11-08-12: What We Have Is Much More Than They Can See

"Ruler Of My Heart" is a 1963 single by Irma Thomas that was written and produced by Allan Toussaint. It was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as "Pain In My Heart".  This week's features the original Thomas version as well as covers by Norah Jones with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band as well as Holly Golightly.

"Cowboy" is a song from Randy Newman's 1968 debut album. This week also features covers by Nilsson and Scott Walker.

One other song repeats this week: the 1967 Gladys Knight & The Pips single "Do You Love Me Just A Little, Honey", with a cover by The Four Tops & The Supremes released in 1971 after the departure of Diana Ross.

Johnny Bragg was the lead singer of a vocal group in Tennessee State Penitentiary who had an unlikely hit "Just Walkin' In The Rain" released on Sun Records in 1953 while he was still incarcerated. It has been previously featured on this blog. The song that ends this mix is a solo Bragg song called "I'm Free (The Prisoner's Song)" released in the 1960s after his jail term was over. The gruff narrator on Bragg's record tells the story straightforwardly as Bragg's voice tells it emotionally.

The rest: Rocky A$AP's official debut album lead track "Long Live A$Ap", the funky "For Real" by Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson, Jay-Z's Timbaland-produced "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)", INXS's atmospheric "Disappear", Binary Star's blunt "Honest Expression" L.T.D.'s romantic "Love Ballad", Plush's spare "More Becomes You", Alex Chilton's pre-Big Star ballad "The EMI Song (Smile For Me)" the soulful "Ooh Baby Don't Leave Me" by The Variations, Lou Reed's sad "The Bed" and Willie Wright's languid "Africa".

Long Live A$AP                                               A$AP Rocky
For Real                                                              Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson
Ruler Of My Heart                                             Norah Jones w/ Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Cowboy                                                              Randy Newman
Do You Love Me Just A Little, Honey              The Four Tops & The Supremes 
It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)                                 Jay-Z
This Is Not A Love Song                                   Public Image Ltd.  
Disappear                                                           INXS
Do You Love Me Just A Little, Honey             Gladys Knight & The Pips
Honest Expression                                             Binary Star
Love Ballad                                                       L.T.D.
Ruler Of My Heart                                            Irma Thomas
Cowboy                                                            Nilsson
More Becomes You                                          Plush 
The EMI Song (Smile For Me)                         Alex Chilton
Ooh Baby Don't Leave Me                               Variations
The Bed                                                             Lou Reed
Africa                                                                Willie Wright
Ruler Of My Heart                                            Holly Golightly
Cowboy                                                            Scott Walker
I'm Free (The Prisoner's Song)                         Johnny Bragg