Time To Rock Out To The Letter “H”!
My look at “Music From A – Z” has landed on the letter “H”, so all ten songs begin with that letter – and they cover er a wide range of musical tastes, genres and decades, so let’s go!
We begin with one of the world’s most popular singers, Kelly Clarkson – also known as “America’s Star!”
10 – “Heartbeat Song”
This smash hit was from Kelly’s 7th album titled “Piece By Piece” in 2015.
There are some great lyrics, like the opening lines:
“This is my heartbeat song and I’m gonna play it
Been so long I forgot how to turn it up up up up all night long
Oh up up all night long…”
Kelly became a mega star by winning the first-ever season of “American Idol” in 2002 – she was chosen by the viewers as the winner of this televised contest…and she has gone on to be one of the best-selling female Artists of the past twenty years.
Here is the terrific music video:
Of course, her other claim to fame was when Steve Carell hilariously shouted out her name in the film “The 40-Year Old Virgin”:
How did that magical moment happen? Well, Director Judd Apatow and Seth Rogan each revealed that secret to Kelly on her talk show, and you can find out by clicking on my story here:
Next up, a song that is also the name of a band’s classic album…just not the album the song appears on! Thank you as always for keeping us on our toes Led Zeppelin!
9 – “Houses Of The Holy” by Led Zeppelin
See that album cover? “Houses Of The Holy” was the 5th Led Zeppelin album, and it’s terrific, with songs like “Over The Hills And Far Away”, “The Rain Song” and “Dancing Days” – but NOT the song “Houses Of The Holy!”
Here’s what is said online about the reason for this: “the name of the song was used as the title of the band’s fifth album, although it was not included on that album; they decided the song did not fit well with the other album material, so it was moved to the subsequent release.”
Yes, so this crunchy rocker is part of Led Zeppelin’s next album:
Yes, it’s on “Physical Graffiti”, a double album masterwork! Among the classic songs on this album are “Kashmir”, “Trampled Under Food” and “Night Flight.”
Here is a great video put together by a fan – since the band never played the song live!
This is my ticket – I saw the band as a young kid in Seattle – TWICE! I’m so glad I kept the ticket! Oh, and did you know they once played a concert in Seattle – at a lake?
Yes, Led Zeppelin rocked Green Lake in an amphitheater that sat maybe a thousand people. And decades later, Guitarist Jimmy Page returned to see where they got their start!
Click here for the whole story:
Next up is a great slice of 80’s power pop, a solo song from the lead singer of one of the biggest bands of that decade!
8 – “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” by Belinda Carlisle
Here’s what I found online about the song and album:
Heaven Is A Place On Earth was the lead single for Belinda Carlisle’s second studio album Heaven On Earth in 1987. It would become her first and only single to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and would become her signature song.
Belinda became a star as lead singer of The Go-Go’s, the biggest selling female pop band of the era…sadly they didn’t stay together.
Among their classic hits were “We Got The Beat” and “Vacation”…here’s Belinda’s biggest selling single:
Next up is one of my favorite Artists with his most famous song:
7 – “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren
This beautiful song was part of his double album masterpiece called “Something / Anything?” which included the hits “I Saw The Light”, “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” and this, his biggest hit ever…
Here is the video:
the album “Something / Anything?” is a masterwork and you can read all about it track by track here:
Next up is a song from an Artist who was part of America’s first “super group”, as well as one of the most eclectic musical Artist of all time:
6 – “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young
He was an “on and off” member of Crosby, Still, Nash & Young – and one of the most influential musicians of all time.
He became the “Godfather of grunge” in the early 90’s with the songs “Hey Hey My My” and “Rockin’ In The Free World” – but he also wrote beautiful songs like this one:
Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin’
We could dream this night away
But there’s a full moon risin’
Let’s go dancin’ in the light
We know where the music’s playin’
Let’s go out and feel the night
Because I’m still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon
Enjoy!
My wife Alex and I were hiking in Malibu state park and two young women would walking down past us…their music device was playing “Harvest Moon” as their peaceful guide through nature…we loved that!
Next up, the pride of Seattle!
5 – “How Can I Refuse?” by Heart
Ann and Nancy Wilson formed the band Heart in Seattle in the 70’s – and rocked to the top of the charts with the classic songs “Magic Man”, “Crazy On You” and “Barracuda”!
This was their first single released for “Passionworks” in 1983, the band’s seventh album. Song written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sue Ennis, Howard Leese, Mark Andes and Denny Carmassi.
Here you go, some 80’s rock from Heart!
Ann and Nancy Wilson are still performing, and their timeless music includes “Dog & Butterfly”, “Mistral Wind” and more – and they released a terrific autobiography as well – check it out here:
The next band needs no introduction of course:
4 – “Hello Goodbye” by The Beatles
Hello, boys! To me, the Beatles are the greatest musical Artist of our time. Crazy to think they only recorded together for 6 years!
Here’s the story of “Hello Goodbye”:
When The Beatles began recording what would become their third single to be released in 1967, its working title was ‘Hello, Hello’. The single sat at No.1 in both the UK and America for the first three weeks of 1968. Paul directed the promotional film for ‘Hello, Goodbye’, remarking later: “Directing a film is something that everyone always wants to get into. It was something I’d always been interested in, until I actually tried it. … There was so much of that going on – so many decisions to be made – that I ended up hating it.”
The song is a lice of McCartney’s magical pop prowess – here is the video he hated directing:
If you want to see just how incredibly creative these four were, check out this massive documentary of their recording sessions for “Get Back”:
Well, the album was ultimately released as “Let It Be” and would be their sensing, although NOT the last music they created together – that was “Abbey Road”…check out this incredible documentary – that includes their entire rooftop performance of songs from the album here:
Next up is a song by one of my favorite “newer” groups, with an electrified country/rock song that plays as an homage to classic rock:
3 – “Holdin’ On To Black Metal” by My Morning Jacket
This great song is from their “Circuital” album – my son got me hooked on the band so we went to see them in concert in New York City:
The Beacon Theater was packed with fans, and the band did not disappoint, with a 2-1/2 show that includes all of their hits and great album tracks as well:
I enjoy this song: “Holdin’ On To Black Metal” is a great song with terrific lyrics as well:
“Oh, oh oh oh oh oh oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah oh
It’s a darkness you can’t deny
But it don’t belong in a grown up mind
Suppose you’ll find this place in a youngster’s eyes
Coming into life you needn’t cry
But as a boy you gotta let it go
Or it will cross the permanent threshold
Know you’ll finding out something else good
Oh black metal you’re so misunderstood
Holdin’ on to black metal
(Black metal)
Holdin’ on to black metal
(Black metal)
Black metal you’ve been holding on too long…”
Here is the band performing the song live at The Beacon Theater in New York in May of 2023:
Here’s another Artist who’s become an Icon: Donald Fagen – the Singer/Songwriter from Steely Dan also released some beautiful, jazzy music as a solo artist as well:
2 – “Here Comes The H Gang!” by Donald Fagen
Fagen released an album called “Morph The Cat”, and it’s a soulful slice of jazz-infused smoothness, including the song “H Gang”:
On YouTube, “Morcaiden” took Donald Fagen’s “The H Gang” performed at the Beacon Theater, March 6, 2007:
Finally, here is my favorite “H” song, by one of my favorite bands:
1- “Here Comes My Girl” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
The music world was stunned when Petty died unexpectedly – he wrote for the “everyday guy”, with songs like this:
“Every now and then, I get down to the end of a day,
I’ll have to stop, ask myself, “What’ve I done?”
It just seems so useless to have to work so hard,
And nothin’ ever really seem to come from it.
And then she looks me in the eye, says, “We gonna last forever,”
And man, you know I can’t begin to doubt it.
No, because this feels so good and so free and so right,
I know we ain’t never goin’ change our minds about it.
Hey, here comes my girl, here comes my girl,
Yeah, she looks so right, she’s all I need tonight.”
Here is the music video:
Such a sad loss when Tom Petty died…but his family has just released his most personal solo album – with a ton of unreleased music from those sessions:
“Wildflowers And All The Rest” is beautiful, and if you click here you can see the latest music videos and a track list:
There you have it – ten songs that begin with the letter “H” in my yearlong look at “Music A – Z”!
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Categories: 70's Music, Art, Classic Rock, kelly clarkson, Led Zeppelin, Music, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, The Beatles, Todd Rundgren
johnrieber 
Love this music, John. Between Kelly and the Beatles (the best bookends) here, I had to smile at the cost of your concert ticket- $7.50. 😀
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Jennie, I am taking my wife to see one of Billy Joel’s last concerts at Madison Square Garden….the ticket price was $7.50 – per second of music!
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Oh, enjoy the concert! This is when you’re glad you live in NYC. I need to do the math on $7.50 per second of music! 😳
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Wow, you were lucky to have seen Led Zep play! I’m jealous! I’ve seen Page and Plant at Wembley in the 1990s though.
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great choices, and I love, love Neil young in all of his ages and stages and still really miss tom petty
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Terrific line-up, but I was also expecting ‘Hotel California’ and ‘The House of the Rising Sun.’
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I get a lot of people suggesting others and I glad you did as well, because I am going to do another round and both of those are great – I live a mile away from the “real” Hotel California shown on the cover – the Beverly Hills hotel!
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I know where that is. I am looking forward to the second round, John.
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Some great H songs! Thanks.
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An interesting selection John, including my favourite Beatles single.
Sorry, but I can’t resist pointing out a wonderfully Freudian typo, given your other main blogging interest. It’s in the part about Led Zep 😉
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OK I will find it and fix it, but this “auto correct” goes out of its way to decide how to spell for me! I can’t wait to see what I posted!
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You’ll laugh when you see it, trust me 😊
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An interesting and unusual mix, John. Including one of The Beatles’ most boring songs! 😉
H is hard, but I might add ‘Hotel California’, ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, ‘Haitian Divorce’, ‘Handbags and Gladrags, and a few more.
Best wishes, Pete.
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