The Wombles: Womble Of The Universe (in which Orinoco dreams he is an astronaut) [1974]

from the album Keep On Wombling

words & music by Mike Batt

Hearing the music from this mid-'70s UK children's television show again brings back a flood of memories for me -- memories of August 2006, when I was introduced to this song via Waxidermy (big thanks to Alan).

Vocals / sax: Orinoco
Lead guitar: Wellington
Bass guitar: Madame Cholet
Violin: Great Uncle Bulgaria
Drums: Bungo

"Are you never coming down now?"
I heard everyone say
"If you want to come down,
You know it's okay."

The Mighty Clouds Of Joy - Mighty High

from the album Kickin', recorded at David Studios, Atlanta, GA

written by David Crawford and Richard Downing

lead vocals by Joe Ligon and Johnny Martin (maybe?)

This hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in January of '76 and remained locked in that position for 5 weeks. Another installment in our ongoing "Roots of Garcia" series, that is, original versions of songs that Jerry G. used to cover. See here and here for the other installments.

Take a load off your mind
Ride the mighty glory
Listen to my story
Ride the mighty high

Take a load off your mind
Ride the mighty glory
Listen to my story
Ride the mighty high

The Tennors:
Weather Report [early '70s?]
Pressure And Slide [1967]

This goes out to "andy", who in response to last Thursday's Tennors post demanded "more like this!!!"

Weather Report is adapted from Simon & Garfunkel's The Only Living Boy In New York. Lead vocal by Ronnie Davis.

Blind Willie Johnson: In My Time Of Dying [1927]

recorded in Dallas, Texas

I just got back from a bit of travelling, and this was my go-to track for coping with the takeoff-terrors on airplanes.

"Dying will be easy."

Barrington Levy: Here I Come [1985]

My favourite part: when the beat kicks back in two bars "early" at the 2:26 mark.

The Who: Eminence Front [1982]

This was supposed to be one of the first songs on this site, and then I saw that it had been a Bumrocks joint back in the day so I shelved it, and then it got bandied about on Dream Chimney so I shelved it again, but dammit, the time has come for E.F. to have its day in the sun on this blog. Just a massive, massive track and one of the best things they ever did. Inspirational and confrontational. Hats off to The Ox for his work on the choruses.

This was also one of my favorite videos from the early days of MTV. Note that the video is a live-on-soundstage performance of the song, not a lip-synch.

from the album It's Hard

The Original Broadway Cast of Hair:

Frank Mills
What A Piece Of Work Is Man
The Flesh Failures

There's a dizzying array of vocal and instrumental versions of Hair material out there, but I remain partial to this album. Goosebump city.

Bo Diddley: Bring it to Jerome [1955]

A high-five to 'The Orginator' with a song for pal & bandmate Jerome Green who contributes maracas and vocals on the memorable chorus: "All you pretty women, bring it to my home...."

The Tennors: Ride Yu Donkey

Kraftwerk: Metal On Metal [1977]

written by Ralf Hütter

This was taken from Dread Meets B-Boys Downtown. I like the way it's mastered on that disc.

The Carpenters: Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day) [1977]

from the album Passage

bonus beats: the original Klaatu version [1976]

Shocking Blue: Love Buzz [1969]

from At Home

Philippe Sita:
Ndeko Na Ngai
Tora-Tora
Bar' Ba Kongo
[1986]

This was a pretty decent sidewalk find. I bought it, for $5, from a guy who had lined his records up against a fence on the southeast corner of 6th Avenue and West 4th Street. The record was recorded in Brazzaville, the capital of the République Populaire du Congo (that's the "other" Congo, the one that isn't Zaire). Even better, the sleeve is signed by Philippe Sita himself! I can't quite translate the inscription due to my inadequate French and Philippe's handwriting, but it is addressed to "William" and dated "N.Y. 14.04.89". I know nothing whatsoever about Philippe Sita or Congolese music in general, but this is a good record.

Ndeka Na Ngai: strong Latin influence. Nice to hear these joyful sounds emanating from the Congo.

Tora-Tora: amazing polyrhythmic breakdown at the 2:56 mark. Millennia of rhythmic traditions kicking in and making my brain explode.

Bar' Ba Kongo: check out the ending.

NOTE: Our friend Mike will be back shortly. If you see him, say hello. He might be in Tangiers.

Yo La Tengo: No Return [1998]

written by Ray Davies

from the Little Honda EP

I wasn't planning to post this today, but I woke up with it running through my head, so I've chosen to honor that subconscious impulse, for good or for ill.

Die Doraus Und Die Marinas: Fred Vom Jupiter [1982]

available on Mute Audio Documents

Keith & Tex: Stop That Train [1968]

available on Derrick Harriott's Rocksteady Party

Roxy Music:
Pyjamarama [single A-side, March 1973]
Pyjamarama [recorded "live" at the Glasgow Apollo, November 2, 1973]

bonus beats:
Roxy Music: The Pride And The Pain [B-side of the Pyjamarama single, 1973]

available on The Thrill Of It All and Viva!

The UK top 40 for March '73:

1 Slade - Cum On Feel The Noize
2 Donny Osmond - The Twelfth Of Never
3 The Faces - Cindy Incidentally
4 T Rex - 20th Century Boy
5 The Detroit Emeralds - Feel The Need In Me
6 The Strawbs - Part Of The Union
7 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song
8 Alice Cooper - Hello Hurray
9 The Sweet - Blockbuster
10 Focus - Sylvia
11 Jimmy Helms - Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse
12 Dave Edmunds - Baby I Love You
13 The Jackson Five - Doctor My Eyes
14 Cliff Richard - Power To All Our Friends
15 Thin Lizzy - Whisky In The Jar
16 Gilbert O'Sullivan - Get Down
17 Gary Glitter - Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
18 The Partridge Family - Looking Through The Eyes Of Love
19 Kenny - Heart Of Stone
20 The New Seekers - Pinball Wizard / See Me Feel Me (Medley)
21 Cockerel Chorus - Nice One Cyril
22 Shirley Bassey - Never Never Never
23 Timmy Thomas - Why Can't We Live Together
24 Dawn feat. Tony Orlando - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
25 Neil Sedaka - That's When The Music Takes Me
26 Stevie Wonder - Superstition
27 Little Jimmy Osmond - Long Haired Lover From Liverpool
28 The O'Jays - Love Train
29 Olivia Newton-John - Take Me Home Country Roads
30 White Plains - Step Into A Dream
31 Electric Light Orchestra - Roll Over Beethoven
32 Gladys Knight & The Pips - Look Of Love
33 Elton John - Daniel
34 Blue Mink - By The Devil
35 Roxy Music - Pyjamarama
36 Focus - Hocus Pocus
37 Junior Walker & The All Stars - Take Me Girl I'm Ready
38 Judge Dread - Big Seven
39 The Beach Boys - California Saga
40 David Cassidy - I'm A Clown / Some Kind Of Summer

two Focus songs in the top 40!

Igor Stravinsky: Apollo (Apollon Musagète) [1979]

performed by the Orchestra of St. John's, Smith Square
conducted by John Lubbock

Igor puts the "class" in neo-classical with this beaut, composed in 1927-28.

ripped from this CD

Véronique Sanson: Amoureuse [1972]

words & music by Véronique Sanson

from the album Amoureuse

Vin Zee: Funky Bebop (instr.) [1981]

I bought this a couple weeks ago from a gentleman on the southeast corner of West 8th Street and 6th Avenue (outside the Barnes & Noble), and subsequently got a cleaner copy off eBay. Ideally someone will download it in time to pump this at a cookout tonight.

bonus beats:
Vin Zee: Funky Bebop (vocal) [1981]

Taj Mahal: Ain't That A Lot Of Love [1968]

Taj's version was recorded "live" at the Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus, and features the great Chuck Blackwell on drums.

A native of Tulsa, OK, Chuck played with Taj Mahal (obv.), Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, and Freddie King, among others. Chuck is "the drummer" in the song Shootout At The Plantation who "never hit a bad lick in his life." To hear Chuck ruling a different varietal of the Gimme Some Lovin' beat, check this out.

...and don't miss the amazing Hollywood Hangover!

bonus beats:
Homer Banks: A Lot Of Love [1966]

The Stark Reality: All You Need To Make Music [1970]

from the album Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop

The good people at ear fuzz alerted me to the presence of this weird and wonderful album back in the fall of '05. For an in-depth explanation of how this album came to be, go here. The short version is: a jazz-rock quartet (The Stark Reality, led by distorted vibraphonist Monty Stark) were enlisted by Hoagy Carmichael's son (Hoagy Bix Carmichael) to record "modern" versions of a suite of songs for children which Hoagy Carmichael had written* in the '50s (see sheet music cover above). The result: (hear above).

available on CD -- and the whole album is great!

Check out Monty Stark's website.

See the original video for All You Need To Make Music.

*although this particular track is actually a Monty Stark original (I think?) - as pointed out by an anonymous tipster (see comments below).