One Year of Songs

Undisputedly, one of the greatest guitar performances ever. Its seemingly endless triad interludes are anchored in D-minor, showing what's possible when you explore a key to its fullest. It also proves anyone can make a Fender Stratocaster, a relatively cheap, "beginner" electric guitar, sound like a million dollars. One of the earliest songs Mark Knopfler ever recorded, it catapulted him toward a career as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. While the song showcases Knopfler's playing, it's worth highlighting the quick-hit moments the other bandmembers provide in tandem or response to some of Knopfler's interludes. Listen closely, and you'll hear everyone else get in their own, fleeting licks. Knopfler's singing has become somewhat legendary in its own right. Yet, the only off-center part of this song is the lyrics. They don't carry "Sultans of Swing" in any meaningful way but tell  a somewhat interesting story .

A couple decades ago, a friend did an extremely similar project with movies. I thought, "I should do that -- but with music." The goal is to share music that stands out and do so while eating 5-10 minutes of your time for each day. These are not necessarily my favorite songs -- although, I like most of them. They simply have an element that goes beyond your typical piece of music, and each post will include an explanation of why I chose it. Some songs will have a special place in my life, but most of them will speak to a shared experience. Some of them will be bad songs that have a good element. Some of them are all about the music video -- regardless of the quality of the song. Some of them will be about the story behind the song. Even when the project is done, there will be troves of songs that deserve to go here, and I will probably wish I removed This Song and replaced it with That Song. Just like the music we choose to listen to at any given time, whatever goes here will