Category: My Sunday Song

My Sunday Song – “One Love” by W.E.T.

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For My Sunday Song #286 is the song “One Love” by the Jeff Scott Soto band called W.E.T. What is W.E.T.? Well, it is comprised of Robert Sall of the band Work of Art, Erik Martensson of the band Eclispse and Jeff Scott Soto from the band Talisman. Take the first initial of each band and you have W.E.T. It also has 2 other members Magnus Henriksson and Robban Back. All are on the label Frontiers Records who brought the super group together. The song is off the debut album from 2009 album simply called ‘W.E.T.’. What many were afraid would be a one album deal has turned in to four album and a live album album. A legit band.

The song “One Love” was written by Erik Martensson and Vivien Searcy and is simply about that one true love. Despite all the temptations out on the road, he knows he will never find someone like her and that she is his rock. Here love is what sustains him and she is that miracle sent form heaven. It is really sweet.

The song itself is a power ballad and a pretty great modern version of one. It opens with keyboards from Erik who also handles all rhythm guitar duties. The lead guitar and solo are from Magnus and it fits the song so well. The drums are from Robban and for some reason Mr. Sail is not on the lead for this one. Musically, it is pure melodic rock gold. However, the highlight are those smooth vocals from Jeff. He really delivers and emotional, heartfelt song that matches the lyrics. You can hear from these high notes the man has some pipes and can sing about anything. If this was released in the 80’s, this ballad would’ve been top of the charts. It is infectious, catchy and simply beautiful. Man, if Jeff would’ve stayed in Journey and they released an album, this is what it would sound like.

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My Sunday Song – “Outta My Way” by Talisman

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For My Sunday Song #285, we are talking about the song “Outta My Way” by Talisman and another great Jeff Scott Soto song. The song was written by Marcel Jacob and Jeff Scott Soto and was off their stellar 2003 album ‘Cats & Dogs’. This was my gateway in to the band and might be the first one I bought. From there, it went nuts when it came to Talisman.

The song is an angry track and just seems to be about a guy that is ready to snap. He just needs that one push to send him over the edge and if he does, you better watch out as he will explode. It is as simple as that.

Musically, the song is explosive. It has a quick one two banging opening straight in to a Marcel Jacob bass solo then Jamie Borger goes ballistic on the drums with Fredrik Akesson throws down some stellar riffs. Soto attacks the vocals with so much angst and anger and you can feel the tension like he is going to explode. The song is a fireball of energy and its frantic pace is non-stop throughout. There is a great instrumental piece in the middle where Marcel and Fredrik trade bass and guitar licks back and forth and I love it. This song is a shining example why they were so great.

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My Sunday Song – “The Fall” by SOTO

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For My Sunday Song #284, we are going to discuss the song from Jeff Scott Soto’s metal band called Soto. The song is called “The Fall” and was written by Jeff along with fellow TSO member Tony Dickinson. The album is ‘Inside the Vertigo’ and the song were released in 2015 and was originally intended to be a solo album, but since the album had a band vibe and the sound was so much heavier than anything he had done recently, he went with SOTO as a band.

“The Fall” is an angry song. Someone has hurt him badly and stabbed him in the back and he isn’t having it. He is fighting back and letting them know he has it out for them and he can’t wait for them to fall from the graces and fall flat on their face. It sounds like it was someone famous as the line “Fame and Fortune/Big Star Everywhere/One more big talk millionaire” leads me to believe that. I don’t know who it is and can’t find where he has said but I wonder if it is Neal Schon who dropped him from Journey and I don’t know if they talk anymore. But I am purely speculating and have no real clue. Purely a guess. It could be anyone.

Musically, the song is just as angry. It is some of the heaviest work Jeff has done. There is a very modern metal vibe with hints of Marilyn Manson in the guitar which is handled by Chris Feener and Tony Dickinson. Jeff’s vocals are as aggressive as the music. You can hear the anger and his screams are intense and powerful. If you need an album to wake you up, this one would do it. It is balls-to-the-wall aggression and when you are done you are ready to punch someone in the face!!

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My Sunday Song – “New Position” by Soul Sirkus

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For My Sunday Song #283, we are going to dissect the song “New Position” by Soul Sirkus which was a Jeff Scott Soto side project with Neal Schon (Journey), Marco Mendoza (The Dead Daisies) and Virgil Donati on drums. They had only one album called ‘World Play’ back in 2005. If you get the European edition of the release, there is a DVD with the video for the song as well. The song was technically a single, but I don’t know if it charting.

The song was written by Neal Schon and Jeff Scott Soto. It is seems to be about a woman and is full of sexual innuendos with the title alone. The singer has aching for this woman and so wants her and believes he can show her things that she may have forgotten about…hmmm…I wonder what that could be!! This isn’t rocket science lyrics, no sir. It is rock & roll baby!! Keep it simple, sexual and jamming…and they do just that.

Musically, the song opens with a machine gun barrage drum fills from Virgil showing he means business. Marco’s bass is slamming helping give us a fiery, groovetastic, good time song that will rock your ass off. Neal Schon’s guitar mastery is on full display as he lays down some killer riffs and don’t get me started on the solo. Man, he is killing it. Jeff Scott Soto is full of swagger and confidence as he delivers a stellar vocal full of harmonies and so much power. This album is a showcase of his talents and why Neal tapped him to lead Journey on tour, sadly, no album was ever done before Jeff was dismissed.

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My Sunday Song – “Nowhere Fast” by Talisman

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For My Sunday Song #282, we are going to discuss the song “Nowhere Fast” by the Jeff Scott Soto fronted band, Talisman. The song was off their album “7” (of course, their seventh album) and was released in 2006. The album is the last studio album by Talisman as bassist and founding member Marcel Jacobs passed away a few years later before they could do another album.

The song “Nowhere Fast” was written by Marcel Jacob and Jeff Scott Soto. The song is lyrically simple. It actually starts out with the chorus and does a 3 line verse back to the chorus. It repeats this process several times and does it effectively. It makes the song catchy and memorable. Lyrically, the song is about a woman he wants to be with but she doesn’t necessarily want to be with him. His friends warn him that the relationship would go nowhere, but he is bound and determined to make it happen. First, he has to change her mind to wanting him. We don’t know now if he ever does, but it sounds like it was a valiant effot.

Musically, it is a juggernaut of infectious hooks and catchy choruses all encompassed in that Marcel Jacob bass sound. That funky bass sound opens the song and then Jeff Scott Soto’s vocals come in so smooth and melodic. Is it funk? Is it melodic rock? Well, it is both and so full of life. If I had to pick a song on what I loved about Talisman, this is one of them. It is full of pleasure and a sound that is music to my ears…literally!! And you know what else I like, guitar solos! And Fredrik Akesson lays down one that fits the song so perfectly. This song is total perfection.

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My Sunday Song – “Soul Divine” by Jeff Scott Soto

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For My Sunday Song #281, we are kicking off a 10 song set of Jeff Scott Soto. They won’t all be his solo work as they will cover his career and many bands. I figured since this past week we kicked off the Jeff Scott Soto Series here at 2 Loud 2 Old Music, why not continue that in to the My Sunday Song Series. First up is the song “Soul Divine” off his 2004 album ‘Lost in Translation’. The song was written by Jeff Scott Soto and Howie Simon who also played guitar and bass o the song. Glen Sobel played the drums.

“Soul Divine” is about regret. He treated his woman horribly and lost her. He now looks back and in his soul he knows he screwed it up. She was his light and yet he brought her so much pain and he didn’t realize what he did until she was gone and then he realized he had something really great. He has finally gotten to a point in his life where he realizes he was a little shit and feels really bad for it.

Musically, the song is a scorcher. It is heavy on the guitars from Mr. Simon who takes on bass duties as well which is also very prominent on the song. Glen Sobel’s drumming is rich and full force with a great driving beat and cool ass fills. It is a modern, melodic song that might be some of the best stuff Jeff has ever done. Howie’s opening riff is striking and almost singable and he also lays down a tasteful guitar solo that isn’t too boastful and fits the mood of the song. Jeff’s vocals are so masterful on this one. They soar, they are emotional, they are energetic and they are memorable. The chorus is catchy and his tones grab hold and pull you in and will have you singing along by the end. This one is a shining example of the soulful and smoothness of his voice as well. I figured, let’s kick it off with one of his best!!

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My Sunday Song – “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield

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For My Sunday Song #280 and the final of this 10 song set, we are talking about the 80’s classic “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield. It is an iconic song and one that screams The 80’s. The song went all the way to #1 and I believe is his only #1 song and garnered Rick a Grammy. Did you know, it was the #1 song in the country when MTV debuted!! The song was from the album “Working Class Dog” and helped catapult the album to Platinum status. Rick Springfield was everywhere and even on TV as he played Dr. Noah Drake on the Daytime Soap of ‘General Hospital” which my mom watched which meant I had to watch it. We didn’t have a lot of TV options back in 1981. I am sure that his TV popularity helped shoot this up the charts as women loved him and hoped to be Jessie’s Girl.

The song is about Rick’s friend’s girlfriend. His name was Gary and not Jessie as Rick was trying to protect the innocent. Rick was in a Stained Glass class with Gary and I guess saw the girl, but actually never met her or knew her name (or he is still protecting the innocent). In fact, he states that the girl probably has no idea the song is about her. Rick was lusting from afar, but at least we got a great song out of it. The lyrics are a little silly at times and it is strange that this old guy (he was in his 30’s at the time) was singing a song about teenagers, but he made it work.

The song is pure bubblegum, pop magic and total power pop bliss at the same time. It has this really cool guitar riff throughout and the solo really pushes the song on to the rock side as well which helped it be popular with everyone. Rick sings it with an energy and honest deliver that makes you feel bad for him that he didn’t have her. I am sure we all had someone we crushed on like that growing up. You feel his yearning for her and that is what connected with everyone. Plus, the music is so damn catchy.

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My Sunday Song – “Every Night I Wake Up Screaming” by Rick Springfield

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For My Sunday Song #279, we are going with “Every Night I Wake Up Screaming” by Rick Springfield. This is the second track in the series from my favorite Springfield album called ‘Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance’ which came out on February 24, 2004 and it is freaking brilliant. This is another of my favorite tracks from the album obviously. It was not a single and I don’t believe charted, but that doesn’t take away from its greatness.

The song is about how the world is gone to hell. The song feels like Rick is suffering from Anxiety with all the turmoil going on the world from terrorists to any other bad stuff you can think of. The “breathe” comments lead me to believe it is a panic attack and that the nightmares are occurring while he is awake. The line “everything looks better with my eyes close” that he can’t take watching it anymore. He sees it while sleeping and while awake and it is frightening. The song was 17 years ago and I don’t feel anything is better. In fact, I think things are worse, but that topic could be talked about for hours.

Musically, it starts of with some quiet guitar notes and a more quiet, reserved first verse before the song explodes and the volume gets turned up to 11. The song is heavy, it is angry and Rick attacks it with the ferocity that is needed. It goes back and forth between the quiet and the heavy. The drum beats during the quieter verses still give it that ominous vibe that things aren’t all rosy and then all hell breaks loose again. It is one of the heaviest songs I think he’s done.

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My Sunday Song – “Rock of Life” by Rick Springfield

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For My Sunday Song #278, we are tackling the song “Rock of Life” by Rick Springfield off his 1988 album with the same name. It was written by Rick Springfield and a little piece of trivia for you, the bass player is American Idol’s own Randy Jackson. The song went to #22, but the album didn’t do that well. It charted at #55 and didn’t go Gold so Rick was starting to lose his mojo (not with me though).

The song was started back in 1985, but Rick was having trouble finishing it. He set it aside and after some time off the road with his new born, his life had really changed. A new baby really changed everything for him. They lyrics came flooding to him after that. The song is about the birth of his son and the impact that it had on him. He was now a dad and not just a rock singer and that can be a strange feeling. He wasn’t ready for the change and it I guess the song helped him cope with that.

Musically, the song was very different from his previous work. There were a lot of keyboard effects put in, Rick sings it in a higher register than he usually did. There were a lot of woo’s and hoo’s and it sounds like the 80’s and that might be why I like it, even today. It does rock out and it should with that title. But this being 1988, rock had changed and so this didn’t get the recognition I am sure he would’ve liked. All around was Def Leppard’s Hysteria, GNR’s Appetite and Whitesnake’s self titled album. There was really no place for Rick, but I didn’t care. He was my guilty pleasure back in the day. No longer as I am proudly able to say I like his stuff.

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My Sunday Song – “Wide Awake” by Rick Springfield

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For My Sunday Song #277, we are going to dive in to the song “Wide Awake” by Rick Springfield. The song is off his 2012 album ‘Songs For the End of the World’. Sadly, I think the song and album went fairly unnoticed and its shame as Rick had been tearing it up for the last decade giving us tons of music and some really great tracks, including this one. The song was written by Rick Springfield and his writing partner on the album Matt Bissonette and they kept a common theme on the album so check it out and see what you think.

The song is really dark in its subject matter while at the same time optimistic and joyful. Rick was in a really dark place and stuck in a nightmare. He had been sleeping around on his wife and having more issues than you and I could probably handle. You can see in the lyrics he was insecure, lonley and doing things without even thinking of the consequences. Thanks to his true love, he eventually woke up the fact that he was being destructive and going down paths that he shouldn’t. She saved him and now he is wide awake and can enjoy life again the way it should be. He let the pressures and temptations get to him and she saved him.

The song is a hard rocking track, upbeat and quick tempo with an energy that is infectious and will get you moving. It is so quick you will have a hard time catching your breath. The drums are so powerful and machine gun style and there is a great guitar riff throughout that seems bouncy and joyful despite some dark topics. The “Wide Awake” theme is definitely captured in the power of the music. And let’s not forget Rick as he sings with such gusto and passion you feel like he is happy and enjoying things again. He sounds like the kid he once was.

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