The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I've always suspected people who liked the "classic" Doobie Bros. probably hated Michael  McDonald.  I've never seen one guy so radically change a band.  Ever.  They went from a folksy kinda pop-rock to basically an R&B fusion band that sounded exactly like MM's early solo material.  For better or for worse, depending on your preference (doesn't matter to me, I like both versions), McDonald bitch-slapped that band and re-made them in his image.  

One song that has been so overused in commercials that it just needs to be banned for about 21 years is American Authors’ ‘Best Day of My Life.’

Li-ai-ife my li-ai-ai-ai-ai-ife

Just. Stop.

Even though this is off the topic of the thread, it's still the closest thing to a music thread we have.

So, head bowed out of respect for the passage of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

My dear wife's favorite music genre is R&B, and she particularly likes female singers with a big voice and heavy pathos, like Etta James, Bessie Smith, Mercedes Sosa, etc ... and for sure Aretha.  All week we've been listening to her songs like Natural Woman, Say a Little Prayer, RESPECT, etc.  Also we downloaded and watched the Blue Brothers and her classic diner scene with the song Think! on the eve of her passing.  It was my son's first time seeing the Blues Bros, and of course he loved it.

RIP Aretha

Even though this is off the topic of the thread, it's still the closest thing to a music thread we have.

So, head bowed out of respect for the passage of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

My dear wife's favorite music genre is R&B, and she particularly likes female singers with a big voice and heavy pathos, like Etta James, Bessie Smith, Mercedes Sosa, etc ... and for sure Aretha.  All week we've been listening to her songs like Natural Woman, Say a Little Prayer, RESPECT, etc.  Also we downloaded and watched the Blue Brothers and her classic diner scene with the song Think! on the eve of her passing.  It was my son's first time seeing the Blues Bros, and of course he loved it.

RIP Aretha

Yep, we lost another great one.  
A track that I particularly always loved of hers that your wife may not have heard, but might be interested in, is Aretha's "newer" version of "Somewhere."  I say newer, this still comes from '95 or '96.  I'm pretty sure she had recorded this song much earlier in her career, but I have to say I like this one even better.  The link says this was unreleased, but that's not true.  It's from a compilation album called "Songs of the West Side Story."  Phil Collins actually does the same song on that album, and both his and Aretha's versions are great in their own way.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbDvGnDBlM

I recently heard somebody opine that Michael McDonald is the only guy that aged 40 years instantly (in his young 20s,) and has managed to look the same ever since.   Yes, that beard is a must.   I've also heard people express surprise to find out that he's a white guy.  Rick Astley had that problem too.

Which reminds me,  'Together Forever' is one of those songs that nearly led me to commit crimes as a youth.   No song though generates more disgust to me than BTO's 'Takin Care of Business'.  The vocalist sounds like he's got a mouth full of novocaine.  I once read that Bachman or whoever wrote the song, pitched the song when he was a part of The Guess Who, who said 'not interested'.   Speaking of which, nobody better speak ill of 'These Eyes.'