The Eclectic Playlist Series resets again with the new year: all previously played artists are now fair game for the playlists here again. And good thing too, because even though I played David Bowie just last month, I really needed to hear him this month, in the aftermath of our losing this profoundly inspirational artist, and all-around Good Guy. And I wanted in particular to make musical, curational sense of the complex, moving, and generally astounding title track to his final recording, which you will find along the path of this month’s offering, aptly titled “The heart that sings before it breaks.” And this month I will let the music speak for itself, which is about the best thing music does.
“Church of the Poison Mind” – Culture Club (Colour By Numbers, 1983)
“Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” – Frank Wilson (single, 1965)
“You Know It’s You” – Kirsty MacColl (Titanic Days, 1993)
“Tightrope” – Fanfarlo (Rooms Filled With Light, 2012)
“You Can’t Have Sunshine Everyday” – The Rattles (single, 1971)
“Breathe” – Maria McKee (Maria McKee, 1989)
“Blackstar” – David Bowie (Blackstar, 2016)
“Total Control” – The Motels (The Motels, 1979)
“#807” – Pieta Brown (In the Cool, 2005)
“Tender” – Blur (13, 1999)
“Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)” – Arthur Alexander (single, 1962)
“Toutes les Belles Inconnues” – Dawn Landes (Mal Habillée, 2012)
“The Goodbye Look” – Donald Fagen (The Nightfly, 1982)
“See Fernando” – Jenny Lewis (Acid Tongue, 2008)
“We Belong to the Night” – Ellen Foley (Nightout, 1979)
“Your Saving Grace” – Steve Miller Band (Your Saving Grace, 1969)
“It Could Be Sweet” – Portishead (Dummy, 1994)
“New York Morning” – Elbow (The Take Off and Landing of Everything, 2014)
“I Surrender, Dear” – Thelonious Monk (Brilliant Corners, 1957)
“Highway Song” – Aztec Two-Step (Aztec Two-Step, 1972)
Fingertips 