Labor Day Disaster Special

Man, it’s been a rough summer. I don’t have to tell you, but: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, drought, heat, wildfires and so on. I’m waiting for that plague of locusts next, you know?

But it’s not like us to bitch (much) so we thought we’d compile some disaster – natural and otherwise – songs for your Labor Day playlist. There are plenty more elsewhere on this blog, so scroll down and pick ’em up!

MP3: “Cities On Flame With Rock and Roll” by Blue Öyster Cult

MP3: “Black Rain” by Ozzy Osbourne

MP3: “I Feel The Earth Move” by Carole King

MP3: “Fire and Rain” by the Isley Brothers

MP3: “Hotter Than Hell” (live) by KISS

MP3: “Hot Thing” by Big Star

MP3: “Burnin’ For You” by Blue Öyster Cult

MP3: “Behold the Hurricane” by the Horrible Crowes

MP3: “Walking In A Hurricane” by John Fogerty

MP3: “When The Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin

MP3: “This Wheel’s On Fire” by the Byrds

MP3: “My City Of Ruins” by Bruce Springsteen

MP3: “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones

More Disaster Playlists:

End of the World, Part 1

End of the World, Part 2

Welcome to Hell … or Houston, it’s all the same

Ridin’ Out The Storm

By the way …

Hurricane Warning!

Fire, Flooding, Greed and Vengeance

Hurricane Warning: Shelter from the Storm

 

Homework assignment:

News story from the Associated Press: “An Extreme and Exhausting Year”

Alex Chilton, R.I.P.

Sad news coming out of Memphis tonight, the legendary Alex Chilton died today of an apparent heart attack.  Chilton, currently fronting his band Big Star, was 59 years old.  The Memphis native was the gruff-voiced teenager who sang with the Box Tops in the 1960s, and fronted the power-pop rockers Big Star in the 1970s.  Chilton sang and wrote some of Big Star’s best-remembered songs, like “In The Street” (heard over the opening credits of “That ’70s Show”) and “September Gurls.”

Story on Alex Chilton’s death from the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Big Star was scheduled to play a Saturday night showcase at the SXSW music festival in Austin.  Now there might be some sort of tribute to the fallen lead singer.

Story from Entertainment Weekly

MP3: “Soul Deep” by the Box Tops

MP3: “The Letter” by the Box Tops

MP3: “September Gurls” by Big Star

MP3: “O My Soul” by Big Star

MP3: “Thirteen” by Big Star

MP3: “The Ballad of El Goodo” by Big Star

MP3: “Rock Hard” by Alex Chilton

MP3: “Every Time I Close My Eyes” by Alex Chilton

MP3: “Alex Chilton” (live) by the Replacements

MP3: “Big Star” by the Jayhawks

YouTube: “In The Street” by Big Star