This week's mix fell on the day of Michael Jackson's shocking death. I can't say that his music was particularly close to my heart and the weird and sad descent of his life was more bewildering and distancing than sympathetic. But what happened to him, as a little boy who never grew up, is heartbreaking.
I found his 80s solo stuff to be as overrated as his work with The Jackson 5 was underrated. In the former, the genius of Quincy Jones carries those albums. And yet Michael's performance in the videos seems more indelible than in the songs. But in the latter, it is his singing as a young boy that is absolutely devastating.
The clanging guitars that open "Beat It" now sound like church bells at a funeral. The other songs of his featured here include a demo version of "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", a cover of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" from his teenage years, and the massive hit from his youth with The Jackson 5, "I'll Be There". I also have a cheeky cover by The Replacements, but for now my image of that song is from the footage of fans singing it outside Harlem's Apollo Theater. Very touching and very sad.
Other stuff: T. Rex's driving "Mambo Sun", James' sly 90s hit "Laid", Lulu Bele & Scotty with an early version of "Wish I Was A Single Girl Again", Paul Simon's wry "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", the odd "The Trial Of Pama Dice" by Lloyd, Dice & His Mum, RZA's Latin-tinged "La Rhumba" with Method Man among others, Bob James' slick late 70s jazz track "Blue Lick", Digable Planets' "Jettin" which samples that track, the witty "Cowboys" by The Fugees, a Diplo remix of M.I.A.'s "Amazon", James again with a slower unplugged version of "Laid", Sly, Slick & Wicked's lush "Sho' Nuff", the excellent new Raekown single "The New Wu" with Method Man and Ghostface Killah, and Lou Reed's sadly exuberant "Satellite Of Love".
On previous mixes, I've included a few versions of "Angel Of The Morning", including a tremendous one by PP Arnold. This week I have the original by Merrilee Rush as well as an unsurprisingly tender and soulful one by Nina Simone.
