Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America

Or Now How Can You Call That Music #2


One of the highlights of 1987 for me, was driving around madly in my nice new van, blasting out Culturcide's album - Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America.

The whole thing consisted of err, 'modified', or more accurately - graffiti'd versions of popular mainstream tunes, with incisive & less than flattering lyrics tacked over the top, some excessive fuzz guitar, and other 'subtle' embellishments. Not 'covers', more a case of playing the original tracks & adding their own observations (Vandalism, if you like). I thought it was funny as hell & played it (and laughed) a great deal.

I don't have the vinyl myself, and tracking down mp3's ain't easy, but unlike some late 80's stuff I loved... it is possible. So, in even poorer quality than the original LP - I give you choice tracks from Culturecide. Thanks to Kill Your Pet Puppy for providing some useable material.



♫ Bruce - Culturcide (Dancing in the Dark-Bruce Springsteen)
If you don't laugh when the added vocals/fuzz guitar come in; just stop, you won't enjoy the rest.

♫ Industrial Band - Culturcide (We're an American Band - Grand Funk Railroad)

♫ They Aren't the World - Culturcide (We are the World - Band Aid)

♫ Star Spangled Banner - Culturcide

♫ E & I - Culturcide (Ebony & Ivory)


There are other gems, even if overall, it's hardly easy listening - Love Is a Cattle-Prod, The Heart of Rock n Roll is the Profit, Let's Prance - you can guess the originals, I'm sure.



Culturcide Fansite | Houston Press article about their 1998 'comeback'.


I do now have the whole thing as individual mp3's - ask nicely...

An Unwelcome visitor?

This fine looking fellow pitched up in the back garden this morning. Understandably, most all the smaller birds made a quick exit, and he just sat there for five minutes or more, doubtless feeling hungry, cheated, and not tempted by the peanuts & seeds which attract his intended quarry.

After a while, a sparrow, unaware of his presence, flew in and was attacked at once, but managed to escape through some dense branches. Without such luck, the sparrow would have been unceremoniously & calmly eaten on some convenient perch nearby; it's happened before.

♫ Hawks - Tigers Can Bite
Taking & Running Away EP (2008)
myspace | buy


♫ Little Bird
If you know who sings this, please tell me - I picked it up somewhere in December, & it's not tagged.


♫ Bird of Prey - Jim Morrison
An American Prayer (1995 remaster)
buy

Shame on You

After suggesting (threatening might be more accurate) yesterday, that I might string together some 'shame' songs, temptation got the better of me. It did remind me why I continue with such apparent pointlessness though, because I unearthed something rather lovely from Denmark that's I'd downloaded from Bandbase.dk last year.

Delightful, yet chilling, acoustic guitar & vocals, railing against an unfaithful ex-lover.
♫ Shame on You - Herborg Torkilsdóttir
Shame on You (2007)
myspace - another three songs there






I really enjoy this French band - Prototypes, check out their tracks Exister & Je te connais pas if you can.
Yup, sung in French, apart from the repeated title, but it doesn't matter at all.
♫ I've got no Shame - Prototypes
Synthetique (2008)
myspace | buy


♫ Shame - PJ Harvey
Uh Huh Her (2004)
buy

written by Vince Melouney, the Bee Gees lead guitarist... this is so far from their disco output
♫ Such a Shame - The Bee Gees
Idea (1968)
buy

Finally, back to Scandinavia...
♫ Walk the Shame - Pony the Pirate
Norway this time, and "...the story of an unusual, depressed pirate who just can't handle the challenges of the world. He sails the seven seas, steers his ship toward truth and fear, in search of an island that will give him joy, passion and meaning. "
myspace

Up with the Lark - Blackberry Way by The Move

I woke extremely early today, a veritable jukebox playing in my head, perhaps because it was too soon for the dawn chorus to interrupt it. Some songs I knew, others were unknown & probably unwritten, save in my mind. Usually I can control the music, switching songs & mentally writing new ones that I'm never able to remember afterwards, but today I just had to let this internal ipod shuffle away randomly.

T'was all good stuff, tho' in common with many dreamlike states, I'm hard-pressed to recall any songs now; but after getting up, still before the birds, Blackberry Way was on repeat in my now mostly conscious playlist. Just word-association of course, but very welcome nonetheless.



♫ Blackberry Way - The Move
single release (1968)
buy | The Move Online

I'm having a Neil Innes morning

I've been listening to Neil Innes' first solo album, also Lucky Planet by The World, a band he briefly formed after The Bonzo Dog Band. There's very good stuff on both, some of which I haven't heard before.

I'll likely post more sometime, since as far as I can see, neither one is currently available on CD, but this first one jumped out.


Feel No Shame - Neil Innes
How Sweet to be an Idiot (1973)


and speaking of shame... No, unusually for me, not a selection of songs on the subject (maybe later), but another Innes song. Actually, the title track of the same album - How Sweet to be an Idiot, which was doubtless accidentally plagiarised by Oasis in 1994, for their Whatever single. I presume that the courts agreed with Neil Innes, since he's now credited as co-writer.

How Sweet to be an Idiot - Neil Innes (7" single version)
How Sweet to be an Idiot (1973)


Whatever - Oasis
Single release (1994)
buy

If by chance you can't wait for more Neil Innes, or The World... there are a lot of free mp3's at the Neil Innes website, and more on the songblog

Neil Innes is most likely touring the USA this year.
Neil Innes.org

Baby, I'm Crazy About You

I'd already planned to up this song, cuz I've loved it for years n years; then I Correct Myself... wrote about 'baby' & using the word affectionately; and I thought - well, here's a man using it about someone he cares for; but warning her about the future.

Baby, I'm crazy about you, Don't like the way you do
Always mistreatin' me, say that you love me too
Someday, you'll want me, and I'll be so far from you
Then you will be sorry babe, you do me like you do

I love the cheery backing & harmonica, quite at odds with the lyrics.
This is a 1935 recording by the State Street Boys, featuring Jazz Gillum on vocals & harmonica, with Big Bill Broonzy & Carl Martin on guitars; clearly someone's playing the piano, most likely Black Bob.

Crazy About You - State Street Boys

'Do' can mean so many things - it can be sexual or violent, another word for 'treat', or as splendidly uttered round here on occasion... "It fuckin' do's me it does".

Story Songs #5 - Della & the Dealer by Hoyt Axton

Fifth in a series - find more stories on How Marvellous..


OK, this wasn't a huge hit here in the UK, but was likely heard much more than the chart position suggests, thanks to a lot of plays by Terry Wogan. It's a fine, if short, tale of love & murder down Tucson way...


Yeah, the Dealer was a killer; he was evil and mean,
And he was jealous of the fire in her eyes.
He snorted his coke through a century note,
And he swore that Boone would die.

♫ Della and the Dealer - Hoyt Axton
A Rusty Old Halo (1979)
buy

Hoyt Axton : website & full discography

Whole Schebang

I ran into  the folk-pop(?) five-piece, Whole Schebang via the excellent Organart.com & can't stop playing their music, particularly the recent Stranger Than The Weather EP, which you can hear the title track of below, and more at their myspace.

I'm finding it hard to describe what exactly is so engaging about them; it's partly the lyrics, like  "Every day I go to work, and drive the neighbours quite berserk with my rape alarm, turned up to ten. I'm a friendly kind of soul, but don't come near me, or I'll go on a killing spree, to Sainsburys, or just round the car park"; which is sung in such a happy, matter of fact, way.

Or it might be the charming vocal harmonies, or the flugelhorn & flute & accordion & strings... or the embracing inventiveness (which has me thinking of Camper van Beethoven, not that they sound at all similar), Of course, it's all those things, and I'm smitten - might have to make a trek to London to see these guys. Organ Art were right when they said it was infectious.

♫ Stranger Than The Weather - Whole Schebang
Stranger Than The Weather EP (2008)
buy CD | iTunes
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Here's a couple from Whole Schebang's previous releases, which are all available for free at last.fm

♫ Millions of Animals - Whole Schebang
Will it grow back? EP
free download - there's a great song on this about a wrestler named Unfortunate, also a delightful tune about a stolen heart (hopefully) growing back.

♫ Special Doorman - Whole Schebang
Supermalt EP
free download

Soft Toy Emergency

I do enjoy a bit of what might be called electro-pop, and this Liverpool band, with a great name, hit the spot this morning. They've a single out on February 16 - I Kno You Want it, on Friends vs Records, which you can hear on myspace, and they're touring next month, including a couple of gigs in Southampton, which isn't too far away from me, so woo hoo!. Not sure about the glasses in the video though...


♫ Circles - Soft Toy Emergency

Perfect People

I occasionally trawl through myspace in search of something new, which is easy; and good to listen to, which is a lot more difficult... Pleasingly, I did find some more than decent music yesterday, including Perfect People.


The band are from London, and have just two songs on their myspace, but it's quality, not quantity that counts - and both are blimmin' excellent, if rather different in style.

They've a couple of gigs lined up soon: shame there's nothing further south.
12 Feb Hoxton bar & grill - Shoreditch, London
26 Feb Trinity Bar - Harrow, London

The bass sound on this first one is cracking-good.
♫ Tiptoes - Perfect People

♫ They Don't Make 'em like You anymore - Perfect People

Baghdad Country Club

This Brighton (UK) band grabbed my ears on myspace yesterday; splendid indie/punk/pop, they list their influences as BrandNew/Manchester Orchestra/Mewithoutyou
The Smiths/The Police/The Beatles/Rage Against The Machine/Jimmy Garrison/Led Zeppelin/DJ Shadow/DJ Format (phew, long list eh).

Baghdad Country Club are Elliot Tatler (Vocals/Guitar), Craig Simpson (Lead Guitar), Joshua Boyd (Bass/Bvs), & Joe Caple (Drums)... and that's about all I know, save that they're bloody good.

There's some excellent guitar on this first one, and it's cool to hear cymbals properly. "X marks the spot where this conversation died" - great line.

♫ Ex Marks the Spot - Baghdad Country Club

I bet this goes down a storm, live - hope they play nearer Portsmouth sometime.
♫ Four Story House - Baghdad Country Club

myspace


If you're in England - see 'em soon
6 Feb 2009 Tap and Tin Chatham,
18 Feb 2009 The Pav Tav Brighton
12 Mar 2009 Prince Albert Brighton

Lex Land covers Miss Misery (Elliott Smith)

I don't know how long it's been up, but I found today that Lex Land has done a wonderful cover of Elliott Smith's 'Miss Misery' & put it on her myspace.

It's a very sparse, just guitar & vocals, version, rather like that on New Moon; but even sadder sounding, haunting I'd say.

♫ Miss Misery - Lex Land
unreleased

Lex Land has an album out - Orange Days on Lemon Street - Buy from iTunes | CD from Intelligent Noise | myspace | Lexland.net
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More Lex Land on How Marvellous...

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - 10 Cover Versions

After only recently realising that Nina Simone did this song originally (doh!), indeed, it was written for her; I had an urge to dig out the versions I already knew, and more besides.

The good thing is, these are pretty fine - Yusuf Islam's sticks closest to the original, but every one is more than ok ; even Joe Cocker's, whose voice I normally don't care for. So, in no particular order, other than how they came to hand - here's my top ten covers of Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus, and first recorded in 1964.



♫ Find the original where I did, at I'm Waking Up To...

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals
originally on Animal Tracks (1965)
buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Cyndi Lauper
At Last (2003) - an album of covers
buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Elvis Costello
King of America (1986)
buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Joe Cocker
Layer Cake ost (2004) but originally(?) on Organic(1996) a Joe Cocker album of covers, but he recorded it in the 60's too
buy Layer Cake | buy Organic

♫ Lolole (Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood) - Alabina
The Album II (1998)
buy | website

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - New Buffalo
Like a Version 2 (2006) - 2nd in a series of four (so far) albums of covers, issued in Australia
myspace | buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Santa Esmeralda (short version; if you want the ten-minute one, better ask nicely)
myspace | buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Yusuf Islam
An Other Cup (2006)
buy

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Eric Burdon (or it could be The Eric Burdon Band...)
sorry, don't know the album
Eric Burdon.com

♫ Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Alan Price Set
some radio/tv show - presumably 1965-1970
Alan Price Online | buy

OK, that's your lot - I did find another half-dozen, but they were either very obscure, or nfg, or both; and anyway, I've dinner to cook. There's a Lou Rawls one somewhere, which could be ok, and Tom Jones did it live, but I can't find a recording. Try The Animals instead...

Hello Sailor

One of the joys of internettiness for me, is being able to revisit, relatively quickly, old songs & bands that might suddenly pop into my head. One such last year was Sailor, who had a couple of biggish hits in 75/76 & slogged away w/o bothering the charts much for some years afterwards.

In fact, Sailor did reach #35 in the UK in 1977 with One Drink Too Many, but oddly, that song is missing from a 16 track 'Hits & B-sides' collection which I was nostalgic enough to download. I'm not sure that the rest of the material bears close scrutiny, although there's no denying the craft & catchiness of their big singles; and yep, they could actually produce the same sound live.

'Glass of Champagne' was used for a Marks n Sparks tv ad in late 2006, and for a few days in Summer the same year, there was a stage musical celebrating the band & their songs; along with a plot, of course.

But were they any good? - hear for yourself; doesn't Georg Kajanus sound a lot like Bryan Ferry on Glass of Champagne? (esp. Let's Stick Together) - well, I think so.


♫ Traffic Jam - Sailor

♫ A Glass of Champagne - Sailor

♫ Girls Girls Girls - Sailor

♫ Let's Stick Together - Bryan Ferry
Let's Stick Together (1976)
buy

Sailor : website | fansite | buy

Brother Louie

If 'encyclopaedic' covers a volume of books, all water-stained, pages stuck together & showing signs of having been used as a substitute hammer (amongst other misuse); then yeah, I spose have an encyclopaedic knowledge of music. A minor surprise then, to find that Hot Chocolate's 1973 hit - Brother Louie was never popular in the USA, but did reach #1 of the Billboard Hot 100 when covered by Stories.

The Stories version is a bit odd when you know the original, insofar as the question/response thing near the start "Hey man,what's wrong with that? - nothing in fact it was good...", and other spoken interludes, like "I don't want no honky in my family, You dig?" aren't there at all. They kinda made the song what it was, for me, and the US hit, while pleasant enough, is a bit pale in comparison.

Easily as obscure & unimportant, is the fact that Hot Chocolate started out on Apple Records as 'The Hot Chocolate Band' doing a reggae cover of Give Peace a Chance - who knew?

♫ Brother Louie - Hot Chocolate
Cicero Park (1973)
buy

♫ Brother Louie - Stories
About Us (1973)
buy

Naturally, there have been a whole lot of other covers - for a not necessarily exhaustive list, look at Louie Louie Web

Here's one more, perhaps more in the spirit of doing a song people already know, than re-interpreting a classic.
♫ Brother Louie - Quireboys
Bitter, Sweet & Twisted
buy | myspace



and the somewhat crackly & yes, rambling...  pretty awful actually
♫ Give Peace a Chance - The Hot Chocolate Band
7" single (1969) - Apple
If you've an interest in early Apple singles, you'll find most of them at A Beatles' Hard-Dies Site, along with a ton of Beatles & related rarities.
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I've posted this next one (again!) just cuz it fits in with the Brother Louie theme, of taking a girl/boy home & finding your parents are horrified... different reasons of course, but it's a fine song.

♫ Girl from Germany - Sparks
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972)
buy

Television Addicts?

image rights : British Science Museum

These are all good - but despite the inclusion of The Stooges, I'd pick Television Addict by The Victims, and Cable TV by Fol Chen.

♫ Cable TV - Fol Chen
Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made (2009)
myspace | buy

♫ On TV - Quitzow
Art College (2008)
myspace | buy | Free EP

♫ TV - Headlights
Kill Them With Kindness (2006)
myspace | buy

♫ TV Movie - Pulp
This is Hardcore (1998)
buy

♫ TV Set - The Cramps
Bad Music for Bad People (1984)
buy

♫ TV Eye - The Stooges
Funhouse (1970)
buy

♫ Television Addict - The Victims
self-released single (1977)
buy on compilation CD of Australian garage/punk

Popup - free & legal album

Ever late to the party, I just got around to hearing Glasgow band Popup's album -'A Time and a Place', which got a very useful review at 17 Seconds last year; and is due a US release in April on Team Love Records... who are seemingly so excited that they're giving away a full-album download for one month. Very much worth a listen - it's just as good as the review suggests.

♫ Love Triangle - Popup

♫ A Year in a Comprehensive - Popup


both from A Time and a Place (2008)
free download for a month at the Love Library or buy from iTunes  or get the CD from Rough Trade

Popup on myspace

Pillar of the Community? - certainly not!

I got called a pillar of the community recently, in jest it must be said, and my mind sent the word, & phrases that use it, round n round (as it does...) & led initially to this fine track by the Thermals from 2006. Likely you know it already - but what the hell?, it's a cracker.

♫ Pillar of Salt - The Thermals
The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006)
myspace | buy

Much less popular, but very good indeed, is this one - mentioned on Wolves, Hawks and Kites last year. Quite some contrast in style between the Thermals & Construction and Destruction; I find the two go together very well.

♫ Pillar of Stone - Construction and Destruction
The Volume Wars (2008)
myspace | buy
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Obscure musical fact #8704 - Pillars of the Community was the title of a 2007 album by The Good Time Charlies.

♫ Last Days of Summer - The Good Time Charlies
Pillars of the Community (2007)
myspace | buy

image by Robert Williamson

Everyday - Four Songs

For no reason beyond the fact that the title of Vetiver's song 'Everyday' (which is very nice) keeps jumping out from various websites, which makes me automatically think of the Slade song... I present several more with that title: some classic Buddy Holly, Hip Hop, & Glam Rock.

♫ Everyday - Vetiver
Tight Knit (2009)
myspace | buy

♫ Everyday - Slade
Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (1974)
website | buy

♫ Everyday - Kottonmouth Kings
Hidden Stash (1999)
myspace | buy

♫ Everyday - Buddy Holly
45 single (1957) - this mp3 is a bit crackly, allegedly from 'original master tapes'
buy


Humdrum chair by Michiel van der Kley

Town without Pity- Thin White Rope, James Chance, Brian Setzer, Gene Pitney

A good friend & avid vinyl collector used to make me numerous mix-tapes which I played to death driving around in my van. One came to mind yesterday & I found I could remember the hand-written insert & thus the name of the band who did what is certainly my favourite version of Town Without Pity.

♫ Town Without Pity - Thin White Rope
Spoor (1995 compilation) - originally from the Red Sun EP (1988)
website | buy

Such a contrast to Gene Pitney's original - which was recently featured at Starmaker Machine. They included a nice quality mp3 so I won't repost that, but I do have another very different version by the wonderful James Chance, with some tremendous saxophone, as you'd expect from him.

♫ Town Without Pity - James Chance
Irresistible Impulse (2003) but recorded in NYC, March 1988 & previously unreleased
buy

Wow!, just heard it for the first time & it's marvellous - a day-maker; it's really got me grinning, such a glorious ending too. Joyous I say.

Keeping with the modern big-band idea - Brian Setzer did a fine job too
♫ Town Without Pity - Brian Setzer Orchestra
Guitar Slinger (1996)
buy


Speaking of saxophone - here's a jazz instrumental version, which is outrageously good too - ok, it starts off a bit too Ira Newborn for words, as if it was on a Police Squad soundtrack... but if you like a bit of Jazz - try it.

♫ Town Without Pity - Richie Cole & The Alto Madness Orchestra
Risë's Rose Garden (2006)
buy | website | myspace

This started out as a post about one particular version by Thin White Rope, and is in danger of morphing into another multi-cover-extravagance... If that's what you're after, you can find eight covers, including The Dickies, Eddi Reader, Mathilde Santing, Mandy Barnett and Montrose over at Ill Folks, as well as (yikes!) forty versions of Green Green Grass of Home, among many other gems; so I'll just add just two videos - the first shows Gene Pitney performing the song, the second is a pretty nice cover by Eddi Reader.

Story Songs #4 - Royal Guardsmen, Benny Hill

Fourth in a series - find more stories on How Marvellous..

Whilst it's not essential for a Novelty hit to have a good story inside (think the Smurfs & Joe Dolce for starters), it certainly helps, in my opinion. I could argue that it was the Snoopy connection alone which got The Royal Guardsmen's second single so far up the charts in '66/67, but there can be no doubt that it was a traditional story-song in content, even if not the subject matter.

♫ Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen
Snoopy vs the Red Baron (1966)
buy | website

The Royal Guardsmen split in 1969 - doubtless worn down by successive Snoopy recordings - however, they reformed in 2004 & released err Snoopy vs Osama (buy) - hmmm.
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Righto, here's another novelty-with-story hit, this time from Benny Hill - possibly a re-write of Frank Gallop's 'The Ballad of Irving', which was a parody of 'Ringo' by Lorne Green ( ahh, more story songs to investigate...), Ernie started as a popular song within The Benny Hill Show in 1970. Popular enough to chance a 7" single release after inclusion on a Benny Hill album - 'Words & Music', Ernie reached #1 in the UK charts around Christmas 1971, keeping Jeepster by T Rex off the top (hell's bells!).

♫ Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) - Benny Hill
Words & Music (1971)
buy

I've been reminded of Benny Hill several times lately, as his music & antics feature on Simpsons re-runs; so I'd better include the theme tune, just to save you searching for it.

♫ Benny Hill Theme

Benny's Place

Story Songs #3 - Kinks, Elvis, Jerry Reed, Jim Croce, Keith West, Mark Wirtz

Third in a series - find more stories on How Marvellous...

I'll confess to struggling to think of more songs that arguably relied upon a good story to make the charts, at least without the terrors of actually researching the subject (rather than the details); however, a tune came into my head whilst walking, which memory said was more reminiscing than story-telling... but on reflection, I think it fits the bill perfectly, being by far the biggest selling Kinks single for many years, on both sides of the Atlantic.

♫ Come Dancing - The Kinks
State of Confusion (1983)
website | buy
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Hmm, well while I conjure up something else that proves my point, it'd be a shame not to air some other story-songs, right?; although at the risk of seeming to ignore Jerry Reed's undoubted talents - it's possible that a decent tale helped more than a little to propel this next tune to the dizzy heights of #53 in the US Country charts in 1967. Elvis loved the song, and especially the guitar sound, which Jerry reprised on Elvis's cover version, recorded in the same year.

Mildly interesting to note that this only hit #43 for Elvis after it's '68 release, but reached #28 in the US and #1 in the US Country chart in 1981.

On to the music then...

♫ Guitar Man - Jerry Reed
The Unbelievable Guitar and Voice of Jerry Reed (1967) - tho' this is from a later compilation
buy


Ever the populist, I'd better include the more famous cover.
♫ Guitar Man - Elvis Presley
originally a 1967 single

both the above are annoying shortened - that's compilations & best-ofs for you I suppose.
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My memory (or lack of it) suggested a much greater amount of story-telling on this next one than listening to it revealed; a vivid imagination perhaps?, and given the oh-so-catchy chorus, this doesn't fit the bill really; it'd likely have been a hit without the meagre background story we get. Still, it certainly suggests a story, not least because of the title & origin, so it's in.

♫ Excerpt from a Teenage Opera (Grocer Jack) - Keith West
7" single - 1967
This version is from A Teenage Opera: The Original Soundtrack Recording (1996)
buy

Given the 1967 release, when I was just three years old, it's slightly odd how well I remember Grocer Jack - maybe it was a Junior Choice favourite of Ed Stewart?.

There was another (two according to Wirtz, but wiki says four) single release from the same Teenage Opera project, although despite Tony Blackburn plugging it, #38 was all that 'Sam' managed. Easy to see why, I'd say - no über-catchy chorus, much weaker melody; even a special radio-edit didn't help. OK then, we're talking stories, & Sam has one too, so let's give it a whirl.

♫ Sam - Keith West
7" single - 1967
A Teenage Opera: The Original Soundtrack Recording (1996)
buy


Being somewhat of a completist, here's the only other song I can speedily find from the intended Teenage Opera production, which I gather was hoped to be an animated musical, in the Yellow Submarine vein. No Keith West this time - I think it's Mark Wirtz, who conceived the whole thing, on vocals... also a single release on Parlophone in '68

♫ (He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman - Mark Wirtz
A Teenage Opera: The Original Soundtrack Recording (1996)
buy


The 'original' soundtrack recording is a bit of a fib. to put it mildly; the album's an ok listen, but certainly doesn't represent Mark Wirtz's vision of the project... see his comments about the release.
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Back to the plot now, and saved by the bell - my brain just spouted out Bad Bad Leroy Brown, which I believe illustrates the (near forgotten) point splendidly (even allowing for Jim Croce's subsequent hits); it's also stupendously good - nice to end on a high note.

♫ Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce
7" Single - 1973
buy

Two Minute Marvels - Cat Power, Miniature Tigers, Ty Segall, Langhorne Slim, Tender Forever

image by Frank Roberts MacDonald

Even more concise gems - previous marvels.

♫ New York - Cat Power
Jukebox (2008)
buy

♫ Dating - Ty Segall
Ty Segall (2008)
buy | myspace

♫ Giraffe - Miniature Tigers
Tell it to the Volcano (2008)
buy | iTunes |myspace

♫ Well I can take it - Tender Forever
Wider (2007)
buy | myspace

♫ The Honeymoon _ Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles
Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles (2008)
myspace | buy

Recently Enjoyed - 1990s, Val Venosta, David Bowie, The Kinks

Just things that found their way into my ears & have been played and enjoyed many times lately. Some new, some only new to my collection.

♫ The Box - 1990s (found at 17 Seconds)
new album 'Kicks' due March 23 on Rough Trade
myspace


♫ I think Billy Wilder would like this! - Val Venosta (thanks to Swedes Please)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (2009)
myspace


Thank goodness this sank in '67 - it's a gem though. I went looking for it after listening to an Anthony Newley album.
♫ The Laughing Gnome - David Bowie
7" 45 (1967) b/w "The Gospel According to Tony Day”


♫ Dedicated Follower of Fashion - The Kinks
7" 45 (1966) b/w "Sittin' On My Sofa"


♫ Ostia - Zu
Carboniferous (2009)
myspace | buy

I Put a Spell on You - more covers

Reference my recent rarity by Screamin Jay Hawkins, and the (now modest-looking) collection of covers I posted... there was one more I fancied hearing; right at the start of looking for the Arthur Brown version, I find someone has previously put together nineteen different ones, including Arthur Brown's, from The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (1968).

Staggeringly... this guy has thirty-five altogether, and nineteen is just the best-of. I'm humbled.

Find the lot, or rather a sharebee-linked 90MB zip (the rapidshare one is u/s) at She'll Grow Back

I Put a Spell on You - covers by Black Elevators, Nina Simone, Natacha Atlas, Alan Price, Joe Cocker...

Hmm, I said I wouldn't go digging out every version, and Credence Clearwater + Marilyn Manson + The Animals didn't make the grade.  Also I haven't yet tried to locate covers by The Eels, Bonnie Tyler (whose version I heard a clip of, and it sounded good), Roxy Music, Brian Ferry, Them, Nick Cave, Manfred Mann etc etc & err, nor will I most likely, unless more than one or two people ask; but Arthur Brown did one too, which has to be worth a listen - saw him at The Joiners in Southampton in the mid-90's I think, what a great gig it was.

Anyway, here's a few to be going on with.


Raw garagey punk/metal first - perhaps my favourite of all these.
♫ I Put a Spell on You - The Black Elevators
Elevator Music (2008)
myspace | buy

Now this one's a bit(!) odd, sort of a Middle Eastern electro feel, I like it a lot
♫ I Put a Spell on You - Natacha Atlas
Ayeshteni (2001)
website | buy

♫ I Put a Spell on You - Nina Simone
Compact Jazz (1991)
website | buy

Alan Price covered it with The Animals; here he is with his own band, but isn't the backing the same as House of the Rising Sun? - yikes.
♫ I Put a Spell on You - Alan Price
dunno - he did it a few times
website | buy

Gotta say, I don't care for Joe Cocker's voice one bit; but many people do, so here's his take.
♫ I Put a Spell on You - Joe Cocker
Heart & Soul (2004/5)
website | buy

This was a UK hit single in 2001
♫ I Put a Spell on You - Sonique
Hear My Cry (2000)
website | buy

I Put a Spell on You - rare Screamin' Jay Hawkins & Keith Richards

I'm gonna reach into your chest, and fumble with your emotions

So sings Jalacy Hawkins, backed by Keith Richards on this darker than usual version of his oft-covered song. I like to contemplate the imaginary video - a cross between a less choreographed Thriller & the Titty Twister acts in From Dusk 'til Dawn... Keith Richards looking undead, some ghoulishly attractive backing singers, a zombie stand-up drummer; and Screamin Jay Hawkins presiding - threatening not just spells, but weird disfigurement & more in his macabre efforts to hold on to a woman. Maybe he's some land-based version of the Flying Dutchman, appearing on Halloween every seven years, hoping to escape his cursed fate through the use of witchcraft.

I guess a graveyard setting, coffins... - no wait; that's just his live act.


A single release on Polydor in 1980, this & the B-side 'Armpit #6' were recorded on December 18, 1979, at Blue Rock Studios in NYC. Producer was Allan Schwartzberg; presumably the prolific session drummer.


♫ I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Keith Richards on guitar)
7" 45 POSP 183 (1980)
buy? you might find it on ebay or somewhere specialist for $15 or so

I love it; have always found the 'normal' version rather uhh, silly for the sake of it whereas this sounds more serious; the production & Keith's guitar help of course. I think I mean that there's an air of menace, as opposed to tomfoolery; and to borrow a line from Jon Spencer - "We don't play no blues, We play Rock & Roll".
If you think that sounds like I don't rate the usual Hawkins versions - yes, you're right. Somehow, the first rendition I ever remember hearing of I Put a Spell on You, was on the vinyl you hear above; & the others sound too tame in comparison.

♫ I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

also this very fine video - full witch-doctor get-up, skull on a stick - Marvellous.



There've been dozens of cover versions of Spell on You, I can't be doing with finding 'em all, but expect a few for comparison later on - one's rather bizarre.


Sooo, not a huge Jalacy Hawkins fan overall - but I thought he was excellent in Mystery Train, a film I'd warmly recommend; I've never heard the word 'chimpanzee' in the same way since watching it.

64revolt - not easy listening, just great

One of the many bands I ran into for the first time (musically speaking) last year was 64revolt, and late to the party as usual, I find I've been playing their Aim for the Flat Top album a lot; but turn away now if you're after some easy-listening for a Monday; I could easily have included some of them in yesterday's now how can you call that music? post.

I hate bloody labelling music (Can't Someone Else Do It? - thanks Homer) but the band seem to variously consider 'emselves digital hardcore or electro pop/punk; although I'd hesitate to use the former for the newer 2008 tracks I've heard.

About to write some guff about the band history & the fact they're from Sweden, & there's likely a new album this year... I find I can't be arsed - you'll find out more if you like 'em - right?. Personally I love their dark dance beats & (mostly) shouted yet intelligent vocals. Have a listen - this is an mp3 blog, after all. If you enjoy these, there's a ton of free to download tracks at 64revolt.com.
Hard to pick favourites, cuz it's all good; but these jumped out this morning - Adore Me is especially fine, but Neat Girl's bloody joyous too; If Carlsberg really ran clubs & disco's, they'd play 64revolt every night.



♫ Moving Backwards - 64revolt
Aim for the Flat Top (2007)

♫ Adore Me - 64revolt
Adore Me/Search & Destroy single (2008)

♫ Garden Party - 64revolt
unreleased

♫ Neat Girl - 64revolt
Aim for the Flat Top (2007)

myspace | bandsite | iTunes | cdbaby

Frustration ! (Purple Hearts)

Buggering about last night & this morning with a view to ripping some vinyl - in particular a marvellous version of I Put a Spell on You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, with Keith Richards on guitar... more of that later, when I've deciphered the outlandish lyrics.

The record deck weighs a bloody ton, and there's no longer space for it permanently in the living room, nor anywhere to put it near the hi-fi amp; so last night I tried it direct into the iMac - too quiet by far, it needs a decent pre-amp. Cut to this morning, and balance the thing on a kitchen stool close to the amp, re-jig all the leads to geta signal back to the computer... seems ok & then bah! the turntable stops going round. Fuse is ok, ahh, the belt's come off (& did so a few more times). Cue lotsa trips back n forth cueing up, pressing buttons, cleaning & generally far too much arseiness for my liking; most aggravated I was.

Anyway, Frustration by Purple Hearts came to mind; partly for obvious reasons, but also cuz it has a cool picture sleeve & I have the Fiction single in a neat pile with every other early Fiction release (sad eh - only bought 'em b/c it was The Cure's label, but grew to like every last one).

Soo, after ripping the Jalacy Hawkins track, and a 1980 single I played bass on (which John Peel played several times - woo!); I thought I'd post about the aggro & include Frustration... which I couldn't find short of a big torrent, or paying for it (heaven forbid!); so I dug out the single & set about recording - of course, the belt came off yet again - Humbug!.

♫ Frustration - Purple Hearts (excuse the crackles)
Frustration/Extraordinary Sensations (Fiction Records - Fics 007 - 1979)

But wait , there's more! - being a lazy sod** I spied elbo.ws for an mp3 to save myself the turntable hassle; no joy, but I did see that Mark @ RockSelllout had recently interviewed the band, who are getting back together after what, twenty six years?, in what might be the vanguard of the err revival of the mod-revival. Purple Hearts were excellent, so here's two more gems from them.

♫ Jimmy - Purple Hearts

♫ Millions like Us - Purple Hearts

Purple Hearts @myspace | buy
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** bonus track
♫ Seventeen (Lazy Sod) - The Sex Pistols
Never Mind the Bollocks - Here's the Sex Pistols
buy

Sunday Sounds : Apples in Stereo, Absentee, Sugarplum Fairy, Isobel Cambell

Late Sunday afternoon here, dinner to cook & my weight record deck to dig out so's I can rip some unavailable vinyl - The best version of Put a Spell on You ever, ever (for my ears, anyhow). Yep it's Screamin' Jay - but doing it justice, with a very famous guitarist; more later, hopefully. For now, you may enjoy these as much as I do.

♫ Sunday Sounds - Apples in Stereo
New Magnetic Wonder (2007)
buy | myspace

♫ Shot Gun Blues - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Sunday At Devil Dirt (2008)
myspace | buy

♫ That Old Ghost - Absentee
Victory Shorts (2008)
buy | myspace

♫ Caroline - Sugarplum Fairy
The Wild One (2008)
buy | myspace

Now How can you call that Music?

Inspired, or more accurately, prompted, by the recent re-release of the first 'Now That's What I call Music' compilation; also the Now 25 triple-disc thing last year.. try some choice cuts which for some reason, those with less finely-honed musical taste might ( & have done) pronounce dreadful. Naturally, I don't understand at all.

♫ The unbearable lightness of a farm tractor - Miss Violetta Beauregarde
Odi Profanum Vulgus Et Arceo (2006)
buy | amazon | myspace
There's a lovely review of the album : This wasn't music, this was a train wreck. And if you want to hear a train wreck then listen to this... more


♫ Orphans - Teenage Jesus & the Jerks
Orphans/Less of Me single (1979)
Robert Quine is credited as producer - I think he provides the delicate slide guitar too
buy | Lydia Lunch


♫ Mi bori sar Korani - Koçani Orkestar
Alone At My Wedding (2002)
myspace | buy


♫ Wunderbar - Sparks
Lil' Beethoven (extra tracks edition - 2004)
buy | myspace


♫ Fuck Shit Up - The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Now I got Worry (1996)
buy | myspace

Two Minute Wonders - Pains of Being Pure... Sinatra, Wanda Jackson & more

Another bunch of short songs, which nonetheless have nothing missing. Find more... If you play nothing else - the Ideal Free Distribution track is my pick today. They are marvellous.


♫ Give 'til it Hurts - Motosierra
My Generation compilation (2009) download
myspace


♫ Pollen of the Plains - I am Oak
Ols Songd (2008)
myspace | download (with permission)


♫ Baby Loves Him - Wanda Jackson
Rockin' with Wanda (1960)
wiki | buy


♫ Falling in Love with Love - Frank Sinatra
originally 1961 - I have it on Trilogy (2006)
buy


♫ Saturday Drive - Ideal Free Distribution
Ideal Free Distribution (2006)
myspace | buy


♫ Hey Paul - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart EP (2007)
there's another version on the new album
myspace | buy
image by Jacob @ Cats are Grey

The Features & Voxtrot - two of my favourite songs

Two of my favourite songs of the last few years were just random grabs from blogs; I so enjoy just stumbling into something great - makes my day.

The first was 'Rise up in the Dirt' by Voxtrot, who've been fairly quiet since the release of their first full album 'Voxtrot' in Spring 2007. Seems they've taken a long break from writing/recording & will hopefully start again soon.
This has an intensity, a dark intelligence, not always so immediately noticeable in their other work - it is there, just doesn't hit me in the same way.

♫ Rise up in the Dirt - Voxtrot
Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP (2006)
myspace | iTunes

Lyrically, I love it : "... when you wake up tomorrow my son, you'll be the father of something terrible; it will shine throughout your life... but it won't bury you, cos we know - Somewhere in the darkness, you will find love... You will feel young again, You will feel young."

also try two newer songs
♫ Ghost - Voxtrot

♫ Firecracker - Voxtrot
both from Voxtrot (2007)
iTunes

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The other song mentioned at the start of this ramble is by The Features; it first saw daylight on their Contrast EP in 2006, and was remixed slightly for inclusion on the Some Kind of Salvation album, last year.
♫ Wooden Heart - The Features
Some Kind of Salvation (2008)
buy

Out-bloody-standing!, although being a git, I prefer the one on Contrast w/o the added brass/sax - I could warm to it, mind you - reminds me of a Mike Leander / Glitter production.

♫ Wooden Heart - The Features
Contrast EP (2006)
buy

That trifling personal preference aside - Some Kind of Salvation is an excellent listen
♫ GMF - The Features
Some Kind of Salvation (2008)
buy

Late Night Maudlin

♫ Music When the Lights go Out - The Libertines
The Libertines (2004)
buy


♫ Angry at the Sun - The Lost Brothers
Trails Of The Lonely (Parts I & III) (2008)
buy | buy2


♫ From Great Knowledge - Alina Simone
Everyone is Crying Out to Me Beware (2008)
buy


♫ I Didn't Understand - Elliott Smith
XO (1998)
buy


Ahh, that's better - some Voxtrot & The Features in the morning.