Thursday, February 19, 2009

02-19-09: Sleight Of Hand And Twist Of Fate

The Blenders were a fairly run of the mill 50s R&B group.  In 1953, they recorded "Don't Play Around With Love" and their producer instructed them to record a raunchier version called "Don't Fuck Around With Love". This was to be distributed underground to d-jays as a novelty.  It didn't really resurface again until the early 70s.  It's jarring and fun to hear such an innocent-sounding doo-wop song with such a bluntly profane lyric.

Other stuff: David Bowie's punchy "Rebel Rebel", Rhymefest's funny Michael Jackson rip "Man In The Mirror", Coco Rosie's sly "By Your Side", Buddy Holly's cover of "Love Is Strange", Camper Van Beethoven's odd "Take The Skinheads Bowling", Outkast's funky "Slum Beautiful", 2 Much's sexy "Wild Thang", 80s electro "Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)" by Hashim, Yusef Lateef's airy "Bishop School", Quasimoto's comically violent "Bullyshit" and Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five with the sweet and determined "That's When I'll Come Back To You".

The instrumental version of "Speak Softly Love" is known as the theme to The Godfather movies. The vocal version was originally by Andy Williams, but I love Scott Walker's melodramatic baritone on this take.

"Still D.R.E." heralded Dr. Dre's comeback and reunion with former protege Snoop Dogg.  I love how he says "Well, hell, Me and Snoop/ we dipping again." Then Snoop lets out a girlish little squeal. Hilarious.

I have included the album track of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" before. Here I have the 12 inch single as well as covers by Devine and Statton and Occidental Brothers Dance Band.

It was amazing to be a Catholic school teenager when u2's Joshua Tree came out. It was our real bible. From that, "With Or Without You".  Since then, they have usually annoyed me (I-Tunes ads, irony-drenched press conferences at K-Mart) or bored me (pretty much everything after Zooropa).  But this is a nice little moody song. Divide & Kreate use it effectively to back Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind", calling it "Always With You". Listening to Willie's original, I found some parts, particularly the back-up singing, a little cloying.  I much prefer his live version included here.

Finally, yet another version of Marlene Dietrich's "Falling In Love Again".  This was recorded much later in her career, 1954, and in her life than other more familiar versions.  

Her spoken word passages give the impression that she is almost too tired and old to fall in love again. Almost.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

02-17-05: A Writer Takes His Pen To Write The Words Again

No songs repeat on this mix from four years ago and reaching that far back it's hard to discern a thread.  Just stuff I liked listening to that week.

"Gotta Get Away" by The Rolling Stones is off their early album December's Children.  Tricky's "Ponderosa" features singing by Martina Topley Bird.  M.I.A.'s exciting "Bucky Done Gun" is off her early mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism.  "P.O.W-M.I.A." by The Whispers was one of many obscure songs written about the Vietnam War. While we're on the subject of history, Johnny Cash's "Paul Revere (America)" was part of a suite of history lessons turned into song, ideal for kids. We used to listen to these in my first grade class.

ELO's 70s pop nugget "Livin' Thing" is sandwiched by two rap tunes.  GZA's "Swordsmen" is off his phenomenal Liquid Swords album.  Bushwick Bill from Geto Boys is actually a dwarf, so his "Size Ain't Shit" is a hilarious and profane defense of his stature.

Old northern soul track "One Day I'll Show You" by The Radiants precedes the non-album track "Blandest" by Nirvana.  Laura Veirs' "Rapture" is about Kurt Cobain.

Next up: an alternate acoustic take of "Cry Baby Cry" by The Beatles, Sun Ra's dense "Space Jazz Reverie" and King Geedorah, the "space" alias of MF Doom, with the downbeat "Next Levels".

Bob Dylan's Christian period is often dismissed but I enjoy songs like "Man Gave Name To All The Animals".  That is followed by Jackie Mittoo's "Train To Skaville", then 10cc's very English stab at reggae "Dreadlock Holiday", and a remix of Goldfrapp's "Strict Machine".

The last few on here are killers. One of the annoyances of cds is that they break up songs on album s as separate tracks that flowed together on cassette or vinyl.  Then, when you have them digitized, they flop all over the place.  Well, I had a friend re-stitch two tracks off Van Halen's Diver Down album: the instrumental "Intruder" which serves as a set-up to their cover of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman".  I absolutely love this song.

Taking the mood down a little bit is Stevie Wonder's wise and wistful "All In Love Is Fair", then followed by the reflective "Coming Down Again" by The Rolling Stones.

Around the time these two songs came out, Stevie was the opening act for The Rolling Stones U.S. Tour. Would love to have been front row for those shows.

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Monday, February 16, 2009

02-16-06: Seems That I'm Always Thinking Of You

"You've Really Got A Hold On Me" was written by a very young Smokey Robinson in a hotel room.  He wanted to write a song like Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me".  The result was one of his first major hits, and in most places I see that Sam Cooke gets a co-writing credit as well.

In addition to Smokey's version with The Miracles, I have versions here by Laura Nyro & Labelle, The Beatles, The Jackson 5 and Jackie DeShannon.

Sam Cooke's iconic version of "Bring It On Home To Me" was an uncredited duet with his young protege, Lou Rawls; who eventually married Sam's widow. I have another solo version by Mr. Rawls, as well versions by The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and The Animals.

And of course The Zombies must have seen the link between these two songs, as they recorded them together as one song, which is also here.

There was still room on my mix for a few other songs: the cheerful "One Way Ticket" by early 70s British duo Curtiss Maldoon, Prince's then-recent comeback single "Black Sweat",   the breezy "Wasn't Born To Follow" by The Byrds, De La Soul's playful "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)", and Sun Ra's live version of the Disney chestnut "High Ho! High Ho!".

And now, a commercial break: "Wu Wear Garment Renaissance" is essentially a jingle from RZA for the new line of Wu-Tang Clan clothing, but it works as a nice little banger as well. Macy Skipper was an obscure rockabilly singer who cut one single for Stax in 1961. "Goofin' Off" is, like the RZA song, some kind of commercial with play-acting and music.  His speech is hard to understand in parts, but entertaining just the same.

The Paul Simon album reissues are stacked with great alternate versions of his songs. I love the original demo version of "Gone At Last" with The Jessy Dixon Singers.

Keeping the good groove going are the last three songs I haven't yet noted. They were all produced by J Dilla, who had passed away a week before.  From his group Slum Village I have "Forth & Back (Rock Music)".  Even better is the funky cover of Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Making Love" by D'Angelo.  Finally is the infectious and inspiring "The Light" by Common.

Listening to it again, I can't imagine a better musical epitaph.

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Sunday, February 15, 2009

02-15-07: Your Tongue, Your Transfer, Your Hand, Your Answer

This mix from a couple years back is a tribute of sorts to the band that I love more than any other, The Replacements.

You can find more eloquent descriptions of their music and mystique elsewhere. But for me, this was nothing less than the soundtrack of my wild and painful transition from adolescence to adulthood.

And as an adult, this music has not lost an ounce of its power to move me, humor me or otherwise inspire me. I vividly remember driving up from college to their final concert in the early 90s in Chicago, where they let their roadies take their instruments for the encore. 

I will be the first in line if they ever have a reunion tour.

I've collected a number of Replacements tribute albums, many of them obscure. From that batch, this mix has their anthemic "Bastards Of Young" with a spirited female vocal from The Masticators. "Portland" never made any of their albums until they released a greatest hits/rarities compilation years after they broke up. They were known for their drunken gigs (I saw many of those) and "Portland" is an apology to the eponymous city for one of those.  They later re-used the melody and chorus for "Talent Show".  Here, "Portland" gets a slightly more countrified by Drag The River. The third Replacements cover on here is an even more radically countrified take of a sped up punk song, "Favorite Thing", by The Gourds.

For comparison, I have the original version of "Favorite Thing" by The Replacements.  I love Tommy Stinson's bass on this.  Two other originals by them here:  the trippy "Willpower" and the hilarious and sweet "Kiss Me On The Bus."

Other musical treats that have nothing to do with The Replacements: the tense "Damaged Goods" by Gang Of Four, Sugar Minott's dreamy "Love And Understanding", Chico O'Farrill & Clark Terry's funky "Spanish Rice", Bryan Ferry's haunting "Zamba", and a live version of Neil Young's epic "Cowgirl In The Sand".

Rhymefest is a Chicago rapper and childhood friend of Kanye West. "Tell A Story" is off his first album Blue Collar. His next official album is finally out in March. Can't wait.

Growing up in Chicago, the only way I had to learn about interesting rock music outside of "classic rock" was to listen to WXRT. One of their DJs always used a snippet of The Bobbettes "Mr. Lee" as his introductory theme music. Shame that they didn't actually broaden their playlist and dig up more old records like this. It was Chicago, after all.

Gravediggaz were a rap supergroup featuring Prince Paul, Frukwan, Too Poetic and RZA. From their second album, the moody "What's Goin' On?"

Also here: the mellow "Dirty Water" by The Jesus & Mary Chain, an alternate acoustic take of "Piggies" by The Beatles, Rod Stewart's wistful "Lady Day", and late period Duke Ellington with a gorgeous reading of "After All".

The last song on here is "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones. They are my other favorite band ever, and like certain Replacements songs, this one never gets old.

If anything, a song like this that I loved as a kid and then a teenager packs more of an emotional wallop now.

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

02-14-08: I Need You To Need Me

These mixes are dated on the Thursday of any given week.  I think I picked Thursday because that was the night I had a d-j gig at a bar and started making these shortly before that ended nearly 5 1/2 years ago.

Last year, Thursday, and thus the mix fell on Valentine's Day and many songs in here nod to that.  Valentine's Day is also The Monkey's birthday. But after a quick glance above at the upper left, one won't be surprised to hear that his papers are a little suspect.  Like a Cuban baseball player, he might have had his birth date doctored.  Being born on Valentine's Day would probably make him look more potentially loving. In reality he is, but in this capacity he is outpaced by The Fox.

Last year's Valentine's Day was an ambitious and eventually aborted dinner, then tears. By contrast, once the home-cooked meal wasn't going to come off, I was fine with ordering in thai and watching a dvd. But my valentine hadn't had a happy Valentine's Day in a while and she wanted it to be "special".

Amazing the pressure we put on ourselves. This year promises to be a nice evening and, I hope, no tears.  Just what I would want for any night.

Valentine-themed songs here include two versions of the ballad "My Funny Valentine", one by Duke Ellington, the other by Chet Baker. On this, Chet sings "each day is Valentine's Day". I wish he was heard that night of disappointment a year ago. Also on here is the great, moody "Blue Valentines" by Tom Waits.

"Keys Open Doors" by Clipse is from their most recent official album Hell Hath No Fury and celebrates the romance of cocaine trafficking. Even more scary is the "lullaby" instrumental of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" by Michael Armstrong.  I guess these cds are marketed to young parents to play for their babies but I can't imagine how that's a good idea. 

While musically limited, I love the innocence and story-telling exuberance of early rap.  From that era is "Fly Guy Rap" by Fly Guys.  More advanced in this genre is Marley Marl's 80s classic "The Symphony" which features Masta Ace, Craig G., Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane.

Special Ed was on this week's mix and makes this one from last year as well with "Come On, Let's Move It".

Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied" is here as well as a cover by a very young Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones.

Everything else, like the valentines songs, fall under the broad category of "love" songs.  Maybe Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" doesn't count, but true words spoken. And a wonderfully absurd video, with that awkward dancing. Beyond that there is: Buddy Holly's sweet "Dearest", Sheila Jack's soul obscurity "I've Got To Have You", the gorgeous "Mandolin Wind" by Rod Stewart and "Let My Love Open The Door" by Pete Townshend, as well as a slower tempo cover by M. Ward.

There is no more romantic a song than the one this mix opens with: "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Stevie Wonder. Careful listeners realize that the first couple lines are not sung by Stevie. Rather he ceded those lines to back-up singers, called Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove , James Gilstrap and then Lani Groves. Seems like a pretty generous, and loving, thing to do.

Queen's "You're My Best Friend" is such a happy song and an uplifting way to look at your romantic partner.

Finally, a deeply stirring cover of Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me" by The Holmes Brothers.  They find such meaning and nuance in a fun old rock song that didn't seem to have much of either.  I remember this playing in my apartment during dinner parties last year, double and triple dates, when the wine flowed and laughter filled the room and dinner was perfect, not abandoned or given up on.

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

02-12-04: We Belong To You And Me

Gunter glieben glauchen globen.  These are the incongruous German-sounding words that open Def Leppard's "Rock Of Ages" and this mix.  To a 13 year old boy in the Midwest, these words held enormous exotic mystery. What were they saying, some Satanic curse? It's simply gibberish--made up to count off the beat for a laugh. 

This song was from their hit album Pyromania, which was so popular that when I brought the cassette as a gift to my classmate's birthday party (at a roller rink!) he already had two other copies. I remember how casually Ted Egan, like me an exile from public school sent to the Catholic school for greater "discipline", tossed it away once he realized it was the same damn tape other kids brought him.

Next is a live cover of The Supremes' "My World Is Empty Without You" by The Afghan Whigs. In addition to the original, I also have a cover by Jose Feliciano.

Also here: the chaotic "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys, the Wu-Tang Clan's ferocious "Wu-Tang Ain't Nuthin' To Fuck Wit", Stevie Wonder's mystical "Bird Of Beauty", Sean Paul's bouncy "Get Busy", Duran Duran's ridiculous "Union Of The Snake", Prince's x-rated b-side "Erotic City", and Laid Back's electro funk single "White Horse". Prince gave this Danish duo a boost by having "White Horse" released on the same single as "When Doves Cry". Back to the Beastie Boys,  they played host to Biz Markie's nearly incoherent cover of Elton John's "Bennie And The Jets".  The story is that he stopped by their studio a bit drunk and simply took the mic.

"I'm Only Sleeping" by The Beatles is John Lennon singing over a vaguely "eastern" musical vibe.  I also have a more stripped down version as well as a brief rehearsal snippet.

The Funk Brothers were the backing band for many of the biggest Motown hits.  Here I have their instrumental version of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". 

Cat Power is here twice: with her hard-strumming song "Free" and a kick-ass cover of "Yesterday Is Here" by Tom Waits.  His original also appears, for comparison.

This mix is 5 years older than this post, but "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs hasn't dated a bit. I think it's beautiful and timeless.  The same goes double for The Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love".

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02-12-09: She Said Jesus Had A Twin Who Knew Nothing About Sin

This week's mix starts off with "Sympathy For Teen Spirit" by DJ Moule, which seems to encompass the entire history of classic rock: Mick Jagger singing over Queen's famous bass line, accented by the screams and guitar riffs of Nirvana.

It gets more strange from here. Next is a very rare curio from the mid 80s. Rap pioneer Kurtis Blow was at the end of his run and Bob Dylan was at a commercial and artistic nadir. So, they decided to help each other out. Yes, Bob Dylan guest raps on Kurtis Blow's "Street Rock". Has to be heard to be believed. It's a fairly pedestrian song, but Bob's opening rap and especially the exchange several minutes in when he reappears and trades lines with Kurtis make this well worthwhile. It's not well known and not available on CD or for purchase, so I had to pull a few favors to hunt this down.

The dense "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" is the opening track to the Talking Heads album Remain In Light. On "Whar" RZA goes old school to recruit Kool G Rap to join Ghostface Killah. Yamasuki were a fake Japanese funk band out of France in the early 70s. I've collected a few of their tracks and while the "Oriental" stereotypes, in the singing and musical motifs, are a little cringe-worthy; I do love the groove of these tunes. On "Kono Samurai" I particularly enjoy the screaming. It was recently sampled on Erykah Badu's "The Healer", which is dedicated to the late J Dilla.

Same title/different song: "Schizophrenia" is Wayne Shorter's post-bop late 60s masterpiece as well as an uncharacteristically poppy tune from Sonic Youth.

I have Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" here along with covers by Merle Haggard and jazz singer Anita O'Day with Ben Homer & His Orchestra.

"Sad Movies" was a country hit in the early 60s by Sue Thompson. There are other versions as well, but my favorite is the only one on here this week, the reggae take by Gloria Crawford.

Blondie's "Call Me" was the main theme song for the odd hit movie American Gigolo. Special Ed was a rap prodigy, he was 16 when he recorded the classic "I Got It Made" from his 1989 debut album.

"Riding High" by Faze-O is mellow funk. Joe Bataan's "Ordinary Guy" was one of the best songs off my mixes last year, soon to be revisited and blogged. Here, instead of the classic album track I have the rare original 45 single.

Finally, I have been a bit of an Albert Ayler kick recently, so the mix ends with a live version of one of his most well-known songs, "Angels." He was a John Coltrane acolyte. In fact he famously said that if John was "The Father", and Pharoah Sanders "The Son", he was "The Holy Ghost". Herewith, the proof.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

02-10-05: And I Need You More Than Want You

Jr. Walker was a second string Motown musician from South Bend, Indiana, home of the University of Notre Dame. Second string because he was not on the first tier of hit-makers who were handed the best, say Holland-Dozier-Holland, compositions to choose to sing.  Jr. Walker & The All-Stars had to hustle for their songs, and often write their own. Jr. Walker played sax and also sang when he came up for air.  No easy feat. "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)?" is one of their biggest hits and best examples of his talents. Such a sweet, pretty song.  

I had a chance to see him in the mid 90s in Chicago when he played at The Blackstone Hotel. I passed on the tickets because, as a poor grad student, I had to work that night.  He was dying of cancer but didn't tell anyone--it was one of his last shows.  There are a whole lot of people I am kicking myself for never seeing perform while I had the chance.

Also here are three versions of the standard "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye": by Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and a vocal take by Ray Charles.

There's also a nice little mini-suite of songs I'm proud to say flow well together.  After Digable Planets' sole hit "Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" is the happy "Adeus Maria Fulo" by Os Mutantes. Remixes of old jazz or r&b tunes usually don't work, but on the Verve label remix series, Willie Bobo's "Fried Neckbones And Some Home Fries" gets an astounding treatment from De La Soul genius producer Dan The Automator. Next is Slave's deeply funky "Slide", followed by a live version of James Brown's "There Was A Time".

"State Of Confusion" is late period Kinks that is unfairly dismissed. I bought this album (on cassette!) soon after it came out when I was in 8th grade. It was, along with some Doors tapes, in heavy rotation on my Walkman as I rode my bike a few miles every morning to my little Catholic school.  This was at the height of the video age, when we stayed up late to watch Friday Night Videos on NBC, where this video played among the Duran Duran, Michael Jackson and Men At Work videos.  It was such an innocent time, sitting through a commercial break to see a "world premiere" video from Lionel Richie. While you wait for puberty to kick in.

"Asking Me Lies'"is The Replacements doing a bad, or more likely intentionally bad, Red Hot Chili Peppers impersonation.  This awful white boy funk was all the rage in the late 80s, and even their worst song was better than the best of whoever they were making fun of.

I love the mid 70s Bob Dylan comback live album with The Band. He tears into old songs with vicious glee, like here on "It Ain't Me Babe."  I stole this record from my parents' collection and in college this album was a go-to soundtrack for afternoon dart games over beer. The darts we had were metal and planted on our door. It was dangerous for visitors--Bob and The Band drowned out the loudest knocks on the door.

"Memory Motel" is an underrated mid 70s gem from  The Rolling Stones. Halfway between an epic poem and a shaggy dog story. If songs like "Ruby Tuesday" are too overplayed for you, listen to this. I love Keith's little vocal contribution: "She's gotta mind of her own, and she use it well!"

For me, Jackson Browne's "Rock Me On The Water" is religious. Therefore, it would be impolite for me to talk about it further.

"Creeque Alley" by The Mamas & The Papas and "It's True That We Love Each Other" by The White Stripes sound like the same song from different eras.

"Wichita Lineman" was such a huge hit for Glen Campbell that it was covered by dozens of artists. On these mixes I have versions from artists as diverse as Ray Charles and Freddie Hubbard.  I don't think anything can top Glen Campbell's version. It just knocks me on my ass. So spacey and wistful. Here, I follow it with Willie Nelson's quietly inspiring "Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way".

The last song to mention is Marvin Gaye's "Sparrow". It's off his jazz-inflected "divorce" album. The proceeds from this album comprised the major portion of his settlement with his soon to be ex-wife.  He decided to punish her by tanking its commercial prospects with an unexpected jazz direction.  But he couldn't help writing beautiful songs. This one, as far as bittersweet goodbye songs, is one of my favorites.

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