Black Music Month Challenge - Podcast Trilogy

Black Music Month Challenge 

Off the bat - the thoughtfulness of each day’s theme is much better than the “30 day song challenge"
Day 1 - A song that makes you feel invincible “Time for some action” aka "Time 4 sum Aksion" Redman Day 2 - A song that gives you hope/encourages you - "Keep Ya Head Up” Tupac ShakurDay 3 -  A song that instantly changes your mood - “Rump Shaker” Wreckx-n-Effect Day 4 - Your Favorite song from a soundtrack - “No Shelter” Rage Against the Machine - Godzilla 1998 Movie Album Soundtrack Day 5 - A song you listen to when you’re angry - “(Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below, we’re all going to go” Curtis Mayfield Day 6 - A song that tells a story - "Midnight Train to Georgia" - Gladys Night & the Pips Day 7- A song that brings you Peace or comfort - "Everyday People” Sly & The Familiar Stone inspired “People Everyday” by Arrested Development 

Day 8 - The first song on your house cleaning playlist  - I don’t clean the house to music - so I changed this to cooking “Ham & Eggs” by A Tribe Called Quest

Day 9 - You’re killing everybody at Karaoke with this song - “Cult of Personality” Living Colour 

Happy Father’s Day 

Black Music Month Challenge Part 2 (Days 10-19)

Day 10 - A song dedicated to your Haters and/or Naysayers  - “Takeover” by Jay-Z… I hate to through 'Nas under the bus — but this song is great. I think it’s my favorite ‘diss track of all time…

Day 11 - Your Favorite Hip-Hop Collaboration  “Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest ft/ Leaders of the New School (L.O.N.S.).  Question is Black Starr a collaboration or a group?) if so “Definition”?

Day 12 - A song that was your parents’ jam that is now your jam  (anything by Kool & the Gang)

Day 13 - Your Favorite R&B duet - “You’re all I need to get by” Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell 

Day 14 - Your Favorite Remix (guess what song is NOT eligible) - Get Ur Freak On  REMIX Missy Elliott (w/ Nelly Furtado) 

Day 15 - A video you wish you could’ve been in 

Day 16 - A song that reminds you of your first love - “Water Falls” TLC 

Day 17 - The blackest song you can think of

Day 18 - The sexiest song you know

Day 19 - A cover that you think was better than the original - Jimi Hendrix “All Along The Watchtower” 

Day 20 - A song most people love that you actually hate  

Day 21 - A song that makes you feel warm and fuzzy — California Soul by Marlena Shaw

Day 22 - A song that always puts you in your feelings 

Day 23 - Your idea of a perfect song  — Grover Washington Jr version of Inner City Blues (Make me Want to Holler)

Day 24 - A song attached to to a great memory - Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC

Day 25 - A song guaranteed to make you dance  

Day 26 - A must have song for summer functions  - Outkast — Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac) 

Day 27 - A song with your favorite lyrics 

Day 28 - Your life is a movie, what song plays over the opening or ending credits  — GZA/Genius Pro-Tools Album has a song called “Life is a Movie” and it’s perfect for ending credits 

30 Day Song Challenge - Days 15-21

Day 15- Cover song

Love Rollercoaster - Red Hot Chili Peppers 

The Joe Cocker All-Stars: Cover songs that are either vastly superior to the original or just completely original musical arrangements 

Joe Cocker "Get by with a little help from my friends”, “You are so beautiful”, “The Letter” and “Feelin’ Alright” 

He’s the king of the “Cover where the band makes it there own”. 

UB40 is a great example of this with “Red Red Wine” - which is a PERFECT COVER in my opinion

Rod Stewart was really good at this as well. 

Boyz in the Hood By Dynamite Hack - another great example 

Take on Me - Reel Big Fish - another great example 

In Bloom - Sturgill Simpson  

Ryan Adams “Wonderwall” and like 10 other songs by him 

Johnny Cash "Rusty Cage” 

I will Survive by “Cake” 

Gin and Juice - The Gourds 

You Really Got me - Van Halen (honorable mention to Diamond David Lee Roth for “Just a Gigolo” 

Faith - Limp Bizkit (hate it, but gotta give ‘em credit) 

Straight Away Covers

Ring of Fire by Social Distortion 

You might Think by Weezer 

Hurt by Johnny Cash 

Voodoo Child - Stevie Ray Vaughn 

Here’s a straight ahead cover the STINKS — Phil Collins - Can’t Hurry Love — THAT’S how you make a great song WORSE! KARAOKE Style 

Carless Whisper by Seether - that’s exotic dancing music right there 

Smoking in the Boys Room - Motley Crue 

Land of Confusion - Disturbed 

Covers in which you thought they were the Original 

Whitney Houston “I will always love you” All-Stars  — This song isn’t even great — SHE IS JUST SO TRANSCENDENT and her voice is impossible to explain with words 

Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin Cover by Kris Kristofferson 

Urge Overkill “Girl you’ll be a woman soon” 

Nirvana "Lake of Fire” - really any of the covers off of the unplugged   

Gary Jules and Michael Andrews "Mad World” 

Take me to the river - Talking Heads — THAT WAS AN AL GREEN JAM???? I’ve since really enjoyed learning of this Jam and now think the original is pretty fire in it’s own right.

Tainted Love - Soft Cell — i just thought the “where did our love go part” was a cover  during the outro 

"It’s my Life" No Doubt 

My top 5 

Signs by Tesla 

Scarlet Begonias by Sublime (Honorable Mention)

Gypsy Kings - Hotel California - in Spanish and from an iconic scene for the Big Lebowski (honorable mention) 

All Along the Watch Tower - Jimi Hendrix 

Knocking on Heaven’s door - GNR 

Sweet Dreams are made of This - Marilyn Manson (honorable mention) 

Blue Monday by Orgy 

Mony Mony - Billy Idol (this is my #6) 

It’s My Life - No Doubt 

Nothing Compares 2 U - Prince cover a song he wrote and gave to somebody else to make famous - In addition it’s been covered by Chris Cornell, The Dixie Chicks, Capital Cities, Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies and More 

No Woman, No Cry - The Fugees 

Red Red Wine - UB40 

Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann (stole it from Bruce Springsteen and made it a bigger hit) that one’s for your Rosco. In addition - Manfred Mann took Bob Dylan’s Mighty Quinn to Number 1 in the 1960’s 

Fun Fact: Bob Dylan covers being better performed by somebody else are plentiful - Guns N’ Roses, Manfred Mann, Jimi Hendrix,  the Byrds with Mr. Tamborine Man 

Day 16 - A classic favorite 

Ben E. King - Stand By Me

Shout Pt 1 & 2 - the Isley Brothers 

The Weight by the Band 

It’s 9-7 in favor of Cindy 

Day 17 - Karaoke Song w/ friend 

Take me home tonight 

Lady Marmalade 

Hunger Strike 

Wanted Dead or Alive 

Friends in Low Places 

No Woman No Cry 

I remember you - Skid Row 

Podcast Idea — Ranking Playlist on spotify and beaking them down

Day 18 - A song from the year you were born - 1978 vs.1983 - Roxanne by the Police vs. Africa by Toto 

Day 19 - Rubbish 

Day 20 - Rubbish 

Day  21 - A song with someone’s name in it 

Crazy Mary - Pearl Jam

Call me Al - Paul Simon 

Come on  Eileen - Dexy’s Midnight Runners 

Cindy, I’ll marry you one day - Robert Plant 

My Michelle - Guns N’ Roses

Allison - Elivs Costello 

Gloria - Laura Branigan 

Help Me, Rhonda - Beach Boys 

Brandy - Looking Glass

Janie’s Got a Gun ( Jane Says)

Jenny 867-5309

Karen - the national (of course there’s a song named Karen)

Lay Down Sally & Layla (Clapton and D + Domino’s)

there’s a song called Lindsay quit Lollygagging - Chiodos (What a name?!)

Lola - the Kinks

Marcarena - Los Del Rio 

Maria Maria - Santana 

Mary Mary - The Monkees

Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett 

Oh Sheila - Ready for the World 

Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry 

Ophelia - The Band 

Peg - Steely Dan 

Rosalita (Come out tonight) - Bruce Springsteen 

Rosanna - Toto 

Stacy’s Mom - Fountains of Wayne 

Suzie Q - CCR

Sussudio - Phil Collins 

Tessie - Dropkick’s 

Valerie - Steve Winwood 

Wake up Little Susie - Everly Brothers 

Whole Lotta Rosie AC/DC

Wyona’s Big Brown Beaver - Primus 

Along Comes Mary - The Association 

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - The Killers 

Johnny B Good - Chuck Barry 

Captain Jack - Billy Joel

Dropkick me Jesus (Through the Goal posts of Life) - Bobby Bare

Duke of Earl (Gene Chandler)

Hey Joe - Hendrix 

Hey Jude - The Beatles 

Jeremy - Pearl Jam 

Jessie’s Girl - Rick Springfield 

Jumpin’ Jack Flash - Stones 

Levon - Elton John 

Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin

Mickey - Toni Basil 

Sam’s Town - The Killers 

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - The Killers 

Stan - Eminen 

Tom Sawyer - Rush 

Uncle Johnny - The Killers 

What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? - REM

Greatest Covers Songs of all time

The Top Cover Songs by Famous Bands/Singers

The Joe Cocker All-Stars: Cover songs that are either vastly superior to the original or just completely original musical arrangements 

Joe Cocker "Get by with a little help from my friends”, “You are so beautiful”, “The Letter” and “Feelin’ Alright” 

He’s the king of the “Cover where the band makes it there own”. 

UB40 is a great example of this with “Red Red Wine” - which is a PERFECT COVER in my opinion

Rod Stewart was really good at this as well. 

Boyz in the Hood By Dynamite Hack - another great example

Take on Me - Reel Big Fish - another great example

In Bloom - Sturgill Simpson  

Ryan Adams “Wonderwall” and like 10 other songs by him 

Johnny Cash "Rusty Cage” 

I will Survive by “Cake” 

Gin and Juice - The Gourds

You Really Got me - Van Halen (honorable mention to Diamond David Lee Roth for “Just a Gigolo” 

Faith - Limp Bizkit (hate it, but gotta give ‘em credit) 

Straight Away Covers

Ring of Fire by Social Distortion

You might Think by Weezer

Hurt by Johnny Cash

Voodoo Child - Stevie Ray Vaughn 

Here’s a straight ahead cover the STINKS — Phil Collins - Can’t Hurry Love — THAT’S how you make a great song WORSE! KARAOKE Style 

Carless Whisper by Seether - that’s exotic dancing music right there 

Smoking in the Boys Room - Motley Crue 

Land of Confusion - Disturbed 

Covers in which you thought they were the Original

Whitney Houston “I will always love you” All-Stars  — This song isn’t even great — SHE IS JUST SO TRANSCENDENT and her voice is impossible to explain with words

Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin Cover by Kris Kristofferson 

Urge Overkill “Girl you’ll be a woman soon” 

Nirvana "Lake of Fire”  

Gary Jules and Michael Andrews "Mad World” 

Take me to the river - Talking Heads — THAT WAS AN AL GREEN JAM???? 

Tainted Love - Soft Cell — i just thought the “where did our love go part” was a cover  during the outro

"It’s my Life" No Doubt

My top 5

Signs by Tesla 

Scarlet Begonias by Sublime (Honorable Mention)

Gypsy Kings - Hotel California - in Spanish and from an iconic scene for the Big Lebowski (honorable mention) 

All Along the Watch Tower - Jimi Hendrix 

Knocking on Heaven’s door - GNR

Sweet Dreams are made of This - Marilyn Manson (honorable mention) 

Blue Monday by Orgy 

Mony Mony - Billy Idol (this is my #6) 

It’s My Life - No Doubt 

Nothing Compares 2 U - Prince cover a song he wrote and gave to somebody else to make famous - In addition it’s been covered by Chris Cornell, The Dixie Chicks, Capital Cities, Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies and More 

No Woman, No Cry - The Fugees 

Red Red Wine - UB40

Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann (stole it from Bruce Springsteen and made it a bigger hit) that one’s for your Rosco. In addition - Manfred Mann took Bob Dylan’s Mighty Quinn to Number 1 in the 1960’s

Fun Fact: Bob Dylan covers being better performed by somebody else are plentiful - Guns N’ Roses, Manfred Mann, Jimi Hendrix,  the Byrds with Mr. Tamborine Man  

Leonard Cohen’s Alleluja has been remade a ton but it took like 4 iterations until Jeff Buckley NAILED IT - covered by Malcolm Gladwell