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Sunday 31 January 2021

Val's Vinyl


 Val is back on more familiar ground this week with a 12 inch single by soul funk band Maze.

Recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon on March 22nd and 23rd March 1982. Who knows Val may even have been there strutting her funky stuff.

From Philadelphia and fronted by Frankie Beverly they are a band that I am not familiar with. Pretty much a new name to me but they were briefly namechecked in Stuart Cosgrove's latest book Cassius X which I have just finished reading.

Soul funk like this is not my cup of tea at all but maybe I am in a minority given that they appear to have a large and faithful following. On a subsequent trip to these shores in 1986 the sold out 8 nights at the same venue. Apparantly when going to see them fans have taking to wearing white to emulate the band. I will be keeping a close eye on Val's wardrobe

Maze -Before I Let Go

Maze - Golden Time of the Day

Saturday 30 January 2021

Let's Kill Saturday Night

 


Not again - the fifth instalment of the accidental Saturday Night series. Is it ever going to end?

Of course it will but not just yet.Another four stonkers for you today.

Let's start with an artist I know nothing about Ella Mae Morse. Thanks to the internet I now know she is not the inventor of Morse code but that she was a singer of popular music in the 40s and 50s whose recordings mixing jazz, blues, and country styles influenced the development of rock'n'roll. Evey day's a school day, including Saturdays.

From the following era Ella Mae is joined by the mighty Dion Di Mucci. A Wanderer he may have been which may explain why he was continually Lookin' for the Heart of Saturday Night.

When he found it he may have been tempted to have a little boogie where he may well have been joined by Barry Ian Green better know as the legend that is Barry Blue.

TIme to finish by taking the enjoyment down a notch or two with a hero of mine Mr Robbie Fulks with the title track from his only mainstream album and the one which is probably his worst. Confirmation, as if it was needed, that some of the best artists are better placed out left field..

Ella Rae Morse - Tennessee Saturday Night

Dion - Lookin' For The Heart of Saturday Night

Barry Blue - Dancin' on a Saturday Night

Robbie Fulks - Let's Kill Saturday Night

Four more for you next Satuday I'm afraid.


Friday 29 January 2021

Lightnin'


 The word Lightnin' and Hopkins popped into my head the other day in rapid succession.

This of course can mean only one thing. That's right time to give the great Texan Bluesman at airing.
Sam "Lightnin" Hopkins recorded in the region of 1000 songs during his recording career from 1946 to his death in 1982 in Houston at the age of 1969.

He was a mentor to the likes of Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt. I think that he first came to my attention via Andy Kershaw.
He has appeared here previously on a couple of occassions once as part of The Blues Collection.
I have three other albums by him and when thinking what to feature it seemed a good idea to feature the title track from each of them 

So here is Jake Head Boogie (Ace 1998), Morning Blues (Charly Blues Masterworks Vol 8, 1992) and Coffee House Blues (Charly Blues Masterworks Vol 33,1993) all released around the time he was popping up on Kershaw's shows.



Thursday 28 January 2021

The Bard of Barking

 


It is reassuring in these troubling times to turn to a constant pressence over the past 40 or so years.

To quote Wiki Billy Bragg's  music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is heavily centred on bringing about change and involving the younger generation in activist causes.

We could do with more like him .From 1983’s Life’a Riot with Spy vs Spy onwards he has never been afraid to speak his mind and to highlight inequalities and political shenanagins. Like most of us he has probably mellowed from the angry young man but he still has a sense of right and wrong as well as right and left

Here are three from various periods of his illustrious career all as pertinent now as when they were written.

Billy Bragg - World Turned Upside Down

Billy Bragg - Waiting for the Great Leap Forward

Billy Bragg - There Will Be a Reckoning

Wednesday 27 January 2021

Admiral Fallow

 


AsI've previously mentioned we've bought a digital Festival Pass for this year's Celtic Connections season in the absence of the real thing. Obviously it is not the same as seeing the acts live but it is better that nothing I suppose plus it puts some finance their way.

You can watch the concerts as they come out or for a week thereafter and I have been dipping in and out. I really enjoyed Come Away In  a song circle led by Karine Polwart and featuring Rab Noakes,Eddi Reader, Siobhan Miller and Findlay Napier  - all names that have featured here before.

Indie band Admiral Fallow were featured on Saturday Night.As this clashed with Spiral on the telly I caught up with it on Sunday afternoon. No Spiral spoilers please I've still to see the last ones

A band that have been on the go since 2007 but who have only released three albums during that period although lead singer Louis Abbot and multi- instrumentalist Sarah Hayes have both been involved in a number of other bands and projects.

It was good to see them in action and hopefully it will help to lead to another album soon.

Admiral Fallow - Subbuteo

Admiral Fallow - Party Fears Two (Vic Galloway Session)


Tuesday 26 January 2021

The Honeythief

 

When it comes to this blogging lark you have to take your inspirations where you can.

On late Saturday afternoon I poured myself a bottle of The Honey Thief a beer brewed by Williams Brothers and very nice it was too.

It immediately had me thinking about and singing The Honeythief a classic 80's song from the Glasgow band Hipsway. I would like to think that the brewers had this in mind when naming it.

There can't be anyone of a certain vintage from the Central Belt in Scotland who hasn't danced to/sung along to this in their youth.

This in turn let me to digging out the 1986 selft titled debut album by Hipsway. on the Mercury label .Dated certainly, but a pleasant trip down memory lane

We need more beers named after songs!

Hipsway - The Honeythief

Hipsway - Long White Car

Monday 25 January 2021

Burns Night


 It's the 25th of January and normally Scots the world over would be celebrating the birthday of Robert Burns  with Burns Suppers. 

A combination of poems,toasts, songs  a meal of haggis, neeps and tatties and perhaps the occassional wee dram. Sadly any being held this year are likely to be via Zoom

We will be doing our bit. Some poetry may be recited, some haggis may be eaten (by me , not the veggie Mrs CC), some drams may be drunk and some music will be played.

The last holiday purchase The Songs of Robert Burns by Eddi Reader will be looked out leading to Eddi's second appearance in as many days. There are also some others out there

Some hae meat and canna eat, -- And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Eddi Reader - My Love is Like a Red Red Rose

Pur - My Heart's in the Highlands

The Delgados - Parcel of Rogues






Sunday 24 January 2021

Val's Vinyl


 A rare foray by Val this week into the world of pop.

From 1988 The First of a Million Kisses is the debut album by Fairground Attraction  on RCA. A folk/soft rock band put together by Mark Nevin who had previously played with Kirsty MacColl. The singer is of course Glasgow's own Eddi Reader.

They hit the ground running with their debut single Perfect which reached number one in the UK singles charts. As opposed to a one hit wonder they were more of a two hit wonder  as the follow up Find My Love reaching number 5. Their other singled A Smile in a Whisper and Clare reached the outer fringes of the charts.

A one hit wonder though in terms of albums as the only released one more Ay Fond Kiss which consisted mostle of b-sides and unreleased recordings and which was released after Eddi Reader had left the band. Hardly surprisingly it sunk without trace.

Fairground Attraction - Perfect

Fairground Attraction - Find My Love




Saturday 23 January 2021

Saturday Night Smorgarsbord


A veritable Saturday Night Smorgasbord for you tonight in the fourth instalment of this accidental Saturday series.

Four more fairly eclectic offerings to tickle your tastebuds

We start with a little bit of Country courtesy of Vernon Oxford a singer from Rogers, Arkansas  who had a recording career from 1966 to 1982

After that we have a little bit of Jazz funk ... nice. I'm not quite sure how Pacific Express made it to my hard drive but then again they are not the only act I can say that about . The are a band from Cape Town in South Africa so  this may well be another one which is down to Ernie

Some Yusaf Islam for you also from the days when he went by the name of Cat Stevens. We have a live version of Sam Cooke's Another Saturday Night. (see the how did that get onto my hard drive reference above) If you, rightly, feel that it is not a patch on the original please keep watching this space.

Finally we have a member of the E Street Band with a song from when he was still very much a solo artist. Here is Nils Lofgren  with  One More Saturday Night  a track from his self titled and  first solo album from 1975.

Rest assured there will be more than one more Saturday Night. Tune in next week for more of the same.

Vernon Oxford - Hazard County Saturday Night

 Pacific Express - Saturday Night

Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night

Nils Lofgren - One More Saturday Night



Friday 22 January 2021

21st Century Rockabilly Revisited

 


In the absence of new material from charity shops I am continuing to trawl the far corners of my hard drive for inspiration and things to feature.

One which caught my eye was 21st Century Rockabilly Volume 2 which came free with Vintage Rock magazine in July 2015. Regular readers will not be surprised that this crossed my radar courtesy of my brother. I say revisited as I have featured this CD before . You will see in the comments that Brian has alluded to the traditional comment from George in such situations.

I've chosen these three songs at random.If you are interested the tracklist is available via discogs where you can pick it up for as little as £3.50 which is probably cheaper than the magazine.

It takes you back to Swiss Adam's long running amd sorely missed Friday Night Rockabilly series

Rudy La Crioux - Gonna Have Myself a Ball

The Cheaterslicks - Bad Bad Girl

Rockin' Rocket 88 - Sanity


Thursday 21 January 2021

Two Hands

 


The song Not by Brooklyn band Big Thief was one of my favourites from 2019.

I would like to say that my finger was on the pulse and that I was aware that it was from their 4th album Two Hands on 4AD and that I had been following them since their 2016 debut Masterpiece but sadly that's not the case.

Rather they came to my attention via a Mojo compilation Ragged Glories  featuring a lot of thrashy guitars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

It was enough to make me track down a copy of Two Hands and I must admit that I rather enjoyed it.It appears to have averaged around 8/10 when scored by the critics which is probably just about right.

The lead singer is the rather wonderful Adrienne Lenker who is joined by Buck Meek (guitar), Max Oleartchik (bass) and James Krichenia on drums. A couple of names there that would score well in Scrabble.

Any excuse to listen to Not again.

Big Thief - Rock and Sing

Big Thief - Not

Wednesday 20 January 2021

Celtic Connections 2013 Revisited

 


We got as far as 2013  on Sunday morning in our sequential listening to the Sunday Herald's Celtic Connections compilation CDs.

It must be said that they are terrific and something I would pay good money for. It's a pity that they have stopped releasing these but it is perhaps understandable given the perilous state of the newspaper industry

The 2013 CD features songs from two 2012 albums which grace the shelves with the artists in question making a festival appearance in 2013.

I seem to remember that JD McPherson's 2012 debut Signs & Signifiers was released to a fair degree of hype. The combination of rockabilly, rock 'n'roll and rhythm and blues is right up my street and I pretty quickly snapped it up.

I enjoyed it at the time but I can't say that I've played it that many times recently. He seems to  me to be more of a sort of  tribute act rather than anything else and I haven't had the desire to explore any of his subsequent releases.

On the other hand I will very quickly pick up anything that Karine Polwart puts out.I've seen her at the City Halls as part of Celtic Connections but I'm not sure whether it was in 2013 promoting her album Traces. It may well have been

Karine was on digitally on Monday as part of a song circle and was excellent as ever.

JD McPherson - North Side Gal

Karine Polwart - We're All Leaving

Tuesday 19 January 2021

Celtic Connections 2012 Revisited

 


I'm still a bit devoid of ideas.So folowing on from yesterday's post here are a couple of songs that feature on the Sunday Herald Celtic Connections compilation for 2012.

You are getting one I featured  when I posted this last time round and one I didn't . I'm also limiting myself to songs and/or albums I already have  elsewhere.

The great Gerry Rafferty died on 4th January 2011 and there was a  concert in the 2012 programme to commemorate his music and his passing. The song the Sunday Herald chose to feature was Can I Have My Money Back ? the title track from his first solo album from as far back as 1971 and  one I have on an Antholgy of his work.

I'm pleased to say that King Creosote is very much still with us. I suspect that he and Jon Hopkins made an appearance to promote their 2011 album Diamond Mine. It was not one that I attended as I was just beginging to get into him at the time. Fortunately I've seen him a couple of times since.


Gerry Rafferty - Can I Have My Money Back?

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Bats in the Attic


Monday 18 January 2021

You Are Not Alone


 It's Celtic Connections time. Regular readers will know that Mrs CC and I normally attend 2 or 3 concerts annually in place of Christmas presents. 

This year as with everything else it has fallen foul of Covid and is digital only. We've acquired a festival pass so we'll see how it goes. To mark the festival we have been working our way through the free CDs which used to come with the Sunday Herald. We have these from 2007 -2017. The most recently played was 2011 which has a song by Mavis Staples on it.

It is from her 2010 gospel album You Are Not Alone on the ANTI label and produced by Jeff Tweedy. An album which won a Grammy for Best Americana Album. It is also one I have a burn off so it has duly been looked out.

An album which would have normally been considered for the Sunday slot were that not currently Val's domain.

Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone

Mavis Staples - Wonderful Savior

Sunday 17 January 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


Val is back on safer ground this week with a 12 inch single from the Motown label.

From 1980 and written by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards  My Old Piano  for her 11th studio album Diana the biggest selling album of her career. Probably the poorest of the three singles from that album given that the others are Upside Down and I'm Coming Out. Nevertheless it reached number 5 in the UK singles charts where it briefly hung around for 9 weeks and earned her a silver disc selling over 250,000 copies, one being Val's .

It should be pointed out that this is the Special Limited Edition Disco Mix in case you think it sounds slightly different from what you remember. On the subject of disco  I've added a song by Freddie Gwala following a hard drive search for the diva.

Diana Ross - My Old Piano

Diana Ross - Where Did We Go Wrong

Freddie Gwala - Diana Ross




Saturday 16 January 2021

Saturday Night at the Movies

 


Welcome to the third instalment of my accidental series of Saturday Night songs. The good/bad (tick where applicable) news is that there are at least another three instalments courtesy of suggestions and contributions from some of the good people on the right hand sidebar.

Let's get started and we'll go in the order I downloaded them.

First up is John Fogarty with the 1975 original of Almost Saturday Night. Not a patch on the 1981 version by Dave Edmunds which featured on week one.

Last week's classic was Louis Jordon. This week it is the even more classic from 1964 Saturday Night at the Movies by The Drifters. If you don't find yourself singing this sometime today there is something seriously wrong with you.

From one extreme to another.From the 1979 album Squeezing Out the Sparks The Drifters are followed by Graham Parker and the Rumour with Saturday Night is Dead.

This week's final offering is Saturday Night by Suede the final track from their 1996 album Coming Up. This is an album I have but which I haven't played for years. I just might dust it down and give it a whirl.

Four more next Saturday

John Fogarty - Almost Saturday Night

The Drifters - Saturday Night at the Movies

Graham Parker & the Rumour - Saturday Night is Dead

Suede - Saturday Night

Friday 15 January 2021

She's All Right With Me!

 


Another excellent Ace compilation for you today with She's Alright With Me! Girl Group Sounds USA 1961-1968

It's on Ace so as you would expect it is Ace. One slight quibble is that although it references Girl Groups as you can see from the  tracklist it features as many if not more solo artists. But not to worry that does not diminish the quality in any way.

Entering into the spirit of things I'm featuring two of the Groups . Firstly we have The Rev-Lons from Bakesfield, California consisting of the Hernandez sisters Frances. Rachel and Lupe.

I can't find out much about The Surf Bunnies other that they are also a trio and their names are are Pat, Donna and Patty and that they released a few singles in 1962. There is an album by Lee Hazlewood's Woodchucks called Cruisin' For Surf Bunnies but I suspect that's a different thing altogether.Something to take your mind off the snow

The Rev-Lons - Whirlwind

The Surf Bunnies - Summertime is Surfin' Time

Thursday 14 January 2021

The Motorcycle Boy

 


The Motorcycle Boy an Edinburgh band who were active from 1987 to 1990 were yet another act who passed  me by at the time.

Consisting of former members of The Shop Assistants* and Meat Whiplash with former Shop Assistant Alex Taylor on vocals.Here is a more detailed blurb courtesy of Shindig Magazine

 They came to my attention via a number of blogging chums particularly when Forgotten Astronaut Records retrospectively released their only album Scarlet in 2019.

And it is a belter. I've enough Christmas money left for one more purchase and this could very well be it.

The album cover  a street photograph of a Harlem Motorcycle Gang, photographed in New York City, USA for Queen magazine, 1959. is a belter too

The Motorcycle Boy - Take Me For a Walk

The Motorcycle Boy - Under The Bridge


* See Jamie’s comment below

Wednesday 13 January 2021

Hurray For The Riff Raff


 I haven't heard very much by Hurray For The Riff Raff but what I have heard I like.

They are a band from New Orleans fronted by Alyndra Seggara a singer/song writer originally from the Bronx.

They have been on the go from 2007 with their last release being The Navigator from 2017 on the ATO label. I seem to remember that I contemplated buying it at the time but never got round to pulling the trigger. I have, however, a couple of tracks from the album on the hard drive at least one of which came from an Uncut or Mojo compilation with the magazine having  a reasonably large article featuring Alyndra. The other is probably from an ATO sampler.

More exploration required. Hopefully they will have some new material out sooner than later.

Hurray For The Riff Raff - Hungry Ghost

Hurray For The Riff Raff - Life To Save


Tuesday 12 January 2021

Nothing to C Here

 


I noticed the other day that someone had been viewing The Other Side a post from December 2019 featuring music from East Nashville. I opened it to have a read and noticed the following line I'm sticking with  male artists who's first name begins with T today.The three female artists whose name begins with C is a project for another day

Being a man of my word I thought  I should honour that statement. This is until I hit a snag.

Claire Small is a Nashville gal with the song Rewind being taken from her 2006 album Ledger. No more information I'm afraid.There was a web reference but it no longer exists

Chely Wright has enjoyed greater success although she seems to be best known as the first commercial country music singer to come out as gay. No big deal now I suspect but it seems to have been at the time.

Now is the snag time Casey Driessen is an acclaimed fiddle player  who has played with Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott and Steve Earle's Blusegrass Dukes. However, Casey is a he as opposed to  a she . In my defence the tune is an instrumental The Confusion Before Dreams, confusion being the operative word for this post.

By way of an apology I am throwing in the band Circus Dog Serenade  with  Nothing Is

Claire Small - Rewind

Chely Wright - Wish Me Away

Casey Driessen - The Confusion Before Dreams

Circus Dog Serende - Nothing Is




Monday 11 January 2021

My New Favourite Band

 


I have a new favourite band.

The credit for this goes to Brian or the blame if my bank manager is on the phone.

On his albums of the year list he described The Scenic Route by Dropkick  thus :They're a little bit country (early Jayhawks) and a little bit rock 'n' roll (Teenage Fanclub around 'Songs From Northern Britain') and have somehow improved upon 2018 album 'Longwave...' and that's saying a lot.

That was enough for me to head to their bandcamp page to order  a copy which very  impressively reached me around 48 hours later. Brian's description is absolutely spot on.

Dropkick are a band from Edinburgh with Andrew Taylor as the singer and songwriter. Yet again Brian has drawn a Scottish act that I was totally oblivious of to my attention.

Brian kindly shared a link to the previously reference Longwave and I'm happy to report that it is of a similar quality.

The bandcamp link is above. You know what to do

Dropkick - Faraway Places

Dropkick - Fed Up Thinking of You

Sunday 10 January 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


I think that we can all agree that Val is normally a lady with impeccable taste. So perhaps she can be forgiven for the occasional aberration.

Her foray into American soft rock was perhaps not her wisest move. The most positive thing you can say about 4, surprisingly, the 4th album by Foreigner from 1981 on the Atlantic label is that it does not feature I Want to Know What Love Is.

It does however feature their other big one Waiting For a Girl Like You which you will all be familiar with. Rather that subject myself to the rest of the album I limited myself to checking out the other two singles. I couldn't get to the end of Juke Box Hero so you are getting Urgent which by a slim margin is the lesser of two evils.

I'm not convinced that it will be a keeper.

Foreigner - Waiting For a Girl Like You

Foreigner - Urgent


Saturday 9 January 2021

Saturday Night Fever

 


Who would have thunk it?

My lack of inspiration last Saturday which saw me feature some Saturday night songs seem to have spawned a mini series just when I least expected it.

It looks like I have enough material for a further four weeks.So let's get started

Firstly here is one suggested by Swiss Adam 10.15 Saturday Night  is an early track by The Cure. It is the opening track on their debut album and the b-side of the Killing an Arab single

Saturday Night Fish Fry by Louis Jordan surely needs no introduction.

From Jump Blues to Americana with Saturday Night a song by The Felice Brothers from their Favorite Waitress album.

Then as Ernie might say a mandatory reggae number courtesy of Mickey Dread's Saturday Night Style

More floor fillers next Saturday

The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night

Louis Jordan - Saturday Night Fish Fry

The Felice Brothers - Saturday Night

Mikey Dread - Saturday Night Style

Friday 8 January 2021

Mr Plagiarist


 Today I am blatantly copying something by my dear amigo ramone666. I'm sure he won't mind.

On New Year's Day or the 2nd, I can't remember which I had the need to play some loud music which led to me digging out 50.000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong and sticking on disc 2.

Then it was a question of what to put on. I noticed that I  had a copy of the original version of Mr Pharmacist by The Other Half, remembered Ramone's post and the rest is history.

The Fall - Mr Pharmacist

The Fall - There's a Ghost in My House

The Other Half - Mr Pharmacist

R. Dean Taylor - There's a Ghost in My House



Thursday 7 January 2021

Too Much Pain

 


It's been a long while since any Southern Soul has graced these pages and probaby even longer since  I've featured anything from the Kent Soul label. So today I give you King's Serious Soul:Too Much Pain (CDKEND 194)

In the R&B world, the King label has a hugely well deserved reputation, but it's only been with the recent releases of King Funk" (CDBGPD 135) and "King Northern Soul" (CDKEND 185) that widespread appreciation of its contribution to soul music has occurred. Now "Too Much Pain" reveals the southern and deep side of King - and its affiliated concerns such as Federal and Hollywood. Arguably this was the strongest aspect of the company's musical output in the 60s."(Ace Records)

I've chosen 2 of the 24 tracks pretty much at random in the full knowledge that they will be of a sufficiently high quality.

There's also King's Serious Soul Volume 2: Counting Teardrops (CDKEND 206)on the shelves which is also overdue a feature. Stay tuned.

Thomas Bailey -I Wish I Was Back (In Your Arms Again)

Gloria Walker - When My Baby Cries

Wednesday 6 January 2021

Masks

 


While rooting around the S section on the vinyl shelves looking for She Drew The Gun I stumbled upon another EP by a band called Skinny Dipper.

The title of the EP and the title of one of the songs seemed appropriate given that Scotland has now gone into an even more stricter lockdown regime again.Hopefully it is the storm before the calm.

Skinny Dipper are made up of members from an array of Scottish talent including: singer Alex Kenzel (blochestra), bass player Vicki Cole (Randolph’s Leap) violinist Heather Thikey (Randolph’s Leap, Kill The Waves), trumpet player Ali Hendry (Randolph’s Leap), keyboardist and vocalist Gillian Higgins, violinist Cat Calton (Aerial’s Up), Ruth Campbell (Aerial’s Up, Quickbeam), Monika Gromek (Quickbeam) and Iain Symes-Marshall (Trapped In Kansas).

From 2014 on the ever wonderful Olive Grove Records I think it is still available digitally on Bandcamp

A bit cold at the moment for skinny dipping!

Skinny Dipper - Landing

Skinny Dipper - Hospital Bed

Tuesday 5 January 2021

The Delta Sweete

 


In one of my end of year round ups I mentioned that I was quite taken with Deluxe version of The Delta Sweete by Bobbie Gentry which has recently been released.

I saw this as a good excuse to revisit some of the songs from this which was originally her 2nd album from 1968 on Capitol Records

The Delta Sweete is a concept album based on modern life in the Deep South. Gentry wrote eight of the album's 12 tracks, which detail her Mississippi childhood and includes vignettes of home and church life as well as recollections of blues and country hits she heard as a youngster.The prevailing sound on the album was a swampy, folk-tinged combination of blues and country, with uptown touches like strings and horns seemingly added to reflect the then modern styles of soul music and the Nashville Sound (Wiki).That'll do for me.

I've just discovered that in 2019 Mercury Rev issued  an album Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited with a lot of interesting collaborators. I'm off to track that down. You can't have too much of a good thing.

Bobbie Gentry - Okalana River Bottom Band

Bobbie Gentry - Mornin' Glory


Monday 4 January 2021

Trouble Every Day

 


I don't listen to 6 Music as often as I should .One of the reasons is that  I use my time in the car to catch up with CDs and downloads that I havewn't had time to listen to. Also it often results in me spending money on the music that they are playing.

I've enough to buy without them throwing in curve balls. One such example is Trouble Every Day by She Drew the Gun from 2019 on Skeleton Key Records.I ended up forking out for the EP

I'll let XS Noize tell the story: A reinterpretation of Frank Zappa’s original, She Drew The Gun frontwoman Louisa Roach has updated the lyrics to reflect our troubled times. Louisa comments –

I heard Trouble Every Day and thought it would make a great cover, Frank Zappa wrote it based on the TV coverage of the Watts riots in LA back in the 60’s, so I rewrote some of the lyrics to reflect what I’ve seen reported on the TV in more recent times, from English riots to the Extinction Rebellion protests. It takes a look at the issues that are facing us at the moment from the rise of the far right to the threat of climate change and the role the global media corporations play in supporting neoliberal ideology.

The revisions to the lyrics received the full blessing of the Zappa estate who were keen to hear the song adapted to suit contemporary times. 

It has in fact caused me to fork out more money tracking down the original

She Drew The Gun - Trouble Every Day

The Mothers of Invention - Trouble Every Day


Sunday 3 January 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


Yet again  Val has excelled herself on the quality stakes.

From 1966 this week we have The Tempations Greatest Hits  which peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 Album chart where it remained for 120 weeks. On the Gordy label (ie Motown)  with the strapline "The Sound of Young America.

Featuring the classic line up of  David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams and Eddie Kendricks.

I'm featuring what are probably  two of their  greatest songs and which I'm ashamed to say have never graced these pages before.First of all we have My Girl written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White with David Ruffin on lead vocals. This is followed by Get Ready  another Smokey number this time with Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals.

It really doesn't get any better than this.

The only down side is that the testimony on the back of the sleeve is provided by Bill Cosby

The Temptations - My Girl

The Temptations - Get Ready


Saturday 2 January 2021

It's Saturday, Right?

 

It's Saturday, right?

I'm at the stage that I actually know the date for once but haven't a clue as to which  day of the week it is. If it is Saturday then I've three more days off before heading back to work on Tuesday.Not much time to get my act together.

I'm also a bit befuddled when it comes to posts. I had things lined up to the New Year than nothing except Val's Vinyl. I may need help and am open to suggestions.

As nothing else came to mind I somewhat lazily dipped into the hard drive and plucked out a few songs pertaining to Saturday Night. Coincidentally I was listening to Lefty just the other day. There are more in the tank for a mini series over  the next couple of Saturdays if I still find myself stuck.

Dave Edmunds - Almost Saturday Night

Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Lefty Frizzell - Shine,Shave, Shower (It's Saturday)

Leighton Buzzards - Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees



Friday 1 January 2021

New Year's Day Homage

 


Happy New Year to you and yours.
If you have been reading this nonsense for any length of time you should know the drill by now.

It is a long standing tradition (from 2014 onwards) on New Year's Day for CCM to pay homage to two of the greatest artists of all time who both died on this day.

Hank Williams died on the 1st of January 1953 aged just 29 and Townes Van Zandt in 1997 aged 52.

I think that it is also traditional to announce that it will be downhill from here on in in respect of anything else posted this year.

Townes Van Zandt - Kathleen

Hank Williams - Long Gone Lonesome Blues