Singer songwriter Derek Smith has been a huge part of the Hampton Roads area music scene for over 30 years. Besides playing hundreds of solo shows a year Derek also performs and releases music with his band as Derek Smith and The New Day.
Derek shares some of his favorite songs in this weeks edition of “Five For Friday” but first take a listen to his latest single “The Fool” and keep up with his live appearances here.
Head On (Pixies)
Although this is a cover song, it was the song that introduced me to the Pixies, who became probably the most influential band to me as far as what a rock band should sound like. My approach will always have a little Pixies influence. This one just always feels special to me.
Wild World (Yusuf/Cat Stevens)
When I heard this song again somehow as an adult (19) it was like deja vu as I remembered hearing it as a kid. This led to an obsession with all things Cat Stevens for a few years and really shaped my songwriting and my acoustic sound, especially my voice. Our timbres are so similar that it was like him teaching me how to use my voice.
Somedays (Paul McCartney)
This song is from McCartney’s album Flaming Pie which was released almost 30 years after the Beatles split up. That’s part of what I love so much about it…I feel like it could be on a Beatles album. As I approach 50, it reassures me that no matter how old I am, I can write songs with the same sincerity and feeling as I did when I was younger.
Perfect Blue Buildings (Counting Crows)
I just feel this is a perfectly written song and it makes me feel a whole lot of feelings all at once…existential dread and knowing that I’m not the only one (thus a weird comfort,) anxious during the verse because I’m not sure where it’s going to go, joy when the chorus hits and I can feel the release due to the change to a major chord…its just perfect to me, pun indeed intended, again 😉
The Decline (NOFX)
This is one of my favorites because it’s 18 minutes of balls to the wall badassery accompanied by lyrics that give me goosebumps and make me shake my head and nod my head and scare me and give me hope all at the same time. I’m just so glad it exists.
