# Some gaps in my musical knowledge (and what to do about it.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 22, 2024, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943 "2024-02-22T13:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/141 "2025-10-27T00:05:35Z")
Serendipity strikes again: found a cable to fit an old Firewire backup hard drive and powered up an old Mac with Firewire port and now have 70Gb of iTunes that I thought I’d lost forever. So while I’m letting most of it import into ‘Music’ on my newer Mac, I scoot on over to catch up on the Straightest Dope, and this thread catches my ear… I have a lot of refamiliarization with old faves to do, and a fair amount of ‘did I actually LIKE that back then?’ head scratching to boot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/142 "2025-10-27T01:57:04Z")
Donna Godchaux. From 1972-79, she and Keith Godchaux were in the band, giving them a different feel. The Godchaux’s left in 79, being replaced by Brent Mydland. They may be known for noodling jams, but when they were tight, they were _tight!_ https://www.youtube.com/embed/trJcxc55YvM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDtrJcxc55YvM ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/143 "2025-10-27T02:25:38Z")
Thank you for the answer and the song. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/144 "2025-10-27T12:10:51Z")
On that note, and coming to the thread late . . . I went to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in January this year. There were names I knew– Loretta Lynn– and names I didn’t (no need to list), names I’d heard of but didn’t realize had a Kentucky connection . . . A few days later, having listened to a bunch of Loretta Lynn and Co., I decided I really ought to listen to Dwight Yoakum. Name was familiar, couldn’t remember ever hearing anything by . . . Oh. He fit _right_ in with some of the other stuff, I just hadn’t known who was singing it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/145 "2025-10-27T14:50:57Z")
The Rock legend Jackie DeShannon is from Kentucky. Jimmy Page, of all people, had to stop seeing her because he couldn’t keep up with her Rock n Roll lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/146 "2025-10-27T22:14:28Z")
First, thanks to @digs and @silenus for those YouTube links. It all helps in the understanding The Dead. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > If you like “American Beauty” (like I do), you’ll also like “Workingman’s Dead”. Both **straight country rock** [Bolding mine] …and I duly listened to **Workingman’s Dead** - with that disturbing sensation of being strongly reminded of something but not being able to figure out what it is. It did finally dawn on me: Gram Parsons (and the band) on GP and Grievous Angel. Which is interesting because Parsons is frequently cited as the moving force behind country rock. GP - 1973 Workingman’s Dead - 1970 Well. Safe At Home by The International Submarine Band (Parsons, 1968) and Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds (featuring Parsons, 1968) are now emergency additions to the research list. And Workingman’s Dead? Another good album. Which leads me to **The Who** , and **Who’s Next**. I think I just have to conclude that me and The Who don’t get on, and leave it like that. I like (well, love, actually) the beginning of Baba O’Riley and the end of Won’t Get Fooled Again, which happen to be the very beginning and very end of the album. The bit in between? Ehhhh… All the way through the album it felt (to me) that the songs didn’t sit comfortably with the band, as if they had been made to play something they weren’t familiar with and didn’t much like. So it goes. Move on. j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/147 "2025-10-27T23:01:58Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Well. Safe At Home by The International Submarine Band (Parsons, 1968) and Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds (featuring Parsons, 1968) are now emergency additions to the research list. Then don’t miss the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Gilded Palace Of Sin” (1969) if you don’t already know it, the best country rock album ever IMHO. But yeah, “Safe At Home” and “Sweetheart” are almost as good. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/148 "2025-10-27T23:10:54Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Allow me one more observation about the Dead: they had tremendous instrumental chops and interplay, but their weak spot always were the vocals, there just wasn’t any outstanding singer in the band. Ain’t that the truth. Countless studio tracks where the vocals weren’t just mediocre, they were terrible. “Really? That was the best take?” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/149 "2025-10-28T02:25:01Z")
Beware! Gram Parsons will lead you to Emmylou Harris, and after that you’ll have to listen to everything she’s done. Her version of “Pancho and Lefty” is haunting. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/150 "2025-10-28T03:15:46Z")
And then her album (and tour, so a double live album, too) with Mark Knopfler… Her song “Boulder to Birmingham” is also haunting. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dCiRap5a3Ms/maxresdefault.jpg "Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - Full Concert - Real Live Roadrunning (14.11.2006)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCiRap5a3Ms&t=3850) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/151 "2025-10-28T03:29:34Z")
Sorry, couldn’t edit that to add that it’s cued up to the most atmospheric piece, but the liveliest songs are right before that: _This Is Us_ at 53:40 and _All the Roadrunning_ at 58:51. Rewatching this, I’m struck by how laid back they both are. Their years on the road, and incredible musical talents, make it effortless… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/152 "2025-10-28T03:52:10Z")
The gap that I’m trying to fix today is that I really don’t know much about Grunge (even though I eat breakfast on the bar\* that Eddie Vedder and his Pearl Jam buds drink at the night before). \*Endolyne Joe’s in West Seattle, up the hill from the ferry dock. Great brunch, cool antique bar. I assumed grunge’d be all snarly and messy, but I’d been impressed by Nirvana’s production values, and figured a “crisp and clean” way to listen to them is their _“Unplugged”_ album. So I stopped by the local record shop, and they had a DOUBLE LP, with a fourth side of rehearsals. Thinking of this thread, I said what the hell… but it’s late and I’ll spin it tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/153 "2025-10-28T14:04:23Z")
For a perspective on the evolution of Grunge, back up a few years and check out The Pixies. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/154 "2025-10-28T14:12:58Z")
You can go back as early as Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” (1969). Also “Tonight’s The Night” (recorded 1973, released 1975), “Zuma” (1975), the second side of “Rust Never Sleeps” (1978) and “Live Rust” (1979). Neil Young wasn’t called the Godfather of Grunge for nothing. Other recommendations for classic Grunge albums: Nirvana - almost everything, their three studio albums, the rarities compilation “Incesticide” and the live albums “Unplugged in New York” and “Live At Reading”. Soundgarden - “Badmotorfinger” and “Superunknown”. More on the heavy metal side, massively influenced by Black Sabbath. Screaming Trees - “Sweet Oblivion” and “Dust”. Probably the most epic and majestically sounding classic Grunge band. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/155 "2025-10-28T20:45:36Z")
I just listened to his remixes of Stand Up and Broadsword and the Beast. Wow, they are much improved. Broadsword is still a bit muddy IMO, I’d prefer more of Barre’s guitar to be more prominent, but this was in Tull’s synthy period so that may just mostly be my own bias. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/156 "2025-10-28T21:28:05Z")
I often say "This is the 21st century. Why can’t I order “Tull without synths”? (Or “YES with more complex lyrics”… Or my usual order: “Rush with a choice of any other lead vocalist.” David Byrne? Robert Plant? Freddie Mercury?) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/157 "2025-10-28T22:09:15Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Then don’t miss the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Gilded Palace Of Sin” (1969) Y’know, when I was trying to establish whether Parsons doing country rock predated the Dead doing it, I completely blanked on Gilded Palace, for some reason. Yeah, I know and love Gilded Palace, and it predates American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead, which kinda shifts credit for developing country rock back towards Parsons. Still, I listened to Safe At Home by The International Submarine Band (Parsons, 1968) anyway. Didn’t have high expectations, but it’s a cracking little album and fits right in with the works which followed. Simple, enjoyable country rock. > [@silenus](#): > > Beware! Gram Parsons will lead you to Emmylou Harris, and after that you’ll have to listen to everything she’s done. Good suggestion. (Aside: Gillian Welch put it the best. Emmylou somehow manages to wrap her voice around that of Parsons. Neat trick.) j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/158 "2025-10-28T22:53:10Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Still, I listened to Safe At Home by The International Submarine Band (Parsons, 1968) anyway. Didn’t have high expectations, but it’s a cracking little album and fits right in with the works which followed. Simple, enjoyable country rock. I love the album, it is often cited as the first country rock album ever, but there was country rock before Gram Parsons doing it in 1968. Check out the works of the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and the Beau Brummels from 1965-68, and you’ll find a lot of early gems of the genre. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/159 "2025-11-04T16:48:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Donna Godchaux. From 1972-79, she and Keith Godchaux were in the band, giving them a different feel. The Godchaux’s left in 79, being replaced by Brent Mydland. > > They may be known for noodling jams, but when they were tight, they were _tight!_ Just adding a note that the aforementioned Donna Jean Godchaux, part of the Grateful Dead from 1970 to 1979, passed away on Sunday at the age of 78. > **[Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Grateful Dead Singer, Dies at 78](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/arts/music/donna-jean-godchaux-grateful-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.yk8.cQmo.D-RAgy7YxMRP&smid=url-share)** > > She helped shape the band’s sound in the 1970s, a decade that took the band to new heights. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943/160 "2025-11-05T21:59:48Z")
Thanks for the info. Shamefully, I knew nothing about her - she had quite the resumé. > **[Donna Jean Godchaux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Jean_Godchaux)** > > Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux-MacKay (August 22, 1947 – November 2, 2025) was an American singer best known as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979. In addition to the Dead, she performed with the Jerry Garcia Band and the short-lived Heart of Gold Band, all alongside her first husband, Keith Godchaux. She formed the Donna Jean Godchaux Band in 2006. > Donna Jean Thatcher was born in Florence, Alabama, on August 22, 1947. Prior to 1970, she had worked as a session singer ... j [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-gaps-in-my-musical-knowledge-and-what-to-do-about-it/997943.md?page=9)