Bassless Keys, Blue Ceiling

Sometime between 2000 and 2010 I worked in college recruiting — “admissions” is technically the department name, but I was definitely in a recruiting position. I enjoyed the work because you get to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds. Plus, most of them aren’t as jaded as your average working adults are. Sometimes you meet people who have interests similar to your own. I remember one particular “recruit” was really into music and mentioned one specific concert she was planning to attend.

At that time, I wasn’t familiar with this band by name, but now I know a couple of their songs. The band I’m referring to is The Black Keys. The particular song is “Gold on the Ceiling.”

The band name always stuck with me because she was a “music hound” like me. (Plus, the band’s name gives you the immediate visual of those black piano keys.) While I’m far from an expert on the band, I have grown to really enjoy this song. It was written by band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney along with producer Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse).

There aren’t tons of covers of “Gold on the Ceiling” out there, but I was pleasantly surprised to find one by Louisiana blues guitarist extraordinaire Tab Benoit. Apparently, this was for a tribute album.

Another interesting cover I found is by glam rock band Sweet (sometimes called The Sweet).

Their version doesn’t blow me away, but give them credit for having the taste to record it.

Getting back to the original version, Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) apparently played bass guitar on the track. I always picture The Black Keys like The White Stripes — that is, both are guitar and drum duos without bass players.

I suppose the lyrics are open to interpretation, but I think my ceiling is blue.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Lemonheaded Leopard Lady

If you’re like me, you have any number of things on your ever-changing “to do” list. Some of those things keep getting pushed to the bottom for one reason or another so it’s difficult to get around to doing those tasks.

I have been meaning to blog about a Simon & Garfunkel song for a long time, but it seems to always get bumped. I’ve never been a super fan of the duo, but I can definitely appreciate the harmony and Paul Simon’s songwriting. The particular song I’m talking about is “Mrs. Robinson” which is associated with the 1967 film “The Graduate.” Apparently, Simon was working on the song before the film was released so the finished version isn’t heard in it.

It has a pretty catchy guitar riff in it along with the “coo coo ca-choo” reference to The Beatles song “I Am the Walrus.” There’s also a reference to The New York Yankees’ Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio and a great line that “we’d like to learn a little bit about you for our files.”

Fast forward to the early 90s and The Lemonheads put their hard driving punkish spin on the tune.

You can hear that catchy riff played on bass guitar in their version. I actually prefer The Lemondheads cover to the original version, but that’s me. I looked around to find other interesting versions out there and found an instrumental surf version by a band called The Coolies. It’s pretty groovy.

If you like The Coolies version, you might be interested to hear their take on “Cecilia” as well. What else can be said about the song? Well, I think Art Garfunkel has a version of his out there without Simon. What do you think?

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Rockabilly Rod

When you think about the subject matter of a lot of rock n roll or rockabilly songs, you can definitely pick up on some patterns. There’s love, women, and cars to name a few. Sometimes the songs even involve two or more of those subjects simultaneously like Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene.” While that song is a good one in it own right, today I’m focusing on one that you don’t hear much any more. The song in question is called “Hot Rod Lincoln.” The definitive version to me is by Commander Cody & his Lost Airmen.

The song was written by Charley Ryan and released in the mid 50s. The fast tempo of the song and the guitar are what keeps it moving, which is an interesting contrast to the spoken word motorhead lingo. Plus, it tells a story. Recently, I found another version I really like which features the voice of actor Jim Varney and the guitar playing of Ricky Skaggs.

I’ve never seen the film, but this version was released on “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1993) soundtrack. You’ll find other versions by Johnny Bond, the bands Asleep at the Wheel and All among others. This song has a little bit of everything: story, hot rods, guitar, country, rock, and humor! Speaking of humor, Bob Rivers and Twisted Radio did an O.J. Simpson-themed version called “White Ford Bronco.”

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

2026 Sneak Preview

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone, but that’s life! I keep some notes on my ideas for future blog entries, but I tend to alter the list according to inspiration and/or happenstance. Here are a few names/songs/movies/things you may see during the upcoming year:

-Musically speaking, what do O.J. Simpson and Jim Varney have in common?

– Who was the band Moloch and which song of theirs is blues-a-riffic?

– How come I haven’t covered any Czech stop-motion animation films yet?

– Which song by The Black Keys has been covered by a prominent Louisiana guitarist and a 1970s glam rock band?

– -Which made for TV film finally made it to free streaming so tightwads like me can watch it? Also, which character in the film resembles NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios?

-How come I keep putting off blogging about that one soundtrack song?

-What is the advantage of the second comer and how does it apply to films I watch?

-Which song would I remove from my favorite Beatles album “Revolver”?

-Which frozen snack has recently received my seal of approval?

If you know any of the answers, kudos to you, but please keep it to yourself for now. All will be revealed in anything but an organized fashion. Happy New Year!

Till next time keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Shaken or Shakin’ ?

Christmas has come and gone and New Year’s Eve is fast approaching. Will you stay up past midnight to ring in 2026? If so, will you require any additional caffeine?

I ran out to the store recently and started thinking about how much soda pop used to be part of American culture. I still think it is, but there are a lot of other options for caffeine out there nowadays. (One time I had a former boss comment on all of the different soda pops I consume. He said, “It’s like you have some sort of weird bingo card.” I take that as a compliment.) Here are a couple of my thoughts and recommendations on some choices out there.

First of all, I went in search of my favorite sugar free energy drink which is the orange flavored Rip It Citrus X — it’s waayyy cheaper than Monster. I can only find these at a couple of retailers near me. One is Family Dollar, which really should be renamed Family Buck-and-a-Quarter. They carry an interesting mix of beverages there including familiar favorites and some lesser known brands. Case in point is Sprecher Charged Lemonade. The 140 milligrams of caffeine may leave you…“Shakin'” just like The Blasters’ song.

I was unfamiliar with the Sprecher brand, but they’re apparently a craft brewery in Glendale, Wisconsin. They carry over two dozen flavors of soda pop including root beer and some seasonal offerings like blueberry. Plus, they have a cool logo with a griffin on it. Also, they recently acquired the Green River soda pop brand. (It inspired the Creedence song.)

Another newer option for caffeine consumption is from Starbuck’s. I don’t really drink regular coffee, but I do enjoy some of the sweet cold coffee they offer. If you’re trying to cut back on calories, but still need caffeine, check out Starbucks Frappuccino Lite – Creamy Vanilla Gelato. The name may be “fru fru”, but the taste is wonderful.

Finally, there is an old standby with a new twist. I’m talking about 7UP, but the 7UP Cherry Zero Sugar option. No caffeine in this one, but it’s still mighty tasty. It also mixes well with vodka.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

p.s. Here is a live version featuring what looks like the Jimmy Reed Thin Twin guitar.

The Artful Guitarist

Recently I saw a headline about The Rolling Stones latest tour being on pause for the moment. The Mighty Keef (Keith Richards) has arthritis and isn’t sure about going on tour with it in his current state. Apparently they will have a new album out before too long.

One of Keef’s bandmates, guitarist Ronnie Wood, has been on my mind. Actually, his guitar playing and one specific brand of guitar is what I’ve been thinking about. The guitar brand is called Zemaitis (zuh MY tiss….although Wood pronounced it zuh MAY tiss in an interview I saw), which was named after luthier Tony Zemaitis. Wood is probably the first guitarist I remember seeing on one of these unique beauties. There are a couple of different models, but the one with the metal front is the one I remember most. You can see Wood playing one on this live cut of “I Know I’m Losing You” by The Faces.

The song is actually a Temptations cover which was written by Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland, and Norman Whitfield.

As I mentioned there are other Zemaitis models besides the Metal Front including the Pearl Front, and the Disc Front. The whole idea of the metal front was to reduce noise from the guitar’s pickups, but it really created an opportunity for the beautiful custom artwork you see on some of them. It seems to suit Ron Wood, who not only attended Ealing Art College, but still paints today. In my mind, the guitar matches his artistic side.

Other Zemaitis players are highlighted in this video including Keith Richards, Rich Robinson, Tom Keifer, and Gilby Clarke.

There’s really nothing left to say except Zemaitis also makes basses if you’re so inclined.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Rikki Tikki Rival?

I’m officially on holiday for a couple of weeks and I have to say it’s off to a fun, freaky start! I love great stories and definitely appreciate a good mystery involving one that’s off the beaten path. Take, for example, the story of…the talking mongoose??

Yes, that’s right….the talking mongoose. I turned on the Tubi streaming network and stumbled upon a show called Mystery Files https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28254897/ , which struck me funny. For some reason it was cued up to Season 3 so I just went with it. The first episode was about an alien encounter that I’d already heard, but the second one was about Gef The Talking Mongoose. I don’t really know how many other famous talking mongooses there are out there, but Gef lived on the Isle of Man. Gef apparently was the inspiration for song called “Eighth Wonder” by Lemon Demon.

So, what was the deal with Gef? During the 1930s he supposedly lived with the Irving family: mama, papa, and the daughter who just happened to be a bit of ventriloquist. Gef drew his share of attention from the media and paranormal investigators like Harry Price. Price visited the Irving household and noted the home’s paneling “[made] the whole house one great speaking-tube, with walls like sound boards. By speaking into one of the many apertures in the panels, it should be possible to convey the voice to various parts of the house.” Get the picture?

There’s much more to Gef’s exploits. If you REALLY want to know, you need to watch the 2023 film “Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose.”

In conclusion, I think the Isle of Man should consider adding the letters “G-E-F” to its already freaky looking flag o’ three legs. Perhaps they could print a three-dollar bill in his likeness as well.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Tree Toppers & Chart Toppers

My local classic hits station has been on the “All Christmas All the Time” format since Thanksgiving. I always look forward to the change every season. I can’t say I’ve been too blown away by the songs in their playlist, but I have heard at least one song which is quite catchy. I cheated and used the Shazam app to identify the singer-song combo, and it turned out to be “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift.

I know very little about Taylor Swift, but this is the second time I’ve used the Shazam app to identify a Christmas song which turned out to be her. While I’m not one to keep up on pop music, I’ll say this… It actually sounds like a real person without a bunch of digital beats and digitization. Kudos, Taylor!

Another song which I heard recently is a little more of what I consider my style. I’m talking about “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” by Elvis Presley.

This one was written by Leiber & Stoller and was released on the appropriately entitled “Elvis’ Christmas Album” (1957). There are a couple of other interesting versions of this one. Dwight Yoakam has one out there and Robert Plant did a version with The Honeydrippers on Saturday Night Live during the mid 80s.

So what do Elvis and Taylor have in common besides their success in the music industry? Apparently, they both make great Christmas tree toppers. I never take the time to put up a tree myself, but it’s food for thought. I suppose if you’re super fans of both you could split the tallest middle branch and do a whole twin towers thing.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

White Chocolate Christmas

I haven’t blogged about food in a while, but I feel compelled to share my favorite Christmastime snack. The beauty of it is, there’s no recipe involved. It’s “store bought.” (GASP!) This treat is for those of us whose taste buds favor both the creamy and the extremely sweet. The official name of the tasty treat is OREO White Fudge Covered Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. If you haven’t seen them in the grocery store, they are just what it sounds like. The beauty of these treats is they are thicker and sweeter than your regular Oreo cookies. Think of it as more sweet bang for your buck. I’m sharing this rocking version of “White Christmas” by Bad Religion in this treat’s honor.

I wonder what Irving Berlin would think. Here’s another take on “White Christmas” by The Drifters.

Anyway, I looked up a little information on white chocolate because I’m a big fan. According to Wikipedia, it’s one of the big three traditional types of chocolate. The other two are milk and dark. Fans of white chocolate enjoy its tangy and creamy taste. Haters think it’s bland. (Wikipedia also used the word “cloying” which means excessively sweet.)

As for the history of white chocolate, it was developed in Switzerland and has a history with the Swiss Army. (In terms of inventions, this trumps the Swiss Army Knife in my book.) Nestle makes a confection called Milkybar (or Galak in other parts of the world) which has been around since the 1930s.

What else can I say about OREO White Fudge Covered Chocolate Sandwich Cookies? Perhaps they are used as hockey pucks in an alternate universe. That’s based solely on the shape, not the sweet, creamy taste.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Play It, Steve!

It’s a sad day for the music world. Guitarist Steve “The Colonel” Cropper has gone to that “great gig in the sky.” Many people may not know him by name, but he played on some fantastic records, co-wrote some great tunes, and definitely left his unique stamp on them. While Cropper was born in Missouri, he’s most associated with Memphis, Tennessee. More specifically, he was the guitarist in Stax Records’ house band Booker T. & the MGs.

How many great songs did he play on? For starters, there’s Green Onions, Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, Knock on Wood, and 634-5789. He received co-writing credits on all of those songs along with Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.”

Cropper also appeared in a few films including “The Blues Brothers” with Dan Akroyd and John Belushi. Cropper is the guy who Belushi encouraged to “Play it, Steve” on “Soul Man.”

From a guitar playing perspective, Cropper is known as a Fender Telecaster player and for his use of “sixths” on the instrument. (You can Google it.)

I always associate Steve Cropper as the guitarist for soulful singers like Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, but he is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. I always admired the way Cropper carried himself as a professional. He also played at the Monterey Pop Festival and his influence was enormous.

Viva, Steve!

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!