This topic was suggested by my close personal friend Jay, who belongs in the Hall with us more than any friend I know yet resists entering for fear of never leaving. Well, my friend, you’ve been stuck in your own personal Rock (and Film) Town Hall for as long as I’ve known you. You’ve been with us before we existed.

I think most of us are old enough to get the meaning of this Last Man Standing. Entering one artist at a time, let’s see if we can’t exhaust all of the artists who were dubbed by critics and/or publicists as the “next Dylan.” I don’t know if anyone still gets that title or if they simply call the person the “next” someone else, probably a former “next Dylan” himself. Rather than rob anyone the opportunity to provide an answer, I won’t get things started with my own entry. Ready…Set…Go!

It was hot in Philadelphia today. Effin’ hot! I took a long walk after breakfast, did some chores, cut up a big batch of hot peppers and put them in vinegar, then went to the Phillies’ game, where I sat in the sun and watched my boys chase Rockies’ first-half Cy Young Award Winner Ubaldo Jimenez from the game in 3 or 4 innings. Jimenez wanted nothing to do with a 4:00 pm game-time temperature of 100 degrees and our city’s oppressive humidity. Unlike Jimenez I lasted all 9 innings, cheering as if it was a night game in the 70s. It was hot!

In honor of all the sweat shed at Citizens Bank Park today, how about a Last Man Standing on songs that tell the temperature, specifically. The song can’t simply say it’s “hot as hell” or “cold as ice”; it must cite a specific temperature, be it in degrees or celcius. Got me? It’s too hot to explain it again. Now go!

It was noted in the ongoing RTH World Cup of Rock ‘n Roll competition that no one is impressed by a rock ‘n roll mama’s boy. Elvis Presley is rock’s best-known mama’s boy. Phil Lynott and Jim Morrison were cited as other examples. Are there more? What makes your rocker a mama’s boy?

There have been two recent mentions of the Cream song, SWLABR. BTW, it was a song I hadn’t heard of and had to look up so that I could get with the RTH program. I’m now ISO other of these acronym songs. Mr. Royale and I could think of three: DMSR by Prince, PYT by Michael Jackson, and IGY by Donald Fagen. FWIW, can you think of others? (One entry per post, of course.)

BFN, LMKR