That was the prog that was. 6.

 

George writes:

My interest in football was firmly re-established by the late 1980s. And by this time I had my first ever job, in Edinburgh, and took advantage of cheap train fares and cheap match-day prices to do some groundhopping. For less than £10 I could get the train to Larbert, have a pint, buy a programme, watch the game and get a train back to Edinburgh. (That’s £27.32 in today’s prices). It’s a 10 minute walk from the station in Larbert to Ochilview Park in Stenhousemuir. I don’t know if I saw the Ochil Hills from the stand but I did fall asleep in the second half for a while, not because of the football but because I had been drinking at 9 in the morning in Edinburgh with some friends (some of whom I think were going to the egg-chucking). I might have had a pint in the clubhouse at the ground, a lot of clubhouses at the smaller grounds were open to anyone in those days.

Even more exciting than the prospect of notching up Ochilview Park was that it was literally next to the Mccowan’s toffee factory! Yes, where penny dainties used to be made.

Of course, it’s no’ there anymore. Here are the teams that could very well have played their part in what might have been a thrilling 1-1 draw:

So that you don’t have to, I have looked at the AITT of that week and JINGS what a terrible sight that was. I have no memory of 6 of the songs, thankfully, and looking at numbers 11 to 20 I also genuinely don’t think I’ve ever heard any of those songs. Of the 4 in the top 10 I do know, all 4 are at best Total Bobbins. And the no. 1 single in the USA that day is worse still. Respite can be found in the number 1 album of that week (the other nine are worse than Total Bobbins) which has this utterly fabulous pop song, with that spine-tingling moment at 20 seconds:

Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely

A song of such magnificence it brings tears to my eyes. And of course it can not be confused with this nonsense

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Mr CC.

CC writes:

Thanks George. I'm sure that Friday Night Commentator and Stennie fan Spence will find this to be of interest

East Fife did remarkably well to earn a draw considering they had a blind Goalie!

Oh, and happy birthday yesterday!

Roberta Flack R.I.P.

 

I meant to post this yesterday but real life got in the way.

It was sad to hear of the death of yet another Soul legend this time the great Roberta Flack at the age of  88.

She is probably best known for her version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which was written by folk singer and Kirsty's dad Ewan MacColl. There are many great versions out there but none come close to Roberta's

In addition to her solo work she performed a number of duets most notably with Peabo Bryson and the late great Donny Hathaway. The stuff with Peabo is a bit to Soul lite and ballady  for me but it is reassuring to imagine her sitting on a cloud somewhere with Donny and belting out some tunes.

Rest easy Roberta.

Roberta Flack -The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway - Where is the Love

Blog Country 110 - Mongolia

 

This time round we are off to the world's most sparsely populated state and one with a terrific flag.

Mongolia is a landlocked country in  East Asia with an area of 1,564 ,116 square kilometers and a population of 3.5 million. It is probably most famous for Genghis Khan and horses.

From a music point of view The HU a band who fuse traditional folk instruments and throat singing with heavy metal have gained international recognition  including an appearance at Glastonbury. Here they make an appearance with This is Mongul.

Khusugtun are an ensemble who play music inspired by traditional Mongolian music. The group has released two albums and performed at the 2011 BBC Proms In 2015, the group came in second place in the first season of Asia's Got Talent The band is named after a type of cart, named a "khusug," that nomadic Mongolians  would use to transport their yurts and other belongings.

Here they sing about Chinggis Khan which is another name for the aforementioned Genghis

We conclude with Tserendavaa and his son Tsogtgerel. Tserendavaa is an honour kaichi (khoomechi) and artist of Mongolia. He lives a simple nomad's life as many Mongolians in the Western Mongolia. Here they are with Mongol Gerin Magtaal.

We are off back to Africa next time round

The HU - This is Mongol

Khusugtun - Chinggis Khaan

Tserendavaa & Tsogtgerel - Mongol Gerin Magtaal

Respect the Sabbath

 

I'm not sure whether they still chain the swings up in Stornoway so they can't be used on the Sabbath. I am, however, aware of the big stushie recently when Tesco decided to open on a Sunday Honestly, some people have no respect.

The Kane Gang's version of Respect Yourself popped up on a memory stick in the car the other day prompting this post. I searched for other songs with Respect in the title but only came up with the other obvious one. 

Who needs any other songs when you can have these two belters?

The Kane Gang - Respect Yourself

The Staple Singers - Respect Yourself

Aretha Franklin - Respect

Otis Redding - Respect

Saturday Shuffle 88

 

Three acts this week who I can't think have anything in common other than they appear in my Music Folder. Perhaps you know differently?

We start with an artist who is a whole day older than me, namely Martin Stephenson, who along with his Daintees has a penchant for Morning Time.

I'm not sure if the Beta Band are morning people but I suspect not. Indeed it might well drive them Round the Bend.

The Cramps are certainly not morning people unless of course they are still  partying heavily from the night before. From their short but wonderful live album Smell of Female here they are with Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love.

More random Exalted Potentates next Saturday.

Martin Stephenson & the Daintees - Morning Time

Beta Band - Round the Bend

The Cramps - Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love

Fall Friday

 It took me a long, long time to "get" The Fall although I'm not sure that anyone ever totally gets the band.

They can be brilliant or totally unlistenable, This is exemplified by the two times I saw them at The Ferry in Glasgow. The first time they they were fantastic, the second time they came on very late and only played for about 20 minutes and were truly awful. That gig was fortunately  saved by having John Cooper Clarke as support.

I fairly recently missed the opportunities to acknowledge the 100th birthday and subsequent death of Jimmy Carter. I am however comforted that he enjoyed Repetition.

My introduction, and indeed most of my knowledge of the band, was the compilation 50000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong from which today's tracks are taken.

I also have a burn of their much sought after The Complete Peel Sessions which sells for a tidy sum  Excerpts from this box set are currently taking place at JC's place.

The Fall - Repetition

The Fall - How I Wrote ' Elastic Man'

The Fall - Eat Y'self Fitter

4G

 

While undergoing an interminable wait for my laptop to open the Music Folder  file was stuck at files beginning with 01G (ie track 1 beginning with G) which were not in a named folder

This seemed as good an opportunity as any to select four songs for a post.

So without further ado I give you Tom Tom Club, Joe Jackson, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Bangles.

No need to thank me.

Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love

Joe Jackson - Geraldine and John

Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Give My Compliments to the Chef

The Bangles - Going Down to Liverpool

That was the prog that was. 5.

 

George writes:

After last week’s rather dour article, this will be much more up-beat. Some of you will recognise United’s centre forward Davie “salmon-pus” Dodds (that was one of the fans’ chants of the time, and it seems even more cruel now than it did then). I’ve no idea why I went, or who I went with, I had lost interest in the game in the latter part of the 70s, thanks to my home team Dundee losing the plot, Manchester United sacking Docherty, and the damned 1978 World Cup. It was probably the emergence of United as a great team that sparked some interest, and a chance to join in the communal swearing at one of Southampton’s players was probably a major reason as well. And it looks like 8 594 fellow-Dundonians also wanted to do this.

So not only did we get to chant “Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevin Keegan” followed by a phrase describing self-abuse/relief, but we saw Davie Dodds score as well, as United romped home 2-0. Here’s the United team and the losers too

As you can see, future United manager Ivan Golac was meant to play that day. Although according to a United fans website, these were the teams. Of course, I cannot remember anything, apart from the above chant (and there was probably also a very unpleasant one about Jimmy Hill). That’s the only United programme I have kept, and for some reason I have no Dundee programmes at all (despite them being my first scottish team). As we all know, United went on to win the league that year.

The AITT of august 11 1982 is a mix of some right old bobbins, such as this:

I’ve got that single. What in the name of the dear lord was I thinking??? There’s also a terrible Dexy’s song in the 10, and thankfully these two belters, the second is a tremendous live version:

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Mr CC as always.

CC writes: Thanks George. If you had to pick United's greatest ever team that one above would probably be it. Also I quite like that Hot Chocolate number!

Blog Country 109 - Kosovo

 

This one proved to be a little tricky given that Kosovo is a relatively new country after having unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. It has since been recognised as a sovereign  state by 104 United Nation countries.

This means that there is not much in the way of traditional music. Indeed when I typed in musicians from Kosovo the first two names to pop up were Rita Ora and Dua Lipa. I've never knowingly heard anything by either of them and I don't intent to start now.

First up is Ramadan Krasniqi with Dana (not that one!) He has released 40 albums in a 50 year career which led to official recognition from The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo

Today's second offering comes from Flaka Krelami with the song A Ka Kuptim which apparently features J-Pak. Flaka is a Kosovo- Albanian singer who has previously represented Albania 4 times at Eurovision. I'm sure that our Eurovision mega fan Alyson will be familiar with her.

We conclude with Dafina Zequiri ( a distant relative of Swiss-Kosovan footballer Xherdan Shaqiri perhaps?)She is a Swedish born Kosovo -Albanian singer . Here she appears with Mossi with the song Prit

It looks as though the next  Blog Country won't be any easier!

Ramadan Krasniqi with Dana - Ani Ani

Flaka Krelani ft J-Pak - A Ka Kuptim

Dafina Zequiri & Mossi - Prit

The Rio Grande

 

I thought I had better get this one out quickly before that Orange Idiot changes the name of the river to River Trump or River Musk or some such nonsense.

This must be an old Google Images picture as the spineless gits have now  bent the knee and renamed the Gulf of Mexica as the Gulf of America.

Here are three songs about the Rio Grande. Enjoy them while you can.

Dave Alvin - Rio Grande

Tish Hinajosa - By The Rio Grande

Freedy Johnston - Living Too Close to the Rio Grande

Saturday Shuffle 87

 

If You Know,You Know

Some more Shuffle Sensations for you this Saturday.

We start this week with Scottish Girl Band Teen Canteen with Carla J Easton on vocals. Honey  is taken from their 2016 album Say It All With A Kiss album which was the 3rd release and 1st album from Last Night From Glasgow.

Next up we have (Kevin Rowland and) Dexys Midnight Runners with Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile ) from their 1982 classic album Too-Rye-Ay

We conclude this week with the late great Jimmy La Fave  and the appropriate Only One Angel from the great compilation Viva Americana (here)

Teen Canteen - Honey

Dexys Midnight Runners -Jacky Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)

Jimmy La Fave - Only One Angel

The Bootleg Sessions -Volumes 1-3

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #5 - Bob Dylan -The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3

Bought on the same charity shop expedition as Boz Scaggs and The Staple Singers this was easily the pick of the the bunch

A 3 CD set on Columbia from 1991 to give it its full name The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased)1961 -1991. 58 tracks for £3.99 pretty good on the back of the success of the A Complete Unknown film and from Oxfam to boot!

I was so excited I had to go for a pint!

It joins Volumes 4,7 and 9 on the shelves. It includes a number of absolute bangers but I'm limiting myself, and you, to one from each disc.

The bar for Charity find of the year has been well and truly set

Bob Dylan - When the Ship Comes In (1962)

Bob Dylan - Idiot Wind (16/09/74)

Bob Dylan - Every Grain of Sand (23/09/80)

That was the prog that was. 4.

George writes:

The sharp-eyed reader will realise that today’s photograph is of a souvenir booklet; I have no idea what match at Tynecastle I saw when I bought it. Unfortunately I have no nice memories of this game, it was one Dave and I were dragged along to when staying in Edinburgh at our Aunt and Uncle’s flat - our Dad lived about 50 feet from the ground as a child so unsurprisingly was a Hearts fan. The last time I was there, in 1990, a few friends met up (were you there, CC?) full of hope only to see Dundee United get thrashed 4 - 0 by Aberdeen. I have a feeling I left after the 3rd goal went in at 58 mins (second o.g. of the game) and went to The Diggers for a pint.

As a team the Hearts were bumbling and stumbling along in 1974, drifting to a  first-ever relegation a couple of years later.  A far cry from the team of the late 1950s much revered by our Dad (not surprising, they won the 1957-58 league scoring an astounding 132 goals in 34 games, and again 2 years later, scoring a measly 102 goals). The manager in 1974, Bobby Seith, after leaving Hearts a year later, ended up in that delightful east coast town Broughty Ferry, working there as a chiropodist.

Looking at the Hearts squad for 1973-74 here there are no players that achieved much general recognition. I wondered if my booklet was much sought-after……..alas it’s not (£4 on ebay).

Can the Top Ten best selling singles of 1974 offer more cheer? ABSOLUTELY! Here are three in that All Important Top Ten:

The Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love

Ken Boothe - Everything I Own

And we can all remember this man gracing our screens

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Mr. CC for hosting this piece.

CC writes:

Thanks George. I've been at Tynecastle a few times but can't remember that one. Doesn't mean I wasn't there though!

Uncloudy Sunday

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #4 - The Staple Singers - Uncloudy Day.

Although the Staple Singers can (and indeed should) be played every day of the week there is something extra special about giving them an airing of  a Sunday.

As you can see from the picture above Uncloudy Day is part of the Gospel Greats Series released on the budget Charly label in 1995. It seems to me that it features  8 the original 12 tracks from the album of the same name released by Vee- Jay in 1959 featuring recordings from 1956 - 1959.

This CD features a further 12 tracks including Will The Circle Be Unbroken which should be obligatory on every Staple Singers albums and which should also be played in schools.

Praise the Lord.

The Staple Singers - Uncloudy Day

The Staple Singers - I Know I Got Religion

The Staple Singers - Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Saturday Shuffle 86

 

We start this week's shuffle with a song from the rather dapper group pictured above.

They are none other than Michigan band Tommy James and the Shondells who had a big hit in 1968 with Crimson and Clover.Yet another song from Jon Savage's 1968: The Year the World Burned. I'm guessing that is Tommy in the double breasted yellow jacket and with the impressive barnet.

We cross the pond to my home country for the next two acts.

The Muldoons are a band from Paisley who released the album Made for Each Other on Last Night From Glasgow in 2020. Here is the title track and a review from the GInger Quiff . They followed this one up recently with the rather excellent We Saw The View.

Can anyone out there remember who won the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award in 2017. No? I'll put you out your misery then. It was none other than Sacred Paws with Strike a Light from which the song Nothing is taken.

More award winning shuffling next Saturday.

Tommy James & the Shondells - Crimson and Clover

The Muldoons - Made For Each Other

Sacred Paws - Nothing

Music From Big Pink

 

I'm a big fan of John Niven the Irvine born, American based author.

I recently got out from the library  a  2018 re-issue of his 2005 debut novella Music From the Big Pink timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the  debut album of the same name by The Band.

Described by Bloomsbury as  a heady blend of drugs, music, sixties counter-culture and intoxicating youth it centres on a young drug dealer and wannabee musician Greg Keltner who hangs out with the band in Woodstock as The Band are recording their album and supplies drugs in particular to Richard Manuel and Rick Danko. Topically Bob Dylan makes a brief appearance.

It's only 187 pages and can easily be read in one or two sittings. and if hedonism is your thing I would recommend it.

I only have The Band and The Last Waltz so will keep an eye of for this one. I do, however have a couple of songs from it (one a Dylan cover you should all be familiar with) and a relevant song by the Drive-By Truckers

The Band - Chest Fever

The Band - I Shall be Released

Drive-By Truckers - Danko/Manuel

Silk Degrees

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #3 - Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees.

I know next to nothing about Boz Scaggs with the exception of the fact that he had a song called Lido Shuffle.

I picked up a vinyl copy of his 7th studio album Silk Degrees, from 1976 and on Columbia, in a charity shop after confirming that Lido Shuffle appeared on it.

I subsequently discovered that he was not actually christened Boz Scaggs and that his real name is actually William Royce Scaggs. I also discovered that he had been a member of the Steve Miller Band .Had I  known that I may have approached the album with a degree of trepidation.

It is very much a middle of the road album and also quite possibly veers towards Yacht Rock. For example the final track, and the only other one that I recognised, is We're All Alone a ballad that became a top 10 hit for Rita Coolidge. It was also covered by Frankie Valli. 

It was originally the b-side to Lido Shuffle but probably made him considerably more money than the for superior a-side.

Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle

Boz Scaggs - We're All Alone

Saturday Shuffle 85

 

Three artists this week who have all appeared before on this series suggesting that we will have to wait for at least another week for some of the recently added ones to feature.

We start with Glasgow band Savage Mansion with the song Night School taken for their most recent album The Shakes. They previously made an appearance on SS49.

It is no surprise that Bob Marley and the Wailers have graced  this series before - SS25 since you ask. Today they give us the peerless Redemption Song from the equally peerless Uprising album.

We conclude with a collaboration between two legendary artists namely Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore from their debut duo album Downey to Lubbock (their respective home towns) The song selected from the album is Lawdy Miss Clawdy. They also graced SS57.

More selections, new or otherwise, next Saturday

Savage Mansion - Night School

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Redemption Song

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Lawdy Miss Clawdy