Saturday, February 28, 2009

02-28-08: And I'm So Pilled Up That I Rattle

"Revolution" by The Beatles as a non-album single seems to owe it's guitar lick to an obscure R&B songs called "Do Unto Others" by Pee Wee Crayton.  The slower, acoustic version of "Revolution" is titled "Revolution 1", off the Beatles "White" album.  Complete with Paul McCartney's Beach Boys-like backing vocals.  Nina Simone's bizarre and spirited cover, "Revolution (Parts 1 and 2)" is also on this mix.

Also here: late 70s Rolling Stones countryish bootleg "Do You Think I Saw Her", Syreeta's playful "Come And Get This Stuff", an early demo of "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, Patti Smith's cover of Paul Simon's "The Boy In The Bubble", break dance anthem "The Bubble Bunch" by Jimmy Spicer, the mellow hip hop of Underground Kings' "It's Supposed To Bubble", reggae-infused "Revolution Rock" by The Clash, Betty Wright's classic deflowering ballad "Tonight Is The Night", and Mirah's sly "Dreamboat".

Nas' "N.Y. State Of Mind" from his debut album Illmatic samples both Donald Byrd's jazzy "Flight Time" and Joe Chambers' spooky "Mind Rain". All three of those tracks are here.

Johnny Cash's outlaw tale "Don't Take Your Guns To Town" is one of my favorites here. But I like Hopeton Lewis' cover even more. The guitar, beat, vocals and the bells all fight through a swampy production to create something both happy and hypnotic.