almost to a slight distorted level, but that beat will get you moving. There are lots of changes throughout as Raye tackles the lyrics in different ways whether it is a cocky spirited delivery or a soft, vulnerable state and she has a great voice and can handle both perfectly. 070 Shake’s (or Daniella Balbuena’s) vocals pair nicely with Raye’s and she brings that hip hop break that a lot of todays’s songs have, but I don’t think they always need. This works with it or without it in my opinion. This isn’t something I would gravitate towards, but no denying it is a catchy number

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My Sunday Song – “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez

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For My Sunday Song #366, we are on Morgan’s 6th choice and this time is Stephen Sanchez’s sweet song “Until I Found You” off his 2022 album ‘Easy on My Eyes’. The song was released on September 1st 2021 and it went to #23 in the US and has been certified platinum multiple times over. Stephen wrote the song all by himself and isn’t cool when you have an artist that can write his own songs (yes that was a dig at some of her choices so far). There is a solo performance of the song and one with Em Beihold and both versions are just stellar. You can’t go wrong with either.

I usually talk about the song means, but Stephen knows best so I will let him discuss it…Stephen Sanchez shared with PLNK WIFI the story behind “Until I Found You” released on the 1st of September, 2021, “When I met my girlfriend Georgia, I was in the worst place ever. She was so loving and great to me though. I didn’t feel good enough for that, so I pushed her away. We spent some time apart. She was in Virginia. I was in California. A month before I moved to Nashville, we reconnected over the phone, I drove up, took her on a date, and we’ve been together ever since. I wrote ‘Until I Found You’ to let her know how much I love her, and to let her know I knew how much of an idiot I was when I let her go the first time.”

Musically, the song is so old-school with an old-50’s style sound and even a hint of The Beach Boys. It makes the song so warm and inviting and I have to admit I think it is quite awesome. That twangy guitar and those brilliant drum fills are nothing are so sweet and tender and match the emotion of the song. I really dig this one and thinks you have to really listen to it to appreciate what I have said and see for yourself.

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My Sunday Song – “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

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For My Sunday Song #365, we are on to the 5th song of Morgan’s Choices and this one is a song called “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy. The song was released on June 29, 2022 and is the second single off his album ‘Gemini Rights’. The song is his first chart success and what a success it was. It is the first song to ever top the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts simultaneously. Pretty impressive feat. The song was written by a ton of people including Britanny Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Kirby, Matthew Castellanos and Steve Lacy. Yes, it takes an army of people to make a song this bad. Yes, it might be number #1 on a lot of charts but I absolutely despise this song for a ton of reasons, but this was one of my daughters choices, and I am true to my word in reviewing and I’m going to be honest about it.

The song is about not making a move on a possible love interest. She likes him, but he has a bad habit of biting his tongue, meaning he won’t speak up and say something. He is full of regret for not making a move despite her being interested. Now, in the last verse, she gives him a second chance and then they finally get busy. I guess it all works out in the end.

The song’s production is a total loss for me. There is a distorted feel to it that makes it sound like my speakers are bad and that turns me off really quick. I’m not a fan of the beatbox effect or of Steve’s vocals. There are too many electronic effects, the drum sound is bad and the bass line, although could be decent, sounds a mess. It sounds like he was going for a whole Price vibe with it all, but Prince would never have the production sound this bad. If you can’t tell, I am not a fan of this one at all. And to think, this took 5 people to write this…That does not give me hope for today’s music.

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