Blue Monday People – Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield’s signature variety of soul music influenced everyone from Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder to even Jimi Hendrix. As one of the most frequently sampled artists, his songs also live on through hip hop. In addition, Mayfield played an active role in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and the themes he sang about have not lost their relevance in the 21st century.
Gentle Tuesday – Primal Scream
Winning the inaugural Mercury Prize never generated significant transAtlantic success for Primal Scream but back home in the U.K. they’ve been releasing quality records for nearly 30 years. Stylistically they’re all over the map but this dreamy track from their debut album is pretty typical of the jangly guitar sound associated with the Madchester scene in the late 80s.
Wednesday Lover – The Gap Band
The Gap Band’s smooth and polished sound is a good example of how improvements in studio technology impacted the sound of popular music in the 1970s. The group’s recordings foreshadow contemporary R&B and sound little like the 60s soul and funk records that they were born of. I definitely prefer the energy and rawness of the 60s stuff but a song like “Wednesday Lover” can be tough to resist if the mood is right. As an aside, frontman Charlie Wilson is featured on Friday’s track.
Thursday – The Pet Shop Boys
For nearly four decades this electronic duo out of the U.K. have been making killer dance records. Their 2013 LP Electric only received a fraction of the hype afforded to Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories but it garnered comparable critical acclaim, silencing any naysayers who claim that you can’t have swagger after age sixty.
G.O.O.D. Friday – Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi, Pusha T, Common, Big Sean and Charlie Wilson
This was the first track Pusha T recorded after signing to G.O.O.D. Music in 2010, making it an appropriate selection since just this week Kanye named Pusha as the new president of the record label. With Kid Cudi singing the hook and Ye hopping on the piano, the celebratory vibes are infectious.
Saturday Night Fish Fry – Louis Jordan
More than 60 years prior to the release of The College Dropout, Louis Jordan was blending genres with his uptempo blend of jazz and blues. Furthermore, Jordan’s dynamic stage presence earned him admiration from the likes of future rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry. In this particular track, it can even be argued that the fast and syncopated vocal delivery possibly represent the first manifestation of proto-rap in popular music.
Sunday Morning – The Velvet Underground
Although the debut album by the Velvet Underground contained a few softer tracks, “Sunday Morning” is the exception in that Lou Reed sings the lead vocal. A half century later it’s still one of the finest pop songs ever written, even if it is about paranoia.
