This is the land of peace, love, justice and no mercy

Forty-six years ago today, Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash. He was 26 years old.

And this record is timeless, maybe the greatest soul ballad ever recorded, and a wedding song of more than a little significance:

Growin' Up

Top 5 reasons "High Fidelity" is essential:

1. Voluminous and spot-on pop-culture references.
2. The knowing that record obsessiveness can overwhelm one’s world and influence lives; i.e., how the relationship between men and music can be special, complicated, inspirational, and at times, self-defeating.
3. A prescient view of how the innocence and promise of youth can never quite be fulfilled, but that it can all turn out OK.
4. Yes, “Thunder Road” is the best opening track in rock and roll history.
5. Rob = Dennis, or the written soundtrack of my life. Up to a point..

High Fidelity is not great literature. It won’t go down as one of the most important books of the century, decade or perhaps even of 1996.

It is, however, funny, touching, and like holding a mirror up to my face and seeing my silhouette covered with words. Words that are not just recognizable, but defining: mix tape, obsessed, records, confusion, women, failure, redemption….

I spent countless hours with friends and colleagues at Wee Three Records in the Lycoming Mall, discussing or arguing:
* Who was better, Tom Petty or Graham Parker?
* If “Get it On (Bang a Gong)” has the greatest fade-out in all of rock music
* Whether “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)” was the best rock and roll song of the ‘70s
* Fred Sanford or Archie Bunker?
* If “Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads” is the best record ever made
* Ways the New York Giants will embarrass themselves next
* Whether Badfinger was the second coming of the Beatles (really)
* Shemp was no Curly, but still pretty good and way ahead of Curly Joe and Joe Besser
* Why Rush are great musicians but not a great – or even good – band
* That Willie Nelson never wrote a decent song after the early ‘70s
* Lemmon and Matthau or Randall and Klugman?
* Stax or Motown?
* Which will ruin baseball first, Astroturf or George Steinbrenner
* That the Police, the Doors and the Grateful Dead are the most overrated bands in history
* How and why our hometown resembled Mayberry and/or Hooterville of “Green Acres” fame
* That 1966 was the greatest year in music history
* If the songwriting team of Difford and Tilbrook (Squeeze) were the new Lennon and McCartney
* The greatest soul singers, the greatest debut albums, the greatest George Jones songs
* Why the girls we knew didn’t care about any of these things, and what this said about our relationships (or lack thereof)
The movie version of "High Fidelity," while good, does not quite hold up to the Hornby's novel. The British setting offers a great deal more truth, and there is no cartoonish Jack Black to muddle things up.

The novel touches all the bases; it nearly overwhelmed me with the shock of recognition.

And gave me the hope that despite all of my missteps, if I keep trying, maybe I could someday get it right.
Strictly 100 – Number 9: High Fidelity (the novel)

Rat traps filled with soul crusaders

Speaking of pompadours...

I’ve always been a sucker for an r&b or soul raveup, the sort that was prevalent in the '60s through the mid-'70s. And, of course, I thought those days were mostly long gone.

So what to make of this? Passionate, great sound, good song. I hear echoes of Tyrone Davis, Howard Tate and others.

But a better example of his talents may be this stripped-down version of the same song.

I’ve heard very little by Eli “Paperboy” Reed, so I will remain guarded until we see what else he delivers.

Get it? Delivers? Paperboy?

Of course, my love of this music began and was fostered by my brother’s transistor and record collection. The Top-40 chart of the 60s was populated by the likes of Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Wilson Pickett. And he seemed to be bringing home albums on what seemed like a weekly basis from Solomon Burke, Ray Charles, Ike & Tina Turner and the latest from Stax/Volt.

While the Beatles were drawing my attention, he obviously favored the more-bluesy and rougher Rolling Stones. I still remember heading with my mom and dad to Wayne Department Store in Edwardsville, PA, in search of the Stones’ 12x5 for a Christmas present.

Still, none of this sunk in for 10-15 years.

I wasn’t listening back then, but later on I realized that I heard it all.

Johnnie Taylor -- Soul Heaven

Which Way to the Jersey Turnpike?

It's funny how a dominating Giants' performance can add to the Christmas merriment for me. And against the Redskins no less. Still somewhat of stretch for the playoffs, but all I ask for (after suffering through the lost decade of the 70s and many other frustrating losses) is to play Meaningful Football in December. It all just makes for a happier holiday season.

Which leads me to the next selection on my list of great Christmas songs. While I think Otis Redding's version is probably definitive, I prefer the Springsteen version, if only because of this video that reeks with seasonal giddiness and features the obligatory Santa appearance at the end.

This is a song and video that gives me almost as much happiness as last night's game.