Kid Rock “All Summer Long” released

All Summer Long Kid Rock

Writer(s): R.J. Ritchie, Matthew Shafer, Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Edward King, Leroy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Warren Zevon (see lyrics here) Released: March 17, 2008 First Charted: April 5, 2008 Peak: 23 BB, 5 RR, 14 AC, 2 A40, 4 CW, 17 AR, 38 MR, 11 UK, 12 CN, 13 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.94 US, 0.59 UK, 2.14 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.60 radio, 292.42 video, 611.26 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter and rapper Kid Rock was born Robert James Ritchie in 1971 in Michigan. He released his first album in 1990, but it wasn’t until 1998 that he really broke through with Devil Without a Cause, a #4 album certified 11 times platinum. The album generated Kid Rock’s first top-40 hit with “Only God Knows Why” (#19). He only reached the top-40 two more times with “Picture” (#4) and “All Summer Long” (#23). The latter achieved its peak based solely on airplay as the song was not available for digital sales. WK However, there were covers of the songs by Hit Masters, the Rock Heroes, and Southern All Stars which were available for download. The only way to get Kid Rock’s version was to buy the parent album, Rock n Roll Jesus. SF It was his seventh album but his first to top the Billboard album chart and went three times platinum. It sampled Lynyrd Skynyd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London.” The song accomplished the unusual feat of reaching the country and alternative rock charts. In the UK, it was arguably the first country song to reach #1 since LeAnn Rimes’ “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” in 2000. SF The record company wanted to release this as the first single from the album, but Kid Rock talked them into waiting until summertime. When it was finally released as the third single, the strategy worked as it boosted the album’s sales to 1.3 million copies by the time the summer of 2008 rolled around. SF Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/25/2026.

Grateful Dead “Friend of the Devil” released

Friend of the Devil Grateful Dead

Writer(s): Robert Hunter (words), Jerry Garcia and John Dawson (music) (see lyrics here) Released: November 1, 1970 (album cut on American Beauty) Peak: 8 CL, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 11.6 video, 92.1 streaming

Friend of the Devil Lyle Lovett

Released: April 23, 1991 (album cut on Deadicated) Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.7 video, -- streaming

Awards (Grateful Dead): Click on award for more details.

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Awards (Lyle Lovett): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Grateful Dead formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. While they became one of the most celebrated live acts of all time, they released a pair of critically acclaimed studio albums (Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty) in 1970. The latter was marked by several classics, including “Truckin’,” “Sugar Magnolia,” and “Friend of the Devil.” While he wasn’t a performer, lyricist Robert Hunter regularly collaborated with the band. He is credited on nine of the ten songs on American Beauty, including “Friend of the Devil.” Hunter once said “that was the closest we’ve come to what may be a classic song.” WK Hunter actually wrote the song with the intent of playing it with New Riders of the Purple Sage who had asked him to be their bassist. Member John Dawson got a credit on the song because he helped Hunter tweak the lyrics, including the line “a friend of the devil is a friend of mine.” SF The largely acoustic song is one of the Grateful Dead’s most covered songs, including versions by Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Bob Dylan, Loggins & Messina, Dave Matthews Band, Ministry, Mumford & Sons, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Lyle Lovett recorded it in 1991 for Deadicated, a rainforest benefit album of Grateful Dead cover songs. Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 3/20/2023.

“Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young charted

Teach Your Children Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Writer(s): Graham Nash (see lyrics here) Released: May 1970 First Charted: June 5, 1970 Peak: 16 US, 16 CB, 13 GR, 16 HR, 26 AC, 4 CL, 8 CN, 11 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 25.8 video, 84.6 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are arguably the biggest supergroup of all time. Each member is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Their collective effort was recognized as were their previous groups. David Crosby had been with the Byrds, Stephen Stills & Neil Young with Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash with the Hollies. It was a song written by Nash while with the Hollies that became one of CSNY’s most beloved songs. In 1968, he penned “Teach Your Children” but the Hollies didn’t record the song until 1983. Crosby, Stills & Nash initially recorded it in 1969 for their debut album, but then held it over until their second album, Déjà Vu, WKSF Nash said it “started out as a slightly funk English folk song but Stephen put a country beat to it and turned it into a hit record.” SF It also featured the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia is featured on pedal steel guitar. Those two elements helped land the song amongst Dave’s Music Database lists of the top 100 folk/folk-rock songs as well as Southern rock/country rock songs. Cash Box cited the song for its “delicately composed material” and “incredible soft harmony luster.” WK Nash wrote the song about his own difficult relationship with his father, who spent time in prison. SF However, he has also associated the song with a 1962 Diane Arbus photo of an angry child holding a toy hand grenade. It “prompted Nash to reflect on the societal implications of messages given to children about war and other issues.” WK An updated version of “Teach Your Children” with a new arrangement was used for an Apple II computer TV commercial in 1985 “to show how to prepare your kids for the modern world.” SF Crosby, Stills & Nash re-recorded the song in 1994 with country artists Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, and Kathy Mattea to benefit AIDS awareness. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Crosby, Stills & Nash DMDB encyclopedia entry for Neil Young SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 3/14/2023; last updated 4/26/2024.