"GYPSY" SUZANNE VEGA (1987)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Solitude Standing will always hold a special place in my heart. Suzanne was the first music artist that I met in person. She signed both my Solitude Standing and 99.9 F CDs at Tower Records in Greenwich Village back in the early 90’s. About 25 years later, I saw her perform literally 10 feet left of center from me at Joe’s Pub. Unsurprisingly, only “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” from Solitude Standing made it on the setlist. It was an incredible night of wit and music. But I was disappointed she didn’t play “Gypsy”.

In 1987, my music tastes mainly leaned in two directions: a classic hard rock direction including the likes of Rush, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, and an alternative rock direction including R.E.M., U2, Depeche Mode and the like. “Gypsy” with its folk-inspired elements, was clearly neither of these. It’s a song that helped me to appreciate the strength of great songwriting and storytelling, not just a killer guitar riff or synth hook. “Gypsy” is beautifully written, showcasing Vega’s unique ability to merge poetry with prose.

“You come from far away With pictures in your eyes.”

"SOLITUDE STANDING" SUZANNE VEGA (1987)

A great title track is par for the course when it comes to great albums. If the title track doesn’t cut it, what does that say about the album itself? This month, the Mental Jukebox will be playing some of my favorite title tracks – inspired by @NicolaB_73’s music Twitter challenge, #TopTitleTracks.

One Saturday afternoon in high school, I went to the old Tower Records in the Village and waited among the throngs to meet Suzanne Vega. She was quiet, but assuredly in command. That same eccentric stature and personality are on full display on “Solitude Standing” where Vega’s eerie confidence comes through even in a whisper. “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” were the bigger hits. But the title track is the one that showed Vega at her best, unapologetic self.

“Solitude Standing” stands firmly in the album’s midway point. It seems as if we’ve walked into a labrynth of synth shards, guitar meanderings, snare hits and Vega’s pensive vocal output. It’s easy to lose yourself in the music, which is why I love it so much. But that’s only part of what works best. “Solitude Standing” is also a portal into the second half of the album. While the first half had a darker, seedier side, the second half envelopes the listener in a more ethereal fantasy world.

“I've come to set a twisted thing straight.”

"TOM'S DINER" SUZANNE VEGA WITH DNA (1990)

This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.

Purists choose the Suzanne Vega original off of Solitude Standing, but the remix with DNA is my favorite version of the song by far. Rarely do I think the remix collab formula beats the original. But it does happen. One of the other few exceptions I can think of is the Aerosmith / RUN D.M.C. version of “Walk This Way”. The blend of sound and genres was a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And that’s the case here with “Tom’s Diner”.

What I love most about the song is that it describes a real restaurant that Suzanne Vega ate at frequently when she was a student at Barnard. It’s a real place conjuring real memories with real people. “Tom’s Diner” is real life, not fiction, captured so vividly in Vega’s monotonous, repetitive vocals, each verse flanked by a series of irreplaceable doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doos. DNA’s bass and drum machine assure us there is rhythm and energy in the monotony of morning coffee at the diner.

“Does she see me? No she does not Really see me 'Cause she sees Her own reflection.”

"SONG OF SAND" SUZANNE VEGA (1992)

You can get off to a fast start. You can sustain your opener with the main course, not filler. But can you end on a high note? Sometimes I wonder if recording a strong closer is the most difficult thing to pull off when it comes to album rock. When it comes to the cream of the crop in music, I can think of more strong openers than strong closers. Nonetheless, I still have my favorites which I’ll be featuring on Mental Jukebox all month.

99.9F is a great album, but it’s not a typical Suzanne Vega album. Her signature acoustic guitar-driven approach comes with harder, rougher edges here with tinges of industrial rock and grunge. Which is why “Song Of Sand”, the album closer, is so significant. It’s all acoustic, a reminder and a return to form in terms of the songwriting and instrumentation found on albums like Solitude Standing.

Those dissected minor chords in “Song Of Sand” are highly reminiscent of older Suzanne Vega songs like “Night Vision” and “Language”. Genres come and go, including grunge. But this track is a stalwart signal to the fans. You can create different styles and sounds. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the songwriting – the way in which the words combine with the melodies to create something memorable and timeless. This is the strength of “Song Of Sand” and of Suzanne Vega’s overall body of work.

“If sand waves were sound waves, What song would be in the air now?”

"SOLITUDE STANDING" SUZANNE VEGA (1987)

For Women’s History Month, I’m selecting some of my favorite songs from some of the most talented and influential women in music. From frontwomen to singer-songwriters to iconic performers, I’m picking one song a day on Mental Jukebox until the end of March.

One Saturday afternoon in high school, I went to the old Tower Records in the Village and waited among the throngs to meet Suzanne Vega. She was quiet, but assuredly in command. That same eccentric stature and personality are on full display on “Solitude Standing” where Vega’s eerie confidence comes through even in a whisper. “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” were bigger hits. But the title track is the one that showed Vega at her best, unapologetic self.

“I've come to set a twisted thing straight.”

"LEFT OF CENTER" SUZANNE VEGA (1986)

I’ve seen Suzanne Vega twice. Once while she was signing autographs at the old Tower Records near NYU and another time just a few blocks away while she was performing at Joe’s Pub. I was less than 10 feet away from her and She was pErforming “Left of Center”, over 30 years after she wrote it. Musically it sounded the same, but somehow it felt wiser. It has AgEd well in the live setting. Another sign of a great song.

“If you want me, you can find me left of center. Off of the strip. In the outskirts. In the fringes. In the corner. Out of the grip.”