Weekend Music Twofer

 

Louisville's alt rock band White Reaper (relax, they're not a white nationalist group!) had a single late last year, "Pages," that topped the adult alternative charts.  We think it's 2 1/2 minutes of energetically melodic, throwback songwriting.

 

We'd be remiss, especially during Black History Month, if we didn't note that 50 years ago this month, the O'Jays had their mega hit "Love Train" (written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff).  It also has a special meaning to this Hackwhacker.  It's best enjoyed watching the Soul Train dancers stylin' back in 1973, the age of peak 'fro and bell bottoms.  Keep in mind these folks are senior citizens now (except for sitcom star Fred "Rerun" Berry, who appears at around 1:08 and who died in 2003, and host Don Cornelius, who died in 2012).

 

 

Valentine Weekend Twofer

With the majority of popular songs having love or love lost as the main theme, it's impossible to select the most appropriate song to recognize Valentine's Day on Monday. So, essentially we gave up after several hours of searching. Herewith, then, are two songs selected mainly because the word "love" appears in the title (also because Feb. 12 is Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek's 71st (!) birthday, and we love the dance stylin' of the Soul Train gang - yes, that's Rerun doing the slo-mo butt drop at around 1:19). Happy Valentine's Day!