August 22: Tori Amos, "Professional Widow"

Artist: Tori Amos
Song: "Professional Widow"
Album: Boys For Pele
Year: 1996


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There are few things that can be more detrimental to an artist than making a large stylistic shift after establishing their sound in a certain form.  This becomes even more true when the artist in question as perfected this initial sound to the point where they become the "reference point" for other artists pursuing a similar style of music.  Finally, if the sound in question is not a "standard" genre, deviating from the path in question almost always spells instant career failure.  However, there have been a handful of cases in history where an artist has made a rather abrupt stylistic change, and their fanbase has embraced this new sound to the point where it became the new path for that artist.  Though there are certainly more well known examples of this rare musical happening, in 1996, Tori Amos decided to change her image as the finest piano singer-songwriter of her generation.  Already known for her soaring vocals and perfectly crafted musical arrangements, her Boys For Pele record was a great musical shift for her, as the album contained some of the loudest and most musically aggressive songs of her entire career, yet the overall tone of the album was far darker than her previous efforts.  Though she had given a small peek into her "fully orchestrated" sound with her 1994 single, "Cornflake Girl," that song was a rather upbeat affair in comparison.  Brilliantly combining the sound which earned her a massive following with a far more complex and assertive musical arrangement, the new phase in the career of Tori Amos can be summed up in her magnificent 1996 single, "Professional Widow."

The moment "Professional Widow" opens, both the song and the album immediately take on a different tone than most of Tori Amos' previous work, as she has moved from her Bösendorfer grand piano to a perfectly tuned and toned harpsichord.  This instrument gives the song a stunning, gothic feel, and yet it also gives the song a bolder and almost sinister mood unlike any of her previous recordings.  After she runs through the songs' core riff once, "Professional Widow" takes its massive musical turn, as suddenly Amos is being backed by a number of other instruments, as well as a battering from programmed drums.  It is the percussion, programmed by Alan Friedman, and give the song an even darker feel and make the connection between Amos and Nine Inch Nails impossible to deny.  Though she would reference Nine Inch Nails later on Boys For Pele, the style and tone of the programmed drums on "Professional Widow" are unlike anything she had previously released, and they reinforce the somewhat malicious, almost dangerous mood on the song.  Underneath both Amos' playing and the percussion work, there is a strange sound effect that serves as an amazingly subtle finishing touch to the song.  The sound sounds almost like a long groan, and it plays into the song with expert timing, providing even more musical enjoyment for those that can catch it.  "Professional Widow" stands as a far cry from the previous work of Tori Amos, yet the shift in instrumentation only proves that Amos is unquestionably one of the most talented performers of her generation.

Perhaps the only thing more synonymous with the music of Tori Amos that is more prominent than her piano is her soaring, unmistakable voice.  Having previously shown her ability to work the entire vocal spectrum, Amos pushed even further on "Professional Widow," bringing an amazing amount of emotion and energy on every line.  Using very audible breaths to add a fantastic sense of rhythm to her singing, Amos paints an amazing picture with her words here, and once again, it is hard to argue that any other performer of the era had similar ability to create such vivid and mesmerizing moods.  In another stylistic change, Amos turns the pen away from herself on "Professional Widow," as she tells the tale of a woman who seems trapped on two levels, both in her home, as well as by society in general.  The song suggests that it is due to the womans' unsavory reputation, yet Tori Amos uses her unparalleled word-play to show that it is due to the labels given to her by her male counterparts that she lives such a life.  Though it can be interpreted on many levels, one can detect this accusation of being seen as a "second-class" citizen who is only there to serve others when Amos sings, "...gonna strike a deal, make him feel like a Congressman..."  At every turn on "Professional Widow," Tori Amos proves why she stands as one of the finest vocalists in history, as the song presents both the "entrapment" of the protagonist, but one can feel a sense of freedom by the time the song comes to a close.

Though never confirmed, there remains a widely-believed rumor that the "Professional Widow" of which Amos sings is, in fact, a rather specific person.  Credited by many for destroying the friendship between Amos and Trent Reznor, many believe that this song is written about pseudo-musician, Courtney Love.  Taking this into account, the name of the song suddenly takes on a completely different tone, as many also believe that Love had something to do with the tragic death of her former husband, Kurt Cobain.  Though Amos herself has never even remotely confirmed a connection between the two, one can also read the lyrics, "...Mother Mary...china white..." as a subtle reference to Love, though one can just as easily interpret these lines as a reference to the true innocence of the songs' main subject.  Regardless of how one sees "Professional Widow," it clearly marked a pivotal moment in the career of Tori Amos, as the song is without question more musically complex and more aggressive than anything she had previously released.  Her departure from the "girl and a piano" approach that had brought her fame could have gone horribly wrong, as her style was suddenly far louder and perhaps a bit more combative.  However, the emotion, clever lyrics, and absolutely stunning singing are still present, and the fact that her fans "followed her" on this musical change proves that it was these elements that were the keys to her sound.  Standing not only as the turning point in her career, but one of the finest songs she ever recorded, few compositions of the 1990's can compare to Tori Amos' sensational 1996 single, "Professional Widow."

August 21: Wesley Willis, "Rock N Roll McDonald's"

Artist: Wesley Willis
Song: "Rock N Roll McDonald's"
Album: Greatest Hits
Year: 1995


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While a majority of musicians that achieve any type of widespread recognition do so by a somewhat consistent path, it is often those performers that find success in their own way that prove to be the most unique and intriguing musicians in history.  Though there are many stories of a rise to fame that does not include playing very small shows and sending endless demos to record labels, there are few artists who found success in a similar manner to Chicago's Wesley Willis.  Falling somewhere between a novelty act and punk rock, Willis spent many years busking on the streets of Chicago, playing his strange, yet unignorable songs which once heard, can never be forgotten.  While Willis was a confirmed schizophrenic, and this illness comes across in some of his songs, the bizarre nature of his musical creations makes his sickness a side note, and there is truly nothing else in music history that even remotely compares to Wesley Willis.  Gaining notoriety after artists like Eddie Vedder and Billy Corgan saw his street act, Willis was eventually signed to a few record labels where he released more than a thirty albums throughout the in just under three years.  Sadly, Willis passed away on August 21, 2003, but he had already given the world such a wealth of material that he will clearly never be forgotten.  It was on his 1995 record, Greatest Hits, that Wesley Willis recorded what stands as his defining song, the strange yet captivating, "Rock N Roll McDonald's."

Once he was no longer playing on the streets of Chicago and was able to be in a studio setting, Wesley Willis added a few members to his band, and yet the original essence that made him s magnetic still comes through clearly in his songs.  Though these other musicians are present, one can easily hear the song completely stripped down, hearing nothing other than Willis and his synthesizer.  Most often playing a Technics KN model, the bubbly sound and mood it conveys is where the music of Wesley Willis tends to border on a novelty sound.  Playing looped progressions with a tone that in many ways defines the era of the synthesizer, it is within this aspect of the music that the songs of Wesley Willis defy all description and become so unique that they are beyond the ability to be compared to anything else in music history.  On "Rock N Roll McDonald's," the musical arrangement has an extremely sweet and poppy feel, and drummer Todd McDonald provides a steady rhythm throughout, but is careful not to get in the way of Willis' playing.  The instrument that adds the most depth on "Rock N Roll McDonald's" is the bass work of Dave Nooks, and it is his contribution that gives the song a great sense of movement.  Though "Rock N Roll McDonald's" is certainly nothing that will blow away a listener musically, it is so unique and simple that it stands in a musical league all its own.

While one can try and make the case that the music is so odd that it is the aspect that defines the songs of Wesley Willis, there is simply no arguing that it is the singing and lyrics on his songs that make them so unforgettable.  For the most part, Willis' singing consists of rap-style spoken word along side his strange yelling at seemingly random parts of the song.  Though perhaps unintentional, it is this brutally raw and unaltered vocal delivery style that gives his songs an unquestionable authenticity, and it also makes many of them impossible not to sing along with.  However, while the singing may seem a bit off-kilter, the lyrics which Willis sings on all his songs seem to bounce back and forth between serious and utterly absurd musings, furthering the intrigue of his music.  On "Rock N Roll McDonald's," Willis is in fact referring to a very specific place, as the most famous McDonald's, dubbed "Rock and Roll McDonald's," is located in Chicago.  As Willis' song opens, he throws the strange line of, "...it is a good place to listen to the music...people flock here to get down to the rock music..."  It is musings like these that make one wonder whether he is being serious or taking underhanded shots at the greasy-burger haven.  Willis' intentions become more clear in the songs' final verse, as he rips into the company stating, "...McDonald's hamburgers are the worst, they are worse than Burger King..."  While these lyrics were not going to change the world, there remains an aspect of the manner with which Willis delivers the words that makes them both catchy and memorable.

Though the subject matter of Willis' songs ranged greatly, from stories of his delusions from his mental illness to songs about his friends to completely unexplainable songs like, "I Whupped Batman's Ass." However, there is one common bond that runs through nearly every one of his recordings, as he ends each song with the phrase, "Rock over London, rock on Chicago" and then follows it with an ad slogan from a well known brand.  None of these "ads" were asked for by companies, and this strange, unexplainable element adds yet another level of intrigue to the recorded catalog of the late Wesley Willis.  Though his songs may come off as novelty songs or simply silly, when one looks deeper into the music of Willis, it is impossible to deny that there is a certain level of genius at play throughout his catalog.  From his unique synthesizer orchestrations to his choices in subject matter to the distinctive way with which he ended his song, there are few artists in history that have made music that is as individual as that of Wesley Willis.  Furthermore, the conviction and emotion with which he delivers every word lends a sense of authenticity to his music that is rarely rivaled in even the most raw and straghtforward musicians in history.  While it is perhaps a bit difficult to get past the "silly" sound of his music, one cannot deny the genius of Wesley Willis, and everything that makes him so extraordinary can be heard in his 1995 song,"Rock N Roll McDonald's."

August 20: Third World War, "Working Class Man"

Artist: Third World War
Song: "Working Class Man"
Album: Third World War
Year: 1971


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In the case of nearly every genre in history, a handful of bands that unquestionably had a massive impact on the development of the genre did so with nearly no recognition at all for their contributions.  Though these bands are often known to the more well known bands of the genre, to the "general public," they are often the best kept secrets in music.  Case in point: while many people see bands like The Stooges and The Velvet Underground as the "only" signs of what would become punk rock at the beginning of the 1970's, there were a handful of other bands making equally important steps in the genre's development without any sort of fanfare.  Though many of these "unknown" bands were based in the U.S., there is one U.K. band whose 1971 self-titled debut remains one of the most stunning presentations of the fusion between heavy metal, folk, and blues, showing much of the style that would become "punk."  Lasting only a few years and two albums, there are few bands in history that were as quietly influential as U.K. rockers Third World War, and their first record remains one of the most powerful and musically brilliant albums ever recorded.  Overflowing with attitude and some of the heaviest and most aggressive sounds that were being made at the time, the wide-ranging impact of the group cannot be understated, and everything that makes them so fantastic can be found in Third World War's song, "Working Class Man."

The moment the song begins, "Working Class Man" has a tone and attitude all its own, and one can clearly hear the styles it pulls from, while at the same time see where their sound is going.  The brief opening guitar riff from Mick Liber instantly sets the tone, as it is perfectly distorted and has an urgency that moves the song without a rhythm section.  Band founder Terry Stamp quickly joins with a second guitar, and their combined sound is as captivating as it is invigorating, leaving any ideas of the psychedelic movement in the dust.  Bassist Jim Avery is very forward in the mix, and his presence gives "Working Class Man" a superb groove that is rarely found anywhere within the hard rock styles of music.  The final member of Third World War's musical assault was drummer Fred Smith (NOT Fred "Sonic" Smith), and the shifting shuffle that be brings throughout the song gives "Working Class Man" a fantastic depth that enables the song to sound just as fresh today as it did nearly forty years ago.  Throughout the song, Third World War makes it clear that they've no interest in those who were still clinging to the last remnants of the "hippie" movement, as the group brought an unrelenting musical aggression that exemplified the somewhat haunting nature of their name.  Yet even with their confrontational music and distorted tone, there is also an underlying sense of fun, almost to a point of recklessness, that runs beneath the music, and it is this aspect that played a vital role in the development of the punk rock genre.

While the music found on "Working Class Man" is nothing short of outstanding, it is the vocals from Terry Stamp that prove to be the "difference maker" in the overall sound of Third World War.  With a clear ethos that their music was "for the people, by the people," few vocalists in history have as gritty a voice that comes across as an "everyman" sound similar to Stamp.  While many singers both before and since have brought a similarly "dirty" sound to their singing, there is a sense of authenticity in Stamp's voice that is rarely heard elsewhere, and it makes songs like "Working Class Man" have a similar sense of legitimacy, again laying the ground-work for the punk rock style.  Following the varied drum tempo, both the music and vocals on "Working Class Man" have a fantastic sense of elasticity, and this movement within the song easily makes it one of the finest musical achievements of the era.  However, if it were not for the honest, simple yet profound lyrics that Stamp sings, the song would not have nearly the impact that it does.  Again reinforcing the "everyman" approach, the lyrics are as far from subtle as one can get, and the repeated idea of a man working as hard as he can just to make ends meet surely resonated with the English laborers as well as "blue collar" workers across the globe.  Speaking directly to the struggle of workers who find frustration when dealing with the "powers that be," Stamp sings, "...you'd think five years service is something, but it's not..." as he focuses on a "run in" with these "higher ups."  The entire song perfectly represents the sentiments of underpaid, overworked employees across the globe and across the generations, and few bands have ever composed as perfect a rallying cry as one finds on "Working Class Man."

Though countless bands over the decades have attempted to take the approach of "a band for the people," few have done so as honestly and as perfectly as one will find in the extraordinary 1971 debut record from Third World War.  While they remain one of the great secrets of the history of music, "those in the know" can clearly see the massive amount of impact they had on the overall development of the hard rock and punk rock styles, and many have even gone so far as to describe them as "England's first punk band."  Driving this point home, the great Joe Strummer once said of Third World War's music, that they "...were doing it when everything else was dead..."  Such accolades make it a bit difficult to understand why Third World War has not been given their due respect over the decades, as their first album still trumps nearly everything that has been released in the four decades since it first appeared.  Bringing an unparalleled combination of crushing, yet bluesy guitar work and some of the most creative rhythm work ever recorded, one simply cannot overstate the wide-reaching impact of their musical efforts.  Furthermore, the vocals of Terry Stamp can be seen as influencing nearly every "punk" singer, and one can only assume that the mighty Joe Strummer himself took some of his own stage presence from Stamp.  Though each song on their debut is absolutely stunning, the entire ethos of the band is perfectly summed up in their unsettling, powerful 1971 ode to the unappreciated, "Working Class Man."

August 19: Sinéad O'Connor, "Nothing Compares 2 U"

Artist: Sinéad O'Connor
Song: "Nothing Compares 2 U"
Album: I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Year: 1990


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There are certain songs in the history of recorded music that were so huge in every meaning of the world, that they become just as, if not more memorable than the significant events of the era in which they were released.  Whether due to being so musically different, some type of controversy, or a host of other possibilities, it is these few songs that serve as the markers for the passage of time.  As has been stated many times before, there are few points in history that allowed for as wide a range of musical exploration whilst still achieving commercial success than one can see in the early years of the 1990's, and it is why this period stands as one of the most exciting in music history.  While there were a great number of artists that changed the landscape of music during these years, few did so as quickly and in a similar manner as one of the most influential, yet controversial performers in music history: Sinéad O'Connor.  Though she possesses what remains without question one of the most powerful voices in history, and one cannot deny how much impact she had on the influx of strong female performers that emerged early on in the decade, it is difficult to discuss Sinéad O'Connor without also speaking of the ripples she made due to both her image as well as her political views.  However, setting these aside, she is also responsible for one of the biggest songs of the entire decade, and music simply does not advance in the way it has without her stunning 1990 cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U."

While most know that the song was penned by Prince, few are aware that it was released by his short lived funk band, The Family in 1985.  This original recording was not released as a single, and nearly everything about the cover by Sinéad O'Connor is a great stylistic shift from the original.  Musically, the song is able to be both full and complex, while at the same time staying quite minimalist.  It is this odd juxtaposition that serves as an initial point of intrigue, as the music is provided by a small string section and a lone drum beat.  The slow pace of the song stands in opposition to nearly everything else being released at the time, and the combination of the tempo and the musical arrangement made it almost impossible to fathom that the song quickly topped the charts in more than a dozen different countries, and it stayed in the top spot for well over a month, instantly turning O'Connor into an international superstar.  However, one simply cannot deny the sheer beauty of the musical arrangement, as the string section seems to transcend the common moods of classical style musical backing, and create an almost overwhelming sense of sorrow.  Clearly, this tone could not have been created by a traditional rock-style orchestration, and though many have tried since, no artist has been able to achieve the odd musical perfection that one finds in the arrangement on "Nothing Compares 2 U."

However, throughout the song, both the string section and the percussion are kept at a rather low level, as the true focal point of the entire song is the unparalleled, breathtaking vocal performance of Sinéad O'Connor.  Though she had already shown her amazing abilities on her debut album a few years earlier, it was her singing on "Nothing Compares 2 U" that showed the world just how captivating and truly moving a singer she was.  Working the entire vocal scale throughout the song, O'Connor also plays two moods against one another, as she shows a sense of strength within the almost mournful lyrics she sings.  It is this aspect of "Nothing Compares 2 U" that would serve as the cornerstone of the movement of female singer-songwriters and performers that would explode over the following years, and one cannot understate the importance of Sinéad O'Connor to this movement.  Yet at the same time, one of the main reasons that "Nothing Compares 2 U" was so successful is the fact that Prince had written one of his finest lyrics, and O'Connor's cover proves the ambiguous nature of the words.  The lyrics show both sides of true heartbreak, as the protagonist is open about the severity of their loss, yet there remains a strong sense of "moving on" throughout the entire track.  In what remains one of the greatest lines ever written, one cannot avoid the almost overwhelming sense of sorrow within the words, "...it's been so lonely without you here, like a bird without a song..."  At every turn, the lyrical brilliance of Prince fuses together with the extraordinary vocal power of O'Connor, and it is this reason that"Nothing Compares 2 U" remains one of the greatest songs ever recorded.

The true testament of the power of a song is how it sounds after many years and countless listenings have passed.  The fact of the matter is, more than twenty years after her cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" first appeared, Sinéad O'Connor's voice and emotion are still able to move the listener just as easily and with the same power as it did when it was initially released.  This is largely due to the fact that O'Connor's voice remains one of the strongest to ever be heard, and the amount of emotion on each line is almost overwhelming.  There is an amazing sense of sincerity within her singing, and the fact that there is such minimal musical accompaniment only adds to the complete focus on her phenomenal vocal performance.  It is this feeling of a completely soul-bearing performance that sets "Nothing Compares 2 U" so far apart from its peers, as O'Connor could have easily broken into tears during the song and it would have been "passable," yet she never shows any sign of needing any aid to convey her deep emotions.  However, it is on "Nothing Compares 2 U" that O'Connor set the tone for the "new" image of the "strong woman" in music, as while the feeling of loss and sorrow pervades every turn of the song, one cannot deny the underlying sense of strength within her singing, and it is this aspect that has influenced countless artists since.  Though she went on to create a great deal of controversy, one cannot deny the fact that there were few songs in history that have singlehandedly shaped music and captivated the world in a similar manner as Sinéad O'Connor's unforgettable 1990 cover of Prince's, "Nothing Compares 2 U."

August 18: Meat Puppets, "Plateau"

Artist: Meat Puppets
Song: "Plateau"
Album: Meat Puppets II
Year: 1984


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Though it becomes increasingly rare as the years go by, there are few things better in the world of music than when a record company achieves "label identification."  This occurs when a record label decides to only sign the finest bands of a certain style, and it gets to a point where one is able to buy anything from that label and be sure that even if they do not know the band, it will be a certain style and a certain quality of music.  Throughout much of the 1980's, it was SST Records that was seen as the "home" of West Coast hardcore music, and though it was this label that brought the world the likes of Black Flag, Minutemen, and Hüsker Dü among many others, there were also a number of bands on their roster that could not be defined as "hardcore."  Pulling influence from the hard rock sound as much as that of country and many other styles, few bands have endured or made as wide a range of music as one finds in the catalog of the trio known as Meat Puppets.  Though their first record is unquestionably a hardcore affair, it was their second record, 1984's aptly titled Meat Puppets II that showed the word the diverse sound the band could play, and many of their greatest musical achievements are found on this album.  It was largely due to the fact that the band was injecting other sounds into the hardcore style that set them aside from their peers, and it is also the reason that the album remains a true classic nearly thirty years later.  Having been covered by many other bands over the decades, few songs in the catalog of Meat Puppets are more stunning than their classic tune, "Plateau."

From the moment "Plateau" begins, it sounds like absolutely nothing that one could even remotely affiliate with the hardcore sound, and it is within this song that the wide range of influences of the band become the most obvious.  Quiet, mellow, and melodic are just a few terms that describe this song, and one would be hard pressed to make the case that such words can be applied to any band looking to keep their "hardcore cred," and the Meat Puppets manage to do just that.  "Plateau" has a very strong country tone to it, as both the guitar and overall mood of the song could have easily come from an established artist in that genre.  The way in which Curt and Cris Kirkwood blend their guitars together is nothing short of stunning, and it is also the complexity of the musical arrangement that further sets the band apart from the stereotypical hardcore sound.  The country overtones on "Plateau" are further complicated (in a good way) by the deep blues sound that comes through clearly, and the fact that the group is still able to retain a sense of the punk ethos within the song serves as a testament to their talents as musicians.  Adding in an almost jazz-like feel, drummer Derrick Bostrom gives the song another unique aspect, and it is impossible to find anything similar to his playing here on any other punk or hardcore recording.  The fact that these elements are so blatantly present, yet "Plateau" stands as iconic as it does within the hardcore genre is truly inexplicable, and this exemplifies the odd musical mastery that is the music of Meat Puppets.

The one consistent aspect of the music of Meat Puppets is the wonderfully distinctive voice of Curt Kirkwood, and both his tone and style are immediately recognizable.  It doesn't take a music fanatic to understand that Kirkwood's voice is far from the "standard" styles of singing, as his singing is in many ways impossible to describe.  On "Plateau," his entire range of singing styles are on display, and one can experience everything from his almost spoken style on the verses to the high-pitched performance found on the bridge and chorus.  It is within these latter moments that one can hear a clear influence on later artists like J. Mascis, Kurt Cobain, and many other singers of the "grunge" and hardcore styles.  The fact that so many performers cite both Meat Puppets and Kirkwood as an influence to this day further reinforces how unique a band they were, and it is also within the words of Kirkwood that the band turned themselves into legends.  While the song itself seems to be little more than a description of a barren wasteland (it was written on a trip into the desert), it is the wild images that Kirkwood creates that make "Plateau" such a mesmerizing song.  Singing phrases that are almost psychedelic such as, "...holy ghosts and talk show hosts are planted in the sand...," the words may seem nonsensical, yet there is much wisdom hidden within.  Without question, one of the most unexpectedly stunning and thought provoking lines ever written is found within this song when Kirkwood sings, "...who needs action when you've got words..."  It is moments like these that cement the groups' place as music icons, and their words have been re-quoted countless times over the decades.

Though Meat Puppets remained what can be termed as "underground legends" for more than a decade, the group, as well as "Plateau" were thrust into the spotlight when both were featured on Nirvana's legendary Unplugged performance in 1993.  One of two Meat Puppets songs the band performed that night, both Kirkwood brothers joined Nirvana on stage, and after the songs were played, it was clear to all where Nirvana had taken much of their sound.  This fact was perhaps the final piece in solidifying just how important Meat Puppets were to the development of music, and the fact that it was due to their more melodic songs as opposed to their wild hardcore musings serves as a testament to the "true" roots of the "grunge" sound.  Perhaps due to the fact that they were surrounded by some of the greatest hardcore bands in history, Meat Puppets found a way to blend country and psychedelic rock into the hardcore sound, and there has simply never been another band that was able to achieve a similar sound.  Their entire second album stands as one of the greatest musical achievements in history, and Meat Puppets II is without question on "the list" of albums that everyone should experience firsthand.  The album showcases the band at the top of their musical game, and the Kirkwood brothers and Derrick Bostrom rarely sounded better than on that album.  Filled with a wide range of musical approaches, few songs in the Meat Puppets' catalog carry the same musical power as one finds in their 1984 classic, "Plateau."

August 17: Black Sheep, "The Choice Is Yours"

Artist: Black Sheep
Song: "The Choice Is Yours"
Album: A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
Year: 1991


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In nearly every aspect one could think, the early 1990's were a breeding ground for creative musical endeavors.  From the blending of genres in ways like never before to great forays within individual genres themselves, there seemed to be no limit to what could be accomplished musically.  This fact is even more clear, as within modern music, there is rarely anything that is much more than a stale copy of a sound or style that had gained a bit of commercial success.  This idea of an almost repetitive nature is perhaps no more apparent than within the current hip-hop scene, and yet it is also this genre that showed the most diversity during the early 1990's.  Though "gangsta rap" was beginning to build steam, there was a large portion of the hip-hop scene that was paving new group in the genre, from dance-style hip-hop to more socially conscious rhymes.  Without question, it was New York City that was still the main source of new sounds within hip-hop, and it is that city which was one responsible for one of the most innovative groups of the era: Black Sheep.  Releasing only a handful of albums, it was Black Sheep that gave the world what endures as one of the most overall entertaining records of the decade with their fantastic 1991 debut, A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing.  Brilliantly witty and musically unique, everything that made Black Sheep so fantastic can be found in their unforgettable 1991 classic, "The Choice Is Yours."

The moment "The Choice Is Yours" begins, it is clearly unlike any other hip-hop song to date, and yet it somehow manages to fuse together all of the different trends that were making for successful hip-hop songs at the time.  It is also within the music that one can experience the wide range of influences of the members of Black Sheep, as the songs they choose to sample are from all across the musical spectrum.  "The Choice Is Yours" is built around the combination of a mesmerizing bassline and catchy hook, and it is created from samples of The Bar-Kay's "Humpin" and "Big Sur Suite" by, Johnny Hammond.  While these two samples on their own may not have seemed significant, the fact that the third song that is heavily used on "The Choice Is Yours" is in fact Iron Butterfly's "Her Favorite Style" not only shows the groups' diverse musical tastes, but also its depth, as one can easily argue that this Iron Butterfly song is one of the more obscure tunes in music history.  Regardless, the combination of these samples, along with some fresh sound effects and other small musical pieces results in one of the most truly perfect musical arrangements in hip-hop history.  The song is able to hit hard enough to have that "turn it up" quality, yet it is simultaneously laid-back enough that it has a smooth feeling that is unlike anything else in hip-hop history.  It si seemingly juxtaposing sounds that made "The Choice Is Yours" so unforgettable, and much the reason it remains so highly revered nearly twenty years later.

It goes without saying that the rhymes found on "The Choice Is Yours" are nothing short of phenomenal, and this is not all that surprising, as Black Sheep were one of the "affiliates" of Afrika Bambaataa's "Native Tongues" group.  Along with the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Jungle Brothers, it was this "crew" that made great forays into the more positively styles hip-hop music, and they paved the way for later groups like Jurassic 5 and Common.  This upbeat, almost jovial nature comes through clearly in the lyrics, as emcee Dres rolls out some of the finest lyrics ever recorded.  Unlike many of his peers, Dres' delivery is never anything but smooth and measured, and he rarely sounds as if he is forcing the words of pushing his voice.  It is this chilled-out mood that serves as the perfect finishing touch to the song, and his rhymes on "The Choice Is Yours" remain some of the most iconic in the history of the genre.  Over the past two decades, one can find many instances of his lyrics being "bitten" or slightly modified, and this serves as a testament to their lasting impact.  Truth be told, in an era filled with countless memorable lyrics, few have a similar staying power to the beginning of the songs' third verse, which states, "...engine engine number nine, on the New York Transit line..."  While one cannot make a valid argument as to "why" this lyric has endured, the fact remains that it has, and it is rhymes like this that have made "The Choice Is Yours" a true hip-hop classic.

Though it does not receive as much credit as many other albums of the era, one cannot deny the fact that Black Sheep's A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing remains one of the most artistically influential albums in all of hip-hop history.  From the fantastic mixture of musical samples to the unique delivery style and subject matter of the songs, the album is without question entertaining in a manner unlike any other record of the time.  It is this distinctive sound that enabled the song to rise on the charts, and it shot even higher with the release of the albums' third single, "The Choice Is Yours."  While the delivery may seem a bit lighter in nature than that of many of their peers, the power behind the words is no less, and the distinct nature of their artistic approach can be heard within the lines, "...never was a fool, so we finished school, never see us sweat and you'll never see us drool...out to rock the globe while it's still here to rock, don't punch girls, and we don't punch a clock..."  While at face value, the latter half of the rhyme may seem a bit silly, when put in the context of the other emcees of the time, it simultaneously lifted Black Sheep to a higher level, while blatantly pointing out the childish nature of many other rappers.  It is this more subtle aggression, combined with the superb rhyming style of Dres, backed by the perfectly executed music that has enabled Black Sheep's 1991 single, "The Choice Is Yours" to endure as one of the most iconic songs of the decade, as well as one of the greatest in the entire history of hip-hop music.

August 16: Daily Guru, "Gurucast #33"

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN (will open in new tab)


(Left Click (PC) or Command-Click (Mac) to save it to your desktop...it's about 75MB)

One hour of amazing music and SOME commentary from "The Guru" himself.

Tracklist:
1. Jane's Addiction, "Stop"  Ritual De Lo Habitual
2. Generation X, "One Hundred Punks"  Generation X
3. Roberta Flack, "Compared To What"  First Take
4. The Clash, "Police & Thieves"  The Clash
5. The Pharcyde, "Ya Mama"  Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
6. The Adverts, "One Chord Wonders"  Crossing The Red Sea
7. ZZ Top, "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide"  Dëguello
8. The Damned, "Smash It Up Parts 1 & 2"  Machine Gun Etiquette
9. The Supremes, "Come See About Me"  Where Did Our Love Go?
10. The Fall, "The Past"  The Real New Fall LP (Formerly "Country On The Click")
11. Wirepony, "Atlantic Man"  Right Hook Of Love
12. David Byrne, "Why"  Grown Backwards
13. Nine Inch Nails, "The Becoming"  The Downward Spiral
14. Mississippi Fred McDowell, "Shake 'em On Down"  Live At The Mayfair Hotel