Happy May! Unfortunately, this is the last “MOTM” for the school year. We definitely had a blast writing about our favorite songs for the second year as well as the introduction of themes for the majority of the months. We both look forward to the final series of “Music of the Month” for our senior year. Enjoy your summer break!

Cali’s picks:

“Hurdy Gurdy Man” by Donovan, “The Hurdy Gurdy Man” (1968)

An essential track in the emerging genre of early alternative, “Hurdy Gurdy Man” is a groundbreakingly experimental number that continues to serve as an ageless wonder today. Extremely psychedelic, Donovan wrote most of the lyrics while he was in India with the Beatles and the Maharishi Yogi under the intent of giving the song to Jimi Hendrix, but was convinced by his manager to record it himself. The intriguing number begins with a muffled hum and warm acoustic guitar chords that quickly fade into Donovan’s staccato voice that is momentarily interrupted by a sharp electric guitar bend. The quieter first verse and chorus are broken up by a sitar sequence that electrifies the tune with harder guitar chords and pulsating drum beats. The track is credited with helping to bring Led Zeppelin together as three future members of the band were featured as studio musicians: Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, and John Bonham on drums. Following the second repeating chorus, Page breaks away into a riveting guitar solo accompanied by Bonham’s rollicking drums that transition into the outro that culminates Donovan’s repetition of “‘Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy,’ he sang” and the tumultuous drums. Since its release in 1968, “Hurdy Gurdy Man” has become Donovan’s most well known song, reaching the Top 10 charts in both the US and UK as well as being featured in films such as “Zodiac.” 

“Blue by You” by Turnstile, “Nonstop Feeling” (2015)

Serving as the seventh track on Turnstile’s third release and debut LP, “Nonstop Feeling,” “Blue by You”’ is a melodic cut that exhibits the uniqueness and versatility of the Baltimore hardcore outfit. Lasting just over a minute, the song kicks off with a rollicking power chord and Brendan Yates’ dulcet voice. Carried heavily by Daniel Fang’s rhythmic drumming, the verses of the composition carry an isolated, minor-sounding energy courtesy of Sean Cullen’s garage-like power chords. The simplistic number repeats each verse and chorus twice until the final chorus where the  continued reiteration of the phrase “blue by you” is drowned out by the crescendoing guitar and drums. Following this final chorus, the quick tune comes to a close with one elongated cry by Yates and a resounding guitar chord delivered by Cullen that bleed directly into the next, harder track on the album, “Out of Rage.” Although short and minimalistic, “Blue by You” is an extremely catchy ditty that should become an essential for any fan of the increasingly popularizing Turnstile.

“Rivers of Babylon” by Sublime, “40oz. To Freedom” (1992)

Initially performed by the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970, Sublime keeps the structure and lyrics of the original composition while adding a modern ska twist to it. One of the only solely-acoustic songs within Sublime’s discography, “Rivers of Babylon” begins with inaudible studio chatter and applause before transitioning into the dulcet introductory guitar chords. Throughout the track, lead singer and guitarist Bradley Nowell vocally harmonizes with bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Ras MG, creating a symphonic sound. The unoriginal lyrics mainly derive from Psalms in the Bible, such as “And there he wept, when he remembered Zion,” “Let the words of our mouth…Be acceptable in thy sight,” and the rallying cry of “How can we sing King Alpha’s song in a strange land?” Following the brief bridge, Wilson breaks into a percussive xylophone solo that is perfectly accompanied by Nowell’s warm acoustic guitar. After this short instrumental break, the band plays the final anthemic chorus followed by the studio yells of “Encore, encore encore!” and more applause. Although simplistic, the peaceful number serves as an epic deep cut and an instant classic to fans of Sublime and reggae.

Brianna’s picks:

“Old Times Good Times” by Stephen Stills, “Stephen Stills” (1970)

Best known for his participation in Buffalo Springfield and the supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Stephen Stills has magnified the folk rock genre ― especially notable in his solo works. As the fourth track on his debut studio album “Stephen Stills” (1970), Stills employs his raw and emotional vocals to capture the sentiment voiced in the track’s lyrics. Slightly contracting Stills reminiscing on the past through the nostalgia narration, the track exhibits an upbeat and catchy melody. Propelling the track forward, “Old Times Good Times” features distinguished guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Overall, Hendrix provides different elements to that of the rest of the album, making “Old Times Good Times” a standout track. The overall feel-good track is supported by Hendrix’s perfectly placed syncopation and muted notes supported by Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels’ rolling bass, and leads into Hendrix’s gaining prominence following the penultimate chorus and his shining moment in his phenomenal guitar solo. The outro of the track highlights all of the musicians, featuring the talents Conrad Isedor on drums (who stood his prominence especially at the forefront of the track), Hendrix’s acclaimed guitar techniques, Stills on the organ, and Jeff Whittaker on the congas. Succeeding the track, Stills diminishes the tempo in a loose and steady number accompanied by an additional, famed collaborator, Eric Clapton.   

“Skin and Bones” By Foo Fighters, “Skin and Bones” (2006)

Performed for the live performance album identically titled, “Skin and Bones” breaks into Dave Grohl’s lone guitar accompanied by Taylor Hawkins’ marching snare hits. Following the rhythmic intro, Grohl enters with his seemingly melancholic vocals and disheartened lyrics. The words themselves evoke a sense of loss at the hand of aging. The squeaking as a result from sliding each note to the next provides an even more raw feel in the chorus, breaking away from the structured composition of the guitar in the verses and the repetitive refrain (acting as the chorus). “Skin and Bones” offers a stripped-down composition composed of Grohl’s simplistic imagery. The overall simplicity of the track produces a strong emotional response which is backed by poignant vocals, refined acoustic, and airy instrumentation from the rest of the band.    

“Meeting The Master” by Greta Van Fleet, “Starcatcher” (2023)

Fading into a folk inspired, layered riff, the initial half of the heavily focuses on the collaboration between Jake Kiszka’s talents on the sharp, acoustic guitar and his brother’s (Josh), complementary, angelic vocals. First appearing live on stage in Anaheim at the tail end of the “Dreams in Gold” 2023 tour, Greta Van Fleet introduces the tuneful guitar, sustained organ chords, and powerful lyrics filled with imagery, symbolism, and sensory eliciting details. In an Instagram caption, the band described the song as “a kind of whimsical darkness and a bit of psychedelia, but is very planted in the earth at the same time.” The drums slowly gain more prominence at the first refrain following the second verse. Shortly after the band enters a much more hard hitting version of the first chorus, pushed to an extreme with Daniel Wagner’s explosion on his drum kit. In this section, Jake transitions from the initial use of the acoustic guitar to the heavy soloing on his staple ‘61 Les Paul SG. Simultaneous to the talented guitar work, each other instrument becomes highly more elevated: the keys gain more prominence, the percussion become more shattering, and the vocals advance into more complicated runs and vocalise. Josh incorporates the line “Ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram ram” which is Hindu mantra that was also referenced to their track “Trip the Light Fantastic” on their previous record “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” (TBAGG) (2021). The song enters an amazing refrain that can only be described as a transcendent anthem followed by transition aiding to a state of pure tranquility. As the track closes on the isolated guitar of the initial half, the listener is reminded that elements from the more mellow section should still be remembered in regard to the harder-hitting section that inevitably consumes the overall listening experience.