About
WELCOME
Bloggerhythms is a totally independent music blog for adults that
grew out of my love of rock & roll and popular music. It began in April
2005 as an outlet for album reviews of mostly new music. Gradually, over
time, it's focus has shifted toward older material but interesting new
releases will still be discussed. More about that
here.
ALMOST HITS
Almost Hits is an
occasional exploration into songs that failed to reach the top 20 on
the American Billboard Hot 100. Many have become classics despite
what their chart position would indicate. You can find all of the
songs I've written about here.
LAST ALBUMS
In the majority of cases recording artists' most revered and
famous records are made early in their careers. Later, many of
them will "jump the shark" - as the saying goes - or recede
into the background as pop music tastes change. Unless you're
a diehard fan of a particular artist many listeners will not
even know what their final record is. I'm hoping to change
that with another once-in-awhile series called
Last Albums. To qualify, the album's tracks must have been recorded
as a set of new material that was intended to be released to the
public as a complete album but not necessarily the last
one. Live sets, greatest hits or "best of" collections and
compilations do not count, nor do posthumous releases of
leftover tracks cobbled together to make a final album.
BURIED TREASURE
This occasional series unearthed recorded treasures that
deserved a better fate and are no longer, or never were,
part of the public's collective consciousness. Be sure to
check here or you'll never know what long lost gems this site's
archaeologists excavated from the dustbin of musical
history. This series has been discontinued because the
majority of what is currently posted on Bloggerhythms
could fall into this category.
BLOGROLL
One of my favorite things about Bloggerhythms is the
blogroll. It exists mostly for my benefit to keep track
of blogs I read regularly, but while perusing the list you may discover a few that are worthy of your attention.
I'm willing to add your blog to the list if it's related in some way to the stuff I write about.
Whenever you post something new it will jump to the top of the list. However, in order to keep things relevant I'll occasionally
review the links, and if you do not post any new content for
a long period of time it could be
removed. You can find the blogroll by clicking on the hamburger icon (the three horizontal lines) located at
the upper left hand corner of the home page.
TWITTER, INSTAGRAM & SPOUTIBLE
Be sure to follow along at Twitter, Instagram and
Spoutible
where you'll be notified every time something new is posted
on Bloggerhythms. While visiting those places, you'll also find some
additional content not discussed on the blog. Spoutible is a very good place for people who are no
longer enjoying X, formerly known as Twitter. Give it a
try. You can find all of my social networking sites in one spot at Linktree.
BROKEN LINKS & VIDEOS
I periodically search for dead links and videos to keep the subject
matter as interesting as possible. If you see something that needs
to be fixed please let me know.
Charlie Ricci
© 2005 - 2024 Bloggerhythms. All rights reserved.
WHAT'S HOT TODAY!
Slower Than Slow: 16 RPM Records
Have you ever heard of a long forgotten vinyl format, the 16 2/3 RPM record? They were half the speed of the 33 1/3 RPM albums that were the traditional standard for recorded music. Most record players in the 1950s and 1960s came with a speed setting to play these long forgotten discs that were considered novelties even during the years they were available. Because most, but not all, 16s had big holes and were 7" in diameter many of them were mistaken for 45 RPMs and at that size the speed allowed for up to 20 minutes of playing time per side. However, there was no true standard size and they were also manufactured to be 9, 10, or 12 inches in diameter, and these larger records played even longer. Just like the other speeds and formats 16s could be played one record at a time or stacked on a changer for continuous play. Radio stations often used the discs for pre-recorded radio shows containing interviews, dramas, and documentaries. More frequen...
The Band - Christmas Must Be Tonight (1977)
In 2006 Hall and Oates released Home For Christmas , their one and only holiday album, an extremely good set of music that immediately became one of my favorite seasonal listens. I wrote then that I was stunned at how many overtly religious songs the famous duo put on the the disc considering the very politically correct climate of the new millennium. One of them was a cover version of a song that alluded me for almost thirty years, "Christmas Must Be Tonight." I liked the new, upbeat track sung by Daryl Hall and it made me go out and search for Robbie Robertson's never-to-be classic. Sung by Rick Danko, it appears on the great American band's last album, Islands (1977). It's a surprise that a group whose members were not known to have any specific or powerfully strong religious beliefs would release a song that tackled the subject of Jesus's birth as blatantly as our most loved Christmas carols. It's not about a reckless reinde...
The Beatles - Christmas Messages (1963 - 1969)
For seven straight years beginning in 1963 - even before they were famous in America - The Beatles recorded annual Christmas messages exclusively for their fan club members as a holiday thank you. They were issued on seven-inch, vinyl records that were very thin, very bendable, and easily damaged. These flexi-discs, as they were called, could not be stacked on record changers. Over the years the tracks have been bootlegged in countless ways, and until a few years ago the only legal release was sent to fan club members in 1970 on 33 RPM vinyl records after the boys from Liverpool went their separate ways. The LP cover shown here is from that album. Finally, in 2017, a limited edition box set on colored vinyl was released and is now an expensive collector's item. Many Beatles fans managed to hear these records over the years, and with the Internet being what it is, there are several websites where anyone can easily listen to all of them. Archive.org ...
The 3 Stooges Sing 6 Happy Yuletide Songs (1959)
Before 2024 I only wrote about one other comedy Christmas record, I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas by Yogi Yorgeson , but this year I seem to have overdosed on novelty tunes more than a little bit. Perhaps it's because I believe we all need a little more lighthearted fare than usual this holiday season. The 3 Stooges Sing 6 Happy Yuletide Songs is one of my favorite, childhood, Christmas memories. At the time, I thought the Golden Records ' 45 RPM was the funniest thing I ever heard. It offers six very short songs and comedy bits featuring Larry, Moe and Curly Joe, the last of three replacements for the original Curly. My mother was one of those concerned parents who disliked the The Stooges short, often violent films, but she let me watch them anyway because she understood I wasn't going to torture helpless puppies and kittens when I grew up. There isn't much to say about the record except that it's exactly what you'd expect from...
The Chieftains With Jackson Browne - The Rebel Jesus (1991)
"The Rebel Jesus" is a Christmas song composed by Jackson Browne and performed with The Chieftains, the eclectic, veteran Irish folk band on The Bells of Dublin, their 1991 holiday album. Browne wrote the song specifically for his guest appearance on this record. The singer-songwriter, who is deservedly in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, can be a bit preachy when he wants to be, and he is again here, but no one can dispute what the man is saying. The last two verses are the key to the song. Browne points out that people often feel more generous at Christmas so they'll give to those who were less fortunate than themselves during the holidays. But, if anyone tries to dig deeper and root out the poverty that envelops the downtrodden they are often scorned like Jesus was. This message is coming from a man who is admittedly a "heathen and a pagan," but on this occasion he is "on the side of the rebel Jesus." At the same time Browne doesn't want to sp...