Guest Posts

 

One of the great things about our little community is receiving guest posts from like minded individuals.

Over the last couple of months I have been honoured and fortunate enough to receive guest posts from Khayem, Rol, Walter, Ernie and George.

Others have contributed guest posts in the past and/or put helpful suggestions in the comments section.

I will always post anything I receive unless it is racist and/or right wing nonsense something that I am confident would never apply to my regular readers, commenters and contributors.

If it stimulates healthy debate so much the better but the main intention is for it to be a bit of fun.

Right, now that is out of the way here are some songs with Guest or Post in the title.

The Fall - Guest Informant

Rozi Plain - The Post

The National - Guest Room

Richmond Fontaine - Post to Wire

CC Revs the CC's - Lap 4

 

Four laps done and this week Rol is out in front.

Rol writes

I was glad to see CC get around to two-wheeled motorised vehicles at last, because there was one song I was dying to recommend. But before we get to that, the most obvious choice which I know nobody else will suggest, but it still deserves to be recognised as Jim Steinman and Marvin Lee Aday’s finest hour…

Meatloaf - Bat Out Of Hell

In that unjustly-scorned-because-it-sold-a-lot-of-copies classic, Meat is riding a Silver Black Phantom bike. Not, as the famous 80s mondegreen would have it…

I’m gonna hit the highway like a battering ram

I’m a Cilla Black fan, all right!

However, despite my love of all things Steinman, that was not the first two-wheeled motorised vehicle song I thought of. No! That honour went to this lost nugget of 80s sounds-a-bit-like-Billy-Bragg joy by Rodney Allen, latterly of the Chesterfields and the Blue Aeroplanes…

Rodney Allen - Thrills on Wheels

After those two set the standard, there was no way I was going to start digging around in the depths of the hard-drive for obscure b-sides. Only the Manics doing their best Guns n Roses impression would maintain the quality…

Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness

My Dad would never have let me anywhere near a motorbike. One of his best friends died on one. Not wanting to bring the mood down here, just reminding you all to drive safely…

The Shangri- Las - Leader of the Pack

CC writes: Many Thanks Rol

Your Dad was a sensible man. Who knows - you could have ended up like Meatloaf!

Keep on revving.

Dance with the Guitar Man

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 49 - Duane Eddy - 18 Guitar Hits

Duane Eddy died om the 1st of May aged 86. To commemorate his passing George wrote an excellent tribute

At the time I  didn't have anything by Duane except perhaps the odd track here and there. That his since been rectified with the  purchase of 18 Guitar Greats from BRICC in Ballantrae.

George selected four songs by Duane all of which feature on the album above. That gives me 14 to play with.

I'll start with the first two on the CD (Dance With) The Guitar Man and Peter Gunn and conclude with track 11 Rebel Rouser which is a pretty apt  description for the great man(Duane that is not George).

It's good to see him finally residing on the rock'n'roll/rockabilly shelves. Long overdue

Duane Eddy - (Dance With) The Guitar Man

Duane Eddy -Peter Gunn

Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser

Hands, Knees and Boopsadaisy

 

There used to be an electrical repair shop on Glasgow's Battlefield Rd where we would to go to get tellies, hi-fis, etc fixed. It was owned by a German guy called Hans and Mrs CC and I somewhat childishly christened the shop as Hands, Knees and Boopsadaisy.

There are a few songs with Hands in the title in the files but none that I can see by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Therefore we shall go for Bloody Hands by Mark Olson and Gary Louris from their Ready For The Flood album.

I thought that there would perhaps be more songs referencing Knees given that I have quite a few Gospel songs on the hard drive but that didn't prove to be the case. .Therefore I am grateful to Johnny Copeland for getting Down on Bended Knees.

I only have one Boops song but thankfully it is a belter. Take it away Sly and Robbie.

Some new Charity purchases have been acquired so I'll probably scale back a bit on the three word phrases.

Mark Olson & Gary Louris - Bloody Hands

Johnny Copeland - Down on Bended Knees

Sly & Robbie - Boops (Here To Go)

Saturday Shuffle 62

 

Forty Licks  the compilation by The Rolling Stones is proving to be value for money for the Shuffle throwing out great song after great song. This time round it is the turn of Tumbling Dice a song which originally featured on Exile on Main Street

Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers is such a great song that they have released it as Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Today it's the turn of Part 2 

We conclude with a band who I think are making their Shuffle debut 62 weeks in. Ocean Rain, the title track from Echo and the Bunnymen's 4th studio album, from 1984 is pretty apt given the summer we have been having.

More shuffling next Saturday whatever the weather.

The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (Part 2)

Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain

63

 

It's my birthday today .Can anyone guess what age I am?

When looking for songs relevant to your birthday year the first port of call should always be Rol's Hot 100

A few songs were identified with the number 63 in the lyrics  but the most popular suggestion was not surprisingly Late December Back in 63 by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

December? That's no use to me!

Therefore I will go with international birthday greetings. Thank you to Sugarcubes for birthday greetings from Iceland, Pom Poko from Norway and the Wedding Present from Leeds.

Next year should be easier!

See you on the other side.

Sugarcubes - Birthday

Pom Poko - Birthday

The Wedding Present -Happy Birthday (Peel Sessions)

I Like Birds 3 - The Cuckoo

 

This week's ornithological offering is a day earlier than usual for reasons which will become clear tomorrow.

I've decided to focus on one particular bird namely the Cuckoo , The RSPB (who may become handy for this series)  tell us that the Cuckoo is a dove-sized bird with a blue-grey back, head and chest, and stripey black and white belly. Its sleek body, long tail and pointed wings gives it an appearance not unlike Kestrels or Sparrowhawks.

Then it gets a bit more nasty  - Cuckoos are summer visitors and known for being brood parasites. This means that, instead of building their own nest, the females lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, especially Meadow Pipits, Dunnocks and Reed Warblers.  Bastards!

You should all be familiar with The Cuckoo performed here by Kristen Hersh and I suspect that a good few of you will recognise  the Belle and Sebastian number.

We conclude with Lissie followed by The Cardigans

Kristin Hersh - The Cuckoo

Belle and Sebastian - I'm a Cuckoo

Lissie - Cuckoo

The Cardigans -Your New Cuckoo

I  thought that I would include this video given that the scene was replicated by my normally quiet nephew when his teacher told him of for talking!

Snap, Crackle and Pop

 

This one is for C who had a notion for some Rice Krispies.

The Jam had an album called Snap but I couldn't  find that many songs with Snap in the title. Thankfully Joe Henderson came to the rescue with Snap Your Fingers.

Crackle proved even harder and I had to settle for Cracklin' Rose by Neil Diamond.

You would think the Pop would be easier. After all it describes an entire genre of music and there is also a band called The Pop Group as well as Pop Will Eat Itself and of course Iggy Pop . 

When I typed pop into the search engine it threw up all the songs listed under the pop genre. There were not that many with pop in the title but I finally went for This is Pop by XTC.

Sorry C I couldn't find any with Rice Krispies in the title. Enjoy your cereal.

Joe Henderson - Snap Your Fingers

Neil Diamond - Cracklin' Rose

XTC - This is Pop

CC Revs the CC's - Lap 3

 

I am delighted to say that a couple of  guest posts have been dropped off by a motor cycle courier over the last week or so.

First up is our dear friend Walter from the brilliant A Few Good Times in My Life

Walter writes:

Now that I am close to my retirement I find more time to answer some posts. I like your new series about moving and like to add some songs. 

First one is Harley David (Son of a Bitch) by Bollock Brothers, a musical project Jock McDonald, a football madman, part-time hooligan and promoter, formed in the late 70's alongside with the early British punk movement.

The Bollock Brothers - Harley David (Son of a Bitch)

Harley Davidson Blues is a more or less unknown number by Los Angeles blues-rock band Canned Heat from 1973 from a time they were able to write songs.

Canned Heat - Harley Davidson Blues

Chris Spedding, one of the mostly hired session guitarist wrote Motor Bikin' in 1975 and it was his only successful single. Sadly the rest of his albums are forgotten.

Chris Spedding - Motor Bikin'

An lastly a short song about riding a motorbike at the Westcoast. The Beach Boys made Little Honda in their very early days and a trademark of their sound.

The Beach Boys - Little Honda

CC writes:

Many thanks for this Walter. The only one I am familiar with is Motor Bikin' . C will be pleased.

I can just visualize you cruising down the Autobahn on a Harley Davidson when you finally get your well earned retirement!

Stay tuned for another excellent Guest Post next Transport Tuesday

Squirrel Flower at the Glad Cafe

 

On Friday night I went to see Chicago based Indie Folk  act Squirrel Flower (Ella Williams plus band)  at a very hot Glad Cafe  

Squirrel Flower was a name I was not familiar with until a recent post at Ernie's place Following my complimentary comment he advised me that she was playing at the Glad Cafe and a ticket was duly purchased. Spence did similar going to see her in Manchester proving something that we already knew - Ernie is an Influencer.

The support band were Maripool, a London based band, who I'm afraid did not make much of an impression on me.

The same could not be said of Squirrel Flower  who by and large were promoting their most recent album  2023's Tomorrow's Fire on Polyvinyl. As the Glad Cafe blurb says before her new album Tomorrow’s Fire, Squirrel Flower might’ve been labelled something like “indie folk,” but this is a rock record, made to be played loud. 

Where these tracks met with my approval I was more taken with some of the older Indie Folk numbers particularly those which Ella sang solo.

Ernie has kindly shared 2020's I Was Born Swimming and 2021's Planet(i)  from which the songs below are taken.

A solid 8/10 evening. I'll certainly be keeping a keen eye on her/their future career

Thanks for the heads up.

Squirrel Flower - Roadkill

Squirrel Flower - Belly of the City

Get Brexit Done

 

Get Brexit Done

An even more nonsensical phrase than Ernie's suggestion of Bish Bash Bosh.

Unfortunately for us they did and boy are we reaping the "benefits" Hopefully now that we have some grown ups in the room there can be a degree of damage limitation.

Given the subject matter it is probably a good idea to start with someone completely bonkers. Here is Maria McKie with You Got to Sin to Get Saved although I suspect that Johnson is  completely beyond redemption.

Billy Bragg pitches in with the brilliant Full English Brexit . It's worth noting that 60% of those who voted in Scotland voted Remain.

Finally Weyes Blood sums things up neatly with The Worst is Done. 

In years to come historians will shake their heads

More three word phrases dissected soon

Maria McKee - You Got to Sin to Get Saved

Billy Bragg - Full English Brexit

Weyes Blood - The Worst is Done

Saturday Shuffle 61

 

Midnight to Six Man - the Shuffle has only gone and thrown up one of the best singles of all time this week.

I'm talking of course the majestic (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais by The Only Band that Matters Name me a better song ... I'll wait.

Even Shakin' Stevens couldn't come up with anything as good as that but he did do a great cover version of Marie Marie. Written by the great Dave Alvin here is the original version by The Blasters.

You Woke Up My Neighbourhood complains Billy Bragg. I don't think I would be too bothered if it was with any one of these three songs

White Youth, Black Youth tune in next Saturday for more shuffling

The Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais

The Blasters - Marie Marie

Billy Bragg - You Woke Up My Neighbourhood

I Like Birds 2

 

We started this series last week with a couple of references to little birds. It therefore seems appropriate that this week we should concentrate on big birds

Let’s start then with Eagles. Wait! Stop! Come back.  What I have in mind is not the easy listening of the Californian group but rather Golden Eagle the title track of the 2017 debut album by Holly Macvie an artist introduced to me by our dear friend The Swede

Watching a bit of the Open Golf on the telly reminded my of another bird like term like birdie or eagle to describe a score. An albatross is the term for a score of three under par on a particular hole ie a 2 on a par 5. It also refers to  the bird found in the Southern and  North Pacific Oceans with a wing span up to 11 feet. It is also the title of an instrumental by Fleetwood Mac

In addition to being a make of pipe tobacco Condor is the common name for two species of New World Vultures who may well be found on the El Condor Pasa

So like the great Eddie Floyd lets pay tribute to Big Birds.

More birds of various sizes next Friday.

Holly Macvie - Golden Eagle

Fleetwood Mac - Albatross

Simon and Garfukel - El Condor Pasa

Eddie Floyd - Big Bird

Shake, Rattle and Roll

 

That's the backlog of charity purchases now covered and with the exception of the current series' I am a bit stuck for inspiration.

Don't be surprised then if you log in and there is nothing new to see. To tide us over until the creative juices start flowing I'm gong to focus on some three word phrases and see if I can post songs relating to the words.

As you can see above we are starting with Shake Rattle and Roll.

There are plenty of Shakes to choose from. There are even a couple of bands Alabama Shakes and Th' Legendary Shack Shakes as well as the album by Savage Mansion called The Shakes. And of course how could we forget Shaking Stevens?

From a reasonable number of songs I've gone for Shake a Tail Feather by The Debutants.

Rattle proved trickier. It boiled down to a choice between The Rattler by Goodbye Mr MacKenzie  or Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole & the Commotions. A hard choice but I've gone for the latter.

Plenty of Rolls to choose from but Richard and Linda Thompson got the nod.

Put them altogether and you get Shake, Rattle & Roll by Big Joe Turner which was also the theme tune to a Radio 2 series of the same name hosted by Mark Lamarr.

More three word nonsense shortly.

The Debutants - Shake a Tail Feather

Lloyd Cole & the Commotions - Rattlesnakes

Richard and Linda Thompson - Down Where the Drunkards Roll

Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle and Roll

Keep On Rocking in the Free World

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 48 - Neil Young - Freedom 

There are certain artists who if I see albums of theirs that I don't have in a charity shop I will always pick them up. Bob Dylan is one example; Neil Young is another.

I was not 100% per cant sure that I didn't already have Freedom his 19th studio album from 1989 on the Reprise label. A quick check of the spreadsheet confirmed that I didn't have it and it was duly purchased.

I think that some of the confusion was down to the fact that I was familiar with a few of the tracks but I think that may be because they feature on the 1991 live album Weld. He had kind of lost his way a bit in the 80's and Freedom was generally considered as a return to form.

Having said that I wouldn't say that it is particularly startling. It is a bit Neil Young by numbers in places. If you like Neil like I do it is worth picking up

Keep on Rocking in the Free World.

Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World

Neil Young - Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero Part 1)

The person who handed it in to the charity shop on Battlefield Rd also kindly put a CDR of Razorlight's Up All Night in the jewel case. It has since been binned.

CC Revs the CCs - Lap 2

 

We are off on the second lap of CC Revs the CCs and yet again we turn to Ernie for the first three of this week's selections.

As he is an International Man of Mystery it is hardly surprising that his first offering comes from Thailand with Khana Mai Sak  and the song Sao Motorcy. It is from the album Kham Mueang Disco but I suspect that most of you knew that already.

Next up is American singer songwriter Erica Wheeler with Sober Harley Guys. Not to be confused with the basketball player with the same name

The only John Hulbert I can find out anything about was the executioner for the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts from 1914 to 1926. It looks as though he might have done a bit guitar playing  in his spare time and in particular about The Freak on the Black Harley.

Two references to Harley Davidsons made the picture choice this week a doddle.

Finally my choice for this week takes us down a few CCs with the late great Sinead O'Connor and Black Boys on Mopeds. If Drew was still Blogging I know that he would have been quick to offer this one up.

Lap 3 next week and as always suggestions and guest posts welcome.

Vroom vroom.

Khana Mai Sak - Sao Motorcy

Erica Wheeler - Sober Harley Guys

John Hulbert - The Freak on the Black Harley

Sinead O'Connor - Black Boys on Mopeds

Johnny Cash - Songwriter

 

A couple of weeks ago George pointed me in the direction of Songwriter a "new" album by Johnny Cash. He recently followed that up with a text complimenting the album something I was in complete agreement with. It also prompted me to write a post about it.

Although only released on June 28th the album was recorded as a series of songwriting demos at LSI Studios  in early 1993, a time when Cash wasn't signed to a label and shortly before he met Rick Ruben and commencing  the iconic American Recordings series

After rediscovering the demos, John Carter Cash and David "Fergie" Ferguson stripped them back to just Cash's vocals and guitar before overdubbing newly recorded parts by a new band, including several musicians who had worked with Cash such as Marty Stuart and David Roe.

The 11 track album has been critically well received with an aggregate score of 77/100 on  the Metacritic aggregator.

In years to come I think that it will be considered as American Recording Minus One.

Johnny Cash - Have You Ever Been to Little Rock?

Johnny Cash - She Sang Sweet Baby Jane

Bastille Day

 

Liberté, égalité, fraternité

Today is Bastille Day for the other half of the Auld Alliance

It is probably one worth celebrating given that the French in the recent election narrowly saw off the far right Rassemblent National party of Marie Le Pen.

The far right being rejected in both Britain and France is hopefully a good omen for the future.

As well as this it also gives me an excuse to share some French music with you.

It also gives me an excuse to mark the sad passing of the lovely Françoise Hardy on 11th June aged 80 something I neglected to do at the time. She was everything you would imagine that a French woman would be.

Many years ago I received a promotional e-mail championing a French band called Nevski. I subsequently picked up their 4 track CD. Since then I have been unable to find out anything more about them which is a shame as I really liked what I heard.

Something a wee bit more funky you say? Go on then here are The French Fries with Danse a la Musique. And who wouldn't turn down the opportunity to listen to Debbie Harry singing in French?

I was aware that there is a band called Bastille but I have nothing by them so I sourced a video

Viva la France!

Francoise Hardy - Le Temps de L'Amour

Nevski - En Angleterre

The French Fries - Danse a la Musique

Blondie - Sunday Girl (French Version)

Saturday Shuffle 60

 

We are getting down and getting on it today.

Let's start with the Godfather of Soul himself James Brown proclaiming that Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

Following on from that we should take the advice of this week's cover stars A Taste of Honey and Boogie Oogie Oogie til we just can't Boogie no more.

If that is all a bit too much for you on a weekend morning Karine Polwart  mellows things down a notch or three with her beautiful cover of the Gerry Rafferty song Whatever's Written in Your Heart taken from her Scottish Songbook album.

More Boogie Oogie Oogieing next Saturday

James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie

Karine Polwart - Whatever's Written in Your Heart

I Like Birds

 

At Newcastle's BlogCom 24  C of Sun Dried Sparrows fame gifted the Bloggers present with a booklet she had drawn up  called A Little Book of Rare Birds featuring bird like caricatures of attendees past and present. This explains why she got in touch with us all recently asking for our two favourite colours! In addition to the book we all got our own individual card which I'm sure that we will all treasure. A lovely and thoughtful souvenir.

As I was thinking that a new series was required this got me thinking about doing one on birds and what better way to start than with Eels and I Like Birds.

They are following by Karine Polwart who is of the view that the little wren is the King of Birds. The Be Good Tanyas also appear to be fans of The Littlest Birds.

The Cramps on the other hand prefer a Surfin' Bird.

More feathered friends next Friday.

Eels - I Like Birds

Karine Polwart - King of Birds

The Be Good Tanyas - The Littlest Birds

The Cramps - Surfin' Bird

Vagrant Stanzas

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 47 - Martin Simpson - Vagrant Stanzas

After York, Newcastle becomes only the second location in England where I have made charity purchases. I have however bought many CDs in previous visits to Newcastle.

I haven't written very much about Blog Con 24 which was recently held on the banks of the Tyne. Alyson neatly covers it here. Suffice to say it was great to catch up with everyone again and to meet Ernie for the first time. A god time was had by all.

Ernie and I took the opportunity to go  for a spot of charity shopping in the town centre. He came away with two (plus one bought in a record shop) and I managed a paltry one.

From the picture above you will surmise that it was Vagrant Stanzas by the folk guitarist and singer Martin Simpson from 2013 on Topic Records, It is produced by his near neighbour Richard Hawley.

This blurb from Topic gives details as to solo nature and recording of the album.

Given the location of its purchase I thought it appropriate to feature North Country Blues. I previously bought two of his albums in a charity shop in Leith so he clearly has an affinity for Eastern coast industrial towns.

Martin Simpson - Jackie and Murphy

Martin Simpson - North Country Blues

Tapestry

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 46  - Carole King - Tapestry

I have a fairly battered and crackly vinyl copy of Carole King's classic 1971 album Tapestry courtesy of Val's Vinyl

As I said in the VV post it reminds me of my late glamourous Aunt Jean. My folks didn't have many records but I remember Aunt Jean had this one which in my book made her pretty trendy.

It seemed sensible to pick up a more pristine copy for a pound particularly as it also had a couple of bonus tracks stuck on at the end.

Carole co-wrote all the songs on the album. Unless you have been living in a cave since 1970 you will be familiar with the majority of them.

As the blurb on the back cover states Tapestry was a ground breaking record not only for music, but for women in music. Blending soothing pop songs with heartfelt lyrics, the album struck a universal cord.

Over five million people can't be wrong

Here are three you will recognise that didn't feature last time round

Carole King -I Feel The Earth Move

Carole King -You've Got a Friend

Carole King - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

CC Revs the CCs

 

New Transport  Tuesday Series Alert!

We are focussing on two wheeled motorised vehicles for this cohort - Motor bikes, mopeds, etc - you get the picture.

Not only has Ernie come up with the title for this series he has also provided six song suggestions. However, the number of songs in this series has  traditionally been four so I will spread his suggestions out over two weeks and add in a couple of my own.

His first suggestion is Brigitte Bardot with Harley Davidson. Someone, I'm sure, who has only crossed his radar due to her musical skills.

Next up is Motorcycle Mama by Sailcat one I am not familiar with perhaps because it comes from an album called One Hit Wonders 1972.

His third suggestion is one simply called Motorcycles by Iggy Pop from his album Album B.

In his e-mail Ernie commented that he hadn't included 1952 Vincent Black Lightning(see picture above)  by Richard Thompson as he assumed (correctly) that I already had it. The cynics among you might be saying that I restricted his suggestions to three so I could sneak this one in before anyone else did and they may well be right.

Three more from Ernie and one from me next week. As always the door is open for suggestions and/or guest posts.

Keep on revving.

Brigitte Bardot - Harley Davidson

Sailcat - Motorcycle Mama

Iggy Pop - Motorcycles

Richard Thompson -1952 Vincent Black Lightning

Queen of Denmark

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 45 - John Grant - Queen of Denmark

I was vaguely aware of the name John Grant but less familiar with his music so I thought that I should pick up one of his albums to see what the fuss was all about.

Queen of Denmark from 2010 and on the Bella Union label is the first of six studio albums from the ex frontman of the Czars who once appeared here as part of a Saturday Lucky Dip

Described as indie- folk and/or soft rock it was released to critical acclaim with Mojo awarding it Instant Classic status and writing if Queen of Denmark were only comprised of self-lacerating ballads it would still be a work of transcendent beauty, but the second half of the album finds Grant confronting romantic loss with astonishing depth of feeling.

On the album Grant is supported musically by members of the band Midlake who are no strangers to these pages.

Apparently the title track was written on a car journey from Glasgow to Aberdeen. As a bonus you are also getting the cover version by the sadly departed Sinead O'Connor and the only other song I have with Denmark in the title.

John Grant - Queen of Denmark

John Grant -Sigourney Weaver

Sinead O'Connor - Queen of Denmark

Broken Chanter - Don't Move to Denmark

Single Song Sunday -Lost Highway

 

Now that the Sunday Highway Songs series has run out of tarmac I thought it would be appropriate to do a Single Song Sunday  of the song which inspired the series namely Lost Highway. I've been given permission from the great man himself who has even offered up a contribution or two.

I always thought that the song had been written by Hank Williams, the man who made the song famous, but it turns out that it was  in fact written by Leon Payne. Therefore it is only fair to feature Leon first with Hank a close second.

The version by Billy Bob Thornton,  from an Uncut compilation, inspired the series and featured on the first of the thirteen posts. In the interest of completeness you are getting it again.

The next one I thought of was the version by The Mekons from their Fear and Whiskey album although the one I downloaded is taken from the Rough Trade Shops Country 1 compilation.

I also had versions by Johnny Horton and Jason & the Scorchers which I added to the folder before looking further afield.

A quick Google or two threw up  further versions by The Handsome Family, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Townes Van Zandt.

Ernie then offered up a version by German band The Dad Horse Experience and provided a little bit of info about them

I also asked if he could offer up a Mandatory Reggae Version (MRV). Sadly he was unable to do so on this occasion but as a very acceptable alternative he provided a song by the same name from Guinea act Duuda.

For a life of sin we've paid the cost.

Leon Payne - Lost Highway

Hank Williams - Lost Highway

Billy Bob Thornton - Lost Highway

The Mekons - Lost Highway

Johnny Horton - Lost Highway

Jason & the Scorchers - Lost Highway

The Handsome Family -Lost Highway

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Lost Highway

Townes Van Zandt - Lost Highway

The Dad Horse Experience - Lost Highway

Saturday Shuffle 59

 

We kick off this week's shuffle of with The Men They Couldn't Hang and The Colours. They also recently appeared on SS53 with Ironmasters  such is the vagaries of the Shuffle. Whilst doing my homework for this piece(hard to believe but there you go) I noticed that Ironmasters had also appeared on SS3. Apologies.

I think this is the first time we have had a doubler but probably not the last. I try and check but clearly I don't always get it right.

Our cover stars Dexys Midnight Runners have also appeared here before but not with Burn it Down from the great Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. At least I don't think they have.

Well over a year in and somewhat criminally the great Glen Campbell is finally making his shuffle debut which were he still alive would have  undoubtedly  been one of the highlights of his long and illustrious career. Although not one of the three big hitters Where's The Playground Susie is yet another brilliant song by Jimmy Webb effortlessly delivered by Glen. This version is taken from the three CD Cherry Red Compilation - I See You Live on Love Street - Music from Laurel Canyon 1967 - 1975.

More random music from canyons and elsewhere next Saturday.

The Men They Couldn't Hang - The Colours

Dexys Midnight Runners - Burn It Down

Glen Campbell - Where's the Playground Susie

Stray

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 44  - Aztec Camera - Stray

Such was the brilliance of Aztec Camera's 1983 debut album High Land, Hard Rain it proved a hard act to follow. The second album 1984's Knife is pretty good but it is generally accepted that their third one 1987's Love was pretty poor.

Their 4th album Stray from 1990 on WEA was generally regarded as a return to form . It is the one which features Mick Jones on Good Morning Britain. The story goes that Roddy Frame wrote it in 45 minutes in the canteen of a rehearsal studio that both Aztec Camera and Big Audio Dynamite were using.

And according to Wiki In an August 2014 radio interview, Frame elaborated further, stating that at the time he wrote the song, Jones lived near his London home; Frame visited Jones after recording the song and said to the Clash guitarist, "You'll either sing on it, or you'll want to sue me", as Frame believed the song was so similar to Jones' previous work

Hopefully it is an apt track as we wake up this morning to the Election results.

Whereas that track alone would have been worth the pound I played the  rest of the album is not too shabby. 

Aztec Camera (ft Mick Jones) - Good Morning Britain

Aztec Camera - Notting Hill Blues

Good Riddance

 

Voting today will see the end of 14 years of Tory Mis-Rule .This twitter post by Jonathan Pie neatly sums up their "achievements" (not fit for work obviously).

Any sane person will be glad to see the back of them but yet I am finding it hard to get too excited. I mean what is the alternative? Labour under Tory - Lite Sir Keir Starmer a man with zero personality  who writes for the Sun and refuses to denounce Brexit as the disaster it clearly is? He has also indicated that he would be willing to engage with the French Right whilst refusing to engage with the Scottish Government on a number of key issues.

To be honest I'm pretty disillusioned with the lot of them. Whereas it will be good to see them go The Tories are pretty much irrelevant in Scotland and virtually no-one here would be stupid enough to line Farage's red trousers by voting for Reform PLC.

That pretty much leaves the Lib Dems (as a protest vote)  Labour or the SNP. The Greens here may previously have got my vote on occasions but seem to have forgotten what they are meant to stand for.

The SNP have been in power for too long without an effective opposition and have lost their way in terms of key priorities such as housing and Social Care but we currently have no tuition fees, free personal care for the elderly and no prescription charges amongst a number of other things. Would the Labour branch office be allowed to honour these when Westminster is pulling the strings?

I have rarely been so disillusioned but I will hold my nose and vote. After all, people have died to enable us to do so.

I wonder if the Bloggers Party will be on the ballot paper?

Billy Bragg - All You Fascists Bound to Lose (Blokes Version)

Carter USM - I Blame the Government

Jamie Wednesday - Vote for Love

This Sweet Old World

 

2024 Charity Shop Purchases # 43 - Lucinda Williams - This Sweet Old World

A couple of Saturdays ago we found ourselves at Clarkston Toll on the South Side of Glasgow. We were pushed for time as we had to get back for an appointment but I managed to quickly pop into Oxfam for a quick browse.

Someone had handed in a few CDs of the more recent Lucinda Williams albums which is something that you don't see every day. I thought I had them all but was wondering why Sweet Old World was under a different cover. It was only on the way home that I remembered that in 2017 she had re-released an updated version in 2017 as This Sweet Old World.I went back up on the Sunday and fortunately it was still there.

It is interesting to her the difference in her voice between 1992 when Sweet Old World was released as her 4th album and 2017 with This Sweet Old World being her 13th album.

It received universal acclaim scoring 86/100 on the Metacritic Aggregator and it got me thinking whether she would have continued this project re-recording subsequent albums had Covid and her stroke not intervened. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road would have been next.

It's time to compare and contrast. 

Lucinda Williams - Six Blocks Away (1992)

Lucinda Williams -Six Blocks Away (2017)

Lucinda Williams -Something About What Happens When We Talk (1992)

Lucinda Williams - Something About What Happens When We Talk (2017)

On Your Bike - Khayem's Lap of Honour

 

Just when you thought that all things bike had been exhausted Khayem has pitched in with a lap of honour.

Take it away K

As the series reaches it’s last gasp (actually, that’s just me being chronically unfit…) I’ve found a few more round the back of the bike shed that I’d like to offer up.

Firstly, Madness got tired of driving their car and decided to rewrite the song as a paean to the pushbike on the 12” B-side back in 1982.

Unfortunately, Amy of Amyl & The Sniffers was less fortunate as someone nicked hers, but at least it inspired a short sharp rant on their Giddy Up EP in 2016.

Lurking around the corner and trying not to look suspicious are Peter Hook and David Potts, better known here as Monaco, with this B-side of 1997 single What Do You Want From Me? that doesn’t at all like New Order, honest.

Lastly, Rol previously delivered Pink Floyd’s original and definitive version of their song Bike. Not an obvious one to cover, unless you’re electronic duo Fortran 5 in 1991. Not just any old cover version though, this one painstakingly cut and spliced a comedy legend’s dialogues from numerous Carry On films to create a word - if not note - perfect reproduction of the lyrics. Sid Sings Syd indeed. With apologies to CC listeners everywhere and C in particular!

Madness -Riding on My Bike

Amyl & the Sniffers - Stole My Push Bike

Monaco - Bicycle Thief

Fortran 5 - Bike (Sid sings Syd) ft Sid James

Thanks Khayem.

A reminder that we move on to two wheeled motorised transport  next Tuesday. Ernie has already pitched in with sone excellent suggestions and a title for the series CC revs the CC's

Frontejas

 

I know what you are thinking. Why is he featuring Tish Hinojosa yet again when she appeared here only 18 days ago with her album Homeland?

There is a very simple explanation. Ernie had a copy of  her 1995 album Frontejas,  on the great Rounder Records label, which was in his charity pile. Rather than that he very kindly gifted it to me when we met up in Newcastle. Such is the generosity of the man given that it has a median value of £3.11 on Discogs

Dangerous Dave provides a helpful review on Amazon explaining the rationale behind a Spanish only album, The  CD helpfully gives the song titles and lyrics in both Spanish and English.  DD, as I like to call him, writes that the songs themselves vary from up-tempo tex-mex polka with guitar, drums and accordion to ballads, sometimes with minimal accompaniment but others with piano and horns.

He likes the ballads but I am more of a tex-mex polka man myself. I think I have counted at least 6 six accordionists on the album. I've gone for track one Pajarillo Barranqueño (Little Riverside Bird) featuring Santiago Jiminez Jr and Déjame Llorar (Let Me Weep) featuring the mighty Flaco Jiminez.

Thanks very much for this Ernie but I still can't quite fathom why you considered letting it go.

Tish Hinojosa - Pajarillo Barranqueno

Tish Hinojosa - Dejame Llorar