In honor of my country's birthday, this week's mix kicks off with Part 1 of James Brown's "America Is My Home". Part 2 also appears here. I thought of including his "Living In America" but these singles hold up far better than that song from the Rocky IV soundtrack.
A demo version of America's "Ventura Highway" completes the holiday theme.
Other stuff: brand new Wu-Tang Clan with the throwback "NYC Crack", the Barry White-produced "What Am I Gonna Do" by Gloria Scott, Goldfrapp's airy "A&E", the witty "Dr. Kinsey Report" by Lord Lebby, the biting "Baby You're A Rich Man" by The Beatles, a teenaged Nas making his first appearance on record with Main Source on "Live At The Barbeque", The Pace-Setters with the funky "Push On Jesse Jackson", Babatunde Olatunji's percussive "Akiwowo (Chant To The Trainman)", Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys with the defiant "Take Me Back To Tulsa", Bob Dylan's sly "It's All Good", a live take of Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blue" by Robyn Hitchcock, the ebullient "Deadbeat Club" by The B-52s, the confident "Girls Do It 2" by The Krush Kreators & Mike D, a Latin-tinged cover of Prince's I Would Die 4 U" by Mariachi El Bronx, Norah Jones collaborating with Q-Tip on the mellow "Life Is Better", Henry Mancin's gorgeous soundtrack work from Arabesque called "Poinciana", a cover of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" by Nouvelle Vague, the odd "Song Of The Burmese Land" by Cara Stewart, and a sublime cover of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" by Cher.
