It gets more strange from here. Next is a very rare curio from the mid 80s. Rap pioneer Kurtis Blow was at the end of his run and Bob Dylan was at a commercial and artistic nadir. So, they decided to help each other out. Yes, Bob Dylan guest raps on Kurtis Blow's "Street Rock". Has to be heard to be believed. It's a fairly pedestrian song, but Bob's opening rap and especially the exchange several minutes in when he reappears and trades lines with Kurtis make this well worthwhile. It's not well known and not available on CD or for purchase, so I had to pull a few favors to hunt this down.
The dense "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" is the opening track to the Talking Heads album Remain In Light. On "Whar" RZA goes old school to recruit Kool G Rap to join Ghostface Killah. Yamasuki were a fake Japanese funk band out of France in the early 70s. I've collected a few of their tracks and while the "Oriental" stereotypes, in the singing and musical motifs, are a little cringe-worthy; I do love the groove of these tunes. On "Kono Samurai" I particularly enjoy the screaming. It was recently sampled on Erykah Badu's "The Healer", which is dedicated to the late J Dilla.
Same title/different song: "Schizophrenia" is Wayne Shorter's post-bop late 60s masterpiece as well as an uncharacteristically poppy tune from Sonic Youth.
I have Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" here along with covers by Merle Haggard and jazz singer Anita O'Day with Ben Homer & His Orchestra.
"Sad Movies" was a country hit in the early 60s by Sue Thompson. There are other versions as well, but my favorite is the only one on here this week, the reggae take by Gloria Crawford.
Blondie's "Call Me" was the main theme song for the odd hit movie American Gigolo. Special Ed was a rap prodigy, he was 16 when he recorded the classic "I Got It Made" from his 1989 debut album.
"Riding High" by Faze-O is mellow funk. Joe Bataan's "Ordinary Guy" was one of the best songs off my mixes last year, soon to be revisited and blogged. Here, instead of the classic album track I have the rare original 45 single.
Finally, I have been a bit of an Albert Ayler kick recently, so the mix ends with a live version of one of his most well-known songs, "Angels." He was a John Coltrane acolyte. In fact he famously said that if John was "The Father", and Pharoah Sanders "The Son", he was "The Holy Ghost". Herewith, the proof.
