Best of Dave Edmunds

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases # 34 - Dave Edmunds - The Best Of

I hit gold over two or three visits to the Sue Ryder shop in Newton Stewart. Someone had obviously handed in a decent number of decent CDs and I was in the right place at the right time to fill my boots.

The Best of  Dave Edmunds CD is a 13 track album on Swan Song from 1981- track list here

When I got home I discovered I already had The Many Sides of Dave Edmunds -The Greatest Hits and More here

Fortunately there are a few songs on this one which don't appear on the other so I will draw from them.

Normally I would have checked the spreadsheet on my phone but I was too busy stripping the shelves.

Space may dictate that this one will require to go back. We'll see.

Dave Edmunds - Deborah

Dave Edmunds - A.1. On The Juke Box

Dave Edmunds - The Creature From The Black Lagoon

Faith, Hope, Charity and Lightfoot

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases # 33 - Gordon Lightfoot - Complete Greatest Hits

He's back! We have returned from deepest, darkest Galloway with purchases.

I got a huge haul from Sue Ryder in Newton Stewart but more of that later. Let's start with my solitary purchase from the Faith, Hope and Charity Shop in Whithorn.

I've amassed a good few Gordon Lightfoot songs but didn't have any CDs or Records by him. Complete Greatest Hits at 50p seemed as good as any to start with for 50p.

It is a bit battered and torn but with the exception of the first track it plays ok.

I've decided to forego the three classics which we all know and love and which have featured here before namely If You Could Read My Mind, Sundown and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I'm sure you'll agree that the three substitutes are none too shabby

Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Gordon Lightfoot - Bitter Green

Gordon Lightfoot - Rainy Day People

Blog Country 151 - Zimbabwe

 

I was a bit surprised that 50 countries since I started recording them after the first 100 have appeared here before Zimbabwe.

The landlocked Republic of Zimbabwe is a country in the South of Africa  formerly known as Southern Rhodesia a self governing British colony. It officially gained internationally recognised independence on 18th April 1980.

Fortunately I  didn't have to go searching too far for music as I have music from a few Zimbabwean artists.

First up are the magnificent Bhundu Boys with Baba Munini Francis. Championed by John Peel and Andy Kershaw they somehow ended up residing in Hawick in the Scottish Borders. I saw them put on a couple of brilliant concerts in Glasgow. From their 1986 album Shabini, which is a must have, here is Baba Munini Francis.

Zeke Manyika, who somehow became the drummer with Orange Juice, is also no stranger to these pages. Here he is walking in Kelvingrove, one of Glasgow's many fine parks.

The Real Sounds of Africa came to my attention via Cooking Vinyl samplers . Here they turn out as football commentators  for Dynamos vs Tornados.

Oliver Mtukudzi, Tuko, to his fans , came to my attention via his song Rirongere  from The Essential African Album another sampler this time from the magazine Songlines.

Last, but certainly not least we have The Lion of Zimbabwe  namely Thomas Mapfumo with his band The Blacks Unlimited .The song Moyo Wambo is from their 1989 album Corruption.

I suspect BC152 will be slightly trickier!

Bhundu Boys - Baba Munini Francis

Zeke Manyika - Kelvingrove

The Real Sounds of Africa - Dynamos vs Tornados

Oliver Mtukozi - Rirongere

Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited - Moyo Wango

There will be nothing to see here for a couple of weeks as we are off to deepest, darkest Galloway fora well deserved holiday.

Some (Relatively) New Music

 

 Some new music has recently crossed my path. In all the albums featuring today I have only had the opportunity to give them a cursory listen to so far. Time will tell whether my witterings are accurate or not.

First up Teenage Fanclub released their 13th studio album Do Not Dare to Dream on 9th October here It has to be said that the last two albums Endless Arcade (2021) and Nothing Lasts Forever (2023) have been a bit disappointing. This one has a bit of a folky feel to it and it may well become a grower. Having said that I'm not tempted as yet to purchase it.

Teenage Fanclub - There Was You

George brought Sanctuary Park the latest album by The Jayhawks to my attention here. And do you know what it's bloody brilliant. It is easily the best thing that they have come up with since 2003's Rainy Day Music.

I may well consider stumping out for this one if the price is right.

The Jayhawks - Keeping Our Heads About Water

Our dear friend The Swede has been busy recently clocking up the miles to see Robyn Hitchcock in concert. I would image that Robyn would have taken the opportunity to promote some songs from his most recent album The Confuser here

As usual the songs are both bonkers but brilliant. 

Is that Robyn or The Swede on the cover?

Robyn Hitchcock - Building From The Ruins

 

The Hanging Stars at Mono

 

I went to see The Hanging Stars at Mono on Saturday Night.

My bus didn't turn up and I had to take another one into the City Centre which is a fair walk from Mono particularly as I took a bit of a detour to avoid the bams.

I still got there in time to see the opening act. Bogle. They  are a psychedelic guitar-pop four-piece from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. They are Adam McCafferty (guitar, vocals), Jacob Duffy (bass, vocals), Evie Seenan (acoustic drum kit) and Joe O'Donnell (guitar/vocals)

They are very young, very loud and very good. Apparently they are part of Glasgow's "The Cabbage" collective  of like minded young bands, whatever that might be. They are scheduled to release an album featuring 2 EP's on LNFG shortly.

I think that this is the fourth time I've seen The Hanging Stars, once at Stereo with Gerry Love as support, and twice at the Glad Cafe.

Mono is certainly bigger than the Glad Cafe, not sure about Stereo , but it certainly wasn't full. As per usual they put on a terrific show with Ava the highlight as always.

One small observation - although they are good on record and terrific live I feel they were better when they had Joe Harvey- Whyte on pedal steel

I'm pretty sure I saw J.C. skulking in the background!

The Hanging Stars - The Glasshouse

The Hanging Stars - Let It Slide

Please excuse the quality of the picture above - I have a cheap, crappy phone

It's Duck in a Microwave Time

 

Q -What happens if you put a duck in a microwave.

A - Its Bill Withers!

I very nearly bought a Greatest Hits by Bill Withers the other day but I'm glad to say I didn't .

The reason?I already have a Best Of subtitled Lovely Day (a song I can live without) which I bought for buttons in a sale at Clarkston Library a few years back.

It is a bit of a misnomer to call them Greatest Hits or Best Of given that neither feature I Can't Write Left Handed.

I am prepared to allow a bit of kudos however for Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)

Also Ain't No Sunshine is  also not too shabby

Bill Withers - I Can't Write Left-Handed

Bill Withers - Who Is He (And What Is He To You)

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine

Saturday Shuffle 165

 

We finally got there. The likes of Honeyblood, T-Model Ford, Dave Edmunds & the Stray Cats, The Rockingbirds  and Little Milton had to be dismissed as they and the songs attributed to them before have already featured.

Oh, and spare a thought for Nella Dodds with the Supremes song Come See About Me. I couldn't find her version on the hard drive.

Worry not however as some very able substitutes stepped up to the plate.

First up was Carla J. Easton with Waves That Fall (ft Solareye) from her 2020 (gosh that far back!) album Weirdo.

Then we have today's cover stars the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Maps.

Finally from their 1989 album Scarlet we have The Motorcycle Boy and  the song World Falls Into Place, It passed me by at the time but I eagerly snapped up the re-issue LP in 2019.

Hopefully I will have enough new songs for SS166. I must get round to adding some more to the MP3 player.

Carla J.Easton (ft Solareye) - Waves That Fall

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

The Motorcycle Boy - World Falls Into Place

Read It In Books

 

I'm sure that most of you have worked it out by now. I've run out of interesting things to post and instead I am picking random things to write about. Yesterday kitchens and today books.

These days I get my books from the library rather than Waterstones or any bookshops. A - It's free and B - If we don't use them we'll lose them. The miners and Mr Carnegie knew what they were doing all those years ago.

I usually get through about 30 or so books a year, some random choices but mostly authors I'm familiar with . A significant amount are crime fiction and/or by Scottish authors. There are also the occasional music related books.

I keep a list and give them a score with the vast majority coming in at 7/10

Here are some book related songs.

Talking Heads - The Book I Read

Lambchop - The Book I Haven't Read

Echo & the Bunnymen - Read It In Books

Belle & Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books

Kitchens of Distinction

 

You won't necessarily always find me in the kitchen at parties or otherwise, although I  do like to sit on my wicker chair with a coffee and admire the view from the window.

It may not be a kitchen of distinction but I like it.

All of which is a preamble and an excuse to feature some kitchen related songs.

Let's start with a song which inspired a much sadly missed blog. Yes I'm talking about Drew and his blog Across the Kitchen Table which was also a song by the Pale Fountains

Stump are happy with  the abbreviated Kitchen Table  whereas Kevin McDermott and his Orchestra are more concerned with Mother Nature's Kitchen.

Finally Michael Marra beguiles us with the story of the Guernsey Kitchen Porter.

Jona Lewie - You Will Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties

Pale Fountains - From Across the Kitchen Table

Stump - Kitchen Table

Kevin McDermott Orchestra - Mother Nature's Kitchen

Michael Marra - The Guernsey Kitchen Porter

Harlem

 

Yesterday's post featuring the late Justin Townes Earle with Harlem River Blues had me searching for more related songs  from the Manhattan neighbourhood (or neighborhood given it is in the US) of Harlem.

The tenements are not that dissimilar to those in Glasgow except we don't have fire escapes which have featured in many a film or TV programme .

Ben E King  sings of Spanish Harlem given the large number of Puerto Rican immigrants settling in the area.

Edwyn Starr plumps for plain and simple Harlem whereas The Drifters feature more on the Streets of Harlem.

Swamp Dogg is more adventurous given that he is partial to a bit of Surfin' in Harlem whereas Bob & Earl enjoy a  Harlem Shuffle. 

Ben E King - Spanish Harlem

Edwyn Starr - Harlem

The Drifters - Streets Of Harlem

Swamp Dogg - Surfin' In Harlem

Bob & Earl - Harlem Shuffle

J.T.

 

I was stuck for something to play today.

I used to be a huge fan of Steve Earle but have gradually reached the point where I don't play his music very often and/or seek out his new records. That's just the way it goes, sometimes you just move on.

I though about featuring him today and so I had a quick look in the music folder to see what was there 

One that popped up was JT a studio album from Steve Earle & the Dukes released on 4th January 2021 and a tribute to his son Justin Townes Earle who died from an accidental drug overdose on 20th August 2020.

I've absolutely no recollection of having played it before but I suspect that I must have.

I saw him as a youngster playing as part of his dad's band. Too young, too soon here

Steve Earle & the Dukes - They Killed John Henry

Steve Earle & the Dukes - Harlem River Blues

Steve Earle & the Dukes - Last Words

Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues

James McMurtry at St Lukes

 

Those of you of a certain age will recognise what the above picture is. Yes it's an actual printed concert ticket and not a bloody QR code! It has found a new home in my Ticket Tin

On Wednesday we went to see James McMurtry play at St Lukes. It was thoughtful for him to play to acknowledge our 18th wedding anniversary.

Put on by Kevin Morris' legendary Fallen Angels Club, who have been putting on Americana concerts in Edinburgh and more often Glasgow for about 20 years, it was pretty much a sell out .

It was a mature audience. I don't think I've ever seen so many bald men in the same place!

He was accompanied by Betty Soo. She opened the show with a set of song. Then James came on and played a couple. After the interval they primarily played as a duo.

They rattled of a number of his classic songs and yes they did include Choctaw Bingo. Unfortunately I only have the Ray Wylie Hubbard cover. They also performed a jaw dropping cover of Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) It became clear fairly quickly that they were no fans of the Orange Idiot something which met with the approval of the Glasgow audience.

For a variety of reasons I've hardly been at any gigs this year, indeed this was just my third. Fortunately they have all been terrific

It was a privilege to see him live although I was a bit surprised to find out that he is younger than me!

James McMurtry -Painting By Numbers

James McMurtry - Canola Fields

James McMurtry -South Dakota

James McMurtry - I'm Not From Here

Saturday Shuffle 164

 

Welcome to Saturday Shuffle 164 with three songs from three different genres

Let's start with some fuzzy Blues and who better to provide something along these lines than The Black Keys. Mellow Peaches is a song taken from their 2021 album Delta Kream.

The next one is for Brian. From their 1983 debut studio album The Crossing here are Big Country, led by the late great Stuart Adamson, with the the classic anthem In A Big Country.

On the subject of classics Sanctified Soul from 2000 on the legendary Kent label remains one of the great Soul compilation albums. Here are Ben & Spence with Get It Over.

Hope you get over this one before the next Shuffle next Saturday

The Black Keys - Mellow Peaches

Big Country -In A Big Country

Ben & Spence -Get It Over

Ayrshire Real Ale Festival

 Today I off to the Ayrshire Beer Festival in Troon Town Hall to sample some Real Ale and Killie Pies. It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it.

I'll try to remember to take home my souvenir glass. Last time I got as far as the train station before realising that I'd left it behind. I texted my pals and my mate Pete said he would get it for me. I'm still waiting.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that today's tunes will all be Beer related although Beer for Breakfast is perhaps a bit ambitious.

Cheers

The Replacements -Beer For Breakfast

Todd Snider - Beer Run

Stray Cats - Lookin' Better Every Beer

The Handsome Family - Beer On The Roof

The Dubliners - A Pub With No Beer

Autumn

 

The first song that came on my MP3 player at the gym yesterday was Autumn  by The Umbrellas. That's tomorrow's post sorted I thought as I plodded away on the bike.

It also coincided with the latest theme from John Medd's photo challenge posted yesterday.

As per usual there were some superb submissions capturing the turn of the seasons. Regrettably I didn't get my act together  in time.

I should probably clarify that the above image is from Google Images rather than my phone but I'm sure that comes as no surprise to you.

An Autumnal Quartet I think.

The Umbrellas - Autumn

The Kinks -Autumn Almanac

Francoise Hardy - Autumn Rendez-Vous

Paolo Nutini - Autumn

Blog Country 150 - North Macedonia

 

It's been a wee while since we went for a wander. Last up was Mali which was relatively easy. We have moved North West to the Balkans and North Macedonia, or the Republic of North Macedonia to be precise, which has proven to be considerably harder.

It was previously ruled by Bulgaria and Serbia and was part of Yugoslavia prior to its secession in 1991 and United Nations recognition in 1993. Scotland have played them 4 times at football, with 2 wins for Scotland, a win for North Macedonia and a draw. We are scheduled to play them away on 3rd October with the return leg at Hampden on 13th November.

To the music!  We start with Zarina Prasevda  a Macedonian singer, composer, and cultural educator dedicated to preserving and reimagining the musical traditions of the Balkans. Here she is with Blaze tebe fidan Velo.

Next up is Leb i Sol which translates as Bread and Salt They are a Macedonian and Yugoslav rock group founded in the 1970s.They split in 1995 with the inevitable reunion in 2008.Today's offering is Cuvam Noc Od Budnih

Kaliopi Bukle, known professionally as Kaliopi, is a Macedonian singer-songwriter. In her career, Kaliopi has progressed from singing lead vocal with her eponymous band in 1980s Yugoslavia to being an established vocalist and composer working in North Macedonia and across former Yugoslavia. She is 59.Her song today is Zasto.

Esma Redžepova-Teodosievska was a Macedonian Romani vocalist, songwriter and humanitarian. She was nicknamed "the Queen of the Gypsies" per her contribution to Romani culture and music. She started to sing while she was a teenager in the 1950s, and her career spans over five decades. Sadly she died in December 2016 aged 73.The selected song is Te Khelav But Mangav.

We conclude with Elena Risteka .Sometimes known as simply Elena, is a Macedonian singer. She represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in Athens with the song "Ninanajna", and finished in 12th place; this was the highest ever finish for the country until Risteska's record was beaten in 2019. It's the European song today!

The next Country will be a doddle as I have a good few songs from there

Zarina Prvasevda - Blaze Tebe Fidan Velo

Leb I Sol - Cuvam Noc Od Budnih

Kaliopi - Zasto

Esme Redzepova - Te Khelav But Mangav

Elena Risteka - Ninanajna

Shelby

 

Do you ever pull a record or a CD from the shelves, put it on and have absolutely no recollection of ever having heard it before?

I know I do. For example I randomly picked out Restless a 1995 album by Shelby Lynn to play on Sunday morning while reading the papers.

I hit the search button and found out that it had been purchased in the excellent charity shop in Broadford, Skye in 2018 and has previously featured here on the 21st of October on that year. I may well not have played it again until yesterday.

There is no point in repeating anything that I wrote before. All that remains is to select a couple of songs that have not featured here before. Two beginning with S the last time so two R's today. 

Stay tuned for the next posting in 2032.

Shelby Lynne - Restless

Shelby Lynn - Reach For The Rhythm

Del Boy

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases #32 - Delbert McClinton - The Jealous Kind (LP)

During the week we visited a Cancer Research Superstore in the Glasgow Gorbals Retail Park.

i somewhat naively assumed that there would be a lot of CDs to choose from. There weren't, just a handful of utter dross. I was reminded of a comment from Alyson, who volunteers in a similar store, that anything half decent goes straight to E-Bay to be sold there. Not only is that an inconvenience but you also have to fork out for postage.

There was a selection of LPs which had significantly more records that the CD collection. I had a cursory flick through of what was also largely dross.

Then this album The Jealous Kind  by Delbert McClinton caught my eye and I bought it for a pound.

I was only vaguely aware of the name having a song called When Rita Leaves from some compilation or another.

The Jealous Kind is his 8th studio album released in 1980 on the Capitol label. And do you know what, it's pretty good!

I though he was a country singer but it seems his range varies. This album was recorded at the Muscle Shoals Sounds Studio here and features and is produced by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section here. It gets a solid 4/5 from Discogs

I'm putting it down as a find!

Delbert McClinton - The Jealous Kind

Delbert McClinton -Shaky Ground

Saturday Shuffle 163

 

Welcome to Saturday Shuffle 163 on the day that Scotland play an away game in Slovenia which will be the debut game for new manager Sebastein Pocognoli. Strap Yourselves in.

Today's first track is All the Young Dudes a song written by David Bowie but sung by Mott the Hoople .Keiran Bowie (no relation) who plays his football for Italian team Sassuolo is in the squad.

The next track is Flying to Morning by Rosebud from a Cherry Red compilation I See You Live On Love Street -Music from Laurel Canyon 1967 -1975 (here) Love Street was the name of the former park of St Mirren who are from Paisley. They now less romantically play at the SMiSA stadium or The Marbil Coaches Stadium for sponsorship reasons. I've never been to the new ground.

The final song on today's shuffle is by The Zombies. There  is no link to the Scotland squad although Beechwood Park is also the home of Ayrshire Lowland League team Auchenleck Talbot

More shuffling and perhaps more Scottish Football nonsense next Saturday.

Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes

Rosebud - Flying to Morning

The Zombies - Beechwood Park

Johnny Burnette & the Rock'n'Roll Trio

 

On Monday I featured a charity shop purchase of ballads by Johnny Burnette.

I expressed my doubts about this one and whether it was likely to be a keeper.

I said that I would compare and contrast it later in the week with the twofer Rock'n'Roll Trio/ Tear It Up. (1956/57) of which I have a copy courtesy of my brother.

For me there is clearly no contest - this one is far superior and definitely a keeper. This view was supported by Ernie who wrote Everything changed when he dropped the trio and Swiss Adam. He definitely needed the Trio. Indeed Adam was so convinced that he wrote it twice!

No contest then and I think this justifies two posts from the same artist in the same week.

Johnny Burnette & the Rock' n' Roll Trio -Lonesome Train (on a Lonesome Track)

Johnny Burnette & the Rock' n' Roll Trio - The Train Kept a Rollin' n'Roll Trio

Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio - Tear It Up