You All, Everybody: 5 Songs Singing About Everybody

This week's songs are from Melanie, The Feelies, the Helio Sequence, Taj Mahal, and Dehd

I’m not what you would call a “joiner.” Yet at the same time, I enjoy communal experiences. Seeing a movie in a theater always beats watching one at home. Being at the game is better than watching from the couch. Being at a concert is one of life’s great joys. What makes them special is also what makes them kind of a hassle to navigate: Everybody. All the people. Everyone.

No one is the same, but also not a lot of people are that different. Being one in a crowd—particularly one with a common interest—is a quick reminder that you aren’t that special or unique. It can be humbling, looking around at a crown with a few hundred other versions of you. You have a lot in common with Everybody.

It’s something we can all relate to—the universal truth that applies to everyone, at least according to the logic of the song.

Everybody hurts. Everyone has a hope that’s died. Everybody needs somebody to love. Everybody wants to rule the world. Everybody’s got to learn sometime. Everybody knows. Everybody talks. Everybody clap your hands. Everybody is in the club getting tipsy. Everyone’s a winner, babe—that’s the truth.

Here are 5 songs singing to—or about—“everyone.”

Melanie - “Detroit Or Buffalo” (Barbara Keith Cover)

Originally written and performed by Barbra Keith, I prefer the orchestral version here from Melanie. It’s got a sweeping production and is much more melodramatic than Keith’s. Admittedly, if you’re running away and your only choices are Detroit or Buffalo, something pretty wild must be going on. The refrain, “God knows, everybody’s got to go sometime” hits with a grand, down-sweeping melody of defeat. She doesn’t know where she’s going, but goddammit she sure knows it’s time to go. We’ve all been there. It’s a bad date. You just broke something. Maybe your kid is throwing a tantrum. Someone in the group you’re out with just suggested karaoke. Detroit or Buffalo; you’ve got to go.

“I guess more the aspect of being a suburban band than being a city band. That environment that we grew up in has a lot to do with our sound. The way I feel when I’m in the city, my senses just feel overwhelmed. I think our music is suburban because it has a lot of subtleties.” - Glenn Mercer

The Feelies - “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide (Except for Me & My Monkey” (Beatles Cover)

The Feelies were Weezer before Weezer. Sweaters, thick-rim glasses, and a blue background on their album. The Feelies had a few brushes with minor success in the 1980s, with a few lengthy hiatuses. You can see one of those brushes with success in Something Wild, as they are the band at the high school reunion (yes, you should rewatch Something Wild). But upon a larger re-evaluation of the 1980s independent music scene in the late 2000s, the Feelies reunited in 2008 and remain active since.

Here they are doing to the Beatles what Devo did to the Rolling Stones: take a groove, play it like a straight line as fast as you can, and revel in how stupid-fun it sounds. From the appropriately titled Crazy Rhythms, get a load of all the “subtleties” Mercer noted above, like multiple cowbells. It’s the sonic equivalent of sticking your tongue out and shaking your head back and forth as fast as you can.

“I used to think that anyone doing anything weird was weird. I suddenly realized that anyone doing anything weird wasn’t weird at all, and it was the people saying they were weird that were weird.” - Paul McCartney

The Helio Sequence - “Everyone Knows Everyone”

Chicago people: remember JBTV? For those that don’t, it was a local one-man TV show that was this awkward looking nerdy guy with a beard (Jerry Bryant) and a goofy microphone playing videos and interviewing up-and-coming musicians. It never seemed to air on the same channel or at the same day or time even, but it was usually late at night. He’s been doing this for over 35 years and is still at it. The ‘Notable Guests’ section of the Wikipedia page is impressive—in addition to indie bands, not only did JBTV televise Radiohead’s first show in Chicago, but also BTS. As a teenager I thought Bryant was a bit of a dork, but hindsight being what it is, he is obviously a true fan and a champion for just-breaking musicians. The guy is the ground floor.

One of those up-and-comers I remember learning of from JBTV was the Helio Sequence. What caught my attention at first was the distinct head-bob of drummer Benjamin Weike. Outside of the Helio Sequence, Weike played drums on Modest Mouse’s break out Good News for People Who Love Bad News; he’s got a very distinct style—loose, melodic, and splashy. “Everyone Knows Everyone,” as demonstrated by the music video, is a tribute to the small town feel of Portland, Oregon. It’s an early 2000s time capsule and just a nice good-mood tune.

“Those old songs were left hanging out in some vault underground. My objective is to keep that corridor open. That’s bringing the inspiration to me every day, every hour, every minute.” - Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal - “Everybody’s Got to Change Sometime” (Sleepy John Estes Cover)

“Everybody’s Got to Change Sometime,” originally done by bluesman Sleepy John Estes is on the fantastic self-titled debut from Taj Mahal. The album’s first two tracks are the grinding boogie “Leaving Trunk” (another Sleepy John Estes song), and “Statesboro Blues.” Taj’s version—dare I say it—is a superior version of “Statesboro Blues,” to that of the Allman Brothers. And as you prepare your rebuttal, I’ll note the Allman Brothers’ version is a cover of Taj’s. Not only that, but it was seeing Taj Mahal’s guitarist Jesse Ed Davis play the slide guitar on it inspired Duane Allman to learn the technique in the first place.

Davis—who played with every guitar great you could imagine—is on lead guitar here, while Ry Cooder is fiercely picking at the blues riff like its a popcorn kernel stuck in his teeth. The whole song sounds like the tape has been sped up, but there’s a wild live version recorded for TV that suggests these cats just rip it that fast. Don’t be fooled by the title; while everybody’s got to change sometime, the singer is the exception to the rule, and that’s made clear from the start:

Change in the ocean, change int he deep blue sea
Well, there’s a change in my baby. But there ain’t never change in me

“This is the only band I’ve been in where we formed it and the only rule was to have fun.” - Emily Kempf

Dehd - “Dog Days”

Representing the opposite perspective from heartbroken, “Dog Days” is a banger for heartbreakers everywhere. Dehd is a trio from Chicago, showing their local cred with this video filmed at the storied Chicago dive Bernice’s. I’ve never been, but it was recently closed due what sounds like total incompetence from ownership. Anyway, “Dog Days,” like a lot of Dehd’s music, is stupid fun and it’s about stupid fun, consequence be damned. That hot mess you knew in college? This song is them. If you were that hot mess, bless your heart. Everyone has their moments.

Ghosted, coastin’, feeling free
Windows open, infinity

It's a bad boy in a fast car
It's a glass half full that you knocked over
It's a homerun for the masses
It's a pair of fake Gucci sunglasses

It’s a song every high school garage band should play; two chords, a charging drum beat, and gleefully bratty singing. Does everyone blast songs about being young, reckless, selfish and dumb as they stumble backwards into their 40s? Or is it just me?

Full playlists of songs featured in 5 Songs:

YouTube Apple Music Spotify