On the record
By Casey Gillis on May. 08, 2008
By Bradford Brady and John Maron
Q: I remember a song from the early ’80s that I thought was called “They Don’t Write Them Like That Anymore.” I’ve tried to locate it online so I can download it but can’t seem to find it. Have I got the title wrong?
A: The song you’re thinking of is called “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” by the Greg Kihn Band. Kihn is a Baltimore, Md., native who moved to San Francisco in 1974. Through constant touring, he slowly built a strong following. Released in 1981, “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” reached No. 15 on the charts. His greatest success occurred in 1983 when “Jeopardy” reached No. 2 and “Kihnspiracy,” the album that included the song, reached No. 15. He currently serves as the morning DJ on San Jose’s KUFX-FM.
Q: I noticed when I bought Jack Johnson’s latest CD that it is dedicated to Danny Riley. Who is Danny Riley?
A: Danny Riley was Johnson’s wife’s cousin, who became one of Johnson’s closest friends. When Riley was 13, Johnson helped him learn to play guitar. His interest in music blossomed, and he soon began writing songs. While in high school, he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. He endured many surgeries and chemotherapy treatments before succumbing to the disease in November 2007 at the age of 19. His death occurred while Johnson was recording “Sleep Through the Static,” and many of the songs on the album were written for Riley and his family. Before he died, Riley provided backing vocals on some of the songs.
Q: When I was a child, one of the lullabies my mother would sing to me was about a nut tree and a Spanish princess. Can you tell me the song and its origin?
A: The song is “I Had a Little Nut Tree,” and its author is long since forgotten. A check of various Internet sites all seem to agree that the characters in the nursery rhyme are believed to refer to the visit of the Royal House of Spain to King Henry VII’s English court in 1506. There appears to be some disagreement, however, as to which of the two daughters of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain the song refers: Catherine of Aragon or Joanna of Castile (also known later as “Mad Joan,” although whether she was truly mentally ill is debatable). However, there is strong evidence to suggest that the song refers to Catherine. In an effort to affect a peace treaty with England, Catherine had been promised to Prince Arthur, the oldest son of King Henry VII of England. After 13 years of negotiations, the two were finally married in London in 1501. Less than five months later, Arthur, who was only 16, suddenly died in 1502, possibly from tuberculosis. Arthur’s death meant major complications for the political union between the two countries. Henry proposed that she marry his second son, the Duke of York, also named Henry. With the Pope’s blessing, the two were married in 1509 shortly after Henry VII’s death. The younger Henry was none other than the infamous Henry VIII, and Catherine was the first of his six wives. (She would later be discarded for Anne Boleyn.)
What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send questions to or visit http://www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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