Blog Country 141 - Benin

 

We are back in Africa for Blog country 141 namely Benin. A French speaking country in West Africa formerly known as Dahomey.

As is always the case with all things Africa Ernie has been here before as part of his Odyssey and other various posts. I try not to step on his toes by searching for other artists to the ones he has featured.

However I'm going to feature Benin's most famous musical artist Angelique Kidjo given that I have her album Logozo from which the song Ewa Ka Dijo is taken.

Next up is Norberka. I'll let her introduce herself -  my name is Kpanou Agbla Norberte, alias Norberka. I’m a singer of Beninois traditional music. I also dance and sometimes I play percussion. Here she is performing at the Dagbe Cultural Institute & Arts Centre in Ghana. I'm afraid I don't have the name of the song.

I'm also afraid that I have not been able to find out much by Zeynab Mousse other than she has a song called Tadegla. I'm not doing too well, am I?

Maybe Sagbohan Danialou can yeild some more information. It seems that he was born on 11th December 1951, he is part of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou and his musical genre is Champeta. His offering today is Ahouankouno which trips lightly off the tongue

We conclude with Naomi Ehigie A gospel music minister. Based in Benin Edo state and also a proprietress, Philanthropist. Marriage counselor. a preacher and a teacher of the word . Her offering (see what I did there?) is Where For Dey O

We are off to South America next time round

Angelique Kidjo - Gwa Ka Dijo

Norberka - Dans Dagbe

Zeynab Mousse -Tadgela

Sagbohan Danialou - Ahouankouno

Naomi Ehigie -Where For Day O

 

Hanging Stars Shenanigans

 

A couple of weeks ago I posted a piece on the album Across the Silvery Lake by The Hanging Stars here

I had bought it from Norman Records on vinyl. Then last Friday I opened the door to the Postie who presented me with another copy which was signed by the band no less. There was no paperwork attached to it and I had no idea where it had come from.

A few days later I noticed that it had appeared in my Bandcamp folder. I have no memory of ordering it from there as I had noticed the postage from Norman Records was cheaper. It looks as though I must have ordered it twice!

Stay with me as it gets even stranger.

Later that day a  CD copy of their third album A New Kind of Sky popped through my letterbox. Again no paperwork or clue to where it came from.

In the comments on my last post C had put a comment and a you tube link of their earlier incarnation  The See See.  C introduces CC to See See!. I duly headed to Bandcamp and ordered a CD of their album Once, Forever & Again.

It has not arrived as yet and I wonder if A New Kind of Sky was sent in mistake.

I shall keep you posted!

The Hanging Stars - I Woke Up in July 

The See See - Mary Ann

I-Pod Playlist - Jesus

 

Last week Jail, this week Jesus.Our coverstar would perhaps have been better in the former.

The playlist features all things religious but I thought I would stick with Jesus even although I did a fairly lengthy Jesus series back in 2023 in which some, if not all, of the songs below featured

One that I don't think was on that series is Marie Knight with Does Jesus Care. Maybe he does but I know that his doppelganger certainly doesn't

Lord Cut Glass knows how to deliver a killer insult with Even Jesus Couldn't Love You.

The Vaselines tell us that Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam which seems to me to be a bloody good trade -in

Finally we have James Scott Bullard with  Jesus, Jail or Texas a song that could be included in three different Playlist posts in this series.

Only three more to go I think with the next one being titled Johnny Reggae

Marie Knight - Does Jesus Care

Lord Cut Glass - Even Jesus Couldn't Love You

The Vaselines - Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam

James Scott Bullard - Jesus, Jail or Texas

Simply Red

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases #16 - Red Foley - The Essential Recordings

Slim pickings on my latest Clarkston Charity foray Only the one purchase from my first post of call Barnardos.

I have some proper Country for you today courtesy of Clyde Julien Foley better known as Red Foley one of Country's biggest post WW2 stars,

From 2016 on the Primo label  The Essential Red Foley is a double CD with 40 tracks which cost me a pound though it is on sale on Discogs fron $10 upwards

Although he came from Kentucky he seems to have had an affinity with Tennessee given that side 1 includes three songs referencing that State. Mississippi and Alabama also get a reference.

I'll quote the blurb on the back of the CD

This collection celebrates the career of a true pioneer, and a master of all forms of Country Music, from ballads through to blues and even Rockabilly. He was an inspiration to many Rock'n'Roll artists, and both Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis covered his songs. His sophisticated, smooth,mellow vocals were incredibly influential in bringing Country to mainstream America.

Red Foley - Tennessee Saturday Night

Red Foley - Tennessee Border

Red Foley - Tennessee Polka

Blue Rose Collection Vol.7

 

The Best

The Rest

The Rare

Blue Rose Collection Vol.7 becomes the 31st entry in the American Compilation series joing Vol.8 which was the 13th entry. I'm not sure if we will reach 50,but we will certainly not exceed it.

Let's start with a CCM favourite the band Jolene of seen in Helensburgh fame. Constantinople is taken from their 3rd album Antic Ocean which was released in the year 2000.

I think that Trish Murphy may be the only female artist on the CD so it is only fair that she gets an outing with Outsider.

I couldn't choose between Gimme Back My Dog by Slobberbone and Neil's On The Radio by Big In Iowa so it is only fair that both feature.

Jolene - Constantinople

Trish Murphy - Outsider

Slobberbone - Gimme Back My Dog

Big in Iowa - Neil's On The Radio

Andy Kershaw R.I.P.

 

I was all set to draft the next Saturday Shuffle when I received a text from my pal Pete advising that the DJ Andy Kershaw had died at the age of 66 from cancer. Not that much older than me FFS.

I know that he had his issues particularly when his relationship broke down and he was jailed for three months for violating a restraining order which significantly impacted on his broadcasting career.

I was far more influenced by him than I was by Peel. Indeed, he even had me tuning in to Radio 3 for the first time ever when his show was moved there in 2001.

He made a considerable impact on my musical tastes and indeed on my budget.

His documentary on Bob Dylan's 1966 "Royal Albert Hall" concert  when he went electric had a huge influence on me and pretty much turned me onto his music.

He introduced the world to Jim Ford and Harlan County and as George has noted he also pointed us in the direction of Carl and Pearl Butler.

Then there was the African music and his championing of James Carr.

A significant part of my musical education and collection is down to him.

Rest easy Andy and thank you for the music.

Bob Dylan - Leopard - Skin Pill-Box Hat

Jim Ford - Harlan County

Carl & Pearl Butler - Don't Let Me Cross Over

Four Brothers - Uchandifunga

James Carr - Forgeting You

The Shuffle will return next Saturday

Alphabet Soup - A Random ABC

 

Totally devoid of ideas for today's post I resorted to shutting my eyes and hovering the mouse over and randomly stopping at artists beginning with A,B or C

For the letter A the cursor stopped on the folder for the Northern Irish band Ash. I decided to go for the song Kung Fu hence the picture of Kung Fu Panda.

For B the cursor alighted on Barry Adamson. If you are wondering why he is filed under B rather than A that's the way the folder works. If I  had a Barry Adamson album, which I don't it would be filed under A on the shelves 

Similarly Cat Stevens would come under S as opposed to C

Apologies again for the lack of inspiration. Hopefully I'll get my mojo back soon. Suggestions, or even contributions, welcome.

Failing that there are only another 14634 songs/folders to go!

Ash - Kung Fu

Barry Adamson - The Last Words of Sam Cooke

Cat Stevens - Hard Headed Woman