• Kite – Patty Griffin

    SONG OF THE DAY “Kite” by Patty Griffin (Impossible Dream, ATO Records, 2004). Written by Patty Griffin. MY TAKE The piano that opens this song is just so sad. I can’t find any more poignant or dramatic words to describe it beyond that, so I have to just leave it to you to hear it …

  • I Had Something – Lucy Kaplansky

    SONG OF THE DAY “I Had Something” by Lucy Kaplansky (The Red Thread, Red House Records, 2004). Written by Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Litvin. MY TAKE I first heard this song on Putumayo’s American Folk album, and have since bought Kaplansky’s album The Red Thread because this track peaked serious interest in me—which is saying something …

  • If You Want Me To Stay by Sly & The Family Stone

    SONG OF THE DAY “If You Want Me To Say” by Sly & The Family Stone (Fresh, Epic Records, 1973). Written and produced by Sly Stone. MY TAKE Well, it’s hard to say anything profound about as critically-acclaimed a song and album as this, but I’ll tell you how it fits into my world and …

  • Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie – Joanna Newsom

    SONG OF THE DAY “Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie” by Joanna Newsom (The Milk-Eyed Mender, Drag City Records, 2004). WHERE I HEARD IT + My O.P.INION This weird harp-plus-Kate-Bush-like vocals song was featured during the credits of the 2007 PBS documentary Following Sean. The vocals can get really grating when she strains her voice to hit …