John Hiatt is a name that has crossed my radar many times but I am not really that familiar with his music.
All I know is that he appears on the brilliant Flaco Jimenez album Partners with Across the Borderline a song he wrote with Ry Cooder. I recently discovered that he was part of the "super group" Little Village who someone gave me a CD from. He also appeared here in July with a good song called Crossing Muddy Waters from a 2000 Uncut compilation.
Sounds then like someone I need to know about and hear more of. Picking up Y'all Caught? The One's That Got Away 1979-1985 in a charity shop in Stranraer seemed a good place to start. Apparently a Best of from 5 albums he released on MCA and Geffen during this period..
I have to admit that I was majorly disappointed when I got round to playing it as it is very much AOR.
One part country, one part Blues, two parts Huey Lewis & the News.
I may have caught it but I am going to throw it back again.
John Hiatt - She Said The Same Things To Me
John Hiatt - It Hasn't Happened Yet
Billy Joel meets Huey Lewis.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought I was being harsh!
DeleteSounds like my dream artist.
DeleteOut of 2 dozen or so albums by John Hiatt, I can definitely recommend "Bring the Family", "Slow Turning", "Riding with the King" and "Walk On" while "The Best Of John Hiatt" is a decent sampler.
ReplyDeleteIf Huey Lewis or Billy Joel have ever written a song like "Ethylene" or "Since His Penis Came Between Us", be sure to let me know.
Here's a live 1997 version of "Ethylene". Check out the lyrics as you listen - maybe they'll raise a smile on you poor sad ba*ta*ds' faces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pauV55shzQ
Most of these were after the period this album covers
DeleteSo maybe a fallow period?
Across the Borderline and Crossing Muddy Waters are two good songs
I have just googled "Billy Joel Huey Lewis Penis Came between Us"
DeleteAnd I'm guessing you got nothing!
DeleteA visit from the internet police?
DeleteFirst you tell me you've never seen The Big Lebowski... then you diss Huey. You can go right off some people, you know.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I bought some Hiatt a long time ago and found it a bit bland (not amazing and life-affirming like Billy/Huey). He's getting on a bit now though and his latest album is a bit more grumpy old man. Might change your mind. Might not.
Bring the Family is the one for me.
ReplyDeleteSo FurryBootsCityBoy gets to post Ethylene guess I'm stuck with the Penis track https://tinyurl.com/m84sccg This is the only one of his I know, all very Loudon Wainwright who for me is the master of this relationship trauma genre. I'll be seeking more Hiatt on my next CD trip that's for certain
ReplyDelete