Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Shared Smoke”) [YouTube link] features the music of Dave Porter—the man whose compositions we started with on New Year’s Day. He provided the original scoring for the entire BB-EC-BCS universe. This track is featured in Season 6, Episode 13 (“Saul Gone”) of BCS, which first aired on August 15, 2022. It is heard in the closing scenes between Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill and Kim Wexler [YouTube link]. There are so many takeaways from this last episode and these final scenes—not the least of which is creator Vince Gilligan’s sense of justice, individual responsibility and the moral imperative of facing the consequences of one’s actions. Yet, one of the lingering, most poignant aspects of these scenes is how they project the complicated but loving relationship  between Jimmy and Kim, a key to the success of BCS and to the final moments of the BB franchise. On the occasion of the Fifteenth Anniversary of the beginning of this grand franchise, all I can say is: “It’s all good, man!” [YouTube link].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Jim on the Move”) [YouTube link], composed and performed by Lalo Schifrin, derives from the 1967 soundtrack to the “Mission: Impossible” TV series. It’s also heard not coincidentally in Season 6, Episode 10 (“Nippy”) of BCS. The episode also starts an arc that includes a sweet guest star turn by Carol Burnett—a big fan of the Gilliverse—as Marion. Check out how this groovy 60s track frames the setup by Gene Takovic (aka Saul Goodman aka Jimmy McGill) against the mall security guards [YouTube link].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Cafe Granada”) [YouTube link], recorded by guitarists James and Sylvia Kalal with Robert W. Fraser, is from the 2012 album “Flamenco Ole“. The song is featured in Season 6, Episode 5 (“Black and Blue”) of BCS during a boxing match between Howard Hamlin and Jimmy McGill [YouTube link].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“I Got The”), composed by Labi Siffre, appears on the his 1975 album, “Remember My Song“. It has been sampled by many hip hop artists, including on Eminem’s “My Name Is” [YouTube link]. We also hear it in Season 5, Episode 8 (“Bagman”) of BCS, which first aired on April 8, 2020. Check out the original full-length version as well as the scene in which an instrumental excerpt from this funky track is used—which might as well have been subtitled “Urine the Money”.

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Blackbird Special”) is credited to The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, on whose 1984 album, “My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now” this track appears [YouTube link]. A funkier version appears as a live cut by drummer Stanton Moore on the 2008 album,”Take it to the Street (The Music)!” It’s that version that we hear in Season 5, Episode 5 (“Dedicado a Max”) in BCS, which first aired on March 16, 2020. It’s used as the musical backdrop to Saul’s efforts to delay the demolition of a client’s house by throwing every legal and extra-legal obstacle in the way. Check out the full version here and the accompanying scene [YouTube links].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“The Sidewinder”), composed by Lee Morgan, is the title track to Morgan’s 1964 album. It includes a stellar line-up, with Morgan on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Barry Harris on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The soul-jazz instrumental charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as a double-sided single, peaking at #81. It is heard in Season 5, Episode 1 (“Magic Man”) of BCS, which premiered on February 23, 2020. Check out the full album version here and the featured scene where Saul Goodman gives away cell phones as a promo [YouTube links].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“The Winner Takes It All”) features the music and lyrics of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, members of the Swedish pop group ABBA, which scored a Top 10 Billboard Hit with this song from the 1980 album, “Super Trouper“, which also included the dance floor staple, “Lay All Your Love On Me” [Disconet remix; YouTube link]. Check out the original ABBA recording [YouTube link]. In the opening scene of Season 4, Episode 10 (“Winner”) of BCS, which aired on October 12, 2018, this song provides a rare glimpse into the complicated relationship between the two McGill brothers. To celebrate his admission to the New Mexico bar, Jimmy takes the stage at a karaoke lounge to perform this song, persuading his reluctant brother Chuck to join him. Though Chuck ‘steals’ the show, the two brothers eventually leave the bar together and hit the sack, lying side by side, in a poignant moment of unconditional brotherly love—a snapshot of what could have been, but never was. Check out that flashback scene here [YouTube link].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Burnin’ Coal”) [YouTube link], composed and performed by pianist Les McCann, first appeared on the artist’s 1969 album, “Much Les“. It provides a jazzy backdrop to a key scene in Season 4, Episode 8 (“Coushatta”) of BCS, which premiered on September 24, 2018. Jimmy takes a trip to the town of Coushatta in Louisiana to help out his bodyguard Huell Babineux. Check out how Jimmy enlists a busload of folks to Save Huell [YouTube link].

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Grazing in the Grass”), music by Philemon Hou, lyrics by Harry Elston, was first recorded in 1968 by Hugh Masekela as an instrumental and, later on, in a 1969 vocal version, by Friends of Distinction [YouTube links]. But it’s an instrumental rendition by The Ventures [YouTube link] that we hear in Season 4, Episode 4 (“Talk”) of BCS, which premiered on August 27, 2018.