Happy New Year

 

Well that's the year almost over.

It's funny that as you get older is is funny how as Willie Nelson observes is Funny How Time Slips Away

 Nearly a quarter of the Century over - gosh. It seems only a few years ago that we were fearing and then celebrating the Millenium.

We have nothing planned for this evening. I suspect that like last year we will be in bed before the Bells like the auld fogies we are.

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025.

Here are three New Year songs by Scottish artists followed by Willie himself

Lang may your lum's reek!

Camera Obscura -Happy New Year

Deacon Blue - Queen of the New Year

Ballboy - Welcome to the New Year

Willie Nelson - Funny How Time Slips Away

2024 Charity Shop Purchases in Numbers

 

As the year draws to a close I thought I should re-visit the Blog's raison d'etre  and give you some stats on this years Charity Shop purchases.

All in all there were 72 charity shop purchases this year down from 88 in 2023. The majority were kept with a few returned to charity or given to friends. There were 67 CDs, 3 LPs and 2 CD singles.

The vast majority of the purchases were in the first six months of the year.

Purchases were made in 20 different locations including one in England (Newcastle) and 4 in the Greater Glasgow area.

There were 5 new locations - Bridge of Allan, Helensburgh, Newcastle, Castle Douglas and Thornhill.

Newton Stewart saw the most purchases 10 with 8 apiece from Troon, Clarkston and St Andrews.

8 were by Various artists. 5 by Leonard Cohen, 3 by Frightened Rabbit, 2 by 4 artists and 47 single albums by other artists.

Let's see what next year brings.

Here are tracks from 3 of them at random

The Housemartins -Flag Day

Frankie Miller - Caledonia

Kim Richey - Can't Find the Words

Northern Soul Sunday - 5

 

The Golden Torch  - The Northern Soul Story Volume 2 was released by Sony/BMG in 2007.

This volume is  dedicated to the Golden Torch club, situated in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent. It is the only one of the 4 volumes which trace the scene in chronological order  that I have. Volume 1 name checks The Twisted Wheel in Manchester, Volume 3 The Blackpool Mecca and Volume 4  the most famous of them all The Wigan Casino. I really should keep an eye out for the other three.

It has an impressive tracklist consisting of 25 tracks so plenty to choose from.

I'm starting with the opening number Unsatisfied by Lou Johnson - described in the sleeve notes as having a stunning intro,great vocals,wonderful arrangements and evocative lyrics. A true Torch monster.

There are not too many female artists on this one but I have found room for Earthquake  an absolutely infectious slab of Northern Soul from Bobbi Lynn.

My final selection is a track that was so popular at the Golden Torch that it subsequently made the Top 10 of the UK singles chart in 1973. The song in question being Love on a Mountain Top and the artist Robert Knight.

Lou Johnson - Unsatisfied

Bobbi Lynn -Earthquake

Robert Knight - Love on a Mountain Top

Saturday Shuffle 81

 

It is Saturday, right?

Just checking as the days between Christmas and New Year tend to blur into each other.

Let's pretend it is a Sunday, so please be upstanding for the Reverend Al Green with What a Wonderful Thing Love is. Some of his ex wives and girlfriends might disagree given their allegations of assault.

Sanctified Soul a 2000 compilation on the Ace label is one that you should absolutely have on your shelves. From that album here is Sam Dees with  Signed, Miss Heroin originally released by Atlantic in 1973.

From Soul we effortlessly shift to the Blues courtesy of RL Burnside and the Sound Machine with Going Away,Baby taken from a 2021 Mojo compilation entitled The Black Keys present The Hill Country Blues.

I'm afraid you will have to wait until 2025 for the next Shuffle.

Al Green - What a Wonderful Thing Love Is

Sam Dess- Signed, Miss Heroin

RL Burnside and the Sound Machine - Going Away, Baby

Rock the Kasbah

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 72 - Various Artists - Rock the Kasbah.

A few days before Christmas I met up with a few pals in Shawlands for a festive drink or two. Mrs CC dropped me off an hour before the sheduled meeting  time to allow me to have a charity shop browse.

By my reckoning I visited seven charity shops and came away with one CD. One!!

From 2004 on EMI  Rock the Kasbah is an album by Various Artists  featuring Songs of Freedom from the Streets of the East. Presumably inspired by the Clash song and also perhaps the version by Algerian/French artist Rashid Taha.

Rashid opens the album with Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros concluding the album with a version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song.

The full track list is here. For me it is a bit of a  mixed bag. Some songs work, some don't.

I'm going for Rashid's opening number followed by a couple of songs from Syria and Lebanon in that order.

Barring a successful Charity Shop visit in the next few days this is likely to be the last of my 2024 Charity Shop purchases.

Rashid Taha - Rock el Casbah

Wayn a Ramallah - Kulna Sawa

Yuri Mrakadi - Arabiyon Ana

Season's Greetings

 

Mrs CC and I have are both recovering from chest infections so it has been hard to get into the Christmas spirit and to keep the posts coming.

So this is just a quick one to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas.

See you on the other side.

Lucinda Williams - Merry Christmas Baby

Darlene Love - Christmas ( Baby Please Come Home)

Blog Country 104 - Panama

 

The next new Blog Country visitor was from Central America - Panama to be precise. Ernie's encyclopedic African knowledge was therefore not required.

Panama is probably best know for canals and hats. It has appeared here in 2018 as I drew them in my work's World Cup sweepstake.  They were beaten 6- 1 by England - six blatantly offside goals as I recall.

For my previous post I provided songs with Panama in the title by Sugar and Slowclub. This time round I'm going for Panamanian artists which was considerably harder. At times like this Mr Google is often your only friend.

The alias of Latin American recording artist Camilo Navarro Q, Cienfue is known for mixing Latin Roots with modern electronic elements to create a sound dubbed “Psicodelia Tropical”. I know this as he has a Bandcamp page. The song that I have sourced is Ella Es Mi Patria Torturada. 

 For almost 20 years Señor Loop have apparently been producing contagious and rhythmic Latin alternative rock music. This article by lost.fm gives a pretty detailed biography of the band. The song I have picked at random is Insensato.

If my Spanish is correct (which is a big if ) Dorindo Cárdenas  is an accordionist who plays in the Cumbia tradition namely  in a Panamanian folk dance and musical genre, developed by enslaved people of African descent during colonial times and later syncretised with American Indigenous and European cultural elements. The track I have selected is called Desolación

We will be back on safer ground next time round as we welcome visitors from another African country 

Cienfuie - Ella Es Mi Patria Torturado

Señor Loop - Insensato

Dorindo Cardinas - Desolacion

                                                                                            

NEXT

0:02 / 3:46

Northern Soul Sunday 4

 

Week four of the Northern Soul compilations and yet another one from the budget Crimson label. This is Northern Soul was released in 1999 and has 24 tracks which form a pretty reasonable playlist making it probably one of the better ones.

There is inevitably a bit of crossover with other compilations with some of the more popular songs (ie  (I Got the ) Sweetest Feeling, The Snake and Long After Tonight is All Over) but less face it you can never have enough of a good thing. There is probably a Northern Soul song with that title out there somewhere. 

I was close Robert Palmer has a song called You Can't Get Enough of a Good Thing!

I'm sure that the mighty Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield appears on more than one compilation. Here it is in all its glory - all 8 minutes and 54 seconds of it. It was a bit unfair of the compilers to include this as the first track as it is near impossible to follow,

Dobbie Gray has a brave stab as he gets Out on the Floor.

There is a reasonably  encouraging female contribution on this one with solo female artists appearing on a quarter of the tracks. Judy Street gets the nod with What.

We are back Out on the Floor  next Sunday

Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up

Doobie Gray -Up on the Floor

Judy Street - What

Saturday Shuffle 80

 

As the Saturday Shuffle becomes an octogenarian some excellent songs which pop up have to be by-passed as they have featured in the series before. This week it was the turn of the Mekons with Folsom Prison Blues and the Council Collective with Soul Deep.

Worry not however as we have still managed to come up with three belters.

Let's start with The Knight Brothers and a great bit of Southern Soul namely Temptation 'Bout to Get Me.

They are followed by the UK Americana legends The Rockingbirds who despite their longevity are still Gradually Learning.

The 5,6,7,8's have still got a long way to go before they become octogenarians and are still young enough to enjoy a Guitar Date.

More shuffled dates next Saturday if we survive the Christmas festivities.

The Knight Brothers - Temptation 'Bout To Get Me

The Rockingbirds - Gradually Learning

The 5,6,7,8's - Guitar Date

Sharks,Dolphins and Whales

 

I was going to have a Fishy Friday today until I realized that I had posted something along those lines relatively recently.

Therefore I decided to go for the next best thing namely Sharks,Dolphins and Whales. One of each I think.

Let's start with Shark Song by Stealing Sheep which has got me wondering if I have enough material for a post about our Ovine friends.After checking the music folder it seems that the answer is yes so keep posted.

There were a few dolphins floating around as well but it has really got to be Tim Buckley.

Similarly when it comes to whales it is hard to see past Nic Jones

Time to head back to dry land.

Stealing Sheep - Shark Song

Tim Buckley - Dolphins

Nic Jones - The Humpback Whale

Swimming Pools,Movie Stars ...

 

As a general rule when looking for good music by Dwight Yoakam it is wise to focus solely on the music he released up until the year 2000.

However, recently the twin tag team of George and Jez have pushed 2016's Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars ... and 2024's Brighter Days  in my direction. I've still to listen to the latter

2016? Gulp. It was with a degree of apprehension that I gave Swimmin' Pools a listen. It seems that I needn't have worried as it is an album of Bluegrass versions of his earlier songs.It is all tremendous stuff.

There is even a Bluegrass version of Purple Rain for those of you brave enough to go there.

Thanks for the heads up chaps. I'm off to pursue Brighter Days

Dwight Yoakam - Two Doors Down (2016)

Dwight Yoakam - Guitars, Cadillacs (2016)

Dwight Yoakam - Purple Rain

1971- Never a Dull Moment

 

I've finally finished reading 1971 - Never a Dull Moment - Rock's Golden Year by music journalist David Hepworth.

It has a chapter for each month focusing mainly on one or two artists and album releases. It started fairly promisingly but I found myself getting bogged down in places and yes, for me there were a few dull moments.

On the positive side there was a playlist included for each month and 1971 in 100 Albums. I'm a big fan of lists.

It was interesting to note how many of the albums have stood the test of time and how many have found their way into my record collection since then. I was only 10 at the time and it was a good few years before I got round to buying albums, or singles for that matter. 

It was also interesting to note the change in emphasis from singles to albums and the changing of the guard with the likes of The Beatles and Elvis being replaced by Bowie, Bolan, Roxy Music et al.

I've probably got between 10 and 15 of the 100 albums listed and music by many  if not most of the others.

Here is something from Hunky Dory, Sticky Fingers and Every Picture Tells a Story three of the 1971 albums that I have.

David Bowie - Queen Bitch

The Rolling Stones - Sister Morphine

Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story

Blog Country 103 - Tunisia

 

Hot on the heels of Kenya the next country to visit CCM is Tunisia the northernmost country in Africa - a mere 3129 km flying or 5522km driving from Nairobi to Tunis.

For music from Africa your first port of call should always be Ernie's African Odyssey. Here is his take on Tunisia Expect more from him following his scheduled trip to Tunis.

I don't have the same knowledge or contacts as Ernie so I  have resorted to You Tube for today's musical offerings

First up is Lofti Bochnak a singer, oud player,composer and public figure and considered to be Tunisia's Pavarotti. Here he is with Nassaya. As far as I am aware he has never recorded a song with Windsor Davies.

Next up is Emel Mathlouthi a Tunisian-American songwriter who performs as Emel. She rose to fame with her song Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free), which became an anthem for the  Tunisian Revolution and the Arab Spring. Today's song is Holm which translates as A Dream.

Thirdly we have Latifa with Bel Arabi. I'm afraid all the information I could find about her is in Arabic.

Last, but not least, I give you  Balti with Ya Hasra which describes how he was so happy in his younger ages and how life destroyed him and made him so sad and miserable and how love and friendships betrayed him. Clearly Tunisia's answer to Morrissey.

My next visitor is not from Africa so it looks as though I will be on my own for that one.

Lofti Bochnak - Nassaya

Emel - Holm

Latifa - Bel Arabi

Balti - Ya Hasra

Sweetheart of the Rodeo

 

There are times when  I have considered Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds to be my all time favourite album. Certainly it has never been out the Top 10 since I first discovered it.

It was the 6th album by the band and was released in August 1968. I was vaguely familiar with the bands music mainly through the Dylan covers. However it was not until the turn of the century when I became immersed in Americana and discovered Gram Parsons that the album first crossed my radar. I think that is the only album by the band on which he appeared.

When I bought it  (probably in the very early '00s) it was the Edsel Records CD version released by Demon Records in 1987.

Last week I visited Big Blue the Shop/HQ of Last Night From Glasgow to pick up some records I was due.While browsing I came across a vinyl copy from the  Columbia label released in 2017.It was an absolute no-brainer to add it to the pile.

It will still sound fantastic One Hundred Years from Now

The Byrds - You're Still on my Mind

The Byrds - Hickory Wind

The Byrds - One Hundred Years From Now

Northern Soul Sunday 3

 

Now this is more like it.

It seems that this was originally a 3CD box set on the  cheap and cheerful Crimson label from 2004. However I only appear to have the first CD which also seems to have been sold seperately.

As you can see from the Boxset tracklist there are some bangers on here. I'm restricted to the first 18 out of 54 but there are still plenty of good ones to chose from

Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) by Frank Wilson is famous (or should that be infamous?) as approximately only 250 demos were pressed by Motown. The demos were subsequently destroyed leaving between 2 and 5 copies. Given the scarcity any which come on the market go for funny money with one going for over £25K in 2009. The CD probably cost me a pound!

I'm continuing my policy of, where possible, including at least one female act. This week it is the turn of Erma Franklin with her version of Jackie Wilson's (I Get The) Sweetest Feeling.

We conclude with Darrell Banks and Our Love (Is In the Pocket) released as a single along with Open the Door to Your Heart on the Revilot label in 1966 which would set you back about 20 quid.

More floor stompers next Sunday.

Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)

Erma Franklin -(I Get the ) Sweetest Feeling

Darrell Banks - Our Love (Is in the Pocket)

Saturday Shuffle 79

 

As the weather begins to get chillier you need a little bit of ABC in your life. From the majestic Look of Love album the man in the gold suit and I give you All of My Heart. This one is for John

Some Soul is always guaranteed to warm the cockles. Don Varner was born in Alabama but moved to Chicago to further his soul career before returning South to Muscle Shoals to record  in Rick Hall's FAME studio.From a compilation simple titled Southern Soul here he is with Mojo Mamma.

We conclude this week's shuffle with some 21st Century Rockabilly courtesy of Jack Rabbit Slim with Devil Doll

More shuffling for all the Mojo Mammas and Devil Dolls next Saturday

ABC - All of My Heart

Don Varner - Mojo Mamma

Jack Rabbit Slim - Devil Doll

The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 71 - The Incredible String Band  -The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion

I've finally plucked up the courage to listen to the second album by The Incredible String Band that I picked up in Castle Douglas namely The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion their second album from July 1967 on Elektra. I turned six then so was obviously blissfully unaware of it at the time.

Copious amounts of drugs had clearly been taken by Robin Williamson and Mike Heron - it was the Summer of Love after all. Little wonder perhaps that the album was a change in musical direction for the two as they transitioned from their more conventional folk music structures into complex psychedelic compositions influenced by British Folk and Indian Music - Wiki

As with The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter I am still sure about them.It is mostly hippy nonsense but there is enough about it which makes it worthy of further consideration. It will not be returned to charity just yet but it hasn't reached cataloging status.

Had we had more time in Castle Douglas I would have had good fun surreptitiously clocking the locals in an effort to find out who handed these two in!

The Incredible String Band - Painting Box

The Incredible String Band - You Know What You Could Be

The Roads Don't Love You

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 70 - Gemma Hayes - The Roads Don't Love You

I know I have been jumping out a bit but it was to save you having to listen to two albums by the same act in close succession. 

So six days after giving you The Hollow of Morning by Gemma Hayes I give you The Roads Don't Love You her second album from 2005 and on the Source label purchased at the same time in Thornhill's only charity shop.

It is maybe appropriate to feature an Irish artist given that we attended a funeral in Dublin inbetween the two posts.

I think on balance I slightly prefer The Hollows of Morning. It's not that The Roads Don't Love You is a bad album I just think the other one is slightly better.  I am hearing comparisons to Alanis Morrisette in places which depending on your perspective is either a good or a bad thing. Or maybe like me you are somewhere in the middle.

Gemma Hayes - Two Step

Gemma Hayes - Undercover

Zimbabwe and Scotland

 

The legend that is Ernie Goggins has just completed his epic Ernie's African Odyssey series where he has written about and provided some brilliant music from all 55 African Countries. It is a series that will go down in Blogging history and which has already attained legendary status.

Given that it was alphabetical the odyssey concluded in Zimbabwe. This got me thinking of the musical links between Zimbabwe and Scotland.

Ernie's erstwhile drinking buddy Zeke Manyika  somehow ended up in Glasgow where he was friendly with one of my pal's sister and played drums with Orange Juice.To boost his Scottish credentials still further he wrote a song called Kelvingrove on his 1985 album Call and Response about the famous park in Glasgow's West End. I've just discovered that I actually have this record!

The Bhundu Boys were great favourites of both John Peel and Andy Kershaw. They traveled to the UK in 1986 and ended up basing themselves in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick. I saw them play twice in Glasgow and they were absolutely brilliant. At one of the concerts my pal Magoo sang along word perfect to their songs!

I am reacquainting myself with their 1986 album Shabini as I type.

Baba Munini Francis is a song about An Unfaithful Woman and a Mystery "Uncle" with Kuroja Chete being concerned with "Landlords & Tenants - The Rent.The Same Story the World Over (ain't that the truth?)

Zeke Manyika - Kelvingrove

The Bhundu Boys - Baba Munini Francis

The Bhundu Boys - Kuroja Chete

My Gigs of 2024 - The TopThree

 

I have attended 14 gigs this year so far. This will extend to 15 when we attend Phil Cunningham's Christmas Show with Mrs CC's mum. That will take me to the same total as last year.

The figures for next year will probably be considerably smaller given the ridiculous prices currently being charged. We have decided to give Celtic Connections a miss this year as there is nothing much we fancy and I am not prepared to fork out over £50 quid to see Lyle Lovett.

I have posted details of the ones I have been at over the year. The Celtic Connections ones were pretty disappointing with the exception of the Transatlantic Sessions and it was interesting to see Barbara Dickson on her farewell tour.The only two outside Glasgow were Karine Polwart in St Andrews and Rachel Sermani in Paisley.

Rather than go through them all again I shall give you the top three.

In third place were Constant Follower supported by The Golden Tree (Bobby Bluebell and Graeme  Skinner) at Webster's Theatre on Great Western Road (review here). I think that was the third time that I have seen them and the just get better and better. I'm really looking forward to their second album coming out early next year.

In second place were Camera Obscura in a sweltering Barrowlands in May (review here). This was the second time I've seen them and they didn't disappoint.

This years clear winners were The Hanging Stars. I was a wee bit disappointed when I saw them in Stereo back in 2022 but their show at the Glad Cafe in March  (review here)was absolutely outstanding. I'll be the first in the queue whenever they come back.  

Here's one from each of the Top Three.

Constant Follower -Turn Around For Me

Camera Obscura -Look to the East, Look to the West

The Hanging Stars - Let Me Dream of You

Blog Country 102 - Kenya

 

They've taken their time but the Africans are finally coming.

One or two have been here for a while such as South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria but recently visitors have been more regular. I blame Ernie

I'm not attempting to emulate the detail from his Ernie's African Odyssey as I don't have the knowledge and material that he has. Where possible I will try to source some different music and this was relatively easy for Kenya.

I'm kicking off with Them Mushrooms who play mostly Chakacha , some Benga  and also some reggae. The Swahili  1982 song  Jambo Bwana is their best known number. (don't ask me what all that means).

Ayub Ogada who died in 2019 is a singer whose preferred instrument was the nyatiti.

George Ramogi (1945–1997) was a Kenyan musician, who empowered the traditional luo benga and rumba genre of music.

Another African country next and then it gets somewhat trickier.

Them Mushrooms - Jambo Bwana

Ayub Ogada - Kothbiro

George Ramogi - Alice Beldina Anyango

Northern Soul Sunday 2

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 69 - Various - The Ultimate Northern Soul Album

The second Castle Douglas Northern Soul compilation comes with the same caveat as the first. 

I don't know enough about the genre (or should that be sub genre?) to say what is and what isn't Northern Soul. A quick glance at the track list would suggest that some almost certainly aren't. You've got to admire Charlie Rich. Not content with Rockabilly and Country  the old Silver Fox is quite prepared to give Soul a shot.

I'm pretty sure that Jackie Wilson and Bobby Garrett pass muster although someone will probably tell me differently.

I always like to include at least one female act from these compilations. Is early (1963) Martha Reeves and the Vandellas Northern Soul?. She is included in Drew's Northern Soul Top 50 so that's good enough for me.

Maybe we should not get hung up on titles but just enjoy the music!

I have a few more Northern Soul compilations so I plan to keep this Sunday series going meantime.

Jackie Wilson - The Who Who Song

Bobby Garrett - I Can't Get Away

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - (Love is Like) Heatwave)

Saturday Shuffle 78

 

The Shuffle returns refreshed after a couple of weeks absence.

Let's start with Jolene. No, not the legendary classic song by Dolly but rather a song of the same name by Cake. I know they use capitals for their name but I'm being obtuse.

Buffalo Tom were one of the many bands that passed me by at the time  but thanks to Blogging they eventually crossed my radar. I like what little I've heard and in particular Taillights Fade.

Two folk I am more familiar with are Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs a bit of an odd couple who got together for the Under the Covers series. Here they cover Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. I'm not sure if it is better than the original as I don't think I've ever heard it or anything else by them for that matter.

Sadly Matthew suffered a  debilitating stroke recently and I'm sure that we all wish him  a speedy recovery.

More shuffling next Saturday.

Cake - Jolene

Buffalo Tom - Taillights Fade

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs - Sunday Morning

Under Cold Blue Stars

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 68 - Josh Rouse - Under Cold Blue Stars

We are back in Castle Douglas today.

I almost missed the Mental Health charity shop as it was right at the end of the main street and round a slight bend.

There were a few CDs on display and when the chap behind the counter saw me looking at them he said "there are plenty more in the back shop if you want a look" Needless to say I didn't need a second invitation.

There were probably well over 100 and although the were awkwardly placed I checked out as many as possible. I'm sorry to say I only came away with one and felt obliged to give an additional donation for the gentleman's kindness.

You have probably guessed that the CD in question was Under Cold Blue Stars by Josh Rouse his third album from 2002 and on Rykodisc/Slow River Records. I was thoroughly immersed in Americana at that time and I'm pretty sure that I saw him around then but I may be confusing him with Josh Ritter.

I've got a few of his albums from around then but I'm pretty sure that this is the first time this one has crossed my radar.

The inclusion of Christmas with Jesus is as near to a Christmas song as you are going to get here.

Josh Rouse -Christmas with Jesus

Josh Rouse - Under Cold Blue Skies

The Hollow of Morning

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 67 - Gemma Hayes - The Hollow of Morning

I'm muddling things up a bit chronologically speaking as  there were a couple of artists where I picked up more than one CD and it makes sense to spread them out a bit. Let's face it you can have too much of a good thing or depending on your views of The Incredible String Band a not so good thing.

We will return to Castle Douglas but today we are off to the lovely Dumfriesshire village of Thornhill near to where we stayed on our second week.

There was another Canine Rescue charity shop. What is it about Dumfriesshire and dogs? There was the usual meagre selection of CDs featuring by and large the usual suspects and they were selling at three for pound.

Among the usual detritus there were the first three albums by Irish singer songwriter Gemma Hayes. I already had her 2002 debut Night On My Side but quickly pounced and picked up the other two.

From a very brief cursory first listen album the third album The Hollow of Morning from 2008 and appearing on her own GH label appears to be the pick off the bunch.

Gemma Hayes - Out of Our Hands

Gemma Hayes - At Constant Speed

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 66 - The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

There was lean pickings in the Castle Douglas charity shops but a second more forensic trawl conjured up a couple of things potentially of interest.

In the Canine Rescue shop I came across two Incredible String Band albums for 50p a piece, In the absence of anything else catching my eye I thought they were worthy of a punt.

I knew more about them than I did the music. I knew that Mike Heron and Robin Williamson were involved and that they had Edinburgh connections. I also knew that they were a Folk band or more correctly a Psychedelic Folk band.

Therefore it was with a degree of trepidation that I gave The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter their 3rd album from 1968 and on the Elektra label a listen.

I'm not entirely sure that it is a keeper but there is enough about it to warrant another couple of listens. It seems that it was a favourite of John Peel and was critically well received

I shall spare you the 13 minutes and 9 seconds A Very Cellular Song.

The Incredible String Band - The Minotaur's Song

The Incredible String Band - The Water Song

Let 'Em In

 

When we go on our Autumn holiday we take my DAB radio which has a docking station for my I-Pod.

It has 19,703 songs on it but I am unable to add or delete any and there has been nothing new put on it for a good few years.

We usually listen to some playlists with 100 songs on them. One song which popped up was Let 'Em In by Billy Paul.

A quick check somewhat criminally advised that he has never appeared on these pages before. Time to right that wrong.

Take 'em away Billy.

Billy Paul - Let 'Em In

Billy Paul - Me and Mrs Jones

Billy Paul - Am I Black Enough For You?

Blog Country 101 - Oman

 

A few weeks ago I posted some music from Morocco to celebrate the 100th country to visit CCM since I started keeping records.

While on holiday I posted virtually nothing but checked my stats fairly regularly and discovered that a few new countries had paid a visit.

The 101st country was Oman or more officially the Sultanate of Oman a country situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian peninsula with a population roughly the same as Scotland.

Sourcing some music proved to be quite tricky but I managed to convert a couple of songs from You Tube Similarly I couldn't find must information on the artists who may or may not be Salah El Zedjali and Ahmed Al Harty. The titles have been translated into English which is probably helpful for those of us who cant read Arabic.

Over the next few weeks I shall attempt to feature the other recent visitors. Some will be harder than others

Salah al Zedjali - Oman National Day

Ahmed Al Harty - The Faithfulness of You

Northern Soul Sunday

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 65  - Various Artists - Northern Soul Vol 2. - 20 Original Classics - Keeps on Burnin'

He's back!

It would appear that Castle Douglas is the Northern Soul capital of Dumfriesshire. The evidence? Half a dozen or so Norther Soul compilations in one of charity shops.

I was going to say cheap and cheerful but they were going for £1.50 per pop. I opted for two of  them.

Northern Soul Vol 2. - 20 Original Classics - Keeps on Burnin' is from 2012 on the Spectrum label which specialises in such things.

As the can see from the track list they appear to be playing fast and loose with the definition of Northern Soul - The Supremes, Ray Charles, The Temptations and Dusty Springfield is perhaps stretching the genre a little bit.

You will be glad to know that I have opted for three of the lesser known artists

Nolan Porter - If I Could Only Be Sure

Yvonne Baker - You Didn't Say a Word

Bobby Hutton - Lend a Hand

CCM is 12 today

 

I interrupt my holiday to inform you that Charity Chic Music is 12 today.

I thought I would share a picture of the Twelve Angry Men who form the Editorial Committee and who meet to discuss what they deem is worthy of posting. It can sometimes take a while.

They do, however, occasionally moonlight as The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

You will be relieved to know that they couldn't  agree on a dozen songs to be posted today.

I briefly thought of posting 12 12 Bar Blues Songs or  the 12th track from 12 albums or even Patti Smith's album 12 but that all seemed to be too much like hard work.

I did find four songs in my music library with 12 in the title so they along with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band will have to do

Not long until those moody teenage years

Roy Harper - Twelve Hours of Sunset

Eleanor McEvoy - The Weatherman (12 Days)

The Sheep - Twelve Months Later

Rickie Lee Jones - After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight)

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - It's All Over Now

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