the monkey and the fox

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

01-31-13: Kept His Body Clean

"To Lay Me Down" was an outtake from the 1970 album American Beauty by The Grateful Dead. It became an occasional part of their live repertoire and also appeared on Jerry Garcia's solo alum a couple years later. This week's mix features those two versions as well as a studio rehearsal from a decade later during the Reckoning tour sessions.

"Can't Hide Love" was the debut 1973 single by Creative Source, but is best known as a 1976 single by Earth, Wind & Fire. That single is featured here, along with versions by Carmen McRae and Isaac Hayes and Dionne Warwick performing live, with a bit of Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby" thrown in.

One other song repeats this week: the b-side and demo versions of "Even In His Youth" by Nirvana.

The rest: the backing track for "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones, Collie Ryan's languid "Cricket", the Earth, Wind & Fire-sampling "Shining Star" by Sunz Of Man featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, Bobby Brown's defiant "My Prerogative", the giddy "Chasing Shadows" by Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang, an alternate version of Marvin Gaye's "Sparrow", Ernie Smith's mellow "Life Is Just For Living", Pete Rock's languid "Square One", Bessie Banks' bittersweet "Try To Leave Me If You Can (I Bet You Can't Do It)" and an all vocal version of Outkast's "B.O.B."

Paint It Black (backing track) The Rolling Stones
Even In His Youth Nirvana
To Lay Me Down The Grateful Dead
Cricket Collie Ryan
Can't Hide Love Earth, Wind & Fire
Shining Star Sunz Of Man ft. Ol' Dirty Bastard
My Prerogative Bobby Brown
Even In His Youth (demo) Nirvana
To Lay Me Down Jerry Garcia
Can't Hide Love Carmen McRae
Chasing Shadows Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang
Sparrow (alt ver) Marvin Gaye
Can't Hide Love (live) Isaac Hayes & Dionne Warwick
To Lay Me Down (studio rehearsal) The Grateful Dead
Life Is Just For Living Ernie Smith
Square One Pete Rock ft. INI
Try To Leave Me If You Can (I Bet You Can't Do It) Bessie Banks
B.O.B. (vocals) Outkast

01-24-13: Ancient Footprints Are Everywhere

"Someday You'll Call My Name" was written by Eddie Hill and recorded by him in 1948. This week's mix features his original version as well as covers by Hank Williams and Willie Nelson.

"Without You" was originally written and recorded by Beatles proteges Badfinger in 1970, but was a huge hit for Harry Nilsson in 1971. This week features his original demo version as well as his version sung partly in Spanish called "Si No Estas Tu" as well as a cover by Susanna featuring Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.

One other song repeats this week: "Love Jones" by Brighter Side Of Darkness. A previous mix included the single version, this week includes the full album version as well as the instrumental and RZA's "Love Jones" which has an interpolation of the original.

The rest: the gospel-tinged "Forsaken" by Breez Evahflowin', the Martin Luther King-inspired "Holiday" by Roy Ayers, the jazzy "Bucktown" by Smif-N-Wessun, the mellow "Double Minded Man" by Anthony 'Rocky' Ellis, Mudhoney's sinister "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More", Ned Doheny's funky "Give It Up For Love", Bill Withers' philosophic "Heartbreak Road", Juliana Hatfield's cover of The Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)", a demo version of Bob Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece", a spare version of Duke Ellington's "Lotus Blossom" and Donny Hathaway's version of The Association hit "Never My Love".

Love Jones Brighter Side Of Darkness
Si No Estas Tu Harry Nilsson
Forsaken Breez Evahflowin'
Holiday Roy Ayers
Bucktown Smif-N-Wessun
Double Minded Man Anthony 'Rocky' Ellis
Love Jones RZA
Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More Mudhoney
Get It Up For Love Ned Doheny
Heartbreak Road Bill Withers
Someday You'll Call My Name Eddie Hill
It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It) Julianna Hatfield
Someday You'll Call My Name Willie Nelson
Without You Susanna ft. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Someday You'll Call My Name Hank Williams
When I Paint My Masterpiece (demo) Bob Dylan
Lotus Blossom Duke Ellington
Without You (demo) Harry Nilsson
Never My Love Donny Hathaway
Love Jones (instrumental) Brighter Side Of Darkness

01-17-13: Paint A Different Color On Your Front Door

"My Little Brown Book"was written by Billy Strayhorn for Duke Ellington's Orchestra. A later version was recorded by Duke Ellington with John Coltrane in their one album together. That was featured on an earlier mix and is sampled by Ghostface Killah on his "Malcolm", featured here. "Mood Swing" by Asheru & Talib Kweli also samples from that Ellington/Coltrane album, with a snippet of "In A Sentimental Mood". This week's mix features two Ellington versions, one with Herb Jeffries' vocal as well as a version by Sonny Rollins.

The 1964 single "Where Did Our Love Go?" by The Supremes was the first of their five consecutive singles to reach number one on the charts. This week features that single along with covers by Wall and the original 7 inch single by Soft Cell.

A couple other songs repeat this week: the Motown-esque "Tears Dry On Their Own" by Amy Winehouse, with a sample of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as well as the more subdued original version; and Bill Withers' bittersweet "Hello Like Before" with a cover by jazz singer Ernestine Anderson.

The rest: the funky "Mr. Groove" by One Way, Big L's clever "Ebonics", the blissful "Atlantic Avenue" by Average White Band, the celebratory "Love-A-Rama" by Leon Bass & The Keystones, the suggestive "Monsterpussy" by The Vaselines, a live cover of The Vaseline's "Molly's Lips" by Nirvana, the raw "No Good Woman" by The Tree, the passionate "Jesus Been Good" by The Fantastic Angels, Gram Parsons' soulful "A Song For You" and the spacey "Zono My Bird" by Leonda.

Where Did Our Love Go The Supremes
Tears Dry On Their Own Amy Winehouse
Malcolm Ghostface Killah
My Little Brown Book Sonny Rollins
Mr. Groove One Way
Ebonics Big L
Atlantic Avenue Average White Band
Hello Like Before Bill Withers
Mood Swing Asheru & Talib Kweli
Where Did Our Love Go? (7 ' single) Soft Cell
My Little Brown Book Duke Ellington w/ Herb Jeffries (vocal)
Love-A-Rama Leon Bass & The Keystones
Monsterpussy The Vaselines
Molly's Lips (live) Nirvana
No Good Woman The Tree
Jesus Been Good The Fantastic Angels
A Song For You Gram Parsons
Zono My Bird Leonda
Tears Dry (original ver) Amy Winehouse
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing (live) Laura Nyro & Labelle
Where Did Our Love Go Wall
Hello Like Before Ernestine Anderson
My Little Brown Book Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra

01-10-13: Happiness Comes Double After A Little Pain

"There's A Small Hotel" is a Rodgers & Hart jazz standard that dates back to 1936. This week features versions by Peggy Lee, Billy Paul and Josephine Baker, with a French version called "C'est Un Nid Charmant".

One other song repeats this week: "There She Goes Again" by The Velvet Underground, with a cover by R.E.M.

"Every Little Thing" is the rare Beatles song where the primary composer (Paul McCartney) was not the lead singer (John Lennon).

The rest: a Tom Moulton remix of "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" by The Spinners, the Broadway Rehearsals demo of "Today" by Smashing Pumpkins, the Pavement b-side "Box Elder", an alternate version of "Alex Chilton" by The Replacements, the melodic "Isn't It Time" by The Babys, a cover of The Supremes' "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" by Michael Jackson, Vordul Mega's moody "Neva Again", the wistful "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" by Moovers, the plaintive "Howlin' For My Darlin'" by Howlin' Wolf, the percussive "Chief Rocka" by Lords Of The Underground, the laid-back "Who Do You Want To Do" by Lou Courtney, the menacing "Zen" by Clipse, the mellow Love's High" by Twilight, a demo version of Randy Newman's "Love Story" by Harry Nilsson, the full album version of "With A Little Luck" by Wings, a cover of The Beatles' "Hey Jude' by Bing Crosby, Jackie Wilson's version of the standard "Over The Rainbow" and Annette Hanshaw's version of the 20s standard "If You Want The Rainbow You Must Have The Rain".

One Of A Kind Love Affair (Tom Moulton remix) The Spinners
Today (Broadway Rehearsals demo) The Smashing Pumpkins
Box Elder Pavement
Alex Chilton (alt ver) The Replacements
Isn't It Time The Babys
There She Goes Again The Velvet Underground
Every Little Thing The Beatles
C'est Un Nid Charmant Josephine Baker
Love Is Here And Now You're Gone Michael Jackson
Neva Again Vordul Mega
Someone To Fulfill My Needs Moovers
Howlin' For My Darling Howlin' Wolf
Chief Rocka Lords Of The Underground
Who Do You Want To Do Lou Courtney
Zen Clipse
Love's High Twilight
Love Story (demo) Harry Nilsson
There's A Small Hotel Peggy Lee
There She Goes Again R.E.M.
With A Little Luck Wings
Hey Jude Bing Crosby
There's A Small Hotel Billy Paul
Over The Rainbow Jackie Wilson
If You Want The Rainbow You Must Have The Rain Annette Hanshaw

01-03-13: Don't Trust Your Feelings

The first mix of the year starts with a rare all vocal track of "London Calling" by The Clash.

"Just To Keep You Satisfied" officially appeared on Marvin Gaye's 1973 album Let's Get It On, but there were earlier version with Marvin proteges The Originals and The Monitors, both of which appear here with an alternate version by Marvin, as his official version was on a weekly mix long ago.

One other song repeats this week: Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" from her 1985 debut album. A previous mix had her a cappella version, this week has her album version with a cover by The Lemonheads.

Teddy Grace was an American jazz singer who recorded about thirty sides in the late 1930s, including the standard "Over The Rainbow"which ends this mix. She joined the Women's Army Corps during World War II and lost her voice after singing at war bond rallies, but lived a long life.

The rest: the heavy "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by Scorpions, Too $hort's cowbell-accented "Burn Rubber", the Bollywood number "Yeh Dhuaan" by Laxmikant Pyarelal with Asha Bholse on vocals, the catchy "I Love You" by The Zombies, the bass-heavy "Trap Door" by Jake One featuring MF Doom, a cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Everybody Is A Star" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, the innocent "Let's Make Believe We're Sweethearts" by The Light Crust Doughboys, the languid b-side "Break Me Down" by The Jesus & Mary Chain", the atmospheric "Disappear" by Mazzy Star, the bluesy "Them That's Not" by J-Live, Alice Coltrane's sleigh bell-accented "Turiya And Ramakrishna", the rare 70s kiddie soul record "Can't Let You Break My Heart" by Quatrelles and the direct "If You Really Want To Be My Friend" by The Rolling Stones.

London Calling (vocals) The Clash
Rock You Like A Hurricane Scorpions
Burn Rubber Too $hort
Yeh Dhuann Laxmikant Pyarelal, Asha Bholse
I Love You The Zombies
Just To Keep You Satisfied The Originals
How Will I Know Whitney Houston
Trap Door Jake One ft. MF Doom
Everybody Is A Star Gladys Knight & The Pips
Just To Keep You Satisfied (alt ver) Marvin Gaye
Let's Make Believe We're Sweethearts The Light Crust Doughboys
Break Me Down The Jesus & Mary Chain
Disappear Mazzy Star
Just To Keep You Satisfied The Monitors
Them That's Not J-Live
Turiya And Ramakrishna Alice Coltrane
Can't Let You Break My Heart Quantrells
If You Really Want To Be My Friend The Rolling Stones
How Will I Know The Lemonheads
Over The Rainbow Teddy Grace

Friday, January 4, 2013

I posted 1,069 songs in 2012. Here are my 11 favorite, counting down to my very favorite.

11. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye Roberta Flack

Before this year, I did not know there was such a thing as Roberta Flack singing a Leonard Cohen song. And it's even better than it sounds--from her debut album, singing a song I had never really heard any version of until this year. To borrow a song title, it's sadly beautiful. She sings with such warmth and restraint, against a perfect arrangement and makes the song her own.

10. Brass Buttons Gram Parsons

Much is made of Gram Parsons being the catalyst for "country rock" or "alternative country", but his singing here reminds me of soul music in the purest sense. Against a devastating lyric, filled with details of a woman he loves, the guitar is a perfect accent against his voice. I always assumed it was a love song for a woman who left him, until I read that it was about his alcoholic mother.

9. I'm Drunk & I'm Real High (In The Spirit Of God) Ada Richards

A song like this would be great for the title alone. But it's no joke. Ada Richards was a beautician in Detroit in the early 70s when she laid this down. The organ fuels an improbably funky gospel song, but it's her voice that convinces. I'm always grateful to find obscure gems like this one.

8. New God Flow.1 Kanye West, Pusha T & Ghostface Killah

The hook is a sample of Ghostface Killah's "Mighty Healthy" from one of my favorite albums ever, Supreme Cliente from 2000. For good measure Ghostface guests on this but not before a killer opening verse from Pusha T followed by a verse by Kanye West that's every bit as daring as his production. This is thrilling music, insanely catchy and fun.

7. I Hear Voices Screamin' Jay Hawkins

At first blush , this is a novelty song from a novelty artist. But in reality it's so much more. Hawkins' insane persona is put in the service of what is probably another insane idea: utter submission to someone in the name of love. "Most lovers are blind, the rest just lose their minds"he cautions and then present the idea of love as a form of psychosis. It's funny and terrifying and hypnotic.

6. Reagan Killer Mike

When Killer Mike released his new album last spring, this song of course immediately grabbed my attention. It's a brilliant political polemic, and a great piece of music, with eerie production and fierce, brave lyrics. The soundbites and effects are used to devastating effect.

5. The Money Will Roll Right In Fang

This is ugly, catchy, snotty, funny and full of life. I can't believe I'd never heard of these guys until last year, and they are unjustly obscure. But I can see why Nirvana covered them a decade after this was released and how this is the template for so much that came after.

4. When You Sleep My Bloody Valentine

As I mentioned briefly in the "best of" below, 2012 was a year when I dug into the brief but brilliant oeuvre of My Bloody Valentine. This song stood out as my favorite, with its keening flutelike melody piercing through the layers of guitars, which in turn bury dream-like male and female vocals, with lyrics that sound snatched from a dream. So hopefully romantic and indelible.

3. Moonlight Serenade Glenn Miller

Perhaps even more romantic is this Glenn Miller tune. I've included a brief snippet of this on a mix years ago, but this year fell in love with this full version, which feels of course belongs to another time but also somehow feels timelessly beautiful.

2. Funky Dividends Three Times Dope

This is very nearly my favorite song of the year, old school hip hop with the classy "Oh Honey" by Delegation sample that's fueled many other songs. On the face of it, the lyrics concern the transactional nature of romantic relationships, employing soundbites from Flip Wilson to J.F.K.'s inaugural address. It seems to speak to how one looks back on the end of a relationship, with equal parts recrimination and regret. And they just don't make them like this any more--the world is very different now, indeed.

1. Trees And Flowers Dum Dum Girls

My very favorite song of the year is a cover of the obscure 80s song by the Scottish band Strawberry Switchblade. While the original was a great find, and in my "best of", the cover by Dum Dum Girls is so gorgeous and sad and full of yearning it practically defies description. The voice wafts over the melodic hum of the guitars like a ghost passing commentary on life below.

Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye Roberta Flack
Brass Buttons Gram Parsons
I'm Drunk & I'm Real High (In The Spirit Of God) Ada Richards
New God Flow.1 Kanye West, Pusha T & Ghostface Killah
I Hear Voices Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Reagan Killer Mike
The Money Will Roll Right In Fang
When You Sleep My Bloody Valentine
Moonlight Serenade Glenn Miller
Funky Dividends Three Times Dope
Trees And Flowers Dum Dum Girls

Thursday, October 17, 2013

02-28-13: Maybe If We Think And Wish And Hope And Pray It Might Come True

02-21-13: Hard To Get A Handle On This Double-Edged Sword

02-14-13: My Heart Was Going Boom Boom Boom

02-07-13: We Can Make Each Other Happy