Blog Posts by Robert of the Radish

On September 9, 1966 John Lennon climbed a ladder at an avant-garde art event. The ladder was part of an exhibit by an artist named Yoko Ono. At the top of the ladder was a spyglass that Lennon looked through. It revealed the single word "Yes". John Lennon is on record as stating that this single positive word really captured him as he felt the art world at the time was "all boring negative crap." The love affair that bloomed between the two is well documented from that point on and it all started with a simple "yes." 

This playlist contains songs that fall under the alternative music umbrella in regards to genre, and they are also tied together by being "Yes" songs.

If you need some positive reinforcement and dig bands like The Cure, The Ramones, Beck, The Psychedelic Furs, The Fall, Roxy Music, The Dream Syndicate, Robyn Hitchcock and Morphine, than this may be a list you want to check out.

Playlist: The Affirmative Alternative

1. Just Say Yes - The Cure

2. Ghettochip Malfunction

Rock & Roll has had a love affair with the automobile since its very first notes. And no car has inspired the songwriter more than the Cadillac.  In fact, the uniquely American and iconic Cadillac has numerous distinct subcultures attached to it, and these subcultures can be easily divided along musical lines. The Rockabilly Cadillac, the Hip hop Cadillac, the Doo-Wop Cadillac, the Blues Cadillac, you get idea.

The first Cadillac was built in 1902 and although the brand is officially sold in 50 countries across the globe it is synonymous with America. The Cadillac has been mostly marketed to the upper class market over the decades and has developed a reputation as a symbol of prestige and quality -- these associations have helped the brand survive some tough times. The car also been helped by loads of free press via mentions in hundreds of songs.

The tracks in this playlist were inspired by Cadillac or mention the name. Please add your favorites not included in the list to the

A career in sales can lead to a life filled with financial rewards for those who master the art of the sale. However, if you pick the wrong industry it can also lead to stigma and scorn. The car salesman for example is on the popularity rung somewhere between politician and personal injury lawyer.

Everything you use in life is sold by someone. Even if you grow your own food a salesperson is probably selling you the seed, fertilizer and tools you need to be self-sufficient. So the sales professional is a critical component to our society. Without someone to sell us the things we need and want our civilization ceases to function, and we fall back to the hardships of the hunter/gatherer.

The saleman's bad reputation comes from their constant drive to maximize profit. If they can charge more they will. This rightfully pisses the consumer off and creates an interesting dynamic. On one hand we can't live without salespeople, on the other, we can't stand them.

I thought I would put together

Hip hop acts that utilize jazz elements are a particular favorite of mine. This playlist looks at tracks that sample the music of the legendary Herbert Jeffrey Hancock. Herbie was notable part of Miles Davis' "second great quintet" and he helped transform the role of the rhythm section in the world of jazz.  He was also one of the first serious jazz musicians to consider the synthesizer a valid instrument and you may remember his song "Rockit" from the 1983 album Future Shock, which used the synthesizer heavily. This song also has the honor of being one of the first to include turntable scratching techniques. 

Hancock is the proud owner of 12 Grammy awards, an Academy Award, 5 MTV Awards and many others too numerous to mention. His influence spans not only across the world of jazz, but has crossed into popular music as well. There are not many musicians alive today more respected than Herbie Hancock.

This playlist include a CD's worth of hip hop tracks that sample the music of Herbie

In 2008 millions of people will hit the milestone of turning 40-years old. So in honor of them I thought I would take a musical look back to 1968.

1968 was an incredible year of upheaval, accomplishment and transition in America. The nation was caught up in the Vietnam War, which divided the country much like the war in Iraq is today.

The civil rights movement was also on the forefront of the American conscious and Martin Luther King was shot dead by an assassin's bullet in April.

The Apollo 8 spacecraft entered orbit around the moon marking a truly historic event in the annals of humankind.

With all these major events, both optimistic and dreadful, music continued to push forward. And the Beatles led the way.
The single "Hello Goodbye" from the fab four's 1967 US release of Magical Mystery Tour hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the last week of 1967 and stayed there for the first two weeks of 1968. Later in the year the Beatles would hold the top spot for 9

Why wait until the masses fall in line to start digging the next big thing? This playlist contains 15 songs that have been selected by the Radio & Records research group's HitPredictor service as having what it takes to reach the top of the charts.

The HitPredictor service polls music fans to determine which singles have the best shot at becoming hits. And their success rate is a decent 75%. The company's website states, "Songs are blind tested online using multiple listens and a nationwide sample of carefully profiled music consumers. Songs are rated on a 1-5 scale; final results are based on weighted positives. Songs with a score of 65 or more are judged to have Hit potential."

For the music industry this kind of service is extremely valuable as it can help determine which singles promotional dollars should be poured into. This strategy can help maximize the chances of producing that elusive hit single.

For you, the consumer, it can help you find future hits before the masses do,

Everyone wants their wedding to be perfect. And when planning for that special day every couple gives a great deal of thought to the songs that will be played at both the ceremony and the reception.

Previously on the Y! Radish we've posted a playlist of the most popular songs for the garter toss part of the wedding reception. As you would expect, the garter toss list is lighthearted and filled with sexual innuendo, but the songs reserved for the "first dance" are a different animal.

This is the song the bride and groom will dance to for the very first time as husband and wife, so the vast majority of couples opt for classic tracks brimming with romance. This consistency of romantic choices is one of the reasons that a video like this has gotten 10.5 million views at YouTube.

My wife and I fell out of the norm with our selection as our first dance pick was "There Is No If..." by the Cure.

The following playlist includes the most requested first dance songs selected by couples as

Listen to two songs and determine if one ripped off the other. Then read what the court decided.

Fantasy V. Fogerty

In 1994 John Fogerty was sued by Fantasy Records for the copyright infringement of a hit he penned titled "The Old Man Down the Road". The song he was accused of stealing was "Run Through the Jungle", a tune he wrote himself for his band Creedence Clearwater Revival. Unfortunately, John had sold the rights for much of CCR's music and was now being sued for stealing it! Ha! I love that! Anyway, the case is interesting as it went all the way to the Supreme Court on the question of whether attorney's fees could be awarded to the prevailing party in a copyright suit. Read about the lawsuit and the opinion by the late Chief Justice Rehnquist here.

1. Run Through The Jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

2. The Old Man Down The Road - John Fogerty 

Swirsky V. Carey

In 2004 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on the case of Swirsky V. Carey. The suit was brought by