3. JJ CaleShades

JJ Cale is emblematic to me of the time I spent away from music and listened to very little. A friend from that time – who is my partner now and has filled in some musical gaps for me – had always had vinyl records playing when I visited him over those years. JJ Cale was often in the background; I didn’t know who he was, but now I do and whenever I hear him he makes me think of those lost music years.

I like songs where the instrumentation illustrates the lyrics and this one does it in spades. Each instrument mama don’t allow round here gets the next bit to itself. Then the piano, when it tumbles in over everything else and just makes me happy every time I hear it. The best is when they all play at the same time – the thing mama really don’t allow. Swells a rebellious heart.