The debut single.

Siouxsie and The Banshees: Hong Kong Garden

And, from Juju released 31 years ago this month:

The Beach Boys - Forever

Loveliness.  And then there's more loveliness with the American Spring version, sung by Brian Wilson's wife at the time, Marilyn Rovell -



And finally, there's this version -



Remember during the Kokomo sessions, when one Beach Boy said to another, incredulously but resigned - "I mean, from Pet Sounds to this crap?"

The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Hey-o, I just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of what Paul plays at 2:02, 2:14, 4:05, 4:14, 4:42, etc. That's all for now. More to come! Cheerio...

Nora Dean - Angie La La

2+ weeks since my last post? Ouch. I'm afraid it's the usual story of the day job chewing away at any time I might have to frolic atop Mount Parnassus, as it were. But I will be back... and in greater number.

Anyroad, here's a little number that's apparently been a rare-groove underground classic of sorts since at least 1997. I like that Nora sings in major while the band plays in minor. Oh, and is that Lynn Taitt on guitar?

Paul McCartney - Coming Up

And now it is the weekend...

John Phillips - Holland Tunnel

I'm already thinking about next weekend.

Brenton Wood: I Think You've Got Your Fools Mixed Up

James Govan - 
Help Me I'm in Need
Tell You About My Girl

Things I like the most about "Help Me, I'm in Need" --

1. Its unapologetic air
2. Its metric that what constitutes not keeping one's date out "too long" is getting her home before the break of day

Things I like about "Tell You About My Girl" --

1. Pretty much everything, but especially the "listen all you good men" bit

10cc - Gismo My Way

I needn't bore you with the particulars of why or how this came to pass, but I was recently granted an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. When I told him of my Quest, he sipped from his tea, and then asked with a faint gleam in his eye if I had ever looked into any 10cc B-sides. Flustered and stammering, I replied that I had not. There followed a long silence in which His Holiness and I stared at each other in complete stillness. Then His Holiness nodded, almost imperceptibly, and I was given to understand that our meeting was over.

Victrola - Maritime Tatami

Memorably described by one youtube commenter as "cruel and beautiful." Highlights include the vocal inflection at 3:43 and the change at 4:41 lasting for two bars instead of four. In sum, a pretty heavy record.

The Rockin' Berries - She's Not Like Any Girl

I'm liking the falsetto leaps in the melody on this one. Very rainy, very British, very Sunday.

Harry Nilsson - Living without You

Let's keep things reflective this Friday, shall we?  This is a beaut. And, "the subway shakes my floor" really happens to me.

Yeah... as promised, our man in Cologne, longtime and esteemed commenter "Ano 2" is back with another sweet guest mix. Apologies for the delay. Face the music here.

Joe Higgs - There's a Reward

This song is the island musical equivalent of Hopkins's Carrion Comfort. Or something.

Bettye Swann - Don't Touch Me

A moving variation on a theme, said the critic. Very moving indeed.

Dolly Mixture - Never Let It Go

Here's another song with that "Carrot Rope" chiming guitar thing that I dimly recall alluding to the other day.

As an aside, the general contour of the melody keeps reminding me of this.

Philip Catherine - Jeux Interdits

. forbidden games

Janis Joplin - Get It While You Can

Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love

Can: Vernal Equinox (live)

Real Estate: Kinder Blumen

H. Tical - Distillation

This is what happens when an Italian library composer tries his hand at some Sabbath/Zep stylings. Dig the particularly mullet-haired change at 3:00. Props to the bass player, the two guitar sounds, and the ending as well.

Buck Owens - A Maiden's Prayer

Take a deep breathe, sit back from your work, listen to this, ruminate, then get on back to the drudgery.

Joao Gilberto: Astronauta (Samba da Pergunta)

Rino Gaetano - Aida

This one goes out to Jazione, and his cold, cold marble floors in Rome. Rome, where one can take one clove, two cloves, but never the whole garlic.

Judy Collins - Me & My Uncle

MR. KUNSTLER: Who was present at that press conference?

THE WITNESS: There were a number of people who were singers, entertainers. Jerry Rubin was there, Abbie Hoffman was there. Allen Ginsberg was there, and sang a mantra.

MR. KUNSTLER: Now what did you do at that press conference?

THE WITNESS: Well---[sings] "Where have all the flowers---

THE COURT: Just a minute, young lady.

THE WITNESS: [sings] "---where have all the flowers gone?"

DEPUTY MARSHAL JOHN J. GRACIOUS: I'm sorry. The Judge would like to speak to you.

THE COURT: We don't allow any singing in this Court. I'm sorry.

THE WITNESS: May I recite the words?

MR. KUNSTLER: Well, your Honor, we have had films. I think it is as legitimate as a movie. It is the actual thing she did. She sang "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," which is a well-known peace song, and she sang it, and the jury is not getting the flavor.

THE COURT: You asked her what she did, and she proceeded to sing.

MR. KUNSTLER: That is what she did, your Honor.

THE WITNESS: That's what I do.

FYI - The witness was Judy Collins. From the Chicago Seven Trial.

Oh sweet Lord.

Ladies & gentlemen: longtime listener and frequent commenter on this blog, Anonymus II (our man in Cologne) has been kind enough to put together an ace guest mix for us, inspired by evenings on the Costa Brava. It's Viva show #122 and you can find it here.

Part II airs next week!

Joe Henderson - Tres Palabras

It's feeling powerfully like summer nights are on their way back, so here's to them!

James P. Johnson - Jungle Drums

David Bowie and Pat Metheny Group - This Is Not America

Sha la la la la.

Pierre Laniau - Petit Musique de Clown Triste

Music by Erik Satie, Pierre Laniau on 10-string guitar.

new Viva show (#121) in the archive

Patrick Forgas - Sex Move

Do I detect the influence of this?

Rebirth Brass Band: Ain't No Shame In My Game

Jesse Fuller -I Got a Mind to Ramble

Bob Weir: OK, now, I want you people all, if you get the chance, to go sometime to Berkeley or Oakland or wherever he is, and dig this guy named Jesse Fuller. Right. He's this one man band, and a fine example of one man banditry, if I might add. And, uh, he plays guitar, and this thing, this stringed instrument, he calls a fotdella, and it's like a bass, a stringed bass that he plays with his feet and he plays the pedals. And he plays that. And then he's got a kazoo and a harmonica and a microphone all glued to this rack that he wears around his neck. And I think he plays a few other things too. Oh yeah, with his right foot he plays - uh, no maybe with his left foot - I'm not sure which foot he plays it with, but he plays a foot crasher which is a high hat symbol, and he plays...

Jerry Garcia [impatiently]: ...this song, this song.

Bob Weir: And he plays this song.

Stage banter from February 28, 1969, just before "The Monkey and the Engineer."

The Pentangle - Willy O'Winsbury

This is my jam. Featuring the great Jacqui McShee. Spend some time with the storyline and try to unpack all the Freudian implications.

bonus beats (a different performance)

Isaac Hayes - Let's Don't Ever Blow Our Thing

No, no.

Ronaldo Lark e a Turma Bab-Luba - Waldemar

Now those are some festive trumpets!

Steve Bent - I'm Going To Spain

I hope that I can quickly learn the language.

St Etienne featuring Q-Tee - Filthy

In the 90's, this beat was everywhere.

Smokey Robinson - The Agony and the Ecstasy

From 1975's great A Quiet Storm. Listening to this song is a reminder that there are degrees of agony and ecstasy that I can only dream of. And sorry about the image. But sometimes google images just throws you a bone.

Brigitte Fontaine & Areski Belkacem - Cher

Here's another nice song from this album. Thanks Wary Meyers for the pic.

Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers: New Steel Guitar Rag

Waylon Jennings - Abilene

If you happen to be stuck in traffic - or stuck in a rut - I can think of worse fates than having this to sing along to.

Junior Delahaye - Movie Show

I like a minor-key love song.

(dub)

Emmett posted this some five years ago and yet I've only recently discovered the below, from what I believe is Michael Lindsay-Hogg's film Neil Young in Berlin from 1982. But this is mesmerizing. Is that a clapping giant? Who cares. "Dinosaurs in the computer age...Dinosaurs, vegetable eaters."

new Viva show (#120) in the archive

The Cake - Baby That's Me

Written by Jack Nitzsche and Jackie DeShannon. And yes, it's just a hair's breadth away from Be My Baby. Is that going to be a problem?