DBT #418 Title Tracks Vol I

 

This idea to start a series of Title Tracks came from trying to see what some of my most recent music additions had in common.  Yes I love how musicians venture out on limbs to name their albums with odd names like "Hard Sardine" or just a mysterious "Oh Mercy", but many just pick a favorite song and it becomes the title track.  Now my first volume is made up of recent digital library additions, but don't think they are all 2025 albums, heck no.  Now future volumes could easily be on theme of Favorite All Time, Folk or Rock; but I'm not sure I'll ever measure up to 100 that NPR took on; though I might just reference it in the future.

Here are my songs for this starter post:

And the covers:

Let's start listening:

1) A Game of Swans - Nancy K Dillon

Nancy was a friend back in MySpace, and recently she posted having found some old download cards, and would love to give them away.  You know me well enough, if someone gives me music, I take it.  Now when it comes to record albums, I'm starting to be a little picky.  They take up space and I'm still behind filing all the music that I've been given. (Don't worry they are in my Discogs... just harder to find in the backroom.)  The title track is a beautiful song that Nancy explains:

Celtic-tinged title song co-written with UK singer-songwriter Ian Lang – title is collective name for a group of 2 swans – poetry & imagery about time & change

lyrics

© 2018 Nancy K. Dillon (BMI) / Ian Lang (PRS)

In northern woods the crystal snow is dusting all she sees
A silent song – a game of swans floats by on winter’s breeze
Towards a dream of soft warm winds
Where the springtime never ends
And the fields of clover bloom
In a blanket of white beneath the moon

2) The Music You Gave Me - Callaghan

You know, I tell you that I do these playlists to help dust off music that I love but haven't listened to for a while, and that's what happened in Smile Edition no. 415 when I added a Callaghan song.  Of course I wanted to see what she was up to, and quickly I was on a list to listen to 8 days of "Callagnhan's Radio Club" while she released and gave us a song a day from the new album.  I'm on Day 7 and I now know much more about her and her dad who this song is about and the album is dedicated to him.  He was maybe three years older than me, but so many things she describes about him, I resemble.  Now I love my son Dustin, but boy her dad was a lucky dog to raise this beautiful, talented, intelligent daughter.  I'm a little jealous.  

Now thinking about it I should have honored his memory by adding a John Denver title track like "Back Home Again" or "Poems, Prayers & Promises" or one of the ten albums of his I have in the library.  He had a habit of naming his albums after a song within; well Volume II will be out this year I'm sure.

Since she's not on Bandcamp, here is the studio version (it won't be on the playlist at the end.)

And a live cut which will be in the playlist at the end.

3) Tramps and Hawkers - Jim Ringer

Some how I didn't have one of my first record I owned by Jim in my digital library, so recently I listened and imported it again.  Yep it's a 1977 release, so you might figure it will show up next year if I do a 50th Anniversary post again, plus it started me on a journey to collect five of the six albums he released.  (yes the sixth is on my want list)

4) Night Moves - Bob Seger and Silver Bullets

Yep you could have expected this 1976 release was a recent import; and boy it's another classic.  Since I didn't put the title track in the Volume II, here it is:

5) Hasten Down The Wind - Linda Ronstadt

As I said in the same Volume II of the 1976 50th, this album was not that familiar to me; and this song was almost picked for the list because it's a Warren Zevon cover.  Right, I need some of him in the library.

6) Give Yourself To Love - Kate Wolf

Her 1983 live album used this classic song as the title track; and I just bought this during the last trip to Eau Claire.  We will be back up there in March to see Amanda Pascali and my wife gave me a $100 gift certificate for Revival Records; can't wait.  I'm totally excited for both, plus a night's stay at the Oxbow Hotel that's owned by Bon Iver.  Here's the album track on my playlist:

7) On A Whim - A Different Thread

Yes this beautiful 2018 album was recently purchased on a Bandcamp Friday and I got two physical records thanks to two competing moms who fill the merchandise purchases.  Ha.  Love these two.

8) On The Ranch - Emily Nenni

I know following "On the Whim" with "On the Ranch"; I crack myself up.  This record purchase on Bandcamp was inspired by my wife Lori finding her in a YouTube and calling me over to watch it.

What's not to love about this video, and nope I'm not sure what Lori showed me; I just decided to buy her debut album first.  Now just bust out a groove, maybe with a hay pitchfork in your hands.  Nope, I'm not the old fart following her in the video.

9) Childish Things - James McMurtry

Another Bandcamp Friday vinyl buy because I really wanted Ole Slew Foot with him and the recent late Joe Ely in the library.  The title track is another classic McMurtry story song:

So I'm going to do a playlist sin, the YouTube playlist at the end will not have James, but Sarah Jarosz because I saw it out there, and Sarah is prettier to watch and after I sampled it; it's a great video.  I noted this is the second time I commented on the video (why don't more people take the time to comment) and the first time was to thank Jaimee Harris for sharing it.

10) Northwest Passage - Stan Rogers

While I was making the Mixed Tape for Kelly Hunt, I noted I didn't have some classic Stan Rogers songs in the library; so I fixed that importing this one from his 1981 album..  Let's keep Stan's incredible songs alive, and I know the song is occasionally interrupted, but WATCH it, please.  Yes Lori and I only saw Stan once at the Winnipeg Folk Fest and yes it was our honeymoon trip. 

11) With You - Courtney Hartman

Yep fast forward from 1981 to 2025 up in Eau Claire WI, and I picked up this brand ass new album from a talented now local artist.  I watched her play background music to Humbird telling stories, and these words are a gentle invitation:

ten thousand words can hardly begin to describe
the lifts and the turns of feeling wholly alive with you
breathing alongside you
walking in rhythm with you

Wow lucky to get a live video from a house concert in Fort Collins, I love how it highlights her beautiful guitar work:

12) Roses and Basil - Amanda Pascali

I believe this record came to the library via a Bandcamp purchase.  I'm a huge fan of Amanda, but you know that if you follow the blog, and yes I'm super excited to see her in March up at the Pablo Center.  Yes this album did make it into my Dave's Dozen Top Albums of 2025.

I love how she smoothly moves from English to Italian:

13) She Told Me Where To Go - Old Man Luedecke

I got this gem of an album recently because I have loved everything I have bought digitally in the past and wanted a new cool vinyl record for the library.  I guess he likes women who take control.

Yep it has a James McMurtry sound to the guitar.

14) Heartbreaker's Hall Of Fame - Sunny Sweeney

Sometimes CD's are really devalued, so I added this cool debut album for stinking $.50 to the library. Yes, I didn't know she even existed until the controversy; but hey so many country artists are right wingers, that's why I tend to stay in the Americana genre.  Plus I've always been friendly with Republicans, it's the MAGA nuts that I try to stay away from.  Besides, someone this cute can't be all bad.

15) One Deep River - Mark Knopfler

A rarer Discogs purchase of a mint record, but I love Mark's music and while not a single song really overwhelms me, I love it all.  Plus for all the love I have for Discogs I believe I should sometimes make some purchases on the site.  Yes Mark still has it, playing guitar and making money, amen.  Yes the video repeats about every 12 seconds.

16) Driftwood - The Weary Ramblers

Another one of my Dave's Dozen Top Albums for 2025, and yes the Weary Ramblers are special and could be consider a blog favorite.  If you didn't notice it's also the title track pictured playing in the blog pic!

If you see them on a festival or venue list to play, go see them live; you won't regret it.

Now here's what you've been waiting for! Your ONE click YouTube playlist (well click more if you want to bypass the commercials).

Next steps:

- Stop over to the Review page to my other most spinned and loved albums.

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