Alabama Shakes “Hold On” released

Hold On Alabama Shakes

Writer(s): Brittany Howard (see lyrics here) Released: February 6, 2012 First Charted: February 18, 2012 Peak: 93 BB, 33 A40, 11 AA, 17 MR, 81 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.50 US, -- UK, 0.54 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 73.10 video, 213.81 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The blues-rock band Alabama Shakes formed in 2009 in Athens, Alabama. Singer/guitarist Brittany Howard approached bassist Zac Cockrell in a high school psychology class about meeting to write songs. They recruited drummer Steve Johnson, who worked at a local music store. Guitarist Heath Fogg rounded out the band. SF They released an EP in September 2011 and then got signed to a record deal. They released their first album, Boys & Girls, in 2012. It “was a significant revitaliser of Southern soul with tha added appeal of modern rawness and authenticity.” FO The band were nominated for Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Performance, the latter for the album’s lead single “Hold On.” Howard was only in her early 20s when she recorded the song, but she sounds like a seasoned blues singer. He performance is “rich and sultry, almost like a more delectable reincarnation of all our favourite folk and soul musicians combined.” FO “The explosiveness of Howard’s vocals holds such brevity that it’s difficult to imagine them not coming as a natural attachment to the instrumental arrangements.” FO Fogg and Cockrell created the original riff on which the song was based FO and then Howard made up words on the fly when the band were performing one night at The Brick in Decatur. SF The lyrics “appear bleak as Howard sings about the surprise of growth, but she once explained that this wasn’t the central meaning.” FO As she told NME, “when you’re younger…you can’t imagine yourself ever being grown.” FO The song is “perhaps the pinnacle of her thunderous artistic expression and unwavering dedication to the art.” FO It tapped into something bigger. She said, “You’re holding on, but at the same time, you’re tired of waiting for things to get better.” FO Resources: FO Far Out magazine (4/17/2024). “The Story Behind the Song: The improvisational process of Alabama Shakes’ ‘Hold On’” by Kelly Murphy SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/23/2025.

Brandi Carlile “The Story” released

The Story (I Was Made for You) Brandi Carlile

Writer(s): Phil Hanseroth (see lyrics here) First Charted: March 11, 2007 Peak: 75 BB, 35 A40, 3 AA, 44 AU, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 62.30 video, 173.96 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Folk-rock singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile was born in 1981 in Ravensdale, Washington. She released her self-titled debut in 2005. Two years later, her sophomore effort, The Story, went gold – the biggest seller of her career. It gave her a first taste of chart success on the Billboard Hot 100 with the title cut, which reached #75, her only hit on the chart thus far. More importantly, though, it established her as a go-to artist at adult alternative where the song peaked at #3. AllMusic.com’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, “There's an earthiness to her music that keeps it from floating into willfully abstract territory.” AM Her voice has “a spacey, dreamy quality” AM with “echoes of Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke.” AM Producer T-Bone Burnett, best known for the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, was brought in for the album to “streamline some of Carlile’s eccentricities without watering down her music.” AM The Seattle Times’ Tom Scanlon called the song “spine-chilling.” WK An Indianapolis Monthly writer compared Carlile’s vocals to Janis Joplin. WK The song got a boost when it was featured in the TV show Grey’s Anatomy and on its soundtrack. Sara Ramirez, an actress from the show, covered the song in 2011 on an episode. The song has also been covered by LeAnn Rimes and Dolly Parton. “The Story” is one of the few songs in Carlile’s canon where she isn’t at least a co-writer. SF The song was written by Phil Hanseorth who, along with his twin brother Tim, have been writing and performing partners with Carlile since 2004. “The Story,” however, was written before Phil began working with Carlile. The song was recorded “live to tape,” meaning all the performers played and sang at the same time instead of the usual practice of musicians recording their parts separately in the studio. WK Resources: AM AllMusic.com album review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/6/2025; last updated 11/23/2025.

Beck “Lost Cause” charted

Lost Cause Beck

Writer(s): Beck Hansen (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 15, 2002 Peak: 3 AA, 36 MR, 41 UK, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 8.90 video, 39.26 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The singer/songwriter known as Beck was born Bek David Campbell in 1970 in Los Angeles. In his teens he started performing a blend of hip hop and folk music at coffeehouses and clubs. In 1989, he moved to New York City but he returned to Los Angeles in the early ‘90s. He had his commercial breakthrough in 1993 with “Loser,” a top-ten Billboard hit from his third album, Mellow Gold. His 1996 album Odelay went double platinum and became one of the most critically acclaimed album of all time, ranking as one of the top 100 albums of all time according to Dave’s Music Database. He gained a reputation as a chameleonic musician, following the “ironic funk-disco of [1999]s] Midnite Vultures” AS with the folk-rock Sea Change in 2002. The album “resulted from the bleakness Beck felt following the end of his nine-year relationship with Leigh Limon.” ASIt was Beck’s first top-ten album and was named album of the year by Rolling Stone. AmericanSongwriter.com called it “a heartbreaking masterpiece.” AS It featured the promo-only singles “Guess I’m Doing Fine” and “Lost Cause.” MTV.com described the latter as “driven by a folksy guitar passage and soft, sedated vocals and embellished with soft brush drumming.” WK The “minimalist folk” AS style of the song matches its melancholic exploration of a man left devastated by a failed a relationship, “starting at the world around him in utter futility.” AS “The saddest part of ‘Lost Cause’ isn’t its gloom, it’s the resignation.” AS Author Dave Thompson said it “might well be the cruelest kiss off ever set to music.” DT Resources: AS AmericanSongwriter.com (4/17/2025). “The Meaning Behind Beck’s Saddest Song, ‘Lost Cause’” by Thom Donovan DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Page 238. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/22/2025.

Lyle Lovett and Keb’ Mo’ cover Bob Seger's "Till It Shines"

Till It Shines Lyle Lovett & Keb’ Mo’

Writer(s): Bob Seger (see lyrics here) Released: 5/5/1978 (Seger), 9/21/1999 (Lovett/Keb’ Mo’) First Charted: -- Peak: 47 CL (Seger), 1 DF (Lovett/Keb’ Mo’) (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio; 2.20 (Seger), 0.04 (Lovett/Keb’ Mo’) video; 15.12 (Seger), 0.62 (Lovett/Keb’ Mo’) streaming

Awards (Lovett/Keb’ Mo’): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Music history is littered with overlooked songs. Some get released as singles but just don’t catch on. Others are unfairly overlooked as possible singles. There are some songs – like “Till It Shines” – which manage to miss the mark more than once. Bob Seger wrote the song and released it on Stranger in Town in 1978. It was his second consecutive top-ten, multi-platinum album with his Silver Bullet Band. The album featured four top-40 hits – “Still the Same” (#4), “Hollywood Nights” (#12), “We’ve Got Tonite” (#13), and “Old Time Rock and Roll” (#28) as well as the album rock staple “Feel Like a Number.” That could well explain why a song as good as “Till It Shines” got lost in the shuffle. While a good song, it was overwhelmed by just how strong the entire album was. GreatSongs.com called the song a “powerful anthem” FL that “is beautifully straightforward yet profoundly universal,” FL delivering a “message with an authenticity that is both comforting and inspiring.” FL It speaks of “navigating the complexities of life with a blend of grit and optimism.” FL It “speaks of the daily grind, the challenges that life throws our way, and the unwavering hope that keeps us going, believing that eventually things will get better.” FL The song got a second chance two decades later when Lyle Lovett and Keb’ Mo’ covered it. It was featured on the soundtrack for Mumford, a comedy/drama film from director Lawrence Kasdan. Sadly, the powers that be failed once again to see the potential the song had as a single. The pairing of Lyle Lovett and Keb’ Mo’ was inspired. Both artists were veterans with more than a decade of albums under their belt. Both built audiences because of their blend of different genres. Lovett, born in Houston in 1957, was pegged as a country artist, but he blended jazz, blues, and even big band into his sound. He had six straight gold albums and had gained a measure of celebrity status for his marriage to Julia Roberts from 1993 to 1995. Keb’ Mo’, born Kevin Moore in Los Angeles in 1951, was known for music in a blues vein, but held an appeal to the same adult alternative radio listeners who championed Lovett. He had four albums under his belt at the time and while none had sold enough to even reach gold status, his previous two releases both won Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album, an award he would snag again in 2000. In the end, a song written by a massively successful recording artist didn’t land the first time. It didn’t land the second time. However, in the hands of two artists who knew how to connect with their audiences, it fell short of the audience it deserved but still delivered its message of hope and inspiration to those who did listen. Resources: FL GreatSongs.FunnyLuffy.com (5/17/2025). “Bob Seger – ‘Till It Shines’” Related Links: First posted 11/20/2025.

“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” released on Toy Story soundtrack

You’ve Got a Friend in Me Randy Newman & Lyle Lovett

Writer(s): Randy Newman (see lyrics here) Released: April 12, 1996 First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK, 3.6 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 37.50 video, 20.86 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter Randy Newman was born in 1943 in Los Angeles, California. He began his songwriting career at the age of 17, writing hits for Cilla Black, the Fleetwoods, Gene Pitney, and others. He also created background music for television shows, including The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Lost in Space, and Peyton Place. In 1968, he released his self-titled debut album. He did his first film score in 1971 for Cold Turkey and went on to score Ragtime (1981), The Natural (1984), Parenthood (1989), Avalon (1990), Awakenings (1990), and Maverick (1994). In 1995, he scored Disney/Pixar’s animated film Toy Story, which led to him being a go-to songwriter for multiple projects for Disney/Pixar. Newman said it was both a blessing and a curse. “I have definitely found a place in animation. But I got typecast. I don’t get offered things like Out of Africa. I’d do them. They’re easier. You never stop in animated pictures. In a drama, they’re not skipping around all the time.” SF Over the years, he had sporadic success with singles, such as “Mama Told Me Not to Come” (a #1 hit for Three Dog Night in 1970), “Short People” (#2, 1977), “I Love L.A.” (1982), and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” (#35 for Joe Cocker in 1986). However, the song that he may end up best remembered for is “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Not only was it the theme to Toy Story, but was featured prominently in the sequels as well. There have been different recordings of the song, but the best known is Newman’s duet version with Lyle Lovett. “As the name of the song implies, the song sings about how one can always rely on someone through even the roughest of times, thus, finding a friend in that someone.” DF In the first movie, the song is introduced as a song about a boy (Andy) and his relationship with his toy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks). It later becomes associated with the toy Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) and ultimately can be seen as an anthem for the two toys when they have to put aside their differences and help each other. It became a song with legs beyond the movie because of its universal theme of friendship. It even took on legendary status as the anthem for Pixar, similarly to how Pinocchio’s “When You Wish Upon a Star” became the anthem for Disney. DF Resources: DF Disney.fandom.com SF Songfacts Related Links: First posted 11/21/2025.

John Hiatt “Have a Little Faith in Me” released

Have a Little Faith in Me John Hiatt

Writer(s): John Hiatt (see lyrics here) Released: 5/29/1987 (album cut on Bring the Family) First Charted: -- Peak: 37 CO, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 13.30 video, 80.10 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “For years, John Hiatt was in a category of his own. His own record company didn’t know where to place him. He is undoubtedly under Americana’s broad banner, but would you say he was country, blues or new wave? No matter where you peg Hiatt, he has produced noteworthy music throughout his career.” AU The singer/songwriter was born in 1952 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to Nashville in 1972 and became a staff songwriter, crafting songs covered by Feddy Fender, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, and others. He released his first album, Hangin’ Around the Observatory, in 1974 but didn’t find any chart success on the Billboard album chart until more than a decade later with 1987’s Bring the Family, which blogger Lary Glickman called “a country-rock masterpiece.” GO It featured a stellar lineup of guitarist Ry Cooder, bassist Nick Lowe, and drummer Jim Keltner. The four later reformed in 1992 as the group Little Village. The album produced Hiatt’s first mainstream rock hit with “Thank You Girl.” It also had “Thing Called Love,” which was a #11 mainstream rock hit for Bonnie Raitt in 1989. In 1994, the song “Alone in the Dark” was featured in the 1994 James Cameron movie True Lies. It was “Have a Little Faith in Me,” however, that became the album’s most memorable song. It has been recorded by multiple artists, including Jon Bon Jovi, Joe Cocker, Bill Frisell, Jewel, Chaka Khan, Delbert McClinton, Mandy Moore, and Dolly Parton. It has been featured in multiple movies, including Look Who’s Talking Now (1993), Benny & Joon (1993), Phenomenon (1996), and more. Hiatt wrote the song after sobering up from drugs and alcohol. While trying to record it, he learned his estranged wife had committed suicide. WK Producer John Chelew encouraged Hiatt to sit down at the piano and run through a quick version of the song to let everyone hear it fresh. Chelew taped the performance, unbeknownst to Hiatt, and it ended up the version on the album. GO “Hiatt whispers, then sings in falsetto. He strains to share passion and emotion. The lyrics are not groundbreaking, but they tell a truth. He is singing to us. He is singing for us.” GO “The simplicity of the lyrics and the arrangement let the song breathe in the way it should.” AU Resources: AU Americana-UK.com (8/5/2024). “For the Sake of the Song: John Hiatt ‘Have a Little Faith in Me’” by Andy Short GO GlickmanOnline.com (6/23/2017). “One Perfect Song: ‘Have a Little Faith in Me’” by Larry Glickman WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/21/2025.