I Just Came Back From A War

Making note Veteran's Day, present here is Darryl Worley who threw aside a college degree in biology and chemistry, and an engagement to fulfill his dream to be a full-time country music star. After moderate success he went to entertain the troops in Afghanistan during Christmastime and came back to write a number of vet-centric numbers. One is "I Just Came Back From A War," whose dark edges do nothing to hide its patriotic shine. And he apparently had nothing to hide in his Playgirl magazine shoot.

The obverse view from a vet's POV is Rise Against's "Hero of War".

But the most heart-breaking vet-comes-home story may be John Prine's "Sam Stone" sung here by Johnny Cash.

Blue Jay Way

On this date in 1967, The Beatles finished recording "Blue Jay Way," thereby introducing to the world that there is fog in sunny Southern California. This cover is by Beatlejazz, a dynamic duo of Brian Melvin (percussion) and Dave Kikoski (piano) who are supplemented by a some serious jazz players on a series of four Beatles-specific albums. It ain't BeatleMania, thankfully. It's touring band playing Beatles songs treated as standards like any jazz group approaches a set list. And they're playing tonight in New York City.

Clocks Go Forward

James Bay is a folk/popster in the manner of James Taylor, Brett Dennen and David Gray whose contemplative songs evoke a quiet resonance. Clocks Go Forward is relevant to the return to Standard Time, where clocks go back an hour, by its reference of a couple who will couple til Daylight Savings Time. Other metaphor users include "It's Too Late to Change the Time" here being the remixed and rewrapped update from '87 to focus on Michael Jackson's career, a boppier, hookier version of the Jackson 5 original. Also Johnny Hates Jazz's "Turn Back The Clock" which in this case is to turn the clock back to the '80s, thus all comparisons to Wham and the Pet Shop Boys is intentional.

"I Just Shot John Lennon"

via Radical.ru

On this date in 1980:
John Lennon was gunned down in NYC. Irish alt rockers, The Cranberries mark the event  with "I Just Shot John Lennon" with the lyrics:

"A sad and sorry, sickening sight; 

What a sad and sorry, sickening night"

on Spotify.com