November Playlist: Lenny

So hot.

My introduction to Lenny Kravitz was in '89 when he was an indie rock darling with a crazy pop culture pedigree as son of a 70s sitcom star and husband of an 80s sitcom star. He was also a disciple of 60s peace and love rock, a formula that has lasted for 25 years.

He ping-pongs between rock star and everyman. He can lead an arena in chanting his name, but will randomly stop and jam with street musicians. I have fallen quite star-struck to still revel in the thrill of having gotten a hug from him during one of his "I wanna be one with the crowd" chants during one of his concerts. We've seen him at least 4 times.

I've gotten away from his music as local stations frustratingly do not play his new stuff. The local classic rock station rigid in its formula, it doesn't even play his old stuff. As he moves onto the next phase of his career as well being the dad to model actress Zoe, it may be time to put him back in rotation.

Let Love Rule: his calling card, his 30 minute peace and love singalong at his shows.

My Precious Love: mesmerizing ode to Lisa.

Always on the Run: jazz funk that is pure rock.

Stand By My Woman: if I had to pick one song of his that is my favorite, this is it. It is soulful, passionate, sexy.

All I Even Wanted: co-written by Sean Lennon, who couldn't have been more than 16 at the time.

Are You Going to Go My Way? It's the song everyone knows and everyone rocks out to. That drum line is so hard. The question rhetorical, of course we are.

Believe: A marketing exec could have easily positioned Lenny as a Christian rocker based on this tune. And out-rocked the whole lot of them.

Just Be A Woman: kind of Stand part II. Definitely bedroom material.

Circus: Lenny wrote this album, IIRC, in response to his grandfather and mother's illnesses and subsequent deaths. The Circus, I believe, is the chaos that is being an adult child facing the end of your elders.

Beyond the 7th Sky: more groovy Christian rock.

Can't Get You Off My Mind: more "girl, I love you" rock.

Supersoulfighter: more jazz funk dragged through the 60s.

I Belong to You: that Lenny sure is a romantic fella...

Fly Away: straight up rocker that has been used for a ton of sporting event b-footage bumpers since its release. There is footage on youtube of him leaving a morning show in NYC, like the Today show and him overhearing a group of school kids rehearsing this song for a concert in the park. He walked over and assisted in conducting the show, and only joined in singing when coaxed into it by the kids, not wanting to show up their efforts.

Little Girl's Eyes: Zoe has been Lenny's muse since she was born and this is sweet.

American Woman: one of his few remakes, this one done for the Austin Powers film franchise, that eventually became the name of his tour in, I want to say 2006...? By this time, he was no longer a true headliner and while the show was great, the venue was half full and a few songs into the show, he encouraged people to call friends at home to just come "fill the seats" on him. Yeah, there's no cell service in the Van Andel and I'm not sure how many people came to partake in the freebie.

Dig In: more of what makes him awesome.