01-30-14: I Started Playing Records, She Knew All The Grooves

"You Don't Miss Your Water" was written by William Bell and his debut single in 1961. It was later covered by Otis Redding in 1965 for his album Otis Blue and by The Byrds in 1968 on their album Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. Their official album version had Roger McGuinn singing lead vocals but this mix features an alternate take with Gram Parsons on vocals as well as the Redding cover and Bell original.

The Bob Dylan song "Restless Farewell" first appeared on his 1964 album "The Times They Are A-Changin'". That version appeared on a previous mix, but this week features a Joan Baez cover from 1968 and a version by Norman Blake and Peter Ostroushko for a 2001 60th birthday tribute to Dylan and a live version by Dylan from a 1995 80th birthday tribute to Frank Sinatra.

One other song repeats this week: the 1965 Rolling Stones song "Blue Turns To Grey" which had been a single earlier in the year for the singer Tracey Dey.

The rest: Tommy Tutone's hit 1981 single "867-56309/Jenny", the sly "She's Crafty" by The Beastie Boys. the early ska single "Easy Snappin'" by Theophilus Beckford with Clue J & His Blues Blasters, the Mos Def/ Black Thought collaboration "Double Trouble" by The Roots, the full album version of Donna Summer's "Sunset People", the Lee Perry-produced "Make Up Your Mind" by The Heptones, the Pete Rock-produced "Memory If....(US)" by De La Soul with Estelle, the rare soul track "You're For Me" by Crystal Touch, the 918 single "Hearts" by Marty Balin, the 1983 album track "The Last Boat Of The Day" and Neil Young's contemplative "Through My Sails".

Restless Farewell                           Joan Baez
Blue Turns To Grey                       The Rolling Stones
867-5309/Jenny                              Tommy Tutone
She's Crafty                                    The Beastie Boys
Easy Snappin'                 Theophilus Beckford with Clue J & His Blues Blasters
You Don't Miss Your Water          Otis Redding
Double Trouble                              The Roots ft. Mos Def
Sunset People                                 Donna Summer
Make Up Your Mind                      The Heptones
Memory Of....(US)                         De La Soul ft. Estelle & Pete Rock
You Don't Miss Your Water           William Bell
You're For Me                                 Crystal Touch
Restless Farewell                            Norman Blake & Peter Ostroushko
You Don't Miss Your Water          The Byrds (Gram Parsons vocal)
Blue Turns To Grey                       Tracey Dey
Restless Farewell (live '95)            Bob Dylan
Hearts                                             Marty Balin
The Last Boat Of The Day             Merle Haggard 
Through My Sails                           Neil Young

01-23-14: Until The Day You Are Me And I Am You

"Willin'" was written by Lowell George before his band Little Feat recorded their first album. It was passed around as a demo and first recorded by Johnny Darrell in 1969. The first Little Feat version, on their 1971 self-titled debut album is almost a solo performance by George, with Ry Cooder on bottleneck slide. They re-recorded it the following year with a fuller band and Sneaky Pete Kleinow's pedal steel replacing Cooder for the album Sailing Shoes. Both of their studio versions are on this mix as well as mid 70s versions by Linda Ronstadt and Commander Cody & His Airmen.

"As" is a single from the 1976 double album Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder. This mix features versions by Gene Harris, Sister Sledge and Tony Sherman as well as the original.

One other song repeats this week: the album and demo version of  Cat Stevens' "How Can I Tell You" from his 1971 album Teaser And The Firecat.

The rest: a cover of The Carpenters' standard "(They Long To Be) Close To You" by Jerry Butler and Brenda Lee Eager, Ka's atmospheric "Just", the full version of James Brown's bouncy "Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)", the odd "Super Hero" by Kool Keith with MF Doom, a cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" by Cher, the undubbed version of "Wigwam" by Bob Dylan,  early MF Doom group KMD with the admonitory "Stop Smokin' That Shit", a cover of the Peter, Paul & Mary standard "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" by Eddy Arnold.

Willin' (1st ver)                                               Little Feat
As                                                                    Gene Harris
How Can I Tell You                                       Cat Stevens
(They Long To Be) Close To You      Jerry Butler ft. Brenda Lee Eager
Willin'                                              Commander Cody & His Airmen
As                                                                   Tony Sherman
Just                                                                 Ka
Rap Payback (Where Iz Moses?)                   James Brown
Super Hero                                                     Kool Keith ft. MF Doom
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright                      Cher
Wigwan (without overdubs)                          Bob Dylan
Willin' (2nd ver)                                             Little Feat
As                                                                   Sister Sledge
Stop Smokin' That Shit                                  KMD
Leaving On A Jet Plane                                 Eddy Arnold
How Can I Tell You (demo)                          Cat Stevens
Willin'                                                            Linda Ronstadt
As                                                                  Stevie Wonder

01-16-14: No Wand, No Tricks, No Cards To Pick You Still Got The Power To Always Stick Right Here In My Mind

"My Sweet Lord" was written by George Harrison and released on his debut album All Things Must Pass in late 1970. But the first recording was released by Billy Preston a few months earlier on Apple Records, the label of Harrison's former band The Beatles.

Later in the 70s, the song was ruled to have plagiarized the 1963 hit "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons. Both that song and Harrison's original and a live version by him have been previously featured on this blog, as well as "My Sweet Lord" covers by Edwin Starr, Nina Simone, Fitzroy Sterling and John Gary Williams.

This week features his original acoustic demo, as well as a version oddly enough by The Chiffons, as well as by Peggy Lee.

"Girl Afraid" is a 1984 non-album b-side to the single "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by The Smiths. This week features this song with covers by C'est La Mort and Janice Whaely.

One other song repeats this week, Nice & Smooth's "Dope On A Rope", both their original single with their full monikers and the latter version on their debut album.

The rest: Kip Tyler's tribal "Jungle Rock", Prince Buster's cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come", Dee Irwin's nocturnal "Anytime", Belinda Carlisle's 1986 hit "Mad About You", Paris's sultry "I Choose You", Ringo Starr's country-tinged "Beaucoups Of Blues", the obscure "I Wish" by Daniel Neal, J.J. Cale's smooth "If You're Ever In Oklahoma", the demo version of "Jet" by Paul McCartney & Wings, the Melvin Peebles-sampling "Astronaut" by Quasimoto, the rocksteady rarity "Won't You Come Home Now" by The Conquerers, Darryl Stewart's equally obscure soul ballad "You Must Know Magic", the shimmering "Quite Buttery" by Doom with Count Bass D, a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Birds Of Beauty" by U.S. Atlantic First Navy Show Band, Stevie Wonder's Spanish version of "My Cherie Amor" called "Mi Querido Amor", John Lennon & Yoko Ono's romantic "Woman", a cover of The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by Trespassers William and the steel guitar-driven "I Want To Live (So God Can Use Me)" by Brother Willie Eason & His Gospel Guitar.

Jungle Hop                                             Kip Tyler
Girl Afraid                                              C'est La Mort
A Change Is Gonna Come                     Prince Buster
Dope On A Rope (original ver)              Greg Nice & Smooth Bee
Anytime                                                  Dee Irwin
My Sweet Lord                                      Peggy Lee
Mad About You                                     Belinda Carlisle
I Choose You                                         Paris
Girl Afraid                                              The Smiths
Beaucoups Of Blues                               Ringo Starr
I Wish                                                     Daniel Neal
If You're Ever In Oklahoma                   J.J. Cale
Jet (demo ver)                                         Paul McCartney & Wings
Astronaut                                                Quasimoto
Won't You Come Home Now                The Conquerers
Dope On A Rope                                    Nice & Smooth
You Must Know Magic                          Darryl Stewart
Quite Buttery                                          Count Bass D ft. Doom
Birds Of Beauty                                      U.S. Atlantic First Navy Show Band
Mi Querido Amor                                   Stevie Wonder
My Sweet Lord                                       The Chiffons
Woman                                                    John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Girl Afraid                                               Janice Whaley
There Is A Never Goes Out                    Trespassers William
My Sweet Lord (demo ver)                     George Harrison
I Want To Live (So God Can Use Me)    Brother Willie Eason & His Gospel Guitar

01-09-14: Let Me Tell Ya You Are No Exception To The Rule

"The Jitterbug Waltz" is a 1942 jazz composition by Fats Waller and recorded by him later that year. This mix features live versions by Rashaan Roland Kirk in 1973 and Stanley Cowell in 1990 as well as a studio version by Chet Atkins to accompany the original.

"The Long And Winding Road" from The Beatles' final album Let It Be was their last single and last #1 single in June 1970.  Paul McCartney was the principal songwriter and was angered by Phil Spector's production overdubs.  Previous mixes have featured versions by Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Ray Charles with The Count Basie Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan and Diana Ross. This mix features the official Let It Be album version as well as covers by Peggy Lee, Cher and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

One other song repeats this week: The early Randy Newman composition "Hold Your Head High". Newman never recorded it himself but featured here are mid-60s covers by Jackie DeShannon and Irene Kral.

George Perkins & The Silver Stars' "Cryin In The Streets (Pt. 1 & 2)" was written after seeing the funeral procession of Dr. Martin Luther King.

The rest: the menacing "One Of Us" by Rick Ross with Nas, a cover of Barry White's "Love's Theme" called "Tema De Amor" by Julio Iglesias, the full album version of "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste Of Honey, the Rick Rubin-produced "It's Yours" by T La Rock, Michael Jackson's  urgent "Smooth Criminal", The DJ Premier remix of "The Shit Is Real" by Fat Joe, a cover of Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee" by Jeannie C. Riley, the sardonic "It's Money That Matters" by Randy Newman and the mellow "Babe" by Styx.

Hold Your Head High                                 Jackie DeShannon
The Jitterbug Waltz                                     Chet Atkins
The Long And Winding Road                     Peggy Lee
Cryin' In The Streets Pt. 1 & 2        George Perkins And The Silver Stars
One Of Us                                                    Rick Ross ft. Nas
The Jitterbug Waltz (live)                            Rashaan Roland Kirk
The Long And Winding Road                     Cher
Tema De Amor                                            Julio Iglesias
Boogie Oogie Oogie (album ver)                A Taste Of Honey
It's Yours (12" ver)                                      T La Rock
Smooth Criminal                                         Michael Jackson
The Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)          Fat Joe
The Jitterbug Waltz (live)                            Stanley Cowell
The Long And Winding Road                      Gladys Knight & The Pips
Okie From Muskogee                                   Jeannie C. Riley
Hold Your Head High                                  Irene Kral
It's Money That Matters                               Randy Newman
Babe                                                             Styx
The Jitterbug Waltz                                     Fats Waller
The Long And Winding Road                     The Beatles