The Sound of Music

Certain Songs #287: The dB’s – “Today Could Be The Day”

August 20, 2015 by Jim Connelly

Album: The Sound of Music
Year: 1987.

I somehow doubt the two things are related, but just as the Rolling Stones ended the mostly lyrically downbeat side two of their classic Out of Our Heads with the upbeat, optimistic, harmonica-driven “One More Try,” the dB’s end the mostly downbeat side two of The Sound of Music with the upbeat, optimistic “Today Could Be The Day.”

Which is just as well, because after songs like “Think Too Hard,” “Never Before and Never Again, “A Better Place” and “Looked at The Sun Too Long,” it was clearly a great call to end on a note of hope.

Certain Songs #286: The dB’s – “Looked At The Sun Too Long”

August 19, 2015 by Jim Connelly

Album: The Sound of Music
Year: 1987.

Please excuse me. I think that I said that a song other than “Looked at The Sun Too Long” was my favorite song from The Sound Of Music.

But I was clearly wrong. “Looked At The Sun Too Long” is yet another one of those Peter Holsapple songs that is a) about a relationship ending and b) sounds like a lost Chris Bell song.

And as such, it moves at a crawl, is full of strings and harmonies, and is on the short list of “Prettiest Song Ever Recorded (Power Pop Division).

Certain Songs #284: The dB’s – “Change With The Changing Times”

August 17, 2015 by Jim Connelly

Album: The Sound of Music
Year: 1987

1987 was a helluva year for music. To this day, it remains one of my all-time favorites. R.E.M. broke through into the mainstream while U2 broke through into the stratosphere.

Prince reminded everybody why he’s the greatest musician of our generation while Bruce Springsteen scaled down beautifully. The Replacements and Hüsker Dü made the last of their great records while Public Enemy, Guns n’ Roses & Sonic Youth made the first of theirs.