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Don Henley "The Boys Of Summer"

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Rock 'n roll Americana at its best, "The Boys of Summer" may be what The Beach Boys sounded like if they were more into synths and soloists. Henley delivers one of his most iconic vocal performances (rivaling his work with The Eagles) and lets loose on each chorus, bringing it down for a moment before belting the final lines and each bridge. The 1980s were a time of musical experimentation, and "The Boys of Summer" plays with reverb, synthesizers, and echo effects in ways some songs had in the past -- but not in such a stripped-down fashion for a strictly pop performance. The lyrics evoke visions of summer grandeur and fun but remind listeners that -- at some point -- the fun ends, and everyone goes home. The song holds a special place in my heart. When I lived near the Lake Michigan beaches in Grand Haven, I would play this song with my roof open and windows down, watching people turn and nod approval at intersections. Although I drove an Oldsmobile back then,
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David Gray "This Year's Love"

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One of the finest love songs of the late-'1900s, "This Year's Love" is about that gray area in a relationship when things are going very well, but you are too scared to tell them how you feel for fear they may not feel the same.
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Location: Michigan, USA
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Supertramp "Take the Long Way Home"

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A sentimental pick, "Take the Long Way Home" is one of the finest progressive-rock songs you'll ever hear. It's extremely catchy and features Roger Hodgson's fantastic, tenor vocals that play off and with the song's whimsical arrangement. When I worked Sunday shifts at Jackson Citizen Patriot , I'd often listen to music because there was rarely anyone else at the office, and I'd have half the room to myself. Chip Mundy, one of my colleagues, often asked what I was listening to, and while he didn't know much of the music I would play (usually techno or EDM), he got excited when I once told him Supertramp's Breakfast in America .  Much to my surprise, Chip said Supertramp was one of his favorite bands of all time. In fact, he saw Hodgson and Supertramp live dozens of times around the Midwest. Chip died last year, and in one of the many obituaries written about him , one of our colleagues, Brad Flory, remembered the time Hodgson took time during a
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Location: Michigan, USA
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Nine Inch Nails "Woodstock '94" (Full Concert)

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Essentially a one-man band, Nine Inch Nails is undoubtedly the greatest industrial band ever. That one man is Trent Reznor, a Cleveland native who uses synthesizers and various electronic devices to make songs that replicate the sound of rhythmic steel mills and metal-fabrication plants with lyrics that delve into the human condition in typically not-so-comfortable ways. NIN has produced some commercial hits, but it remains a cult band more than anything. People who are into it are really, really into it. One of those superfans is my sister, Emily. Nine Inch Nails has been her favorite band for decades, and she has seen it in concert many, many times. Today is her 42nd birthday.
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Location: Michigan, USA
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John Fogerty "Centerfield"

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The overwhelming majority of people even casually familiar with baseball would recognize "Centerfield," but the overwhelming majority of those people probably couldn't sing a single verse or tell you it was written and performed by the former lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the most successful American rock bands of all time. Fogerty is a Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame member, mostly for writing unforgettable lyrics and songs such as " Proud Mary ," " Fortunate Son ," and " Down on the Corner ." However, once the band split, Fogerty kept writing, coming up with songs that ranged from hyper-political to simply fun, such as "Centerfield." In 2010, Fogerty played "Centerfield" at the annual Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Afterward, the guitar used to make the song was placed on display inside the hall , making it the only song -- other than "Take Me Out to the Ballpark," which is canoni
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Location: Michigan, USA
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