Who Loves Live Music?

Well, as you can see, my wife Alex and I do…that’s Daryl Hall on stage behind us – it was a few years ago, but as my “Music A – Z” series hits the letter “S”, I’ve got a live performance from Daryl Hall & John Oates to share, along with music by Adele, Tears For Fears and more!

Here are ten songs that begin with the letter “S” – beginning with arguably one of the world’s most popular Singers:

10 – “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele

Well, this may be one of the most poignant and pointed songs ever written to someone who has betrayed you. Here are some of the lyrics:

This was all you, none of it me
You put your hands all over my body and told me, mmm
You told me you were ready
For the big one, for the big jump
I’d be your last love, everlasting, you and me, mmm
That was what you told me

I’m giving you up
I’ve forgiven it all
You set me free

Send my love to your new lover
Treat her better
We’ve gotta let go of all of our ghosts
We both know we ain’t kids no more
Send my love to your new lover
Treat her better
We’ve gotta let go of all of our ghosts
We both know we ain’t kids no more

Here is the video:

Adele not only makes incredibly powerful music, she also did a Jame Bond theme!

Yep, I could’ve put this song on the list as well – because it is one of the great 007 themes…here are the best and the worst, plus a mashup of them all!

Next up, one of Stevie Nicks’ greatest ballads:

9 – “Sara” by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac were at the height of of their popularity in 1979 when they released the sprawling double album “Tusk”. This 8 minute long song is a hypnotic ballad about a breakup…

Here are the lyrics:

Drowning
In the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
But now it’s gone
It doesn’t matter what for
When you build your house
Then call me home

And he was just like
A great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match
He was singing

And undoing

And undoing

Ooh, the laces
Undoing the laces

Said Sara
You’re the poet in my heart
Never change
Never stop
But now it’s gone
It doesn’t matter what for
But when you build your house
Oh, then call me home

Here is a video of the song – the shortened version that was released as a single:

Next up is a popular 90’s rock band with a very catchy way to sing about heartache:

8 – “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind

This band had a number of terrific hit songs like “Losing A Whole Year” and “Narcolepsy”, but this breakup song is all about losing someone who loved:

“How do I get back there to the place where I fell asleep inside you?
How do I get myself back to the place where you said?”

“I want somethin’ else
To get me through this semi-charmed kinda life
Baby, baby, I want somethin’ else
I’m not listenin’ when you say, ‘Goodbye'”

Here is the video:

OK enough breakup music…time to get happy and who better than Paul McCarney to sing about a sunny day!

7 – “Sun Is Shining” by Paul McCartney aka “The Fireman”

If you don’t know The Fireman, it was a unique collaboration between the former Beatle and the Music Producer/Artish known as Youth:

This is a great album, with some crunchy rockers, instrumentals, and then this gorgeous song:

“The sun is shining down
The air is buzzing
(Na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na)
(Na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na)
Through the curtains I look out
And the sun is melting the ground
When I’m walking through your town
Oh, every morning, every morning
Through the curtains I look out
And the sun is melting the ground…”

Enjoy!

While McCartney collaborates with a number of other Artists, he also released solo albums as well, and this third “Fireman” album could have been one of them!

Here’s that story:

Next up one of my favorite bands, still going strong!

6 – “Sowing the Seeds Of Love” by Tears For Fears

Tears For Fears are Roland Orzabal and Kurt Smith, and they had a great run of terrific songs in the 80’s and 90’s like “Shout!”, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and “Mad World”, and are still recording and touring today!

Alex and I saw them in Los Angeles in the fall of 2017, when they performed their classic “S” song “Sowing The Seeds Of Love” to an adoring crowd:

They sounded great, and played a 90 minute set chock full of hits…they shared the bill with Daryl Hall and John Oates, which leads to my next live “Song With An S”:

5 – “She’s Gone” By Daryl Hall and John Oates!

They were the best-selling duo of the 80’s, and have amassed an incredible string of hits like “Kiss On My List”, “Wait For Me” and “Rich Girl” among dozens of others.

Sadly, the duo had a falling out, so they will probably never perform together again…a shame because they put on a great show as well – here’s evidence from that same night – a live version of my next “S” song – “She’s Gone!”

That classic song was from their second album, released in the early 70’s:

I took at look at all of the songs from that classic album, which you can see – and hear – by clicking on my story here:

Next up, another classic band with a ton of hits, including this one:

4 – “School” by Supertramp

This English band had a ton of hits in the 70’s and 80’s including “Breakfast In America”, “The Logical Song” and “Bloody Well Right”, but I love this one as well.

Here’s the band performing the song live in Paris in 1979:

Supertramp songs are still played everywhere…here’s a look at the band’s biggest hits:

Another classic rock band is still performing today:

3 – “Saturday In The Park” by Chicago

Otingally known as “Chicago Transit Authority”, the group Chicago has so many hits: from “25 Or 6 To 4” to “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?” and “Color My World”…but this may be their most famous.

Here they are performing “Saturday In The Park” live:

The band is embarking on a tour right now – and in this time of political turmoil, I want o share this: one of their greatest songs was this powerful anti-war song from the same album:

It’s a two part “dialogue” between someone who wants to take on the social injustices of the world, and one who just wants to hide away and hope for the best…more prescient today than ever – here is “Dialogue Pt. 1 & 2”:

Another Artist from the 70’s really liked to dress up onstage:

2 – “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” by Elton John

He was arguably the biggest star of that decade, with massive hits like “Candle In The Wind”, “Rocket Man” and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” among many others – and this brilliant double album:

His music sounds just as fresh today, including this ode to letting off a little steam on the weekend:

“It’s getting late, have you seen my mates?
Ma, tell me when the boys get here
It’s seven o’clock and I want to rock
Want to get a belly full of beer
My old man’s drunker than a barrel full of monkeys
And my old lady, she don’t care
My sister looks cute in her braces and boots
A handful of grease in her hair

Don’t give us none of your aggravation
We had it with your discipline
Saturday night’s alright for fighting
Get a little action in
Get about as oiled as a diesel train
Going to set this dance alight
Saturday night’s the night I like
Saturday night’s alright, alright, alright!”

It’s a raucous album track, and Elton performs it here in Central Park in 1980 with a wild piano jacket – and an enthused audience:

He was a great singer/songwrier who loved to dress up as well – and he was amazing in the film “Tommy” playing the “Pinball Wizard” – see that clip here:

So, hard to imagine anyone bigger than Elton…well, except for these guys:

1 – “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles

One of the greatest “S” songs of all time! The Beatles released this double-sided single in February 1967 – the classic “Penny Lane” was on the other side – click on the vimeo link to see the wildly creative promotional video they filmed with it:

All Beatles fans know that “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” were recorded and released as singles BEFORE “Sgt. Peppers”, but were held off the album and added to the “Magical Mystery Tour” soundtrack instead…imagine if they had been on the album!

Check out the story here about what many consider to be the greatest album of all time:

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Of course, there are so many “Songs With An ‘S’” that could have been included, so what else did I miss?

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Categories: 70's Music, Art, Classic Rock, Music, Obscure Music, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, The Beatles

Tags: best music, best protest movies, best protest songs, best protest songs in American history, Chicago, chicago protest songs, Chicago Transit Authority album, cult music, Elton John music, George Harrison, Hall & Oates, John Lennon, live concerts, music, music with an S, Paul McCartney, She's Gone, She's Gone live concert performance, Strawberry Fields Forever, Strawberry Fields tribute Central Park, Supertramp, Supertramp Breakfast In America, Tears For Fears concert, Tears For Fears Concert review, tears for fears curt smith and roland orzabal, The Beatles, The Beatles music