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).

Paul Piot & Paul Guiot: Amour, Vacances Et Baroque [1968]
Gary Bellington: Merry Go Sound [1972]

from the stellar library compilation Barry 7's Connectors

Pavement: Westie Can Drum [1997]

Another B-side from the halcyon year of 1997. A companion piece, if you will, to Mike's Björk post of last Friday. This from the Stereo single.

Led Zeppelin: Since I've Been Loving You

recorded "live" at Madison Square Garden, 7/27/73

audio transfer from the Led Zeppelin DVD

Blind Willie McTell: Travelin' Blues [1929]

Look over yonder
Look over yonder
At the women
At the women

Basil Poledouris: Cemetery (Film version) [1978]
Basil Poledouris: Matt Surfs, Kaliponi Slack Key, Bear's Shack [1978]
Basil Poledouris: Summerset [1978]

I looked into Basil Poledouris' work after reading his obit last November. If you are a fan of big 1980's movies you've probably already heard his music. Big Wednesday is not a movie I had heard of, but it appears to be a surfing movie, and the titles of the songs on the soundtrack basically reveal the plot and story twists.

I enjoy the soothing numbers off this soundtrack when they play randomly on my mp3 player.

Buy the soundtrack here.

Morrissey: Dial A Cliche [1988]
Morrissey: Please Help the Cause [1988]

I know I just posted Moz a week ago or so, but I am getting primed for a show tonight. These are two studio outtakes from the Viva Hate sessions. Enjoy.

Buy Viva Hate here.

B.A.D. II: The Globe [1991]
B.A.D. II: In My Dreams [1991]

Buy The Globe here.

Miles Davis: Milestones

from the album of the same name

Miles & co. scaling the heights of Mount Parnassus on this gem from '58. So quality.

Big Brother & The Holding Company: Oh, Sweet Mary [1968]
Big Brother & The Holding Company: Flower in the Sun [1968]

I watched Festival Express again recently, and was once again amazed by Janis Joplin. Flower in the Sun is a studio outtake added to the 1999 re-release of Cheap Thrills.

Buy Cheap Thrills here.

Colin Blunstone:
She Loves The Way They Love Her
Caroline Goodbye
[1971]

vinyl rip, from the album One Year

arrangement on Caroline Goodbye by Tony Visconti and Rod Argent

bonus beats:
The Zombies: She Loves The Way They Love Her [year?]

União Black: Every 1's A Winner [2005]

from the album Banda União Black

Björk: Karvel [1997]

B-side to I Miss You, the single off Post.

Buy I Miss You here.

Robert Palmer: Riptide [1985]
Robert Palmer: I Didn't Mean To Turn You On [1985]

Palmer took a plunge to find the wonderful Riptide, which was composed by the songwriting team of Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn. I Didn't Mean To Turn You On was composed by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

I suggest listening to I Didn't Mean To Turn You On immediately after Riptide ends. Riptide makes a nice intro to the light funk of I Didn't Mean To Turn You On.

Buy Riptide here.

Skinnyman and DJ Flip: Not Bonnie And Clyde (instr.) [2004]

Does anyone know where this bangin' loop comes from originally? Thanks in advance.

Buy it from Netgroove records.

Three Dog Night: I'll Be Creeping [1970]

A cover of Free's 1969 album opening track, off Free.

Buy Naturally here.

Fantastic Soul Invention:
Nice And Slow b/w Double Action [1976]

This mysterious 45 was produced in Italy on the Green Light label in 1976. "Fantastic Soul Invention", it seems, is a phony artist name that was used on bootleg releases of various funk/disco tracks. The real artist on Nice And Slow is Jesse Green and on Double Action it's the Sarr Band (I think). However, this version of Double Action has some percussion and clav overdubs not on this Sarr Band version. Anyroad, double up on it nicely and slowly with these two fresh dance cuts.

bonus cut:
Jesse Green: Nice And Slow (instr.) (with thanks to Ryan)

Starbuck: It Feels Good [1978]

Culled from the Maxell Rock Sampler. Featuring the craziest synth climb this side of Blinded By The Light. I used to think I was alone in my appreciation for this, but Internet research has revealed, as it will, that there are some hardcore Starbuck fans out there.

The liner notes from the Sampler are memorable:

"Here's contrast for you: full vocal harmonies and fuzz-tone guitars back an extremely clear, strong tenor lead vocal. Starbuck is an Atlanta-based sextet which turns It Feels So Good* into a danceable, stimulating, mellow measure of contemporary rhythm.

Only Ken Crysler, the drummer, isn't a singer. The rest, including keyboardists Bruce Blackburn and Dave Shaver, along with guitarists John Fristoe and Johnny Walker, and bass player James Cobb, add vocals to their instrumental expertise.

Musically, the material is lyrical, emotionally specific**, quietly incandescent and warm. Sonically it's clean. Listen for the clear ringing of the opening brush hitting the cymbal. Listen also for a rarity in modern rock music: a crystalline unfuzzed guitar solo that's completely free from intentional distortion."

* sic
** what?

Starbuck on CD

Harry Nilsson: Isolation [1971]

Who is Harry Nilsson?

Who are The Walkmen?

Who tapped my phone?

The Beat: Mirror In The Bathroom (Adelphi Remix) [1995]
The Beat: Mirror In The Bathroom (Mark Spike Stent Remix) [1995]

Buy music from The English Beat here.

Lizzy Mercier Descloux: Fire [1979]
Lizzy Mercier Descloux: Aya Mood [1979]

Two tracks off the Corsican's Press Color, which was recorded when she was 22, not 32 or 37. Sorry, SDIII and Bathtub Gin. See you later today.

Buy Press Color here.

John Cale: Barracuda [1974]
John Cale: Momamma Scuba [1974]

More John Cale because I've found myself listening to him more and more lately.

Buy Fear here.

Canned Heat: Goin' Up the Country [1968]

Mungo Jerry: In the Summertime [1970]

Two for a June afternoon.

Kinda makes me want to have a stiff drink while relaxing on my porch with five of my closest friends.

The Cyrkle: Turn-Down Day [1966]

Another mid-60's bon-bon plucked from the box of 45's I was yammering on about here. It will be a turn-down weekend for me, as I'm headed to the glamourous beaches of Westerly, Rhode Island, with hopefully a foray into Connecticut on Saturday for Sheridan DuPre III's 79th birthday bash.

"Things that are waiting to mess my mind will just have to wait till tomorrow."

Buy The Cyrkle

Frankie Miller: I'll Take A Melody [1974]

words & music by Allen Toussaint

ripped from Miller's High Life

Shine on, keep on shining...

Lou Reed: Good Evening Mr. Waldheim [1989]

You won't be missed.

Buy New York here.

Wilson Pickett: Run Joey Run [1970]
Wilson Pickett: Help the Needy [1970]

Both off Wilson Pickett in Philadephia.

Buy it here.

Vitor Hublot: Aller Simple [1983]

taken from Bippp: French Synth Wave 1979-1985

Vitor Hublot on My Space

Jean Michel Jarre: Equinoxe Part 5 [1978]
Jean Michel Jarre: Equinoxe Part 6 [1978]

Emmett directed me towards Jean Michel back in December. Since then I've listened to a few of his albums, but hadn't realized how huge he was until I read this Wikipedia post.

Bastille Day, 1979. Place de la Concorde. 1 million electronic music fans. Sounds insane.

I am tempted to post the whole album here, given that the album is meant to 'reflect a day in the life of a human being'. Here are parts 5 and 6, which I guess are the equivalent of the end of the work day / metro ride home. Part 8 is downright dirty.

Buy Equinoxe here.