Saturday Shuffle 77

 

We are getting to the stage where I need to double check whether songs have appeared on the shuffle before posting

This week I was forced to rule out Beast of Burden by the Stones and Burn it Down by Dexys. Fortunately there are plenty more to choose  from.

The only one of the first three on the shuffle still standing is Sealed With a Glasgow Kiss by Carter USM.

Off the subs bench come Something Stupid by Nancy and Frank Sinatra and Give Him a Great Big Kiss by The Shangri - Las. Two worthy substitutes as I'm sure you will agree.

Nothing to see here for the next two weeks as we are off to deepest darkest Dumfriesshire.

Carter USM - Sealed With a Glasgow Kiss

Nancy and Frank Sinatra - Something Stupid

The Shangri- Las - Give Him a Great Big Kiss

The Birds Have Flown South

 

The birds have flown South for the winter so I think it is probably time to bring this series to a conclusion. It may well be revisited when they fly North again.

Half a dozen random  generic bird picks for you this week starting with my new favourite band The Hanging Stars with Happiness is a Bird which is a rather nice sentiment.

Next we have Jesca Hoop with City Bird which has me thinking of the gallus Pigeons who seem to populate most town centres.

Truckstop Honeymoon express a preference for a Little Red Bird whereas Mercury Rev are happy to settle with The Funny Bird.

Isobel Campbell sings of The National Bird of India. Obviously I looked it up and the picture above gives a clue as to what bird it is.

We conclude with Lucette and Crazy Bird.

One day I'll fly away.

The Hanging Stars - Happiness is a Bird

Jesca Hoop - City Bird

Truckstop Honeymoon - Little Red Bird

Mercury Rev - The Funny Bird

Isobel Campbell - The National Bird of India

Lucette - Crazy Bird

Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

 

I must confess that PJ Harvey is an artist who has fallen off my radar over the years. 

I  have a few of her earlier albums but with the exception of 2011's Let England Shake I have nothing else by her after 2000' s Stories From the City, Stories from the Sea.

I stuck the latter, her 5th album, on the other day for the first time in forever and thoroughly enjoyed it. I reckon it is my favourite album of those of hers that I have heard. I found myself struck with comparisons to Patti Smith.

It was a worthy winner of 2001's Mercury Prize from a time when this was still relevant to me. The Metacritic Aggregator gives a score of 88/100 which seems reasonable to me.

Some boy called Thom Yorke appears on the middle song. I know the name, but I can't quite place him.

PJ Harvey - The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore

PJ Harvey - The Mess We're In

PJ Harvey - This is Love

Spiders and Flies Again

 

Somewhat belatedly and as things stand the third and final selection of Spiders and Flies songs for you today.

Last time round the order was Fly/Spider/Fly/Spider so it is only fair that this time we go with Spider/Fly/Spider/Fly

Andy Fairweather Low songs are like Corporation buses- none for ages and then two come along at once, Here is the former Amen Corner frontman with some Spider Jiving.

Next up is Squirrel Flower with Hurt a Fly.I'm not sure if I have enough material for a subsequent series of comparing and contrasting Squirrel and Flower Songs.

Kenickie  have a confession to make.They are Scared of Spiders,

Finally a Peel Session for you courtesy of Wire and I Am the Fly.

If a Spider invites you into their parlour politely decline.

Andy Fairweather Low - Spider Jiving

Squirrel Flower -Hurt a Fly

Kenickie - Scared of Spiders

Wire -I Am the Fly (Peel Session)

Runaway Soul

 

Late Sunday morning saw me listening to Runaway Soul a 2002 album by US Roots artist Ruthie Foster on Blue Corn Music. Given that she is relatively obscure I found myself wondering if I was the only person in the UK listening to it at that particular time. That's how I rock.

I say Roots music as her songs cover Blues, Country, Soul, Folk and Gospel.

She first crossed my radar when I saw her at SXSW in Austin around then and picked up this album. I subsequently followed that up with 2007's The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster.I'm happy to report that she is still going strong with a dozen or so albums under her belt the majority of which are on Blue Corn.

Here are a couple from the album - the title track written by her and her interpretation at a traditional song.

Ruthie Foster - Runaway Soul

Ruthie Foster -Death Came A-Knocking (Travelin' Shoes)

Amen Corner

 

I took this photo on the Blogger's trip to Newcastle with a view to featuring it on a future Blog post. Then I forgot all about it until the band popped up on the latest Saturday Snapshots over at Rol's place

Active between 1966 -1969 The Amen Corner were a Welsh rock band led by Andy Fairweather Low. They first crossed my radar when a re-release of If Paradise Was Half as Nice charted in 1976.

This was shortly after their frontman charted as a solo artist with Wide Eyed and Legless in 1975.

Two from the band followed by two from AFL I think.

Amen Corner - Bend Me, Shape Me

Amen Corner - If Paradise is Half as Nice

Andy Fairweather Low - Drowning on Dry Land

Andy Fairweather Low - Wide Eyed and Legless

Ball and Chain

 

On Friday at the gym the song Ball and Chain popped up on the MP3 player. Not  by XTC as you and I would  have expected but by British rock band Broken English who were active between 1987 to 1991.

This led me to wondering whether there were any other Ball and Chains in the Music folder. There were two. One by Sam Brown from her 1988 debut album Stop  and one by London folk rock duo The Rails.

On checking Google the first one that popped up was by Janis Joplin so here is a You Tube clip of her performing it with Big Brother & the Holding Company

Apologies for the lack of a Mandatory Reggae Version © Ernie Goggins

Broken English - Ball and Chain.

XTC - Ball and Chain

Sam Brown - Ball and Chain

The Rails - Ball and Chain