Pop Song of the Week: "Everybody Loves a Clown"

The theme song of the Joker and It fan clubs.

Pop Song of the Week: "Mr. Bass Man"

The best musical dialogue of all time.

Pop Song of the Week: "The Dawn of Correction"

Proof from the 1960s that conservatives do too have a sense of humor...

Oh, wait. This song is supposed to be serious. Never mind...

R.I.P. Percy Sledge

African-American R&B singer Percy Sledge -- best known for his 1966 version of the song "When a Man Loves a Woman" -- sang his last note on April 14 at age 73.

He will be missed.

Pop Song of the Week: "Kicks"

In honor of the late Paul Revere, I post one of his group's best songs, which, among other things, manages to be that rarity of rarities: a truly memorable anti-drug song.

Pop Song of the Week: "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad"

In honor of the late Tammy Wynette, who celebrates her birthday today. I know it is not the most appropriate song for Cinco de Mayo, but my Mexican-born father always liked listening to Ms. Wynette's songs when he was alive so that's good enough for me. Plus I do like the way this song begins.

Pop Song of the Week: "Those Were the Days"

A song I used to listen to with my sister when we were way younger.

Pop Song of the Week: "Summer in the City"

But at night, it's a different world...

R.I.P. Ray Manzarek

American musician Ray Manzarek, former keyboardist and founding member of the 1960s rock group The Doors, finished his last session Monday at age 74.

He will be missed.

Pop Song of the Week: "Go Home"

Some prejudices even the Hag can't overcome... Dammit!

Pop Song of the Week: "I Will Follow Him"

In honor of Little Peggy March, who celebrated her sixty-fourth birthday yesterday.

And yes, I did hear this song many a time while I was growing up. Even after I had grown up for that matter, thanks to the magic of "oldies" radio stations and 45-inch singles.

R.I.P. Fontella Bass

American soul singer Fontella Bass, best known for the 1965 hit "Rescue Me", which she also co-wrote, sang her last note last night at age 72.

She will be missed.

Pop Song of the Week: "At Last"

For mi novia.

Halloween and Pop Song of the Week: "Spooky"

Who says that you can't find romance in a Halloween song?

Pop Song of the Week: "Games People Play"

In honor of the late Joe South, I post one of his most famous songs. This particular tune also won two Grammies, which proves that even the Grammy people get it right every now and then.

R.I.P. Robin Gibb

Singer Robin Gibb, one of the founding members of the 1960s pop group known as The Bee Gees, sang his last note this past Sunday at age 62.

He will be missed.

Hey, I Remember This Show: The Monkees

In honor of the late Davy Jones.

R.I.P. Davy Jones

Davy Jones, former TV star and vocalist for the 1960s rock group The Monkees, took the last train to Clarksville this morning at age 66.

He will be missed.

Hey, I Don't Remember This Show: Karen

From 1964, it's one of the last black-and-white TV sitcoms ever to be produced. Plus it's one of the few such sitcoms to have a theme song sung by the Beach Boys.

Despite all that and a young cast member who looks surprisingly like Lost in Space's Angela Cartwright, the show never did too good in syndication, which might explain why so few members of my generation have ever heard of it. Hopefully, someone back in the day liked it, right?

Pop Song of the Week: “The Unicorn”

The first song I ever heard sung by an Irish musical group. No, seriously.

Edited to add:

Actually, it turns out that the Irish Rovers are a Canadian Irish group but between their accents and the fact that their CDs are so often found in the "foreign" part of the CD store -- unlike most Canadian artists -- it would be really hard for an outsider like myself to guess that.