Legacy Recordings

Song: All of ‘Em
Album: Greatest Hits
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Selected by: Sam Gomez

This weekend I had the pleasure of catching Stevie Wonder at MSG. It was his first headlining concert in the City since 1996.

New York is always a great place to catch a show. You never know who will show up. As if 2.5 hours of classic Stevie Wonder were not enough, surprise guests included Frederic Yonnet, Tony Bennett and Prince!

Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection by Stevie Wonder

Today’s daily archive is brought to you by the number “38.” It was that many years ago today Sesame Street debuted on American television. Eight months later, the first Sesame Street lp (shown here) was released by Columbia.

“Teenage Symphonies To God,” by Velvet Crush. This power pop gem was released by Epic Records in 1994.

Minnie Riperton would have been 60 years old today. Possessor of one of soul music’s greatest voices, Minnie hit number one with the timeless “Lovin’ You” in 1975. She was taken by cancer at the age of 31.

A cover image from the November 1945 “Coda,” Columbia Masterworks’ monthly classical music update. Artwork by the now-legendary Columbia staff artist Jim Flora.

November 3: Not only is today Lulu’s 58th birthday, she can also celebrate the 39th anniversary of her biggest hit, the Epic Records release “To Sir With Love,” sitting atop the US singles charts (November 3, 1967).

Song: Reminisce 2003 (Featuring Pete Rock & CL Smooth)
Album: Back Again
Artist: Mr Cheeks
Selected by: Jeremy Meyers
So I’m coming home from work today and what should appear on my MP3 player but hiphop classic “Renee” by Lost Boyz. I’d forgotten how much I love that track. Now, it comes as no surprise to anyone that’s spent any time with me that I’m a huge Pete Rock fan. T.R.O.Y. is actually my ringtone. So I pop on Rhapsody to check out what Mr Cheeks did post-Lost Boyz, and happen across a track called Reminisce 2003. Being that the only two hip-hop songs I can think of that use the word ‘reminisce’ prominently are the aforementioned ones, I immediately pop it on the player, only to hear a great nostalgia track using the T.R.O.Y beat. Check it out.

Reminisce 2003 - (featuring Pete Rock/Journalist/C.L. Smooth) by Mr. Cheeks

They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) by Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth

Fun fact: The sax riff is from a song called “Deliver Me” by Tom Scott, currently unavailable on Rhapsody (released by Impulse!)

November 2, 1964: Performing “Donna The Prima Donna” live on the U.K. tv show Ready Steady Go, Dion becomes annoyed by the on-stage dancers and walks off mid-song. Here’s Dion’s 1964 lp for Columbia, complete with misspelled last name (it’s DiMucci).

Recently I have begun to worry how my kids were going to get acquainted with “the classics.” They have demonstrated no particular interest in expanding their musical horizons, to be fair they are still young, and I have no interest in being one of “those” parents who spoon feeds their offspring their own hip playlists. The fact we don’t drive much is also a setback. Being exposed to ‘70s pop radio during long car rides with my parents left me with a wealth of musical knowledge that not only makes me a bore at parties, but uniquely qualifies me for my job. Was I denying my children this legacy? Everybody should be able to sing along to the Rolling Stones or the O’Jays if sufficiently pressed or tipsy.

I have an effort to play a wider variety of music at home, but I realize now how the next generation will learn the range of classic rock songs from the last 4 decades that will help them in any sticky karaoke moment: GUITAR HERO.

Tonight my son, who is in pre-school, had his first go on Guitar Hero 2. Luckily he was crap and I totally rocked his score, but he didn’t care, he just wanted to hear Motley Crue’s “Shout At The Devil” over and over and over. My daughter, wanted to hear “Surrender” from Cheap Trick and decided when she grows up she wants to be a vet AND a rock star.

The other night I went to the Guitar Hero 3 NYC launch with a friend from work who was not even born at the time both the Scorpion’s “Rock You Like A Hurricane” and Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” were hits. Yet, there they were on Guitar Hero 3 and there he was kicking ass on them, with a line of kids behind him awaiting their turn to rock.

s this the future of Classic Rock? Where else can you even hear the Allman Brothers’ “Jessica” these days? As a radio format Classic Rock might be shrinking, but perhaps this video game franchise is creating a whole new generation of listeners.

November 1, 1973: The number one song in America is “Midnight Train To Georgia,” by Gladys Knight and the Pips. Gladys’ biggest hit, released on Buddah Records, spent two weeks at the top. Here’s a rare 45 sleeve.