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Song Stories

“Seahorse”

Devendra Banhart | 2007

Regularly cited for his "freak-folk" sound, Devendra Banhart also shows his love of South American culture in songs such as "Seahorse," a tune with that spans eight minutes and has an almost literary arc. "There's something somewhat Blakean about it," Banhart said, citing the Romantic poet William Blake. "But musically, it’s the best thing I've ever ... it's the thing I'm most proud of." Going from acoustic lament to piano-driven shuffle, and with its climatic ending, "Seahorse" showcases Banhart in pronounced Jim Morrison mode: poetic and high on spiritual lust. And there’s even a flute solo.

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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

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