Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by John Richards, host of The Morning Show on KEXP, is "This Forgotten Town" by The Jayhawks, from the 2020 album XOXO on Sham/Thirty Tigers.
On their 11th LP, the members of long-running Americana band The Jayhawks all share songwriting duties for the first time ever. On today's Song of the Day, in particular, lead singer Gary Louris and drummer Tim O’Reagan share vocals on a track co-written by Louris and bassist Marc Perlman.
“Introducing different voices throughout the song added a new dimension to telling the story,” Perlman told Rolling Stone Magazine. “We approached it much like we did the whole record — more collaboration in the writing and more sharing of lead vocals than in the past.”
“Marc brought the chord progression for this song, and then I started singing a melody on top of it,” Louris added. “We wrote the lyrics together.”
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.