An A -Z of American Cities - B

There were absolute loads to choose from this week.  I decided not to include Boston as part of my considerations.

Let's start with Biloxi a Mississippi city on the Gulf of Mexico famous (apparently) for its seafood, beaches, casinos and maritime history and has a population of around 45,000 which would put it in line to be twinned with Kilmarnock or Coatbridge. The song is the opener on Heart Like a Levee a 2016 album by Hiss Golden Messenger

Brownsville is another Gulf coast city further to the east in the State of Texas. It has a population in the region of 186K making it the 139th largest city in the US. It would be the 4th biggest in Scotland after Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.  Jim White appears to be familiar with That Girl from Brownsville,Texas. Taken from his snappily titled album Drill a Hole in that Substrate and Tell me What you See.

A sneaky twofer with a cover of Boulder to Birmingham, the song written by Emmylou Harris as homage to Gram Parsons. I've gone for a cover by actress Jessie Buckley from the soundtrack to the film Wild Rose given that Emmylou featured last week. Boulder is in Colorado with a population of just over 100,000. 1,351 miles to the west lies Birmingham,Alabama with a population of just under 200,000 about a 6th of its English counterpart.

Finally it was a toss up between The Streets of Baltimore (Maryland, 600K  - Bobby Bare/Gram Parsons) and The Streets of Bakersfield (California, 400K - Dwight Yoakam). I've gone for Dwight.

Even more options next week when we get to C

Hiss Golden Messenger - Biloxi

Jim White - That Girl From Brownsville, Texas

Jessie Buckley - Boulder to Birmingham

Dwight Yoakam - The Streets of Bakersfield

The Saturday Shuffle 2

 

Another three random shuffles from my gym MP3 player for you today.

First up are Altered Images with Another Lost Look. I'm not altogether sure where this one came from.  The internet tells me that it was the b-side to a 1983 single Love to Stay from their Bite album which only reached no 46 in the UK singles chart. This suggests that it possibly came my way via a post from JC as part of his series on their singles.

I do know where Up Here comes from. It is the final track from Scarlet an album by The Motorcycle Boy which I spent some of my 2020 Christmas money on.

Today's final offering is another final track in the shape of Numbskull by Ash. It originally appeared on Nu-Clear Sounds as track 6 in 1998 but was subsequently the final track on the 2000 singles compilation Intergalactic Sonic 7's. I have both albums on CD but it is the singles album which has made it onto the mp3 player,

It is probably the most gymy (if there is such a word) of the three. 

Another random shuffle next Saturday

Altered Images - Another Lost Look

The Motorcycle Boy - Up Here

Ash - Numbskull

Perky Friday

 

Some stuff by the late great Carl Perkins for you today.

He started out on Sun Records  and was part of the legendary Million Dollar Quartet with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis here

The rock'n' roll morphed into rockabilly and then like Johnny and Jerry Lee there was a gradual crossover into country music.

Here are a couple of his rockabilly numbers including the great Dixie Fried where you can hear the menace oozing from the record. These are followed by a country crossover number.

Finally we have a namecheck number written by Mike Cooley and featuring on the Drive-By Truckers album The Dirty South. 

Rave on children I'm with ya  Rave on cats he cried ..

Carl Perkins - Put YOur Cat Clothes On

Carl Perkins - Dixie Fried

Carl Perkins - Let the Dukebox Keep Playing

Drive- By Truckers - Carl Perkins' Cadillac

Lu's Jukebox

 

Another post of a legend covering other legends.

During lockdown Lucinda Williams released a series of  six themed livestream concerts that pay tribute to specific artists, musical styles, and eras. These were known collectively as Lu's Jukebox. Something to do and also something to generate some much needed income during those difficult times

The six volumes are as follows

Vol 1 -  Runnin' Down a Dream - a tribute to Tom Petty

Vol 2 - Southern Soul (from Memphis to Muscle Shoals & more)

Vol 3 - Bob's Back Pages - A Night of Bob Dylan Songs

Vol 4 - Funny How Time Slips Away -  A Night of 60's Country Classics

Vol 5 - Have Yourself a Rocking Little Christmas

Vol 6 - It's Only Rock'n'Roll - a tribute to the Rolling Stones

All available on Discogs here

As you can see three cover specific artists so in the spirit of legends covering legends a song from each is featured below.

Her long threatened autobiography Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You is finally available and has taken pride of place at the top of my birthday list

Lucinda Williams - Runnin' Down a Dream

Lucinda Willaims - Blind Willie McTell

Lucinda Williams - Dead Flowers

Carry Me Home

 

When musical legends in their own right get together to record an album it doesn't always work - I'm looking at you Tom Jones and you Elton John.

However when you join Soul legend Mavis Staples and the Band's drummer and singer Levon Helm it is a partnership made in heaven. Given their respective backgrounds there are plenty of choices on the table - soul, gospel , blues and what our American cousins would call roots music

Carry Me Home is a 2022 album on the Anti- label with recordings of sessions at Helm's studio shortly before his death in 2021. What a terrific record to go out with.

Not surprisingly given the participants in was critically well received with Pitchfork calling it a jubilant lesson in living history  and American Songwriter stating that it resonates in a meaningful and mighty way.

Mavis Staples is 83 and is still recording and touring. She was playing at the Usher Hall during last year's Edinburgh Bloggers Convention although I suspect that it would have been long sold out by the time we got there.Plus you can't have a good gab at a concert.

Any of the 12 songs on the album would be worthy of posting today but I think that is only fair to feature one from The Staple Singers and one from The Band.

Levon Helm and Mavis Staples -This May Be the Last Time

Levon Helm and Mavis Staples - The Weight

Hightone Records

 

I haven't yet got round to returning the Hightone Records Anthology - Rockin' From the Roots (here) to the shelves following posting Dave Alvin on the A to Z of American Cities

 It seemed logical then to give it a spin and to feature some more of the great songs on it prior to tidying it away.

Hightone Records was an American label from Oakland, California which specialised in American roots music including country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. It was founded in 1983 with its catalogue being sold on to Shout! Factory in 2008.

Many of the artists on the label have graced these pages before including the three below.

We start with some blues courtesy of the Robert Cray Band  with Phone Booth a song taken from 1983's Bad Influence which was the label's inaugural album.

Robert is followed by the late Chris Gaffney with a tribute to the great Panamania boxer Roberto Duran. Taken from his 1995 album Loser's Paradise. I saw him live once as half of The Hacienda Brothers.

Finally we have Tom Russell who recorded on Hightone for over a decade.When Sinatra Played Juarez from his 2001 album Borderland. I was all set to bookmark this one for my American Cities series until I discovered that Juarez is actually in Mexico.

The Robert Cray Band - Phone Booth

Chris Gaffney - The Eyes of Roberto Duran

Tom Russell -When Sinatra Played Juarez

Far Away Eyes

 

A couple of Sundays ago when I featured various versions of the song Sunday Morning Coming Down in the comments section Rol highlighted that I hadn't included the version by The Handsome Family. I responded that it was one I didn't have.

A day or so later a message popped up in my in box from him with a link to their album Smothered and Covered  which is a collection of outtakes, demos and rarities from Mr and Mrs Sparks.If you are a fan of Gothic Americana (and who isn't?) it should be right up your street 

They are no strangers to a cover and there are some crackers on the album. Their version of Sunday Morning Coming Down is pretty faithful to the original as are The Banks of the Ohio and Knocksville Girl.

However the pick of the bunch for me is their cover of Far Away Eyes a song from the last decent album by The Rolling Stones namely 1978's Some Girls. It seems that it is one that I have never posted before.

Thanks for the inspiration Rol.

The Rolling Stones - Far Away Eyes

The Handsome Family -Far Away Eyes

An A-Z of American Cities -A

 

Another new series for you today. Each Sunday I will feature some American cities in alphabetical order. I'm not sure that I will find material for all 26 letters of the alphabet but we'll see how it goes.

America seems to have much less stricter criteria than the UK when it comes to cities. It seems that the definition is an incorporated municipality whose boundaries and powers of self-government are defined by a charter from the state in which it is located..Population or a cathedral do not appear to be an issue so hopefully plenty to chose from.

I intend to leave out the bigger cities - the New Yorks, Los Angeles', San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas  etc. Memphis and Nashville will not feature having had their own series previously. And yes, there will be a lot of Americana. 

Lets go.

Abilene is a city in Texas with a population of around 125,000.This song by Dave Alvin originally featured on his Blackjack Dave album but I have taken in from the Hightone Records Anthology - Rockin' from the Roots.

Amarillo is another Texan city and has a population of c 200K.It is also one which makes me break out in a cold sweat after a near death experience I could have gone for Billy Joe Shaver but today Emmylou Harris does the honours.

I suspect that not too many cities from the state of Alaska will feature. Indeed I do not know any with the exception of the state capital Anchorage.*  The fourth largest city in the US by area with a population of just under 300K. You should all be familiar with this one by Michelle Shocked from her Short Sharp Shocked album. 

Finally we have the New Jersey gambling resort Atlantic City  this week's smallest with under 40.000 residents although it probably has the same again number of gamblers in its casinos and resorts. Again you will all be familiar with the song by Bruce Springsteen from his greatest album Nebraska. The Boss would have been too obvious. I could have gone for the cover by The Band but I have opted for Allo Darlin' .

There are plenty more out there and I would be glad to hear your favourites.There are also loads of B's to choose from and again suggestions are welcome.

Dave Alvin - Abilene

Emmylou Harris -Amarillo

Michelle Shocked - Anchorage

Allo Darlin' - Atlantic City

* Not the State Capital - see Alyson's comment below

The Saturday Shuffle

 

As I am devoid of inspiration and even less folk tune in here on a Saturday than the usual paltry numbers I thought it was time for a new series. And a pretty lazy one it is too.

I have a small MP3 Player which I use at the gym. Yes, I refuse to take my phone and I get somewhat irate about folk sitting on the  machines playing with their phones when you are hoping to get on.

The initial idea was that the music I put on it should be bouncy to get me in the groove. It is not always the case but the three here hit the spot. The idea is that  I do a random shuffle and share the first three songs that come up with you.

First up are Talking Heads with the great Born Under Punches ( The Heat Goes On) the opening track from 1980's (gosh) Remain in Light. Now that is good gym music.

I didn't know much about the next random selection Danse a La Musique by The French Fries. The internet tells me that this was originally released in 1968 on the Epic label. Thankfully Julian Cope steps up to the plate with the news that they were a pseudonym for Sly and the Family Stone. Great music and a fascinating read.

Finally for this week we have Stormy Gayle with Flipsville from the excellent 2011 compilation Keb Darge & Little Edith's Legendary Wild Rockers.

More next Saturday although I suspect that it may well be downhill from here on in.

Talking Heads - Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)

The French Fries -Danse a la Musique

Stormy Gayle -Flipsville

I Hope They Let Us In

 

 2023 Charity Shop Purchases #50 - Gene Parsons - In Concert - I Hope They Let Us In

The name Gene Parsons was not one that I was not totally familiar with. Gram Parsons (no relation) - yes  and Gene Clark - yes

It turns out he was in the Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Both Gram Parsons and Gene Clark were also involved with the band during that period. He became a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers a couple of years after Gram Parsons died. So far, so incestious.

He is a multi -instrumentalists  who released two solo albums Kindling in 1973 and Melodies in 1979. This was his only live album described on Amazon as being issued on his own label/company (String Bender Records) dedicated to string-bending and the pedal steel guitar style. 

Along with fellow Byrd Clarence White he is credited with inventing the B-Bender (aka StringBender) a devise which allows a guitarist to emulate the sound of a pedal steel guitar.

AllMusic give it 5/5, although I can't find a copy of the review, with RateYour Music giving it 4.2/5.Without giving it a score No Depression clearly liked it highlighting his impeccable technique with various stringed instruments.

It seems to be a sought after record with Discogs quoting a median price of £30.77. I got this and yesterday's Louvin Brothers for a pound. It was actually 4 for a pound but I could only see two I liked but being the generous sort I gave them a pound anyway!

Given his impressive moustache  I suspect he must have Dundonian heritage.

Gene Parsons - Gunga Din

Gene Parsons - Willin'

A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers

 

 2023 Charity Shop Purchases #49 - Ira & Charlie Louvin - A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers

I absolutely love the Louvin Brothers. I'm not sure if it was Andy Kershaw or Hank Wangford ,in a Radio 2 documentary, who first brought them to my attention but whoever it was I am eternally grateful.

The Cancer Research shop in Troon probably only had about 20 CDs and THIS was one of them.A 2003 re-release on Gusto of an album first released in 1960 on the Capitol label.

I'm not familiar with the Delmore Brothers (Alton and Rabon) who were huge in the 1930s and 40s. I have nothing physical by them but found a copy of Freight Train on my hard drive. The Louvins edited it to include the line The Delmore Brothers was a mighty team, they could play and sing like a dream.

Bruce Elder in a review for AllMusic is rightly ecstatic You could listen to music for 50 years and not hear harmonies as sweet or playing as nimble as what's on A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers. The album was one top-flight brother harmony duo paying tribute to the first great brother harmony duo in recording history.

Bob Yates in No Depression continues in the same vein the great songs of the Delmores sung by country music’s finest brother duet... rightly ranks as one of the music’s best tribute albums.

You will not hear anything better than this today.

Ira & Charlie Louvin - Brown's Ferry Blues

Ira & Charlie Louvin - Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar

Ira & Charlie Louvin - Freight Train

The Delmore Brothers - Freight Train Boogie

Fashion Nugget

 

 2023 Charity Shop Purchases #48  - CAKE - Fashion Nugget

People often refer to me as a Fashion Nugget. So often, in fact, that most now abbreviate it and settle for calling me a Nugget.

I thought I may had already got Fashion Nugget the second album by CAKE  (I'll come back to the capitals) from 1996 on the Capricorn label. A quick check of the data base confirmed that the only album of theirs that I had was its successor 1998's Prolonging the Magic and so it was duly purchased.

The fact that I have a CD single of the track The Distance and the song Frank Sinatra from a Sopranos soundtrack merely added to the confusion.

I think that Frank Sinatra merits a further appearance and I will also throw in their cover of Gloria Gaynor's epic I Will Survive

Band names in capitals? Just marginally less annoying that band names where the vowels have been removed.

CAKE - Frank Sinatra

CAKE - I Will Survive

Mighty Sparrow

 

 2023 Charity Shop Purchases #47 -Mighty Sparrow

The Ayrshire Hospice shop in Troon is a big barn of a place. It sells vinyl on skirt hangers and the usual rubbish selection of CDs that you will often find in charity shops. I could be wrong but I don't think I've ever picked up anything from there before.

It is probably one of the last places in the world that you would expect to come across a CD by Slinger  Francisco or to give him his stage name Mighty Sparrow.

Volume 2 of the Carribean Classics Series on the Ice label from 1993 which has a median price on Discogs of £9.72. Not bad for 50p. I think it could very well be the first Calypso album on the shelves.

Was it a holiday purchase or is there a Calypso scene in Ayrshire that I am unaware of?

Slinger is known as the Calypso King of the World and has been active since 1949.Looking at his discography his last album appears to be Live at 85! from 2020

Tower Records who are selling it for £12.00 write once again Sparrow, with his voice of honey, croons through a selection of hits showing his versatility in humorous witty songs, full of the double entendre that marks calypso to his more serious biting social commentary

I suspect Ernie may approve.

Mighty Sparrow - Sparrow Dead

Mighty Sparrow - Good Citizen

GYBR

 

 2023 Charity Shop Purchases #46 - Elton John -Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

More Old Man music for you today.Given that my statistics are rapidly plunging month on month I might as well go for broke.

My most recent visit to Troon and this was my first purchase in Oxfam. There were a further four purchases from other charity shops which will feature this week and which  are all probably more left field.

Surprisingly this is a record that I have never owned before. Indeed the only Elton's I have are a couple of Best Ofs. The second of those was purchased in Nairn last year. From  the 34 tracks on offer the 3 that I chose on that occasion were three  of the four best known from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Elton's seventh studio album from 1073 on the Mercury label.

That rules out 3 of the 17 tracks from the album featuring today (4 if you count Candle in the Wind). Two non-singles then in the shape of Sweet Painted Lady and Roy Rogers.I was wondering if the latter had ever featured on Rol's impressive Celebrity Jukebox series.I don't think he has but I'm happy to be proved wrong. He has however feature this song on a Snapshots Spillover post

Elton John - Sweet Pained Lady

Elton John - Roy Rogers

Single Song Sunday Morning Coming Down

 

With apologies to Ernie for crashing his Single Song Sunday  series  but I don't think this particular song has featured there before.

I suspect that most of you know that the epic Sunday Morning Coming Down was written by Kris Kristofferson. What you may not know  (I certainly didn't)  is that it was first recorded in 1969 by Ray Stevens (of The Streak "fame") prior to becoming a No 1 hit on the Billboard US Country chart for Johnny Cash

Ray's version popped up in The Originals - Country Edition from Any Major Dude With Half a Heart which popped up on a memory stick the other day. That sounds like a candidate for a Single Song Sunday I said to Mrs CC before explaining Ernie's original concept.

He has already been namechecked so Johnny Cash seems the logical person to feature next. There must be many folk out there who think he wrote this one .

Sticking with Johnny Dean Owens is up next with a version from his album Cashback - Songs I Learned from Johnny

Next up is a version from Boz Boorer who was a member of the Polecats prior to working with M*******y

Finally we have a couple from the man himself. Firstly he is accompanied by Steve Earle prior to delivering the definitive version,

I have not been able to come up with a Mandatory Reggae Version. Perhaps Ernie will if he has forgiven me for stealing his thunder.

Ray Stevens -Sunday Morning Coming Down

Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down

Dean Owens - Sunday Morning Coming Down

Boz Boorer -Sunday Morning Coming Down

Kris Kristofferson & Steve Earle -Sunday Morning Coming Down

Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Morning Coming Down

Lilly Lately

 

This may well be a bit controversial and a minority opinion but I much prefer the music of Lily Hiatt to that of her father John.

She first came to my attention with Walking Proof which was her fourth solo album released in 2020 on New West Records. I wrote about it here. It was quickly followed by in 2021 by Lately on the same label

It is an album composed during lockdown with all that entailed and with loneliness as a recurring theme.With the exception of the last track all the songs have a single word title and it is an album  which according to American Highways the simplicity belies a depth of emotions.

Folk Radio goes further stating that Lately is by far the most immediate and accessible album Lilly Hiatt’s made, packed with Top 40-friendly hooks and choruses, it’s infectiously irresistible.

Metacritic gives it 78 out of a hundred with snippets of many other favourable reviews

It's well worth a listen.

Lilly Hiatt - Ride

Lilly Hiatt - The Last Tear

Let it All In

 

Let It All In  a 2020 album by Baltimore band Arbouretum popped up on a memory stick  in the car the other day.

They are on the Thrill Jockey label who write: Arbouretum’s mystic folk-rock collapses a continuum of 20th century music into decidedly classic song structures. English folk, country blues, Americana and 70s psychedelia all serve as touchpoints in their singular and distinctive sound. The Baltimore-based band have perfected the craft of storytelling using the delicate interplay of melodies and prosaic lyrics to tell vivid stories that engage the listener and transport them the way an immersive novel would.

I'm not sure how they initially crossed my radar but they impressed me sufficiently enough to include them in one of my Best of 2020 lists They put me in mind a little bit of a more Bluesy Rose City Band who I was heavily into at that time and also perhaps the latest album from The Hanging Stars.

It seems that they have been on the go since 2002 during which time they have released a plethora of albums, Nothing since Let it All In however which is a bit of a pity.

Arbouretum - How Deep It Goes

Arbouretum -No Sanctuary Blues

XTC

 

You will be glad to know that I have purchased a few more charity CDs which will no doubt feature here shortly.

In the meantime I was thinking of something to fill the void when the word, or is it initials, XTC popped into my head.

A great singles band (and quite possibly the best band ever to have come out of Swindon) they were on the go from 1972 to 2006 . To my shame I don't have any albums by them with the exceptions of the twin compilations Waxworks - Some Singles 1977-1982 and Beeswax - Some B-Sides 1977 -1982. Also to add to my shame they have only ever made fleeting appearances on these pages before and never in a dedicated post on their own. Time to right that wrong. 

There are so many great songs to choose from that I suspect I will have to return at a later stage to do them justice.

The first three choices are from the Waxworks era. Making Plans for Nigel is from 1979 and is dedicated to the guy of the same name who kicked in the door of our room on our first night in the staff residences of the Marine Hotel,North Berwick that year with the immortal words " I was promised girls".

No similar stories I'm afraid for the next two which haven't featured here before namely 1980's Generals and Majors and 1982's Senses Working Overtime. My final selection the brilliant Love on a Farm Boy's Wages is from 1983 and therefore does not appear on Waxworks.

I really need to pick up more of their albums none of which I'ver ever seen in a charity shop.

XTC - Making Plans For Nigel

XTC -Generals and Majors

XTC - Senses Working Overtime

XTC - Love on a Farmboy's Wages

Rendezvous

 

Whenever Sandy Denny has appeared here before it has usually been as part of Fairport Convention and more often than not it has been her singing  the classic song that is Who Knows Where the Time Goes.

The main reason for that is that I don't have much solo stuff by her - only Heritage a collection of her earlier songs on the Disky label and a burn of The Best of the BBC Recordings.

Therefore I was quite chuffed in Missing to get my hands on a copy of her 4th and final solo album Rendezvous originally from 1977 and on the Island label.The copy I got is the 2005 Island remastered reissue which includes five bonus tracks.

It was released shortly after she and Trevor Lucas left Fairport Convention with Lucas' production geared towards a contemporary rock sound with a view to her becoming a mainstream act. That will explain Candle in the Wind then.The general consensus appears to be that it was over produced with an excess of strings, backing vocals and overdubs.

I was hoping for something a little bit more folky which would do her unique voice justice. Sadly it was to be her last album prior to her dead in 1978 after a fall. She was only 31.

Sandy Denny - Silver Threads and Golden Needles

Sandy Denny -Still Waters Run Deep

Out of the Blue

 

That's the charity shop purchases exhausted for the time being so today you are getting something that was actually bought in an actual record shop.

We were in town last week and I took the opportunity to pop into Missing Records.I only had a short window as I was meeting up with Mrs CC prior to getting the bus home.Therefore, I didn't have the time, or if I'm honest the inclination, to trawl through the 3 for £5 or the 4 for £10 selections. Rather I had a quick look at the just in section and came away with two for a tenner.

One was Out of the Blue a compilation of  songs by the Flying Burrito Brothers from 1996 and on the A&M label. A double CD with 42 songs for 4 quid which is pretty good value albeit much of the second CD is post Gram Parsons with a number of live songs and outtakes.

I only previously had the classic The Guilded Palace of Sin album so this acquisition virtually quadrupled the songs I have by them overnight.

Apologies for those of you hoping for Sin City, Hot Burrito No.1, Juanita or Dark End of the Street. These have all appeared here before so here are two more from that album followed by a cover of Merle Haggard's Sing Me Back Home

Flying Burrito Brothers -Do You Know How It Feels

Flying Burrito Brothers -Wheels

Flying Burrito Brothers -Sing Me Back Home

Til The Wheels Fall Off

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #45 - Amy Rigby -Til The Wheels Fall Off

I fairly regularly visit the Ayrshire seaside town of Troon with Mrs CC and her mum. I usually take the opportunity to slope off to the Oxfam book/music shop on a solo mission. There are not that many CDs but they are reasonably priced for Oxfam and so far this year I have come away with albums by Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Emmylou Harris.

My last visit resulted in a slightly more obscure artist when I picked up Til the Wheels Fall Off by Amy Rigby her 5th solo album from 2003 on Glasgow's own Spit & Polish/Shoeshine Records.

I have a few of Amy's songs digitally but this is the first time I have acquired anything by her in a physical format. I suspect that Rol will approve as I know that he is a big fan wth his blog providing a link to the Diary of Amy Rigby.

She writes quirky and amusing songs which are usually  about the occasional pleasures and frequent pitfalls of life as a single woman past 30 (AllMusic) In the comments to the article Roxanne hits the nail on the head Her voice and selection of style always matches her topics. She is as underrated as a singer as she is as a songwrite

An excellent find and I didn't even mention that she is now Mrs Wreckless Eric.

Amy Rigby - Why Do I

Amy Rigby - Don't Ever Change

Dolly Bluegrass

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #44 -Dolly Parton - The Bluegrass Collection

I found me asking myself "do we really need another Dolly Parton compilation?"

I very quickly caught myself on and responded to myself in the affirmative. Of course we do was the obvious and totally predictable answer for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the obvious one  - it's Dolly

Secondly - the equally obvious one - it's Bluegrass with banjos involved.

Thirdly - it was my first ever purchase from the Community Shop in the small Galloway village of Port William. Not to be confused with Fort William as one poor chap found out when he took a taxi from Glasgow and ended up looking at Ben Nevis.

Fourthly -it was cheap and I was happy to put some money into their coffers.

So there you go justification as if justification was required.

Dolly Parton - My Tennessee Mountain Home

Dolly Parton - Mule Skinner Blues

Dolly Parton - In The Ghetto

Broughty Ferry and Detroit

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #43 Whiteout - Detroit (CD Single)

Broughty Ferry has about half a dozen charity shops. I visited them twice during my recent visit once with George in tow and the other time as a solo mission.Much to my disappointment I only came away with one purchase. However this meant that Broughty Ferry became my third new town this year for CD  purchases after Bridge of Allan and Linlithgow.

The purchase in question was Detroit a CD single from 1994 on the Silvertone label from Greenock band Whiteout. This was somewhat cruelly described by SWC as  the very epitome of landfill Indie..I obviously decided to take issue with that here

While I am willing to concede that it is not that good they are a band that I have had a soft spot for ever since I heard the brilliant Jackie's Racing which I got as a 12 inch single and then subsequently  I picked up the CD single Starrclub and the album Bite It.

Therefore I was never not going to pick it up and I'm glad I did.

Whiteout - Detroit

Whiteout - Just Passin' Through, Kid

Whiteout - Dee Troyt

The Revolution Ends Now

 

Poor Steve Earle - I'm afraid he's a bit late to the party. The Revolution Starts Now is the title of the first and last song of the album of the same name from 2004.They appear to be the same so I have posted the last one given that it is slightly longer.

 Now he may be a bit tardy but Steve is that rarest of rare things a left wing American and therefore a good guy. I suspect I may well have found my name into a CIA file by writing that.

Someone else who the CIA might well have been interested in is the late great Bob Marley who you could saw was a revolutionary of sorts given that he brought Reggae music to the world's attention.

The final offering from Ernie's Reggae Revolutionaries folder is Run Revolution a Come by Hugh Mundell from his album Africa Must be  Free by 1983 - sadly another revolution that is stll waiting to happen.

Sadly in the UK at least it doesn't look like a change is coming any time soon.It looks as though through a variety of political shenanigans that the public have been beaten into submission or at the very least into apathy.

Hopefully that will change some time in the future and when it does the other version of The Revolution Starts Now will feature here.

Thanks to Ernie for the Reggae Revolutionaries and to JC , George and Khayem for their guest post and to those who commented and/or saw this series out to the bitter end.

Let's hope things get better soon. Stay strong

Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts Now

Bob Marley & the Wailers -Revolution

Hugh Mundell - Run Revoltion A Come

The Debra Haul Part 2 -Collection Part Two

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #43- Christy Moore -The Collection Part Two

You will be glad to know that this will be the last contribution from the Debra Haul - for now. You will probably be less glad to know that today's offering is the obligatory folk compilation Here is a brief synopsis from Thom Owens on AllMusic to save me the bother

The Christy Moore Collection, Pt. 2 contains 17 songs recorded between 1983 and 1996. This is by no means a definitive compilation -- Moore rarely recorded anything less than fine, and this is just a sampling of what makes him one of the best Irish folk artists of his time. There are both traditional songs and new material on the collection, and throughout it all, Moore illustrates what a rich, wonderful voice he has.

I've not really got much to add to that other than it is from 1997 on the Grapevine label. It joins Smoke and Strong Whiskey on the  shelves and it includes the title track from said album. Smoke and Strong Whiskey includes a cover version of the Pogues classic Fairytale of New York. A cover of another Pogues song Brown Eyes finds its way onto the compilation. My second selection Viva la Quinta Brigada is Christy's tribute to the Irishmen who fought in the Spanish Civil War against Franco

This concluded the Debra Haul - I've decided not to include the final purchase The Last Waltz by The Band at this stage given that they featured on Tuesday. No doubt it will pop up further on down the road. 

Christy Moore - Brown Eyes

Christy Moore -Viva La Quinte Brigada

The Debra Haul 2 - Countdown to Ecstasy

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #41 - Steely Dan - Countdown to Ecstasy

It was a busy day so the second trip to Debra was a quick five minute in and out job. Just enough time to find Street -Legal and grab another 5 CDs.

One of these was Countdown to Ecstasy the second studio album by Steely Dan from 1973 on MCA records.Like  Be-Bop Deluxe I was more familiar with the name than the music. I knew a little more about Steeley Dan - I knew that they had albums called Aja and Pretzel Logic, songs called Reelin' in the Years and Rikki Don't Loose That Number and that the main men were Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.

I also had a nagging fear that their music could be described as Jazz Fusion a fear that was indeed confirmed when listening to Countdown to Ecstasy although I did manage to last the entire 41 minutes and 4 seconds.

I'm afraid that none of the eight tracks made a lasting impression on me. I have chosen these two as they were the singles from the album reaching the dizzy heights of 61 and 63 on the Billboard charts. Some folk must like them as in the Guardian's ranked list of the bands 20 best songs Show Biz Kids is number 18 with My Old School reaching the dizzy heights of  number 8

I'm still not convinced that it is a keeper although I am sure that some of you may try to persuade me.In the meantime I'm happy that I can file them next to Steeleye Span

Steely Dan - Show Biz Kids

Steely Dan -My Old School

The Debra Haul 2 - Rod Stewart -An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #40 -Rod Stewart - An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down

As any sane person will tell you the first four albums by Rod Stewart from 1969 to 1972 on the Mercury label are all you will ever need. Maybe five if you include the compilation album Sing it Again Rod.

Also know as the When Rod Was Good era or The Classic Years as per the sticker on my 1995 PolyGram CD. Over the years I have gradually been collecting these classics on vinyl.I have four out of five on vinyl -Gasoline Alley (1970)  Every Picture Tells a Story (1971), Never a Dull Moment (1972) and Sing it Again Rod (1973).

Only his November 1969 (US)/February (1970) debut An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down is missing. While it is still my intention to acquire it on vinyl I was not about to pass up the opportunity to pick up a copy on CD.

Only 8 tracks 3 of which are covers or 4 if you count the traditional Man of Constant Sorrow . Rolling Stone wrote that he was a highly original interpreter of other people's songs and that his own compositions indicated that he was capable of startlingly bare emotion and compassion.

Those were the days.

Rod Stewart -Handbags & Gladrags

Rod Stewart - An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down

The Debra Haul 2 - The Band

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #39 - The Band - The Band

Speaking to Mick the manager in Debra he said that the chap who had handed in the collection which I fortuitously stumbled upon was from Anstruther and in the music industry.It immediately had me thinking that King Creosote or James Yorkston had wandered into a shop on the South Side of Glasgow with a couple of large bags. Highly unlikely! I suspect that whoever he was that he was ages with me or maybe slightly older given that the majority of the ones handed in were from the late 60s/early 70s and what some of you might rudely describe as Old Man Music.

You would perhaps be forgiven for thinking that The Band could fall into that category. It was their second album from 1969 on the Capitol label. It almost reads like a greatest hits The 2000 re-issue, which is the one I picked up, includes an additional 7 tracks with alternative takes of 6 of the 12 album tracks plus an outtake of Get Up Jake.

.What a line up - Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson. Clearly it is an essential album which everyone should have and it replaces the copy I burnt from the library many moons ago. 

The Band -Rag Mama Rag

The Band - Up On Cripple Creek

The Debra Haul 2 - Street-Legal

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #38 - Bob Dylan - Street- Legal

Over the past couple of years I have gradually been adding to the Bob Dylan albums on the shelves with charity shop purchases. This included replacing burns which has been pretty successful with only Street-Legal remaining.

I noticed it on the Debra shelves and thought that I had included it in my initial 20 purchases.However, when I got back home I noticed that I hadn't.This necessitated a further visit to pick it up and it seemed churlish not to add a few others.

From 1978 and on Columbia as per usual it was his 18th studio album. Obviously I would have been totally oblivious to its release at the time given that it was slap bang in the middle of the Punk revolution.

It has a gospel and pop friendly feel about it and received mixed reviews despite being commercially successful.It seems to have been better received in the UK than the US

Changing of the Guards was the opening single from the album but failed to chart.Baby, Stop Crying fared better reaching #13 in the UK and top 10 in a number of other European countries 

It was a long time since I had listened to the burn but I really enjoyed hearing this again

Bob Dylan -Changing of the Guard

Bob Dylan - Baby Stop Crying