Monday, October 18, 2021
Fifty Years of Music • October, 1971
Monday, October 11, 2021
#BestSongIHeardToday • Volume VIII
Volume I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • Team Tortoise Blogs •
Volume 10 •
–from Little Aches and Pains, song by Paul Kelly
- Little Aches And Pains, Paul Kelly
- Don't Owe You A Thing, Gary Clark Jr.
- I Can't Let Go, Evie Sands
- Broken Spoke, Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Outtasite (Outta Mind), Wilco
- You Tickle Me, Jesse Winchester
- Just Because, John Lennon
- Hello Stranger, Emmylou Harris with Nicolette Larson
- Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun), The Bangles
- Beautiful Way, Beck
- Just Can't Go To Sleep, The Kinks
- Sabra Girl, Nickel Creek
- About You, Teenage Fanclub
- Dreamboat Annie, Heart
- Hurts So Good, John Mellencamp
- Four Seasons In A Day, Crowded House
- No Milk Today, Herman's Hermits
- House of Pride, J.D. Souther
- So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad), The Everly Brothers
- Tug Of War, Paul McCartney
- Half A Human, Real Estate
- King Midas In Reverse, The Hollies
- I'll Remember, The Kinks
- Digging For Gold, Val McCallum
- Our Lady Of The Well, Jackson Browne with Val McCallum
- One World, Dire Straits
- Shades of Scarlett Conquering, Joni Mitchell
- B.S.U.R., James Taylor
- Dance, James Taylor
- Amazing Journey/Sparks (Live at Leeds), The Who
Monday, October 04, 2021
Beatles Covers • Volume I
The Covers Series:
Interpretation and the "Traditional Folk Song" • The Singer as Interpreter
Singer-Songwriters Covering Singer-Songwriters • Beatles Covers (Vol. I)
Bob Dylan Covers (Vol. I) • Joni Mitchell Covers (Vol. I)
- I am Sam (2001 Film)
- Across the Universe (2007 Film)
- Yesterday (2019 Film)
- And Your Bird Can Sing, Sid and Susie (aka Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs)
- Help!, Cover Club
- Blackbird, John Batiste
- Penny Lane, The Barefoot Movement
- I Want To Hold Your Hand, T.V. Carpio
- Interview with Paul regarding I Wanna Be Your Man
- I Wanna Be Your Man, The Rolling Stones
- I'll Be Back, Shawn Colvin
- Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight, Jennifer Hudson
- I Need You, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
- A Day In The Life, Jeff Beck
- All My Lovin', Amy Winehouse
- I Want You (She's So Heavy), Umphrey's McGee
- Let It Be, Bill Withers (w/Booker T. Jones on organ)
- Because, The Bangles
- Yesterday, Himesh Patel
- Paperback Writer, The B-52's
- Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, The Analogues
- Hello, Goodbye, The Cure
- Across the Universe, Fiona Apple
- Come Together, Gary Clark Jr.
- Hey Jude, Wilson Pickett (w/ Duane Almond)
- Strawberry Fields Forever, Todd Rundgren
- You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Jackson Browne
- Every Little Thing, Yes
- Here Comes The Sun, Richie Havens
- Yesterday film scene- Ed Sheeran vs. The Long And Winding Road (Himesh Patel)
- I'm Looking Through You, The Wallflowers
- Get Back, Lenny Kravitz
- Rain, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs
- I Should Have Known Better, James N. Brown
- Beware of Darkness, Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile
- Two of Us, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
- Hey Bulldog, Dave Grohl and Jeff Lynne
- It's All Too Much, Steve Hillage
- Yes It Is, The Bangles - Breakfast With The Beatles w/Chris Carter
- We Can Work It Out, Stevie Wonder
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Eric Clapton (w/ Paul on piano and Ringo on drums)
- Don't Let Me Down and All You Need Is Love, Cast of Across The Universe Film
- Imagine, Tommy Emmanuel
- A masterclass in 60s furniture: The set design of The Beatles Help! (prompted by new film Eight Days a Week), Film and Furniture
- The 100 Best Beatles Covers, UCR (Ultimate Classic Rock)
Monday, September 27, 2021
#NewMusicMonday • September, 2021
This Monday finds me with few words and a 60 song playlist that features several artists new to me.
When I stumbled onto Dori Freeman's new album Ten Thousand Roses, I started to go through my normal routine of sampling an album. I usually glide across several sections of a song daring the artist that is new to me to stop my incessant 'skip clicking' and slap me to attention. I love it when my search mode mentality stops and my active music listening mode starts. Is there gold here?Dori certainly got my attention in that she has a wonderful voice to go with her straight forward songwriting. What makes a person gravitate to a singer-songwriter artist over another? Of course you have your personal taste even within a genre like Americana, but there's a magic to finding someone that sings and speaks to you. It's rare when I feature all or almost all the songs from a new album, it just doesn't happen that often. I've included all ten songs from Ten Thousand Roses across the playlist this week. I'll now be going to listen to her other three albums.
Enjoy the playlist my friends!
Albums Featured This Month (w/at least 3 songs)
- Dori Freeman • Ten Thousand Roses
- Billy Strings • Renewal
- Mac McCaughan • The Sound of Yourself
- Third Eye Blind • Our Bande Apart
- Adia Victoria • A Southern Gothic
- J.P. Saxe • Dangerous Levels of Introspection
- Lindsey Buckingham • Lindsey Buckingham
- Heartless Bastards • A Beautiful Life
- Jason Isbell
- Natalie Hemby
- Sting
- Darlingside
- Pat Metheny
- Ric Robertson
- Tommy Emmanuel & Richard Smith
- Amanda Ventura
- King Princess
- Ronnie Wood
- Eddie Vedder
- Kacey Musgraves
- Alexis Taylor
- Ringo Starr
- Aoife O'Donovan
- Old Sea Brigade
- Nathaniel Rateliff
Monday, September 20, 2021
Fifty Years of Music • September, 1971
Last year, JOHN LENNON. GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES was released. This past week, I watched the Imagine, Ultimate Mix (2020) video of John and Yoko filmed at their Tittenhurst Park English country estate. It struck me that the verse-
was just a tad over the top when juxtaposed with the video of the loving couple's walk up to Tittenhurst's spacious white mansion. Okay my cynicism aside, what got my attention about the video was John singing directly into the camera, communicating his message to all of us. It's like only 26 seconds of the video, but it was stunningly fabulous! During the video shoot, someone should have suggested, "a little more John at the piano?"
Another big album in 1971 was John Prine's debut album, John Prine. It actually wasn't so big when released but over time like the man himself became a classic for all time. Rolling Stone magazine had it ranked last year in their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time at 149. Prine himself has always been uncomfortable about the recording of John Prine as he said, "I was terrified. I went straight from playing by myself, still learning how to sing, to playing with Elvis Presley's rhythm section." (Wikipedia). I do sense a little tenseness in his voice in this first recording as later recorded versions bring out John's comfort and joy in performing his folksy masterpieces. He also shared his displeasure in an interview with the hokey country photo shoot.
Seem like total silence was the only friend I had
Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won
And it was twelve o'clock before I realized
I was havin' no fun
On the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
She sits and stares through the back door screen
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy
We worked together at the factory
But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"
You know that old trees just grow stronger
And old rivers grow wilder every day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"
And spot some hollow ancient eyes
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello"
To his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas
And the time that he served
Had shattered all his nerves
And left a little shrapnel in his knees
But the morphine eased the pain
And the grass grew round his brain
And gave him all the confidence he lacked
With a purple heart and a monkey on his back
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose
Little pitchers have big ears
Don't stop to count the years
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.
And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away
Pretty Good
I heard Allah and Buddha were singing at the Savior's feast
And up in the sky an Arabian rabbi
Fed Quaker Oats to a priest
Pretty good, not bad, they can't complain
'Cause actually all them gods are just about the same
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
While digesting Reader's Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I'd tell her how good I feel.
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
And I gave it some gas
And Cathy was closing her purse
Well, we hadn't gone far in my beat old car
And I was prepared for the worst.
"Will you still see me tomorrow?"
"No, I got too much to do"
Well, a question ain't really a question
If you know the answer too
Angel From Montgomery
Named after my mother
My old man is another
Child who's grown old
If dreams were lightning
And thunder were desire
This old house would've burned down
A long time ago
Make me an angel
That flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster
Of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to
To believe in this livin'
Is just a hard way to go
Quiet Man
Between Wednesday and Thursday over Saturday night
Tuesday asked me what was going on, I said
"Sunday's in the meadow and Friday's in the corn"
Pinballs and pool halls flashing their lights.
Making change behind the counter in a penny arcade
Sat the fat girl daughter of Virginia and Ray
Lydia hid her thoughts like a cat
Behind her small eyes sunk deep in her fat.
She read romance magazines up in her room
And felt just like Sunday on Saturday afternoon.
But dreaming just comes natural
Like the first breath from a baby,
Like sunshine feeding daisies,
Like the love hidden deep in your heart.
A warehouse of strangers with sixty watt lights.
Staring through the ceiling, just wanting to be
Lay one of too many, a young PFC:
There were spaces between Donald and whatever he said.
Strangers had forced him to live in his head.
He envisioned the details of romantic scenes
After midnight in the stillness of the barracks latrine.
A portrait of guilt is hung on the wall.
Nothing is wrong, nothing is right.
Donald and Lydia made love that night.
The made love in the mountains, they made love in the streams,
They made love in the valleys, they made love in their dreams.
But when they were finished there was nothing to say,
'cause mostly they made love from ten miles away.
The father was stranger and a stranger was the son
Call that child James Lewis, call these rooms a home
Changing all them diapers, polish all that chrome
I ran across a looking glass
Reflecting moments remaining in a burned out light
Tragic magic prayers of passion
Stay the same through changing fashions
They freeze my mind like water on a winter's night
Spent most of my youth
Out hobo cruising
And all I got for proof
Is rocks in my pockets and dirt in my shoes
So goodbye nonbeliever
Don't you know that I hate to leave here
So long babe, I got the flashback blues.
Albums Featured in the September, 1971 Playlist
- Imagine, John Lennon
- John Prine, John Prine
- Cahoots, The Band
- Electric Warrior, T. Rex
- Welcome to the Canteen (Live), Traffic
- From The Inside, Poco
- Future Games, Fleetwood Mac
- Santana III, Santana
- Aereo-Plain, John Hartford
- Bark, Jefferson Airplane
Monday, September 13, 2021
Under the Influence • Songs of 1949-1951
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Howlin' Wolf and band in the 1960's |
Since I started the series in 1970, I thought I should go back to the birth of rock ''n' roll in the 1950's and the explosion of rock 'n' roll in the 1960's with lots of treasure to mine into playlists.
In 2019, I wrote a blog called, Rock 'n' Roll: The Classic Generation 1940-1950. I started that blog by identifying three essential groups of musicians:
- The Founding Generation of Rock 'n' Roll born in 1910-1925;
- The Pioneering Generation of Rock 'n' Roll born in 1925-1940;
- The Classic Generation born between 1940-1950.
The Classic Generation includes all the musicians in: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, just to name a few...
I thought I should go back to 1940-1950 where this classic generation of rock 'n' rollers as World War II babies and children, absorbed the music of the day from their parent's radios and records.
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Sun Records, Memphis Tennessee |
January 3, 1950
Sam Phillips launches Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.
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Sam Phillips |
Many music writers acknowledge Rocket 88's importance in the development of rock and roll music, with several considering it to be the first rock and roll record.
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Alan Freed |
Freed, familiar with the music of earlier decades, used the phrase 'rock and roll' to describe the music he aired over station WJW (850 AM).
Several sources suggest that Freed discovered the term (a euphemism for sexual intercourse) on the record "Sixty Minute Man" by Billy Ward and his Dominoes. The lyrics include the line, "I rock 'em, roll 'em all night long". Freed did not acknowledge the suggestion about that source (or the original meaning of the expression) in interviews, and explained the term as follows: "Rock ’n roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in folk songs, and features blues and rhythm".
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Brian Jones |
- Rock Awhile is a song by American singer-songwriter Goree Carter, recorded in April 1949 for the Freedom Recording Company in Houston, Texas. The song was released as the 18-year-old Carter's debut single (with "Back Home Blues" as the B-side) shortly after recording. The track is considered by many sources to be the first rock and roll song, and has been called a better candidate than the more commonly cited "Rocket 88", which was released two years later. And, I would agree with that assessment making it my first song to start this playlist.
- Move It On Over (1947) Hank Williams. Often cited as one of the earliest examples of rock 'n' roll music. I thought I'd insert it here. The influence of Folk and Country music is unmistakeable to the birth of rock 'n' roll. Hank was right there.
- Rock The Joint (1949) Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians. Another contender for first rock 'n' roll song, there are hundreds and the playlist here is just a sample of the power of R&B and its influence towards rock 'n' roll.
- Rollin' Stone - (1950), Muddy Watters - In 1962 Brian Jones takes the title of this song and names his band, 'Rollin' Stones', then changed to 'Rolling Stones', then finally 'The Rolling Stones.' Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf had a friendly rivalry as both were fearless leaders in the Chicago Blues sound.
- Rocket 88- (1951) The original version of the twelve-bar blues song was credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, which hit number one on the R&B charts. Brenston was Ike Turner's saxophonist and the Delta Cats were actually Turner's Kings of Rhythm back-up band, who rehearsed at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Brenston sang the lead vocal and is listed as the songwriter, although Turner led the band and is said to have been the actual composer of the song.
- Sixty Minute Man is a rhythm and blues (R&B) record released in 1951 by Billy Ward and his Dominoes. It was written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks and was one of the first R&B hit records to cross over to become a hit on the pop charts. It is regarded as one of the most important of the recordings that helped generate and shape rock and roll.
- Good Night Irene - (1950) 13 weeks at #1 in the U.S. - The Weavers. The song was written by Lead Belly a great influence to the American folk music revival movement in the late 50's and early 60's.
- Down in the Bottom (Written by the great Blues songwriter, Willie Dixon) - Howlin' Wolf
- If You’ve Got The Money I’ve Got The Time (1950) Lefty Frizzell. And you thought Willie Nelson wrote that song. Willie loves Lefty Frizzell.
- Move - (1950) Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis. The man was miles ahead his whole life.
- Rollin' & Tumblin' - (1950) Muddy Waters. Muddy made it a classic, and in the middle to late 60's he and Howlin' Wolf would be playing songs like this to a whole new generation of fans via rock 'n' roll bands from England.
- Hey, Good Lookin' - (1951) 8 weeks at #1 C&W charts - Hank Williams
- The Thrill is Gone (1951) Roy Hawkins. B.B. King makes this a #1 hit song in 1970, a magical time when some of the Blues greats finally got their due.
- How High the Moon (1951) 9 weeks at #1 in the U.S. - Les Paul & Mary Ford
- Unforgettable - (1950) Only #14 in the U.S. Later in 1961 Nat King Cole would record the song again and it became his biggest song.
- Cold Cold Heart (1951) #1 Country & Western charts - Hank Williams
- Walkin' Blues (1950) Muddy Waters. England is listening and learning.
- Moanin' at Midnight (1951) Howlin' Wolf. England is listening and learning.
- Keith Richards and Mick Jagger became childhood friends and classmates in 1950 in Dartford, Kent, England
- 1950 in Music
- 1950 in Country Music
- 1951 in Music
- Origins of rock and roll
- Sam Phillips
- Sun studio
- Chess Records
- Rock Awhile
- Rock The Joint
- Rocket 88
- Blues
- Chicago Blues
- Howlin' Wolf
- Muddy Waters
- Alan Freed
- Brian Jones
Monday, September 06, 2021
#BestSongIHeardToday • Volume VII
Volume I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • Team Tortoise Blogs •
Volume 10 •
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Graphic by - Kyran Berlin • Golden Gate Xpress |
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West Seattle Junction Easy Street Records & Cafe |
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Amazon Books |
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Charlie & Ringo |
As kismet would have it, I started program surfing in Netflix last week and stumbled upon, Count Me In. This is a 1 hour and 21 minute documentary on the history of some of rock's greatest drummers. Both Charlie and Ringo are featured and I recommend it.
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Bill & Charlie (far right) |
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All Down The Line • Lincoln Park |
As luck would have it, a couple of Stones' songs came on during the run and seemed appropriate to complete this mix of songs.
Stay well my friends, and mask-up at public indoor locations, again. The folks in Seattle know how to do that very well!
- The Rolling Stones
- Neil Young
- Peter, Paul & Mary
- Tom Petty
- The Jayhawks
- Danny O' Keefe
- The Youngbloods
- The Byrds
- The Smother Brothers
- Jackson Browne
- Ray Wylie Hubbard & Ringo Starr
- Mollie Tuttle
- The Kinks
- J.D. Souther
- Ricky Nelson
- Stevie Wonder
- Traffic
- The Cactus Blossoms
- Seals and Crofts
- Rosanne Cash
- REM
- Bob Dylan
- Gillian Welch
- Timothy B. Schmit
- Pete Townsend, Ronnie Lane & Charlie Watts
- John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd with Brian Wilson
- Todd Rundgren
- John Prine
