Luke Hill
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masscommons.bsky.social
Luke Hill
@masscommons.bsky.social
60 followers 130 following 1.1K posts
Posting about: books, food, history, music, politics, religion, sports…and anything else that comes to mind.

https://masscommons.wordpress.com/
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masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - The #Christmas Song by Samara Joy

"Although it's been said many times, many ways...."

Enjoy.
#FirstRuleOfCoverSongs #Jazz

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/13/m...
Morning Song – The Christmas Song
Samara Joy grew up in a musical family. Her grandparents started one of Philadelphia’s premiere (and longest-lasting) gospel groups and her father toured with Andrae Crouch. So she knows that…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 13, 2025 at 11:49 AM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Soul Santa by Electric Jungle

“You give love year round, not just at Christmas time….”
#FunkyFriday

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/12/m...
Morning Song – Soul Santa
Sit back and listen to Electric Jungle’s funky 1974 single, “Soul Santa”, because The Man’s been lying to you all your life and it’s time you learned the truth. &#8220…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:05 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Fell in Love with a Cowboy by The BoykinZ

“I like the way he leans up against the sunset,
I’ve tumble weeded for him, we didn’t even meet yet….”
#country

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/m...
Morning Song – Fell In Love With A Cowboy
My guess is The Boykinz grew up in the Atlanta suburbs wearing cowgirl outfits about as much as The Supremes grew up in Detroit’s Brewster-Douglass projects wearing chiffon gowns. But it&#821…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:06 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
"I wanted to go to an Ivy League summer camp. My parents wanted me to go be a janitor."

David Simnick on #MoneyUnplugged podcast with @chrishillalx.bsky.social

www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com
Money Unplugged Podcast
Listen to Money Unplugged with Chris Hill. The new podcast from long-time host and executive producer of Motley Fool Money podcast and radio show.
www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:09 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Inuuniaravit by Elisapie

#BornToBeAlive
#Inuktitut
#FirstRuleOfCoverSongs

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/10/m...
Morning Song – Inuuniaravit
Elisapie was still in a cradle (or its equivalent) in her hometown of Salluit on the Hudson Strait in far northern Quebec when one-hit wonder Patrick Hernandez’ “Born To Be Alive”…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:34 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
"People are paying me to do what I want to do, and very few people get the opportunity to do that."

Adam Felber on #MoneyUnplugged with @chrishillalx.bsky.social

www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com/episodes
EPISODES — Money Unplugged Podcast
www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
On the Failure of US Catholic Social Teaching to Meet the Current Moment

"Today, worse than being contested and disagreed with, the Church’s teaching is largely irrelevant."

h/t: @commonweal.bsky.social

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/o...
On The Failure Of US Catholic Social Teaching To Meet The Current Moment
Few people have reported about the intersection of Catholic faith and US politics at such length, breadth, and depth over the past two generations as Kenneth Woodward. Perhaps that’s why his …
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:01 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - #1 Spice by @YC_HAB

"Bring the flavor to the fish/bring the flavor to the rice...."

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/m...
Morning Song – #1 Spice
There’s an alternate history where Young Cardamom, a Ugandan-American rapper fresh out of college, builds on the modest success of his and HAB’s infectious, triumphant, upbeat, socially…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Jimmy McGriff

"...swing so cool butter would keep for the entire winter..."
#McGriffMonday
#FirstRuleOfCoverSongs

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/08/m...
Morning Song – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
The opening and closing of Jimmy McGriff’s 1963* recording of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” swing so cool butter would keep for the entire winter, but what makes the track is th…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:59 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - I Want Jesus to Walk with Me by The Holmes Brothers

"In my trials...."
#gospel

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/07/m...
Morning Song – I Want Jesus To Walk With Me
The Holmes Brothers perform “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me” the way the song wants to be performed: with sweat seeping out of every pore, at a tempo that carries the weight of unimaginab…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:06 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Nora's #Blues by @nora_germain

"...wild & free & swinging & joyous and, yes, sad too; because the true #truth is life can be all those things at once." #jazz

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/06/m...

#NMH30
Morning Song – Nora’s Blues
The blues are, fundamentally, not about sadness; they’re fundamentally about the truth. The “true truth”, as the old folks say. Sometimes, as with violinist Nora Germain’s 2…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 6, 2025 at 11:52 AM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Soul Man by Sam & Dave ft. Steve @OfficialCropper

"That's what I got..."
#RIP

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/05/m...
Morning Song – Soul Man
Steve Cropper died this week. Best known for his session work at Stax Records in the 1960s, Cropper was a “guitar player’s guitar player”, admired by his colleagues and always in …
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:58 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
#Atomic #Pilgrim: How Walking Thousands of Miles for #Peace Led to Uncovering Some of America's Darkest Nuclear Secrets by James Patrick Thomas

"...a testament to the power of going slow…but going."

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/a...
Atomic Pilgrim
There is a common Hasidic belief, based on the Talmud, that the world is sustained at any given moment by the presence of the Lamed Vav Tzadikim, 36 righteous people whose identity is unknown, even…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:42 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Santa Baby by Brandy

"I really do believe in you,
Let's see if you believe in me."

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/m...
Morning Song – Santa Baby
If I were Santa, I wouldn’t want to have to deal with the narrator of “Santa Baby”. But if I did have to deal with one of them, I think it would be Brandy. #FirstRuleOfCoverSongs
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:36 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - #Christmas Is Pain by @royzimmerman.bsky.social

"...literate, lacerating, and self-lacerating musical satire...lashes out in so many directions that it’s hard to know whether (or when) to laugh or to cry.

Which is, perhaps, the point."

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/m...
Morning Song – Christmas Is Pain
Roy Zimmerman is a disciple of Tom Lehrer’s school of literate, lacerating, and self-lacerating musical satire, and his 1999 song, “Christmas Is Pain”, lashes out in so many direc…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:11 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Route 66 by Sammy Davis Jr.

"...impeccably swinging..."
#FirstRuleOfCoverSongs

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/m...
Morning Song – Route 66
I was today years old when I learned that eleven years before recording his impeccably swinging cover of “Route 66” (as part of a Nat King Cole tribute album), Sammy Davis Jr. lost his …
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:01 AM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - #Thanksgiving by George Winston

"...it lingers."
#instrumental

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/m...
Morning Song – Thanksgiving
I don’t know how “Thanksgiving” ended up on George Winston’s 1982 December album (and not his 1980 Autumn album) for Windham Hill Records, but it fits the mood here at MassC…
masscommons.wordpress.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Down by the Riverside by Mahalia Jackson

"Gonna lay down my sword & shield...."
#advent #spiritual #gospel

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/m...
Morning Song – Down By The Riverside
Today begins the season of Advent for much of the Christian world and in many churches the first scripture reading today will be the breathtakingly bold opening verses from the 2nd chapter of Isaia…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:07 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
"The only real reward for anything is food." -- Tina Fey

"Enjoy every sandwich." -- Warren Zevon

@chrishillalx.bsky.social on #MoneyUnplugged podcast
#Thanksgiving #Wisdom

www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com
Money Unplugged Podcast
Listen to Money Unplugged with Chris Hill. The new podcast from long-time host and executive producer of Motley Fool Money podcast and radio show.
www.moneyunpluggedpodcast.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Take the "A" Train by Billy Strayhorn & Duke Ellington

Enjoy.
#jazz

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/m...
Morning Song – Take The “A” Train
Here at this little blog we’re celebrating the 110th anniversary of the brilliant Billy Strayhorn’s birth with this delightful little (just 2:20) duet of his most famous composition, &#…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Take the Skinheads #Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

"Some people say bowling alleys got big lanes,
Some people say that bowling alleys all look the same,
There’s not a line that goes here that rhymes with anything….” #thanksgiving

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/m...
Morning Song – Take The Skinheads Bowling
There’s a long, learned essay to be written about Camper Van Beethoven’s 1985 absurdist alt-rock cult classic, “Take The Skinheads Bowling”, and its prescient analysis of&#8…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:39 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - I Thank You by Mavis Staples & William Bell

“You didn’t have to love me like you did;
But you did, but you did and….”
#Thanksgiving
#FirstRuleOfCoverSongs

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/m...
Morning Song – I Thank You
I was this-week-old when I learned the incomparable Mavis Staples covered “I Thank You” with William Bell back in 1969. “You didn’t have to love me like you did;But you did,…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Easin' In by Edwin Starr

"...it's important to pace yourself."
#thanksgiving

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/26/m...
Morning Song – Easin’ In
If your Thanksgiving celebration is a multi-day affair, it’s important to pace yourself. Wednesday is for, as Edwin Starr teaches, “Easin’ In”.
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher by Jimmy Cliff

"...than I've ever been lifted before."
#RIP

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/25/m...
Morning Song – (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher
The great Jimmy Cliff died yesterday. Here at this little blog we’re smiling as we imagine him dueting with Jackie Wilson on “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher”, an…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
masscommons.bsky.social
Morning Song - Viola Fanfare by @rhiannongiddens.bsky.social
ft. Edna Pierce @cincysymphony.bsky.social

"Like all good #fanfares, it thrills the soul—summoning pride, determination, exultation, and gratitude."

masscommons.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/m...
Morning Song – Viola Fanfare
Yeah, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a viola fanfare, either. But, given that there is, I’m not surprised it’s written by the remarkable Rhiannon Giddens; nor, as it turn…
masscommons.wordpress.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM