Because this website isn't enough of a schizophrenic mess, I've decided to add a song of the day feature. But just to jazz it up, it will be themed (thanks for the suggestion, @lurrel!)
This month's theme shall be: Winter Songs! I've got a great line up for you already, and I'll try to keep an ongoing spotify playlist as we go. I welcome your recommendations, but I won't guarantee that they'll be featured.
As it's already the 3rd, you guys get a double dose today.
Let's kick things off with "Northern Sky," by Nick Drake, which the NME once described with far too many qualifications as "the greatest English love song of modern times." Typical NME dithering about what truly is one of the loveliest songs...ever.
Instrumentation was provided by John Cale of The Velvet Underground, who had his hands in many of the great tracks of the 1970's, whether you realize it or not.
Our second song today is actually a tribute to Nick Drake, and is based on the lyrics of "Northern Sky" (connections, aint they fun?). It's hypnotic and gorgeous, and in one of the ironies that likely would have sent Drake to his grave if he weren't already dead, it was a much bigger hit than any of Drake's songs ever were. But really, it's just as beautiful.
Ironically, Nick Drake himself would only find mainstream fame after being featured in a Volkswagen ad in 2000. He went from being completely unknown to the 5th best-selling artist on Amazon in 2000. So advertising...isn't all bad?
Weigh in, folks. What are your favorite winter songs?
