Thursday, October 28, 2010

10-28-10: Rainbow, Moonbeams And Orange Snow

"Can't Find My Way Home" is an original track from the only studio album by 70s supergroup Blind Faith, which featured Eric Clapton on guitar and Stevie Winwood on vocals. In addition to the original, this week's mix features covers by Gilberto Gil and Ellen McIllwaine.

Other songs that repeat this week include Jelly Roll Morton's standard "Sweet Substitute", covered by Karen Dalton and the country standard "I Wish I Had A Nickel" by Jimmy Wakely as well as a rare demo by Hank Williams.

The version of Stevie Wonder's "Saturn" on here includes a slight edit of the song, with the sound of children playing at the end edited out. Preceding that is Gato Barbieri's cover of Stevie's "I Am Singing".

Kanye West's recently-released single "The Joy" features Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and former Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson as well as killer production by Pete Rock with a Curtis Mayfield sample.

The last two songs on here reflect a recent trend in re-released "stripped" versions of songs, with some of the production taken out to reveal crisper versions. One is a more acoustic version of John Lennon's "Woman", the other a more vocal-focussed version of "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

The mix begins with the rare album version of James Brown's "Get Up Offa That Thing/Release The Pressure", all glorious nine minutes of it. Listen carefully and you'll hear a swipe at Barry White.

The rest: the aptly-named "Funky 2 Listen 2" by Large Professor, the wistful "I Had It All The Time" by Tyrone Davis, the menacing "Cross The Border" by Clipse, the rhythmic "Ride A White Swan" by T. Rex, the rocking "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes, an alternate version of Bob Dylan's "Most Of The Time" and Billy Preston's funky cover of "I've Got A Feeling" by The Beatles.

Get Up Offa That Thing/ Release The Pressure James Brown
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Thursday, October 21, 2010

10-21-10: A-Riggy Diggy Dig Dang Dang

"He'll Have To Go" was first recorded by Jim Reeves and soon became a pop country standard. The Elvis Presley cover also included here was the very last song he recorded. Other covers on this week's mix include a reggae version by Raphael Stewart & The Hot Tops, a studio outtake by a Keith Richards-led Rolling Stones and another by Solomon Burke.

Solomon recently passed away en route to a concert, and much of this mix is dedicated to his music. In addition to "He'll Have To Go", I've included his recent version of the standard "None Of Us Are Free" as well as his hits "Cry To Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love". I've also included a cover of the latter by The Rolling Stones, as well as two versions of their Exile On Main Street track "All Down The Line", the album version and a rare acoustic demo. Stones-related songs here are rounded out by three covers: Gabor Szabo's instrumental version of "Paint It Black", Bobby Darin's version of "Back Street Girl" and a cover of their standard "Wild Horses" by The Sundays.

The mix is bookended by Merle Haggard's outlaw anthem "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am": the original and a jaunty cover by Dean Martin.

The rest: a mash-up of The Clash's "This Is Radio Clash" and Biz Markie's "This Is Something For The Radio" by dj BC called "This Is Radio Biz", the defiant "I Ain't Got The Love (Of One Girl On My Mind)" by The Ambassadors, Lil Wayne with Drake on the oddly romantic "With You", the dusty soul obscurity "Your Smallest Wish" by 21st Century LTD, the sly "Back Up Plan" by Big Boi, the television theme "Green Acres" by Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor, an acoustic home recording of "Nobody Told Me" by John Lennon.

I Take A Lot Of Pride In What Am Merle Haggard
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Thursday, October 14, 2010

10-14-10: Someone's Always Trying To Tell Them Something They Already Know

Biz Markie's "Alone Again" heavily samples Gilbert O'Sullivan's hit "Alone Again (Naturally)", and was a landmark case of copyright infringement which changed the rules for sampling forever. Seemed an appropriate one to feature on this week's mix: future pressings of Biz Markie's album omitted this song and it is very hard to find a digital copy of it. But not as hard as it is to now find yourself on this blog, gentle reader.

Previous mixes featured the original O'Sullivan hit, as well as a cover by Esther Phillips and reggae group The Now Generation. This week's features covers by Gene Ammons, Sarah Vaughan, Bobby Darin and a typically personal and idiosyncratic version by Nina Simone.

The Darin cover is live, filling out a suite of live songs here. First, Bob Dylan's Vegas-like version of "One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)" performed in Budokan, followed by Darin, then a young Neil Young with a stripped-down version of "Tell Me Why", followed by Paul Westerberg's similarly unadorned version of his Replacements single "I Will Dare". The concert continues with a live version of Cat Stevens' "Moonshadow" followed by Gladys Knight & The Pips' live cover of The Temptations' "I Wish It Would Rain".

The other song featured this week is the inscrutable but moving "Mohammed's Radio" by Warren Zevon: the album version, a solo piano demo and a cover by Linda Ronstadt.

The rest: the funky "No Diggity" by Blackstreet with Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, Funk Factory's languid "Rien Ne Va Plus", the spacey "ATLiens" by Outkast, Eddie Floyd's wise "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", Waylon Jennings' cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee", the romantic vocal version of Philippe Sarde's "La Chanson D'Helene" and George Fromby's chipper "I Told My Baby With The Ukulele".

Alone Again Biz Markie
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Thursday, October 7, 2010

10-07-10: We Can Be Like They Are

The first song I ever learned to play on guitar as a teenager was either "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2 or "Clampdown" by The Clash. But the first one that ever felt really powerful to play was Blue Oyster Cult's darkly majestic "Don't Fear The Reaper". While it was a song that seemed to belong, unlike the others, to a much earlier generation, there is something about it that now feels timeless and reminds me of brisk fall nights.

One song repeats this week: Merle Haggard's prisoner lament "I Wonder If They Still Think Of Me", both the album version and a rare stripped-down demo. He must have drawn on his own days as an inmate.

Etta James' "All The Way Down" seems to also draw on personal history as she entered rehab shortly after recording it in the early 70s.

The rest: Lil Wayne's profane "Gonorrhea", Marvin Gaye's romantic "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again", Gang Starr's purposeful "Work", the funky "Because I Got It Like That" by Jungle Brothers, Pulp's slowly-building "Help The Aged", Gang Of Four's fierce "To Hell With Poverty", the playful "Wack Wack" by The Young Holt Trio, Larry Young's groovy "Spaceball", Neil Diamond's peppy "Cherry, Cherry", a duet of John Hartford's pop folk standard "Gentle On My Mind" by Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry, O.V. Wright's soulful "Sacrifice", Bobby Womack's cover of The Carpenters' "(They Long To Be) Close To You", Tom Waits' wistful "Had Me A Girl" and John Coltrane with his Classic Quartet on the contemplative "Crescent".

Don't Fear The Reaper Blue Oyster Cult
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