Notablog

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Gloria’s Step, Take 2”) [YouTube link], composed and performed by Bill Evans, was recorded live by the jazz piano great with his legendary trio, featuring Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums. It was released as part of “Sunday at the…

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Smoke on the Water”), composed and performed by Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice of the English rock band Deep Purple. This song, which hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, chronicles the 1971 fire at Montreux Casino.…

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Banzai Pipeline”), composed by the great Henry Mancini, appears on the 1963 album, “Uniquely Mancini,” showcasing the maestro’s big band sound. It’s also heard in Season 1, Episode 10 (“Marco”) of BCS, which first aired on April 6, 2015. It appears during one…

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Tune Down”) [YouTube link], composed and performed by Chris Joss, appears on the musician’s 2009 album, “Sticks“. This cool, bluesy vibe is heard in Season 1, Episode 7 (“Bingo”) of BCS, which first aired on March 15, 2015. Oh, those Kettlemans! And congratulations…

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Samba Tropical”) [YouTube link], composed and performed by Franck Sarkissian and Yannick Kalfayan, appears on the former’s album, “Songs of Brazil“. It is a musical highlight from Season 1, Episode 4 (“Hero”) of BCS, which made its debut on February 23, 2015.

Song of the Day: Better Call Saul (“Main Theme”) was composed by Lewis Wharton and Barrie Cadogan of the band Little Barrie. The beginning bars of this track became the main theme of one of the finest spin-offs in television history: “Better Call Saul.” It is first heard in the…

Song of the Day: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (“Ambivalent Alaska”) [YouTube link], written by the franchise’s score composer, Dave Porter, provides a poignant, pensive end theme as backdrop to Jesse Pinkman—now re-baptized “Mr. Driscoll“—driving off into “Ambivalent Alaska“, with hope. This well-tuned 2019 sequel serves as a fitting…

Song of the Day: Breaking Bad (“Baby Blue”), words and music by Pete Ham, was recorded by the Welsh rock band Badfinger and released on their 1971 album, “Straight Up“. This song is featured in the final scene of Season 5, Episode 16 (“Felina”), the series finale of BB, which…

Song of the Day: Breaking Bad (“Crystal Blue Persuasion”), words and music by Eddie Gray, Mike Vale, and Tommy James, was released in 1969 by Tommy James and the Shondells as part of their sixth studio album, “Crimson & Clover“. The song arose from James’s budding interest in religion. As…

Song of the Day: Breaking Bad (“Pick Yourself Up”), music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, was introduced in the 1936 film, “Swing Time,” by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and also recorded by Fred Astaire [YouTube links]. A wonderful 1962 rendition by Nat King Cole and jazz pianist…