Pop music - Part 6

Grownin’ Up

“Growin’ Up” is a song by American musician Bruce Springsteen from his 1973 album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J..

It is a moderately paced tune, concerning an adolescence as a rebellious New Jersey teen, with lyrics written in the first-person. The lyrics feature a chorus that is progressively modified as the song continues, with the first chorus being “I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd but when they said ‘Sit down,’ I stood up,” while the second chorus switches to “clouded warmth…’come down,’ I threw up” and the third finishes the song with “mother breast…’pull down,’ I pulled up.”

An acoustic version of the song, part of Springsteen’s 1972 audition for CBS Records, appears on Tracks, 18 Tracks, and Chapter and Verse.

During the Born to Run tours and following Darkness Tour, Springsteen often performed an extended version of this song, extending it with a long, sometimes exaggerated and/or fictional biographical narration of his youth and his passion for guitar playing.

The song was featured on the soundtracks of the films Big Daddy (1999) and Gracie (2007).

David Bowie recorded a version of this song in the early stages of the

Paul2026-04-16T14:17:05-04:00

Strangers In The Night

Strangers in the Night is a 1966 studio album by Frank Sinatra. It marked Sinatra’s return to number one on the pop album charts in the mid-1960s, and consolidated the comeback he initiated in 1965. Combining pop hits with show tunes and standards, the album bridges classic jazz-oriented big band with contemporary pop. It became Sinatra’s fifth and final album to reach number one on the US Pop Albums Chart. Additionally, the single “Strangers in the Night” reached number one on the pop single charts, while “Summer Wind” has become one of Sinatra best-known songs, making numerous film and television appearances in the years since its release.

“Aping what you’ve already done is just so dangerous and unrewarding.” – Andy Summers

Paul2026-03-09T15:30:49-04:00

Witchcraft

“Witchcraft” is a popular song from 1957 composed by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh.

Frank Sinatra recorded “Witchcraft” three times in a studio setting. The first recording was in 1957, for his single release, and was later released on his compilation album All the Way (1961). Sinatra re-recorded “Witchcraft” for 1963’s Sinatra’s Sinatra, and finally recorded it as a duet with Anita Baker for Duets (1993).

“All the great guitarists have a spirit–a way they play and don’t play.” – Eddie Martinez

Paul2026-04-16T14:18:53-04:00

At Last

In 1960, rhythm and blues singer Etta James recorded an arrangement by Riley Hampton that improvised on Warren’s original melody. Etta James’s rendition was the title track on her debut album At Last! (1960) and was eventually inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Most recently, Celine Dion and Beyoncé have also had chart successes with the song.

Prior to release of Sun Valley Serenade, “At Last” was performed in the film by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by John Payne and Lynn Bari, dubbed by Pat Friday. Studio head Darryl Zanuck reportedly said: “There are too many big ones in this. Let’s save one for the next.” The “At Last” vocal by Payne and Bari was thus deleted from the film, although instrumental versions remained, including in the Black Ice Ballet finale. The vocal version was included […]

Paul2026-04-16T14:20:16-04:00

Spiderman

spiderman chords and lyrics

“Spider-Man” is the theme song of the 1967 cartoon show Spider-Man, composed by Paul Francis Webster and Bob Harris. The original song was recorded at RCA Studios in Toronto (where the cartoon was produced) featuring 12 CBC vocalists (members of the Billy Van Singers, and Laurie Bower Singers groups) who added to the musical backing track supplied by RCA Studios, New York. The singers were paid only for the session and have had no residuals from its use since then.

The song has since been adopted as Spider-Man’s official theme, including in-universe.

“Being a musician is a given for me–I didn’t have much choice in the matter.” – Tom Morello

Paul2026-05-09T13:05:48-04:00

Night and Day

Download the Night_and_Day Lead sheet

“Night and Day” is a popular song by Cole Porter that was written for the 1932 musical Gay Divorce. It is perhaps Porter’s most popular contribution to the Great American Songbook and has been recorded by dozens of musicians. NPR says “within three months of the show’s opening, more than 30 artists had recorded the song.”

Fred Astaire introduced “Night and Day” on November 29, 1932, when Gay Divorce opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

The song was so associated with Porter that when Hollywood filmed his life story in 1946, with Cary Grant, the movie was entitled Night and Day.

Fred Astaire recordings

A week before the musical Gay Divorce opened in November 1932, Astaire gathered with Leo Reisman and his orchestra at Victor’s Gramercy Recording Studio in Manhattan to make a record of two Cole Porter compositions, “Night and Day” backed with “I’ve Got You on My Mind”. All was done under the shadow cast by the 1929 stock market crash, which had spawned the Great Depression, a severe economic downturn that lasted through the 1930s. In just over two years, record industry revenues had fallen from $100 million to $6 million, driving all but three […]

Paul2026-04-16T14:24:33-04:00

Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain

As guitarists, we all come to this crossroad at one point or another. Give up, or work harder. What will you do?

“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose. First recorded by Elton Britt in early 1947, then made more popular by Roy Acuff later that year, the song has been covered by many artists, including Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Russell, Charley Pride, and Elvis Presley. Most notably, the song was recorded by Willie Nelson as part of his 1975 album Red Headed Stranger. Both the song and album revived Nelson’s success as a singer and recording artist.

Originally recorded in 1947 by Acuff, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” was recorded by Hank Williams in 1951 for the Mother’s Best Flour Hour. Other early remakes of the song were made by Donn Reynolds (MGM single – June 1957), Ferlin Husky (album Ferlin’s Favorites – November 1959), Slim Whitman (album Country Favorites – 1959), Gene Vincent (recorded October 15, 1958; album Crazy Times! -1960), Bill Anderson (album …Sings Country Heart Songs – January 15, 1962), John D. Loudermilk (album Country Love Songs Plain and Simply Sung – August 1968), Hank Snow (album Greatest Hits) and Conway Twitty (album Hello Darlin’ – June 1970).

The version by Willie Nelson, […]

Paul2026-05-02T09:57:32-04:00

We are gonna be friends

“We’re Going to Be Friends” is a song by American alternative rock band the White Stripes from their album White Blood Cells. It was released in 2002 and tells the story of meeting a new friend at the beginning of a school year.

“Suzy Lee”, who is mentioned in the song in “We’re Going to Be Friends”, makes recurring appearances in White Stripes’ discography, including in their eponymous album, which includes the song “Suzy Lee”, as well as on Get Behind Me Satan, which is dedicated to Suzy Lee, “Wherever she may be…”

The song speaks of a girl and boy who become friends while engaging in activities in and out of school. AllMusic said the song “takes a nostalgic look back at the innocence of school days with a surprisingly sensitive vocal as [Jack] expertly paints impressions of days past with deft economy.”

Paul2026-04-19T17:39:41-04:00

Broke Down Palace

Paul2026-04-16T14:23:08-04:00

Your Song

your song chords and lyrics

Your Song” is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John’s first international Top 10 chart single.

“Your Song” was first released by American rock band Three Dog Night in March 1970 as an album track on It Ain’t Easy. John was an opening act for the band at the time and allowed them to record it. They did not release it as a single as they wanted to let John, then an upcoming artist, have a go with it. John’s version was recorded at Trident Studios in London in January 1970 and appeared in April as the first cut on his self-titled second studio album. Following “Border Song” as the first album single, “Your Song” was released in the United States in October 1970 as the B-side to “Take Me to the Pilot“. Both sides received airplay, but “Your Song” was preferred by disc jockeys and replaced “Take Me to the Pilot” as the A-side, eventually making it to number eight on the Billboard chart. The song also peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart, as […]

Paul2026-05-18T17:32:55-04:00