Keb’ Mo’ “This is My Home” released

This Is My Home Keb’ Mo’ with Jaci Velasquez

Writer(s): Kevin Moore, John Lewis Parker (see lyrics here) Released: May 31, 2019 First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.14 video, 2.92 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Blues singer/songwriter and guitarist Kevin Roosevelt Moore (stage name “Keb’ Mo’”) was born in South Los Angeles, California, on October 3, 1951. He began his musical career playing steel drums in a calypso band before playing blues in various backup bands in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He released his first album, Rainmaker, in 1980 but it was fourteen more years before he put out a follow-up. It was at that point that his career as a solo artist really took off. To date, he has won four Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album and a Grammy for Best American Album. The latter award was for his 2019 album, Oklahoma, which featured the track “This Is My Home.” The song “considers the immigrant experience” AM by telling “a trio of stories about people searching for a better life.” AM He said, Americans need “a reminder that…the longest most of us have been here is 400 years…So we’re all immigrants.” AM “When people start getting down on immigrants, it makes me want to tell a story about Americans who I really respect.” AM The song was inspired by Lupe, his housekeeper in L.A., and the people she introduced him to as well as Mohammed, an Iranian taxi driver who was very kind to Keb’ Mo’ when he didn’t have his wallet. He explained that he opted for a stripped-down arrangement featuring just steel guitar, accordion, and backing vocals from Jack Velasquez. He said, “the point was to not overshadow the story.” AM He also said, “I wanted the guitar to sound a little more exotic, more like world music, tribal, just different, like something from a foreign land.” AM Resources: AM AllMusic.com (5/31/2019). “Keb’ Mo’ Tells the Story Behind His All-American New Track, ‘This Is My Home’” by Chris Steffen Related Links: First posted 3/13/2025.

Benny Goodman: Top 100 Songs

First posted 5/30/2012; updated 5/31/2019.

image from lessignnets.com

Jazz clarinetist and bandleader known as “The King of Swing” for ushering in more dance-oriented jazz, fueled by Fletcher Henderson’s arrangements, which appealed to teens. Born Benjamin David Goodman on 5/30/1909 in Chicago, Illinois. Died 6/13/1986. Was in a band by age 14. Worked with Isham Jones, Ted Lewis, Red Nichols, Ben Pollack (25-29), and Ben Selvin. Formed his own band in 1934. He launched the careers of many other jazz musicians including guitarist Charlie Christian and drummer Gene Krupa and was one of the first to lead integrated jazz groups. His 1/16/1938 Carnegie Hall concert in New York is, as All Music Guide’s Bruce Eder called it, “the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history.”

For a complete list of this act’s songs and albums honored by the DMDB, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

---

Top 100 Songs

---

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards.

MB = Mildred Bailey, HF = Helen Forrest, DH = Dick Haymes, PL = Peggy Lee, MT = Martha Tilton, LT = Louise Tobin, HW = Helen Ward. Songs which peaked at #1 on the U.S. pop charts are noted (#1).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) (1938)
2. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You (w/ HW, 1936) #1
3. Taking a Chance on Love (w/ HF, 1943) #1
4. There’ll Be Some Changes Made (w/ LT, 1941) #1
5. Goody Goody (w/ HW, 1936) #1
6. And the Angels Sing (w/ MF, 1939) #1

DMDB Top 5%:

7. Moonglow (1934) #1
8. Darn That Dream (w/ MB, 1940) #1
9. Don’t Be That Way (1938) #1
10. Jersey Bounce (w/ PL, 1942) #1

11. Goodnight My Love (w/ Ella Fitzgerald, 1937) #1
12. The Glory of Love (w/ HW, 1936) #1
13. This Can’t Be Love (w/ MF, 1938)
14. Somebody Else Is Taking My Place (1942) #1
15. Why Don’t You Do Right? (w/ PL, 1943)
16. Stardust (1936)
17. Stompin’ at the Savoy (1936)
18. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was (w/ LT, 1939)
19. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye (w/ Peggy Mann, 1945)
20. You Turned the Tables on Me (w/ HW, 1936) #1

21. St. Louis Blues (1936)
22. Gotta Be This Or That (w/ Dottie Reid, 1945)
23. Blue Moon (w/ HW, 1935)
24. Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol’ Me) (w/ PL, 1942)
25. Body and Soul (1935)
26. It’s Been So Long (w/ HW, 1936) #1
27. Blue Skies (w/ Art Lund, 1946)

DMDB Top 10%:

28. Give Me the Simple Life (w/ Liza Morrow, 1946)
29. How High the Moon (w/ HF, 1940)
30. Symphony (w/ Liza Morrow, 1945)

31. This Year’s Kisses (w/ Margaret McRae, 1937) #1
32. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (w/ MF, 1938) #1
33. Goodbye (1936)
34. The Way You Look Tonight (w/ PL, 1942)
35. On a Slow Boat to China (1948) 36. Cabin in the Sky (w/ HF, 1943)
37. The Man I Love (1937)
38. After You’ve Gone (1935)
39. Exactly Like You (w/ Lionel Hampton, 1936)
40. How Deep Is the Ocean? (w/ PL, 1941)

41. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (Means That You’r-e Grand) (w/ MF, 1938)
42. What’s New? (w/ LT, 1939)
43. Idaho (w/ DH, 1942)
44. The Japanese Sandman (1935)
45. As Long As I Live (1941)
46. Love Me or Leave Me (original, 1934)
47. Love Me or Leave Me (new recording, 1936)
48. Scatter-Brain (w/ LT, 1939)
49. You Can’t Pull the Wool Over My Eyes (w/ HW, 1936)
50. Blue Orchids (w/ LT, 1939)

DMDB Top 20%:

51. I Thought about You (w/ MB, 1939)
52. Sometimes I’m Happy (1935)
53. Flying Home (1939)
54. King Porter Stomp (1935)
55. Intermezzo (Souvenir De Vienne) (w/ HF, 1941)
56. A Gal in Calico (w/ Eve Young, 1947)
57. I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good (w/ PL, 1941)
58. It’s Only a Paper Moon (1945)
59. For Every Man There’s a Woman (w/ PL, 1948)
60. Please Be Kind (w/ MF, 1938)

61. I Know That You Know (1936)
62. You’re a Heavenly Thing (w/ HW, 1935)
63. Oh Babe! (1950)
64. China Boy (1936)
65. Afraid to Dream (w/ Betty Van, 1937)
66. The Dixieland Band (w/ HW, 1935)
67. We’ll Meet Again (w/ PL, 1942)
68. Serenade in Blue (w/ DH, 1942)
69. Yours (Quiereme Mucho) (w/ HF, 1941)
70. Basin Street Blues (1934)

71. Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?) (w/ MF, 1937)
72. Rose of Washington Square (1939)
73. I Want to Be Happy (1937)
74. I Don’t Know Enough About You (w/ Art Lund, 1946)
75. My Sister and I (1941)
76. Basin Street Blues (1934)
77. Air Mail Special (w/ HF, 1941)
78. In a Sentimental Mood (1936)
79. Solo Flight (w/ Charlie Christian, 1941)
80. I’m Gonna Love That Guy (w/ Dottie Reid, 1945)

81. It Isn’t Fair (w/ Buddy Greco, 1950)
82. Can’t Teach My Old Heart New Tricks (w/ MF, 1937)
83. Jingle Bells (1935)
84. Wang Wang Blues (1941)
85. Close As Pages in a Book (w/ Jane Harvey, 1945)
86. Bugle Call Rag (1934)
87. The Flat Foot Floogee (1938)
88. Perfidia (Tonight) (w/ HF, 1941)
89. Clouds (w/ Ray Hendricks, 1935)
90. A String of Pearls (w/ PL, 1942)

91. Lullaby in Rhythm (1938)
92. Stompin’ at the Savoy (new recording, 1937)
93. Organ Grinder’s Swing (1936)
94. Eenie Meenie Miney Mo (w/ HW, 1935)
95. My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms (w/ MF, 1939)
96. Swingtime in the Rockies (1936)
97. No Other One (w/ HW, 1935)
98. I Was Lucky (w/ HW, 1935)
99. I Have Eyes (w/ MT, 1938)
100. I Ain’t Lazy, I’m Just Dreamin’ (w/ Jack Teagarden, 1934)

---

Awards:

---

Billy Murray: Top 100 Songs

First posted 11/26/2017; updated 5/25/2019.

Tenor singer known as “The Denver Nightingale.” Born William Thomas Murray on 5/25/1877 to Irish immigrants in Philadelphia, PA. His family moved to Denver, Colorado in 1882. Died 8/17/1954. His popularity lasted through the first quarter of the 20th century, a time when, what he called his “hammering” style of shouting into an acoustic recording horn, was the technology prior to the rise of the electric microphone, which ushered in the era of crooners.

He joined a vaudeville troupe in 1893 and performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He started recording regularly in New York in 1903. He became the definitive interpreter of George M. Cohan, recording the hit version of nearly every Cohan song from 1905 on. In addition to his solo recordings, he worked with the Haydn Quartet (1898-1914), Columbia Comedy Trio (1907), with Ada Jones (1907-22), American Quartet (1910-25?) and the Heidelberg Quintet (1911-15).

Murray has eight songs (“You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “Give My Regards to Broadway,” “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis,” “Yankee Doodle Boy,” “Casey Jones,” and “In My Merry Oldsmobile”) featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953.

For a complete list of this act’s songs and albums honored by the DMDB, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

---

Top 100 Songs

---

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards.

AQ = American Quartet, HQ = Haydn Quartet, AJ = Ada Jones. Songs which hit the top of the U.S. pop charts are noted (#1).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”) (1906) #1
2. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (w/ HQ, 1908) #1
3. Give My Regards to Broadway (1905) #1
4. By the Light of the Silvery Moon (w/ HQ, 1910) #1
5. Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis (1904) #1
6. Yankee Doodle Boy (1905) #1
7. Casey Jones (w/ AQ, 1910) #1
8. In My Merry Oldsmobile (1905) #1
9. Harrigan (1907) #1

10. Oh, You Beautiful Doll (w/ AQ, 1911) #1
11. Come Josephine in My Flying Machine (w/ AJ, 1911) #1
12. Pretty Baby (1916) #1
13. Cuddle Up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine (w/ AJ, 1908) #1
14. That Old Gang of Mine (w/ Ed Smalle, 1923) #1
15. Navajo (1904) #1
16. K-K-K-Katy (Stammering Song) (1918)
17. Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee (w/ AJ, 1912) #1

DMDB Top 5%:

18. Everybody Works But Father (1905) #1
19. Come Take a Trip in My Air Ship (1905) #1
20. Let’s Take an Old-Fashioned Walk (w/ AJ, 1907) #1

21. I Love a Piano (1916) #1
22. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1911)
23. Shine on, Harvest Moon (w/ AJ, 1909) #1
24. Under the Anheuser Busch (1904)
25. Alexander (Don’t You Love Your Baby No More?) (1904) #1
26. Under Any Old Flag at All (1908) #1
27. When We Are M-A-R-R-I-E-D (w/ AJ, 1908) #1
28. Teasing (I Was Only Teasing You) (1904)
29. Waltz Me Around Again, Willie (w/ HQ, 1906)
30. Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway (1906)

31. I’ll See You in C-U-B-A (1920)
32. He’d Have to Get Under, Get Out to Get Under, to Fix Up His Automobile (1914)
33. Play a Simple Melody (w/ Edna Brown, 1916)
34. Bedelia (1904) #1
35. Carrie (Carrie Marry Harry) (1910) #1
36. Make Believe (w/ AJ, 1908)
37. No Wedding Bells for Me (1907)
38. All Alone (w/ AJ, 1911)
39. Down by the O-hi-O (I’ve Got the Sweetest Little O, My! O!) (w/ Billy Jones, 1921)
40. Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night) (1911)

41. I’m Afraid to Come Home in the Dark (1908)
42. Cheyenne (Shy Anne) (1906)
43. The Gaby Glide (1912)
44. He’s a Devil in His Own Home Town (1914)
45. College Life (1906)
46. I’ve Taken Quite a Fancy to You (w/ AJ, 1908)
47. He Goes to Church on Sunday (1907)
48. Smarty (w/ AJ, 1908)
49. Over There (1917)
50. Wouldn’t You Like to Have Me for a Sweetheart? (w/ AJ, 1908) #1

51. Up in a Cocoanut Tree (1903)
52. When You’re All Dressed Up and No Place to Go (1914)
53. What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For? (w/ AJ, 1917)
54. It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight (1908)
55. For Me and My Gal (1917)
56. San Antonio (Cowboy Song) (1907)
57. What’s the Matter with Father? (1910)
58. Won’t You Be My Honey? (w/ AJ, 1907)
59. Bagdad (1913)
60. The Vamp (w/ Joseph C. Smith & Harry MacDonough, 1919)

61. They Were All Out of Step But Jim (1918)
62. I’m Awfully Glad I Met You (w/ AJ, 1909)
63. I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now (1910)
64. Tessie (You Are the Only Only) (1903)
65. I Can’t Do the Sum (1904)
66. On San Francisco Bay (1907)
67. Take Me Around Again (1907)
68. Not Because Your Hair Is Curly (1906)

DMDB Top 10%:

69. I Wish I Had a Girl (1909)
70. It Had to Be You (w/ Aileen Stanley, 1924)

71. Yes! We Have No Bananas (w/ Great White Way Orchestra, 1923)
72. Just As We Used To (1919)
73. There’s No Moon Like the Honeymoon (w/ AJ, 1908)
74. Any Place the Old Flag Flies (1912)
75. The Twentieth Century Rag (1914)
76. Alcoholic Blues (1919)
77. Take Me Up with You, Dearie (w/ HQ, 1909)
78. After You’ve Gone (w/ Gladys Rice, 1919)
79. Ain’t It Funny What a Difference a Few Hours Can Make (1904)
80. The Little Ford Rambled Right Along (1915)

81. Keep on Smiling (w/ HQ, 1908)
82. Streets of New York (1907)
83. Dance of the Grizzly Bear (w/ AQ, 1911)
84. Because I’m Married Now (1907)
85. Any Little Girl That’s a Nice Girl Is the Right Little Girl for Me (w/ the AQ, 1910)
86. The Wedding Glide (w/ AJ, 1912)
87. My Sweetie Went Away (w/ Ed Salle, 1923)
88. Bon Bon Buddy (1908)
89. The Game of Peek-a-Boo (I’d Like to See a Little More of You) (1907)
90. It’s Nice to Have a Sweetheart (w/ AJ, 1907)

91. Dixie Land, I Love You (1909)
92. Stumbling (1922)
93. Yankee Doodle Blues (w/ Ed Smalle, 1922)
94. It’s Great to Be a Soldier Man (1907)
95. Hello Hawaii, How Are You? (1916)
96. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (w/ Henry Burr, 1926)
97. The Hat My Father Wore on St. Patrick’s Day (w/ HQ, 1909)
98. Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo (Mademoiselle from Armentieres) (w/ Ed Smalle, 1924)
99. Keep on the Sunny Side (1906)
100. Are You from Dixie? ‘Cause I’m from Dixie Too (w/ Irving Kaufman, 1916)

---

Awards:

---

Today in Music (1969): The Beatles hit #1 with “Get Back”

Get Back The Beatles with Billy Preston

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney (see lyrics here) Released: April 11, 1969 First Charted: April 23, 1969 Peak: 15 US, 15 CB, 11 GR, 14 HR, 1 CL, 16 UK, 16 CB, 14 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, -- UK, 5.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 12.5 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1968, the Fab Four “often resented each other’s company and there were few days when all four musicians worked happily together.” KL Despite being one of their most acclaimed works, their 1968 self-titled album (generally known as The White Album) showcased a band not so much for their united efforts, but for their individual talents. To try to prevent imploding as a band, they made a conscious effort to “get back to Chuck Berry riffs for some barnstorming rock ‘n’ roll.” KL Paul McCartney wrote “Get Back” with the line “get back to where you once belonged” intended as “a message to himself and the other Beatles.” KL John Lennon suggested recording the next album live in the studio absent overdubbing and technical wizardry. FB Paul proposed they film the recording, which was slated a two-part TV documentary that got abandoned. FB George Harrison walked out of the sessions on January 10, but was rejuvenated after seeing an old friend, organist Billy Preston, performing with Ray Charles. The Beatles knew Preston from their early days in 1962 when he backed Little Richard. They invited him to spend the next two weeks with them, FB which included contributing the spontaneous organ solo for “Get Back.” SF He and Tony Sheridan, whom the Beatles backed on some early recordings, are the only people to be billed on records alongside the Beatles. Preston said, “I didn’t even know until the record was out that they had put my name on it. It was something that I could have never asked for or no manager could negotiate, just something they felt for me.” FB The Beatles famously performed the song on January 30, 1969, for their “rooftop” concert in which they their instruments to the top of the roof of the Apple studio to play what ended up being their last live performance. KL Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Beatles FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 254. KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits: The Stories Behind Every Number One Single Since 1952. London, Great Britain: Omnibus Press. Page 150. SF Songfacts Related Links: First posted 3/17/2021; last updated 9/19/2023.